# Ensemble tags: #game/rpg/ensemble ![[Ensemble (cover).jpg]] # Ensemble: Emergent Fiction RPG ## Summary _Ensemble_ is what happens when you decide that math is for people who still have beating hearts and a sense of linear progression. Developed by Roberto Bisceglie under the Zotiquest Games banner, this "emergent fiction" engine strips away the comforting weight of hit points and experience bars, replacing them with a vague cloud of "Tags" and "narrative positioning." It proudly carries the torch of Nathan Russell’s _Freeform Universal (FU)_, attempting to turn the chaotic chatter of a gaming table into something resembling a coherent story. It’s essentially a multiplayer "upgrade" for Bisceglie’s earlier solo endeavor, _[[Loner]]_, aimed at groups who prefer "talking about their feelings" and "fictional consequences" over the satisfying crunch of a critical hit calculation. ## Core Die Resolution Mechanics The game hinges on a binary "Yes/No" resolution system that ensures failure is never just a simple end, but a creative opportunity to suffer. Players build a dice pool starting with a single **Action Die** (a standard d6). The mechanics function as follows: - **Tags as Modifiers:** For every positive trait, piece of gear, or favorable environmental "Tag" relevant to the action, you add a **Chance Die**. Conversely, for every disadvantage or risk, you add a **Risk Die**. - **The Great Cancellation:** In a fit of mathematical minimalism, Chance and Risk dice cancel each other out 1-for-1. You only ever roll the Action Die plus whatever remains of one type. - **Resolution:** If you have Chance dice, you take the highest result; if you have Risk dice, you take the lowest. - **The Oracle's Verdict:** Results are interpreted on a scale: - **6:** Yes, and… (Success with a bonus) - **5:** Yes… (Standard success) - **4:** Yes, but… (Success at a cost) - **3:** No, but… (Failure with a consolation) - **2:** No… (Standard failure) - **1:** No, and… (Failure with a complication) For those who enjoy a bit of attrition, the game introduces a **Luck** system for conflicts. Characters start with 6 Luck, which acts as a temporary buffer. Successes deplete the opponent’s Luck, while failures deplete yours. Once you hit 0, the "fiction" decides if you’re captured, disarmed, or merely embarrassed—death is an "extreme consequence" saved for when the dice really despise you. ## Editions and Evolution While _Ensemble_ is technically its own entity, it is marketed as the "multiplayer evolution" of _Loner_. While _Loner_ was built for the isolated soul, _Ensemble_ expands the scope to include Game Mastered (Classic) and GM-less (Masterless) modes. The primary change between the "solo" DNA of _Loner_ and the "group" structure of _Ensemble_ is the formalization of procedures for table dialogue, "reincorporation" of ideas, and the "Zoom In/Zoom Out" method for framing scenes. It effectively takes the solo-oracle logic and forces it into a social contract. ## References - [Ensemble - Zotiquest Games - DriveThruRPG](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/550068/Ensemble) - [Ensemble is live on DriveThruRPG - Reddit (r/LonerRPG)](https://www.reddit.com/r/LonerRPG/comments/1ps3ys6/ensemble_is_live_on_drivethrurpg_pwyw_multiplayer/) - [Zotiquest Games Publisher Page - DriveThruRPG](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/18634/zotiquest-games) - [Freeform Universal (FU) RPG - Peril Planet](h[ttps://www.google.com/search?q=http://perilplanet.com/freeform-universal/ "null"](https://www.perilplanet.com/freeform-universal/)) - [Ensemble - Zotiquest Games - Home]((https://ensemble.zotiquestgames.com/home-page)