Line #34 TabletopGame/MaidRPG


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maidrpgscreenshot.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:250:From left: [[RobotMaid EB II]], [[CuteMonsterGirl Hizumi]], and [[LovableSexManiac Yugami]].]]
3	->''"When it comes down to it, Maid RPG is a goddamn weird game."''
4	-->-- '''Ewen Cluney''', the translator.
5
6	''Maid RPG'' is a TabletopGame created by Creator/RyoKamiya in 2004, and brought into English in 2008 by Ewen Cluney and Diamond Sutra. It revolves around the {{Anime}} concept of [[{{Meido}} maids]], and [[ServantTropes all its related tropes]]. The setting could be anywhere, from fantasy to present-day to cyberpunk to space, as long as there are the Maids (players), the Master (the {{GMPC}}), and the Mansion (where the adventures take place).
7
8	Players choose their character name and age, and roll for everything else. Apart from their Attributes, however, they may reroll anything they want (with the GM's permission), or simply pick and choose from the tables directly. However, the most fun is had when you are forced to randomly generate everything, as the results are often the funniest part of the game.
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10	The English website can be found [[http://www.maidrpg.com/index.shtml here.]]
11
12	The original core rulebook is less than 40 pages, but two expansions containing optional rules, ''Koi Suru Maid'' (Maids in Love) and ''Yume Miru Maid'' (Dreaming Maids) were released in 2005. The English version puts them all together into a book over two hundred pages long. The rules are presented with example skits featuring [[CuteMonsterGirl Demon Maid Hizumi]], [[LovableSexManiac Perverted Maid Yugami]], and [[AuthorStandIn Ryo Kamiya]] himself. Later optional rules include commentary from [[LesbianVampire Mistress Nejiri]], [[RobotMaid EB II]], and [[BadAssOldGuy Y]].
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14	Has the distinction of being the first Japanese tabletop RPG ever to be officially brought to the West.
15
16	Though there is little to no inhibition to playing as TheLoonie like few other TTRPGS, it still allows itself to retain dark, dramatic, romantic, or horror-esque capabilities.
17
18	This game is also notable in that nearly any anime trope you can think of (especially character-related ones) are built into the rules somehow.
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20	There are a few games of ''Maid RPG'' going on in the Website/TVTropes forum - by Tropers, for Tropers! Look for Maid games in [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/conversations.php?topic=000000000000000000000514 the "Role Playing Signups"]] or [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/conversations.php?topic=0000000000000000000005i9 "Role Playing Discussions"]] fora.
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22	See also other works of Ryo Kamiya. The more violent ''{{TabletopGame/Nechronica}}'' and the more heart-warming ''TabletopGame/GoldenSkyStories''.
23	----
24	!!Provides examples of:
25
26	* ActionGirl: Most Maids are these by default.
27	* AnachronismStew: Robots, spaceships, guns, bazookas, etc, all still work perfectly fine in [[TheWildWest Wild West]]/[[JidaiGeki Edo]]/[[MedievalEuropeanFantasy Medieval]] periods. On the opposite end, space age, cyber networks, and alternate planets still have a great supply of [[ArchaicWeaponForAnAdvancedAge medieval swords and katanas]].
28	* AndYourRewardIsClothes: You work hard to please your master in all capacities, and one of the things you can spend Favor on? Clothes! However, they aren't mere {{Cosmetic Award}}s; all of them have gameplay effects of some kind.
29	* ArmorIsUseless: Armor is one of the aforementioned ability changing clothes your character can have. Although it does grant some protection in combat, [[AmusingInjuries characters without it are actually safer from harm]] [[KilledOffForReal than characters with it.]] Unless it's [[ChainmailBikini Bikini Armor.]]
30	* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: Several different whatevers, from giant killer robots to space monsters to [[{{Sizeshifter}} maids.]]
31	* AuthorAvatar[=/=]AuthorStandIn: Kamiya.
32	* BattleButler: All butlers created with the optional rules tend towards this by default. Y is this from the start, though he doesn't tend to do much.
33	* {{BFS}}: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Big-Ass Anime Sword]] item.
34	* BitingTheHandkerchief: In one of the example roleplays under Seduction, Yugami is seen biting the handkerchief over the fact that Hizumi is being seduced by the Mistress again.
35	* {{Bowdlerize}}: A few (''[[Administrivia/TropesAreTools extremely]]'' [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools well-advised]]) examples. See PragmaticAdaptation below. Interestingly enough, this is actually something that the Kamiya himself begged Cluney to do.
36	* ButtMonkey: Kamiya isn't exactly well-liked, despite how he wrote everyone into existence. Hizumi gets to suffer a lot as well, usually at Yugami's hands.
37	* ChainsawGood: One of the possible weapons.
38	* ChandlersLaw: The Random Events tables run on this.
39	* ClingyJealousGirl: Yugami Aino. ''"Waaaah! My sempai is sullied!"''
40	* ClothesMakeTheSuperman: The Costume Change special rules allow the maid to wear other sets of clothes or uniforms, gaining the abilities of the relevant profession in the process.
41	* ClothingDamage: If a maid loses/dirties/damages any part of her uniform (but ''especially'' the frilly headdress), she gets penalties to her rolls. This is cumulative, and lead to DefeatByModesty.
42	* CoolOldGuy: Y, well past his prime, is more than capable of kicking ass with a pistol and a katana!
43	* CornerOfWoe: Kamiya is implied to wander into one after the maids confirm that he's a pervert.
44	* {{Crossdresser}}: Possible character traits are "Actually A Guy" for maids, and "A Girl" for butlers. Masters have "Crossdresser" as a possible special quality as well.
45	* CulturalTranslation: The English version replaces all references to Neo-Nazis with Japanese Imperialists, [[KeepItForeign thereby carrying over the mystique of foreign right wing extremists.]]
46	* {{Curse}}: Among the many, ''many'' options in the Great List of Items are an assortment of unpleasant curses. Inflicting a delusion that turns the victim into an [[TheMatchmaker obsessive romantic matchmaker]], summoning a BananaPeel whenever a CriticalFailure occurs, and [[RunningGag many ways]] of turning people into {{Otaku}} are among the ''least'' dangerous of curses.
47	* CuteMonsterGirl: Hizumi Kokorono, demon [[RandomNumberGod by accident]].
48	* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: All over the place in the expansions. We've got techniques that let you [[EquippableAlly transform yourself into a weapon]] (without the proviso of changing back), [[ImplacableMan ignore the effects of any one attack]], and even [[DeusExMachina cleanly and completely resolve any problems that might currently be occurring]] [[HeroicSacrifice at the cost of the maid's own life.]]
49	* DarkSecret: Using the True Nature item gives the maid that uses a random special quality (as well as increasing one of their stats by 2). Depending on the quality gained, the secret might not be that dark.
50	* {{Determinator}}: By default if you have high Will. Alternatively, the Immune To Pain power. [[ImplacableMan If you have both...well...]]
51	* DigitalPiracyIsOkay: The translator has a note on the PDF version that says, in the "if you pirated the game" section, to give it a try, and if you like it, then shell out some money for it. He then compliments the people who bought it and supported the game, of course.
52	* EveryoneIsBi: "Heterosexuals" can have their preferences quickly overridden if the seducer rolls a higher die.
53	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: It's a TabletopRPG about {{Meido}}.
54	* TheFettered: The downside of playing a Butler. You can't vent stress by making trouble, can't fight with the maids without being ordered to by the master, can't generate random events, and lose Favor if you take advantage of the seduction rules.
55	* FreakOut: The "Stress Explosion" mechanic, which occurs whenever a Maid's Spirit runs out.
56	* GenderBender: A few random events in Fantasy settings involve some maids changing gender because of a spell/potion/accident/etc.
57	** The [[AppliedPhlebotinum Chromosome Cream]] item turns any female character that uses it into a guy. If a male character uses it, they gain the [[TestosteronePoisoning "Even More of a Guy"]] special quality.
58	* GirlWithPsychoWeapon: [[BladeEnthusiast Knives]], axes, whips, [[ChainsawGood chainsaws]], and then some. Craziness optional.
59	* {{GMPC}}: Required, in the form of the Master.
60	* GoingCommando: On the upside, you're immune to penalties for having your underwear taken/[[ClothingDamage destroyed]]/dirtied. On the downside, you're not wearing any underwear.
61	* HeroicComedicSociopath: EB II isn't a nice girl to begin with, but in the Afterwords she starts channeling ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' on Kamiya.
62	* HilarityEnsues: A "typical" example game using only the core rules ends up like this.
63	** [[TabletopGame/DarkHeresy Ork]] maids, see RecycledInSpace below.
64	** Actually name-checked when referring to a failing roll to remove another character's Adamantium Chastity Belt.
65	* HollywoodHealing: To ludicrous levels. Injuries (which invoke Stress, rather than actual HP) can be healed simply by being comforted.
66	* HonestRollsCharacter: For attributes, they're rolled in order and that's it. For everything else, this is averted. You can reroll anything you don't like, but the rolling is supposed to encourage random wackiness.
67	* HumongousMecha: One of the items a maid can acquire.
68	* HypercompetentSidekick: [[EnforcedTrope Enforced]] by the rules; Maids have much higher attributes than Masters.
69	* ImprobableWeaponUser: Most of the Weapons tables are weapon-like, but the rest are rather less so.
70	* ImpossiblyCoolWeapon: One of the weapons is SummonMagic. Another is a combat helicopter. Hell, they even have an [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Eva Unit!]]
71	* IntimateHealing: A character loses stress by doing lovey dovey stuff with their partner.
72	* JetPack: The Rocket Pack in the Great List of Items.
73	* LevelUpAtIntimacy5: Maids and butlers can gain favor from a source other than the master by being seduced. This is particularly powerful if two maids seduce each other.
74	* LovableSexManiac: Yugami, despite her youth, is one of the most perverted characters of the examples in ''Maid'', and fully epitomizes the Womanizer Trait.
75	* LoveMakesYouCrazy[=/=]LoveMakesYouEvil: The Tragedy Events.
76	* ManlyTears: One of the Butler powers.
77	* {{Meido}}: See the name? It's ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.
78	* {{Miko}}: Besides having Shrine Maiden attire as a [[AndYourRewardIsClothes possible costume]], the rulebook also has a scenario that cast the players as miko (instead of maids), who have to fight a SealedEvilInACan.
79	* NinjaMaid: Most of time players are {{Meido}} who're also {{ActionGirl}}s. It's possible to [[ActualPacifist avoid this trope]] if you ''really'' want to, though.
80	* NinjaPirateZombieRobot:
81	** What the player characters tend to be, very easily. It's possible to be a perfectly normal and realistic maid, but it's even more possible to be something else entirely. Also, the example characters Hizumi, Yugami, and EB II.
82	** With random tables, it's possible to be something that completely contradicts itself. Like having [[AmbiguouslyBrown brown skin]] and being an albino.
83	* NoFourthWall: The example characters don't just demonstrate the rules, they roll the dice themselves and comment on the results in between roleplaying.
84	* NobodyCanDie: Player characters cannot die, even from physical wounds. At worst this leads to their listed Stress Explosion, which heavily restricts their actions until all Stress is relieved. Some equipment or scenarios, however, will alter Stress Explosions into outright character death.
85	* OffTheRails: You can spend Favor to cause something to happen. The results are usually this. When the GM bursts out laughing after looking at the result you know it's good.
86	* OlderThanTheyLook[=/=]YoungerThanTheyLook: Possible character traits. Almost exactly as listed ("Looks Older" and "Looks Younger").
87	* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Masami Onji, a scholarly genius in the replay "Maids at the End of the World".
88	* OneHitPointWonder: A particularly unlucky roll can cause a Maid to have an initial Favor or Spirit score of 0. While this doesn't cause an immediate dismissal or Stress Explosion, this also means that the character has to be extremely cautious around losing Favor or taking Stress, as the slightest mistake will have strong consequences.
89	* OnlyAFleshWound: It's almost impossible to die in the game outside of plot mandation--injuries just give you Stress.
90	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Nejiri, the "replacement Mistress" for Kamiya, is a [[LesbianVampire lesbian]] Japanese vampire.
91	* PragmaticAdaptation: The translator had to alter or cut several things due to being too creepy when translated directly, or simply too obscurely or weirdly Japanese. The changes were all documented in the "[[Creator/MontyPython Nun-Approved]] Version" extra PDF.
92	* RageAgainstTheAuthor: The maids have a low opinion of Kamiya.
93	* RandomEventsPlot: The game can easily become this, especially if the GM or players make heavy use of the event tables.
94	* RecycledInSpace:
95	** If anyone is hesitant to try this game, think of it as ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'', but with maids.
96	** Completely compatible with ''TabletopGame/DarkHeresy'', given some tweaking.
97	* RenaissanceMan: Masami Onji, a scholarly genius in the replay "Maids at the End of the World".
98	* RobotGirl: [[RobotMaid Maid Robot]] Electric-motored Battle-maiden Code 0002, aka EB II.
99	* SelfParody: Sample scenario ''Liberty: The Final Maid Maiden'' seems to be this. By justifying many game rules in the setting (only one butler exists in the whole world, maids are far more powerful than their master, using of favor, etc.), it ends up more like a ZombieApocalypse.
100	* [[ShoutOut/TabletopGames Shout Out]]: A great many, not all of which survived translation due to being too obscure.
101	** One is the item "Survive Card", which previously belonged to [[Series/KamenRiderRyuki "a masked motorcycle-riding sentai hero"]].
102	* SoleSurvivingScientist: Masami Onji, the Master trying to restore the Earth in the replay "Maids at the End of the World".
103	* StalkerWithACrush: Yugami has "Stalker" as one of her traits.
104	* StealthHiBye: A couple of the powers for both Maids and Butlers are this or allow it.
105	* SugarAndIcePersonality: EB II. She has yet to have a ''genuine'' "dere" moment.
106	* TakeThat: Cluney has some emphatic opinions on [[ForeignCultureFetish weeaboos]], if the Desu Note is any indication.
107	* TechnicolourEyes: Eye colour picks are taken from the same table as the maid uniform colours (and hair colours if so desired). It's possible to have [[ArtisticLicenseBiology transparent eyes]].
108	* TenderTears: "Maiden's Tears", an Affection Maid Power, allows the user to make a request that cannot be turned down, at the expense of Stress.
109	* TheoryOfNarrativeCausality: There is a wide variety of events; what happens and when is based entirely on the whims of the GM and the RandomNumberGod.
110	* ThreeLawsCompliant: EB II [[ImplausibleDeniability claims]] to be this way.
111	* TransformingMecha: A result of the event table can cause the mansion to turn into one.
112	* UnusualEuphemism: In the "Nun-Approved" PDF:
113	-->''Translator Note: Vessel does not refer to a boat.''
114	* VaporWear: Two words: Transparent uniforms.
115	* WholesomeCrossdresser: One of the possible Maid qualities is 'Actually A Guy' and one of the possible butler qualities is 'A Girl'. Also, the costume rules only rarely specify that they must be worn by girls, and usually add 'or at least [[DudeLooksLikeALady androgynous]].'
116	* {{Yakuza}}: Optional backstory or setting.
117	* YouLoseAtZeroTrust: Each maid has a certain Favor score, indicating how pleased the Master is with them. Should this score drop below zero, the maid is dismissed and will lose the game. However, maids about to be dismissed can reduce their ability scores for extra Favor to stay in the game. [[UnstableEquilibrium Doing so also makes them less capable of gaining more Favor on their own, possibly trapping them in a vicious cycle]].

Context TabletopGame / MaidRPG