Brindlewood Bay vs Rifts
Compare Brindlewood Bay and Rifts side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Brindlewood Bay | Rifts | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Horror, Modern | Post-Apocalyptic, Scifi, Fantasy, Horror, Superhero |
| Tags | Investigation, Mystery, Collaborative, Player-Only Rolls, Narrative, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Corruption | Character Building, Combat-Heavy, Crunchy, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Gonzo, High-Power, Mana Points, Mecha, Superpowers, Tactical |
| Core Mechanic | PbtA framework: roll 2d6 plus ability modifier, with 10+ as a strong hit, 7–9 as a hit with complication, and 6 or less as a miss. Mysteries have no pre-written solution; players gather clues through the Meddling Move, then use the Theorize move to propose a solution and roll to see if it is correct. The Theorize roll adds the number of clues found minus the mystery's complexity rating (6–8). Putting on a Crown after any roll lets a player bump the result up one tier at the cost of marking narrative consequences on their character sheet. | Combat and saving throws use a d20 plus bonuses, with high results overcoming a target number or opposing roll. Skills use d100 and succeed when the result is at or below the character's percentage. |
| Dice | 2d6 | d20, d100 |
| Complexity | Low | Very High |
| Accessibility | Medium | Medium |
| Runnability | Low | Very High |
| License | Carved from Brindlewood (third-party content license) | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Noncommercial only — Palladium Books Internet Policy limited license |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | The Gauntlet | Palladium Books Inc. |
| Year | 2022 | 2005 |
| Languages | English, French, German, Polish | English |
| Best For | Groups who want a collaborative mystery game where players piece together clues and collectively theorize solutions, blending cozy small-town charm with creeping cosmic horror | Groups who want long-form science-fantasy campaigns that move from a ruined Earth to other dimensions. The game suits tables whose GM will decide which parts of the broad setting a campaign uses. |
| Highlights | Mysteries have no predetermined solution: players gather clues, then Theorize to assemble the answer themselves. The Day/Night structure balances cozy daytime vignettes against dangerous nighttime investigation. The Crown lets a player bump a roll up one tier in exchange for marking long-term character consequences. | Occupational and racial class packages assign distinct abilities and advancement tracks, giving each archetype a different role in the party. Mega-Damage places many supernatural creatures and war machines on a separate durability scale beyond the reach of ordinary Structural Damage Capacity attacks. Rifts and ley lines make dimensional travel a standing feature of the setting, letting campaigns move between devastated Earth and other worlds. |
| Considerations | Keeper must improvise heavily since mysteries have no fixed solutions, Day/Night move split requires tracking time of day carefully, the dark conspiracy campaign arc may not appeal to groups who only want standalone mysteries, combat is not a focus and physical danger is resolved through the same general moves as everything else | Character creation combines rolled attributes with extensive skill selection, making first-time preparation lengthy. Combat asks each player to track an action economy, active defenses, and which damage scale applies. Magic and psionics use separate point pools and power procedures, adding class-specific rules to the shared system. |