Post by jeffgeorge on Apr 10, 2018 16:43:26 GMT -9
My favorite rules-(very)-light RPG, Hero Kids, is the next offer at Bundle of Holding.
About Hero Kids
Designed to be played with or by grade-school-age children, Hero Kids is a great introduction to tabletop roleplaying for kids of all ages. The rules are less than 40 pages long, in big type with lots of illustrations, yet they handle most any situation likely to come up in play with simple, consistent mechanics that can be explained to new players in minutes. Most players will be satisfied with the many pre-made characters printed on hero cards included in the rule book and supplements. Guidelines are also included to make original characters in minutes, but the dozens of ready-to-play characters included in the Bundle of Holding sets should be plenty for just about anyone. There are also cards for every enemy in the game, to help young GMs keep track of their minions.
The published Hero Kids adventures play out in less than an hour, and typically include 3-5 combat encounters. Additional straight roleplaying encounters occur wherever necessary to move the story forward (at least one at the beginning and one at the end of the adventure, and usually one or two in between combats along the way). "Violence" is presented as very G/PG--think Goonies and Black Cauldron, not Conan or Walking Dead. Fallen heroes are knocked out, not killed, and are assumed to be revived by their companions after the battle. The adventures often include subtle opportunities for character education (by which I mean the players' real-life character, not their in-game alternate personas!) by presenting the players with moral choices, which the GM can present as very black-and-white, or as shades of gray, depending on the age and maturity of the players themselves. The PCs are presented as true heroes, doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do, and not for reward or profit.
All that said, there's absolutely no reason you couldn't play the adventures with adults who are new to roleplaying, or who are looking for a quick, light adventure. Just because the game can be played by kids doesn't mean that only kids can play. If adult players want a more dangerous game, you don't need to adjust the mechanics--just establish that characters are killed instead of knocked out when they take their last injury.
For Cardboard Warriors members, it's worth mentioning that there are printable miniatures for every character and monster presented in the rules, adventures and supplements. These minis are rendered as black-ink line art, and formatted as double-fronted, A-frame minis (no backs). If you want colored minis with backs, you'll have to do a little DIY work, but the line art is excellent.
Hero Kids Starter Collection
For just $5.95, you get the Hero Kids core rulebook, an extra set of ten hero cards and ten pet cards, five "normal" adventures (as opposed to longer, more dangerous "hard" adventures), as well as a coloring book presenting hero and pet artwork in full-page format. The normal price for the Hero Kids core book at DTRPG is $6, while this collection includes $27 worth of rules and supplements, so it's a great introduction to the game.
Hero Kids Bonus Collection
If you pay more than the Bundle of Holding "Threshold Price", which is about $19 as of April 10, the total value of the offer rises to $85! The Bonus Collection includes the everything in the Starter Collection, and adds a whole bunch more:
Access your BoH purchases through DTRPG
I never thought to point it out before, but Bundle of Holding has an arrangement with DriveThruRPG.com which allows you to access your BoH purchases through your DTRPG library. You just have to log into BoH once to link your BoH and DTRPG accounts, and then everything you buy through Bundle of Holding will be part of your DTRPG library, forever!
Benefiting Reading Is Fundamental
As always, 10% of Bundle of Holding's proceeds from this offer will benefit a charity of the publisher's choosing. Appropriately, Hero Forge Games has designated Reading is Fundamental as the beneficiary for this offer!
About Hero Kids
Designed to be played with or by grade-school-age children, Hero Kids is a great introduction to tabletop roleplaying for kids of all ages. The rules are less than 40 pages long, in big type with lots of illustrations, yet they handle most any situation likely to come up in play with simple, consistent mechanics that can be explained to new players in minutes. Most players will be satisfied with the many pre-made characters printed on hero cards included in the rule book and supplements. Guidelines are also included to make original characters in minutes, but the dozens of ready-to-play characters included in the Bundle of Holding sets should be plenty for just about anyone. There are also cards for every enemy in the game, to help young GMs keep track of their minions.
The published Hero Kids adventures play out in less than an hour, and typically include 3-5 combat encounters. Additional straight roleplaying encounters occur wherever necessary to move the story forward (at least one at the beginning and one at the end of the adventure, and usually one or two in between combats along the way). "Violence" is presented as very G/PG--think Goonies and Black Cauldron, not Conan or Walking Dead. Fallen heroes are knocked out, not killed, and are assumed to be revived by their companions after the battle. The adventures often include subtle opportunities for character education (by which I mean the players' real-life character, not their in-game alternate personas!) by presenting the players with moral choices, which the GM can present as very black-and-white, or as shades of gray, depending on the age and maturity of the players themselves. The PCs are presented as true heroes, doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do, and not for reward or profit.
All that said, there's absolutely no reason you couldn't play the adventures with adults who are new to roleplaying, or who are looking for a quick, light adventure. Just because the game can be played by kids doesn't mean that only kids can play. If adult players want a more dangerous game, you don't need to adjust the mechanics--just establish that characters are killed instead of knocked out when they take their last injury.
For Cardboard Warriors members, it's worth mentioning that there are printable miniatures for every character and monster presented in the rules, adventures and supplements. These minis are rendered as black-ink line art, and formatted as double-fronted, A-frame minis (no backs). If you want colored minis with backs, you'll have to do a little DIY work, but the line art is excellent.
Hero Kids Starter Collection
For just $5.95, you get the Hero Kids core rulebook, an extra set of ten hero cards and ten pet cards, five "normal" adventures (as opposed to longer, more dangerous "hard" adventures), as well as a coloring book presenting hero and pet artwork in full-page format. The normal price for the Hero Kids core book at DTRPG is $6, while this collection includes $27 worth of rules and supplements, so it's a great introduction to the game.
Hero Kids Bonus Collection
If you pay more than the Bundle of Holding "Threshold Price", which is about $19 as of April 10, the total value of the offer rises to $85! The Bonus Collection includes the everything in the Starter Collection, and adds a whole bunch more:
- Monster Compendium - An additional 136 monsters for Hero Kids GMs planning their own adventures, including monster cards and miniatures
- Space Expansion - Applies the Hero Kids rules to Science Fiction adventure, and includes three adventures as well as 20 sci-fi hero cards
- Another 30 Hero cards, 10 more pet cards, and 36 item cards to expand the fun
- Five "Hard" adventures, a bit longer and more dangerous than the "Normal" adventures in the Starter Collection, suitable for more experienced Hero Kids players
Access your BoH purchases through DTRPG
I never thought to point it out before, but Bundle of Holding has an arrangement with DriveThruRPG.com which allows you to access your BoH purchases through your DTRPG library. You just have to log into BoH once to link your BoH and DTRPG accounts, and then everything you buy through Bundle of Holding will be part of your DTRPG library, forever!
Benefiting Reading Is Fundamental
As always, 10% of Bundle of Holding's proceeds from this offer will benefit a charity of the publisher's choosing. Appropriately, Hero Forge Games has designated Reading is Fundamental as the beneficiary for this offer!