First Look Review: Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age Alpha Rules (Players' Section) Well, guild members, I just got my hands on something truly special for our weblog: the Alpha Quickstart Guide for Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age from Rebellion Press! And let me tell you, after diving deep into the players' section, this isn't just an homage; it's a vibrant, quirky, and surprisingly robust reinvention that feels genuinely T&T. Diving into Character Creation: Quick, Quirky, and Connected Right off the bat, the Quickstart Guide throws you into character creation, and it's a breath of fresh air. No pre-gens here! Instead, you're rolling your own hero from the ground up, with a delightfully streamlined, dice-driven process. Attributes, for example, are determined with a simple d6 roll, generating values between 2 and 4. This narrow range means no single hero is overwhelmingly powerful, fostering a sense of shared vulnerability and reliance on teamwork – very fitting for a game where even Gandalf-like figures might occasionally channel their inner Pippin! The real genius shines in the Background and Paths sections. Your Kindred (Humankin, Dwarfkin, Goblinkin, etc.) is based on culture rather than strict biology, which is a fantastic, inclusive touch. A goblin raised by elves? Absolutely, and they'll get an "Elfkin" trait. This emphasis on formative experiences over ancestry instantly opens up roleplaying possibilities. Each Kindred grants a unique Trait, offering a once-per-session ability. My personal favorite: Audacity for Goblinkin, which lets you bless a roll with a chance of a later GM-cursed roll if you succeed. Talk about high-stakes mischief! Then there are the Paths – Might, Shadow, Endurance, Bravado, Craft, and Wizardry – which feel less like rigid classes and more like approaches to adventuring. Each provides a Starting Talent and a bonus Talent, immediately giving your character unique mechanical and narrative hooks. I’m particularly drawn to the Bravado path, which allows for compelling social and leadership abilities, fitting the "ill-advisedly charging headfirst into danger" spirit. Combat: Threat, Stunts, and Exploding Dice! The Fighting section is where T&T: A New Age truly reveals its teeth, and it's a wonderful blend of tactical depth and classic T&T chaos. The combat flow is structured, with clear initiative phases and distinct player actions like Strike, Shoot, Sneak, and Shout. But what really elevates it is the Threat system. This ingenious mechanic dictates how much pressure you're under and how much you're putting on your enemies. It dynamically influences monster targeting and attack effectiveness, turning combat into a strategic dance of managing attention. Get too much threat, and you're the monster's favorite target; lower it, and you might slip into the shadows. And yes, the beloved exploding dice are back, and they're as glorious as ever! Rolling two or more hits of the same value sends a cascade of new dice into your pool, leading to those legendary, game-changing successes (or dramatic failures). Paired with Exceptional Successes (three 6s in one pool) and Dramatic Setbacks (three 1s across all pools), every roll feels consequential and exciting. The ability to perform Stunts by spending a Luck point is another brilliant addition. It lets players describe creative actions beyond simple attacks, and if their "stunt die" hits, they get a bonus advantage, regardless of the main action's outcome. This actively encourages imaginative play and makes combat feel narratively driven. Party Creation: Why We Adventure Together The players' section wraps up with Party Creation, ensuring your band of heroes isn't just a random assortment. It encourages you to establish a Party Concept and Tagline, which grounds the group in a shared purpose – whether you're a formal Adventuring Guild or just a group of "literally just met" individuals. Even better are the Connection questions, which directly build relationships between your characters. Asking "Which character do you owe a favor?" or "Which character reminds you of someone from your past?" immediately forges bonds (or rivalries!) that fuel roleplaying from the very first session. The emphasis on player consent for these connections is also a thoughtful touch. Initial Verdict: A Promising New Age Based on this deep dive into the players' section, Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age is shaping up to be something special. It captures the spirit of classic T&T—its humor, its focus on individual heroes, and its often-unpredictable dice—while introducing modern design elements that streamline play and deepen tactical choices. For anyone looking for an RPG that's easy to pick up, encourages creative roleplaying, and promises memorable, high-stakes moments (fueled by those glorious exploding dice), this Alpha Quickstart Guide is definitely worth checking out. Next up, I'll be digging into the GM section and, of course, the "Trouble Brewing" adventure itself. Stay tuned!

 

First Look Review: Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age Alpha Rules (Players' Section)

Well, guild members, I just got my hands on something truly special for our weblog: the Alpha Quickstart Guide for Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age from Rebellion Press! And let me tell you, after diving deep into the players' section, this isn't just an homage; it's a vibrant, quirky, and surprisingly robust reinvention that feels genuinely T&T.

---

Diving into Character Creation: Quick, Quirky, and Connected

Right off the bat, the Quickstart Guide throws you into character creation, and it's a breath of fresh air. No pre-gens here! Instead, you're rolling your own hero from the ground up, with a delightfully streamlined, dice-driven process.

Attributes, for example, are determined with a simple d6 roll, generating values between 2 and 4. This narrow range means no single hero is overwhelmingly powerful, fostering a sense of shared vulnerability and reliance on teamwork – very fitting for a game where even Gandalf-like figures might occasionally channel their inner Pippin!

The real genius shines in the Background and Paths sections. Your Kindred (Humankin, Dwarfkin, Goblinkin, etc.) is based on culture rather than strict biology, which is a fantastic, inclusive touch. A goblin raised by elves? Absolutely, and they'll get an "Elfkin" trait. This emphasis on formative experiences over ancestry instantly opens up roleplaying possibilities.

Each Kindred grants a unique Trait, offering a once-per-session ability. My personal favorite: Audacity for Goblinkin, which lets you bless a roll with a chance of a later GM-cursed roll if you succeed. Talk about high-stakes mischief!

Then there are the Paths – Might, Shadow, Endurance, Bravado, Craft, and Wizardry – which feel less like rigid classes and more like approaches to adventuring. Each provides a Starting Talent and a bonus Talent, immediately giving your character unique mechanical and narrative hooks. I’m particularly drawn to the Bravado path, which allows for compelling social and leadership abilities, fitting the "ill-advisedly charging headfirst into danger" spirit.

---

Combat: Threat, Stunts, and Exploding Dice!

The Fighting section is where T&T: A New Age truly reveals its teeth, and it's a wonderful blend of tactical depth and classic T&T chaos. The combat flow is structured, with clear initiative phases and distinct player actions like Strike, Shoot, Sneak, and Shout.

But what really elevates it is the Threat system. This ingenious mechanic dictates how much pressure you're under and how much you're putting on your enemies. It dynamically influences monster targeting and attack effectiveness, turning combat into a strategic dance of managing attention. Get too much threat, and you're the monster's favorite target; lower it, and you might slip into the shadows.

And yes, the beloved exploding dice are back, and they're as glorious as ever! Rolling two or more hits of the same value sends a cascade of new dice into your pool, leading to those legendary, game-changing successes (or dramatic failures). Paired with Exceptional Successes (three 6s in one pool) and Dramatic Setbacks (three 1s across all pools), every roll feels consequential and exciting.

The ability to perform Stunts by spending a Luck point is another brilliant addition. It lets players describe creative actions beyond simple attacks, and if their "stunt die" hits, they get a bonus advantage, regardless of the main action's outcome. This actively encourages imaginative play and makes combat feel narratively driven.

---

Party Creation: Why We Adventure Together

The players' section wraps up with Party Creation, ensuring your band of heroes isn't just a random assortment. It encourages you to establish a Party Concept and Tagline, which grounds the group in a shared purpose – whether you're a formal Adventuring Guild or just a group of "literally just met" individuals.

Even better are the Connection questions, which directly build relationships between your characters. Asking "Which character do you owe a favor?" or "Which character reminds you of someone from your past?" immediately forges bonds (or rivalries!) that fuel roleplaying from the very first session. The emphasis on player consent for these connections is also a thoughtful touch.

---

Initial Verdict: A Promising New Age

Based on this deep dive into the players' section, Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age is shaping up to be something special. It captures the spirit of classic T&T—its humor, its focus on individual heroes, and its often-unpredictable dice—while introducing modern design elements that streamline play and deepen tactical choices.

For anyone looking for an RPG that's easy to pick up, encourages creative roleplaying, and promises memorable, high-stakes moments (fueled by those glorious exploding dice), this Alpha Quickstart Guide is definitely worth checking out.

Next up, I'll be digging into the GM section and, of course, the "Trouble Brewing" adventure itself. Stay tuned!

Yours for now Captain Hedges