Dungeon Gig

 A mini zine (single A4 sheet folded into a multi page zine) Dungeon Gig is no worse than many larger rule sets.

It uses a single abstract stat and that stat is used as a bonus to d20 tests, hit points, inventory slots, pretty much everything in the game. Monsters also have a stat and this again forms their difficulty and hit points. It all feels like something of absurdly minimalist take on D&D inspired games.

The fact that the stat is so important but determined randomly (although neatly by taking the middle value of a pool of three d6) feels off as players who roll high simply have more options and more fun. The stat value should have been offset by something like equipment so that the total value is always six.

Magic is a "GM judges" situation but provides a rule of thumb that mechanical effects should cost half the numeric value of the effect in hit points. Spells are learnt by sacrifices stat points.

The basic mechanism is a roll of d20 with 15 or more being a hit and the stat value being added if the character's background is relevant.

The best bit though is the experience system, where the player sets five goals for the character when one of the goals is achieved they increase their stat. This idea is worth stealing for other games.

Dungeon Gig is a pretty good stab at the one page fantasy rpg genre but at a personal level it's abstracted too far for me and ends up feeling like the characters are not immediately appealing to play.

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