Tabletop RPG · since 2009 · #83 most discussed

OpenD6

A flexible rules toolkit using handfuls of six-sided dice, adaptable to many genres, from fantasy to space to modern action.

D6 SystemGenericdice poolpoint buyclasslesstactical gridAny lengthNeeds a GM

6.0

Geek rating

From 7 firsthand play reports in 2 r/rpg threads. The threads alone average 7.5.

Player rating— / 10

No visitor ratings yet.

Discussion5.6 / 10

97 r/rpg posts named it, October 2023 to October 2026.

Rules weight

Medium. Hype 3.1 for its age.

Have you played it?

Rate OpenD6 from 1 to 10. One rating per browser and device; you can change it any time.

Didn't work for usOne of our best

What players say

At the table

These notes come from two r/rpg threads and seven firsthand reports, so the sample is small. Both threads also drifted into the wider d6 family, such as WEG Star Wars and the second edition. Players describe OpenD6 as quick to learn, easy to bend and well suited to cinematic adventure, with combat as the usual rough spot. Tables disagree a little on genre range. One commenter calls it flexible across settings, and another says it handles genre shifts within a campaign poorly.

What works

Skill rolls and the core dice mechanic run smoothly. (thread)
Character creation is fast, and templates help new players. It has also worked for one-shots that introduce people to tabletop RPGs. (thread)
Players report running it in post-apocalyptic horror, space opera, urban fantasy and Renaissance fantasy. (thread)
It is easy to learn and run, and long campaigns held up without trouble. (thread)
Custom skill lists and goal-based character point awards fit in easily. (thread)

What tables struggle with

Combat is cinematic but deadly, and it has the most rough edges. (thread)
The books are redundant and badly edited, the magic system is weak, and GMs rely on house rules. No two sets of house rules match. (thread)
Players can push defense skills far beyond the rest of the party. Groups of enemies then need to coordinate their attacks. (thread)
Summing many d6s slows play and adds arithmetic. (thread)
Advancement feels coarse, with slow progress or sudden jumps. (thread)

Who it suits

GMs who like to tinker, add subsystems and write their own house rules.
Groups that want fast, cinematic adventure play and can accept a lethal combat.
New players, especially in one-shots, where templates keep setup short.

In players' words

"Combat is cinematic and deadly but that's where most of the rough edges come out. The skill rolls work great for me in general." (thread)
"It's really elegant, modular, fun, and great for adventure games. There is a lot of summation of dice, but otherwise I'd recommend." (thread)
"I've run campaigns in it without issue." (thread)

The threads behind it

Each thread is rated for the play it describes, from the firsthand reports in it. Load one here or read it on Reddit.

7.5

Opinions on the d6 system ?

The thread is mostly about the d6 lineage (WEG Star Wars, Ghostbusters, the upcoming second edition), and only a few commenters describe play of the generic d6/OpenD6 system itself. Those players found it flexible, easy to run and enjoyable, including for long campaigns, with caveats about defense-skill stacking, dice-summing bog-down and uneven advancement. 4 firsthand · 27 comments

Open on Reddit

7.5

D6 System: Second Edition

The thread is mostly hype for the new D6 System Second Edition Kickstarter. The few firsthand reports on playing D6/OpenD6 say skill rolls and character creation work well and the system adapts to many genres, but combat is deadly and rough, and the books need house rules and cleanup. 3 firsthand · 66 comments

Open on Reddit