Deadpool and Dragons
Taking Your Gaming Gonzo
Do you like medieval authentic gaming where each character speaks in a near perfect English accent, never breaks character and the detailed rules of the game are always followed? This article is the complete opposite of that. This is about Gonzo Gaming. Abandon all hope ye who keep reading.
I recently saw Deadpool and Wolverine and the only way I can describe it is, Gonzo. It’s unpredictable and always ahd me thinking, What is going to happen next. This got me thinking, “What if you let Deadpool, the Merc with a Mouth, loose in your D&D game?” Your game is heading way off the rails.
You may be thinking, “But Paul, my players are always taking my game gonzo!”. True, but what if you just started with Gonzo and embraced the unpredictable and even the silly?
If you’re not familiar, Gonzo gaming is a style of tabletop role-playing that embraces the absurd, the chaotic, and the downright weird. It's a departure from traditional RPGs, which often focus on strict rules, character development, and world-building where everything makes sense.
Think of Gonzo gaming as the Jackass or Nic Cage of gaming, where anything can happen and when it does happen, it will be over the top.
Key characteristics of gonzo gaming include:
Emphasis on fun and creativity: The primary goal is to have a good time, without getting bogged down in mechanics or realism.
Wild and unpredictable plots: Expect anything to happen, from sudden alien invasions to time-traveling dinosaurs.
Over-the-top characters: Players are encouraged to create outrageous and eccentric characters.
Loose adherence to rules: Rules are often bent or broken for the sake of fun and excitement.
Gonzo Game Mechanics
Some game systems build gonzo in their game.
Exploding Dice: Let’s say you’re playing a d6 game like Star Wars or Savage Worlds, if you hit a certain number you can roll more dice which can lead to some wild outcomes.
Chaos Cards: A deck of cards with unpredictable effects such as in Weird Frontiers for DCC, draw a card as part of hitting and chaos will ensue.
Some mechanics you can add, yourself.
Narrative Dice: You could add narrative dice to your game like Story Cubes , these dice have descriptive words/pictures. Players can roll these to influence the story.
Random Table Generators: Create a table filled with absurd and unexpected events, items, or creatures. Roll a die to determine what happens. If you want to save time, I recommend The Weird by Monte Cook
Gonzo Character Ideas
Here are some outlandish characters to get your players started or use them as NPCs to spice up your game
The Time-Traveling Pizza Delivery Guy: A pizza delivery person who accidentally activates a time machine while trying to deliver a pie to the right dimension.
The Interdimensional Mime: A silent, pantomime artist who can manipulate reality through their mime skills.
The Reality-Bending Conspiracy Theorist: A character who believes everything is a conspiracy and can unintentionally alter reality through their sheer belief.
The Gelatinous Blob with a Napoleon Complex: A sentient blob with a Napoleon hat who dreams of world domination.
The Talking Animal Lawyer: A highly intelligent animal who has graduated from law school and practices animal rights law.
A drunk scientist grandfather and his grandson show up in a spaceship: Including pop culture can always make a game a little gonzo.
Other Gonzo Resources
While there aren't specific games, that I know of, labeled "gonzo," but any rpg can be adapted to fit the style. Here are a few more gonzo centric resources.
World of the Last Sun (Gonzo Setting)
Gonzo gaming is a wild ride that offers unparalleled joy and creativity. It's a playground for the imagination where anything is possible, and wild laughter is the ultimate goal.
For the game master, embracing chaos is key. Be prepared to throw out plans, and let the players guide the story. Most importantly, remember that the goal is fun.
By fostering a collaborative and open-minded environment, you'll create unforgettable gaming experiences that will leave players wanting more.
Let me know what you think, do enjoy playing/running gonzo games?
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