I'm curious, is there any TTRPGs based around music? Either music making, or with music as a central theme.
THEME: Musical Games
Hello friend, I have a mix for you - games about musicians, games that use music, and games that leave you with a playlist at the end!
THE YEAR IS 1997 AND POP MUSIC RULES THE WORLD.
From their secret headquarters inside Big Ben groups of Spice Girls in tour busses are dispatched to solve all of the world’s most dangerous problems with girl power and music.
It is a better world, a brighter world, a SPICE WORLD.
SPICEPUNK 1997 is a rule-light tabletop roleplaying game set in the fantastical world of the Spice Girls. Play as a Spice Girl of your own creation and prepare yourself for the unexpected as your SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!
SPICEPUNK 1997 was created by Nick Kornek & Jeanne Elizabeth Vachon. It is based on Lasers & Feelings by John Harper
If you’ve ever wanted to be Car Mechanic Spice, Space Spice, or any other kind of Spice Girl, this is the game for you. You’ll decide on a Spicealty, create a tour bus, and get ready to save the world! Using Lasers and Feelings, Spicepunk 1977 calls the roll where you hit your chosen number “Spice Up Your Life”, which recommends using Story Cubes. If you don’t have Story Cubes, using something like Tarot Cards, a Codenames Deck, or anything with randomized, general images might work as a good substitute.
Sing as One, by Naomi Norbez.
Sing As One! is a TTRPG about being a singer in an up-and-coming group of young superstars. All of you came from different paths of life, and have varied ambitions & goals, but are coming together in your quest to make music!
This game is inspired by franchises like Uta No Prince Sama, B-Project, Tsukipro/Tsukiuta, and aoppella. Idol franchises are about fantasy fulfillment, and this TTRPG reflects that. This game is centered on creating cool characters, quick sessions, and simple but fun gameplay.
Create your very own pop group using this 2-page game! This game uses d4s, d6s and d10s. There are two modes of play: inside and outside battles called Faceoffs. In Faceoffs, your characters will attempt to overcome obstacles or opponents, such as rival bands, rabid fans, or your own self-doubt. You’ll roll against your opponent’s skills. In contrast, outside Faceoffs, you’ll be rolling against a pre-determined level to do things like convincing another actor to participate in your music video, breaking into your manager’s car, or smuggling as much fast food as you can into your dormitory without security finding out.
This game is still in its beta stage, so you’re working with just the rules and a hint towards the kind of setting the game is designed for. If you want to use this game for more than a simple one-shot, I’d recommend using some of your session 0 time to talk about the world these pop stars inhabit - is it in the past? The future? On another planet? It’s up to you!
You are a few friends are going on a road trip, where are you going to go, who are you going to meet, and what music will you listen to along the way? These and many other questions will be answered in Road Trip: The Musical.
Road Trip: The Musical is a game designed for 1-5 players, and while it's recommended that you be actively on a road trip while playing, it is not required. To play, all you need is a way to make a playlist, this could be Spotify, an iPod touch, a CD, or just a piece of paper and a pen. All that matters is that you can keep track of the soundtrack for your road trip.
Each player will have a different role, such as The Driver, the Navigator, or the Snack Captain. Each role comes with a special ability, such as “I’ll turn this car around”, or “Pit Stop”. This allows you to affect song choices as long as they fit certain criteria! At the end of the game, you’ll have a playlist for the group to listen to when you actually hit the road, and you can remember the game you used to create it whenever you’re on the move.
Jukebox, by jarofeyes.
Jukebox is a musical roleplaying game, played over 4 hours, with 3-4 friends and a karaoke setup. You’ll play a cast of characters who are all struggling in their own way against an overwhelming challenge. During three acts, hidden longings will be revealed, grievances will be aired, and songs will be sung. Will old wounds and personal drama doom you all to failure? Or will you change and grow just in time to save the day?
Jukebox requires no preparation and is GM-less. This is a chance for you and your friends to write your very own musical, using your favourite songs. You will design an opening setting, and create characters with their own personal challenges, while using a deck of cards as your randomization tool. This might be worth looking into if you have a group of friends that needs to stretch their legs a bit, or need their roleplaying sessions broken up into chunks.
Super Holo Bards is A Transformational, Totally Sensational Bardic Adventure game borrowing a few game creation elements from Lasers and Feelings. This game can be played with 1-5 players and has optional rules for a GM also known as the Band Manager if one is wanted/desired.
This is a game about heroes with magical instruments - your characters are secretly super-musicians, using your powers for good. The game has a built-in setting that feels renaissance-fantasy in nature, but changing the options on the GM guide tables and the player backgrounds is all you should need to put your characters in whatever setting you desire. Each player has the ability to cast magical spells, as well as the ability to transform into your heroic self! Be warned though, the transformation doesn’t last - and you need time to recharge after using a spell. If you like Lasers & Feelings but you want a little bit more to the game, Super Holo Bards might be worth checking out!
In Damn the Man, you’ll juggle the responsibilities of a day that will determine the future of your record store, all while trying to accomplish a big personal goal. Can you confess your love to your crush and find the money that went missing from the cash box? Can you pay off your debt to your parents while promoting tonight’s big show? The clock is ticking and you’ve got until midnight to try.
Damn the Man is inspired by movies like Empire Records, Dazed and Confused, and a love for the ’90s. It’s silly and tender and no familiarity with the source material is necessary to enjoy the game.
This game is built with a lot of support tools for nervous GMs. It plays over the course of three acts, and uses playing cards to help determine what kinds of troubles the players encounter. It includes examples of play and a great outline of safety tools. By the end of the game, you'll know whether or not the store is saved or not. The game uses playbooks making character creation a little bit quicker and easier - all in all, a great option if you want to introduce roleplaying to someone new.
Night after night, you sit alone with your thoughts, your music, and a microphone. Whether you come to your radio show with somber attitude or joyful spirit, you use the music that moves you to etch something fleeting and beautiful into the big empty.
There are other voices in the darkness. With a deck of cards, a six-sided die and a stack of music, you will build a playlist, invent and interact with Callers to your show, and evolve their stories over as many broadcasts as you like. No matter their motivations, they simply must be heard. In that way, you are very alike.
VOID 1680 AM includes rules for single-session and ongoing play, instructions to have your show broadcast on the airwaves as an Affiliate, and even a way to add your voice to a library of Callers that other DJs can use in their own games.
This game is inspired by Anamnesis, the 1988 film Talk Radio and Long Haul 1983.It aims to replicate the feeling of attempting to make connections with people who can only talk to you over the phone. You’ll create a cast of callers and craft a playlist based on their hopes, needs, and desires. If you want to run through a one-and-done game, you can do that, but this game also includes ways to create a series of connected stories. If you’re interested, you can check out the Press Kit before buying the whole thing!
Eyyyy thanks for the VOID 1680 AM love!
