An inspired fantasy sourcebook for the Cypher System
Monte Cook Games has long been known for its ambitious and imaginative approach to tabletop roleplaying. From the mind-bending Numenera to the modular Cypher System, their books frequently push genre boundaries. In Godforsaken, they take on the most enduring RPG genre of all—fantasy—and they do it with a distinctive twist. Rather than simply offer yet another traditional fantasy setting, Godforsaken is a fantasy genre toolkit for the Cypher System, designed to help game masters and players build worlds steeped in magic, myth, and high adventure.
For fans of the Cypher System and those looking for a fresh but familiar fantasy canvas, Godforsaken delivers a flexible, evocative, and well-structured approach to worldbuilding and gameplay. This review explores the book’s content, presentation, utility, and overall contribution to fantasy TTRPGs.
Overview and Intent
At its core, Godforsaken is a genre guide. It is not a setting in the traditional sense, though it includes one (“Bontherre: The Blessed Lands”) as a strong example. Rather, it’s a toolkit to help you build and run fantasy games using the Cypher System—be they sword and sorcery, epic high fantasy, dark folklore, or even mythological tales.
The title refers both to the included setting and to the thematic tone the book often explores: what does a world look like when the gods have left it behind—or never arrived in the first place? This theme recurs in subtle ways across character options, worldbuilding prompts, and magical systems.
Contents and Structure
Godforsaken is a 224-page hardcover (also available in PDF), and it’s organized into several key sections:
🛠️ Fantasy Toolkit
The first third of the book focuses on defining fantasy. It discusses major subgenres (e.g., heroic fantasy, grimdark, fairy tale, sword and sorcery) and provides GMs with questions to help tailor a setting’s tone, magic level, and metaphysical assumptions.
This section includes:
- Fantasy tropes and how to use/subvert them
- How to align the Cypher System’s mechanics with classic fantasy play styles
- Guidance for handling magic, monsters, and metaphysics
It’s genre-literate, meaning it speaks to experienced fantasy fans but doesn’t patronize or oversimplify. The advice is practical and very usable at the table.
👤 Character Options
One of the strongest aspects of Godforsaken is its expansion of Cypher character options:
- New descriptors, foci, and flavors suited to fantasy archetypes
- Examples include “Takes Animal Shape” “Uses Wild Magic,” and “Wields an Enchanted Weapon”
- Magic rules for curses, crafting magic items, and ritual magic
Players will find dozens of hooks to build traditional fantasy characters like wizards, paladins, rogues, and druids—without being bound to strict class systems. Cypher’s character creation remains flexible, and Godforsaken gives it the flavor depth to match more codified systems like D&D or Pathfinder.
🌍 The Godforsaken Lands
The book includes a sample setting called the Godforsaken Lands, a dark and somewhat tragic realm abandoned by its deities. While this isn’t a full-blown campaign setting, it offers:
- Regional breakdowns
- Political tensions and factions
- Hooks for divine mysteries and arcane anomalies
- A pantheon of absentee gods and crumbling faiths
This setting is evocative and atmospheric, with strong inspiration drawn from the “fallen world” theme. It’s gritty without being hopeless, magical without being whimsical, and—true to the book’s theme—defined by the absence of easy divine intervention.
It can be used as-is or mined for ideas, and it’s modular enough to graft into your own world or campaign.
📚 Magic and Religion
Godforsaken goes deeper than most fantasy supplements when it comes to how magic works, how religions function, and what belief means in a godless world. It provides:
- Optional rules for divine magic and pacts
- Magic items and relics tied to forgotten faiths
- Ideas for cults, heresies, and spiritual schisms
Rather than simple good vs evil deities, the book paints a complex picture of lost faiths, suppressed religions, and cosmic mysteries. GMs can use this to evoke tension and meaning in their worldbuilding, whether the gods are active or absent.
👹 Bestiary
There is a solid, if not exhaustive, bestiary section. The creatures presented range from traditional fantasy beasts (orcs, dragons, fae) to more mythic or unique threats.
As with most Cypher products, monsters are presented in a narrative-focused format. Their abilities are described in terms of challenge and thematic impact rather than raw stat blocks, which suits the Cypher System’s minimalist, narrative-driven mechanics.
Strengths
✅ Elegant Genre Guidance
Godforsaken excels at offering modular, thematic advice for tailoring fantasy settings. Rather than dictating how things “should be,” it opens doors and shows you what’s possible within different fantasy paradigms.
✅ Strong Player Options
The new descriptors, foci, and types allow players to express iconic fantasy roles while leveraging Cypher’s mechanical flexibility. The options strike a good balance between flavor and function.
✅ Atmospheric Setting
While optional, the Godforsaken Lands setting is a highlight—rich, somber, and full of narrative tension. It doesn’t rely on clichés, instead offering players a world that feels broken but redeemable.
✅ Usable Across Subgenres
Whether you want low fantasy mercenary stories or high-magic epics, the material in Godforsaken scales and adapts beautifully.
Limitations
❌ Not a Campaign-in-a-Box
While the book is rich in ideas, it doesn’t include a campaign or adventure path. GMs will need to supply their own narrative framework or integrate this into existing campaigns.
❌ Cypher System Experience Recommended
New GMs may find the Cypher System’s abstractions (e.g., no traditional HP, minimal stat blocks) a little disorienting. This isn’t a beginner’s guide to the system—it’s an enhancement for existing users.
Final Verdict
Godforsaken is a top-tier genre sourcebook, not just for the Cypher System but for fantasy worldbuilding in general. It offers rich thematic content, excellent mechanical options, and an evocative sample setting. It respects the intelligence and creativity of GMs and players while providing structure and inspiration.
If you’re already a Cypher System fan, this book is a no-brainer. If you’re curious about adapting the system to fantasy—particularly if you’re seeking something a little darker, a little more metaphysical—then Godforsaken may be the best toolkit available.