Progression

Warped World is designed to be run in a number of contexts, from one-shot stories to long-running campaigns full of plots, sub-plots, and side-quests. In order to provide this flexibility, progression is entirely optional. Any part of this section may or may not be used. Think of it like a buffet: all the options are on the table, you just need to pick what looks best for your specific desires. This book provides a few pre-built progression systems to ease in selection if desired, but do not feel tied to what is written. You are encouraged to modify the parameters as needed to best suit your group's particular story.

Progression Events

Progression events are exactly what they sound like: events that occur during the narrative which count towards improvement of a character's stats. This can be either instantaneous improvement, or contribute to a threshold that must be passed in order to grant progression of a stat die. Whether a group decides to utilize individual progression events, or thresholded progression is dependent on the desired feel and length of the campaign.

Dice explosion is the most immediately tangible kind of progression event -- a player character improving a given stat die as they succeed at making use of said stat. However, progression does not need to be limited to only stat die values, a player character may also progress by improving the bonus die a particular proficiency grants (E.G. from +1D4 to +1D6), gain a new proficiency, improve a modifier, or take a new modifier depending on circumstance and current stat level.

Negative Progression

In addition to normal progression, a group may also decide to include "negative" progression, reflecting the impacts of a player character's experiences through the narrative. Negative progression should not be used as a punishment system, but as a direct reflection of the realities of the story. Negative progression does not mean a reduction in stat die values, save for extreme circumstances and only when the whole group agrees to such. Otherwise, a negative progression event should be noted in the "Conditions" section of the character sheet. Additionally, a player character's negative progression may be temporary, resolving after the source of the condition has been resolved, overcome, or circumvented.

Negative progression conditions typically take the following forms:

• Circumstantial stat modifier reduction or negation
• Circumstantial proficiency negation
• Circumstantial disadvantage to specific kinds of action

Extraordinary negative progression conditions, which are much more impactful to long-term gameplay, take the following forms:

• Reduction of a stat die
• Removal of a proficiency
• Application of a negative stat modifier

Extraordinary negative progression conditions should only be taken following extreme events, as they are much more widely impacting to gameplay and actively dial a player character's strength back, as opposed to normal negative progression conditions which tend to only manifest during specific circumstances.

Explosive Progression

With explosive progression, stats are able to be improved over time as their die explode. In an immediate progression game, this occurs as soon as the explosion happens, allowing the player to roll their new, stronger stat die on the next roll.¹

It is possible for immediate explosive progression to occur repeatedly during the same check, allowing for very rapid progression, if the group allows it.

In a threshold progression game, dice explosions may need to occur some number of times before the stat can be improved. This threshold may be static throughout the range of stat die (E.G., a stat die must explode 3 times before it may progress, regardless of the specific die being rolled), or scaling as a stat gets stronger (E.G., a D4 stat die need only explode once to progress to a D6, but progression from a D12 to a D20 requires 5 explosions). The particular parameters involved for how improvement is gated can be a bit tricky to work out, which is why there are some pre-built progression options provided later in this book.

The right choice for any given campaign is not universal -- groups desiring more difficult campaigns may elect to use increasingly hard to achieve progression thresholds, whereas groups desiring a campaign where their characters continue to feel exceptionally badass may prefer to use flat or immediate progression.

Economy Progression

It is possible, and even common, for a group to end a session with plenty of left-over unused help die. Depending on the desire of the group, these may be carried over into the next session, or may be spent during end-of-session wrap to improve a stat. Players may only spend their own help die to improve a stat, reflecting character growth through adversity and triumph. As a rule of thumb, the cost to improve a stat from one die to the next should be roughly equal to the total number of help die required to meet or surpass the next die's maximum rollable value. It is advised to reduce help die from D6 to D4 when using this progression option.

Backstory Fulfillment

When creating characters, it is encouraged to write character backstories with potential plot points, personal struggles, or personal goals. When, during the course of play, a character accomplishes said goal, triumphs over or strengthens themselves against a personal struggle, or progresses their own character's personal plot, the GM and/or group may elect to reward the player with a progression event in the form of improving a stat, modifier, or proficiency; or awarding a new modifier or proficiency.

Maxed-out Stats

What happens when a stat die can not be improved any further? A player character with a maxed out (D20) stat may still desire or even require improvement, depending on the campaign and desired gameplay feel. In these instances, improving proficiencies, modifiers, or providing advantage on proficiency-related rolls may all be used to give a continued feeling of improvement and progression.