GLoG reviews 3

You know the drill. Important info here.

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DIE TRYING, by Meandering Banter

OVERVIEW This system invented the X-based advancement, and is a longstanding pinnacle of GLoGhacks. One foot in orthodox GLoGery, another one in new-age, distant hacks, this has a lot of great developments to check out.

FLAVOR 1. Anything with an implication can be cut out, this would work very well for a generic game.

PLAYABILITY 4. I really enjoy what I see. Seems like a system that's right up my alley, and has a lot of potential. What's stopping this from being higher is the volume of content to be combed through, and the lack of delineation between optional content and rules as intended.

COMPREHENSIBILITY 2. There's a hefty amount of cruft that could be trimmed, and the sheer volume of optional rules, while quite nice, detract from the core of the system. I would have to spend a lot of time printing this out and combing through it to get it to a runnable state.

OVERALL 2.5. Good core, nay, phenomenal core, but WAY too much around it. This is a 10 page hack tops, everything else can go or be put in an optional document.

THINGS TO STEAL Magic words, X-based advancement (man oh man PLEASE check that out I've yet to implement it but I'm THIIIIIIS close), random abilities upon character creation, interspersal of fun side mechanics throughout the rules (how can you regain magic dice?), achievements. I'm very close to pulling a BONES to MARROW on this bad boy and ripping the bloat off. DIE TRYING? More like... uh... fuckn... uh...

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MIMICS AND MISCREANTS, by Lexi

OVERVIEW This hack is from a pillar of the GLoG community, chocked with fan-favorite classes. It's unique in its own right because it combines a roll-under mechanical sensibility to a roll-over system with a fixed DC of 20 that works really elegantly and is very intuitive if you're versed in both systems.

FLAVOR 2, but a good 2- the assumptions here are ones you can easily work with, and that inspire and open the door instead of feeling restrictive. This is a canvas where a corner has been painted in fantastical things, and you have the freedom to explode that outward. Generally, though, I'm left wanting more flavor to be drawn into the rules, so it's gonna stay at a 2.

PLAYABILITY 3. This document inspires me to steal more than it does to play, which isn't a bad place to be at all. Would not complain at all if I had to play or run this system.

COMPREHENSIBILITY 4. There's more than I generally would want, but it's all very clear, so I would be able to use it or know when not using it would cause problems, so this scores very well on comprehensibility for me.

OVERALL 3.5. A very solid hack with a lot of good stuff, the only real ding for me is that it's not particularly memorable or remarkable. It would be in the top tier if it consolidated and leaned into a cool angle, but as it stands, it's a perfectly serviceable and hackable game.

THINGS TO STEAL More reward rolls for sticking with the random character generation, combining roll-over mentality with roll-under mechanics, dodging vs. taking it in combat, spellscars, really solid classes, great summoning and mutation tables.

Hey Lexi, finish posting SAWN OFF so I can review that too.

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Cavegirl's Really Simple DDnD, by... you know what, take a guess

OVERVIEW This is a technically-not-a-GLoGhack whose rules fit entirely on a (lengthy, but still) blogpost. There's so little on the bones here, it's a tight system that does what it needs to frankly and simply, but it's executed in a very good way.

FLAVOR A clean 1. The simplicity and lightness of the rules don't belay much flavor, making this suitable for all sorts of low-fantasy shenanigans.

PLAYABILITY 3.5. There's a lot of intriguing stuff here, and the procedures seem to be, in many small and important ways ways, novel. The simplicity and genericism could easily be homebrewed and spun outwards, and so there's a lot of potential for a really cool game from these rules.

COMPREHENSIBILITY 4. The clarity and bluntness of the rules is a great strength, and there's a lot of robust flexibility built in there to work on. Everything is clear and concise, for the most part. I could run this if I were asked to.

OVERALL 4. Very much like this hack, can't really pinpoint why. A lot of it is wrapped up in the dry humor of the tone. This game knows exactly what it is, what it can do, and how it can do it.

THINGS TO STEAL Grit vs. flesh, the darkness rules (hehe), the skill system with one foot in the X-out-of6 tradition and another in modern skillage, the surprise and chase rules, super lite magic rules, classes woven into the fabric of the rules.

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OWLBEAR STEW 2, by Spwack

OVERVIEW This game is one of a few GLoGhacks characterized by a full random character generator, and has been a mainstay for a while. A prime example of a hack grounded in orthodoxy but with a heavy reductionist lens applied, the influences from other systems are palpable, but well-executed with a bunch of twists that make everything simpler and easier to run.

FLAVOR 3. This was close to being a 2 until I saw the reference images at the end and saw the full picture. A color-saturated, larger than life world that is yet plagued by great evils and powerful magics. It evokes wonder while toeing the line of cartoonish comedy, and it does that well, but again, I want more. I want an adventure, a world primer, monsters, I want to immerse myself further in the world being painted.

PLAYABILITY 2.5. The system isn't the selling point here, I don't think, it's the implied setting and the randomness that inject this game with fun. I would have to be sold on the adventure to play this game on its own terms.

COMPREHENSIBILITY 4. Very simple, well laid out, a google doc version could easily make this a 4.5. If I had to run this, I wouldn't have too much trouble at all, especially with the generator, which is a GODSEND. There is a slight bit of ambiguity- is the DC always 20, or is that a suggestion?

OVERALL 3.5. Very solid indeed, and the character generator and reference images are super useful. Not too many critiques besides "I want to see more"- this is well executed, but an adventure in particular would really help pull this up to a 4+, because I'm invested in seeing this implied world executed.

THINGS TO STEAL A random character generator (!! always useful), various XP methods built in, the "out of X" dying rules, the interesting take on advantage and disadvantage, diegetic stat increases, nice random lists of extra abilities (implemented well, very clearly a set of optional rules with specific ways to use them)

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Thanks for reading, and happy gaming. See you next time.