Play the (Disc)World

Here’s a thing that can sometimes happen when someone is interested in starting out with play the world or FKR gaming:

New Referee: I want to get started with FKR gaming.

FKR: Great! All you need are players ready to describe their character, a world to play, and an experienced referee to adjudicate.

New Referee: Well, I have some experience with other RPGs, but I’m not sure how to resolve actions without some sort of rules mechanics and guidance. What should I use?

FKR: Well, you’re the referee now. How about opposed rolls, roll high, percentiles, roll and read, dice chains, dice less?

New Referee: But I’m just getting started. Can I get some guidance on the mechanics and adjudication?

FKR: You’re the referee now. You decide.

And so it goes.

Now you can start on the Discworld

Need a clear set of FKR-ish* play the world rules with a clean resolution system and implicit character creation?

*Not entirely free kriegsspiel because the wargaming/combat “krieg” element is deprioritized. There are no combat rules per se, only general resolution – which can apply to combat.

Then find yourself a copy of the free Discworld QuickStart Guide from Modiphius, because this guide contains a complete and accessible set of rules for FKR resolution in a fictional world.

In this case, the world in question is Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, but consider what you get in this guide.

• A complete free-form resolution mechanic: the player describes their action, based on any element of their character sheet. The referee assigns an Outcome die from d4 to D12 based on the character’s traits and situation. The referee only ever rolls a d8 because the chance of success is relative, but this is also a nod to Discworld lore.
• Depending on the rolls, the referee resolves the consequences, from success to mixed success to consequences from  Inconsequential [sic] to Minor, Major, and Exceptional. These occupy the character sheet until resolved. The character has a small pool of Luck to help manage consequences.
• Sample character, and since characters a wholly based on description, it’s easy to infer that character generation is just a matter of specifying Organization, Background, Niches (2), Quirks (2), and Core (belief). In effect, a complete character gen system.

The system suits an open, conversational, and humorous style of play ideal for the Discworld. And to be sure, the forthcoming full rule book will be mostly to structure and fill out the fictional world on the back of the Great Turtle. But for the new FKR referee, the point is that everything in the QuickStart edition can be adapted to the world YOU want to play. 

Consider, for example, a character from a darker, sword and sorcery city:

• Organization: Thieve’s Guild of Blackwillow
• Background: Raised in the shadow of the Noose
• Niche: Deft pickpocket
• Niche: A stab in the dark
• Quirk: Often overlooked
• Quirk: The meddling priest sees your good side
• Core: Slip by, right under their noses

In time, you’ll want to tweak the rules – that’s what a FKR referee does. There’s no reason, for example, to always roll a d8 in your game, if you want to tilt the odds further. And if you’re ready, then you can start at the Many Ways Inn, and let your own world take shape. But the core of the Modiphius Discworld system puts a whole world of FKR at your fingertips, with clear mechanics and examples.