BABS
A downloadable techpack
This is a #techpack created for Tech Jam #2: Tactics .
CW: reference to violence
BABS stands for But And Because So and is a method for resolving conflict in tabletop roleplaying games. It requires no components, instead relying on a simple conversational back-and-forth between player and GM (or player and player). It incorporates elements of problem-solving, narrative improvisation and negotiation.
BABS is not limited to combat but can be used for any situation when the outcome is uncertain. Its aim is to create playful and unexpected gameplay situations where players feel like they have more autonomy. Players and GMs are encouraged to make full use of their fictional surroundings/situation.
Here’s a twitter thread about BABS: https://twitter.com/valleyofalfred/status/1424362953386741763?s=21
This work is licensed under Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) meaning you are free to build upon it commercially so long as you provide appropriate credit to "BABS by Alfred Valley".
If you do use BABS in something you make, please do let me know – I'd love to see it! Please consider leaving me a tip.
Download
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Development log
- 1.2 - minor changesAug 08, 2021
Comments
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BABS is a technique for resolving things that would normally be rolls in a ttrpg with conversation instead.
The PDF is two pages, with the cover on one and the rules on the other. The game's soft colors and decompressed text make it a little tricky to read smoothly, but it has a clear aesthetic and feels visually coherent.
BABS' technique is simple and elegant. You attempt an action, the person you're acting against adds a qualifier to your action, you add a qualifier to that qualifier, etc, until you've both had some say over how the action will resolve.
It's a little bit like Polaris' you-can-do-anything-at-a-price system, and I suspect it might be an amazing resolution tool for larps or other games that want to resolve rolls without breaking out of the story.
Overall, this is a cool technique, and if you're interested in ttrpg design or storytelling tech I definitely recommend checking it out.
Neat. Mechanically + visually. 10/10