Hogwarts: An RPG vs Kids on Brooms
Compare Hogwarts: An RPG and Kids on Brooms side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Hogwarts: An RPG | Kids on Brooms | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Tags | Magic School, Licensed IP, Family-Friendly, Mystery, Rules-Light, Roll to Cast, One-Shot Friendly, CC-Licensed Rules | Magic School, Freeform Magic, Roll to Cast, Collaborative, Worldbuilding, Rules-Light, Low-Prep, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 + trait (Bravery, Cunning, Intellect, Loyalty, or Magic). On 10+, full success. On 7–9, success with a cost or complication. On 6 or less, fail but mark Experience. Moves are triggered by the fiction: Basic Moves cover danger, stealth, persuasion, and knowledge; Magic Moves handle spellcasting, potions, dueling, and magical creatures; Quidditch Moves resolve matches. | Each of six stats has a die from d4 to d20; roll the relevant die against a GM-set difficulty. A maximum die result that still misses triggers a Lucky Break reroll, adding the new result. Failed checks grant Adversity Tokens that players can later spend to raise rolls. |
| Dice | 2d6 | d4–d20 |
| Complexity | Very Low | Low |
| Availability | Free core rules | Paid |
| Runnability | Book tools not listed | 3 of 5 book tools |
| License | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (original non-Harry Potter content and rules only; Harry Potter IP/trademarks excluded) | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | No verified route found |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | David Brunell-Brutman | Hunters Entertainment / Renegade Game Studios |
| Year | 2020 | 2020 |
| Languages | English, Czech, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Ukrainian | English, Italian |
| Best For | Harry Potter fans who want a rules-light, narrative RPG for playing out original stories at Hogwarts: especially groups with younger or first-time players | Groups that want to build a magical school together and tell adventures from its rumors and relationships. It suits tables that prefer a light check system and open-ended magic over tactical combat. |
| Highlights | Complete 16-page game with character sheets, spell lists organized by school year, Quidditch match rules, and setting reference: all free. Mysteries mechanic drives story forward with player-generated questions. Friends & Rivals system creates immediate inter-character drama. Conditions track both emotional and physical harm with distinct recovery paths. | Players build their school together and seed its history with rumors that the GM can turn into adventures. Open-ended spells use the intended effect and scope to set a difficulty, letting students attempt magic without a fixed spell list. Relationship questions establish bonds among characters before play and give the GM personal story hooks. |
| Considerations | Unlicensed fan game with no official support from the IP holders. No structured character classes or playbooks: characters differ mainly by trait scores and House. Advancement is slow, tied to accumulating four Experience. No rules for combat beyond the Duel magic move: physical conflicts use the same basic moves as everything else. | The GM judges target numbers for ordinary checks using example anchors rather than a fixed formula. Spell difficulty depends on four effect categories, asking the GM to price each new magical attempt. Combat resolves through opposed checks and an injury chart without tactical positioning rules. |