: Used for action-oriented tasks where the outcome is uncertain, such as combat, athletic feats, or driving.
: Players can spend points from their general ability pools before rolling to add a +1 bonus per point spent to their result. Popular GUMSHOE Games Based on the GUMSHOE System by Robin D. Laws
The system divides character capabilities into two distinct categories to ensure the story always moves forward: : Used for action-oriented tasks where the outcome
The , designed by Robin D. Laws, is a tabletop roleplaying game engine specifically engineered for investigative scenarios . Its core philosophy is that investigative games should not be about finding clues—which can grind to a halt if a player fails a dice roll—but about interpreting them. Core Mechanics Laws, is a tabletop roleplaying game engine specifically
: These require rolling a single six-sided die (d6) against a difficulty number, typically 4.
: These work automatically . If a character has the relevant ability (e.g., Forensic Accounting, Cop Talk) and is in a scene with a "core clue," they find it without rolling dice.