If there were an RPG system equivalent of a highly adaptable multi tool, it would be Cortex Prime. Born from a long lineage of story first, dice second game engines and lovingly nurtured by Margaret Weis Productions (yes, that Margaret Weis of Dragonlance fame), Cortex Prime stands as a shining example of what happens when flexibility, narrative agency, and crunchy customizability have a beautiful three way polyhedral baby.
So buckle up, dear reader. Whether you’re a table top veteran looking for your next system or a game designer who likes their rules à la carte, you’re in for a deep dive into a system that proudly declares, “Why yes, you can bolt on time travel to your noir heist in space with fire breathing cats. Roll for initiative.”
Table of Contents
A Brief History of Cortex (Spoiler: It’s Not a Brain Science Thing)
Before we crack open Cortex Prime, let’s take a quick jog through its evolutionary history. Cortex as a system began life in the mid 2000s under the roof of Margaret Weis Productions. The original Cortex System powered licensed RPGs like the Serenity Role Playing Game (2005) and the Battlestar Galactica RPG (2007). It was cinematic, rules light, and focused on character driven storytelling, perfect for recreating tense space drama or shouting “I’m a leaf on the wind” before being emotionally devastated.
Then came Cortex Plus, the upgrade nobody asked for but everyone ended up loving. This iteration beefed up narrative tools and led to a trio of stellar, genre diverse games: Leverage: The Roleplaying Game (2011), Marvel Heroic Roleplaying (2012), and Firefly RPG (2014). Each used a different “flavour” of the Cortex Plus system: Action, Heroic, or Drama, respectively. It was like Pokémon, but instead of elemental types, you got storytelling mechanics.
Finally, we arrive at Cortex Prime, the lovingly rebuilt and modular version of the system that debuted through a massively successful Kickstarter campaign in 2019, with a shiny hardcover release following in 2020. No longer confined by the shackles of a single genre or setting, Cortex Prime is now a rules engine toolkit think of it like the LEGO Technic of RPG systems, but with fewer sore thumbs.
What Is Cortex Prime, Really?
At its core (pun intended), Cortex Prime is a modular narrative focused roleplaying system. That means it doesn’t come with a predefined setting or genre baked in. Instead, it gives you a toolkit full of mechanical widgets and narrative doodads, and you build the game you want to play.
Want a gritty cyberpunk resistance tale where every gun has a backstory? Cortex Prime can do that. Prefer a slice of life supernatural drama where relationships are more important than stats? Yep. Or maybe you’re trying to recreate a wrestling themed reality TV show with time looping luchadors. Cortex Prime says: “Sure, knock yourself out. Just roll some dice.”
The system thrives on trait based character building, scene framing, and modular subsystems that can be bolted on, swapped out, or ignored entirely depending on the vibe of your game. The result is a deeply flexible engine that adapts to your table, not the other way around.
Dice Pools and Trait Sets: The Building Blocks
Mechanically, Cortex Prime works through dice pools. When your character attempts something risky, you grab dice from a set of traits usually drawn from categories like Attributes, Skills, Distinctions, Affiliations, or Powers and roll a handful of d4 to d12s.
Let’s say you’re playing a hotshot smuggler. You might build a dice pool from:
- Distinction: Scoundrel with a Heart of Gold (d8)
- Attribute: Agility (d10)
- Skill: Piloting (d8)
- Asset: Custom Built Star jumper (d6)
You roll all these dice together, take the two highest results, and add them up. That’s your total. Then you compare that to the difficulty or another character’s roll. The highest total wins. Easy.
But there’s more! Cortex Prime adds spice through Effect Dice usually one of the unused dice from your roll, used to measure how potent your success is. So you might beat a roll with a total of 14, but the d10 effect die means you didn’t just outrun the space cops you humiliated them.
And what if things go badly? Enter Hitches, which are any die that rolls a 1. They don’t ruin your roll (unless you’re very unlucky), but they generate Complications or give the GM Plot Points to stir up narrative trouble later. In other words, a hitch isn’t just a bad roll it’s narrative fuel. Cortex Prime doesn’t punish failure; it gives it teeth.
Plot Points: The Social Currency of Chaos
Plot Points are a central feature of Cortex Prime. They’re part meta mechanic, part narrative bribe. Players use them to:
- Add extra dice to rolls
- Keep more dice for totals or effect
- Activate SFX (special effects)
- Create narrative assets
They can also be spent to say “Yes, and…” to the GM. Want to suddenly declare that you stashed a smoke bomb in your boot? Pay a Plot Point. Want to create an emotional asset called “Grudging Respect” after intimidating a rival? That’s a Plot Point.
They flow freely between players and GMs, rewarding good roleplaying, creative solutions, and even hitches. Essentially, the system encourages a narrative economy the more daring you are, the more chaos you sow, the more fuel you have to pull off crazy stunts. It’s the RPG equivalent of getting store credit every time you mess up in a spectacular fashion.
Mods and Modules: The RPG Buffet Line
One of the most defining features of Cortex Prime is its modular design. The Cortex Prime handbook isn’t a traditional rules tome it’s more like a menu. You, the GM or game designer, choose which rules you want to include, and which ones you’d rather leave in the kitchen.
The core book presents a series of mods, including:
- Action Order (initiative)
- Stress/Trauma (for gritty emotional damage)
- Doom Pools (for GM controlled narrative stakes)
- Power Sets (think superhero moves or magic systems)
- Affiliations (how well you function solo, with a buddy, or in a team)
- Signature Assets (custom, reusable tools or gear)
Want to recreate a superhero brawl? Use Power Sets, Affiliations, and Stress. Looking for a fantasy epic full of moral weight? Swap in Values, Relationships, and Trauma. Want a sitcom where you roll dice for awkward silences and emotional breakthroughs? Cortex Prime has your back.
And because you’re building from modular parts, the game is inherently hackable. You don’t just house-rule Cortex Prime you house design it.
Cortex Spotlight: Sample Games and Settings
To help new GMs avoid decision paralysis, several published settings showcase Cortex Prime in action:
- Tales of Xadia (2021): Based on The Dragon Prince Netflix series, this game emphasizes character driven fantasy drama. It uses Distinctions, Values, and Relationships to reflect the show’s themes of empathy, growth, and lightning powered moon elves. Gorgeous production values, too.
- Legends of Grayskull (TBA): Yes, a Masters of the Universe RPG using Cortex Prime. It’s He-Man, but with dice. Need I say more?
- Hammerheads (in the core book): An original setting about elite disaster response teams in a near future world. Think Pacific Rim meets The Expendables meets OSHA safety training.
These games show how different Cortex Prime can feel depending on which mechanical levers you pull. It’s the same engine, but the vibe shifts dramatically. You can go from brooding vampires to Saturday morning cartoons without switching systems.
The Rulebook: Dense but Delicious
Let’s be honest the Cortex Prime core book is not a casual read. It’s thorough, well written, and beautifully laid out, but it’s not shy about the fact that you’re essentially reading a toolkit manual. You don’t “just run” Cortex Prime; you assemble it first.
That said, it’s one of the most empowering game books out there. It assumes the reader is smart, creative, and possibly a little over caffeinated. It teaches you how to design a game as much as how to play one.
There are clear, visual breakdowns of dice pool construction, examples of trait sets, and a treasure trove of advice for customizing the system to fit your story. If you’re the kind of person who reads RPG books like cookbooks scanning for spice levels and potential substitutions Cortex Prime is your gourmet playground.
Who Is Cortex Prime For?
This system isn’t for everyone. If you prefer rigid mechanics, highly detailed combat simulations, or complex leveling systems, you might bounce off Cortex Prime like a d4 dropped point first on your foot.
But if you:
- Love narrative driven games
- Enjoy tinkering and homebrewing
- Want a system that bends to your genre
- Are running a one shot or a sprawling campaign
- Think “emotional consequence” is a better mechanic than “armor class”
…then Cortex Prime might just be your new favorite toy.
It’s also perfect for groups who want to co create a world together, since the trait systems and narrative mechanics reward player input and improvisation. In many ways, Cortex Prime is less about “rules light” and more about “rules right”: the right rules for your table.
Final Thoughts: The Infinite Game Engine
In a world crowded with RPG systems that each plant their flag in a specific genre (looking at you, D&D), Cortex Prime doesn’t stake a claim it builds a launchpad. It’s a framework, a toolkit, a sandbox. It trusts you to build your own fun and rewards creativity with mechanical flexibility.
Sure, it takes a bit of work to get started, but so does assembling IKEA furniture. Cortex Prime just lets you decide whether that bookshelf is a spaceship, a dragon, or a teenage vampire’s broken heart.
So whether you’re a GM seeking your next big campaign idea or a designer looking to prototype your dream game, Cortex Prime is here to hand you the keys to the narrative machine and then let you hotwire it.
Just remember: in Cortex Prime, the real plot points were the friends we bribed along the way.
