Francesca Viganò
Before delving into the review of The BlackSUN System gaming system, part of the Kelios project, I would like to thank the authors Claudio Mellace and Chiara Pasquino for sending us a physical copy. This way, we can take you inside this intuitive, innovative, and immersive gaming system. It is designed to handle any setting and role-playing genre: fantasy, horror, sci-fi, modern, or otherwise.
If after reading this review you would like to purchase this volume, know that you can find it on the Backerkit pre-order page at the price of around 25 Swiss francs, around 26 euros.
A Traditional Game System with Some Innovation
As we were saying, The BlackSUN System is a regulation that is part of the broader Kelios project. The idea is to provide a streamlined and versatile system for all the proposed game environments. Those already revealed are Kelios the Prophecy, CyberTokyo and NYC Decay.
To be able to do this, the game system uses only 6-sided dice to resolve Ability Tests and a simple and intuitive character sheet. The BlackSUN System is therefore a setting-neutral RPG system that claims to be versatile and functional.
The BlackSUN System Character Creation Review
We will discover how simple it is to generate a character using The BlackSUN System. The manual helps us by dividing the creation into 7 phases.
First, you need to define the idea of your character. To do this quickly and effectively, the manual offers some questions to answer. This first part focuses on his past, his experiences, the people he met and his personality.
Once this phase is completed, the Weaver, the name given to the narrator in this game system, will create the Identity Talent for the character. It consists of two parts, one that offers benefits and one that applies penalties. In fact, it is a talent that grants circumstantial bonuses or penalties to the character. This step should be tailored to the character as much as possible, but the manual still provides excellent examples in case of short time, such as pre-generated characters for a one-shot.
The second phase of character creation serves to identify the ethnicity to which one belongs. This element defines the character’s physical appearance and innate talents. Since The BlackSUN System is a system that can adapt to any setting, the talents must be chosen from those in the relevant setting manual.
The next steps involve establishing the character’s specializations, ideology, attributes, talents, and equipment.
Facing the Trials
When the character’s actions could change the course of events, it will be necessary to make a check. The Weaver describes the challenge and the possible outcomes in case of success or failure and identifies the associated Attribute and its Modifiers.
Players roll some six-sided dice equal to the value of the Attribute (considering modifiers), trying to obtain the greatest number of Achievement Points or any result equal to 4, 5 or 6 on the die. Furthermore, every 6 obtained generates 1 Divine Favor, i.e. the possibility of adding an extra die in the same test.
If the character has an Advantage, add 1 to all the dice that do not result in a 1 or 6. However, when the character has a Disadvantage in facing the test, he subtracts 1 from all the dice that do not result in a 1 or 6.
Although the dynamics may seem complex, I guarantee that a couple of tests are enough to get used to the system. In any case, the manual also provides many examples to familiarize with the rules.
Storytelling and Combat
The BlackSUN System provides for the coexistence of two different game modes, which the Weaver has the possibility of alternating at will during the adventure modules: Narrative mode and Event mode.
If the former emphasizes collaboration for the creation of the story, the Event mode perfectly punctuates the battles with rounds, phases and turns.
Even in the case of clashes, the progression of the phases is important and is marked by precise actions. The initial phase involves checking the conditions applicable to the characters. Next, we find the decision phase, in which the readiness values are compared to determine the order of play. Players have a convenient Action Points bar at their disposal, a tool for keeping track of this resource. Further help is given by the colour that identifies the character’s level of fatigue: green equals rested, black equals exhausted.
Each type of action has a cost in Action Points; this cost is summarized in a practical table, available to the players and the Weaver.
The character with the highest number of Action Points acts first and, in collaboration with the Weaver; the player narrates the action and interactions with the surrounding world. The turns then continue in decreasing order of Action Points, from the highest value to the lowest. To close the round there is the recovery phase in which all the characters, players and non-players. They restore Action Points with a roll based on the character’s readiness.
A Question of Perception
The BlackSUN System manages the distances involved depending on the group: with or without the grid. What I find most interesting, however, is that the regulation requires that each creature has a primary sense and one or more less-developed secondary senses. The sensory range is the maximum distance where an individual can perceive the surrounding environment. Sensory span, on the other hand, refers to an area of sensory range within which a creature can perceive surrounding objects.
This subdivision, thanks to practical diagrams in the manual, helps the players and the Weaver to understand the house and the believable that the characters and NPCs can perceive in the different game situations. Perhaps a slightly cumbersome method for some, but it may appeal to those who like to play more strategically.
The BlackSun System Aesthetics Review
The manual of The BlackSUN System is thin we are talking about just over 100 pages, with a hardcover. Paper is glossy and the two-column layout maintains the standard of publications of recent years.
Inside there is space for the wonderful illustrations of a large group of artists including Alessandro Borio, Alessandro Petraccia, Kyko Duarte, Marianna Smargiassi and Francisco Gamboa. Maps are made by Moreno Paissan and Angela Gubert.
Aesthetically speaking, we are therefore faced with a product that has little to envy from more renowned productions.
Conclusions of The BlackSUN System Review
With around a hundred pages, The BlackSUN System aims to quickly and easily replace more complex paper systems. I admit that the idea is interesting but the use, even if only recommended, of grids and effect zones could lead to much more classic game styles.
The BlackSUN System therefore has potential, left in the hands of those who decide to use it for their campaigns. Undoubtedly, since it is part of a larger project, it must be considered complementary to the settings of the Kelios project.
