Cyber Demon Quest: Official Rulebook

THE CDQ PLUS MINUS SYSTEM
The Cyber Demon Quest system is loosely based off of the stat system of an old quest called Prototype Quest (it's on suptg and it was pretty good). Instead of numerical values, statistics are examined in a scale of pluses and minuses, in a way that allows mass differences in strength at a reasonable scale with near-maximized statistical funtimes. The CDQ± SYSTEM can be modified and re-used without permission or acknowledgment, probably because there's something like it that exists that I've not found because I'm lazy.
The basic roll of the system is this.
1d10 vs 1d10
This is from two characters that each have a stat that is rated at = (equals, or neutral, or no deviation from the species baseline). In this system, instead of applying modifiers directly or increasing a dice pool, the dice rolled is modified AND a modifier is increased as a stat goes up, and the dice rolled is modified with NO modifier as a stat goes down. For example, a stat with one + vs a stat with one - would be.
1d12 + 2 vs 1d8
The exact numerical system is as thus:
Each + adds d2 to the die rolled (1d10 > 1d12 > 1d14), and a +2 modifier to the roll (+0 > +2 > +4). Storyline-wise, 5+ (+++++, 1d20+10) is the maximum rating achievable, but the system is theoretically expandable past that, and the modifiers and dice rolled do not need to remain the same if you wish to adapt the system (1d10 > 1d13+1 > 1d16+2, or 1d6 > 1d7+3 > 1d8+6). Go nuts with it. In my personal opinion, the +d2+2 allows for most reasonable statistical outcomes, but if you'd rather something else, you can do the math your own way. I'm not doing anything groundbreaking here.
Each - subtracts d2 from the die rolled (1d10 > 1d8 > 1d6), until a rating of 5- (-----), where it has nowhere further to decrease and is instead an automatic 0.
Rolling against another character (unless they're human, because the majority of humans are puny compared to Steelshapes) is STAT vs STAT (SOMETIMES DIFFERENT). Trying to claw someone's head off is STR vs STA. Aiming gunfire is DEX vs SPD. Using telekinetic powers is CTR vs CTR.
Environmental issues in Cyber Demon Quest are usually solved without a roll because the majority of buildings are made to keep out people, not Steelshapes, who can easily bust through most obstructions. Even then, if there are environmental hazards to avoid or things to bust through that ARE made for Steelshapes, it is instead STAT vs DC. For DCs, in CDQ, they are 3 (Easy), 6 (Moderately Easy), 9 (Moderately Difficult), 12 (Difficult), 15 (Very Difficult).
Instead of critical hits, which would be not very functional in a system with increasing dice pools of single die, most critical hit like bonuses are granted as "rolling at capacity", which means rolling at the dice's maximum or above WITHOUT the flat modifier included. Rolling at capacity for a = stat is 10, but a + stat would be 12-14, and so on.
Ties resolve in the attacker's favor.

STATISTICS
Steelshapes have six hard stats, and a number of implicit stats derived from their hard stats. They are:
STR - Strength: Physical strength. Affects a Steelshape's ability to harm others with their body. Rolling at STR die capacity for an attack will add 1 damage to it, and rolling double or more against an enemy's roll to defend also adds 1 damage to the attack.
SPD - Speed: Speed and reaction time. Affects a Steelshape's ability to move fast and react fast. Most encounters will begin with a SPD vs SPD confronting roll in order to tell who goes first. Rolling at SPD die capacity grants you an additional action on your first turn regardless if you go first or second, and rolling double or more against the enemy's SPD die also grants an additional action on your first turn. Whoever has a higher speed stat tends to strike first when a turn occurs, if they are equal, it is up to GM fiat (I flip a coin).
DEX - Dexterity: Manipulatory skills and aim. Affects a Steelshape's ability to aim distance attacks and lead targets, as well as manipulate small objects. Most Steelshapes cannot fire human-made guns without a DEX rating of + or higher - not that they would need to. Dexterity also affects the ability to aim with thrown objects (Typically DEX vs SPD, and then STR vs STA upon impact). Rolling at the Dexterity die's capacity or higher will cause your next projectile attack to automatically hit regardless of the target's speed and deal at least 1 damage regardless of their stamina roll.
STA - Stamina: Armoring and health. Affects a Steelshape's ability to withstand damage and avoid death. Steelshapes have a base of 6 max HP at STA=, every + adds 2 max HP, and every - subtracts 1. Rolling at a STA die's capacity or higher decreases incoming damage by 1.
CTR - Control: Mental restraint and hunger. Affects a Steelshape's ability to resist their own hunger. Steelshapes at CTR= must consume 1 whole human every 6 hours to slake their hunger, every + adds 1 hour and every - subtracts an hour. CTR also acts as a "mental defense" stat, defending against psychic, psionic, or electronic assaults, such as EMPs or Telepathy.
NRG - Energy: Power flow and battery charge. Affects a Steelshape's usage of powers and EP capacity. Steelshapes have a base of 6 max EP at STA=, every + adds 2 max EP, and every - subtracts 1. NRG typically only is rolled for abilities. Rolling at an NRG die's capacity or higher will, if the ability uses EP, halve the EP use, or if the ability is capacity-based, does not use up a usage of the ability.

ABILTIES
There are three kinds of abilities: Passive, Active Capacity, and Active Energy.
Passive abilities typically take the form of "STAT increases by + for situations involving CIRCUMSTANCE". However, there are always things that deviate from the norm. It happens.
Active Capacity abilities provide certain benefits or special attacks but have a limited capacity that must be reloaded, typically after an encounter, but can also be per-day instead. Abilities such as cloaking fields, missile launchers, and the like, would fall under this category.
Active Energy abilities provide certain benefits or special attacks but are limited by your Energy Points (EP). They can be used once per turn as much as you'd like in any circumstance as long as you have the EP for it.

COMBAT
Combat was partially described in the section labeled STATISTICS, but here's some more stuff that wasn't mentioned. Steelshapes all, by default, deal 1 damage to each other per attack (however, 1 damage to a Steelshape is enough to completely turn most humans into a pile of goo), until one of them is dead.
However, Steelshapes are strange and voracious beings, capable of distending their bodies and devouring their enemies whole.

DEVOURING
To devour an enemy, they must be at half health or below (rounded up). Devouring an enemy whole renders you unable to move and is your STR vs STA or CTR, whichever is higher.
The first turn of successful Devouring will render both of you immobile, but render you incredibly vulnerable - you will take 1 damage from even the weakest of attacks (including human gunfire, which, thankfully, can only harm you in this way once per round), and any other attacks deal 1 additional damage. Additionally, attacks aimed at you don't need to roll to hit, only roll to determine if they deal any additional damage or perform other roll at capacity bonuses. They WILL hit, and they WILL do damage. Thankfully, if the enemy isn't completely close to death, each turn of Devouring deals 1 damage.
The second turn of Devouring requires you to again roll STR vs their STA or CTR - if you fail, they are regurgitated and stunned for one turn, but if you succeed, you manage to fit their entire body inside of you and close your mouth. You are still vulnerable during this time period in the same way as the first turn, but you have instantly killed your enemy, gained EXP, and added their abilities to your Integrate Ability pool. Additionally, at the beginning of the third turn, you will regain half of your maximum HP and EP as if you consumed a Steelshape normally, and lose your vulnerable status.
Devouring a human is a much simpler process - you can Devour any humans at any time simply by rolling STR and rolling against a DC of 3, or 6 if they are particularly well armored. Success presses the human inside you and restores 1 point of HP and EP, failure just kills them.

LEVELING UP AND EXPERIENCE
Experience (EXP) in Cyber Demon Quest is as simple a process as possible. Enemy humans don't grant EXP, even pesky ones that are hard to kill. Steelshapes grant EXP equal to their level. You require EXP equal to your level in order to level up. At level 4 with 0 EXP, you need to eat 4 level 1 Steelshapes, or 2 level 2s, or a level 3 and a level 1, or a level 4.
In order to gain EXP from a Steelshape, you can't just kill them, however, you need to kill and eat them. Specifically, at least half of their bodily mass and their head, or head analogue. A Steelshape with STA= takes 6 minutes to eat entirely, decreasing by 1 minute per - and increasing by 2 minutes per +. Eating anything, Steelshape or human, is very messy, loud, and unstealthy. Devouring is marginally stealthier but still makes a gross squishy noise. Devouring a human only takes 1 minute but is still messy, loud, and unstealthy.
Devouring an enemy also adds any abilities they had to your Integrate Ability pool. On level up, you may choose any abilities that a Steelshape you have eaten had and add one of them to your own abilities, but only one per Steelshape - any other abilities they had disappear from your pool.
Leveling Up is not automatic - you must spend an hour inside a cocoon metamorphosing, where you are unable to move and take additional damage as if you were Devouring a Steelshape.



THREAD STUFF
During combat or encounters, the action will be decided by whatever has the most votes.
During executions and other similar >Action (Player Choice), the action will be decided by rolling for it, with each vote for an action being a number on the die.
During interrogations and other similar >Action (Player Choice), as many of the options presented will be attempted to be made.
During non-encounters where the options preclude each other, the action will be decided by rolling for it, with each vote for an action being a number on the die.
During non-encounters where the options do not preclude each other, as many as the options presented will be attempted to be made.