Defy Heroic Fantasy
Distal is a d20 fantasy RPG focused on hardships, not heroes. We designed it from the ground up to be easy to learn, easy to run, and a campaign-worthy system you can play forever.
Read on to learn more about Distal, or click here to check out the 24-page .pdf preview of the Core Rules.
Your Story Matters
Backgrounds provide characters with mechanical benefits and narrative connections to the world, and the backstory generator makes writing one as fun as the rest of character creation.
A few deeply engrained narrative systems (including backgrounds) offer lasting story elements that both the players and the GM can take hold of and build upon.
Death is Patient
Deathmarks are permanent scars gained on each brush with death. Accrue too many and face the sweet forever-sleep. Scars harden you, as well, making you less likely to fall in the future.
Hardship fuels character growth. Not just by overcoming it, but enduring it. Discovering how characters respond to strife and suffering helps ground the narrative, and foster meaningful stakes.
Tactical and Streamlined
From initiative, to turn economy, to character sheet, we've intentionally designed combat to avoid well-known slowdowns, without going so far as to remove to-hit rolls, or oversimplify the way damage is doled out.
Willpower die are earned as combat progresses, acting as a momentum mechanic that gives you more control over your rolls, and avoids the dreaded cleanup phase.
More than a Stat Block
Monsters use behaviors, not actions. This makes them easy to run, more fun to fight against, and gives each monster a unique identity and place in the world.
Combat is separated into tiers of play that issue greater challenges with each echelon. Monsters deliberately outpace the progression of the characters, forcing you to grow as a player (and team) as well.
Familiar and Further
As a foundation, we don't stray too far from the "everyday fantasy" roots laid by Gygax and Tolkien. We balance a mix of the genre staples you're already familiar with (like Elves and Dwarves,) while pushing into less charted territories that give a distinct shape to the setting.
Built by a Solo Author
Hey there, I'm Michael Henderson, better known as Wrel, by most folks. I'm the solo author, designer, and jack-of-all-trades on this project. Making amazing things to share with others is my lifeblood.
You can find me at the following places:
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@wrelplays
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/wrelplays.bsky.social
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wrelplays
Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/wrel
Feel free to reach out!