Blog posts

D6.5 Resolution

Prismatic Wasteland challenged rpg bloggers: In January 2024, come up with a new resolution mechanic for a TTRPG and give it a name. This needs a name so I thus name it “D6.5 Resolution”. Pre-roll process Whenever a character wants do so something, and the result is in doubt, the GM calls for a roll.…

Super Monster Friends

Prompted by On Pokemon by Glass Ziggurat which was prompted by POKEMON ANALOGUE SANDBOX FOR A 5-YEAR OLD KID by Alone in the Labyrinth. I’ve blogged before about pokemon style games. I released Pokemon Essence on itch.io and there are some posts from back in mid 2021 about legally distinct pokemon. Obviously old me was…

Cosmos 2250 – Common non-human species

Humanity has encountered a lot of alien species since it first travelled to other worlds. The four most common species are chronicled below broadly from the most relevant to least relevant. Alien species can be broadly divided into the Human-esque and the Weird.

Cosmos 2250 – Introduction

Cosmos 2250 is a science fiction game where players take on the roles of senior officers on board a starship.

More chess with kids – Chess with Mods

I previously made a post about introducing kids in my chess club to chess variants. The more enterprising kids called it Chess with Mods and promptly started hacking the game with different versions. They didn’t stop there. Here are some more variants of chess that the kids made up. Train Chess Train Chess is played…

Pokémon Essence V0.8

My Pokémon ttrpg, Pokémon Essence, as just received an update Feature list: Revamped dice-pool Action Resolution System – just as easy to use as before, but now better able to reflect each Pokémon’s individual strengths Rules for Dark, Steel and Fairy types All 151 Gen 1 Pokémon included Rules for adding Pokémon from later Generation…

The OTHER three best spells in Harry Potter

mood music I previously argued that the three best spells in Harry Potter are: Expecto Patronum Polyjuice Potion The spell which returns Voldemort to corporeal form in chapter 32 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Here are the other three best spells in Harry Potter. The Unbreakable Vow It’s a magically-binding promise from…

My first experience with Matrix Games

What is a Matrix Game? Essentially, a Matrix Game combines the tactical infinity of role-playing games with control of an ‘actor’ – a faction, organisation or entity – as would be expected in a strategy game. They align with the play worlds, not rules philosophy of the Free Kriegspiel Revival movement, meaning that setting, and…

LOTR: Many Meetings and Council of Elrond

Mood music – Song of Eärendil or Eärendil was a mariner I wanted to re-read The Fellowship of The Ring, specifically the Council of Elrond chapter, as I’ve been thinking about making a game where the players are at a council. Council of Elrond, Game of Throne’s small council, Congress of Vienna – that kind…

Designing magic: Make casting the magic more engaging

(This is part 2 of a 3 part series about designing magic for tabletop roleplaying games. Part 1 is available here.) Once again I’ll be referencing Harry Potter a lot, as well as D&D 5e. Harry Potter remains the best cultural touchstone when discussing learning magic, whilst D&D 5e is the big ttrpg. When I…

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