After far too long in the crypt, I’m thrilled to finally share the next major preview for Hexingtide’s upcoming Playtest 4: the Gameplay chapter.
Written primarily for the game master (or in Hexingtide’s parlance, the Storyteller), here is an excerpt of eight pages detailing the game’s structured, procedure-driven approach to running scenes, pacing sessions, and shaping horror-folk adventures. The full chapter is shaping up to be around 12-14 pages.
Download the eight-page Hexingtide gameplay chapter preview on Itch, here.
Scenes & the Order of Play
For those familiar with the Trophy line of games by Jesse Ross – Trophy Dark and Trophy Gold – you’ll notice the influence in conceptual approach.
Trophy inspired me to embrace a procedure-focused gameplay loop that uses structured Scene types to reinforce theme and tone. Hexingtide‘s six Scene types (Challenge, Investigation, Exposure, Temptation, Interlude, and the RP-focused Narrative) use clear player and Storyteller procedures that align the fiction with the mechanics.
Previous playtest versions of Hexingtide were much more open-ended when it came to adventure and monster design and instruction. Minimalist, after all. What I’ve heard is that the lack of guidance was frustrating to would-be GMs. Thus, this change in rules writing.
This structured approach requires a full table to buy into the approach and go along with genre tropes to work the best. Think collaborative writer’s room in intent. The approach isn’t a fit for all tables and preferences, and that’s okay!
But for those that like the approach, I hope the result is a rules-light system that feels anchored and purposeful, helping Storytellers run gothic, folkloric tales that unfold like a tragic fable, fever dream, monstrous melodrama, or spooky pulp action.
Challenge Scenes
Also included in the preview is specific guidance on running Challenge Scenes full of dangerous Threats, be they other oddities, dangerous environments, or occultic curses and chaos.
Y’know, monsters punching monsters.
The Challenge scene is the most complex and iconic of the scene types – allowing for both players and the GM to take turns and engage with the core mechanics of the Inhumanity die, Powers, Portents, and Pacts.
If you understand how to run these, then running Investigation Scenes and Exposure Scenes will be a breeze.
Dude, What’s Taking So Long?
I announced I was working on Hexingtide in earnest once again in June. I released the updated character creation and core mechanics preview at the start of July, and then…
Pretty much crickets.
What’s up?
Designing, writing, editing, and layout has taken longer than I’d hoped. It’s been hard to sit in front of my keyboard or design journal and just… get going.
Yes, I know. I sound like George R.R. Martin. I feel like it, but without the HBO and publishing royalties. That’s lame, I know.
But it’s not been weeks of nothing happening. The work has matured through steady playtesting with my home group – showing me what works, what doesn’t, and what to improve or add.
My goal has always been for Hexingtide to feel intuitive and drenched in monster story motifs that doesn’t get bogged down in dice math or tactical sprawl.
All that regular gaming has informed this preview.
It’s is about all clarity and usability. I’ve poured focus into examples, tone guidance, and repeatable steps so new Storytellers never have to wonder, “What do I do next?”
That isn’t to say it’s a draft. It’s very much still a draft, and I’d love feedback.
To everyone who’s been patiently waiting for Playtest 4: thank you. I promise, the work continues (even if I’m writing at a “Half-Life 3 confirmed” pace). The full release Playtest 4 release is getting so close and will include full rules for running the game’s six Scene types – everything a Storyteller needs to run a game of Minimalist Monstrous Roleplaying for themselves.
Next Steps
I need to finish the remaining pages for Investigation, Exposure, Interlude, and Narrative Scenes. The Temptation Scene content is complete – and mostly survived first contact with my players.
There’s some additional revising and editing happening in the character creation and core rules chapter that’s mostly complete. A chief example is definitively settling on the easier to create and run concept of behavioral / roleplaying “Impulses” for XP rather than the more fiddly “Arcs” (inspired by Heart and Spire).
When that’s complete, I’ll also clean up the rules cheat sheet.
The character sheet’s been updates and I’m mostly happy with the pregens – will share those soon, too.
When that’s complete, I’ll call Playtest 4 ready to go.
Unfortunately that means it may not – it won’t – release in time for Halloween. So no spooky, on-theme online playtests or actual plays. C’est la vie. I’m not worrying much about it right now.
After Playtest 5: a ton of bonus content for a Resources chapter that may sit in limbo for a final release. Playtest 4 really should be feature complete for the core, playable game – short of any playtest feedback.
More soon, and until then: keep your lanterns lit, and your Pacts close.
Want more monster action from Hexingtide?
Download the playtest rules at https://hxti.de/itch
Join the growing Discord community at https://hxti.de/discord