# Wushu tags: #game/rpg/wushu ![[Wushu (logo).png]] _Wushu_ is a roleplaying game for people who find math tedious and physics optional. It operates on the "Principle of Narrative Truth," which is a fancy way of saying that if you describe it, it happens. There are no "to-hit" rolls to see _if_ you punch the ninja; you simply describe punching the ninja, and the universe obliges. The dice do not determine success or failure; they determine how much your gratuitous violence contributes to the actual pacing of the scene. It is a game of cinematic emulation where "being cool" is the only stat that actually matters. If you enjoy the sound of your own voice describing slow-motion gunfights, this is likely your holy grail. ## Mechanics The core mechanic is deceptively simple: **You sing for your supper.** ### The Dice Pool (Dice for Details) You do not roll based on your character's skill level; you roll based on how much effort you put into your description. You gain one six-sided die (d6) for every **Detail** you include in your narration. - **Example:** "I punch him" earns you 1 die. Boring. - **Better:** "I slide across the banquet table (1), kicking up a cloud of roasted pheasant (2), and drive my heel into the guard's throat (3)." That earns you 3 dice. There is typically a cap (usually 4 to 6 dice) to prevent players from filibustering the session with ten-minute monologues about their coat physics. ### Resolution Once you have your pool, you roll against a **Trait**. - Standard Traits are target number **2**. - Your character's specialized Traits (e.g., _Master of the Flying Guillotine_ or _Cynical Necromancer_) are typically **4** or **5**. - Every die that rolls **below or equal to** the target number is a Success. ### Yin and Yang This is the only part where you might actually face consequences. Before rolling, you must divide your dice pool into **Yang dice** and **Yin dice**. - **Yang Dice:** These are for offense. Hits here reduce the Scene's "Threat" or the villain's health. - **Yin Dice:** These are for defense. You need at least one success here to defend against the scene's danger. If you fail to generate enough Yin hits, you lose **Chi** (your narrative plot armor). Run out of Chi, and you are removed from the scene (usually in a humiliating fashion). ### Mooks vs. Nemeses - **Mooks:** They have no stats. They are set dressing made of meat. They exist solely to make you look competent. They inflict a flat 1 hit of damage per round, forcing you to allocate at least one Yin die to defense. - **Nemeses:** These are actual threats. They have their own Traits and Chi, and they roll dice back at you. ## Editions The game has evolved, though "evolved" might be too strong a word for "added more examples." - _**Wushu Open**_: The original, bare-bones framework released under a Creative Commons license. It was extremely light, trusting players to figure out the nuances. It included the "Scab Roll" rule for rolling without descriptions, which was rightly discarded because it encouraged boring play. - _**Wushu: Black Belt Edition**_: The definitive version. It compiles the core rules along with the "Wushu Guides" (_Cut-Fu_, _Gun-Fu_, _Car-Fu_, and _Wyrd-Fu_). It clarifies that _everything_ is a detail—social manipulation, hacking, and exorcisms all work exactly like kung fu. It also includes specific settings like _Clockwork Wuxia_. ## References - [Official Wushu Page - DanielBayn.com](http://danielbayn.com/wushu/ "null") - [Wushu: Black Belt Edition - DriveThruRPG Product Page](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/143146/Wushu-Black-Belt-Edition "null")