Goons
A downloadable Mobster RPG
The Scene
Imagine a world something like 1920's America, and nothing like 1920's America.
There's a City on the River Rhynne named San Rheese. Illegal casks of booze flow up river from Port Victoria to the factories of Cipolla City, and trains run from the "civilized" East steadily deeper into the untamable West.
And here in the center, at the Crossroads of the New World, we do what we have to do to survive.
The Players
The game is about little gangs vying for power and recognition in a corrupt world. Some are dedicated to the good of the people, and some to the size of their pocketbooks. It's up to the players to decide what their little gang will pursue, and how.
The System
I've taken cues from GLoG and Into the Odd to create a dangerous system where tomorrow is never guaranteed, and drawing a gun is a true act of desperation.
Gunplay: One of ItO's neatest tricks is the "Multiple Attacks" rule, that if multiple attacks target the same creature, only the greatest damage of those attacks applies. This slots really well into Gunplay, as some guns have a higher Rate of Fire than others. You can empty a clip firing at someone, but only the biggest hit will count, and that may often be enough to knock them out of a fight, if not put them in the ground. I've also done my best to account for tactical situations like Cover and Suppressing Fire.
One Page Character Roller: I'm really proud of a page in the center of the book for rolling characters. Roll all your dice, and consult the table corresponding to each dice to determine one facet of your character. Adjust for taste.
Older Characters: Players may choose to be an older character, reducing a random ability by d4 to gain an additional skill of their choice, or "Master" their existing skill.
Four Mobster Classes: Characters may take on one of four "Jobs", the Muscle, the Face, the Brain, or the Fixer. Each class grants a specialization, but doesn't dominate the story of the character, allowing all kinds of stories to be told in a relatively simple system. Theoretically other GLoG classes could be introduced, but they would need a bit of adjustment.
Referee/Solo Tables: Pages are also included for rolling up gangs, missions, and supporting details.
Economy: Everything is based on 1920's America, so if you need to buy something that isn't in the book, you can often find an accurate price online.
Can we fight Cthulu?
You can certainly try! But the game is mainly about mobsters, not fantasy monsters. That said, Referees can introduce just about whatever they want, as always.
Other Notes
The Collector's Edition Cover features a pattern by Tatsushi Eto, and the image "Ruby" by Alphonse Mucha.
Free Forever: To support the development of Goon and my other games, feel free to donate or join my Patreon. Appreciated, but never required, thanks!
Status | Released |
Category | Physical game |
Rating | Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars (2 total ratings) |
Author | Hilander |
Genre | Role Playing |
Tags | 1920s, mobsters, OSR |
Download
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Comments
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Oh, this is very fun! Oddly enough gives me TF2/TF2 comic vibes... which is something I've been trying to find a game for!
Thanks! I didn't aim for TF2 specifically, but yeah! They both have a kind of goofy/violent vibe to them.
The system is great and inspiring. Really cool hack of Into The Odd.
I'm glad you like it! It was a blast to write. :)