RONIN: A FIST FACTION ZINE
A downloadable FIST faction zine
In feudal Japan, the warrior class of Samurai were sworn to protect their liege lords with their lives. Those Samurai whose liege was killed suffered a great shame, and they were forced to wander the land, looking for work as hired swords or bandits. These masterless warriors were no longer referred to as Samurai, they were known by another name: Such men were called RONIN.
RONIN is a faction and utility zine for FIST inspired by the 1998 John Frankenheimer film of the same name. Western Europe becomes a deadly battleground for skilled mercenaries as a deadly game of chess is orchestrated by powers beyond simple understanding. Who can you trust and who will put a knife in your back at the first sign of trouble?
This 12 page, fully illustrated zine includes:
- A NEW ROLE AND 4 NEW TRAITS - Become a masterless RONIN and take inspiration from some classic European heavy hitters with these new character options.
- A NEW FACTION FOR THE WORLD OF FIST - Just who are the masterless RONIN? A new neutral faction to be included in your games, with 5 premade NPCs and tables to create your own.
- BRAND NEW DOWNTIME RULES - Allow players to develop their characters between missions with this brand new ruleset. Includes suggestions for players and written examples for referees.
This zine couldn't have been created without CLAYMORE's excellent work and all the wonderful people on the FIST DISCORD so make sure to head over there too. Thanks all for checking this out and I hope you enjoy!
Originally created for FIST Jam III.
Purchase
In order to download this FIST faction zine you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $2.50 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Development log
- A Print Friendly UpdateMar 03, 2023
Comments
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Ronin adds new options for both players and referees to add an action slant to a game. The new role of Ronin is the thematic anchor of this supplement.
A ronin is generally less supernatural than a typical PC but just as dangerous. Included are details of the Ronin faction, NPCs a Ronin might encounter and a few new traits that I would describe as pretty powerful.
The 2nd half of this supplement comes in the form of "Downtime" rules which players can use to pursue personal or group goals between missions. These mechanics are mostly fueled by the players giving opportunities to experience plot points and storyline that might not come naturally to a mission. It's a great tool for players that want to add depth and dimension to their personal storytelling
Whether, you want to explore the world of Ronin or are looking to add some of your own story between missions "Ronin" is recommended!
Ronin is an expansion for FIST that takes a more noir-y, spycraft-y angle.
The PDF is 9 pages, with clean, readable text, some great illustrations, and a high contrast, high white space approach to the layout. It looks sleek and bold and it's fun to scroll through.
Contents-wise, this expansion adds the Ronin Role, which lets you advance when you play up being a burned or burned out spy. It also adds a few related Traits and a faction of displaced bushi living on the margins of the modern world, plus some mechanical support for doing things during the downtime in between missions.
That said, Ronin feels very much like its own thing. Its inspiration from the '98 film of the same name, and its lower weird, lower supernatural tone make it a good match for an espionage game, but I got the feeling while reading it that it would shine even brighter as its own standalone system.
Overall, if you want to anchor your FIST game in the nuts and bolts of Soviet-era European espionage, or if you want a less fantastical and more noir tone, give Ronin a look.