Perseverant RPG
Perseverant is a rules-lite survival story game about desperate journeys through hostile wilderness. GM-less and zero-prep, it emphasizes collaborative worldbuilding, brutal resource management, and the ever-present threat of betrayal among travelers. Ideal for one-shots and players who enjoy narrative drama over tactical combat.
GM-less survival story game • Card-based resolution • 2–5 players • Zero prep • Rules-lite • 2–4 hour sessions
Perseverant casts players as desperate travelers navigating an unforgiving Wilderness of their own creation. Whether crossing an arid desert, fleeing through frozen tundra, or drifting through the void of space, the setting emerges collaboratively at the table.
Theme and Setting
Players define significant locales, deadly challenges, and how their characters are connected before play begins. The game embraces survival scenarios from historical expeditions to science fiction nightmares—any setting works so long as there are determined people traversing an inhospitable environment.
How Play Feels
Perseverant uses a card-based resolution system where players draw from a dwindling resource deck to overcome challenges. Each scene confronts characters with both environmental hazards and interpersonal tension.
What Makes It Distinct
The Wilderness itself acts as an antagonist, with players taking turns framing scenes and introducing complications. Key mechanics include collaborative worldbuilding at session start, condition tracking that degrades character capability, and a betrayal/sacrifice system that tests group loyalty when resources run thin.
Where It May Not Fit
You want combat and action to drive most of the session You want the system to stay almost invisible at the table.
What this game is about
A strong fit for groups that want to help shape the setting as part of play, with collaborative Worldbuilding helping define the experience.
Structured data and an explicit decision profile JSON document are available for remote agents.