Based On The Gumshoe System By Robin D. Laws Instant

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

The system is used across various genres and settings, primarily published by Pelgrane Press :

: 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. Based on the GUMSHOE System by Robin D. Laws

: 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

: These require rolling a single six-sided die (d6) against a difficulty number, typically 4. The , designed by Robin D

: Used for action-oriented tasks where the outcome is uncertain, such as combat, athletic feats, or driving.

: These work automatically . If a character has the relevant ability (e.g., Forensic Accounting, Cop Talk) and is in a scene with a "core clue," they find it without rolling dice. Core Mechanics The system is used across various

The system divides character capabilities into two distinct categories to ensure the story always moves forward: