Well, you can have the first volume right now – but, again using the lyrics of Faith No More themselves: what is it?

Let’s find out!

Tabletop RPGs (or TTRPGs) cover an absolutely enormous amount of ground in terms of subject matter; though most observers or casual fans may associate them with the fantasy genre, there’s actually much, much more to roleplaying games than that – and that’s been the case for decades.

Indie RPGs in particular tend to strike out in very interesting directions for their settings and mechanics – and an especially interesting game was brought to my attention recently, which is based on the music of iconic, alternative rock band Faith No More.

Perhaps best known for their third album – 1989’s The Real Thing – and follow up Angel Dust (which was released on my 15th birthday in 1992, in case you’ve ever wondered just how old I am), Faith No More created dark, compelling and critically (not to mention commercially) successful rock that has genuinely stood the test of time.

Yet they’re not the most immediately obvious subject matter for a TTRPG. So how did this all come about – and what’s the story so far with the game?

Here’s where I step aside and let someone far more qualified do the talking – with Jason Ward, co-founder of publishers Accidental Cyclops, as well as a Designer on the RPG itself, having given me some insight.

“The Real Thing RPG, which has now raised over $140,000 over two crowdfunding campaigns, began as a zine-style TTRPG inspired by the music of Faith No More. The first release, titled The Real Thing after FNM’s first album with their long-time lead singer, Mike Patton, netted nearly 1500 backers in 2022.”

A further crowdfunding campaign followed, as Ward explains. “The second release, which included 2 two new books – titled after the next two FNM albums from the 1990s – was successfully funded in August 2023. The concept has expanded from its zine roots into a full-on TTRPG and clocks in at nearly 400 pages of rules, story, and artwork.”

The system used as the basis for the TTRPG is a modified version of Powered-by-the-Apocalypse, which has formed the backbone of numerous games.

Ward also told me that Faith No More gave their blessing on the TTRPG. “Perhaps most interestingly, the entire project was greenlit by Faith No More, who have been passively involved in the production – and helped promote the project on social media.”

Perhaps conscious that many Faith No More fans will be lured into trying out the game with little prior experience of TTRPGs, it seems that the game has been built with this in mind; Powered-by-the-Apocalypse games do tend to be pretty friendly to new players too.

“What makes The Real Thing RPG special is its custom systems for character development and advancement,” Ward explains. “The game is designed for groups to be able to jump in after just a few minutes of character creation, as with many PbtA games. However, The Real Thing allows players to continue to add depth and breadth to their personal stories through an in-game mechanism called ‘discovery’. When a character fails at an action (called moves), they are prompted to create/recall an important memory from their past. Every few discoveries yield an advancement (new abilities) selected from a list in the character’s playbook (character sheet). This process of recalling and creating personal stories that relate to the scenario allows nearly endless co-narration opportunities between players and storytellers. This process reinforces the emergent style of gaming facilitated by PbtA, and it also adds significant depth to the stories and characters.”

Ward even helpfully went into more detail on the contents of the game’s books.

“Each of the three books is divided into two sections. The first section of each is about rules. In book 1 (The Real Thing), the rules begin very lightweight, allowing players to jump right into short stories of mystery, intrigue, and personal horror. This book contains everything a group needs to get started and play these kinds of stories of their own making.”

Naturally, things progress once players move on from the first book, as Ward elaborates, “Book 2 (Angel Dust) expands on these rules, allowing for campaigns to be created rather than just short stories. It includes additions for rapidly creating locations and factions, as well as systems for activities that happen ‘off camera’.”

Finally, Ward also delved into what the third book brings to the table. “Book 3 (King for a Day) adds supernatural options for PCs and NPCs, allowing for significantly expanded character and story options.”

Within each book, the second section features a three-part story based loosely on the music and themes from Faith No More’s albums. Furthermore, Ward says, “these contain about 60 hours of playable content for groups of 2 – 6 [players]. It can unfold in dozens of different ways, though the crux of the story revolves around the PCs as down-on-their-luck pawns in a gritty 1990s action drama.”

So what tone or style does the game take? Again, Ward is on hand with more information, telling me that the TTRPG “is reminiscent of early World of Darkness games, as well as Sin City, The Crow, and Judgment Night, among others. The focus is on personal narratives and how they weave together to create a complex and ever-expanding tapestry of intrigue, tragedy, violence, and perhaps conquest.”

It’s a fascinating project, bringing together two unlikely bedfellows and cleverly meshing them together to create something utterly unique – serving both sides well.

The first book is available for purchase at accidentalcyclops.com. The two follow-up books can be pre-ordered through Backerkit at https://the-real-thing-rpg-angeldust-and-kfad.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders.