Falling in love with a book is one of my favorite things. It’s often an unexpected love that emerges at a time when you needed something and didn’t realize. That’s what happened this week with Into The Odd. I was reading a big pile of RPG books, sorting between themes and mechanics to find something that inspires, and I kept coming to The Odd. Between the book’s beautiful design and the concise writing of rules and themes, I was pulled into this fantasy world in the midst of its own Industrial Age. It offered a contrast to some of the heavier RPG books that I have been reading: concise rules, elegant design, and just enough room for things to get weird.
The RPG game Into the Odd was originally written by Chris McDowall in 2015 and was met with critical acclaim for its minimalist approach and unique setting. In 2019, a revised edition was released with updated rules and illustrations by illustrator and designer Johan Nohr. The updated version is delight to hold and read in physical form. The textures of fabric and printing that adorn the book are sumptuous – a reflection of the treasures you will find both inside the book and in the Odd itself.
Into The Odd
There is something compelling about Into The Odd. It’s a subtle calling with muted tones and more minimalist writing than some other RPG tomes. Pages are easy to read with wide margins. The book invites you to take part in the learning instead of dropping you into columns of text. A book that you want to pick up and look at over and over again.
Into The Odd is set in a strange world that is full of hidden secrets, lost artifacts, and unknown dangers. Players take on the roles of adventurers, explorers, and treasure hunters, venturing into the unknown. Character building is quick with three main stats (ability scores) – Strength, Dexterity, and Willpower. The fun of this system comes with your starter package which is table of goodies that balance your ability score with other abilities. For instance if you roll high your package could include a sword, steel wire and an ugly mutation. On the other hand if you roll low you may get a musket, a pocket watch, and a bomb. In my short experience, this uncertainty is where the fun of Into the Odd emerges.
For the person hosting the game, Into The Odd demands a bit more work from the “referee” (Odd’s term for GM) but also gives you a lot of room to improvise and explore. The rules are light and inspired by old school D&D, part of the old school revival of games that has been popular in recent years. The game emphasizes exploration and improvisation instead of complex character development and extensive rules. It’s very much a dungeon crawl game with a unique and flexible setting.
Bastion and The Underground
What is that setting? Bastion is the city you live in. It’s liminal, dystopian, industrial. You are adventurers trying to survive and make money through business and war (which you can engage in between expeditions). The city is black with smoke from industry and feels like a surreal version England during the Industrial Age.
The Underground sits beneath Bastion as a system of catacombs and sewers. This is where you explore to find treasures, artifacts, and arcana. The Underground is post-apocalyptic and broken with cosmic horrors and strange things happening. I’ve heard players compare it to the Zone from Roadside Picnic or Stalker. I agree with this idea but get the impression that the space is slightly more fantastical and weird.
Theme and Setting
Into The Odd is set in a strange world that is full of hidden secrets, lost artifacts, and cosmic threats.The game’s setting is one of constant danger, where even the most mundane tasks can be deadly. Characters must learn to rely on their wits and their instincts, making difficult choices and facing tough challenges in order to survive.
Bastion is the “hub of mankind” but cosmic horrors meet the blackened skies as industry pushes forward. It’s a bleak time and place. Cults have formed and have opposing beliefs. The countryside has been abandoned and is overgrown with trees. People are abandoning small cities for Bastion which makes the space outside increasingly dangerous.
Character Creation and Mechanics
Your options for characters are open in Into The Odd. There’s room to improvise who you’d like to be in this world but your abilities will be determined by three stats and the starter package that you begin the game with. As mentioned previously in this article, your equipment balances out any low rolls on your character and and potentially gives more abilities. Some starter packages come with downsides like bodily disfigurement. These elements help to flesh out your character in a less traditional way.
The game’s character mechanics are straightforward, using a d20 system with three basic attributes: Strength, Dexterity, and Willpower. Characters advance levels by completing adventures. There are essentially five levels to achieve after your first level of Novice – Professional, Expert, Veteran, Master, and Beyond (“a desire for legacy, immortality, or cosmic transcendence.”)
Into The Odd’s game play is streamlined and quick. McDowall’s design philosophy is based on simplicity, elegance, and balance. The game avoids the trappings of complexity and focuses on the essentials of RPG gameplay: adventure, exploration, and storytelling. And loot of course. Much of Into the Odd involves grinding for treasure.
Arcana
Arcana are powerful objects that can alter the game’s narrative and mechanics. These artifacts can be anything from a powerful weapon to a mystical artifact or a strange technological device. Players can use these items to gain an edge in combat, explore hidden areas, or solve puzzles. Arcana are the cornerstone of what makes Into the Odd unique. Some Arcana powers border on gonzo and all of them break the game’s rules in one way or another which can drastically change the direction of the game. And they are lots of fun to discover and incorporate into your game play.
Into The Odd Revised
The first edition of Into The Odd was published in 2015, and it quickly gained a devoted following among RPG enthusiasts. The game’s innovative mechanics, streamlined gameplay, and richly detailed world-building set it apart from other RPG games on the market. In 2019, McDowall released a revised edition of the game, which featured updated rules, expanded content, and improved artwork.
Artwork by Johan Nohr
The revised edition of Into The Odd features tasteful artwork by renowned RPG illustrator Johan Nohr. The style here is much different than his work in the Mork Borg universe but maintains a collage aesthetic and his taste for appealing color palettes. The Cover features multiple print layers of matte and gloss print with lovely orange details that make this a book you want to hold.
Nohr’s artwork captures the game’s minimalist aesthetic but leaves much to the imagination of the reader. Images appear more as flavor illustrations rather than deceptions of the setting or characters. At first this seemed like a detriment but as I kept coming back to this book I realized that Into The Odd leaves room in all the right places for my imagination to wander.
Into The Odd Influence
Into The Odd has had a significant impact on the RPG gaming industry, inspiring a new wave of minimalist RPG games that emphasize storytelling and improvisation. The game’s innovative mechanics and streamlined game play have been embraced by RPG enthusiasts and influenced other game creators.
Other RPG games that have been influenced by Into The Odd include Electric Bastionland, Troika!, and Knave. These games draw inspiration from McDowall’s design philosophy, incorporating minimalist mechanics, imaginative settings, and innovative game design. Together, they represent a new wave of RPG games that are inspired by old school revival games and challenging modern RPG conventions.
Thoughts From a GM Who is Learning The Game
I didn’t expect to like Into The Odd as much as I do. It’s one of those games that doesn’t sound as interesting in reviews but becomes a bigger experience when you open the book and jump in. The game does require a bit more in the way of planning from the person planning the campaign. I missed the original OSR movement and I am really enjoying the journey into learning Into The Odd. As a newer GM what really draws me to this book is concise writing, great nuggets of advice for new RPG gamers, and the wonderful tables of interesting things. The brevity of the rules and instructions really let my mind breathe and enjoy the process. I can’t wait to get this one to the table soon for a treasure-hunting dive into the unknown.
Read more about Into the Odd and buy a copy of the game at Free League Publishing
Into The Odd FAQ
Who Created Into The Odd?
“Into the Odd” was created by Chris McDowall. Chris has a strong passion for old-school tabletop RPGs and draws inspiration from classic TTRPG games. “Into the Odd” reflects this love of classic RPGs while also incorporating modern design elements and a unique setting to create a unique gaming experience.
Where Can I Buy Into The Odd?
You can purchase Into the Odd at your FLGS, at online game stores and from Free League Publishing. You can also buy a PDF version of the game at Drive Thru RPG.
What Dice Do I Need for Into The Odd?
Into The Odd uses a traditional set of polyhedral dice. You will need d4, d6,d8,d10,and d20 to play the game.
What is Electric Bastionland?
“Electric Bastionland” is a tabletop role-playing game (RPG) created by Chris McDowall. It is a game set in a fantastical city known as the Bastion, a sprawling metropolis filled with strange creatures and dangerous secrets. Players take on the role of characters who explore the city and its many dangers, completing quests and battling enemies as they go.
What is the difference between Into The Odd and Electric Bastionland?
Both are role-playing games (RPGs), but they are different in terms of their themes, mechanics, and design. “Into the Odd” is a minimalist RPG that emphasizes player creativity and a sense of exploration and danger. It has a post-apocalyptic and surrealist theme where players take on the roles of characters navigating a strange and dangerous world. The mechanics of the game are simple and based on a single die roll, with a focus on player agency and improvisation.
What is Cairn RPG?
Cairn is a game by Yochai Gal that is based on RPGs Into the Odd and Knave
What is Liminal Horror
In terms of RPGs, Liminal Horror is a modern horror game with a light rule set that can apply to many different types of TTRPG adventures. You play as characters battling horrors in the dark.
Liminal horror is also a sub-genre of horror that explores the transitional spaces between different realities, where the boundaries between the natural and the supernatural become blurred. The term “liminal” comes from the Latin word “limen,” which means “threshold.” Liminal horror often deals with themes such as alternate dimensions, parallel universes, and other forms of existence beyond our own.
In liminal horror, the distinction between what is real and what is not becomes uncertain, leading to feelings of disorientation and confusion in the characters and the audience. This genre often uses elements of surrealism and abstract storytelling to create a sense of unease and to challenge the viewer’s understanding of reality. Examples of liminal horror include the works of H.P. Lovecraft, David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks,” and the movie “Pan’s Labyrinth.”
