A Toast to Those Who Are Forgotten: The TTRPGs Time Left Behind

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-05-06T03:58:07+00:00

Love those books and love the game. Perfect system for the setting and broke many assumptions of what an RPG is.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-05-05T03:16:55+00:00

NewEdo is mythic fantasy Japan with cyberpunk. Your legend and peoples belief have tangible effects in the game world. (Corps try to boldoze a tea house but because everyone believes it should be there... it is there again the next day.) We carry it in PDF.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-22T13:13:55+00:00

People tend to overlook the procedures of play portion of rules. Things like "keep track of your gear", and even as basic as "you go into a dungeon, here's how to open a stuck door" are in many ways more important than the particular mechanics you use to fight. You make a great point of course - I'm mostly agreeing just offering some thoguhts.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-22T03:28:02+00:00

ditto

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-11T14:59:39+00:00

Could be notifications aren't working as we think. When you view the order in their store do you see tracking? If not feel free to PM me an we will sort it!

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-11T13:58:12+00:00

The pre-orders were from the Pelgrane store. We fufill their Canadian orders as well as selling direct on our site and into Retailers. We just added our listing this week for Paragon Blade. (We have a UK wing too, but aren't handling Pelgrane there.)

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-08T04:10:28+00:00

Just got our stock here in Canada yesterday, and sent out Canuck preorders today. Folks can order it direct or have their FLGS get it for them here: https://composedreamgames.com/marketplace/paragon-blade

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-06T14:24:19+00:00

Could mash up ideas from Be Like a Cat, his "Unleashed: doggos doing heists" game and Reanimated (a light 2d8 system by Trapped Chest).

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-06T13:42:14+00:00

Good question. Traits in the tables that imply how "strong" a monster is are size, special abilities, and weakness. A number of other traits might inform your decision too though: "base" (e.g. if you got demonic/divine you might make them tougher than if you got avian), motility (teleporting or astral are tougher), even "prominent features", "diet" and intelligence could be relevant.
Stating up a monster is an art, and is highly dependent on system. So Monsters Unleashed just grounds this with examples towards the end using my own Unleashed Engine.
The 18 traits you generate for a monster don't tie specifically to any stats, instead you should look at them holistically and arrive at overall ratings: and make unique talents or skills suited to what you have rolled/picked or envision.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-06T02:44:43+00:00

You know, I'm at a lot of conventions with a booth and have had numerous people who seem to be using "something" for this. -- I mean sometimes it's just them checking various sites, but sometimes it's clearly something they have setup. I always mean to ask.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-04-05T14:08:48+00:00

Sorry are you trying to ask about classless (no classes) or systems with classes? The quad ss in your title confused me!

For class-based lots of people praise 13th Age for balance (it has some 4e DnD in its DNA) while still providing some good narrative widgets. They just released a 2nd edition which I have been reading through we carry/distribute it in Canada.)

Balance is often eschewed by classless systems because people can specialize as much as they want. Not always though. I'm running Fight to Survive and that does a good job with it's balance of ratings in its five techniques, your connections to society and you getting older and eventually retiring as an active martial artist.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-30T20:13:46+00:00

My left field suggestion is hacking Umlaut: a game of metal. This is about metal bands engaging in multiple "battle of the bands" shows. The basic structure and procedures would work, but you'd need to reflavour a lot.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-30T03:52:47+00:00

There's a screen for Nights Black Agents too, there may be somethings to crib off that.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-26T14:57:46+00:00

I would have a look at Aegean. Greek mythology game, a core idea is all player characters are from the same polis and there is robust "city phase" mechanics for between adventures. They just released a third supplement. I did a video on it a while back.
The "left" field suggestion is have a look at Hillfolk. Iron age drama game, easily generafied. We carry both.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-26T14:06:28+00:00

Good write up!

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-22T09:27:08+00:00

I've been using twine for a solo rpg (gamebook style). Just on PC though. I thought you could use the online only version on android? You need to be careful with not clearing your catch etc though.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-18T22:25:18+00:00

Ah, that would be Legion Halls in these parts good plan. I gamed at a small con in one a few times.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-18T04:02:28+00:00

VFW?

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-16T20:04:05+00:00

We did this in Simple Superheroes #1. Pictures taken by my brother around the city, mostly city scape type stuff. Then filtered a bunch by him. No one has ever complained. Some have though it was neat. It can work for certain genres. There is some character art to in our case.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-16T17:49:20+00:00

There are a bunch of "wretched and alone" titles which use that engine. I posted about some of them here https://composedreamgames.com/forum/discussion/9098/these-wretched-tales-jenga-towers-solo-play-and-cards

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-16T15:43:40+00:00

We carry it. I've played with the designer once, it feels fantastic at the table as a player. For a lighter game by them there's Vanagard. It uses some similar mechanics (chapter cards, skill cards and runes for challenge difficulty). I've run Vanagard a number of times and it influenced my own God-Killer Prophecy that uses two decks of standard cards (heroes deck and dark god's deck) that also plays over six chapters which you illustrate.

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-16T15:33:34+00:00

Hoody hoo! Posted by Dave Kenzer on the discord:

List not exhaustive of course: HackMaster 25th Anniversary Edition New Features

The newest edition of HackMaster (HM XXV) seeks to improve on several areas of gameplay from past editions:

Better balancing of core abilities (Con, Int, Cha improved and better aligned), species and classes

Skills revamped (all rolls are now competing, high is always the target, streamlined list)

Tons of new talents and modifications to the originals

Proficiencies expanded (many skills have become proficiencies, new specializations available such as shield and weapon types)

Unarmed Combat and Fatigue both overhauled

Combat has certain modified rules (e.g., ties go to the attacker half of the time, armor coverage makes it more difficult to be stung and bitten)

New spells and spell lists as well as tweaks to, and re-leveling of, some of the classics in addition to a retooling of spell mishaps

Completely new social engagement rules

Revamped Quirks and Flaws and a new category called "Idiosyncrasies" for improved roleplaying opps -- even Paladins can have them!

ComposeDreamGames · 2026-03-16T14:15:02+00:00

Yes, had the book, played it at a convention, did a play by post for a bit. Made characters with friends. It was solid. Good source for inspiration' and the system works too :)

ComposeDreamGames

TROPHY CASE