Game Review: Unity Table-Top RPG (In Development)

 A look at an In-Development Tabletop RPG that focuses on story

Back at the beginning of August, I found an intriguing link on Facebook about a tabletop role-playing game in development that was raising funds on Kickstarter.  Curious, as I am about any new RPG, I clicked to see what it was about.  Going by the title Unity, the game is an interesting blend of the fantasy, Steampunk, and post-apocalypse genres.  Set in the titular world, Unity is a realm devastated by the very deity who so lovingly created it.  Once a paradise among the stars for the Children of the Skyfather and Ivory Queen, the deities who created it, it is now a shattered world where the material world and the spiritual world are open to one another in devastating ways.  Now four factions must find a way to unite once again to save their world.

The game sets you in this world to do as you will.  As either Human, Afflicted, Furian, or Valla, you must chase destiny and make your way in the world.  But what will you do in a world of murky morals where surviving outweighs compassion? Do you seek to make the world whole again and heal the wounds of the past?  Do you seek to amass your own small empire to live in luxury as the world burns?  Unity leaves these choices up to the Game Master and his players, and with a focus on story more than strict rules, the game is designed to reward players for being actively engaged in the storytelling, and not just rolling the dice, and where even failure can mean moving both combat and the story forward.

The themes of Unity are part of what makes me want to delve into it.  The first is Murky Morales, which I mentioned above.  Unity throws you into the world where the worst has and is happening, and being 'good' isn't always as important or even as desired as simply surviving.  Then there is the Culture Clash of four (or more) different cultures that are forced to work together even when they'd rather kill each other.  Another is finding the surviving Technological Wonders of Unity's Golden Age, when the world was indeed united in common purpose and rose to challenge their creators.  And of course Discovery and Exploration plays an important part of this game world, as many mysterious, treasures, and safe places await those daring enough to search for them.

The Kickstarter

As the Kickstarter progressed, and more money was raised, I become more and more interested in what the final product would be.  The team at Zensara Studios provided a preview of their core rule book, and after reading through it, I was sold.  Their philosophy of design looks to resolve many of the issues I've always had with the typical D&D style games that reward shrewd character creation over inventiveness and experimentation.  While I have yet to get the playtest for Unity (which should be available in November) the system offers a surprising amount of options for each of the game's nine original classes.  Some of these design choices are similar to what D&D 4th Edition tried to do by offering different tiers of powers that had different effects as well as catch names to make using them feel more empowering than just, "I swing my +2 Sword of Shocking."  Some, though, were different than what I've experienced, such as these same powers having synergy with certain others.  Have a power that stuns enemies, and your friend has one that does extra damage to stunned enemies?  What about a charge power with limited range, but your friend can throw you farther so you can reach your target AND have added momentum (damage) when you land?  You can do things like that.

From Left to Right: Driftwalker, Berserker, Phantom, Sentinel, Primalist, Priest, Fell Hunter, Mystic, Judge

My favorite aspect of their system is how instead of a strict and either limited or far too comprehensive list of skills that your character can use (for instance, just how many things count as Acrobatics?) your character instead gets Core Paths.  As an example, you may have three core paths, one worth 3 points and two worth 1 point each.  These paths each cover some aspect of your character.  Continuing the example, if your 3 point Path is called A Warrior's Heart, it might cover any skill a warrior might have, from running long distances to climbing to breaking down a door.  So, if your character wants to do any of those things and get the full 3 point bonus, the player would tell an anecdote about how that aspect of their life resulted in them being able to bust down that door, or climb that wall, etc.  The DM would then decide how well it applies, and also if the story telling deserves the bonus.  For a better idea of the total character creation process, as well as the team's more succinct explanation of Core Paths, check out their video at the break.

Unity's Character Creation Demo Video

Since this system focuses on the story a good deal, one of the other interesting aspects of this system is how the Game Master (GM), or the person managing the game for the group of players, can do so without having to rely on the constant rolling of dice to determine outcomes.  While most of the specifics of the rules have not been released yet, the idea is that the system will have structures in place to allow the GM to make decisions on the fly so as to keep the narrative going and not interrupting it with mechanics.  One such structure was the Core Paths mentioned before, which allows players to relate their characters experiences to things they are attempting to achieve in order to gain a bonus.  Another will be Honor Points.  These points are rewarded for describing what your character is doing in an interesting or highly detailed way.  The idea is to encourage people to say more than, "I hit the goblin with my sword," and instead embellish their role-playing with, "I draw my katana, waiting for the monster to raise his club.  Then, in one swift stroke, I slice the beast across its abdomen."  Combined with the descriptions given to the Powers available to characters, players will have springboards from which to give great descriptions of their actions.  These points can then be used to receive bonuses to actions to create those epic moments players of such games play for.  And to prevent this system from unfairly punishing the less imaginative or creative, the points can be used by any player in the group, promoting cooperation.

I wish I had the foresight to get a blog post out there before their campaign ended on August 14.  That said, the managed to raise $70,736 CAD which not only funded their base product but unlocked this list of extras which will be developed after the original goal of releasing their core rulebook is met.

So close to getting the Monk!

One of the stretch goals, Unity Extended: Allies, introduces a new playable race, the Sarathi.  When I realized they were lizard people, I was sold.  While originally one of the antagonistic NPC races originally designed for the base game, this stretch goal (which unlocked after I had already pledged) made this project so much more meaningful to me, considering my own goal of publishing.  

For those interested in the game, please check out Unity-RPG.com or their Kickstarter Page for more previews of classes and creatures.  As of this posting, their post-campaign pledge manager is not finished yet.  Anyone interested in picking up either the book and/or any other extras they make available should sign up for their mailing list here.

WIP Shot of the cover of the Core Rule Book

I will be writing further on this game, so check back here in the future for more news about the Unity RPG.  I encourage anyone looking for a more story focused version of some of the classic table top RPG games to try Unity!

9/21 UPDATE!  The Pledge manager for Unity is up!  For a limited time, you can pledge for the Core Rule Book and select bonuses like the World Map and GM Screen.  Follow this link!