ICRPG at a Glance
Four ideas carry most of the game. Each part of the guide builds on them.
One Target
Every room has one Target number. Roll a d20, add a stat, and meet or beat it. EASY lowers it by 3; HARD raises it by 3.
Effort
Success lets you roll Effort to make progress or deal damage: d4 Basic, d6 Weapons & Tools, d8 Guns, d10 Energy/Magic, d12 Ultimate.
Hearts
Hit points come in hearts of 10. Monsters are measured in hearts too, so you can size a fight at a glance.
Timers & Loot
Ticking timers keep the pressure on, and loot is the main reward: gear is where most of your bonuses come from.
The 18 Parts
Read in order for the full picture, or jump to what you need.
Getting Started
ICRPG Overview
What makes Index Card RPG different and why it plays so fast.
Core Mechanics
Targets, attempts, Effort, hearts and the rules that hold it all together.
Session Zero
Set up your game and your table before the first roll.
Heroes
Character Creation
Build a hero from concept to adventure-ready.
Character Examples
Worked heroes and parties across several genres.
Group Dynamics
Building parties whose members fit together.
Play the Game
Combat
Attacks, Effort for damage, defense, hearts and cinematic fights.
Magic
Spells as tools, Energy/Magic Effort and casting in play.
Timers & Tension
Countdown dice that make every round count.
Room Design
Danger, Energy and Wonder (D.E.W.), ranges and room archetypes: simple spaces into memorable encounters.
Advanced Techniques
Deeper tools for experienced tables.
Run the Game
Game Mastery
Running smooth sessions as the GM.
GM Toolkit
Energy, improv, voice, quick rulings, pacing and fixes for problem situations.
Story Architecture
Structuring adventures that hold together.
Campaign Management
Long-term play, growth and keeping threads alive.
World Building
Crafting living settings for your adventures.
Conversion Guide
Bringing heroes, monsters and loot in from other games.
Playing ICRPG Solo
Be your own GM: a Target oracle with exact odds, room checks and D.E.W. room sparks.
Tools
Keep these open at the table. They work offline too: after your first visit with an internet connection, this browser saves the whole guide, so the dice roller, cards, generators, loot and monsters keep working with no signal. Your saved cards stay in this browser either way.
Character Names
Names for heroes and villains in any genre.
105 Ready-Made Characters
Pre-built heroes, solo and in 23 adventure groups, to play as-is or use as templates.
Dice Roller
Attempts against the Target with exact odds, EASY and HARD, and Effort dice.
Character & Monster Cards
Fillable index cards you can save, export and print.
Monster Bestiary
Ready-made monsters and NPCs for every tier, ready to load into your cards.
Loot Generator
Random example treasure by category and rarity.
Adventure & Room Generator
Hooks, D.E.W. rooms and five-room dungeons with foes and loot.
Quick Reference
The core rules on one page.