The system divides character capabilities into two distinct categories to ensure the story always moves forward:
: 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
: Players can "spend" points from an ability's pool to gain "special" clues—extra information that isn't required to solve the case but provides significant advantages or deeper narrative flavor. The system divides character capabilities into two distinct
: These require rolling a single six-sided die (d6) against a difficulty number, typically 4. : Used for action-oriented tasks where the outcome
: Used for action-oriented tasks where the outcome is uncertain, such as combat, athletic feats, or driving.
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