BESM (Big Eyes, Small Mouth) Fantasy; Comedy; Character Customization; Universal; Narrative-Driven; Collaborative Worldbuilding

BESM (Big Eyes, Small Mouth) is a versatile tabletop roleplaying game designed to emulate the diverse genres of anime and manga. It emphasizes character customization and narrative-driven gameplay, making it suitable for various settings from fantasy to science fiction. The game's core mechanics revolve around a point-based system and the Tri-Stat System, which allows for flexible character creation and collaborative worldbuilding. BESM aims to provide a rules-light experience that encourages player creativity and storytelling.

Theme and Setting

BESM is designed to be a multi-genre role-playing game, allowing players to explore a vast array of settings reminiscent of anime and manga. The game supports everything from high fantasy and science fiction to modern-day and historical settings. The core concept is to provide a framework that enables players to create stories in any imaginable world, with a focus on character-driven narratives and imaginative scenarios. The 'Anime Multiverse' offers a multitude of worlds that can be explored, each with its unique theme and feel. BESM provides players the freedom to adapt the setting to their preferences.

Core Mechanics and Rules

BESM utilizes the Tri-Stat System, a point-based system that allows players to customize their characters extensively. Characters are defined by three core stats: Mind, Body, and Soul. These stats, along with attributes (both positive and negative), determine a character's capabilities. The game mechanics involve rolling two six-sided dice and adding 10, then dividing the result among Mind, Body, and Soul. Character creation focuses on purchasing attributes and abilities with character points, creating a highly customizable system. The game is designed to be rules-light, ensuring that the mechanics do not overshadow the narrative.

What Makes BESM Unique

BESM's uniqueness lies in its broad genre support and emphasis on character customization. Unlike many RPGs tied to specific settings or genres, BESM can handle virtually any setting imaginable, making it a truly 'universal' system. The point-based character creation allows for detailed customization, enabling players to create characters that fit perfectly into the world they envision. Furthermore, BESM is known for its focus on narrative-driven gameplay and collaborative worldbuilding, encouraging players to contribute to the story and setting. The game's mechanics are designed to be unobtrusive, letting the story and characters take center stage.

Target Audience and Player Experience

BESM is aimed at players who enjoy anime and manga, as well as those who appreciate flexible and narrative-focused RPGs. It caters to players who value character customization and collaborative storytelling over complex rules. The game is particularly appealing to groups that enjoy creating unique characters and exploring diverse settings. Player experience in BESM is typically characterized by creativity, improvisation, and a strong emphasis on roleplaying. The relatively simple rules make it accessible to newcomers, while the depth of character customization and setting options provides experienced players with plenty of room for experimentation. BESM is well-suited for creating campaigns that blend humor, action, and drama.

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What do players think?

The reviews for BESM 4th Edition are generally positive, with users praising the reduction of point cost to character creation, the flexibility of the game, and the vast customization options. Users also appreciate the game's simplicity and the fact that it only requires two d6 for rolls. However, some users have raised concerns about the inconsistent art design, outdated references, and garish color choices. There are also technical issues with the PDF version, such as the text appearing white on a white background in Adobe Acrobat and issues with the Table of Contents navigation. Some users are eagerly awaiting the physical release and expansions, while others are curious about the differences between this edition and previous ones, and whether genre source-books are planned for the 4th Edition.

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Related TTRPG Games

Compare BESM (Big Eyes, Small Mouth) with other great ttrpg games.

Monster of the Week

Monster of the Week and BESM (Big Eyes, Small Mouth) both emphasize storytelling and character development but differ significantly in play style and mechanics. While Monster of the Week leverages the narrative-driven, investigation-focused mechanics of the Powered by the Apocalypse system to create a horror-themed, team-based experience where players confront supernatural threats, BESM embraces a more flexible and rules-light approach tailored for anime-inspired adventures, focusing on character customization and dynamic combat. For example, Monster of the Week utilizes playbooks that define archetypal hunters with specific abilities and weaknesses, whereas BESM allows players to build characters with unique traits across a wide range of genres, encouraging broader creative expression.

FATE

Both FATE and BESM (Big Eyes, Small Mouth) embrace character customization and narrative-driven gameplay, but they differ significantly in their mechanics and play style; FATE emphasizes streamlined, narrative-focused rules that prioritize storytelling and roleplaying, while BESM offers a more traditional, point-based system that leans towards tactical combat and anime-inspired themes. For example, in FATE, players create unique character aspects that influence the story, whereas in BESM, players can spend points to enhance stats and abilities, leading to a more structured and tactical gameplay experience.

Dungeon World

Dungeon World and BESM (Big Eyes, Small Mouth) both emphasize narrative and collaborative storytelling but diverge significantly in their mechanics and play styles. While Dungeon World uses the Powered by the Apocalypse system with a focus on class-based characters and exploration-driven gameplay, BESM leans towards flexible, rules-light mechanics that cater to a wide range of genres, emphasizing character customization and point-based systems; for example, Dungeon World relies on moves and dice rolls to resolve conflicts, whereas BESM allows players to create and tailor their characters' abilities using a more straightforward resource allocation system.

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