Variant Rules

Our heroes find themselves stranded on an island with a rowboat approaching the shore. Will they find friend or foe?

Ben has taken over as Storyteller, so we spoke with both Ben and Brandon about the process. 

Our heroes are seemingly stuck on an island, unsure of what has happened to them, and no one (except Josephine) knows what to make of this Kit fellow. Can they find their way forward and off the island?

Gus went out with a bang. What does this mean for our adventurers, and who is this man in a grey coat that Josephine calls "Kit"?   Listen to hear what befalls our intrepid heroes on the next steps of their journey.

A door opened to a man in a grey coat, the sought after spirit, and magic flying through the air that no one could immediately understand. What will our heroes find here and where will it lead them next?

How does a character set itself apart from others in such a stripped down RPG? As the character rises in level, they receive unique achievements that continue to set them apart from their compatriots. Listen to learn more about how game designer, Brandon Raab, developed the Achievements mechanic for Arcane And Iron.

The last episode had our heroes facing real or imagined adversaries on their own as they broke through to face a large, ornate door. Can they find their way past it, and if so, what lies ahead? 

The best craftspeople have defining marks. What makes a character dynamic in Arcane & Iron? Lend your ear to learn more about Brands & Bonds in this new RPG!

Each adventurer (and Acalan) were left facing their own door in the Gauntlet. What does each room hold and will our heroes emerge victorious, or even in one piece?

Why have there been no shopping montages? Does armor affect durability checks? Listen in to hear how items work in the world of Arcane & Iron. 

The demon has descended through a crack in the floor while the party was distracted by mysterious visitors. Can they follow it and find out more about this enigmatic entity? 

Are there bonus actions or reactions in Arcane & Iron? Not as such, but listen to hear about Special Actions and how they can impact play at the table outside a typical skill check. 

Our last episode ended with our heroes facing a demon who began to shift into a humanoid form that had bested them over a year ago. What has happened to the demon in that time? Can our heroes do the right thing? Do they even know what that is? 

This Forge has Andrew and Emma grilling Brandon about Skills & Resources. Why limit the number but expand the possibilities? Does Arcane & Iron have an initiative system and we just don't tell you?

Our heroes start separated, three trapped in an herbalist's shop by the husks that haunted them before. Can they find all the supplies they need to complete a ritual and restore the city to its former state? Can safety even be achieved for a city so far gone? Join us for this actual play episode to find out! 

This week's Forge focuses on character creation. How are characters in Arcane & Iron different from those of most TTRPGs? What goes into making a character? Listen to find out those answers and more! 

Variant Rules' second actual play episode picks up with our heroes barricaded in from the threatening husks they evaded last episode. Can they discover what has happened to this town and where the artificer Gus can be found? 

Discover more from Arcane and Iron game designer, Brandon Raab, through an interview from Forge hosts Emma J. Hendren and Andrew Saenz. Learn about the system's inspiration, basic rules, and a few more insights into ourselves. 

Our heroes are brought together, a year after their initial meeting, through cryptic and magical means to a town that is not all it seems. Can they find their way to safety and discover why they were summoned to this place? Join us in this actual play episode using the under-development RPG Arcane and Iron, where a 6 is a success and the rest is limited only by your imagination. 

Variant Rules is a game development and actual play RPG podcast set out to develop the Arcane & Iron tabletop RPG system through storytelling, community feedback and mechanics discussions. We test the mechanics of a brand new system and tinker with game design by the best method possible play. We release two different types of episodes biweekly on Wednesdays a core actual play episode featuring the campaign’s storyline, players and their characters, and The Forge companion episodes, where we discuss the system and how to play it with the game’s designer and its players.