In this tabletop role playing game review, will see what makes indie tabletop role-playing games so interesting and innovative. Single Mod breaks the mold.

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In a world where dice rolls and imagination reign supreme, there exists a TTRPG system that’s more versatile than a Swiss Army knife. It’s Single Mod, the ultimate playground for the tabletop tinkerers, the immersive role-players, and those who appreciate a good old-fashioned showdown with nat 1 sweat trickling down their brow.

Craft a universe where sword fights are heart-pounding endeavors, and your character’s backstory shapes every step of your epic journey. Get ready to explore why Single Mod isn’t just a game; it’s a treasure chest filled with world engineering and story smithing tools.

What’s It about?

Single Mod is a homebrewer’s dream. It’s a clean, straightforward RPG rule system designed for swift decisions and fluid combat. It’s a system meant to be built upon. It’s a system crafted with the home brewing GM in mind.

Think of Single Mod as a scaffolding capable of handling two different design requirements. The first is an expansion of the base rule system. If you’re brewing a unique environment but your current TTRPG’s mechanics aren’t a good fit, you might be in trouble. Single Mod provides a solid foundation for tinkering GMs.

The system has everything you need to run a solid game. The rules are expansive and logical. The math checks out and is consistent. If you’re playing a shoot-em-up action, you have stats for that. If you’re running a high fantasy, swords and sandals campaign, you’re good to go.

But what if you’re doing something distinctive?

It provides an underpinning applicable to virtually any setting. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing an old western, a space opera, or a classic fantasy. You can take your genre, your story, your world, and make it work with Single Mod.

Why is it so special?

First, we need to take a look at the prime directive. What is at the core? What did the Game Smith want to accomplish?

The answer is simple, this game feels like a sword fight.

When your character is running for their lives, it’s your heart that’s pounding. When the villain does something particularly dastardly, it’s your blood that’s boiling. When the enemy corners you, outnumbers you, and outclasses you, it’s your underwear in need of changing.

Single Mod effortlessly blends mechanics and story to create a fast-paced fluid adventure. The system is logical and stackable. Intuitive mechanics provide an immersive experience, but they’re not dumbed down. You can still build an interesting character. They can develop and change as the game progresses.

You’re not going to get lost in complex rules, but by that same token, there are plenty of ways to expand on your stats and features. If you’re a tinkerer, a build master, or a storyteller, you’ll find what you need.

How does combat work?

Without revealing too many of the secrets found within this gamer’s grimoire, let’s take a look at how this system functions. Combat utilizes low-number modifiers and maintains a manageable balance between offense and defense.

You won’t be scoring 150,000 points of damage, nor will you need a calculator to figure out your HP. However, when you level up and design your build, you will find that even the smallest gains count for a lot.

A low roll really hurts, but your modifiers give you a fighting chance. Despite the numbers staying in the single digits, they still drastically impact an encounter. You’ll be excited to add that +1 because that small margin could spell the difference between victory and defeat, life and death.

This balance keeps the tension high throughout the course of the campaign. No matter how strong you get, you still fear the nat 1. The need to think tactically, intelligently, and cautiously looms no matter how powerful you get. You and your character know that an ill-advised step could spell disaster.

That’s why this tabletop role playing game stays fun from beginning to end.

Skills And Attributes

Single Mod Provides PCs with Attributes and Skills as tools to affect the world around them. This is a familiar concept to RPG enthusiasts. However, these mechanics promote character development and role play in every action.

You see, an Attribute is an intrinsic feature of the character; force, agility, intelligence, etc. A skill is gained through building up those attributes. For instance, the skill Build (built-up, beefy muscles) can be acquired by improving the Force Attribute.

How these common TTRPG mechanics are designed is different and innovative. Skills represent wide-ranging talents. They might encompass anything that could fit within that title, but the character’s back story hones the definition of these Skills.

This is where things get interesting

Acrobatics could mean a lot of different things. It could be used in a lot of different ways. It’s a broad concept. Your character could be from a clan of ninjas. They could have been raised in the circus. They could simply be a classically trained ballet dancer.

How your character gained this skill determines its breadth and function. For instance, a PC trained as a ninja could potentially scale a wall. A PC trained as a dancer could utilize these talents in social interactions. However, they may not be able to cross that gap.

You see, if a ninja wanted to step outside their expertise and try to dance a waltz in a social interaction, they would have to check to see if they’re even capable of pulling it off. That’s not really what ninjas do. They’re going to have to try and figure it out. But someone with a back story full of dance training could pull this off with ease.

This makes getting into the headspace of the character so much easier.

What about role play?

Because the specific nature of these skills depends on the PC’s back story, every time you interact with the world, it’s through the lens of who this character is.

If the classically trained dancer wants to navigate over a treacherous catwalk, she could certainly use her Acrobatic Skill. But now the player has to think about where that skill came from. How does the back story factor into this?

If the roll succeeds, then the talented and graceful ballerina glides elegantly over cracked paneling and drooping suspension cables. If the role fails, then it’s because she isn’t used to working in such clutter. She’s more accustomed to a polished dance studio.

If the gunslinger loses his six shooters but stumbles across an alien ray gun, he might be able to figure it out. He might not. He has the broad skill called Ranged Weapons, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be a marksman with every gun known to man and beyond.

The structure behind this mechanic places players into the head of their PC. Even those sitting down at a TTRPG table for the very first time will naturally make decisions based on the character they wrote.

This makes role-playing an intrinsic feature. It isn’t just the characters’ motivations and goals. Mechanically, any action requires considering your PC’s identity. It’s a character first, stats second type of tabletop role playing game.

Who Is This Game For?

If you’re a game master who thrives on creating unique worlds, tinkering with mechanics, and inventing new rules and settings, Single Mod is your dream come true. The system’s flexibility allows for limitless creativity. It provides you with a sturdy scaffolding on which to construct your gaming universe. Whether you want to build a classic high fantasy realm, a post-apocalyptic wasteland, or an intergalactic space odyssey, Single Mod has you covered.

The extensive rules, logical mechanics, and well-balanced attributes offer a solid foundation for your custom campaigns. You won’t need to spend hours adapting a system to fit your narrative; Single Mod is built to be molded to your imagination. As a game master, you have the freedom to seamlessly incorporate any genre, subgenre, or genre-blend into your stories. This system is a toolset for your storytelling ambitions.

RPG (Roll Play Gamers)

Don’t think this is only for game masters. It’s equally rewarding for players who love in-depth role-play. The way this system approaches character development is innovative and engaging. Attributes and skills aren’t just numbers on a sheet; they represent the essence of your character. What sets Single Mod apart is the importance of character backstory in shaping PC stats.

This unique approach allows you to connect with your character on a profound level. Every roll is a reflection of their past experiences. This kind of character-first approach ensures complete immersion.

My Take

Single Mod is a tabletop role playing game designed for storytellers, creative game masters, and players who value character-driven narratives and immersive adventures. Whether you’re a seasoned TTRPG enthusiast or a newcomer looking to explore the world of tabletop role-playing, Single Mod offers an accessible yet deep gaming experience. It’s a system that celebrates individuality and empowers you to create, explore, and enjoy your unique gaming adventures to the fullest.

And most importantly, fighting a sword fight feels like a sword fight…