# Note for Playtesters If you find a bug or a confusing rule, please reference build **0.9.0** when sending feedback. This ensures I know exactly which version of the SRD you were using! # License This work is licensed under the [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). **Licensor**: Kaveh Shahbazian **Copyright**: © 2026 Kaveh Shahbazian You are free to: - **Share** --- copy and redistribute this material in any medium or format for any purpose, including commercially. - **Adapt** --- remix, transform, and build upon this material for any purpose, including commercially. Under the following terms: - **Attribution** --- You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. **No additional restrictions** --- You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits. ## Required Attribution If you use material from this SRD, you must include the following attribution in your work (in a location and size consistent with your other copyright notices): > *This work includes material from the UnderControl System Reference > Document by Kaveh Shahbazian, licensed under the Creative Commons > Attribution 4.0 International License > ().* ## Irrevocability Once published under CC-BY 4.0, this license is **irrevocable**. The licensor cannot revoke, withdraw, or modify the terms under which this SRD has been released. Future versions of the SRD (if any) will be separately licensed but will not affect the availability of this version. ## Scope This license covers the **full text of this System Reference Document**, including all rules, mechanics, tables, and examples contained herein. This license does **not** cover: - Any logos, trade dress, or visual identity associated with UnderControl (if created in the future). - The name "UnderControl" when used as a trademark or brand identity (as opposed to a rules reference). You may refer to UnderControl for purposes of attribution and compatibility, but you may not use it in a way that implies endorsement or official affiliation. - Any setting-specific content, fiction, artwork, or supplemental material published outside this SRD. - Any **standalone reuse** of artwork, illustrations, or images included in or distributed with this SRD. You are granted permission to reproduce and share this SRD in its complete form (including embedded images) under CC-BY 4.0, but you may not extract and reuse those images independently unless you have separate permission or a different license that explicitly allows it. ## Trademarks Logos and trademarks are **not** licensed under CC-BY 4.0. Product names and branding may be used only to refer to compatibility; do not imply endorsement. ## Derivative Works CC-BY 4.0 is **not a copyleft or viral license**. You are free to license your own derivative works under any terms you choose --- open, proprietary, or otherwise. The only obligation is attribution as described above. # About This Document This document is the current active specification for the *solo-first* "UnderControl" System Reference Document (SRD) TTRPG system. # Vocabulary High level definitions of terms used in "UnderControl". ## Control Dice **Control Dice** are two dice of the same size. The goal is to roll the **Stat Die** under/equal both of these dice, to keep things \"Under Control\". ## Stat Die The **Stat Die** is a single die of any size. It represents either **Mind** or **Body**. The goal is to roll this die under the **Control Dice**. In other words we want to keep our **Mind** or **Body** **Under Control**! ## Outcome A roll can end in three possible **Outcome**s: **Under Control**, **Endurable**, or **Out of Control**. ## Scene You make a **Scene** when you got yourself into something! The story goes on from **Scene** to **Scene** and between **Scene**s. We give a **Scene** a **Title** and possibly **Resolution Ticks** and a **Trouble** value. ## Bind You should not do that and you are in a **Bind** now! It can be a thread that spans between and through **Scene**s and such stuff. We can give a **Bind** a **Title**, **Resolution Ticks** and possibly a **Trouble** value. Also there could be some **Needed Aspects** that you might need in order to resolve the **Bind**. ## Aspect Anything factual can be an **Aspect**. It can be a trait, a relationship, a place, a time, a thought, an item and so on. It is made of **Word**s. **Word**s are our main currency! If you give your **Word**, you can do wonders! An **Aspect** can optionally have a **Core Stat** (**Mind** or **Body**), **Bottom Die**, and some **Lore** to give it more narrative flavor. If an **Aspect** has a **Bottom Die**, then it can deliver **Impact** which has a calculated value. The **Lore** can also contain some other optional sub-parts. It contains a list of special words, known as **Tag**s, which are written in brackets. The **Lore** can also contain a set of **Rule**s, which are usually narrative constraints and conditions. In general, the purpose of the **Lore** is to make the narrative more flavorful. But none of it is mandatory. In addition to character **Aspects**, we can have **Story Aspects**. For example, a **Scene** can have an **Aspect** or two. A **Bind** can have an **Aspect** or two, etc, etc. But **Story Aspects** should be introduced only when it narratively counts - and they are purely narrative **Aspect**s (in the majority of cases). Otherwise, it's just another day in our adventure. ## Buff Aspect A **Buff Aspect** is an **Aspect** that "buffs up" another **Aspect**, by increasing its **Impact**. ## Character And the **Character**s are the linchpin of the story, with their ambitions and **Bind**s. A **Character** has a **Name**, some **Stat**s (**Mind**, and **Body**), **Control Dice**, some **Aspect**s and some history. They also could be in a **Bind** or two already. # Dice Resolution In UnderControl, Polyhedral Dice (`d4`, `d6`, `d8`, `d10`, `d12`, and `d20`) are used. Player rolls three dice. Two of them are the same type, and they are called the **Control Dice**. The third die is the **Stat Die**. Player needs to literally roll "under control"! A player can cross-off **Word**s from their **Character**'s **Aspect**s, to **Uplift** their **Control Dice**. That will give them better chances. Sometimes they might decide to cross-off **Word**s to **Uplift** their **Stat** die, to be able to wield a specific **Aspect**, which requires a stronger **Bottom Die**. ## Outcomes A roll can end in three possible **Outcome**s: **Under Control**, **Endurable**, or **Out of Control**. - If **Stat Die** is less than or equal to both **Control Dice** then the **Outcome** is **Under Control**. - If **Stat Die** is less than or equal to one **Control Die** and greater than the other, then the **Outcome** is **Endurable**. - If **Stat Die** is greater than both **Control Dice** then the **Outcome** is **Out of Control**. A player can cross-off **Word**s to **Bump** the **Outcome** to the next better one. By crossing-off one **Word**, it is possible to bump from **Out of Control** to **Endurable**. By crossing-off three **Word**s, player can bump from **Endurable** to **Under Control**. But it is not possible to bump from **Out of Control** to **Under Control** directly by crossing-off four **Word**s. ## Pairs & Triples The **Pair**s and **Triple**s only affect the current roll. - If both **Control Dice** show the same number, and the **Outcome** is **Under Control**, add +1 to the **Impact** of the **Aspect** you are using. - If both **Control Dice** show the same number, and the **Outcome** is **Out of Control**, the player has to endure +1 additional **Trouble** on this roll's consequences. - If all three dice (two **Control Dice** and one **Stat Die**) show the same number, by definition it is an **Under Control** **Outcome**. In this case, add +2 to the **Impact** of the **Aspect** you are using. ## Degrade & Uplift **Degrade** and **Uplift** are the alterations that can happen to the dice, pushing the dice resolution towards a better or worse **Outcome**. - **Degrade** reduces the die to the next smaller size (e.g., `d10` $\rightarrow$ `d8`). Cannot degrade below `d4`. - **Uplift** increases the die to the next larger size (e.g., `d6` $\rightarrow$ `d8`). Each **Uplift** step costs one **Word**, crossed off from any of the player's **Aspect**s. Cannot uplift above `d20`. In general, any time we do a dice check, they **Degrade**. The **Control Dice** **Degrade**s one step, until it becomes a `d4`. And the **Stat** die **Degrade**s one step, until it becomes the same size on the character sheet. There is a **Heal** ritual, which resets all dice to their original values on the character sheet. When using an **Aspect**, the player rolls the **Bottom Die** of the **Aspect**. As long as the die size for the related **Core Stat** of the character (**Mind** or **Body**, **Uplifted** or character sheet baseline) is larger than or equal to the **Bottom Die**, the player can use that **Aspect**. If after a check --- when the die **Degrade**s --- the die size for the related **Core Stat** of the character is smaller than the **Bottom Die**, the player can not use that **Aspect** anymore. Unless they **Uplift** that die again. # Scene A **Scene** is a situation that the **Character**s got themselves into. It's the stage. It is not happening in the background. It has a start and an end. Multiple **Scene**s can fit into a session. It can be a fight, a negotiation, a chase, or similar. A **Scene** has a **Title** and may have **Resolution Ticks** and/or a **Trouble** value. For example, we can have a **Scene** titled "The Mechanized Goo". Let's say there are 3 of them and the **Resolution Ticks** are 6. And the **Scene**'s **Trouble** is 3. The **Resolution Ticks** of this **Scene** represents how much **Impact** the **Character**s need to deliver through using their **Aspect**s and rolls to resolve the **Scene**. Let's call our **Character** Geev. Geev has a "Plasma Shoulder Cannon" **Aspect**, which has an **Impact** value of 3. And we roll a **Triple**, which means the actual delivered **Impact** is 3 (base) + 2 (triple) = 5! Wow! We managed to eliminate two of those sentinels and severely wound the third one! The nice thing about this system, is that the mechanics gets out of the way and you can just narrate according to the flow of your imagination. Maybe you do not need to eliminate the last one. Maybe they short-circuit and give you what you want. On every dice check, if a player rolls **Endurable**, they deliver **Impact** but also have to cross-off a number of **Word**s, equal to the applicable **Trouble**, from their **Aspect**s --- anyhow they want. If a player rolls **Out of Control**, they only have to cross-off **Word**s equal to the applicable **Trouble**. After the dice check, all the dice must **Degrade** --- the **Control** and the **Stat** dice. The **Control Dice** **Degrade**s one step, until it becomes a `d4`. And the **Stat** die **Degrade**s one step, until it becomes the same size on the character sheet. # Bind I bet you already know a thing or two about being in a **Bind**! Usually there is no easy escape from a **Bind**. You have to deal with it --- well, up to **19** of those. It can be an adversary that you are hunting down, a thread, if you will. It can be a map of the galaxy, that no one can read it, except the nomadic traders that do not visit your space station any time soon. Maybe never. A **Bind** can have a **Title**. It has **Resolution Ticks**. It may also have a **Trouble** value and some **Needed Aspects** that you might need in order to resolve the **Bind**. The **Needed Aspects** of a **Bind** can be used to create a graph of daunting dark plots, that no one knows where they will take you to. ## Resolution The player can resolve a **Bind** by delivering **Impact** through using their **Aspect**s and rolls, whenever it makes sense narratively. - If a **Bind** has **Needed Aspects**, the player can roll on those **Aspect**s to resolve the **Bind**. - If a **Bind** has a **Trouble** value --- like an opponent or a poison --- the player can roll on the **Stat** die of their choice, to resolve the **Bind**. If they fail, they have to cross-off a number of **Word**s, equal to the **Trouble** value. - If a **Bind** has a **Trouble** value and some **Needed Aspects**, the player can roll on those **Aspect**s to resolve the **Bind**. If they fail, they have to cross-off a number of **Word**s, equal to the **Trouble** value. - If a **Bind** has only the **Title** and the **Resolution Ticks**, it is handled completely narratively. A **Bind** can be narratively part of a **Scene**. But mechanically, it is separate. For example, consider the **Scene** we had before, "The Mechanized Goo". The **Resolution Ticks** of the **Scene** were 6, representing the three mechanized slime creatures. Now, we can have a **Bind** called "Alpha Larva", which controls the mechanized slime creatures telepathically. It has 4 **Resolution Ticks**, with a **Trouble** value of 2. On each dice check, the players can choose to deal with the mechanized goo creatures --- the **Scene** --- or the Alpha Larva --- the **Bind**. A player will reduce the **Resolution Ticks** of their target --- either the **Scene** or the **Bind** --- and they will endure the **Trouble** of their target. # Aspect An **Aspect** is a factual statement about the world. It is made of **Word**s --- at least 3 and at most 12. *The Murky Skies* can be an **Aspect** of the land, ruled by the vampire covenant, which are loyal patrons of science. *The Chandelier of the Dark Sun* can be an **Aspect** of a powerful relic, which has a **Core Stat** of **Mind**, a **Bottom Die** of `d12` and an **Impact** value of 2. It induces fear in vampires and leaves nothing but a husk. The **Impact** can only be 2 here --- there is a formula for that! A **Character** can have a maximum of 19 **Aspect**s. It may have other properties. - **Word**s are the text that brands this **Aspect** and are the currency of the game. The player can cross-off **Word**s to **Uplift** their **Stat** die (one **Word** per **Uplift** step). - The **Lore** --- together with **Tag**s and **Rule**s --- gives some immersive flavor to the **Aspect** and open up opportunities for exciting story plots. - When performing a check the player should look at the **Core Stat** of the **Aspect**. Then they have to look at their own **Stat** die size - for the same stat as the **Core Stat** of the **Aspect**. The current size of their own **Stat** die must be equal to or greater than the **Bottom Die** of the **Aspect**. To perform the check, the **Bottom Die** of the **Aspect** is rolled together with two **Control Dice**. If the **Core Stat** is **Mind**, the player can use their character's **Body** die instead - and vice versa. But to do so, they have to check using a **Degraded** **Control Dice** (this **Degrade** is only for this specific roll). As always they can cross-off one **Word** to **Uplift** the **Control Dice** size. - **Bottom Die** is the smallest die that is needed for this **Aspect**. When using an **Aspect** which has a **Bottom Die**, the player rolls that **Bottom Die** together with their two **Control Dice** to perform a check. If the **Bottom Die** of an **Aspect** is `d6`, and they have a **Stat** die of `d8`, the player can still roll a `d6` and use the **Aspect**. As always, the player can cross-off **Word**s to **Uplift** their **Stat** die size --- if it's smaller than the **Bottom Die**. - **Impact** reduces the **Resolution Ticks** of a **Scene** or **Bind**, when player succeeds in using this **Aspect**. When all the **Words** of an **Aspect** are crossed-off, that **Aspect** is considered destroyed. It is gone! It can not be restored. Not even through the **Heal** ritual. If the narrative demands and the story brings it back, that's another \"story\"! ## Buff Aspects A **Buff Aspect** is an **Aspect** that "buffs up" another **Aspect**, by increasing its **Impact**. So, the total delivered **Impact** will be the sum of both **Impact**s --- the amount that will be reduced from the **Resolution Ticks**. The **Core Stat** of both **Aspect**s must be the same --- unless the **Buff Aspect** has no **Core Stat** in which case only the **Bottom Die** criteria must be met. And the **Bottom Die** of the **Buff Aspect** must be greater than, or equal to the **Bottom Die** of the **Aspect** it buffs. Also, the current size of the player's own **Stat** die must be equal to or greater than the **Bottom Die** of the **Buff Aspect** too --- for the same **Core Stat**. No need to roll for a **Buff Aspect**. To use a **Buff Aspect**, you have to cross-off one **Word** of it. It can be used only once per dice check --- as long as it has **Word**s left for crossing-off. ## Calculating Impact While defining an **Aspect** is freeform and completely narrative, the **Impact** value is calculated, only once, at the time of creating the **Aspect**, using this formula: $$\mathbf{Impact} = \lceil\frac{\mathbf{Bottom Die}\text{ Size}}{\text{Number of }\mathbf{Words}}\rceil$$ In our earlier example, *The Chandelier of the Dark Sun*, we count six words and the **Bottom Die** is `d12` (size 12), so the **Impact** is $\lceil\frac{12}{6}\rceil = 2$. We round up if the result is not an integer. You can imagine all sort of creative **Aspect**s! It depends on your world, your setting and other extra custom mechanics that you create (some example **Rule**s to add to the **Lore** could be "activates once per **Scene**", "activates during full Moon", etc). For example, "Banjo of the Ghost Riders" can be an **Aspect** that uplifts other players' **Control Dice** for one dice check. It might depend on a **Core Stat** of **Mind** and a **Bottom Die** of `d8`, which means it has an **Impact** of $\lceil\frac{8}{5}\rceil = 2$ --- `2` uplifts that other players can share and use. # Rounds Usually a **Scene** happens in **Rounds** --- whether playing solo or with a group. It's more of a guideline, than a rule. A **Round** goes like this: - **Setup The Narrative Framework** for the **Round**. - **Choose Aspect**: Players can choose an **Aspect** or go barehanded (rolling without an **Aspect** --- the **Impact** is 1). They can use a **Buff Aspect** to buff-up the **Impact** of that **Aspect**. To use a **Buff Aspect**, player has to cross-off one **Word** of it. Other players can also use their **Buff Aspect**s to buff-up the **Impact** of the same **Aspect** for that player. - **Uplift Control Dice** --- *Optional*: Players can cross-off **Word**s to **Uplift** their **Control Dice** before the roll (one **Word** per **Uplift** step). - **Action**: Players roll the **Bottom Die** of that **Aspect** (or one of their **Stat Die** if going in barehanded) together with their two **Control Dice** and see the **Outcome**. - **Outcome Bump** --- *Optional*: Players can cross-off **Word**s to **Bump** the **Outcome** to the next better one. - **Consequences**: - **Under Control**: Players reduce the **Resolution Ticks** of the current **Scene** or **Bind** by the **Impact** of the **Aspect** they used. - **Endurable**: Players reduce the **Resolution Ticks** by the **Impact** of the **Aspect** they used, but also have to cross-off a number of **Word**s, equal to the applicable **Trouble** (from the targeted **Scene** or **Bind**), from their **Aspect**s --- anyhow they want. - **Out of Control**: Players have to cross-off a number of **Word**s, equal to the applicable **Trouble** (from the targeted **Scene** or **Bind**), from their **Aspect**s --- anyhow they want. No **Impact** is delivered. - **Narrate**: Players narrate what happens, considering the **Outcome**. - **Degrade** the dice: Because a dice check happened here, all the dice **Degrade** as explained before. # Character Creation Creating a **Character** is simple in structure but interesting and can go deep. Keep in mind to leave some room for things to add during play --- especially during the first session. Creating **7** **Aspect**s would be a nice starting point guideline: create **4** during **Character** creation, and discover/remember the other **3** during the first hour of play. 1. **Name**: Choose a name for your **Character**. 2. **Stats**: Choose a "Die Size" for each of the stats (**Mind** and **Body**) and the **Control Dice** --- two "D6" and one "D8" is a good start for solo or easy(er) play. 3. **Bump Stat**: Roll all three dice (**Mind**, **Body**, and **Control**) and **Uplift** the middle one. So, if we have **Mind**: "D6", **Body**: "D6" and **Control**: "D8", we will roll two "D6" and one "D8". If the rolled values are **Rolled Mind**: "6", **Rolled Body**: "2" and **Rolled Control**: "5", because 5 is between 2 and 6, we will **Bump** the **Control** to "D10". 4. **Identity**: Answer these questions. Answering these questions could give you some starting **Bind**s. - *How did you end up here?* - *What are you going to do about it?* 5. **Aspects**: Create some starting **Aspect**s. This list is optional, but fun to do. - *An item that you inherited*: Remember how you got it. - *Equipment*: Weapon, armor, a gadget, medicine, etc. - *Supply*: Food, water, fuel, etc. Use **Aspect** flashcards to write down **Character**s' **Aspect**s. # Advancement **Advancement** can happen in different ways. You have to narrate the condition that justifies the advancement. The "How" is left to the game that is designed based on this SRD. You can just let the story surprise you with gifts! - **Uplifting** **Character**'s **Stats** and/or **Control** - Creating new **Aspect**s - Having more **Aspect**s There can be legendary **Aspect**s that can only be obtained through advancement. They can come from looting, crafting, training, etc. # Heal In a passive moment (no active engagements), you can choose to sacrifice one wounded **Aspect** (replace it, preferably derived from it), restore every crossed-off Word on all the other wounded character **Aspect**s. Also, every die returns to its sheet size. If there is only a single wounded **Aspect**, the crossed-off Words on that **Aspect** will not get restored. The **Heal** ritual is where the player forges their character's transformations. The memories of an old friend in the city up ahead might become forgotten as the **Aspect** goes away. The wound might heal and close into a strange shape that is an omen --- it transforms into a new **Aspect**. They might decide to give away their broken sword **Aspect** to some street rats and reimagine its tale into a new **Aspect** as befriending an information network. The player can choose to lose a wounded **Aspect** without transforming it --- when there is more than one wounded **Aspect** --- and still perform the ritual. # Game Loop The *Game Loop* described here, is more of a guideline. Try to enjoy it! So, almost: - Assess the situation. - Setup the **Scene** and/ or the **Bind**s. - Play and resolve the **Scene** and/ or the **Bind**s. - Narrate the consequences and the aftermath of your decisions. - You can **Heal** in a passive moment. - Don't just stand there! Go after the one escaped. That **Bind** is still not resolved! And of-course the role-play happens all the time and affects the story. If a player runs out of **Word**s, or does not have enough **Word**s to counter a **Trouble**, or other catastrophic situations, are not modeled in the SRD. It's a game design decision. # Miscellaneous **Game Design Considerations:** The rules described in this SRD are the default rules. You can change them when you design your game. But the core mechanics are pretty solid: rolling under control, **Aspect**s, **Impact**, and the **Word**s economy, **Scene**s and **Bind**s. You can add more mechanics, or remove some of the existing ones, but try to keep the core mechanics intact. **Buff Stacking:** By default, one **Aspect** can receive one buff by the player (from their own **Buff Aspect**s), and one buff from each other player (so, two other players can give two Buffs).