Tacticians of Ahm: Tactical Roleplaying

--- UPDATE #3 FT. RULEBOOK V0.9 OUT NOW! ---

Tacticians of Ahm is a tactical combat-focused tabletop roleplaying game in the corrupt3d fantasy world of Ahm. A bit-rotten blight has appeared in the Northern Sea and from it flows the Corrupt1on, fractured light and shattered shapes sowing chaos across the realm. As Tacticians, you alone are prepared to face the darkness spreading across the lands and reunite the scattered peoples of Ahm.

Unique Elements of Tacticians of Ahm:

• Always-hit, set-damage grid-based combat!
• Class-specific attack patterns, abilities, and more!
• Easy-to-use weapon and ability diagrams!
• Rules light out-of-combat play using a single d20!
• A digital fantasy world corrupting with age!
  • You know it's a video game, but your characters don't!

If videos are more your speed, check out this quick (but slightly mechanically outdated) introduction to the game:

Inspired by video games like Into the Breach, Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem, Tacticians of Ahm was created out of a desire to maintain the rewarding tactical choices and big dramatic moments of traditional grid-n-minis TTRPG combat without slowing the pace of play by removing as many of the frustrating aspects of play as possible and streamlining the rest. Combat is fast and furious! You can always easily read your abilities, know the damage you will do (and when you can do it), and more. For a more in-depth look, check out the Example of Play below!

This is a 100-page EARLY ACCESS version of the Tacticians of Ahm rulebook, a 37-page EARLY ACCESS starter adventure, AND a 26-page EARLY ACCESS setting book all featuring basic layout and little art. As such, everything within these covers is subject to change. It contains all of the rules and guidance players and game masters need to play their own adventures in the shattered empire of Ahm.

Tacticians of Ahm currently includes:

• Rulebook: Tactician's Textbook and Gamemaster's Guidebook
  
  • 4 Classes
  • 40+ Abilities
  • 20+ Unique Enemies
  • 30 Magic Items
  • 40 Corrupt1on Effects
  • GM Guidance: Building Battles, Building Enemies
  • Digital Character Sheets
• Starter Adventure: Early Graduation
  
  • Takes Tacticians from Level 1 to Level 3+!
  • 5 Bespoke Battles!
  • 2 New Enemies!
  • 1 New Region of Ahm!
  • GM Tips!
• Setting Book: The Ahmian Almanac
  • 5 Major Points of Interest!
    
  • 20 Calls for Aid!
  • A new Class!
  • 11 Abilities!
  • 2 Enemies!
  • 2 Powerful Relics!
  • 2 Factions!
  • 1 Specialty Shop!
  • 4 Characters!

PURCHASING NOW GETS YOU ALL FUTURE DIGITAL CORE GAME UPDATES (INCLUDING THE RULEBOOK, CAMPAIGN BOOK, AND SETTING BOOK FROM EARLY ACCESS TO FINAL ART AND LAYOUT COMPLETE FORM)!

• Update #3 (NOW): $20 USD
• Update #4 (approx. 3/25): $25 USD

Purchase currently includes PDF and ePub versions of the core rulebook, starter adventure, and setting book as well as printer-friendly character sheets.

WHY ITCHFUNDING? 

Financially, Itchfunding helps offset a portion of the risk inherent to a project like this by allowing me to raise funds up front for more art (by Helena Santana), expert editing (by Jarret Crader), and professional layout (by Jean Verne) while also letting you experience the core game now and come along for the ride as it grows in the future (all for a lower-than-final retail price)! For more information on my plans for the continued growth of Ahm, see the full Development Roadmap below.

EXAMPLES OF PLAY

COMBAT: Tacticians of Ahm's defining mechanics are in its streamlined tactical combat. Let's look at Acheron (a TL1 Human CL1 Fighter) and Settembrini (a TL1 Goatfolk CL1 Cleric) as they navigate the battlefield against 2 Goblins (EL1). This battlemap represents a lightly wooded area with a large rock on one side (the 2x2 obstacle) and two small trees (the two 1x1 obstacles). Through smart use of their abilities and focused movements, our duo of Tacticians can quickly best their foes!

Tacticians always act first. Settembrini has the highest speed among the Tacticians (at Speed 4) so he takes the first turn. He uses his full movement to reach the space immediately behind Acheron. At Cleric Level 1, Settembrini took Wrathful Blessing, allowing him to grant Acheron +1 Damage and +1 Speed (per CL) on Acheron’s next turn. Because Settembrini was able to reach the correct positioning and has not exhausted this Ability earlier in the battle, he just does it! No rolling required.

Now, the next highest speed combatant takes their turn. This would have been both of the Goblins, due to their Speed of 4, but thanks to Settembrini’s Blessing, Acheron’s Speed is now also 4. In case of ties, Tacticians always act before enemies. Acheron gets to act first!

Acheron uses his newfound Speed of 4 to reach Goblin #2 and puts himself in a position to partially protect his back and keep both enemies within his line of sight. He uses his Fighter Base Attack to deal 2 damage to Goblin #2 (1 damage for the Attack and an additional 1 damage due to the Wrathful Blessing). Goblin #2 is now down to 1 Health.

Goblin #1 (in the upper right) takes its turn first, moves 3 squares in order to face Acheron directly, and uses its Base Attack, dealing 1 Damage. Acheron is now down to 5 Health. Fighters are the heartiest starting Class.

Now, Goblin #2 takes its turn and moves directly behind Acheron! It deals a Backstab via its Base Attack, dealing 2 Damage total (1 damage for the Attack and 1 damage for the Backstab). Acheron is now down to 3 Health.

After all combatants have acted once, combat continues at the top of the next round. Settembrini, the Tactician with the highest Speed, runs up and attacks Goblin #1 with his dagger, dealing 1 damage! Goblin #1 is now down to 2 Health.

Because Wrathful Blessing wore off at the end of Acheron’s turn, he is now back to his original spot in the initiative order: Dead last! With their 4 Speed, Goblin #1 attacks him head on, dealing 1 damage. Acheron is now down to 2 Health.

Goblin #2 attacks Acheron from behind, once again triggering a Backstab. While the attack would have dealt 2 damage and brought Acheron near death, Acheron instead chooses to block 1 of the damage with his Wooden Shield, saving him from falling and keeping him at 1 Health.

At Level 1, Acheron took Lunge, allowing him to deal 2CL damage to the 3 squares directly in front of him. With clever positioning, Acheron is able to turn being surrounded into a decisive blow. He moves 2 squares, positions himself directly behind Goblin #1, and uses Lunge! Lunge deals 2 base damage for Acheron and brings down both of the Goblins in a single strike (each only having 3 Health to begin with). Although it was not necessary to win the day, Acheron even dealt an additional point of damage to Goblin #1 in the attack due to his Backstab positioning.

The Tacticians are victorious! Through a smart combination of Abilities and positioning, a dangerous battle was ended rather decisively!

In the aftermath, both Tacticians gain 1 XP for a successful battle and 1 Relationship Point with one another (for the opening Blessing and charge into the fray that made it all possible)!

NON-COMBAT: Outside of combat, Tacticians of Ahm uses a simple d20 roll-under resolution system tied with the Tactician's Aptitudes, which are augmented by their class levels, gear, and more.

If a task is within the daily skillset of a Tactician, it happens. If a task is downright impossible no matter who attempts it, it doesn't happen. In many cases, no roll is necessary, and in a typical session, rolling only infrequently occurs. Let your knowledge of the world, the characters, the gear, and the specific situation be your guide.

Only when a Tactician is attempting a task beyond their day-to-day strengths and abilities should you call for an Aptitude save. Additionally, consider if both success and failure are interesting. If only one is interesting, that is the thing that should happen (and does not need a roll). If both are interesting, call for a roll. Consider applying Advantage and Disadvantage (roll twice and take the lower or higher result, respectively) as well.

Miko attempts to, once again, make a timed explosive with a jar of gunpowder and a burning scrap of cloth. Because Mike has accomplished this task before, the GM calls for a Knowledge save at Advantage. Miko rolls a 19 and a 16, takes the lower of the two results (16, over her Knowledge score of 14) and fails. The cloth falls too close to the jar, causing an explosion. Miko takes 1 Death Pip, loses both items from her inventory, and a nearby doorway caves in under the blast.

Rolling a 1 triggers a Flashback, Ahm's version of a critical success. You succeed with aplomb, and the GM will typically grant you something additional of value (situational advantage, new information, an item, etc.). Before they do, you narrate a scene showing something your Tactician experienced in their past and how it aided them in their present success.

DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP

As a largely solo creator, Tacticians of Ahm is where I'll be spending the majority of my time going forward! I fully intend to bring this game from where it is now (a strong, very playable core) to a full-fledged TTRPG product (professional layout, bespoke art, digital tools, and more). Eventually, Tacticians of Ahm will hopefully make the jump to print via a future crowdfund, but for now, digital is the primary focus until the core package is feature complete.

Tacticians of Ahm - Core Rulebook

Although the Rulebook is currently essential rules complete, there are still several aspects that will be expanded over the rest of development.

• Expanded bestiary!
• More on multiclassing!
• Prestige classes!
• More magic items!
• More accessibility!
  • Colorblind support!
  • Alt-text image descriptions!
• Optional advanced combat rules!
  • Elevation
  • Difficult Terrain
• Sample battlemaps!
• Enemy AI for solo play!

Early Graduation - Starter Campaign Book

An introductory campaign taking Tacticians through an unexpected early graduation at the Academy and off on a quest far from The White-Walled City of Ahm and into the corrupt3d heart of the Forgotten North. Designed to take Tacticians from Class Level 1 to Class Level 4!

• The adventure continues (to Level 4, possibly even Level 5)!
• More art!
• Professional layout!

The Ahmian Almanac - Setting Book

A setting book covering the entire continent of Ahm, its various city-states, splintered nations, and the twin isles of Old Cardia. One part open-world setting book, one part mechanical supplement, and one part lore guide.

• More regions of Ahm, with their own items, factions, quest hooks, and more!
  • Old Cardia
  • The Forgotten North
  • Fogmount
  • Racon
  • Laenia
  • Delmond
• Art (including fancy world and region maps)!
• Professional layout (by Jean Verne)

HD Asset Pack - Digital Tools

• VTT tokens!
  
• Battlemaps!

Design and Writing by Christian Sorrell
Development and Editing by Jarrett Crader
Art by Helena Santana
Sample Layout by Jean Verne
Published by MeatCastle GameWare

Playtesters: Flintwyrm, Spooky Rusty, Kurt Larson, Tom Otero, Kevin Masterson, Ryan R., Sean Harkin
Alpha Readers: The Meat Grinder, watt, Matt Umland, Marco Serrano, Tim Obermueller
Many thanks to all the feedback from everyone at The Meat Grinder!