June | 2022 | Dungeon Master Pastor

Last fall I took this Pastors & Dragons project to Gamehole Con. While I was there I ran a bunch of Cypher System adventures that I developed which I called “Adventures of Biblical Proportions”. I have found that the Cypher System provides a much more flexible base for Biblically based games than the more common D&D 5e system. With Cypher the genre of the stories you tell is much more malleable, making it extremely simple to run everything from historical no-magic, supernatural myth, high fantasy, modern, sci-fi, or any mix of genres you can think of.

My main issue with running Cypher, in spite of its simplicity, is that the rulebook is a bit all over the place. The Cypher System Rulebook has a ton of sidebars and cross-references, but I still found it pretty difficult to grok. Something about how it is organized feels really chaotic, and there are little bits of rules hiding all over the place.

In order to understand how to run the game, I began putting a sheet together that had all the necessary rules bits on 1 page. I was inspired by The Alexandrian’s Numenera focused cheat sheet, and wanted something similar but for just the general Cypher System. Last Fall, I polished up that page so I could easily use it to explain the game to new players. I think it turned out pretty well, so here it is for the world to use as well. I hope you like it!

This one-page cheat sheet explains all the basic Cypher System mechanics I’ve found to be necessary for actual play.

Cypher 1-page_BW_7_02 Download

It’s no secret that the world is a difficult place to grow up in. In my weekly gatherings with our Confirmation students, these astute middle-schoolers would raise questions about the events of the world and the grim realities of society. Racism, sexism, bullying, gun violence, school shootings, violence against those who identify as LGBTQIA, climate change, divorce, the list goes on. Yes, the world is a difficult place, and we might be deluded into thinking that the best response to a difficult world is to get dreadfully serious, when the best response is actually joy.

Know to find joy in the darkness is wise

So go the words of Brandi Carlile’s song “Stay Gentle”, and there is a deep and wise truth in them. Playful joy keeps us alive and keeps life worth living. Deep joy keeps us able to hope even in the most dire of circumstances. Imaginative joy opens our eyes to ways the world may yet be. Laughing joy can rid us of the bondage of all the concerns of life that threaten to weigh us down.

One of my great joys has been in playing the game Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop roleplaying games like it. In the game I get to tell stories with friends about exploring fantastic locations, solving problems, and overcoming great adversity. I’ve had the joy of playing with kids, fellow pastors, friends, and complete strangers. These games have the potential to unlock the imagination, and the joy therein, in a way few others ever could.

That’s why this summer I am trying out a new thing in my ministry and will be hosting a new Dungeons & Dragons youth group for middle and high school students. This 7-week campaign will go up against the forces of tyranny on a fantastic and fun-filled adventure. There will be hijinks and laughter as we bond around the table and create stories to remember.

Each session will begin with the most important thing at the table, the people. After a short time of community building, we’ll take off into the world of adventure. Each session will end with us debriefing the session and talking about bringing the heroic spirit into our daily lives.

We’re still taking registrations, so if you’re a middle or high school student in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area and are looking to make friends and sharpen your spirit and your imagination, join us and be a hero this summer!

Get the details and sign up here!