Trans-Inclusive Gaming
Title: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game (2nd Edition)
Publisher: Paizo Inc.
Learning Curve: Beginner to Intermediate
Pathfinder was my rebound TTRPG after the very disappointing 4th edition of D&D. Paizo took the open gaming license of D&D 3.5e and improved it in so many ways. Pathfinder became my default high fantasy system for the last decade. However, like its predecessor, the game reached a peak and needed a fresh start if it was going to compete with the wildly successful D&D 5e.
The following was an idea sparked from my first article here. It is easily adaptable into any fantasy campaign, though it could find a place in any game.
“Our natural inclination is to define ourselves, using limited language to label and, inevitably, chain our very potential to a narrow view of what we could be. We, of the Order, divest ourselves of all labels and, in doing so, see our potential magnify infinitely.” – Ei, Jaq of the Order of the Slate
The Order of the Slate is a severe monastic tradition born from the Non philosophies, wisdoms collected by a transcendent figure known only as Non. This spirituality teaches that by ridding oneself of labels such as gender, sexuality, and social class, all things become possible. This process of gathering potential and removing self-limits grants an individual the ability to become anyone they want or need to be. Warriors study these wisdoms for an unmatched prowess in battle; artists learn to expand their creative expression beyond the conventional; and others find a oneness with the Multiverse.
Title: Shadowrun Role-Playing Game (6th Edition)
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs (Licensed by The Topps Company Inc.)
Learning Curve: MASSIVE
Shadowrun holds a special place in my heart. It was the first game to draw me into the cyberpunk genre and out of the realms of pure Tolkien fantasy. In this dystopian future, the nations of Earth have changed drastically with the reawakening of magic and the advent of technology advancing metahuman kind beyond our wildest dreams. Elves, dwarves, orks, and trolls all co-mingle with their human counterparts, simply trying to make a life for themselves under the shadow of a global corporatocracy.
Title: Alice is Missing – A Silent RPG
Publisher: Hunters Entertainment
Learning Curve: All skill levels
In my 20+ years of gaming experience, I have never played an RPG like Alice is Missing (AIM). Until now, systems like D&D and Pathfinder have been centric to my awareness, which I now regret. A session of AIM is an intense experience that will stay with you long after you leave the table. Five players embody the friends and family of Alice and over 90 mins, weave together a collaborative story that is completely unique as they try to discover what happened to Alice.
As a “forever” Game Mistress (GM), as is colloquial in the Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG) community, I follow quite a few GM YouTubers. Today, during my research for articles such as this, I came across a video by one to which I subscribe. In this particular installment, DawnforgedCast was reviewing a recent (at the time) article from Kotaku.com discussing how Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), and subsequently Wizards of the Coast, were dedicated to further LGBT+ representation and inclusion in its products. While that remains to be seen, my curiosity was peaked more by the questions that DawnforgedCast asked his viewers.