Monster of the Week
Monster of the Week (MotW) is a tabletop roleplaying game, or TTRPG, about a group of monster hunters taking on the terrors that prey on humanity. Inspired by media like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, and Supernatural, players create characters based on archetypes. They might take on the Chosen, a hero with a grand destiny; the Divine, an angel or holy warrior here to protect humanity; the Monstrous, fighting against their own evil nature; the Professional “man-in-black”; and many more! One player, the Keeper or Game Master (GM), takes on the role of the world those characters inhabit. They’ll create the mysteries the hunters must investigate, the environments they’ll explore, and the victims, meddling authorities, and of course, monsters they’ll face.
Originally created by Michael Sands
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How to play Monster of the Week
Monster of the Week uses the rule system pioneered by Apocalypse World, in which players roll two six-sided dice and add a bonus from one of their character stats; a 10 or better is a full success, a 7-9 is a partial success or success with consequences, and a 6 or lower is a “miss”, not necessarily a failure, but a bad outcome for the character. Characters trigger these rolls when they take specific actions in the game, like Investigate a Mystery or Kick Some Ass. You’ll use these “moves” to solve mysteries and hunt monsters in a world not unlike our own!
Monster of the Week Dungeon Masters
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Frequently asked questions about Monster of the Week
Explore Monster of the Week Classes
The Divine
If you’d rather fight evil than investigate it, Monster of the Week’s Divine Role is for you. Your character has been sent from above to carry out a mission and given a magic weapon to see it through. You can heal your friends, but you can just as easily call upon divine power to smite evil. Of course, such mighty power comes with strings attached. You are bound to the heavenly mission assigned to you by your patron.
The Expert
There’s always a cool mentor figure in supernatural action stories, an experienced monster hunter who has seen it all. As the Expert, you’ll be the one who knows exactly what you’re facing and how to end it. You could be a hunter who stockpiles weapons in a secret base, a researcher with a hidden library, or the genius who whips up the perfect gadget just in time.
The Flake
No one believes the Flake until it’s too late. They run around town warning everyone of the impending alien invasion but can’t get people to see the truth until they’re all being probed. As the Flake in Monster of the Week, your unusual mind helps you piece together clues faster and find useful friends who see the world like you do.
The Initiate
The Initiate Playbook lets you add to the story by creating a sect of guardians. Maybe you belong to an ancient order of monks or a clandestine witch coven. Whatever you choose, your character comes equipped with skills, weapons, or magic granted by their sect. You can also have ally characters like a mentor or subordinate to help you out.
The Mundane
A normal person who suddenly discovers the existence of the supernatural. Now, with no powers whatsoever, they help the team out by… stumbling into things. The Mundane abilities tend to give you bonuses when you get in a sticky situation and when you need to run away from said situation. This is a great playbook if you want to play a comic relief character.
The Professional
Monster of the Week’s Professional Playbook is great for Men in Black type characters. These government agents get specialized gear for taking on the supernatural. They also have multiple abilities for keeping their cool in scary situations and improvising a solution.
The Spell-Slinger
Bring the fight to the monsters with an arsenal of spells. Many of these cause damage directly to the enemy, but more creative uses can manipulate the environment. You also get bonuses to investigating magical mysteries and performing complex rituals that are often needed to resolve bigger threats.
The Spooky
Power comes with a price. If you like roleplaying that dynamic, play the Spooky Playbook. They can have psychic powers, visions of the future, or the ability to bend luck. The fun cost to these abilities is a dark urge that the Game Master can draw upon to complicate any situation you find yourself in.
The Wronged
Become a tragic warrior obsessed with destroying the creature that took everything from them. The Wronged gets a signature weapon, bonuses to tracking their prey, and several skills that keep them going when others would go down. If the image of a dark, brooding hunter inspires you, play as the Wronged.
The Chosen
As the chosen one who must fulfill a destiny, you cannot die. Literally, there’s an ability that says you can’t die until your destiny comes to pass. Other abilities further protect you from harm or reward you for creating big moments that tie into your larger fate.
The Crooked
This can be your criminal with a heart of gold or loner with a mysterious past. The Crooked comes with a shady background that can be invoked to bail the party out of a tight spot. Imagine a loyal crew ready to throw hands, a black market contact that owes you a favor, or the skill to hotwire a getaway car.
The Monstrous
When you just gotta be edgy, here’s your half-monster class. You’ll have a tragic curse based on whatever monster you spawn from. This is great for those who love roleplay as you’ll get to ham up your dark emotions or need to feed. In exchange for your curse, you get awesome powers like flight, super strength, or mind control.