itch.io

Okie, I figured it out, and there is now a Singles option available. Thanks for reaching out!

That's a tremendously good idea! Yes! As soon as I figure out how to do it, I'll upload a single-page version.

Beasts making fights less dangerous is somewhat by design, as contradictory as that might seem. The targeting and activation rules are a little vague to allow you as Game Facilitator to have more flexibility when running bouts. Beasts are less dangerous than monster attacks, so typically I'll use them either because the scavengers are in a very rough spot and need an easing of the pressure to help them regroup or because they've done something to protect/minimize their exposure to the monster (perhaps they've regrouped to higher ground, taking a tactical withdrawal, they've stunned or restrained the monster, etc.).

During the Tempo Change, I do have every creature on the battlefield activate, both the monster and all the beasts, to keep the pressure up. Since monsters and beasts can aggro onto each other, all that hostile attention doesn't focus entirely on the scavengers, which keeps the situation dangerous without being (too) overwhelming.

Additionally, while this does feel a bit like a cop out, in the second edition of MONSTER GUTS, I expand on how nuisances (what beasts are called in 2e) and monsters interact and how/when they activate. Furthermore, weaker nuisances like Ancorhynch or Needleflies can also form packs that inflict Harm based on the size of the pack, so while a few nuisances don't pose much of a threat, they gradually become more and more dangerous to the scavengers if left unchecked. Unfortunately, I've been sick with COVID and so the 2e quickstart is not yet finished, but it's my highest priority right now as I finish recovering.

Hi Aldath! Thanks for reaching out! So, monsters have two opportunities to act: when a player fails or gets a mixed success during a Bout, and also during the Tempo Change and the end of each round of combat. This makes the monsters a little more dangerous and dynamic.

For small beasts, they can act instead of a monster when a player fails or gets a mixed success - for example, if someone with a bow rolls a failure on their attack and a pack of Ancorhynch are closer than the monster is, I might decide the Ancorhynch attack that character instead of the monster. I also have them act during the Tempo Change, although they typically can either move or attack, not both.

Hi Omino_del_Bosco! Great question. In the First Edition, the small Beasts (they're called Nuisances in 2e to help with the clarification) move during the Tempo Change when the monster does, typically either moving in range of a scavenger or attacking.

In 2e, Nuisances still act during the Tempo Change, but with the new card grid system, they don't immediately move to where the scavengers are, and they might prioritize different targets when on the battlefield (regular Gristlebears are likely going to attack Ancorhynch instead of the scavengers, for instance). Also, in 2e, at the end of each scavenger's turn, the monsters/nuisances get a brief opportunity to respond, and if the scavenger is out of reach of the monster, nearby Nuisances might activate instead.

I'm excited to get the game into your hands!

Hey! I've sent you a Discord Friend Request. Really enjoyed reading through this, and I'd like to talk. There are some new MONSTER GUTS things afoot.

This game is fantastic. Top-notch design, evocative prose, and juicy ideas that'll lead to some memorable games. And the art! And layout! Oy! This is a steal at any price.

Hey! I'm delighted to hear that! I hope y'all have a lovely time with it.

There will absolutely be some future updates to MG. Not sure exactly as to the timetable, but a revised edition is in the works. If you've questions about the rules/procedures, ask away! There is a DevLog that lists responses to all the questions I've been asked so far (MONSTER GUTS Rules Clarifications - MONSTER GUTS by Wheels Within Wheels Publishing (itch.io)), but if there are any others, I'm happy to answer them.

Seeing you come out with supplement after supplement of fantastic MONSTER GUTS material has been such a joy for me. Thank you so much! (and keep 'em coming, please!)

Glad you like it! The way I use the Stationary tag, a Greatsword player can't use their Greatsword to attack and move in the same turn. 

Alas! There'll be more as soon as someone buys another copy. 

That said, some folks just bought it, so I've 4 more available.

Sorry! I need more folks to buy it!

If you weren't able to snag a community copy, I'm happy to send you a download code, just let me know.

Hey! Sorry for the delay in my response. The community copies are separate from the quickstart. The QS contains all the rules and a sampling of the weapons available, while the community copies are full versions of the game.

If I could rate a 6/5, I would. Especially for an ashcan, Vermin has written a phenomenal game that beautifully handles both the tense interpersonal drama of the mecha genre and the stunning combats that are its calling card.

This looks great! 

That's fantastic! Let me know when you publish it so that I can boost the heck out of it! I'm excited to see what you've made.

That sounds awesome! I'm so glad you've enjoyed MONSTER GUTS. Please let me know when you publish your game! I'd love to see what you come up with.

Hello and welcome back!
Two great questions. For the first, either I'd use the Crush/Slice/Pierce values of the weapon used on the last Hunt (using whichever attribute best matches the approach taken by the player) or I'd try to find a way to resolve the situation that does not rely on dice.
For the second, I'm happy to share my thoughts. My take is that behemoths (kaiju-scale monsters) are just too big for scavengers to kill. Like in Monster Hunter World, the goal isn't to kill Zorah Magdaros, it's to redirect it to cause less harm. I see behemoths working the same way - if such a creature was heading towards your village, you'd try to incentivize it to travel in a different path, perhaps by driving some monsters it likes to eat in a particular direction, trying to hit it hard enough it decides to move away, etc. Within the game's setting, there is always a resource-dependent goal for slaying each monster - you need Artillamander bits for some cannons your village is building, you want to build a vehicle out of a Titanic Iceopod carapace, etc - and so for Behemoths, the central issue is what your scavengers want from the encounter. Make sense?

I'm so happy to hear that! 

Up to you, as long as its consistent! When I run it, monster attacks are usually consequences for failed rolls, so they just happen, and monster attacks on the GM turn work the same way, but it's important that you play the way that feels best to you! 

That's a real slick idea! Hmm, I might steal that, cuz that might make for a really cool environmental effect. I'm working on MONSTER GUTS: DARK right now, which'll be a DS-themed expansion for the game and include a couple weirdo quasi-ranged weapons, so keep your eyes peeled for that (if you follow me on Twitter, you won't miss it).

But also, you're more than welcome to write stuff up for MONSTER GUTS! There've been a number of amazing people who've created supplements for the game, and I'm always delighted when another joins their number.

Hi S0ra!

Thank you so much! You know, yes, there will be community copies available. I'll set them up right now.

I'm so delighted to hear that! I'm excited to see what you've made! 

You can upgrade your stats as well! Any number on the sheet. 

Good questions! 

Yeah, increasing a clock by 1, and all Monsters have a base clock of 6 for each Element unless otherwise indicated. 

Oh, darn. That's a good point. I might have written out what the clocks do after I decided what clocks monsters had... I'll need to fix that! Probably do something like Mizu's slippery condition. 

Not at all. 

The war bugle is intended to have a fixed base damage like bows and bowguns. I don't have their rules in front of me, but I think some of their special moves scale with Melody. 

Yes, special attacks without listed Harm use the weapon's current Edge value. Also, Edge gets spent after the attack (to avoid the situation your wife describes). 

I'd probably forego the Tempo Change if the monster was stunned, unless the scavengers were in need of a more challenging fight. In that case, I'd just pick something to intrude upon the Bout. 

I'm so delighted that you have dug so deeply into MONSTER GUTS. It genuinely has made me quite happy.

I've updated with answers to most of your questions, along with some guidance that should cover those I didn't specifically address.

Hey! Thank you for your patience! I finally got to your questions here: MONSTER GUTS Rules Clarifications - MONSTER GUTS by Wheels Within Wheels Publishing (itch.io). Feel free to post your additional questions underneath, and I'll edit their answers into the doc!

Yeah, sorry! Had a bunch of bad brain days. While I know there is a forum functionality, I'm not finding how to enable it, so I'll write up a Devlog tomorrow (i.e. not on Shabbos) with that info. Thank you for your patience!

Great questions! I think for visibility to folks beyond just you, I'll write my answers up in a forum post either today or tomorrow.

Hi! I'm so glad to hear that! Here is fine. You can also find me on Twitter, @ostermad.

Crud. Thanks for looking into this.

I'm using Pub 365, the most recent version. Vollkorn has ligature options, but none of the options seem to change the text.

I'm not able to enable ligatures in MS Publisher. When I go to the Font menu, all of the Typography options are greyed-out and unselectable. I'm using the most recent font release (1.51) but can't seem to make it work.

The Tarot Crawl by Wheels Within Wheels Publishing (itch.io)

LIGHT: Trek to the Spire by Wheels Within Wheels Publishing (itch.io)

Fantastic! Thanks! 

This strike is just fantastic. Evocative ideas, beautiful and functional layout.