Quest is a narrative-driven tabletop roleplaying game designed for accessibility and collaborative storytelling. It focuses on cinematic, exploration-driven adventures in a fantasy setting, emphasizing character customization and collaborative worldbuilding. The game distinguishes itself with simple mechanics and a focus on immersive narrative, targeting both newcomers and experienced players seeking a streamlined, story-focused experience. It removes most modifiers and rules, in favor of collaborative storytelling and spotlight sharing mechanics.
Quest is set in a world of magic and danger, encouraging players to embrace their imagination and be 'whoever you want to be'. The setting is rooted in fantasy, with elements that support wondrous treasures and exploration, and it's easy to read, play, and adapt. The game facilitates collaborative worldbuilding, allowing players to actively shape the environment they explore. This allows players to impact not just the story, but also the world itself.
The core mechanics of Quest are streamlined to prioritize narrative over complex rules. The game uses a five-tiered die result system using a d20, inspired by Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) games, but spins the table culture more akin to D&D. It omits attributes and skills, focusing instead on special abilities granted by character roles and items. Adventure Points (AP) manage the use of powers and spotlight, encouraging players to strategically use their abilities. Combat is straightforward, with a focus on special abilities and magic items to differentiate characters and encounters. The game emphasizes that mundane items should not be tracked.
Quest distinguishes itself with its accessibility and focus on narrative. It intentionally avoids complex rules and modifiers, making it easier for new players to learn. The game's layout and document design enhance readability and ease of use. The character creation process emphasizes inspiration and storytelling over rules, providing players with a framework to build interesting characters. Furthermore, its design makes it suitable for streaming, with an emphasis on cool abilities and character creation that translates well for audience-driven play. The game also focuses on interesting inventory, and encourages GMs to focus on adventure instead of shopping trips.
Quest is targeted towards both newcomers to tabletop roleplaying games and experienced players seeking a streamlined, narrative-focused experience. It aims to be welcoming and accessible, offering a good shot at becoming the definitive RPG for first-time players. The game's collaborative worldbuilding and character customization options provide players with a sense of ownership and agency. The player experience is designed to be cinematic and exploration-driven, with a focus on collaborative storytelling and meaningful choices.
The users appreciate the product for being an excellent primer for designing quests. However, they express a desire for coverage on third-party maps, such as Lost Maps, and guidance on handling outdoor encounters. They also raise concerns about the lack of a PDF version of the product.
Compare Quest with other great ttrpg games.
Both Monster of the Week and Quest center around adventurous narratives, but they differ significantly in play style and mechanics, with Monster of the Week using the Powered by the Apocalypse system to emphasize collaborative storytelling in supernatural settings, while Quest focuses on streamlined rules and engaging mechanics that encourage quick gameplay and ease of access. For example, in Monster of the Week, players uncover clues and utilize specific playbooks with unique abilities tied to their characters' backgrounds, whereas Quest simplifies character options and uses a more direct approach to actions and outcomes.
Dungeon World and Quest both emphasize narrative-driven gameplay and collaborative worldbuilding, making them accessible to players seeking immersive storytelling. However, while Dungeon World employs Powered by the Apocalypse mechanics with a focus on class-based character development and traditional fantasy tropes, Quest offers a more streamlined system that prioritizes quick play and flexibility, such as its singular set of success or failure outcomes rather than the diverse move triggers in Dungeon World.
Old-School Essentials and Quest both provide rich fantasy experiences, but they differ in play style and mechanics; while Old-School Essentials emphasizes exploration, resource management, and traditional class-based systems reminiscent of early RPGs, Quest features a more narrative-driven approach with streamlined mechanics and a focus on collaborative storytelling. For example, Old-School Essentials requires players to track resources meticulously, such as torches and rations, while Quest simplifies resource management, allowing for a more fluid and character-driven gameplay experience.
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