An Adventure designed to be played with Risus: the Anything RPG
The player characters are hired by a mysterious benefactor, Antonio “Tony” Russo, to steal a priceless painting from the Valmont Museum of Art. The painting is called “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh, and it is on loan from the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The benefactor promises to pay each of them $1 million if they can pull off the heist without getting caught.
The John Carter of Mars Core Rulebook is a tabletop role-playing game based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars series of novels. The game is published by Modiphius Entertainment.
The game uses a pulp-action inspired variant of the 2d20 System. Players can take on the role of heroes such as John Carter, Princess Dejah Thoris, or the Thark warrior Tars Tarkas, or create their own heroes from a variety of options. The game includes detailed chapters on Barsoomian technology, creatures, and cultures, as well as a step-by-step character generation system.
The 2d20 System is a dynamic, narrative system designed to produce varied and interesting results from dramatic and action-packed situations. It is used in several role-playing games published by Modiphius Entertainment, including John Carter of Mars, Mutant Chronicles, Conan Adventures in an Age Undreamed of, and Star Trek Adventures.
In the 2d20 System, characters roll two d20s, attempting to roll as low as possible on each one. The more dice that roll low, the more successes the character scores. The system is designed to emulate and celebrate action-packed, story-driven fiction. It thrives when paired with a setting or theme where competent, determined, often larger-than-life protagonists face tense and perilous situations, and where collaboration and teamwork are vital to success.
John Carter of Mars Core Rulebook does a great job of taking players through the different novels and discussing how the concepts in the books can be turned into gaming content while providing an over-the-top pulpy feel where the characters can confidently take on all challenges.
John Carter of Mars Core Rulebook can be found at:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/260847/John-Carter-of-Mars-Core-Rulebook?affiliate_id=474082.
Exalted: Essence is a new game prublished by Onyx Path Publishing. Today it is listed as the #2 selling game on DTRPG. It is a streamlined version of Exalted Third Edition, designed to welcome new players to the world of Creation. It contains all the mechanics and material that players and Storytellers need to run a complete games of Exalted: Essence.
Exalted Third Edition features a robust system of mechanics and rewards system mastery. It is a 650+ page role-playing corebook that has received positive reviews for its scope and execution. Players take on the roles of the Exalted, who are essentially fantasy superheroes blessed by the gods. The game has a distinct martial arts epic feel, and draws heavily from a variety of fantasy pop culture sources. The game system is innovative and encourages players to be as melodramatic and over the top as possible. It uses ten-sided dice (d10) to resolve actions. Players roll a pool of d10s and count the number of dice that meet or exceed a certain target number (usually 7) to determine the number of successes. The number of successes is then compared to a difficulty number to determine if the action is successful.
While Exalted Third Edition features a robust system of mechanics and rewards system mastery, Exalted: Essence shifts the focus to the characters and story. It provides a beginner-friendly and less mechanically dense system that is compatible with Exalted Third Edition, and comes in at under 400 pages.
I sent a hard copy of Grit and Bullets to RPGPundit from LULU last year by FedEx and of course they lost it. Then I asked LULU to resend it since FedEx refused to do anything so LULU sent another copy, but FedEx screwed that delivery up. It finally arrived late last year after months of trouble. I got into a little spat with RPGPundit on his forum, so I was not looking forward to this review. But it was not so bad. So here it is:
Basic Roleplaying (BRP) is a universal game engine that serves as the foundation for a variety of tabletop roleplaying games. Originally created by Chaosium, it is a rules system that prioritizes flexibility and adaptability, allowing players to delve into various genres and settings.
Some of the RPG games based upon the BRP system:
One of the strengths of the Basic Roleplaying system is its simplicity. The rules are designed to be intuitive and easy to grasp, making it accessible to both newcomers and experienced players. Character creation is straightforward, with players allocating points to various attributes and skills to define their character’s abilities.
The mechanics of BRP are based on percentile dice rolls. When attempting an action, players roll percentile dice and try to roll under their skill or attribute score to succeed. This simple resolution system keeps gameplay flowing smoothly and encourages players to focus on storytelling and problem-solving rather than complex rules.
The flexibility of BRP allows it to accommodate a wide range of genres and settings. Whether you want to play a gritty investigation game in the 1920s, a high-fantasy epic, or a science fiction adventure, the BRP system can adapt to suit your needs. This versatility is enhanced by the availability of numerous supplements and adaptations that provide additional rules, settings, and guidance for different genres.
Additionally, the BRP system emphasizes realism and immersive gameplay. It includes rules for detailed combat, skill-based interactions, and handling various challenges. This focus on realism can add depth and tension to gameplay, but it may also require more bookkeeping and attention to detail compared to more streamlined game systems.
One potential drawback of the BRP system is that it may require some additional work from the Game Master (GM) to fully customize and adapt it to their preferred setting. While the core rules provide a solid foundation, GMs may need to create or modify rules and content to match their specific genre or campaign. This can be seen as both a strength, allowing for creative customization, and a potential challenge for those looking for a more plug-and-play experience.
Basic Roleplaying is a flexible and accessible system that provides a solid foundation for tabletop roleplaying games. Its simplicity, realism, and adaptability make it a great choice for players and GMs who value creativity, storytelling, and a wide range of genres. With the availability of various supplements and adaptations, the BRP system offers a wealth of options for those looking to explore different settings and play styles.
I recently ‘updated’ my home rules KOOKS system by changing the d20 system to a 2d10 system; along with other small changes. Tonight we did a one shot where the players were given very powerful 5th level Characters with very high level armor. They were to fight against a lot of lower level NPCs and a few higher level NPCs, but none that could be considered equals or superior.
The game was a route. The two high level Player Characters just waded through the masses of low level opposition and demolished them.
Why?
Because the 2d10 system creates a Bell Curve. It is very unlikely that anyone will roll a very high roll or a very low roll within their range of possibilities. With PCs that each had Defense Modifiers of 18+ it was just about impossible for a lower level NPC to hit them.
The first time I experimented with this idea was in a wargame I made called ‘C’est la Guerre‘ where instead of using a 1d6 I used 2d6 creating a bell curve of options. Two infantry units blasting away at each other with musketry were very unlikely to do anything more than cause low level incremental damage. Throw in some artillery and that damage gets higher but not overwhelming. It is at that point that you send in your cavalry to charge or some fresh infantry to do a bayonet attack. That was the only way of breaking those stubborn infantry units.
The two dice versus one changed the dynamic of the game tonight. The two powerful PCs dominated a group of 8 lower level guards and a higher level captain. Then when they confronted three enemies who were close to parity, but not equal, they had a bit of a fight on their hands. But again it was very difficult even for the bosses to hit the two PCs.
If I had wanted to create a real challenge, then I would have needed to add something much more powerful to the mix. Perhaps a ‘boss’ possessed by a high level demonic force? Or perhaps a magic user with access to very high level spells? Or an NPC with a very high level protector?
Something to think about.
This is a game I have been looking at for quite some time, but my gaming group never seems to have time or interest in playing:
Where No Man Has Gone Before 2.0
http://trek.abillionmonkeys.com/
Here is a setting that is more or less rules agnostic. It is produced in 3 blog posts. Has some interesting ideas:
https://ruleslightrpgs.com/2022/06/mini-setting-the-pan-sentient-confederation-part-1/
https://ruleslightrpgs.com/2022/06/mini-setting-the-pan-sentient-confederation-part-2/
https://ruleslightrpgs.com/2022/07/mini-setting-the-pan-sentient-confederation-part-3/
I have been thinking of combining this setting with some lite rule system, perhaps ‘Where No Man Has Gone Before 2.0’, but I would need to know there are some players looking to use it.
I have had a copy of The Black Hack bouncing around my hard drive for a long time, but I never got the chance to play it before. I have played hacks of The Black Hack, but never the beast itself!
Now I am happy to say that has been remedied. My Tuesday night ‘lite games’ group has been playing The Black Hack and it is great, particularly on Foundry. At first I didn’t even bother reading the rules since Foundry sort of does all that stuff for you, but I finally broke down and dived in. Here is my review!
The Black Hack 2e is a ttrpg designed to be rules-light and easy to learn. It is an updated version of the original Black Hack game which includes a number of new features and improvements.
One of the most notable aspects of the Black Hack 2e is its simplicity. The game uses a very streamlined set of rules, which allows players to focus on storytelling and roleplaying rather than getting bogged down in complex mechanics. This makes it an ideal game for beginners, or for groups who are looking for a more casual, laid-back experience.
Despite its simplicity, the Black Hack 2e still manages to offer a lot of flexibility and customization options. The game uses the same 6 Attributes that we are used to, and offers 4 different character classes, as well as a wide variety of monsters. This allows for a lot of creativity and variety in gameplay, even within the context of the relatively simple ruleset.
Another strength of the Black Hack 2e is how easy it is to pick up and play, with a minimal amount of setup or preparation required. I would think that this makes it an ideal choice for impromptu gaming sessions, or for groups who don’t have a lot of time to devote to gaming.
Overall, the Black Hack 2e is a great choice for anyone who is looking for a simple, flexible, and accessible tabletop RPG. That’s my .02.
Here is a game I picked up on ITCHIO:
https://trollish-delver-games.itch.io/stargazer
Stargazer is a nice little OSR game that I really liked. It is a very Rules-Lite RPG. I like such games, but sometimes they can be too derivative and so ‘lite’ that they are unplayable as written.
This is not the case for Stargazer!
Stargazer is of course a bit derivative since it is OSR, but it is not slavishly so. The structure is similar but not identical. The mechanics are also not just repetition of prior works, and the classes, or in the rules Archetypes, are very different and interesting. But…
The backstory is awesome!!!! The magic of the game is based upon a Vancian world with a dying sun. I normally don’t like the Vancian magic, but in this case it makes sense. At least to me. The author spends a bit of time explaining it, and I appreciate that. There is a Song of Power that rides upon the wind, and infuses the very nature of the Universe (in a somewhat Tolkienian way?). That is where the magic comes from. What I really like is the work that the author puts into suggesting a ‘source’ to gain access to this Song of Power: precious ‘black sound discs’ dredged up from the underworld of the the ancient world containing the works of Ronnie James Dio! Throughout the short rules of the book there are references to Dio and some appropriate snippets of his lyrics.
I hope I can convince my gaming group to play this with me. People get set in their ways and sometimes it is difficult to get folks to try something different. Luckily my group is pretty open to new things as long as I don’t bully them too much…
My only real complaint is that I don’t think the author went far enough into the ‘Song of Power’ and the ‘black sound discs’ as the link between characters and the magic — the amazing music of Ronnie James Dio! If you are going to put that into the backstory why not put it into the rules? Perhaps the Magician must sing certain lyrics linked to certain magic — each spell has its own Dio lyric inspired Incantation that must be successfully performed to release the POWER!? Perhaps the Magician must listen and (re)learn the music and the lyrics before going off on his or her adventures by playing the ‘black sound discs’ in order to gain inspiration, motivation, and the power of the magic itself!?
All in all very interesting. Give it a try. Let me know how it goes. I will try to update this review if I get a chance to play!
Now back to listening to ‘The Very Best of Dio‘!