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I'm a huge fan of Low Fantasy Gaming's approach to blending modern and classic TTRPG conventions, so it was natural that I would want to give Lowlife a shot when I learned that it had been released. Besides stoking mine and my group's interest in a cyberpunk setting (I'm personally always looking for settings and systems where I can play an addled Wizard type character in a more modern setting), Lowlife takes many of the best elements of LFG and blends them with many of the best elements of games like Cyberpunk RED.
Character creation is streamlined and the randomness injected into it makes it feel organic, along with a broad selection of special features to diversify PCs away from their most basic class abilities. The addition of cyberware and other physical augmentation (potentially random spells and potent imbuements for mages and exarchs) allows PCs both create and individual identity while also being adequately prepared for Lowlife's generally merciless combat encounters. In a setting and system where anything that's not a monster has the potential to be downed in one-shot by the right weapon, the augmentations and special abilities give PCs the edge they need to survive, even though they won't always.
Lowlife, like it's predecessor in LFG, is also fairly light and easy to get accustomed to. The GM tools can be a little unwieldy at times, especially when it comes to networking rolls and obtaining items, but Lowlife does its best to slim those features down into a relatively easy-to-swallow downtime cycle. Moreover, the cumbersome nature of these tools comes from their utility, to some extent, with tables and random rules injecting some chaos into the game and giving GMs new encounters, NPCs, and happenstance to build adventures with.
My group and I recently began playing, and found quite a bit of old comfort mixed in with plenty of new elements to keep our game fresh. Lowlife 2090 is a great choice for GMs and players who like deadly encounters mixed with a large dose of old school Dungeons and Dragons randomness, with a good balance of crunch and fluff and a gameplay loop that is both punishing and rewarding.
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Why aren’t you playing this game? It’s got guns, cybernetics, computers, drones, vehicles, street drugs, street thugs, between-mission activities, and a flushed-out city to get in trouble in. Did I mention it had guns? It does, and not the vanilla kind like some of those RED games. This is double-action, full-auto, named hardware. You want magic? You want elves? You want dragons? It’s got that too, except these rules don’t require a PhD to decipher, and strength and armor mean something here. Speaking of rules; do you play D&D or Pathfinder? Then you practically already know how to play!
This supplement adds MORE, and it’s FREE! They could’ve charged money for this. It’s a LOT more useful than the DLC put out by the other “cyberpunk” game. You can actually use this stuff in your game NOW! It’s also free.
Why aren’t you playing this again?
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It doesn't add much to a GM's workload, and I find it very useful for keeping hirelings simple but still memorable.
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The description for Mass Battle Toolkit is very accurate as to what it's for, providing tables for generating situations, an easy-to-use system for unit combat, and how players can affect the battle in a quantifiable way.
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I got interested in this product after watching a YouTube page through by Mr Mean Speaks. Anyway, I liked the look of the art and layout, so did a little more research. The idea of Cyberpunk (and Sorcery) system/setting that allowed quick character generation (but still had a lot of depth) was very appealing, and the setting gives you just enough "spark" to inspire but enough room to make it your own.
The rules are clear and fantastic, the art is great, the tone of the writing is just right and there is simply just a lot to love about this game! I am very happy with my purchase and it has already seen table time, which is the biggest praise I can give it really.
The only negative I think I can really say is, I think the layout of the cyberpunk enhancements and modifications is a little confusing, but it's nothing that you don't get used to after a few look ups.
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Lowlife 2090 is the "sleeper hit" of 2021. It takes the best parts of D&D 5e and converts it into a gritty, fast and stylish cyberpunk ttrpg. Your characters aren't going to be OP superheroes here. Weapons will kill you... and fast, if you're not smart and quick. Yes, there's magic, but it's not that benevolent. Fail a casting check and you could open a rift and release an unexpected monster, grow a beard of tentacles, or drive yourself mad among other maladies. Hacking is not a mini-game. It's quick and simple, and you can actually do those things that you do in those video games. You know, those things that you can't do in the other cyberpunk ttrpgs of the same names.
I purchased both the pdf and hardback. The book is only 322 pages, but none of it is wasted space. There's little fluff here. You get your money's worth with charts, a decent armory and collection of named weapons and cybernetics, vehicles, drones, drugs, weapon customizations, gear, and spells. You get a full bestiary, along with rules on how to customize and create your own adversaries. Did I mention vehicles? This game actually has detailed vehicle combat that's fast and easy (like your mom). There are even rules for what characters do between missions and on their downtime.
Charcter creation can be done in minutes - armed, armored, and cyber-up'd - ready to take on the man. There is a fleshed-out city, but one of the best parts of this game is that it's not bound to any meta-plot. In fact, if you wanted to use these rules to substitute another cyberpunk game (maybe the one that has elves and dragons, or maybe the one that doesn't) it's completely adaptable. You don't like magic? Toss everything supernatural out you still have a solid cyberpunk game.
I can go on and on, but for $20 you're getting a lot for that price. IMO, it's one of the better cyberpunk games out there, and if you're into this genre it definitely should be in your library.
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This is one of the first cyberpunk RPG's where I've seen "gritty" without excessive levels of complexity. Characters are made quickly, but still are characterful. Skills are simple, but provide a LOT of flexibility in their use. And the setting is concise, but enough to start whole campaigns. Balancing all these things that would normally be mutually exclusive was a rather masterful act.
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For the studend surpasses the teacher series, Low Fantasy Gaming (now available in a superb revised edition!) is what the (once beloved) 5e should have been.
LFG takes the best out of the modern WotC discoveries and makes them work a lot, lot better. Not only it is more hackable and modular: this game feels a lot more entertaining and better explained. While 5e completely fails (to me at least!) to provide actual modularity (adding it "closed box options" which add starting features, but is actually limited in scope), this game is all about good old school feel with a lot of modern touches we all love.
Rests are perfectly managed, the unified Luck Roll is a lovely reference to the original game and the amount of available customisation options (like the 3-6-9-12 feature) are actually helpful, funny and easy to grasp. Combat can be as crunchy as you need, going from "tell and roll" maneuvering to actual grid based tactics, with effortless transition.
What I love the most about this 1e is the complete absence of hybrids: Magic-Users handle magic. That's it. You can add stuff through the above mentioned optional features, but that's all you get and it requires some actual effort. Magic feels powerful and dangerous while keeping it consistent with the other parts of the system, obviously "Mundane centered" in terms of flavor. Anything magical feels... magical and that's 4 stars alone.
I would have completely removed any "meter-feet" reference for a fluid zone based system, but that's a minor complaint and it's easily hackable. I understand the need of keeping things consistent with other iteractions of the game.
I NEVER review games I don't like, so it's not a mystery I only give high votes. 5 stars and thanks for writing games.
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Excellent bare-bones mechanism for old school sword and sorcery role play gaming without the world overlay present in other available systems. Allows you to build your world and tell your story without having to bring in ectraneous elements.
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For the past few days, I have soloed my way through Little Trouble in Big Absalom (Pathfinder 2.0). It is a fun 18 page English fantasy kobold adventure available at Paizo.com for free. It is designed for a Dungeon Master and several players. There are two maps and five characters to use (and I did use them). I used a solo engine so that I could solo my way through this adventure. For my first attempt I did use the Pathfinder 2.0 rules. What a disaster. My characters made it 27% into the module and then four of the five got poisoned with persistent damage. They retreated but only two of them made it back to their base alive. So, my solution was to try a different game system. I picked out Low Fantasy Gaming Original (the free version). This worked out much better. The bard did catch a nasty disease. Damage was healed by the druid and magic user. After Part 1, they were able to retreat a bit and have the bard cured of his disease. It was during Part 2 that they met Jacques the frogman. He was speaking with a French accent. The kobolds only understood half of what he was saying. They called him "Socks". Jacques did not like that. All five kobolds did survive and they are considered heroes by their tribe members. Give Low Fantasy Gaming a try. There are good times to be had , , ,
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I strongly recomend this game. The designers have added a number of unique features that make this more than a retro clone. My favorite is the D20 re-roll pool.
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Best D&D varient out their in my opinion. The low magic, gritty combat system is just what I was looking for. The minor and major exploits simplifies complicated special circumstance rules and with sacrificing any of the options. the party rescue mechanic should incorparted in all games. Chase mechanic, mass combat, all excellent rules... Spells with flavour and mystery cant praise it enough...
Beutiful well made book (I got the print and PDF)
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