Building TTRPGoblin has been wild - started as "let's help Singaporean GMs get better at admin" and somehow we're building GM superpowers now 😅

No more guessing:

Will this group mesh well? ✅
Should I explain rules in detail? ✅
Focus on roleplay or combat? ✅
Any social dynamics to consider? ✅

It's like having player intel that actually matters.

Looking at this data: 6 players, mostly Philanthropists with some Achievers and Socialisers. 2 new to me, 5 new to system, but 80% know each other. Average 5-star rating.
Lovely intel for session prep. (and I should get to prepping, I'm running #ParanoiaRPG - Stealth Train!)

I built a solution. Before every session, GMs now get a full breakdown:

- Player personality types (Achievers, Socialisers, etc.)
- Experience levels
- Who knows who
- Gaming history
Everything you need to prep the perfect session

(but also)

Movie you’ve watched more than six times using gifs.

(“Hard mode” no Star Wars, Star Trek, or LOTR)

Sharing with everyone reading this thread the story breaking this news and putting it into context:

www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...

Aaaaaaaaaaaa. Okay can.

What if, and hear me out: what if you don't actually need her to tag back in for those pieces? What if the user experience wayfinder or the hawk-eyed editor is actually better equipped to fill in those missing design gaps than lunatic poet game design priestess ever was?

Stop thinking of yourself as a game designer. You are not in game designer mode, at least not in any sense that is rewarding or interesting. Figure out what you need to be, instead, in order for this work to feel meaningful in its own right. Become that person for a while.

As you can see, nothing ground breaking. Some more:

🏯 SPIRIT PALACE (4-4): Like D&D's "Magnificent Mansion" but with a time dilation twist

🥊 WATER BUFFALO STRENGTH (1-1): Similar to "Bull's Strength" but with mind magic immunity

🌿 BETEL TRANCE (2-4): Spirit communication via ritual herbs

Simple but fun flavouring - took me all of an hour? Some of my and players' favourite spells:

🧵 BATIK BINDING (3-1): Like D&D's "Web" but using magical cloth patterns

🎭 WAYANG KULIT (2-1): Shadow puppet messengers (similar to "Unseen Servant")

Examples of reskinning - still spells you’re probably familiar with, but with Southeast Asian flavour:

"Shield" → "Durian Shell" (spiky fruit protection)

"Spider Climb" → "Naga Form" (serpent transformation)

"Unseen Servant" → "Wayang Kulit" (shadow puppets)

Key Change #4: Since I now have a much shorter spell list, I reskinned them to be particularly SEA-inspired. Also, rolling doubles (1-1, 2-2, etc.) grants exceptionally powerful spells! (since in those cases players have no other options)

Key Change #3: Switched to 2d4 instead of 2d6, making rolls quicker for faster character creation - most of the time was spent reading skills and spells (I also created a one-page char creation guide, if anyone's interested)

Key Change #2: I let players choose how to combine their dice rolls for spells (e.g., 1-3 or 3-1). Gives meaningful choice without overwhelming options.

Key Change #1: In Kala Mandala, magic is "everyday and matter-of-fact, like physics" – but my players were hesitant to use one-time scrolls. So mechanically, I've adapted #Cairn's approach to inventory and fatigue management. (but with some liberties). I love seeing players make those decisions.

I hacked (though I have no business doing so) a few things though - so here’s an overview:

- Adapted Cairn's inventory & fatigue management
- Players choose how to combine dice for spells
- Switched to 2d4 (faster character creation)
- SEA-inspired reskins + powerful doubles!