Browse the Cypher v2

You promise to help a friend with their character arc. As you help them complete the steps, climax, and resolution for their arc, you earn the same XP that they do for it.

You set out to accomplish something that will benefit an organization.

You are becoming a parent. (This may require you to get a partner or surrogate, in which case you may want to start the Romance arc first.)

You're going to build a physical structure—a house, fortress, workshop, defensive wall, and so on.

Someone or something has been contaminated (with a curse, evil spirits, radiation, and so on), and you want to rid them of these influences.

You want to make something, such as a painting, novel, machine, or powerful magic item.

Someone stands in your way or is threatening you, and you must overcome the challenge they present.

A person, place, or thing is threatened, and you want to protect them.

You want to get closer to another character, such as making a friend, finding a mentor, or establishing a contact with someone in a position of power.

You want to create and run a business or start an organization (such as a guild, church, or school).

You want to prove yourself as someone of importance, whether that means socially, financially, romantically, or within a group you belong to.

There's something unknown you want to explore to learn its secrets, such as an area of wilderness, a new planet, or a strange dimension.

Your life takes a downturn because of actions you take—a mistake harms someone you care about, you treat someone badly, or the like. (This is more of an arc you as a player choose for your character rather than something your character chooses for themself.)

Something that was begun in the past must now be completed—finishing a monument, developing the final steps of the cure for a disease, and so on.

Willingly or unwillingly, you are going to change, becoming less selfish, braver, or something similar.

You teach a pupil in an area of knowledge that you have—lore, a combat style, a rare type of magic, and so on.

You try to right a wrong or bring a wrongdoer to justice.

You want to learn something, usually a whole area of knowledge such as a language, how to play an instrument, or how to be a good cook.

You're skilled, but you want to become the best at something (not necessarily a skill). This often follows a Learn arc.

There's something important you don't know about your past, and you want to find out.

You want to invent a new device, process, spell, or the like. (This arc is similar to Finish a Great Work or Learn, but you're blazing a new trail.)

You raise a child (whether your biological offspring or not) to adulthood. This is obviously a long-term arc.

You need to heal from a significant wound or trauma—severe damage, amputation, seeing a close friend die, and so on.

You've done something very wrong, but you want to atone and make it right. (This arc is similar to Justice or Undo a Wrong, but you are the wrongdoer. Possibly a follow-up to a Fall From Grace arc.)

You owe someone something, and it's time to make good.

Someone or something of great importance has been taken, and you want to get them or it back.

You want to restore your good name, recover what you've lost, or rebuild what has been destroyed. (This arc may be a follow-up to Fall From Grace.)

Someone did something that harmed you, and it's time to make them pay. (Unlike the Avenge arc, you are the injured party.)

You want to create a romantic relationship with someone—one person in particular, or perhaps by opening your heart and finding someone new.

You want to solve a crime or similar action committed in the fairly recent past, asking the right questions and finding the answers.

Someone else has something you want.

You want to domesticate and train a beast.

You want to be different in a specific way, such as becoming a ghost or taking on the power of a dragon. (This arc is different from Growth in that this is a physical change rather than emotional or spiritual.)

You seek a piece of hidden knowledge that you want, such as a unique focus ability or combat technique, a key to open a sealed door, or the true name of a devil.

Someone did something horrible, with ramifications that are still felt even if it happened long ago, such as the burning of a library or people being driven from their homeland. (This arc is different from Justice in that it's about undoing the harm that was done.)