Play Easily Now (PEN) Roleplaying Game (2nd Edition)

A modular tabletop RPG system for young adults that's easy to teach, fast to learn, and grows in strategy as you play.

The Play Easily Now roleplaying game (PEN RPG) is a fast, fun, and strategically satisfying tabletop RPG system designed by Hoodwink Games to segue roleplaying newbs into games with roleplaying masters. The book is completely written and playtested; all I need is your help putting it into print.

RPGs are incredible tools for building community, making new friends, and having an excuse to get together every week. But the task of teaching new players feels insurmountable, and when a casual acquaintance comes to your table and asks, “Hey, this looks cool, can I join?" the answer is either, “Not really, but thanks for asking," or “If you want to spend a few hours learning, we’d love to have you!"

That’s not conducive to making friends.

But people want to play One-in-three Gen Z and Millennials report feeling lonely often or all the time, and almost 2-in-3 have observable anxiety and depression. It’s a turbulent time– isolation and loneliness easily creep in when transitioning into college, a new job, a new town, or a new living situation. And game-based community helps–research shows 1 in 3 Gen Z are interested in RPGs and 90% of those who play do it for the community involved. In-person RPG gaming is shown to improve mental illness recovery, improve creative thinking, and create a sense of belonging.

Plus, you know, they’re just super fun. So Hoodwink Games created PEN, a generic system for telling any story that stories fast and stays fun.

Most easy-to-learn RPGs are easy, but shallow rules and short manuals make gameplay… boring. Close communities are built around weeks and weeks of telling stories together and quickstart RPGs are just too rules-lite to stay satisfying for long.

Plus, other generic RPG classics like GURPS and Savage Worlds are super fun but still tailored to veteran audiences. No newbie wants to tackle those books alone. In practice, once character creation is over and players know what’s going on, maybe the systems are easy enough. But that first hurdle is just too high for casual players just looking for friends.

NO! Every textbook, from entry-level algebra to advanced calculus, started by teaching basic concepts. And what is a game manual if not just a textbook? You learn enough to get going, and then you keep advancing as you apply the concepts you’ve already learned. Eventually, you are confident enough to apply ALL the concepts in new and exciting combinations.

PEN works the same way. Modules advance players through the game, starting with a 5-page spread of rules, description of roleplaying concepts, and seven, pre-built characters to choose from. Then, as players play, players advance through the modules at their own pace, adding more complex rules systems and strategic options.

Every single step is designed to seamlessly sew roleplaying and mechanics into a tactical, fun, and intuitive ruleset your party will want to return to for years.

Module One opens by explaining the concept of an RPG. For new players, the idea of not having a board, cards, or definitive actions can feel a little nebulous. A couple pages succinctly explain the concept of collaborative storytelling through roleplay and give some key tips for staying engaged.

Next, seven pre-built archetypes give players an example of where to start, give examples of characteristics, and explain skills to explain how character elements work together to create synergies.

Lastly, five pages explain the core resolution mechanic and how it applies to general rolls, combat, healing, competitions, and more!

PEN’s original system involves players rolling 3d6, adding the relevant skill, checking the degree of success, and then improving with bonuses and items! Each player gets two actions per turn and a free movement to spend on their character's interactions.

That's all there is to it! If someone wants to learn, all you have to do is hand them a character, loot three d6s out of an old game of Risk, and get started! EVERY. SINGLE. ROLL in the game follows this mechanic, so if a player can add and subtract whole numbers, they can play the whole game.

Even attacks and defenses boil down to this simple mechanic. Players roll to attack using Strength or Accuracy and roll to defend using either Resistance or Agility. Attacks deal damage based on the degree of success verses the defender but otherwise function exactly the same as every other skill roll--no more need to explain the difference between rolls to hit, damage rolls, attack DCs, and saving throws. Then, once players roleplaying and gaming with the veterans at your table, they'll be ready to create their very own ch