Quick-starts are a means of trying out a roleplaying game before you buy. Each should provide a Game Master with sufficient background to introduce and explain the setting to her players, the rules to run the scenario included, and a set of ready-to-play, pre-generated characters that the players can pick up and understand almost as soon as they have sat down to play. The scenario itself should provide an introduction to the setting for the players as well as to the type of adventures that their characters will have and just an idea of some of the things their characters will be doing on said adventures. All of which should be packaged up in an easy-to-understand booklet whose contents, with a minimum of preparation upon the part of the Game Master, can be brought to the table and run for her gaming group in a single evening’s session—or perhaps two. And at the end of it, Game Master and players alike should ideally know whether they want to play the game again, perhaps purchasing another adventure or even the full rules for the roleplaying game.
Alternatively, if the Game Master already has the full rules for the roleplaying game the quick-start is for, then what it provides is a sample scenario that she still run as an introduction or even as part of her campaign for the roleplaying game. The ideal quick-start should entice and intrigue a playing group, but above all effectively introduce and teach the roleplaying game, as well as showcase both rules and setting.
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The Gates of Krystalia Demo is the quick-start for the Gates of Krystalia TTJRPG, the roleplaying game based on Japanese anime and isekai stories. ‘Isekai’, meaning ‘other world’ is a subgenre of anime, manga, and fantasy in which the protagonist is suddenly transported, summoned, or reincarnated into a completely different, often magical universe.
It is a one-hundred-and-two page, 22.76 MB full colour PDF.
The writing style is that of a narrator giving game play advice in a computer RPG.
How long will it take to play?
Unfortunately, The Gates of Krystalia Demo does not come with a ready-to-play scenario. The demo does come with some a handful of enemies which can be used as a part of the scenario that the ‘Deux’—as the Game Master is known in The Gates of Krystalia—would need to write.
Unfortunately, The Gates of Krystalia Demo does not come with a ready-to-play scenario. The demo does come with some a handful of enemies which can be used as a part of the scenario that the ‘Deux’—as the Game Master is known in The Gates of Krystalia—would need to write.
What else do you need to play?
The Gates of Krystalia Demo needs what it calls a ‘French’ set of cards per player as well as the Deux. This is effectively a standard deck of play cards with the Jokers removed.
Who do you play?
In Gates of Krystalia, the Heroes can be Humans, Dark Elves, Dwarves, Kemonomimi, Oni, Astralis, Demons, Elves, Kobolds, or Orcs. Potential Classes include Tamer, Berserker, Healer, Mage, Priest, Assassin, Knight, Engineer, Ninja, or Shaman. The Gates of Krystalia Demo details just three Races and four Classes. The Races are Humans, Elves, and the fox-like Kemonomimi, whilst the Classes are Berserker, Knight, Mage, and Ninja. Each Race provides adjustments to a Hero’s Abilities, two innate abilities, whilst the Class determines the Hero’s combat style and specialisations. A Hero has a Rank, from Heroic to Legendary, which will provide further bonuses. One of these, ‘Origin From Another World’, grants a bonus to an Ability and an Innate Ability is in keeping with the isekai subgenre.
In Gates of Krystalia, the Heroes can be Humans, Dark Elves, Dwarves, Kemonomimi, Oni, Astralis, Demons, Elves, Kobolds, or Orcs. Potential Classes include Tamer, Berserker, Healer, Mage, Priest, Assassin, Knight, Engineer, Ninja, or Shaman. The Gates of Krystalia Demo details just three Races and four Classes. The Races are Humans, Elves, and the fox-like Kemonomimi, whilst the Classes are Berserker, Knight, Mage, and Ninja. Each Race provides adjustments to a Hero’s Abilities, two innate abilities, whilst the Class determines the Hero’s combat style and specialisations. A Hero has a Rank, from Heroic to Legendary, which will provide further bonuses. One of these, ‘Origin From Another World’, grants a bonus to an Ability and an Innate Ability is in keeping with the isekai subgenre.
How is a Hero defined?
A Hero in Gates of Krystalia has four Abilities: Charisma, Agility, Intelligence, and Toughness. These start out at zero and are adjusted by the Hero’s Race and a bonus from the ‘Origin From Another World’ trait. Each Ability is associated with a suit of cards. These are Spades for Intelligence, Hearts for Charisma, Clubs for Toughness, and Diamonds for Agility. Two of these will be Blessed Suits. At Heroic Rank, the Hero has four combat techniques and any of these match the Hero’s Blessed Suits, they will benefit from the Blessed Damage effect.
Each player also has a Vital Energy deck. This the standard deck of playing cards (with the Jokers removed) which represents the Hero’s physical and mental resources. Its cards are consumed when performing tasks or in combat, and from suffering damage. If the Vital Energy deck is exhausted, the Player Character collapses unconscious and if not healed quickly enough in combat, he can die. Sleep and some Combat Techniques can refill the Vital Energy deck.
Each player also has a Vital Energy deck. This the standard deck of playing cards (with the Jokers removed) which represents the Hero’s physical and mental resources. Its cards are consumed when performing tasks or in combat, and from suffering damage. If the Vital Energy deck is exhausted, the Player Character collapses unconscious and if not healed quickly enough in combat, he can die. Sleep and some Combat Techniques can refill the Vital Energy deck.
How do the mechanics work?
When a player wants his Hero to undertake an action in Gates of Krystalia, the Deux sets a Difficulty Value from Simple and five to Impossible and twenty. The player draws a card from his Vital Energy deck and applies any bonuses or penalties set by the Deux. If the result exceeds the Difficulty Value, the Player Character succeeds. This is a simple test.
A Competence Test—which can be social, athletic, intellectual, or physical—also requires the draw of a card and any bonuses or penalties set by the Deux. To this is added the Hero’s Ability value, whether positive or negative. If the suit of the card drawn matches one of the Hero’s Blessed Suit, the total value of the card, plus situational and Ability modifiers, is doubled.
The card drawn from the Vital Energy deck in either case is discarded.
The card drawn from the Vital Energy deck in either case is discarded.
How does combat work?
In combat, initiative is determined by a draw of a single card, but otherwise uses the same mechanics as Competence Tests. Instead of drawing a single card, Player Characters and major enemies draw five cards for each scene (or turn). These are each combatant’s Strategy Cards. An attacker selects a Combat Technique and a single Strategy Card. A major enemy does the same. The Deux will draw a card if the enemy is standard rather than major. Both Combat Techniques and Strategy Cards are revealed simultaneously and whomever has the higher total will inflict damage on the other. If they are the same, no damage is inflicted on either combatant.
The base damage is inflicted if the selected Strategy Card is a number card. If it is a face card, the effect of the Combat Technique is also applied, but if it is an Ace, the base damage is doubled and the effect of the Combat Technique is also applied. If the suit of the selected Strategy Card matches the attacker’s Blessed Suit, the base damage is doubled.
In addition, a player can attempt to build a combo. A combo can be a set of cards or a run of consecutive cards, from the same suit or not, and will increase the base damage. This does increase the number of cards used and discarded.
Armour will stop some Base Damage, but better armour will also block conditions as well. When damage is suffered, cards are discarded from the Vital Energy deck.
Overall, the combat rules give each player tactical control and options in every fight without having to rely on the randomness of dice, but instead trying to get the very best of of his Strategy Cards. Working out if the effects of a Combat Technique and if a combo can be put together is not immediately easy and will initially slow play a fair bit. It may well be better if the cards are played openly initially until the players have a good idea of how combat works and how their Heroes’ Combat Techniques work.
Armour will stop some Base Damage, but better armour will also block conditions as well. When damage is suffered, cards are discarded from the Vital Energy deck.
Overall, the combat rules give each player tactical control and options in every fight without having to rely on the randomness of dice, but instead trying to get the very best of of his Strategy Cards. Working out if the effects of a Combat Technique and if a combo can be put together is not immediately easy and will initially slow play a fair bit. It may well be better if the cards are played openly initially until the players have a good idea of how combat works and how their Heroes’ Combat Techniques work.
How does magic work?
Magic involves power transmitted by the dormant archangel Krystallia or the dark forces of the Demon King and comes in various elements: Darkness, Earth, Fire, Ice, Light, Lighting, Nature, Poison, Water, and Wind. The Gates of Krystalia Demo does not include any specific spells, and only incudes the Combat Technique ‘Beyond the Limit’ that delivers a power blast that is magic-related.
What of the Gates of Krystalia?
The world of Gates of Krystalia is lightly detailed in the Gates of Krystalia Demo. It gives a description of Krystalia, the capital and Jewel of the Kingdom of Light, with its towers of pure crystal above streets paved in quartz. It is home to a Grand Bazaar where merchants from a thousand worlds hawk their wares and a School of Magic that defies the laws of physics, whilst below, craftsmen in the Foundation work the magical forges and alchemical laboratories to keep the city running. Travellers and visitors come to the city via the dimensional portals of the Gate District where reality seems to pulse and fluctuate every time a portal opens. The city is a beacon of hope where magic and mystery foment and home to the Archangel Krystalia, the Sleeping Guardian of the kingdom of Light, who used all of her power to seal away the dark threat, the Sovereign Demon Nergal.
The Gates of Krystalia Demo also details several enemies and also equipment and potential allies. Allies develop along with the Heroes and will increase the number cards in a Hero’s Vital Energy deck. In addition to developing his Hero and possible Allies, a player can develop a home and visit places such as saunas and spas to relax and recover.
One point of controversy is the set of six sample allies. Not that they are all female, but rather that collectively they are called the ‘The Hero’s Harem’. This is at odds with the tone and style of the rest of the book and the actual meaning of the word, and is a poor choice of wordage.
Yes. The Gates of Krystalia Demo is not a quick-start or demonstration of the full roleplaying game in the traditional sense. There are no sample Heroes and no ready-to-play scenario. It is better described as a showcase that provides the Deux and her Heroes with a taste of the roleplaying game rather than providing them with anything to play.
Is it easy to prepare?
No. The Gates of Krystalia Demo does not have content that can be prepared quickly or easily. The Deux will need to write a scenario and the players create Heroes.
Is it worth it?
Yes. That though, is a qualified ‘Yes’. The Gates of Krystalia Demo does give the reader a good feel for the rules, especially the tactical nature of the combat rules, but the setting description is light and whilst there is content enough that a Deux could run a session or two using the Gates of Krystalia Demo, it will take effort upon the part of Deux to develop it into something playable.s
There a lot to like about the Discworld: Adventures in Ankh-Morpork Quickstart. It is simple and straightforward, the rules are very easy to grasp and allow for a lot of player input and Trait twisting in light, narrative fashion. ‘Up in Smoke’ is a solid scenario and the pre-generated Player Characters are all nicely, nicely done. The Discworld: Adventures in Ankh-Morpork Quickstart really is one of the easiest of quick-starts to run and play.
The Discworld: Adventures in Ankh-Morpork Quickstart. is published by Modiphius Entertainment and is available to download here.
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