Neoquest: The Tabletop Game

     Following the massive resurgence of Dungeons & Draiks, game designers at Lenny’s Of The Kikoast are releasing a new edition of the long-defunct NeoQuest Role Playing Game series, this time in the form of a pen and paper, tabletop roleplaying game. As part of early promotional material, the basic rules have been compiled for playtesting. We encourage beta testers to send all feedback to our offices:

     Lenny’s of the Kikoast

     721 Barge Road

     Kiko Lake, Neopia

     BASIC MECHANICS /

     In order to play NeoQuest: The Tabletop Game, you will require the following:

     1 Game Master,

     2-4 Players,

     at least 2 six-sided die (d6),

     and Token Markers (or neocoints, buttons, or even just a piece of paper and a pencil!)

     In addition, all Players are encouraged to come prepared with Character Lookups for their hero of choice. Game Masters may also be interested in purchasing our companion books, The Game Master’s Guide To Greatness (2500NP) and our introductory pre-written adventure module, The Lost Shield of Faerieland (2500NP) available at your local bookshops!

     At its core, NeoQuest: TTG is about overcoming obstacles, defeating your enemies, and earning treasure. All of this is done through a mechanic known as Rolling. To roll, one simple tosses two d6 into the air and calculates the total. After rolling, you may add the relevant Ability Score to that rolled number. If the total result is higher than your opponent’s, you win the round. If it is lower, you lose the round — and may face consequences.

     Opponents need not be other Neopets — it could be locked doors or spring-loaded traps inside of pirate caves. For these sorts of obstacles, the Game Master will typically set a Difficulty Score to overcome it, rather than rolling dice in a contest.

      ABILITY SCORES /

     Similar to the Neopets Trading Card Game, NeoQuest: TTG utilizes four basic abilities to determine a hero’s strengths and weaknesses. They are as follows:

     Strength measures the physical adeptness of a Neopet. It can often be augmented by finding powerful Battledome Equipment in treasure chests. Strength does not always mean big and scary: even a tiny Flotsam can possess strength that rivals a great Grarrl — it all comes down to how you wield it!

     Agility measures the quickness of a Neopet. By finding the appropriate Battledome Attire, you can improve your speeds. Agility also helps with sneaking around and actions that require deft and cunning. If you’re looking to use a lockpick to open a chest, agility will benefit you most!

     Magic measures a Neopet’s innate magical power. This can be improved by finding Bottled Faeries to better your connection to the various elements. While all Neopets possess the ability to do magic, some may not practice it while others will dedicate their lives to honing this ability!

     Intelligence measures a Neopet’s wits and knowledge. In order to better your intelligence, locate Rare Tomes full of hidden secrets to solve problems. Intellect allows a Neopet to better understand the history of the places they are in, devise strategies to victory, and even solve Lenny’s Conundrum without delay!

     All Neopets possess at least a 0 in each of these abilities, as a zero represents “average” ability in a particular ability.. Heroes — that is to say, Neopets being played in NeoQuest — likely have more. Choosing which abilities to focus on is an important part of character creation in the game, as other abilities can be trained later — but it will take considerable time and resources!

      CREATING YOUR HERO /

     When creating new Heroes for NeoQuest, it is important to consider three key features: what Type of Neopet you wish to play, what abilities they possess, and what their Goals are. Together, these will help craft your hero’s story and provide your Game Master the groundwork to create a fun and interesting adventure for your characters to embark upon.

      TYPE

     Your Neopet’s Type determines where it makes its home. There are currently three terrain types to choose from: Earth, Water, and Air. While all Neopets can walk on land, those who prefer to fly or swim may be native to a different habitat.

     A Neopet may receive a small bonus of +1 to their abilities when that ability is being used in their native habitat. So, an Eyrie performing a spell may have a 3 ability score in Magic. If he was casting Magic in the skies above Faerieland, he would instead add 4 to his roll, whereas a Jubjub with a 5 Strength ability would not receive a bonus while battling underwater.

     For a quick primer of which Neopets exist natively in which Habitats, we’ve compiled a list. However, it is important to remember that some Neopets may not have been raised like others of their species. Keep in mind that some Elephante can fly, while some Acara may not live by the sea! Your Hero’s origins are your own!

     Earth: Jubjub, Kau, Aisha, Chia, Kacheek, Lupe, Elephante, Mynci, Kyrii, Zafara, Techo, Moehog, Cybunny, Kougra, Grundo, Chomby, Ixi, Yurble, Origin, Gnorbu

     Air: Scorchio, Skeith, Korbat, Lenny, Eyrie, Buzz, Shoyru, Pteri, Draik, Hissi, Vandagyre

     Water: Nimmo, Bruce, Kiko, Flotsam, Jetsam, Peophin, Acara, Koi, Krawk, Bori, Lutari

      ABILITIES

     All Neopet Heroes begin at Level 1. They gain new levels at the conclusion of an adventure. At Level 1, when creating your character, you can assign up to 7 Ability Points across the four possible abilities. This can be in any combination, however, you cannot go below 0 nor can you go above 5 in any one ability.

     A magic-wielding Aisha may choose to assign 0 points to Strength and Agility, 5 points to Magic, and 2 points to Intelligence. A sneaky Kyrii may choose to assign 1 point to Strength, 4 points to Agility, 0 points to Magic, and 2 points to Intelligence. You may choose to be as well-rounded — or as specialized! — as you’d like.

     When assembling a party of adventuring heroes, it is wise to have a well-balanced party! It will ensure that you can rise to any challenge that may come your way.

     When levelling up, you may add 1 additional ability point to any of the four abilities. You may also go beyond 5 points in an ability when levelling up — that restriction is only for first-level Heroes! After that, the upper cap is 10 Points in any ability.

     We recommend a level cap at 10th level — but your heroes may grow to even higher heights! The game may just no longer be as well-balanced for that style of play. Make your own rules and have fun!

      GOALS

     It is important to set goals for your Hero — otherwise, why are they risking their lives in the first place? Their goals can be something simple — finding a mythical treasure said to be hidden in Shenkuu — to something more personal — like rescuing their little sister from the evil Dr. Sloth.

     When an adventuring party comes together, these goals will chart their journey. They may all align to a single task or may require time to achieve them all, travelling from place to place to gain the strength needed to succeed.

     Work with your Game Master to determine your Hero’s goals. Once decided, they will give your character a Special Item unique to them that adds a bonus to one ability of their choice.

     For example, Chiara the Kyrii is a rogue treasure hunter who wants to find the Lost Treasure of Mystery Island before her former pirate crew does. The Game Master has decided to give her a Piece Of a Treasure Map that adds +1 to her Intelligence ability. Or they could give her a dagger belonging to her former Captain, which adds +1 to her Strength.

     This Special Item is unique to Chiara’s story and goals and has a sentimental attachment to the Hero that further makes them unique. When their goal is complete, they might replace this special item with something new that addresses their updated goals and long-term plans.

      YOUR INVENTORY /

     Items are an important part of a Hero’s journey. These take many forms and offer various types of protection. They also provide direct support in the form of Ability Bonuses. When equipped to a Hero, they add a bonus, ranging from +1 to +5, on an ability. Some rare items may even add bonuses to multiple abilities.

     A Hero may have 3 items equipped to them at any time. Unused items can be sold to vendors for Neopoints or held for a later time. The Game Master determines the power of an item, as it corresponds to rarity and strength. New adventurers might only find +1 items, while seasoned Heroes will be finding +4s more regularly.

     There are six main categories of items, each one with specific abilities:

     Battledome Equipment comes in the form of power-ups and weapons that add to a Neopet’s Strength. Heroes travelling through Terror Mountain might find a Plain Snowball (+1) or — if they’re really lucky — a Snowager Breath (+5).

     Battledome Attire are the robes, shoes, and cloaks that allow a Hero to move with more grace. They can range from Coltzan’s Necklace (+1) to an Elegant Jewelled Robe (+5).

     Bottled Faeries are boons from the various Faeries that improve a Hero’s magical aptitude. These blessings come in many forms, from a Fading Dark Faerie Bottle (+1) to a Shard of Jhudora (+5).

     Rare Tomes are books of secret knowledge that add to a Hero’s Intelligence. These could be found in old libraries or research sites, adding to the hidden understanding of Neopia, ranging from The Discovery of Lutari Island (+1) to Dr. Sloth’s Evil Plans For Evil (+5).

     Codestones are rare items that are not set to a particular ability stat. You may find codestones that raise Strength, Agility, Intelligence, or Magic. Tan Codestones typically add +1 to a given ability, Red Codestones add +2, while the ultra-rare-and-maybe-not-real Purple Codestones add a +3 to a single ability.

     Miscellaneous items are just that: they don’t fit into a defined category. Perhaps a favourite snack, a toy, or a pile of home goods — these items are made by the Game Master and can have a variety of effects. Let your imagination run wild!

      PLAYING THE GAME /

     Now that you’ve made your Hero and understand the core rules, what comes next? The Game Master will introduce you to the adventure at hand and set the scene, but where it goes depends entirely on your choices. Perhaps you want to fight your way through the Pirate Caves, or look for a hidden entrance to the King’s Throne Room. The only limit is your imagination — but remember to respect the hard work your Game Master has put into making this adventure for you!

     When your Game Master dictates a situation, think about what your Hero would do and tell them what happens next. Go back and forth, like you’re telling a story until the Game Master prompts you with a challenge.

     If you’re confronted by a trap, or a locked door, or a herd of angry Babaa, you’ll need to decide how you want to confront the problem. All four abilities might help, but some will make more sense than others — you’re encouraged to play to your strengths but also to consider what helps the most. You can use any of the abilities to try and open a locked door, but your Agility might not help you push a boulder that’s blocking your path. Unless you can think of a clever way to use an ability, find another way through your problems.

     When in combat with an enemy, you’re looking to beat their abilities in a dice-rolling contest. Coming out on top may be easy, but sometimes you might still lose. Ever rolled two 1’s? Even with a +4 in Magic, it might not help when your opponent rolled higher than 6.

     In these instances, you take 1 Point of Damage. All heroes have a total of 3 Health Points. You can find items that will increase this as time goes on, but this number otherwise remains consistent as you level up. Weak enemies (“trash mobs”) may only need to take 1 hit before going down, but Boss Battles may require anywhere between 5 and 10!

     When you hit 3 damage taken, your Hero faints and they cannot return to the fight unless they are healed. At the end of combat, all fallen allies regain 1 Hit Point and return to play. Additionally, some potions can be found to heal damage and revive a fainted ally during combat.

     If all members of a party faint, the adventure ends. Some Game Masters will ask you to make a new Hero, while others might continue the adventure with a new twist — perhaps those pirates have taken you captive and you must free yourselves!

     Combat, like all gameplay in NeoQuest, is played on a back-and-forth basis. The players have a chance to react, then the Game Master responds in turn to those decisions. Combat is quicker, and not all players will always have time to react to the situation. It is important to ensure all players are engaged and not to speak over others when they might be trying to make a move.

      STARTING YOUR ADVENTURE /

     By now, you have all the basics required to run or play your own game of NeoQuest: The Tabletop Game. Assemble your party and go treasure hunting and exploring!

     If you require more assistance, be sure to purchase various Adventuring Guides that will help you craft a story all of your own. They contain plot hooks, special items, quests, and non-playable characters for any Game Master to run their table. Check back soon for our first supplement, The Skies Beneath Brightvale, which will be provided free of charge in an upcoming issue of the Neopian Times for all players to enjoy.