Beam Saber is a Forged In The Dark RPG about the pilots of powerful machines in a war that dominates every facet of life. They are trying to do their part, then get out physically and mentally intact. The organizations that perpetuate The War throughout all of known space are too incomprehensibly huge to take down. There is no “winning” The War, there is only surviving it. Hopefully you can help others get out too.
This game is best played with 4 or 5 players, with one player filling the role of Game Master, and the other players will be the protagonists of the story.
Engage challenges on a titanic scale! Each pilot has a custom vehicle created from the ground up to suit their desires. The base frame can be humanoid, a more traditional vehicle, or something completely bizarre! They can be equipped with holo-projectors, grapnel anchor tools, missiles, and much more. Take advantage of your vehicle's Quirks (such as Loads of Guns, Exposed Boosters, and Ominous Appearance) to more effectively overcome obstacles. Or lean into your machine's faults for XP! Bombard, Scan, Maneuver, and more to deal with threats.
There are several pilot types players can choose from, each facing The War in a unique way, and all have a powerful vehicle to command.
Aces are daring drivers.
Bureaucrats are clever logisticians.
Empaths are compassionate psychics.
Envoys are diplomats and spies.
Hackers are subversive technicians.
Infiltrators are stealthy operators.
Officers are calculating tacticians.
Scouts are pathfinders and snipers.
Soldiers are terrifying infantrymen.
Technicians are chemists, mechanics, and biologists.
The pilots are part of a squad, which is created through a consensus by all the players. Just like a pilot, the squad gets a “character sheet”.
The Consulate spies and politicks.
The Frontlines grind the enemy to dust.
The Logistics deliver the goods.
The Mechanized Cavalry strikes fast and hard.
The Profiteers sell what people can’t get.
The Recon are spies, thieves, and sneaks.
The R&D advance The War’s technology.
The REDACTED neutralize targets.
"Every part of Beam Saber pulses with love for the mecha genre, and makes it fun to play. Vehicle Quirks make the problems and potential of giant robots exciting parts of the action; Cutting Loose with the other players helps grow relationships among your PCs through tense and tender moments between missions; and Pilot Drives ask each player "what do you want so bad that you’ll risk getting into that coffin of a cockpit one more time. And then one more time after that..." Every one of these makes it feel like you're in a Gundam anime--it's clear Austin knows and loves the mecha genre and Beam Saber brings it to life at the table." - Mobile Suit Breakdown
"Beam Saber is the mech anime RPG I've been looking for for years. Detailed and customizable, but also streamlined and easy to pick-up and play. It manages to be the best of both worlds." - Jeff Stormer of Party Of One Podcast
Cover art by Vincent Patrick.
Interior art by Vincent Patrick, Cory "Hadrian" McDaniel, Atlas Sellman, Christine Blight, Imani Kelker, Andrew Ferris, Ben Fleuter, Ardal Then, and Mal Peters.
Layout by Sasha Reneau
Cartography by Kate Moody.
