News

Humble RPG Bundle: Best of Magpie Gam...

by Magpie Games

|

Mar 23, 2024

The Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game Starter Set is included in Humble Bundle’s Best of Magpie Games Book Bundle. If you wish to purchase this Starter Set, alongside an amazing collection of Magpie Games digital titles at an incredible discount that also benefits charity, the Book Bundle will be available from March 23rd at 11:00AM Pacific to April 13th at 11:00AM Pacific.

Flash Sale: Avatar Legends Starter Se...

by Christopher Samson

|

Feb 22, 2024

Get the Avatar Legends Starter Set at 40% Off! Today Only! Hello Team Avatar!Are you ready to master the Four Elements and bring the Avatarverse to your table? Now is your chance—the Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game Starter Set is...

Join the Corvid Collective!

by Kate Bullock

|

Feb 20, 2024

Become a fellow corvid and join the flock, an amazing group of community GMs running Magpie Games games at conventions, community events, and FLGS! Connect with your fellow games enthusiasts, get access to support, and amazing rewards for doing what you love:...

Uncle Iroh's Adventure Guide Coming S...

by Kate Bullock

|

Jan 30, 2024

Magpie Games will release Uncle Iroh’s Adventure Guide in September 2024 – a collection of adventures and custom mechanics focused on Jasmine Island, the legendary home of a special type of jasmine tea beloved by Uncle Iroh from Nickelodeon’s Avatar:...

5 TTRPG Gamer Goals for 2024!

by Kate Bullock

|

Jan 17, 2024

Happy New Year, gamers! We’re excited to be back in the office at Magpie Games HQ and have been plotting our 2024 goals! While ours are focused on making games, we have been pondering what we want to do as...

Bringing Scenes to Life: The Drill

by Kate Bullock

|

Dec 06, 2023

(On Netflix, the scene starts at around 29:50 in “The Secret of the Fire Nation,” the combined two-parter that includes the aired episodes “The Serpent’s Pass” and “The Drill.” The scene in question occurs in S2 E13 of the aired...

5 Games to Play this Holiday Season

by Kate Bullock

|

Dec 04, 2023

The winter holidays are fast approaching! I don't know about you, but they seem to me like a great opportunity to try a cool tabletop RPG with your friends and loved ones! Here are five game recommendations (and some adventure...

Holiday Shipping Deadlines

by Magpie Games

|

Dec 01, 2023

Happy holidays, gamers! With the winter holidays right around the corner, here are our recommended order-by deadlines to receive your game before December 24, 2023*. Region Order By Domestic (US Only) 12/12/23 Canada 12/12/23 Europe 12/4/23 Australia/New Zealand 12/4/23 Thank...

5 Great Hooks for Starting Your Rapsc...

by Kate Bullock

|

Nov 15, 2023

Rapscallion is a daring pirate fantasy game filled with swashbuckling and frightening sea magic that takes the players and GM on a wild ride through the World of Law and the vast Great Sea. For some GMs—especially new ones to...

Bringing Scenes to Life: The Car Chase

by Kate Bullock

|

Nov 01, 2023

In Legend of Korra, Season 4, Episode 7, Mako, Korra, and Asami reunite in a restaurant after years apart…and Mako brings Prince Wu, whom he is supposed to be protecting. During the reunion, Korra confesses that she wrote letters to...

5 Tips for Horror GMing

by Kate Bullock

|

Oct 18, 2023

Hello future Scare Masters! If you want to learn how to terrify your friends, horrify your peers, and give cold shivers to the casual acquaintances that you sometimes play TTRPGs with then I have some wonderful news for you, check the title reader, this article is going to help you do all of those things and more.

GM Tips: Fending Off Burnout

by Kate Bullock

|

Sep 20, 2023

Hello Game Masters, Facilitators, and Storytellers! Running games for friends and strangers is a creatively and socially rewarding experience. There are few experiences I enjoy more than setting up a truly magical moment for my players. That said, running a...

Avatar Legends: The RPG Is 20% Off Th...

by Christopher Samson

|

Aug 30, 2023

All Avatar Legends: The RPG products are 20% off, and we're offering a special promotion for exclusive dice on domestic orders $100 or more!

Avatar Legends: The RPG - An Urgent R...

by Christopher Samson

|

Jul 31, 2023

Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game is the officially licensed tabletop roleplaying game set in the world of the critically acclaimed series’ Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game was made possible through the...

Defiant RPG Now Available!

by Kate Bullock

|

Jul 12, 2023

We are excited to announce that Defiant is now available! Defiant RPG is an urban fantasy game about the mighty, modern-day supernaturals who rebelled against their destiny and, instead of destroying the world, decided to protect it. By enforcing a demanding...

Love Letters in Urban Shadows

by Kate Bullock

|

Jul 12, 2023

Urban Shadows weaves a complicated, nuanced tale of factions, circles, communities, and their conflicts. Each archetype is deeply connected to those around them. Naturally, Urban Shadows thrives in campaign play where these relationships and conflicts grow and change. In a...

Five Tips for Running Great Combat in...

by Kate Bullock

|

Jun 08, 2023

As a game about martial artist heroes, action scenes—especially those that involve fights of some kind—are a key component of the narrative of Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game (AL). Its unique combat system can present unique challenges for first time...

5 Tips for New PbtA GMS!

by Kate Bullock

|

May 03, 2023

Hello GMs! Are you eager to run your first Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) game, but aren’t sure where to start? Are you an experienced game master for traditional games —like the ones with dragons—but looking to try something new?...

Avatar Legends: The RPG Starter Set A...

by Christopher Samson

|

Apr 12, 2023

Magpie Games is excited to announce that the Avatar Legends RPG Starter Set is now available for international customers! The Starter Set is an one-in-all box set to provide everything you and your friends need to embark on adventures throughout...

Five Dramatic Tips For Your First Gam...

by Christopher Samson

|

Mar 29, 2023

Magpie Games' CPP GM Kristina provides a list of tips and tools to bring more drama to the table when playing Pasión de las Pasiones!

A New & Free Rapscallion Quickstart I...

by Christopher Samson

|

Mar 09, 2023

Ahoy!!! Have you longed to assemble a crew of rebellious scallywags and find adventure on the Great Sea?Are you willing to brave the vast oceans, witnessing the strange and the weird in equal measure while evading the long reach of...

An Interview with Brandon Leon-Gambet...

by Christopher Samson

|

Feb 14, 2023

¡Feliz Día de San Valentín, mi corazón! Are you ready for life-changing passion? For broken hearts and stolen moments? For scandalous reveals and scintillating drama?Pasión de las Pasiones is now available! We are excited to announce that this incredible game by...

5 Tips for GMing Avatar Legends: the RPG

by Christopher Samson

|

Jan 24, 2023

Hello, GMs! Are you excited to run your first game of Avatar Legends but you’re not sure where to start? Have you run a game already and want to make your next session sing?This article is for you!Avatar Legends has some...

Pasión de las Pasiones Preorder Begin...

by Christopher Samson

|

Jan 12, 2023

Pasión de las Pasiones preorders begin on January 10th, 2023!

Root: The RPG Now Available via PDF/P...

by Magpie Games

|

Dec 15, 2021

The time has come to join the Woodland War! Root: The Roleplaying Game is now available via PDF and Preorder! Go to DriveThruRPG to download your PDF, or preorder your physical copy from our webstore today.

Celebrating 10 Years!

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Apr 13, 2021

We’re excited to announce a bunch of fun 10th anniversary events, sales, and games!

New RPG Set in World of Avatar: TLA &...

by Magpie Games

|

Mar 01, 2021

Magpie Games has secured a multi-year licensing agreement with ViacomCBS Consumer Products to produce a tabletop roleplaying game set in the world of Nickelodeon’s animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

New Magpie: Liz Chaipraditkul

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Feb 23, 2021

We’re excited to welcome another member to the Magpie team: Liz Chaipraditkul

Magpie Games Holiday Shipping

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Nov 24, 2020

Magpie Games black friday and holiday shipping details.

Urban Shadows 2E Kickstarter Wrap-up

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Nov 23, 2020

The Urban Shadows 2E Kickstarter was a huge success from the start! It was completely funded in mintues!

Magpie Games Black Friday Sale

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Nov 23, 2020

Magpie Games host huge Black Friday Sale with new releases and new products!

The Scoop on Sharang

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Nov 23, 2020

We catch up with Sharang to get his perspective on the CPP & learn about his life outside of Magpie Games!

Urban Shadows 2E Funded in 12 Minutes!

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Oct 30, 2020

Urban Shadows 2E went live on Kickstarter yesterday (Oct 27, 2020) and was fully funned in minutes!

Outgrowing the Nest

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Oct 27, 2020

We’ve outgrown The Nest and it's time we move towards spaces that are a better fit for our needs!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Magp...

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Oct 11, 2020

We’re wishing you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season, from the whole Magpie family.

Looking In On Landon

by Valerie Vallejos

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Sep 24, 2020

We're catching up with our veteran GM Landon Cornell to see what's been going on in their neck of the woods!

New Magpies: Kate Bullock & Valerie V...

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Sep 22, 2020

We're proud to announce two new Magpie's to our team.

Curated Play September Drawing

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Aug 25, 2020

Mark Diaz Truman, one of the co-creators of Urban Shadows, will be hosting our first ever test play campaign.

Bee Prepared

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Aug 19, 2020

Bee Zelda tells all about Curated Play Program and what they have been up to!

Magpie at UK Games Expo (UKGE)

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Aug 18, 2020

Another convention online during 2020, but we refuse to miss out on the fun!

Magpie Games at GenCon 2020

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Jul 24, 2020

We’ve got all you need to know about everything Magpie Games is hosting at GenCon 2020.

What Simon Says About Curated Play

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Jul 21, 2020

Simon Moody has been a storyteller for years. Hear what he has to say about our Curated Play Program!

NEW: Magpie Games Curated Play Program

by Valerie Vallejos

|

Apr 20, 2020

Magpie Games Curated Play Program, gives players a chance to play online and led by our gamemasters.

2019 Holiday Sales!

by Sam Saltiel

|

Nov 26, 2019

Starting with Black Friday and followed by Cyber Week specials plus special holiday BOGO, these are the best sales of 2019!

Our Week of Adventures

by Magpie Games

|

Nov 18, 2019

See what Magpie Games has been up to while on the road!

Post-PAX & Vacation Time!

by Sam Saltiel

|

Nov 11, 2019

How PAX Unplugged was amazing, and we're looking forward to next year!

Magpie Games: Gen Con 2019

by Magpie Games

|

Nov 06, 2019

Everything you need to find us and more at the biggest convention of the year!

Magpie Games at Gen Con

by Magpie Games

|

Nov 06, 2019

Since 2018, we fought the undead, saw aliens crash landing on Earth, and sailed the stormy seas. Now we’re getting geared up for an even more thrilling adventure: Gen Con 2019! This year we’re back and bigger than ever, with...

Welcoming Newest Magpie, Sam Saltiel!

by Magpie Games

|

Oct 06, 2019

Magpie Games has a new Director of Marketing and Sales, Sarah "Sam" Saltiel!

Magpie Games Announces New Director o...

by Magpie Games

|

Oct 06, 2019

We’re thrilled to announce a new Magpie is joining the team at Magpie Games HQ here in Albuquerque, NM. Sarah "Sam" Saltiel is a writer, artist, and game designer who recently graduated from the University of Chicago. Her art focuses...

Calling All Game Masters!

by Sam Saltiel

|

Sep 16, 2019

Get all the info for running Magpie Games at PAX Unplugged 2019!

Return from Gen Con 2019

by Magpie Games

|

Aug 22, 2019

This year at Gen Con was our biggest yet, and you can read about it here!

Gen Con 2019 Raffle

by Sam Saltiel

|

Jul 31, 2019

Figure out how you could win a Magpie Game of your choice by posting a selfie on social media!

Gen Con 2019 Social Media Raffle

by Sam Saltiel

|

Jul 31, 2019

Going to Gen Con 2019? You could win your choice of a Magpie Games product by posting about Magpie Games on social media! Just tag us in a post on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram with the hashtag #LoveMagpieGames, and you’ll...

We've been nomiated! Vote for Us in 2...

by Sam Saltiel

|

Jul 16, 2019

Magpie Games has been nominated for ENnie & Indie Groundbreaker Awards, for our work on Bluebeard’s Bride!

All Gen Con 2019 Announcements

by Sam Saltiel

|

Mar 07, 2019

Check here for links to all of the announcements made at this year's Sneak Peek panel!

Gen Con Announcement: Urban Shadows S...

by Sam Saltiel

|

Feb 07, 2019

To heighten the drama and darkness inside Urban Shadows, new playbooks and game tweaks are in the works!

New at Gen Con 2019!

by Sam Saltiel

|

Jan 07, 2019

Learn where to find our spaces at the convention center, plus a few new products we're bringing with us!

Trip to the Printer!

by Marissa Kelly

|

Jan 05, 2019

This May, Mark and I took a trip to the printer where our tabletop RPGs come to life! We have been working with Taylor Specialty Books for a long time and this was an exciting opportunity to see how it...

Urban Shadows: Los Cazados now on Dri...

by Magpie Games

|

Dec 06, 2018

Los Cazados is a 5 page, stand alone minigame set in the world of Urban Shadows is now on DriveThruRPG!

The Dragon is now on DriveThruRPG!

by Magpie Games

|

Dec 03, 2018

Urban Shadows, The Dragon is a limited edition playbook for Urban Shadows.

The Adventure Zone: Dust!

by Magpie Games

|

Nov 03, 2018

The Adventure Zone ran a whole arc based on Urban Shadows, and it was amazing! The Adventure Zone is an awesome and joyful RPG podcast featuring the inestimable McElroys—specifically, Clint, Griffin, Justin, and Travis. They played a long, long campaign...

Leder Games Awards Root Roleplaying G...

by Mark Truman

|

Oct 26, 2018

Root RPG Kickstarter scheduled for mid-2019, followed by full retail release in early 2020 Magpie Games has reached a multi-year licensing agreement with Leder Games to produce a tabletop roleplaying game set in the world of Root: A Game of...

The Book of Lore is now in splendid p...

by Magpie Games

|

Aug 16, 2018

The Book of Lore is a fiction supplement for Bluebeard’s Bride, is now available in print!

New Magpies: Sarah Saltiel & Miguel A...

by Sarah Doombringer

|

Jul 31, 2018

In the midst of working on Masks: A New Generation, Bluebeard’s Bride, Epyllion, Urban Shadows, Cartel, Zombie World, and more...we here at Magpie HQ have had the honor and the privilege to welcome two new members onto our team for...

New at Gencon

by Magpie Games

|

Jul 27, 2018

With Gen Con right around the corner, we wanted to tell you about all the things that we’ve been doing in the past year. We’ve been busy and have a bunch of new products that we’re so excited to share...

Games at GenCon 2018

by Magpie Games

|

Jul 23, 2018

The day is drawing near! We are so excited to all of you at Gen Con in August. We’ve been busy getting ready for all of the things that we have to share with you and so we have a...

The Immortal is now on DriveThruRPG!

by Magpie Games

|

May 18, 2018

The Immortal is a limited edition playbook for Urban Shadows, an urban fantasy tabletop roleplaying game

The Rebellion of Nakia Alights!

by Magpie Games

|

Mar 21, 2018

And our last Black Panther playbook for Masks arrives! Here comes one of the best fighters in Wakanda! Check out our post with T'Challa, our post with Shuri, and our post with Okoye for the first three playbooks in this...

The Trials of Okoye Commence!

by Magpie Games

|

Mar 17, 2018

A third Masks - Black Panther playbook, vaulting your way, spear in hand, badass stare primed and ready! Check out our post with T'Challa and our post with Shuri for the first two playbooks in this series! Like those, this...

GenCon 2018 Game Room

by Magpie Games

|

Mar 16, 2018

Gen Con approaches, and we at Magpie Games are putting together our most ambitious game room yet—and we want you to be a part of it! If you’ll be at Gen Con 2018 and want to run some games of...

Happy Valentine’s Day & Black Panther...

by Magpie Games

|

Feb 14, 2018

While some of us haven’t been able to see Black Panther yet, all of Magpie has been looking forward to it! There also aren’t a lot of traditional romantics on staff (just Brendan), but put love with superheroes and something’s...

The Reign of Shuri Begins!

by Magpie Games

|

Jan 02, 2018

So, now that the whole world has seen Black Panther (right? right?) and we're all still basking in the glow of the movie's awesomeness and success, it's time to reveal our next Masks - Black Panther playbook! Just like our...

Happy Holidays from Magpie Games!

by Magpie Games

|

Dec 14, 2017

The holidays are a comin’, and we’re getting ready to hibernate in our magpie ice caverns before the terrible yellow-breasted grackle comes hunting for us. (We have at best a tenuous grasp on actual ecology concerning magpies.) But before we...

Game with the Magpies at Gen Con 50! 2017

Play Games With the Magpies at Gen Co...

by Magpie Games

|

Dec 07, 2017

It’s a big year for Gen Con, and a big year for Magpie Games as well! For the first time all of our games will be consolidated in one room, and we’ll have hosts to direct you to your games...

Tell Amazing Stories and Get Free Stuff!

by Magpie Games

|

Dec 06, 2017

We still have a few GM slots for GenCon, and we’d love to see you there! If you’ll be at GenCon and would be able to run some games of Bluebeard’s Bride, Dungeon World, Epyllion, Masks, Undying, or Urban Shadows,...

Metatopia 2017 Recap

by Magpie Games

|

Nov 22, 2017

Brendan went to Metatopia on November 3rd and had all his games ripped to shreds by the merciless hordes had a great time! He brought three games, participated in two panels, played in a few other games, and had all...

RinCon 2017 Recap

by Magpie Games

|

Oct 19, 2017

Mark and Brendan went out to RinCon 2017 between September 29 and October 1, and they had an awesome experience meeting people, playing games, and fighting gazebos! RinCon is in Tucson, Arizona, and features a combination of board games and...

Halcyon City Herald Collection Masks: A New Generation 2017

Halcyon City Herald Collection now on...

by Magpie Games

|

Sep 29, 2017

I’d be nothing without them. They’re my partner, my sibling, my friend, my rival, my other half. Our powers are tied together, and so are we, through and through. We’ve known each other forever, and I can’t imagine life without...

New at Gen Con 50!

by Magpie Games

|

Sep 07, 2017

We’re thrilled to have the following games available for the first time at Gen Con 50! You may have played them, perused the PDFs, or paged through your friend’s copy, but now you can pick up your own! Find us...

Magpies Landing At Origins Game Fair

by Magpie Games

|

Sep 05, 2017

The Magpie crew will be at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio from June 14th to 18th, and we hope to see you there! Make sure to stop by the IGDN booth to say hi to Marissa (as well as...

Gen Con 50 Highlights

by Magpie Games

|

Aug 30, 2017

We’re back and (mostly) recovered from Gen Con 50, and what a time was had! From the ENnies to the Indie Groundbreakers to the Magpie Game Room to the Booth to everything else that was Gen Con, it was overall...

Dragons & teen superheroes at the ENn...

by Sarah Doombringer

|

Jul 19, 2017

Epyllion & Masks: A New Generation up for an ENnie! The ENnie nominations are up, and Epyllion: A Dragon Epic and Masks: A New Generation are in the running for Best Family Game. Please also remember Magpie Games in the...

Which Hero Are You?

by Magpie Games

|

Jul 06, 2017

We saw Spider-Man: Homecoming, and loved it! We were wondering though, do you think Spider-Man is a Janus...or a Protégé? Wake up. Breakfast. School. Work. Homework. Sleep. Repeat. It burns me up, being stuck in this life, unable to make...

Where do Gamemasters Get Their Fun?

by Brendan Conway

|

Jun 20, 2017

Every single RPG with a GM has a motivation to run the game, an agenda, for the GM. Most of those games would be better if they stated that agenda explicitly. Because beyond telling the GM what to aim for,...

May the 4th Be With You

by Magpie Games

|

Apr 04, 2017

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… The galaxy is under threat from a terrible menace. A shadowy empire, led by a dark lord, is bent on subjugating the free peoples of countless worlds to a new...

A Look Back at 2016

by Magpie Games

|

Jan 19, 2017

As we advance steadily into 2017, we wanted to do a quick look back over some of the best parts of 2016, and look ahead to what they could mean for us moving forward! The Magpie Nest Grew Over the...

Masks Won Silver in Best Family Game!

by Magpie Games

|

Jan 08, 2017

I didn't have to do this. I could probably have had a safe, decent, simple life. It'd have been nice, but...come on. Come ON. SUPERPOWERS! ALIENS! WIZARDS! TIME TRAVEL! SOMETIMES ALL OF THEM AT ONCE! Sure, I'm out of my...

Fight, Party, and Save the World with...

by Sarah Doombringer

|

Nov 01, 2016

Brendan Conway will be at Dreamation 2016, running both his game Masks as well as Wicked Fate. Dreamation runs from Thursday, February 18th through Sunday, February 21st in Morristown, New Jersey, and you will have FIVE chances to play with...

2016 Origins Roundup

by Marissa Kelly

|

Oct 05, 2016

Hey Origins Attendees! Magpie Games is excited to support Games on Demand at Origins 2016. We've got a whole bunch of new stuff to show off, as well as opportunities to play Urban Shadows, Epyllion, and Masks! Here are a...

Podcast and Video Roundup

by Sarah Doombringer

|

Oct 02, 2016

Although all of us here at Magpie Games keep ourselves pretty busy writing, designing, and publishing games, sometimes we get the chance to talk about them as well! Several of us here have been on podcasts and YouTube videos to...

Games of 2016: Pandemic Legacy

by Brendan Conway

|

Sep 11, 2016

It’s the end of the year! And that means it’s time to talk about end of year assessments of the most important piece of culture: GAMES! I might come back to this, so I’m not going to cap myself at...

Gen Con Highlights

by Brendan Conway

|

Aug 26, 2016

It’s been a bit since GenCon closed off, and we want to cap off how grateful we are for such an awesome convention! Thank you to everyone who came by to the IGDN booth and said hi! Here are some...

Con Report! - Origins

by Brendan Conway

|

Aug 06, 2016

It’s been two weeks since Origins Magpie had a whirlwind of a time, and we wanted to look back on some of the awesome games and events we’ve had! We had a blast running a smorgasbord of games! We had...

Two Minutes Hate: FAQ

by Mark Truman

|

Jul 31, 2016

Since posting “Two Minutes Hate,” I’ve received dozens of emails, read hundreds of comments, and spent 20+ hours talking on phone/Skype with people from multiple communities. After those conversations, I feel I need to both make some apologies and clarify...

Two Minutes Hate

by Mark Truman

|

Jul 26, 2016

UPDATE: I wrote this post in 2016. In the wake of information that has since come to light, including Mandy Morbid’s post <LINK>, it has become apparent to me that I was wrong. I’m leaving the post up so that...

Enjoyment vs Experience: The Dark Sou...

by Brendan Conway

|

May 13, 2016

Dark Souls 3 came out recently, spurring much writing on it and the Dark Souls series. In particular, this pair of articles, one from Adam Smith of Rock Paper Shotgun, one from Rob Fearon on his blog We Make The...

Picking the Right GM Move in PbtA: Pa...

by Brendan Conway

|

Mar 31, 2016

You can read part 1 here. Navigating the Territory In the first post of this series, I talked a lot about harder moves and softer moves, how to make them, and what those terms mean. I argued that any move...

Picking the Right GM Move in PbtA: Pa...

by Brendan Conway

|

Mar 17, 2016

In the Powered by the Apocalypse community, we’ve gotten used to a few pieces of terminology we use regularly—in particular, we talk a lot about soft and hard moves. Steve Segedy of Bully Pulpit Games wrote a post all about...

Tabletop Mashup: XCOM 2

by Brendan Conway

|

Mar 02, 2016

In this series of posts, Brendan will tackle games outside of the tabletop RPG realm, dissecting them for any useful tidbits to apply to tabletop RPG design. XCOM 2: a game of soldiers, aliens, bad calls, upsetting mistakes, a really...

Your Next AW NPC is going to be awesome

by Sarah Doombringer

|

Feb 26, 2016

Vincent Baker gives some excellent advice about making Non Player Characters in the Principles section of Apocalypse World: “Name everyone, make everyone human”. He instructs you to give them straightforward, sensible self-interests to help drive the fiction, so your players...

Art Director: Process Outline

by Marissa Kelly

|

Feb 18, 2016

In this piece I will outline a very basic structure of what an art director responsibilities are in the tabletop RPG scene. I thought I would take some time to explain what it is that I do, so others can...

GenCon Round-up

by Brendan Conway

|

Feb 07, 2016

GenCon is this week, and we’ll be there running games and standing in the IGDN booth in the exhibition hall. We’re all excited to be there! We’re bringing a bunch of the awesome books we’ve made, including Urban Shadows, all...

The Cartel Ashcan Arrives At GenCon!

by Brendan Conway

|

Jul 30, 2015

¡Hola, amigos! Magpie Games is proud to announce the release of Cartel: Ashcan Edition at GenCon 2015. This 48-page rulebook contains everything you need to run sessions of Cartel, including setting information, playbooks, and MC advice! If you're at GenCon,...

GameTech: Win Conditions

by Brendan Conway

|

Oct 13, 2014

I want to talk about winning, win conditions, and whether RPGs can accommodate them. And perhaps more importantly, whether RPGs should incorporate win conditions. The idea of "winning" and "win conditions" came up in my work on a Fate Codex...

The Sentinels of the Stars: Jason Pen...

by Brendan Conway

|

Sep 08, 2014

Atomic Badger. Quirt. Annihilator Arcryx. Kagápe. And now, the final Sentinel of the Stars. Their de facto leader. Maybe. Kinda. Human. Master-ish space adventurer. I give you Jason Penn, Spaceprince. Jason Penn – Spaceprince Jason Penn is an earth kid,...

The Sentinels of the Stars: Kagápe

by Brendan Conway

|

Aug 08, 2014

We've had a cybernetic badger with huge guns; a water elemental with a heart of gold; and a psychotic axe-wielding "alien." Next up in my Atomic Robo RPG versions of the Guardians of the Galaxy is our fourth Sentinel of...

GameTech: Push Your Luck

by Brendan Conway

|

Jul 31, 2014

For this series of articles, I'm interested in actively trying to repurpose ideas from other kinds of games into RPGs in the hopes of discovering some new and interesting mechanics. It doesn't mean something good will come from it, or...

Brendan Conway Joins Magpie Games as ...

by Mark Truman

|

Jul 23, 2014

We are very excited to announce that we have a new member of the Magpie Games team! Brendan Conway, long-time Magpie Games contributor and collaborator, has accepted a position as Assistant Developer! We've had a lot of exciting success lately...

The Sentinels of the Stars: Annihilat...

by Brendan Conway

|

Apr 08, 2014

Continuing my Atomic Robo RPG versions of the Guardians of the Galaxy! Our third Sentinel of the Stars after Atomic Badger and Quirt is our murderous good friend: Annihilator Arcryx. Annihilator Arcryx Annihilator Arcryx is a bit of an odd...

The Sentinels of the Stars: Quirt

by Brendan Conway

|

Mar 08, 2014

Continuing the Sentinels of the Stars, my Atomic Robo RPG versions of the Guardians of the Galaxy, from Atomic Badger, here's our next Sentinel: Badger's best friend, Quirt. Quirt Quirt is one of the strangest of the Sentinels, and that's...

The Sentinels of the Stars: Atomic Ba...

by Brendan Conway

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Feb 08, 2014

In honor of a movie that came out this summer that I really really loved, I decided to make a few Atomic Robo characters inspired by the protagonists. So, without further ado, I give you -- The Sentinels of the...

Superheroes - TPTT

by Marissa Kelly

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Dec 20, 2013

An Alternate Script for The Play's The Thing, by Brian Engard, has just been released! It's time to put on the mask and imagine yourself changing the life of your city. This script also has a new character type: the...

Our Last Best Hope Expansion

by Marissa Kelly

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Dec 06, 2013

The Expansion Book is now Available! Hello folks! After much hard work and sustained effort, the Our Last Best Hope Expansion Book has been released to backers via DriveThruRPG.com and the books have been shipped out! We're really proud of...

GenCon 2013 Booth #571

by Marissa Kelly

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Jun 07, 2013

Come Visit us at booth #571! GENCON 2013 is almost here and Magpie Games will be at the Indie Game Developer Network's booth again this year! August 15th - 18th Demos & sales at Booth #571 Play our games at...

We Are Dust Proof Has Arrived

by Marissa Kelly

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Mar 31, 2013

Hey folks! The We Are Dust proof is here. And it looks awesome. I got a chance to curl up with it last night (I'm a sucker for physical non-digital reading!) and I'm so excited by how it all came...

Eternity Condensed Ruleset Released

by Mark Truman

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Mar 14, 2013

Try Eternity for yourself! So... I've put this off long enough. I've been working on my epic, long-form, GM-less roleplaying game since early 2011, and it's time for me to finally put something out there. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give...

GenCon 2013 was Great!

by Marissa Kelly

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Mar 08, 2013

Thanks for all of your support this GenCon! We joined forces with the IGDN again, this year, and we did better than ever! Marissa worked the booth while Mark and Derrick ran games all weekend. This year we had the...

Kristacon Pitches: Alternate Systems

by Mark Truman

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Feb 27, 2013

This past weekend, I went to Dreamation 2013 and helped to run Kristacon, a long-form convention gaming experience using the Marvel Heroic System. Brennan Taylor also ran a Bulldogs event as well using the same kind of ideas, so we...

We are Dust is out to Kickstarter Bac...

by Marissa Kelly

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Jan 31, 2013

It's official: all of the short story anthologies have shipped. Given that we are a bit behind on getting the Expansion book out to folks, we went ahead and shipped copies of We Are Dust to all backers at the...

Timeworks Training Manual Excerpt

by Mark Truman

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Jan 25, 2013

Hey folks! As you may remember from my post last month, I'm producing a setting for Fate Core called Timeworks. The setting will be part of one of the Fate Worlds books that the Evil Hat Crew is putting together...

We Are Dust is Finished!

by Marissa Kelly

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Dec 19, 2012

It's official. We Are Dust is finished! Pick up your copy and sread the word! Let your friends and neighbors know that the file is available via DriveThru here: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109313/We-Are-Dust We'll be sending the book off to the printer at...

Indie+2 Indie Game Design Panel (Live)

by Marissa Kelly

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Oct 29, 2012

Join us for one of the opening panels at the Indie+2 Game Convention. Mark Truman hosts a G+ panel about Indie Game Design LIVE at 6:00pm-Eastcoast time. Watch live and ask some questions or watch it later on YouTube. Check...

Stretch Goal Progress

by Marissa Kelly

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Oct 18, 2012

OLBH Stretch Goal Progress - October 2012 Hey folks! We've been hard at work these last two months on our promised stretch goals, recording QR code videos, playtesting hacks, and working with our contributors for both the short story anthology...

PAX Prime 2012

by Marissa Kelly

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Oct 08, 2012

First time at Pax Prime! Mark and I had a wonderful time in Seattle for PAX Prime. We walked the exhibit halls a couple times, but primarily spent our time at Games on Demand running and playing games. Dungeon World...

Developer's Notes Never Looked so Cute

by Marissa Kelly

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Sep 26, 2012

Here is a sneak-peek of MK's new game in development. "Think: the epic (LOtR) feel of Spiro the Dragon meets My Little Pony: Frendship is Magic." ....Are you as excited as we are?

See us at RINCON 2012

by Marissa Kelly

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Sep 20, 2012

Special Guests @ RinCon 2012 Headed to the SouthWest this September?... Mark and I will be special guests at Arizona's Rin Con the weekend of the 28th! We are honored to be invited to RinCon and will be on a...

GenCon 2012 with the IGDN

by Marissa Kelly

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Aug 20, 2012

GenCon 2012 This was the first year that Magpie Games was an exhibitor at GenCon! Thanks to the combined efforts of the IGDN, we were able to get a booth and put The Play's the Thing, By No Means Vulger,...

Pocket Marvel Patrol! and Balance in ...

by Mark Truman

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Jul 04, 2012

Last night I got together with a few non-gamer friends who had just seen the Avengers. I was thinking that we would play the new Marvel RPG, but they didn't have a printer at their house to print up Marvel...

Fate Core Kickstarter: Timeworks

by Mark Truman

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Jun 11, 2012

The latest Evil Hat Kickstarter went up on Tuesday (i.e. yesterday!). At the time I'm writing this, it's already got nearly $75,000 in pledges. Yup, that's right: The Fate Core Kickstarter is up and running! Within a few house of...

GenCon Events for Magpie Games

by Marissa Kelly

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Jun 07, 2012

Hey folks! For those of you headed to GenCon next week (it's soooo soon!), we have an exciting announcement. Magpie Games will be hosting over thirty hours of scheduled Magpie Games' gaming at the Games on Demand room at GenCon!...

Magpie Games at PAX East 2012

by Mark Truman

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Jun 03, 2012

Preparing for Gaming! While we won't have a booth at PAX East this year, Magpie Games is helping out at the Games on Demand room. We'll be STing all kinds of games, including The Play's The Thing and Eternity, from...

Cry "Havok!" and release the PDFs...

by Mark Truman

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Jun 02, 2012

The time has come! While we wait for the print proof from our printer (it should be here soon!), we've gone ahead and released The Play's The Thing on PDF via RPGnow.com. If you're a backer, we've gotten your PDF...

Our Last Best Hope Kickstarter Launch

by Mark Truman

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May 29, 2012

Today, Magpie Games launched our second Kickstarter, Our Last Best Hope. Our Last Best Hope is tabletop roleplaying game for three (3) to five (5) players that takes about two hours to play. During the game, you and your friends...

Something You May Know Clue from Magp...

by Mark Truman

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May 17, 2012

Hey Magpie Fans! Next week, on May 23rd at 9pm EST, we're going to be appearing on an internet game show called "Something You May Know." Of course, we want you to come play, and you can win prizes ($$)...

Actual Play: Dog Eat Dog (Asaali and ...

by Mark Truman

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Apr 22, 2012

Last month, Liam Burke launched a Kickstarter for his new game, Dog Eat Dog. I think it's best to let Liam explain what the game is about: Dog Eat Dog is a game of colonialism and its consequences. As a...

Game Chef Review: Monsters of Glam

by Mark Truman

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Apr 20, 2012

Monsters of Glam by Matthew Sullivan-Barrett Documenting the last tour of a rock megaband, Monsters of Glam is an awesome ride through the world of rock stardom. From the creation of your band's album to the last show you play...

Game Chef Review: Rage, Rage by David...

by Mark Truman

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Apr 19, 2012

Rage, Rage by David Miessler-Kubanek Rage, Rage is a game about the "last chance for hope in the face of futility and madness," and the game delivers by using a variety of fears, hopes, and madness-inspired mechanics to draw out...

Game Chef Review: Kobold Engineer by ...

by Mark Truman

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Apr 19, 2012

Kobold Engineer by Laura Simpson The central idea for Kobold Engineer rocks. In it, you play a lowly Kobold who wants to climb the dungeon management ladder by serving his master, Coyote. Coyote, of course, wants the Kobolds to prove...

Game Chef Review: Into the Void by Ki...

by Mark Truman

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Apr 19, 2012

Into the Void by Kira Scott Into the Void employs some great, simple mechanics to tell the story of a doomed crew on a mission to save Earth from catastrophe. Each player manages a collection of traits to forestall madness,...

Game Chef 2012: Magpie Games Review A...

by Mark Truman

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Apr 18, 2012

Now that we've finished with the submission process for Game Chef 2012, it's time to get reviewing. As in past years, each person who submits a game to Game Chef reviews four of the other games and select one to...

Magpie Games Online Store and Free Do...

by Mark Truman

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Apr 16, 2012

Hello Magpie Fans! We're proud to announce today that we have two new features on the site. First, we've added an online store for Print and Print+PDF Bundles of our games: http://www.magpiegames.com/products/ If you wanted to get a print copy...

Game Chef 2012: Our Last Best Hope

by Mark Truman

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Apr 16, 2012

Hey Mapgie Fans! Each year, Game Chef gives roleplaying game designers a challenge: produce a fully functional roleplaying game in just one week, using the ingredients given by the Master Game Chef. It's been a year since our last Game...

The Proof is Here!

by Marissa Kelly

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Mar 07, 2012

After much slaving, toiling, and sweating (in the Houston heat!) our proof of Our Last Best Hope arrived today via UPS. And it looks great! We put in our rush order for books today, giving us just enough time to...

Teacher's Guide for The Play's The Thing

by Mark Truman

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Feb 22, 2012

As we wait for the final touches to be made to the layout for the book, we've been working on finalizing the teacher materials for The Play's The Thing. Our awesome teacher consultant, Pete Figtree, has put together an awesome...

Happy Valentine's Day from Magpie Games

by Mark Truman

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Feb 15, 2012

We hope you're having a great Valentine's Day! Marissa and I are celebrating with cupcakes, and some exciting production notes for The Play's The Thing... First, we've got a special announcement about the design for the book. We are extremely...

RINCON 2012

by Marissa Kelly

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Feb 09, 2012

RINCON 2012 was a blast! Thursday night Mark and I flew in to Tucson where Matt Nielson was nice enough to pick us up and take us to the Hotel. Before bed we scoped out the lovely con space and...

Playtesting The Play's The Thing In T...

by Mark Truman

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Jan 22, 2012

As we get ready to release The Play's The Thing, we're working hard on the assorted accompanying materials, including the Teacher's Guide for the game. We're thrilled to have Pete Figtree, veteran geek/teacher, putting together a document for us that...

Magpies at Work on The Play's The Thing

by Mark Truman

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Jan 19, 2012

Whew! The Play's The Thing is almost done! After receiving so much fantastic support for the Kickstarter last month, we've been hard at work putting together the final draft of the book for our backers. We've still got a little...

Electronic Copies of "By No Means Vul...

by Mark Truman

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Jan 04, 2012

We are proud to announce today that the PDF/Mobi/ePub versions of By No Means Vulgar are now available for sale through DriveThruFiction.com: By No Means Vulgar - Edited by Mark Diaz Truman BY NO MEANS VULGAR is a collection of...

The Books Have Left The Building

by Mark Truman

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Jan 03, 2012

As of 3pm EST today, all domestic, international, and teacher packages have been shipped! Whew! It was a big day. But we aren't quite done yet. Preparations are being made to send our short story collection, By No Means Vulgar,...

The Play's The Thing is 550% Funded a...

by Mark Truman

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Nov 24, 2011

With a little more than two weeks to go, we've hit over 550% funding on our first Kickstarter project, The Play's The Thing! As we said in our last update, we are just totally blown away by the response we've...

The Play's The Thing is 400% Funded.....

by Mark Truman

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Nov 14, 2011

Wow. WOW. We are so blown away by the response to our first Kickstarter project. We hit 100% funded in just 2 days, 200% funding in just one week, and 400% funding in less than a month! Our backers are...

Eternity Sneak Peak: The Vast

by Mark Truman

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Oct 05, 2011

Magpie Games is proud to present Eternity, our first release scheduled for the Fall of 2011. Over the next few months, we will be releasing sneak peaks of Eternity's art, fiction, and setting. We welcome your comments and critique and...

Game Chef 2011: Magpie Games Reviews ...

by Mark Truman

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Jul 27, 2011

As part of Game Chef 2011, Magpie Games is reviewing a few of the other entries and recommending one go on to the "Final Round." Our entry, The Play's The Thing is also under review and we hope to post...

Game Chef 2011: Magpie Games' Submiss...

by Mark Truman

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Jul 25, 2011

We did it! Despite the short turnaround time (7 days!) and the even shorter word count (3,000 words!), Magpie Games officially submitted our Game Chef 2011 entry, The Play's The Thing. Mark Truman burned the midnight oil all week, and...

Game Chef 2011: The Play's The Thing

by Mark Truman

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Jul 18, 2011

Hello Gamerati! As many of you know, the annual Game Chef contest is up and running! Since this year's theme is Shakespeare, I'm really excited about putting something together. I'll be posting notes and ideas as I think of them...

Experienced Alpha Playtest Group

by Mark Truman

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Jul 05, 2011

Hey all! I started designing Eternity over a year ago. Over the last six months, I've hammered out a lot of the specifics in the rules with playtest groups, but I've still had a few holes that have plagued me....

Eternity Sneak Peak: The Appointed

by Mark Truman

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Jun 27, 2011

Magpie Games is proud to present Eternity, our first release scheduled for the Fall of 2011. Over the next few months, we will be releasing sneak peaks of Eternity's art, fiction, and setting. We welcome your comments and critique and...

Eternity RPG: Call for Short Fiction

by Mark Truman

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Jun 13, 2011

We're launching a game called Eternity that needs some short fiction. In short, we'd like to get a 1,500 to 2,500 word short story that will act as introductory fiction to the book. At the same time, we think that...

Awesome Character Creation: Three Key...

by Mark Truman

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Jun 06, 2011

Keeper of the Secret Fire! Since Marissa and I are about to move out East, we're trying to fit in a lot of gaming with old friends this month. I've wanted to run a Houses of the Blooded game for...

Easy Like Shakestreet: 3 Days to Go O...

by Mark Truman

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May 11, 2011

Thank you all so much for your support so far! Marissa and I never imagined that this project would catch on the way it has. Not only have we secured a deal with Alliance that will put our books into...

Magpie Games Official Launch

by Mark Truman

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Apr 05, 2011

After much discussion and delay, Marissa and I have finally launched Magpie Games! We're really excited about the possibilities that Magpie has to offer. We're specifically committed to putting out our first game, Eternity, by the beginning of Fall 2011....

Eternity Sneak Peak: Beasts

by Mark Truman

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Jan 06, 2011

Magpie Games is proud to present Eternity, our first release scheduled for the Fall of 2011. Over the next few months, we will be releasing sneak peaks of Eternity's art, fiction, and setting. We welcome your comments and critique and...

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