Electric Bastionland vs Index Card RPG
Compare Electric Bastionland and Index Card RPG side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Electric Bastionland | Index Card RPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Universal |
| Tags | Rules-Light, Weird, Classless, Dungeon Crawl, Attacks Always Hit, One-Shot Friendly, Low-Prep | Fast-Paced, Dungeon Crawl, Low-Prep, Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Combat-Heavy, Pulp Action, Ascending AC, Tag-Based |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 equal to or under attribute (STR, DEX, CHA) to avoid danger. Attacks always hit: roll weapon damage directly, reduced by armor. 100+ unique Failed Careers define your character through equipment and debt rather than stats. | Roll d20 + stat vs. a single Target Number for the whole scene. On a hit, roll an Effort die (d4–d12 by type) to chip away at a task's Hearts (10 HP each). Timer dice count down each round to create urgency. |
| Dice | d20 | d20 + d4–d12 |
| Complexity | Very Low | Low |
| Availability | Free quickstart | Free quickstart |
| Runnability | Book tools not listed | 3 of 5 book tools |
| License | Mark of the Odd SRD | 3rd Party License |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | Bastionland Press | Runehammer Games |
| Year | 2020 | 2019 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Short treasure-hunting campaigns in a surreal, modern-tinged city. Ideal for groups who love strange worldbuilding, fast character creation via 100+ Failed Careers, and fiction-driven play. | Groups who love D&D's d20 feel but want something faster, lighter, and more improvisational. Excellent for high-energy dungeon crawls with minimal prep. |
| Highlights | Two pages of actual rules, 100+ varied Failed Careers, detailed GM guidance, free 42-page edition available, spawned an entire design movement | Very fast play, extensive GM tools, five genre settings included, highly hackable, timer dice create real tension |
| Considerations | Tightly coupled to its surreal Bastion setting, minimal character progression, requires a confident GM, narrow genre focus | DIY philosophy can overwhelm new GMs, loot-as-progression feels punishing if gear is lost |