 Cover art of main rulebook | |
| Designers | Lee Garvin |
|---|---|
| Publishers | Avalon Hill |
| Publication | 1991 |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Systems | Custom |
Tales from the Floating Vagabond is a science-fiction role-playing game by Lee Garvin, [1] published by Avalon Hill in 1991. [2] It has the tagline "Ludicrous Adventure in a Universe Whose Natural Laws Are Out To Lunch". [3]
The game takes a comedic approach to the genre, encouraging the gamemaster to begin each adventure in an outer space bar called the Floating Vagabond. Players choose from races such as humans, elves, Disgustingly Cute Furry Things, and Dogmen, learn skills like "Look Good at All Times" and "Projectile Vomiting", and consume dangerous beverages containing toxic substances such as a singularity. The flexibility of the rules system allows for making characters from any genre, epoch, or world, as well as creating new races and superheroes.
One of the more memorable aspects of the game is a system of shticks that players can choose from, including:
The second printing of this game included many strange typos, such as providing the incorrect formula strength+luck/2 for "Oops! Points," causing gamers to create characters that were weaker than standard NPC goons. The correct formula is strength+luck+2d6. [4]
Author Lee Garvin has released the original game in PDF, via OneBookShelf stores, [5] [6] and was working on a second edition. He died on June 28, 2019, before completion. [7]
Steve Crow reviewed Tales from the Floating Vagabond in White Wolf #29 (Oct./Nov., 1991), rating it a 2 out of 5 and stated that "Overall, I would not recommend Vagabond unless you are a GM who runs comedy RPGs like Toon or Paranoia. You can get some good ideas, and the low price tag makes a reasonable buy. However, if you are not already running comedy RPGs, you'll be cast adrift." [8]
In the March 1993 edition of Dragon (Issue 191), Rick Swan thought this game "generated more groans than belly laughs, not a good sign from an RPG that lives and dies on the strength of its jokes." [9]
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