Version 1.0
This is the open, official Core System Reference for the Poker Run Engine. It is Open Content under the Poker Run Engine Community License (PRECL) — see the License & Attribution section below for what that means for you.
The Poker Run Engine is a universal framework for creating short solo expedition games using nothing more than a standard deck of playing cards and a tracker sheet. Every Poker Run game shares the same poker-hand resolution, the same expedition loop, the same progression model, and the same final confrontation structure — only the setting changes. This document describes the pure systems. Genre, setting, and flavour are applied as an overlay.
The player commands a fragile asset (ship, vehicle, team, etc.) and repeatedly undertakes short expeditions into increasingly dangerous territory. The goal is to gather specific resources/discoveries and improve the asset until it can confront a final threat.
Session length target: 10–25 minutes per expedition.
Components: Standard 52-card deck + one tracker sheet (paper or digital).
| Resource | Role | Typical Starting Value | Typical Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrity | Hit points of the asset | 3 | 5–6 |
| Support | Secondary resource (crew, fuel, morale…) | 2 | 6 |
| Advancement | Gates access to deeper zones | Rank I | Rank IV / Final |
| Currency | Spent between expeditions on upgrades | 0 | — |
Optional but recommended secondary trackers:
When the draw pile empties, shuffle the discard pile into a new draw pile after the current check is fully resolved.
For each of the three encounters:
Standard Suit Mapping (reskinnable)
| Suit | Encounter Archetype | Typical Success Reward | Typical Failure Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♠ Spades | Hostile / Conflict | Small currency or no damage | Lose Integrity |
| ♥ Hearts | Opportunity / Aid | Gain Support or heal Integrity | Nothing (or optional risk) |
| ♦ Diamonds | Resource / Salvage | Currency (scaled by hand strength) | Nothing |
| ♣ Clubs | Discovery / Site | Mark a Discovery + currency | Nothing |
Exact numbers and secondary effects are set by the genre overlay.
Engine Principle: The Poker Run Engine never defines the discard cost. Each Overlay defines the resource (or no cost at all).
| Hand | Result |
|---|---|
| High Card | Failure |
| Pair | Success |
| Two Pair | Strong Success |
| Three of a Kind | Critical |
| Straight or better | Exceptional |
Rewards and penalties scale with result strength. Exact values are defined by the genre overlay.
| Card | Archetype Role | Design Intent |
|---|---|---|
| Jack | Opportunity / Choice | Immediate flexible benefit or extra action |
| Queen | Ally / Temporary Asset | Grant a limited-use special resource |
| King | High Risk / High Reward | Immediate Check with strong stakes |
These should feel rare and memorable. Exact effects change with genre; the roles above should stay consistent.
Between expeditions the player may spend Currency on:
| Upgrade Type | Typical Cost Band | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Support +1 | Low | Increase Support (unlocks specialists) |
| Module / Gear | Low–Mid | Permanent or once-per-expedition bonus |
| Special System | Mid | Powerful limited-use ability |
| Advancement | High | Increase Advancement rank (unlock zones) |
Advancement ranks typically gate four zones of increasing danger and reward. Rank IV (or a special “Prototype” state) is required to attempt the Final Confrontation.
Specialists are active only while current Support meets their threshold — not permanently unlocked. If Support drops below a threshold (from a penalty, injury, or any other source), that specialist immediately goes inactive; it automatically reactivates the moment Support meets the threshold again, by any means. Active specialists stack, so an asset at max Support benefits from all of them at once. Status is always read from the current Support value, not from history — no tracker checkbox should imply permanence.
Recommended structure (thresholds can shift slightly by genre):
| Threshold | Specialist Role |
|---|---|
| 1+ | Basic utility (extra discard, mobility, or minor exploration edge) |
| 2+ | Safety net / failure mitigation |
| 3+ | Information / peek ability |
| 4+ | Improved currency gain |
| 5+ | Damage prevention |
| 6 | Economy discount |
This threshold-gated design gives secondary-resource loss (see Zones / Pressure Curve) real teeth — losing Support can cost an overlay's asset an active ability mid-expedition, not just a number on the sheet.
Four zones of escalating danger. Each higher zone adds concrete pressure (extra Integrity loss, secondary resource loss, permanent attrition, etc.).
The final zone should create a sense that remaining too long is itself dangerous.
Three distinct Discovery tracks. Specific counts are required before the Final Confrontation may be attempted (classic example: 3 / 2 / 1).
Final Confrontation structure (recommended):
Survive with Integrity remaining = victory.
When creating a new genre version:
Draw a card for each of three encounters. Number cards trigger suit-based encounters resolved by a five-card poker check with a limited mulligan. Face cards trigger special high-impact events. Between expeditions spend currency to improve Integrity, Support, Modules, and Advancement rank. Advancement unlocks deeper zones with greater pressure. Collect specific Discoveries, then attempt a three-check final confrontation. Specialists stay active only while Support meets their threshold, deactivating and reactivating as Support rises and falls. The entire game uses only a standard deck and a tracker sheet.
This document — its core mechanics, resolution system, expedition and campaign structure, overlay framework, resource framework, suit mapping, Face Card framework, Support ladder, upgrade framework, Discovery framework, and the examples contained within (unless otherwise noted) — is Open Content under the Poker Run Engine Community License (PRECL).
You may freely use, adapt, expand, modify, translate, and build commercial or free products on everything in this document. No permission or royalty is required.
If you publish a product built on the Poker Run Engine, include the following attribution somewhere in it:
(If your product is an Official Poker Run Engine release, use the official attribution line instead — see the PRECL for details.)
The Poker Run Engine™ name, official logos, compatibility badge artwork, and all Official Product content (settings, characters, story text, flavor text, illustrations, layouts) remain protected and are not covered by this Open Content grant. Full terms: see the Poker Run Engine Community License (PRECL).
