The Bodhana Group, a non-profit organisation dedicated to using tabletop games for therapeutic practice, has teamed up with Onyx Path Publishing to release a new tabletop roleplaying game. Branch Riders is available now in both PDF and hardcover formats.
The release marks a significant expansion for the organisation, moving from advocating for applied gaming to publishing a standalone system explicitly designed to achieve those goals. While the game is built on a fast, flexible engine suitable for casual play, it also includes specific guidance on using the system in clinical and educational settings.
The premise of the game casts players as the titular Branch Riders. In this setting, characters are adventurers who can travel between eight distinct realms, or “branches”. These worlds are separated to contain a malevolent force known as the Blight.
The narrative tension arises from the Blight’s attempts to infiltrate these eight realms and the dimensional Nexus that connects them. The players’ goal is to identify, understand, and neutralise these threats. To add a layer of mechanical and narrative complexity, the identity and mission of the Riders must remain secret; revealing them risks tearing the protective curtain between worlds and unleashing the Blight fully.
The core rulebook contains the game system, details on the eight game worlds, and a sample mission. Crucially, it dedicates sections to advice for both new and experienced gamers, as well as the aforementioned therapeutic applications.
The Bodhana Group elaborated on their philosophy regarding game design:
The Bodhana Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates the use of tabletop gaming as a directed therapeutic and clinical practice that can benefit personal growth as well as enhance social and educational services to individuals and families. We believe that the inherent benefit one gets from playing games can be focused and utilized to make one better.”
Alongside the core book, Onyx Path Publishing has released Branch Riders Condition Cards. These serve as a visual aid for the system’s damage and status mechanics. The cards are designed to slot onto character sheets, allowing players and Game Masters to track states such as “Hurt”, “Wounded”, or “Gripped” at a glance. The deck also includes Edges, positive conditions that can buffer against incoming damage.
Quick Links
- Branch Riders: DriveThruRPG.
