It is a delight to dive into the charmingly grubby world of Goblin, a solo RPG designed by Wojciech Rosiński with layout and illustrations by Jacek Kuziemski. This prototype version, currently building momentum for a Kickstarter campaign for Misbehave from Hexy Studio, offers a punchy, self-contained adventure where you take on the role of a lone goblin attempting to restore glory to the Goblin Woods.
Setting and Narrative
The story begins on a “sickly sunny day” when vicious gnomes swarmed the Goblin Woods and slew the Goblin King. His crown, the greatest of all goblin hats, was shattered into seven fragments and scattered across the depths of the forest. Players step into the green skin of a survivor living in a ramshackle village protected only by a stench foul enough to ward off elves and men. The goal is simple but evocative: reunite the shards, banish the gnomes, and restore joy to the woods.
System and Mechanics
Goblin utilises an original, lightweight d6-based system centred on three primary attributes: Stabbyness, Sneakyness, and Spellyness. Most tasks are resolved by rolling a d6 and adding the relevant attribute to meet or exceed a target number. Combat is handled as a Stabbyness test against an enemy’s strength; success deals damage, while failure means the goblin takes a hit instead. A standout feature is the currency: Goblins trade in “Teeth,” which are knocked out of enemies during successful combat encounters.
Character Generation and Advancement
Creating your goblin is a swift process, involving either rolling or distributing values of +1, 0, and -1 across your attributes. Health is determined by a d6+4 roll. Before setting out, players choose a starting hat that provides a unique mechanical benefit, such as the Tin Hat, which protects against maximum damage rolls. As you recover crown fragments, you can return to the village to select boons, such as increasing attributes or gaining the ability to reroll dice when looting teeth.
The Map and Exploration
The game is played on a hex-based map featuring distinct locations such as the Gnomish Village, the Wizard’s Tower, and the Swamp. Movement is governed by the goblin’s “defective attention span,” meaning you resolve one action in a hex before darting off to the next. Some locations offer unique mini-games; for example, the Cave requires players to draw their own map as they explore procedurally generated rooms.
Equipment and Magic
The shop at the “Fat Goblin’s store” provides essential gear, from “Stabbers on a Stick” to “Stinky Potions”. For those wise enough to find a Pointy Hat, the Secret Page unlocks “Necropeserpentry” and other spells. Magic often requires specific items to cast.
Bestiary
The woods are crawling with “vile Gnomes” and dangerous beasts. Enemies range from the “Notoriously Mean Goose,” which is so mean that your attacks can automatically fail, to “Low-level adventurers” like Warriors and Wizards who carry loot but pose a significant threat to a lone goblin.
Quick Links
- Kickstarter: Misbehave
