Stick Guy the Role Playing Game is "A beer and pretzels (very tongue-in-cheek) rpg for people with absolutely no artistic talent by the guys at 1KM1KT". It is very simplistic, requiring only blank paper and a four sided die (d4).
Unlike more complicated RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, there are only two numbers that ever need to be remembered: Power and Karma. These numbers are decided at character creation by rolling the d4. The number that comes up on the d4 is your Power stat, and the opposite number becomes Karma. For example, if you roll a 1, you'll have 1 Power and 4 Karma. If you roll a 3, you'll have 3 Power and 2 Karma. After finding your Power and Karma, you may give your Stick Guy three attributes. These are things like "Fast", "Strong", "Pretty" or "Angry". You need two beneficial attributes and one hindering one.
Doing Stuff is done by rolling the d4, adding your Power stat, and comparing the result to the Difficulty of the Stuff. If your result is higher, you do the Stuff. If it's lower, you don't do the Stuff. Of course, attributes come into play. If your beneficial attribute is relevant, it'll provide a +1 bonus. If the hindering attribute is relevant, it'll give a -1 penalty. For example, if your Stick Guy is having a race, a Fast Stick Guy will get a +1 for being very fast, while a Clumsy Stick Guy may get a -1 for tripping over.
"But then what's Karma for?" Karma is used if somebody is doing Stuff, and you don't want them to. You can spend one Karma point, and just say "no". You can also "borrow" a Karma point from someone else if you are devious enough.
Combat is handled by drawing what you want to do on a piece of paper secretly. All players reveal their paper simultaneously. The Stick Guy with the highest Power goes first. (If two Stick Guys have the same Power, a duel to the death is appropriate) The Stick Guy with next highest Power goes next, and so on.
An important part of combat is damage. If your Stick Guy is damaged by anything, rub out one of his Body Parts, and put in an appropriate hindering attribute. For example, Bob the Real Estate Agent is engaged in vicious combat with Fred the Attorney. Fred slices Bob's Left Leg off! Bob rubs out his Left Leg, and gives himself the Wobbly hindering attribute. He then charges forward to chop off Fred's head, but is penalized -1 by his Wobblyness. He slices off Fred's head. Fred erases his head, and gives himself the Dead hindering attribute. Yes, loss of the Head, or the Body, causes death.
Experience points can be used to heal body parts, on a 1:1 ratio. One experience point is gained from not dying for a full session. Five points are given for doing something cool. Any number of points are given when the GM feels like it.
Equipment provides a +1 bonus if it is useful. If it is also neat, it provides a +2 bonus. If it is a katana it provides a +3 bonus. Always. A Stick Guy can carry four pieces of equipment at a time.
The tropes used in this RPG are:
- Brain Food: The sample Zombie monster has the ability to grow back a missing limb by eating a brain.
- Game Master. Almost impossible to avoid in a table top RPG anyway.
- Katanas Are Just Better. A +3 bonus is pretty darn good with base 4 RPGs.
- Luck Manipulation Mechanic: Karma, which forces a failure.
- NPCs, also known as Non-Player Stick Guys.
- One-Hit-Point Wonder. One hit in the Head or Body will kill you.
- Running Gag: Every rule is called "The most important rule in Stick Guy".
- Sub System Damage: Get hit on an arm or leg and you lose it. You can buy a new one with XP.
- You All Meet in an Inn. It's an RPG. You WILL meet in an inn.
