Welcome! This month I’m changing up the newsletter format slightly. I’ll still reflect on a game I ran last month. But because November was a lighter month for me as far as playing games went (save for the aforementioned Quarterly of Checkpoint Midnight) I will instead include a gaming gift guide for the holiday season, in case you’re still looking for the perfect present for a friend or loved one interested in tabletop gaming.
All aboard!
Ran: The Great Soul Train Robbery
I got two chances to run my game The Great Soul Train Robbery at online game conventions in December: once at Doxacon, the Christian sci-fi and fantasy convention, and once at RPGAlliance Con.
Highlights: These sessions were a lot of fun. I loved the characters we got to see. The Doxacon session featured a Renegade Fury, a Runaway Bride, a Homesteader Widow, and a Blind Drifter. The RPGAllianceCon session featured a Renegade Fury, a Sawbones, a Gambler, and a Homesteader Widow.
I have to give particular credit to the Gambler for an incredible character concept: Christopher “Bones” Gaine had wagered it all, down to his very flesh, on a game with the Devil and lost—leaving him as nothing but an animated skeleton. He rattled through the heist, taking enormous risks because, hey, what more had he to lose? At last the train was approaching the gates of Hell itself, and Bones made a one-in-a-million shot to disable the engine and bring the whole locomotive to a screaming stop.
On a less happy note for the Desperados, in the other game I saw the rare moment of a Desperado rolling three dice and getting all sixes—the Devil’s own number, which the game specifies means “The Conductor appears immediately, aiming to punch your ticket.” In this case, the roll came when the Desperado was trying to lasso the Conductor, Pride. So the roll mean that the Desperado was dragged by her own lasso into the swirling vortex of black wings that the Conductor transformed into. It was very dramatic!
Musings: An interesting moment in one game came when a Renegade Fury was caught in a trap—his hand was manacled to chain being pulled into the grinding machinery of the engine. The Sawbones leapt into action, offering to amputate the Fury’s hand at the wrist to free him from the trap. The Fury nodded grimly.
Usually in the Great Soul Train Robbery, dramatic character injuries are handled by Scars, which players willingly take on to add a dice to roll (the Scar will apply whether you succeed at the roll or not). In this case, the Fury was clearly consenting to a Scar, but didn’t seem to be the one making the roll… I decided to say it simply happened. The Sawbones knew his business, the Fury was ready to make the sacrifice, so off went the hand without a die roll. I let the Fury apply the Scar for an extra dice on his next roll, as he charged the Conductor. A slightly ad hoc ruling, but one I think I can stand by!
Final thoughts: I’m so looking forward to delivering the full zine version of Great Soul Train Robbery to all my Kickstarter backers. Check out my latest update for a preview of page layout in the issue.
Gaming Gift Guide
For the classicist: Agon by Evil Hat Games
Agon is a slick game of legendary heroes facing challenges, competing among themselves to be the very best, and trying to earn the favor of the fickle gods. The default version is based on Greek mythology. I discussed in an earlier newsletter the fun series I played that transposed it to the Celtic Otherworld. Designer John Harper has just released some resources for hacking or reskinning the game for even more settings!
For the superhero fan: Masks by Magpie Games
Masks is a gold standard for compelling and fun PbtA design, laser-focused on telling the story of teenage superheroes working out their place in the world. It’s flexible, too! I’ve played many great Masks one-shots, and GM’d a campaign that ran strong for over a year and finished with a day-long finale session.
For the game designer: Affinity Publisher
Affinity Publisher is a really useful desktop publishing app. I am currently using it to lay out The Great Soul Train Robbery. I can vouch for it being user-friendly and powerful software, handy for anyone hoping to lay out their games for publication as PDFs or as print zines. Best of all, it’s a one-time purchase. No need to pay a monthly licensing fee!
For the person just starting out: For the Queen by Evil Hat Games
For the Queen is a great showcase of what tabletop games can be in the elegant package of a single box of cards. It’s a story game that teaches its own rules, doesn’t require a GM, and helps players tell a compelling story about a queen on a journey and her complex relationships with the members of her retinue. Plus, the artwork on the queen cards is diverse and beautiful. A lovely way to onboard someone into the gaming world.
For the gamer who has everything: Fall of Magic Scroll Edition
Yes, this is a big ticket item, running more that $100 before shipping. But it is a truly gorgeous game that relies heavily on its form factor: a scroll with the map of a fantasy world that is revealed bit-by-bit as the game progresses. It shares similarities with For the Queen as a story game driven by evocative, but where For The Queen is minimalist with its simple deck of cards, Fall of Magic is maximalist with its lavish map promising a classic fantasy journey. Could become the crown jewel of a game-lover’s collection.
For me: spread the word about Cloven Pine
Oh, you’d like to get me a present for Christmas or New Year’s? You’re very sweet! Here’s what I would love: forward this newsletter to someone you know who might be interested in subscribing to get my thoughts on running, playing, and designing games. I’d love to keep reaching a broader and broader audience!
Any other great gaming gifts you think could fit in this list? Please, share your own suggestions in the comments!
Elsewhere
—My lovely wife Leah Libresco Sargeant was on the Gauntlet podcast recently, discussing a game we worked together on, Back Again from the Broken Land. Check the podcast out to hear her thoughts on the game and on the opportunities and challenges of letting players name and define their own “Conditions” in a game.
—I was very happy to chat with Indie Game Spotlight about my duet game The Tabula Initiative, a game about an amnesiac assassin escaping their past. Take a look at the interview, and let me know if you get a chance to play The Tabula Initiative. I’m always interested in play reports!
See you all next month for another set of reflections on gameplay and game design. Till then: may your heists be heavenly, and your gifts be well-received.
Gamefully Yours,
Alexi