Attacks and spells never miss in this new Dungeons & Dragons-esque fantasy TRPG
"Unburdened by sacred cows from the 1970s.”
A new tabletop roleplaying game looks to provide the Dungeons & Dragons experience without the frustration of missing attacks or spells.
Called the MCDM RPG, the upcoming tabletop roleplaying game features a gameplay system that is “unburdened by sacred cows from the 1970s.” In the TRPG, players become characters who start as already established heroes, perhaps even “locally famous” ones, who come together to embark on adventures. Wherever the stories take the players, the MCDM RPG appears to prioritise “fun” above all else.
Rather than focusing on the act of dungeon-crawling – as the original version of Dungeons & Dragons did – MCDM RPG can support exploring dungeons without the need for tracking torches and rations, as well as avoiding the need for hex-based maps.
Instead, the tabletop RPG puts the emphasis on action, with players able to engage in battle through “dynamic” moves such as knocking opponents through walls or into each other. Every character in the MCDM RPG will be equipped with a selection of “thematic” abilities that they will have access to, with players able to gain more resources throughout the fight, rather than gradually exhausting them.
Perhaps the most distinct aspect of MCDM RPG is its approach to combat in that players never have to roll to successfully land an attack or spell. Players in MCDM RPG “cannot miss” and spells can’t be saved against. Instead, whenever players perform an attack or cast a spell, they roll two d6 dice and add an attribute to determine how much damage they do.
Should players want to avoid instigating violence immediately, they can choose to try and negotiate with a non-player character – controlled by the game master rather than a player – if they’re willing to talk. Some NPCs may even change their allegiances or change their minds on carrying out certain actions, with players testing their patience and interest stats.
The MCDM fantasy RPG was created and is set to be published by MCDM Productions, a company that has previously created supplements for D&D 5E such as Flee Mortals!, a book featuring a rogue’s gallery of unique monsters for GMs to include in their games, and Strongholds & Followers – a book containing rules for acquiring property and running homesteads.
The crowdfunding campaign for the MCDM RPG, which has already reached a total of over $2 million (£1.6 million), is currently on Backerkit until January 5th, with a pledge of $40 (£32) getting backers a PDF copy of the rulebook sometime in 2025.