Stefano Buonocore
We are pleased to offer you our review of Reavers and Rogues, a solo fantasy roleplaying game. We would first like to thank Joseph R. Lewis and his independent label Dungeon Age for sending us a digital copy.
Reavers and Rogues is available on itch.io with the pay what you want formula.
Review of Reavers and Rogues: the Manual
A 25-page PDF contains everything you need to play. A session is estimated to last between 30 and 60 minutes. It requires nothing more than a pair of six-sided dice, a pencil and a copy of the sheet where you will record the adventure’s story.
The manual has a minimalist layout. Perhaps even a little too sparse, but it makes for a much easier read; a significant aspect, considering the structure of this TTRPG. The illustrations, created by the author himself, are quite well-contextualized to the game. These too are very sparse, four to be precise, and all depict creatures you might encounter during the game.
The Game Setting
The game’s inspiration is quite evident, and it explicitly refers to Conan and the fantasy sword & sorcery created by R. E. Howard. The protagonist is not a hero, but an adventurer in the least gloryfying sense of the term. Driven by the mirage of profit rather than a noble cause, they will move from the alleys of Carcassay, the City of the Rat, to the sun-drenched world of Harth. The suggestions for the setting are many, such as Moorcock, Bodies and of that entire literary genre.
The setting, however, is particularly sparse. All things considered, Joseph gives us only a few vague references to a completely decayed city divided between two different factions vying for power. This isn’t a senseless choice; it gives freedom to add the details supported by the game system.
However I would have appreciated a few more details. The context is given exclusively by references, and it’s strange to have to mentally reconstruct it without any concrete elements. This is certainly a useful factor when you want to play a quick session, however in the long run it somewhat reduces the replayability of Reavers and Rogues.
Review of the Mechanics of Reavers and Rogues
The ruleset is extremely simple. Each game is divided into eight different Scenes, most of which consist of an encounter that can be approached in three different ways: stealth, parleying, or combat. Once the strategy is established, roll 2d6 and add the value of the relevant attribute (Luck, Guile, or Might).
On a failure (roll 1 to 5), the character must enter battle or, if the enemy has already engaged, suffers a casualty (a wound, an ally, or some loot). A roll of 7 to 9 implies a success with a cost, while a roll of 10 or higher implies a pure success (in both cases, the game usually requires additional dice rolls to obtain random effects).
The primary purpose of encounters is to set the stage for the adventure. Each scene requires you to roll a table to determine both the context and the difficulties encountered. The secondary objective, however, is to collect loot and allies, which can then be “consumed” during subsequent challenges. One of the most strategic elements of Reavers and Rogues is knowing when to consume a resource and when to save it for another time.
L’Eroe
Character creation is completely random. One die roll determines their family, another their mentor. Each of these results grants a +1 bonus to two of their attributes, effectively determining the character sheet. There is no customization, and the protagonists are essentially adventurers who rely on physical prowess, luck, and the diplomacy.
Gli unici elementi di caratterizzazione sono lasciati a loro volta ai tiri di dado: una tragedia che alberga nel passato del personaggio, il suo vizio, la sua più grande paura, la sua arma preferita. Hanno esclusivamente la funzione di aiutare a figurarselo meglio, senza ricadute meccaniche.
The only elements of characterization are left to dice rolls: a tragedy from the character’s past, their vice, their greatest fear, and their favorite weapon. Their sole function is to help us better imagine them, without any mechanical implications.
Conclusioni della Recensione di Reavers and Rogues
Reavers and Rogues is a game designed to be easily playable, with short, intense sessions that leave the player free to add or remove color without impacting the outcome. It has an almost OSR-like approach, with mechanics vaguely inspired by the Powered by the Apocalypse games, albeit exclusively in terms of the outcome of dice rolls.
Un divertissement veloce e tutto sommato piacevole, Reavers and Rogues non sarà rivoluzionario né l’esperienza che cambierà la vita di un giocatore di ruolo, ma è un intrattenimento divertente. Un patchwork di meccaniche da colorare a piacimento, che paga un po’ il tentativo di essere estremamente rigiocabile nel momento in cui la mancanza di personalizzazione rende tutte le sessioni altrettanto estremamente simili. Alla fine dei conti però quel che conta è che questo gioco porta a casa il suo lavoro, e può regalare spunti interessanti per un po’ di puro intrattenimento nei momenti solitari.
A quick and enjoyable amusement, Reavers and Rogues may not be revolutionary or a life-changing experience for a roleplayer, but it is entertaining. A patchwork of mechanics to adjust at will, its attempt to be extremely replayable is somewhat compromised when the lack of customization makes every session feel extremely similar. Ultimately, however, what matters is that this game gets the job done, and can offer interesting ideas for some pure entertainment in solitary sessions.
