Trollbabe

Last updated
Trollbabe
Designer(s) Ron Edwards
Publisher(s) Adept Press
Publication date2002
Genre(s) Fantasy
System(s)Custom

Trollbabe is an indie role-playing game by Ron Edwards, cofounder of The Forge. It is an outworking of his Narrativist design philosophy. Edwards self-publishes it as a PDF through his Adept Press website.

Trollbabe requires a gamemaster and one or more other players. All players play Trollbabes, large, horned female beings which are somewhere between humans and trolls.

The players each have a single number, the "Trollbabe Number". They must roll a 10-sided die under the number for their trollbabe character to succeed at fighting, over the number for their trollbabe to succeed at magic, and whichever of the two is worse including the number (better in the first edition) to succeed at social challenges such as talking people into doing something.

Various circumstances give modifiers to the roll. The players also get re-rolls in one of two ways:

Every adventure opens with the trollbabe going somewhere on foot. If there is more than one player, their trollbabes do not need to be together; the GM can cut between their adventures.

The GM predetermines "stakes" for each adventure - something that will or will not happen as a result of the trollbabes' actions.

The game also has a concept of "scale", beginning with adventures that affect one or two people and escalating between sessions (on player request) up to a scale where the trollbabes' actions affect, potentially, all humans and all trolls.

Related Research Articles

<i>Earthdawn</i> tabletop role-playing game

Earthdawn is a fantasy role-playing game, originally produced by FASA in 1993. In 1999 it was licensed to Living Room Games, which produced the Second Edition. It was licensed to RedBrick in 2003, who released the Classic Edition in 2005 and the game's Third Edition in 2009. The license is now held by FASA Games, Inc., who have released the Fourth Edition, with updated mechanics and an advanced metaplot timeline.

<i>GURPS</i> tabletop role-playing game system

The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting. It was created by Steve Jackson Games and first published in 1986 at a time when most such systems were story- or genre-specific.

Marvel Super Heroes (role-playing game) tabletop role-playing game by TSR

Marvel Super Heroes (MSHRPG) is a role playing game set in the Marvel Universe, first published by TSR as Marvel Super Heroes: The Heroic Role-Playing Game under license from Marvel Comics in 1984. In 1986, TSR published an expanded edition, entitled the Marvel Superheroes Advanced Game. Jeff Grubb designed both editions, and Steve Winter wrote both editions. Both use the same game system.

<i>Tunnels & Trolls</i> tabletop role-playing game

Tunnels & Trolls is a fantasy role-playing game designed by Ken St. Andre and first published in 1975 by Flying Buffalo. The second modern role-playing game published, it was written by Ken St. Andre to be a more accessible alternative to Dungeons & Dragons and is suitable for solitaire, group, and play-by-mail gameplay.

The Storytelling System is a role-playing game system created by White Wolf, Inc. for the Chronicles of Darkness, a game world with several pen and paper games tied in. The Storytelling System is largely based on the Storyteller System, the rule set used for White Wolf's other, older game setting, the World of Darkness.

HârnMaster tabletop role-playing game

HârnMaster is a fantasy role-playing game based in the fantasy world of Hârn. The system, like the world, was designed primarily by N. Robin Crossby.

<i>Alternity</i> science fiction role-playing game

Alternity is a science fiction role-playing game (RPG) published by TSR in 1998. Following the acquisition of TSR by Wizards of the Coast, the game was discontinued in 2000 as part of a broader rationalisation of TSR's business holdings, but it retains a small and devoted fanbase. Parts of Alternity as well as TSR's classic Star Frontiers game have been incorporated into the d20 Modern game, especially the d20 Future setting. The first campaign setting for the Alternity game, the Star*Drive setting, was introduced in 1998.

Fuzion tabletop role-playing game

Fuzion is a generic role-playing game system created by the collaboration of R. Talsorian Games and Hero Games. The rights to Fuzion are jointly held by Mike Pondsmith of R. Talsorian Games, along with Steve Peterson and Ray Greer of Hero Games. Fuzion is a combination of the Interlock System,, and the HERO system. Fuzion is an adaptable system which can be played in any genre and setting imaginable.

<i>Star Wars Roleplaying Game</i> (Wizards of the Coast) tabletop role-playing game by Wizards of the Coast

The Star Wars Roleplaying Game is a d20 System roleplaying game set in the Star Wars universe. The game was written by Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins and J. D. Wiker and published by Wizards of the Coast in late 2000 and revised in 2002. In 2007, Wizards released the Saga Edition of the game, which made major changes in an effort to streamline the rules system.

Ron Edwards (game designer) American game designer

Ronald Edwards is a game designer involved in the indie role-playing game (RPG) community, and a game theorist. He created the Sorcerer role-playing game, the GNS theory of gameplay, and The Big Model. Edwards is also co-founder of The Forge, an online community to support indie RPG design and publication.

In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, game mechanics and dice rolls determine much of what happens. These mechanics include:

Apprentice Adept is a heptalogy of fantasy and science fiction novels written by English American author Piers Anthony. The series takes place on Phaze and Proton, two worlds occupying the same space in two different dimensional planes. Phaze is a lush planet of magic, where Proton is a barren mining planet of science. As the series opens, each person born on Phaze and Proton has an alternate self living on the other world. But if a person on either world lacks a duplicate, he can cross to the other through an energy "curtain" that circumscribes each frame.

<i>Ghostbusters</i> (role-playing game) tabletop role-playing game

Ghostbusters is a comedy role-playing game designed by Sandy Petersen, Lynn Willis and Greg Stafford and published by West End Games in 1986. It is based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters.

EABA tabletop role-playing game

The End All Be All game system, commonly known as EABA and pronounced "ee-buh", is a role-playing game system from Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC). It is a generic gaming systems designed to adapt to any imaginary gaming environment. It was created by Greg Porter in 2003. The game cites the Hero System, GURPS and Call of Cthulhu as influences in its development.

The Standard RPG System is a Japanese role-playing game system developed by FarEast Amusement Research and used in Alshard, Tenra War, Kaze no Stigma RPG, Shinkyoku Sōkai Polyphonica RPG and so on. The newest, the 14th game that use SRS are the Full Metal Panic! RPG based upon the anime and light novels of the same title. SRS games are published by several companies such as Game Field, Softbank Creative, JIVE and Kadokawa(Former Enterbrain and Fujimi Shobo).

QAGS tabletop role-playing game

QAGS is a generic role-playing game system for use in freeform role-playing games. QAGS is not tied to any particular genre or setting, and has been used to run everything from paranormal teenagers to post-apocalyptic super-heroes to fantasy sailing adventure to gun-toting monster hunters to "hard-core" luchadore action to Regency romance to 80’s cartoons to Shakespeare meets Tarantino.

Tabletop role-playing game Form of role-playing game for leisure

A tabletop role-playing game, also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a form of role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a set formal system of rules and guidelines. Within the rules, players have the freedom to improvise; their choices shape the direction and outcome of the game.

<i>High Adventure Role Playing</i> tabletop role-playing game

High Adventure Role Playing (HARP) is a fantasy role-playing game, designed by Tim Dugger & Heike A. Kubasch, and published by Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE).

<i>Marvel Heroic Roleplaying</i> tabletop role-playing game

Marvel Heroic Roleplaying is the fourth role-playing game set in the Marvel Universe published by Margaret Weis Productions under license from Marvel Comics. It uses the Cortex Plus system. The first volume was published in early 2012. In early 2013. Margaret Weis Productions announced that they would not be renewing their license.

<i>Shadowrun</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Shadowrun is a science fantasy tabletop role-playing game set in a near-future fictional universe in which cybernetics, magic and fantasy creatures co-exist. It combines genres of cyberpunk, urban fantasy and crime, with occasional elements of conspiracy, horror and detective fiction. From its inception in 1989, Shadowrun has remained among the most popular role-playing games. It has spawned a vast franchise that includes a series of novels, a collectible card game, two miniature-based tabletop wargames, and multiple video games.