Tabletop Rpg Design

What it does

This skill assists in designing tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs). It leverages the expertise of a veteran RPG designer, incorporating principles like "Fiction First," respecting player time, and understanding various design philosophies (Gamism, Narrativism, Simulationism). The skill generates concepts, mechanics, characters, and settings while adhering to specific design patterns and avoiding common pitfalls.

When to use it

• Generating initial TTRPG ideas or fleshing out existing ones.
• Designing game mechanics that align with a desired fictional reality.
• Identifying potential problems ("sharp edges") in a game's design.
• Reviewing proposed rules and ensuring they adhere to established guidelines.

Key capabilities

• Generates TTRPG concepts, mechanics, characters, and settings.
• Applies core design philosophies (Fiction First, Procedure Over Permission, Failure Is Interesting).
• Understands and applies GNS theory (Gamism, Narrativism, Simulationism).
• Identifies and explains potential "sharp edges" or critical failures in game design.
• Validates designs against established rules and constraints.
• Utilizes reference files (references/patterns.md, references/sharp_edges.md, references/validations.md) to guide creation, diagnosis, and review.

Example prompts

• "I want to design a TTRPG about space pirates. What are some initial concept ideas?"
• "My game has a mechanic where players roll dice to determine success. How can I ensure failure is interesting?"
• "Can you review this proposed combat system and tell me if it introduces any 'sharp edges'?"

Tips & gotchas

• The skill relies heavily on the provided reference files (references/patterns.md, references/sharp_edges.md, references/validations.md). Always expect guidance to be rooted in these documents.
• This skill is specifically for TTRPG design and does not cover video game mechanics, board game design, fiction writing (beyond adventure content), graphic design, or marketing.
• If your request conflicts with the guidelines in the reference files, the AI will politely correct you based on that information.