Endure Survival;Rules Lite;Low Prep;Narrative-Driven;Resource Management;Exploration-Driven;Solo Play

At‑a‑glance: Survival drama • 2d6 risk rolls • 1–5 players + GM (solo possible) • Low prep • Rules‑lite • 2–3h sessions

Theme and Setting

Endure focuses on grounded survival stories about ordinary people confronting extraordinary crises—wilderness maroonings, urban disasters, survival horror, or slow‑burn collapse. It is agnostic to setting and era; the core loop centers on scrounging, improvisation, and hard tradeoffs rather than specific lore.

Core Mechanics and Rules

Resolution uses concise 2d6 risk rolls. There are no hit points; your lifeline is an Endurance economy that powers effort and cushions failure but constantly drains under pressure, cold, injury, and time. Resource management is streamlined—gear quality, scarcity, and condition gate options without inventory sprawl. Downtime scenes allow recovery and planning, while tense scenes push depletion.

Character definition is light: backgrounds, a few edges, and situational advantages. Advancement is gentle, keeping focus on the fiction and problem‑solving rather than build curves.

What Makes It Unique

Replacing HP with Endurance ties every choice to survival math: push now and risk collapse later, or conserve and face setbacks. That ebb‑and‑flow produces authentic survival pacing—spikes of danger framed by quiet, tactical regrouping. The system’s neutrality lets you run Robinson Crusoe, The Long Dark, or contained survival horror with equal ease.

Target Audience and Player Experience

Ideal for groups that want tense, low‑prep sessions where ingenuity beats optimization. New players grasp it quickly; veterans get a clean chassis for crisis play, solo sessions, or short campaigns. If you want fast starts, meaningful scarcity, and fiction‑first problem solving, Endure fits.