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Spending some time this evening unpacking (pun intended) @Bitchinville's Sword & Backpack. This is a very simple RPG framework that fits inside a pocket notebook and focuses on experiences over rules. Check it out here: https://swordandbackpack.tumblr.com/post/108176654598/sword-backpack-megapost
Right off the bat I am in love with a game that tells you to customize your book and make it your own. There's flavor and theme before you even get past the parts list. The emphasis on your d20, and carrying this game with you at all times, is fresh.
There are some standard pages to get started with: basic rules, backpack, etc. Then you get to some class-specific stuff, like a warrior's belt or a sorcerer's spellbook, so you're starting to customize your book already. All of these go in your personal notebook.
The resolution mechanic uses a familiar d20 but there are no stats, skills, or modifiers. It's sort of arbitrary, but at the same time it isn't. The Storyteller takes into account the difficulty and the character's skills, then sets a goal. But here's the fun part:
It isn't always "roll higher than". It could be "roll lower than", if that makes thematic sense. It could be "roll between" if you're looking to be specific or accurate. It could even be "roll exactly" for near impossible tasks. The rolls themselves become varied and interesting.
I appreciate this for its simplicity, but I absolutely LOVE it for the thematic and mechanical control given to the Storyteller here. I imagine a bit of player haggling before the roll too, all of which sounds like a ton of fun.
The tone of the game is very good. It makes two corrections to your typical fantasy RPGs that I appreciate: that everyone is capable and deserving adventure, and that wanton violence and destruction are discouraged. Thank the gods for this brilliant writing!
Y'all. The Magic Supplement? Chef's kiss! You just need to read this thing. Sorcerers impact the difficulty of their spell rolls based on how well they can recite and perform their spells from memory. Hilarious, fun, perfect.
There doesn't appear to be a supplement for either Warrior or Rogue in this way. They are given prompts in the base rules to create gear that they use in their work, whether it is fighting, exploring, deceiving, or otherwise.
The Magic Supplement is a lot of fun here, and I think a similar supplement for the Warrior and Rogue would be an improvement on their experience, on par with the Sorcerer.
The Adventure Supplement Vol. 1 is a collection of seven one-page adventure prompts for Storytellers to work from. They are bare bones for the Storyteller to build upon. The page is pasted in the Storyteller's book, and then blank pages are filled in with detail.
I love this because it's almost entirely narrative. There is no monster guide to consult, no stats to track. Again, we see the themes lend themselves to nonviolent resolution, exploration, and investment in characters.
Let's be clear, there isn't no combat. You have swords, after all. I just appreciate that there are other problems to solve and other solutions that matter than just swinging a sword. Sporadic acts of specific violence help punctuate a story, but they can't be every beat.
The best part of these adventures is they all follow a standard format: Plot, Characters, Adversaries/Obstacles, Twist (my favorite part), Win Conditions, and Reward. Once a Storyteller does a couple of these, it will soon be very easy to start creating their own.
The last document I have here is an Adventure Setting called Lanternport. This feels like the next level up from the adventures, a sort of persistent and cohesive backdrop against which adventures can take place. It acts as a common thread for weaving together. individual games.
I'm not a map guy, per se, but I love this map. I think I love it because it's relatively "low res" compared to some fantasy RPG maps I've seen, and it fits in the notebook like any other page.
There are also premade adventures here for the Storyteller to guide the other players through, but also lots of details that the players can ask about, spurring a completely new and impromptu adventure. Both equally as exciting and interesting.
I also can't stop thinking about what a notebook would look like after a few games. You got the standard stuff up front, then your Backpack. Then some stuff about an early adventure, then another, then maybe something homebrew, then a map and list of Lanternport's citizens.
All interspersed with notes, sketches, stains, rips, smudges, and notes from friends. This is the ultimate gaming artifact, a literal record of your time spent with friends exploring a magical world and wonderful characters.
In addition to the previously mentioned content, which is all formatted to be cut and pasted into a notebook, there is also a collection of one-page excerpts from the in-fiction Adventurer's Guide.
These range from more traditional supplements like item lists and character backgrounds to fictional elements and scene setting to a literal in-fiction variation of rock-paper-scissors. Even more well-written content to create an amazing gaming experience.
This thread got way more out of hand than I expected. If you made it this far, you should definitely check out Sword & Backpack. Here's that link again: https://swordandbackpack.tumblr.com/post/108176654598/sword-backpack-megapost
I will be internalizing this format and all the great content over the next few days and can't wait to focus it on the What's So Cool About Jam in the coming weeks. https://itch.io/jam/what-is-so-cool-about-jam
