Final Fantasy II could have been a ttrpg…but it probably would have been even more controversial than its video game counterpart. Despite having relatively limited exposure to the Final Fantasy community outside of FFXIV, I am well aware that Final Fantasy II is one of the more unpopular entries in the series. Many creators openly … final fantasy ii could have been a ttrpg
The first one, I mean. If you’re new here, this is the third post in a series where I talk about video games from a ttrpg perspective. Video games are one of my major inspirations as a GM and ttrpg designer, so I like to think about how I would translate digital mechanics to the … final fantasy could have been a ttrpg
I’ve been playing my way through Final Fantasy and other Japanese roleplaying games, and I have many thoughts on how their design translates to the tabletop medium. Earlier this year, I was inspired to write about Final Fantasy Tactics; after finishing Final Fantasy XII, I have decided to turn this into a series of posts. … final fantasy xii could have been a ttrpg
Symbolism is important. I have never experienced an easy dragon fight. I used to hate monsters in ttrpgs because I felt like fights were never interesting unless the opposition was using tactics. I’ve since learned that I just needed to play better systems than 5e, and I’ve accumulated a healthy respect for monster fights. That’s … i’m beginning to think some of you don’t want to kill dragons
In 2025, I wrote a post called “alternative game fantasy: a manifesto“. It was my best attempt at expressing dissatisfaction with the six cultures of play, specifically because I feel left out of the cultures described. Since then, I have written many more posts, played and reviewed many more games, and had a singularly enlightening … the lost manifesto: optimizer culture
I hang out with a lot of OSR folks. It’s where I’ve found community, and it’s where I perceive the most discussion happening in the ttrpg space. The blogging culture is thriving and it feels like people are talking with each other rather than posting to an audience. Unfortunately, despite the excellent work Elmcat is … anti-blorb principles
It’s time we re-examine what we mean when we use the term “quantum ogre”. The seed of this post started when Valeria posted her review of Fabula Ultima and quoted Emanuele Galletto (the game’s author) using the term to describe the game’s playstyle. If I had been vaguely aware of the term beforehand, that post … quantum ogre reborn
In the absence of position-based tactics, singleplayer turn-based RPGs have converged upon some similar mechanics. I want to look at how this works through a few case studies and talk about what it would look like for ttrpgs to adopt this design pattern. Rather than try to talk around this in the abstract, it’s easier … weakness break mechanics: a case study
– The Water Magician if hunting monsters and delving into dungeons is so organized and regulated, you’re not playing a fortune-seeking hero, you’re playing a government employee with a weapon I was talking with some friends a few weeks ago about adventurer’s guilds and found myself confronting this popular understanding of organized adventuring. I get … adventurer’s guilds: the anime perspective
The annual convention for Warframe, TennoCon, happened this past weekend. For those unfamiliar with the video game, it’s a space ninja looter-shooter with uncharacteristically benign monetization. Unlike other free-to-play games, Warframe ensures that all players can earn premium currency and has even removed microtransactions when players were using them too much. Between the lore and … warframe & tabletop game design
