Play Thirsty Sword Lesbians
So on bird app I talked about how many community copies of Thirsty Sword Lesbians there was and now 100s of people have claimed community copies of the game [Note Community Copies are free copies of PDFs which are on many itch.io TTRPGs and even community made TSL playbooks]. Since a ton more people now have access to my favorite game and one I've worked on for every edition so far as well as making a fan playbook, I wanted to talk about what is special about the system, what makes me love it so much, and why you might want to give it a try.
Thirsty Sword Lesbians is a simple game to understand but it refines even the most simple parts of it's design to make a better experience. In Thirsty Sword Lesbian's there is no failure or success. You roll d26 plus your modifier then you are either given a down beat, a mixed beat, or an upbeat. None of these mean you did what you intended. You can have a down beat where you knocked out the guard you had been trying to knock out but it turns out she was your girlfriends sister and without the context she just witnessed you assaulting her family. You may get an upbeat trying to do something and trip and fall and end up landing perfectly knocking away the sacred stone that the villain needs to turn the world into skeletons, with witnesses now thinking your amazing where in truth you have never quite been good at this.
Playbooks are designed with great intentionality to them each is designed with an emotional conflict at the heart. Where classes and playbooks can often be more like picking your powerset, in TSL your picking a struggle. It's not that other things might not be also bothering you but the conflict is something internally you are dealing with that's standing above the rest of the other conflicts you might have. This is an element that just feels very queer, we all have our problems, our traumas, and we work through them together. Each playbook also has a core mechanic that makes it stand out from the others, these have a narrative weight and a textual weight. These core mechanics typically take the form as some advantageous ability but are also deeply rooted in your conflict. They encourage you as a player to roleplay just by using the most basic aspect of your character.
I have to be real though, the thing that first made me fall head over heels with Thirsty Sword Lesbians was how funny and cool the adventures were. When I was reading the playtest version of the game, before I was brought on to write Yuisa Revolution and later The Matriarch, I was just playing a one shot and thought the name sounded fun. I read Best Day Of Their Life and just knew, this game was gonna be utterly my shit. At first I was just skimming like I do with most TTRPGs at first glance, but I read the first couple lines of the setting and I decided "fuck, I have to read all of this." I read the whole thing, made a character for my one shot and right after that session signed up to run multiple one shots of the game so others could get to play it because I loved it so much.
I don't normally like to play in premade settings but each of these are simple enough to really build on with enough going on that made it easier to run if you didn't want to get super creative and make a bunch of new shit. It really made me fall in love with setting writing in a way I just didn't before. I had gotten asked to work on Mutants and Master Minds before I TSL but I thought it was so boring working on the setting I quit and left money on the table. However, when April approached me to write a setting, I said yes, right away, no hesitation and now I work in TTRPG design. I had done TTRPG design work before but I wasn't locked in after quitting comics, it was how exciting the settings were that got me so inspired to create.
While many refer to Thirsty Sword Lesbians as a Powered By The Apocalypse game and by all means it is in a lot of senses, I think Powered By Lesbians is a very distinct flavor. It cuts out everything bad about PBTA and adds so much to the table. Chiefly among them is the smitten mechanic which is a mechanic I wish like every game had. It is one of the most clever pieces of game design ever convinced of. Being smitten has you do a moment of dramatic introspection, while I am one for more bright and cheery and less drama focused stuff, it's amazingly juicy hooks for a GM to get into. It not only allows you to put out your characters personal doubts about a potential relationship but it also says to the GM and everyone playing "I like this character, I want to see more of them, I want to explore where this goes." It's also in addition a way for players to tell each other "I want to be romantic with your character" and if they chose to get smitten back it's mechanically saying without even needing an out of game chat "Let's roleplay some romance."
Thirsty Sword Lesbians is really something special, I could gush on and on but already a lot given I worked on it and am currently working on it but I just wanted to talk about why the system is special to me. I hope I got you interested and I don't make any royalties on TSL sales [yet] so like I am not really biased here outside of the pages I worked on and that I made friends with a lot of folks who worked on it over my time working on it and after. Go clash swords and cross hearts.
162 notes
·
View notes
Hi, I have a request! Could you do the brothers' reaction to mc saying their favorite TSL character is the one based off of them without even knowing TSL was based on the brothers in the first place?
Like, someone asks MC who is it and they just go "___ is definitely my favorite", maybe even start going on a rant about how cool the character is or something lol
Lucifer
He knew that Levi had shown MC TSL and it's world, and he knew about the fact that Simeon had inspired the Seven Lords off of the brothers
Lucifer also knew that Levi had gotten Diavolo interested in such things
So here he was, at the castle with MC, watching with Barbatos as the crowned prince and the human exchange student rambled on about TSL
"Who's your favourite character, MC?"
"I can say without a doubt, the Lord of Corruption! He's such an interesting character, his schemes that he plots are so well thought out!"
Of course, Lucifer heard this and remembered that the Lord of Corruption was based on him
He got a bit red, but soon interjected with a whole load of other questions for MC
What they like most about him, what they like least about him, etc
Barbatos and Diavolo knew what he was doing, but Lucifer was sure that MC didn't know that their favourite lord was based on the Avatar of Pride himself
Mammon
A TSL marathon in MC's room is what got him into this situation
Mammon, MC and Solomon were watching some of the featured films, with the second eldest making sure the wizard didn't get too close to MC
While MC was putting on the last film, Solomon asked a question
"Out of random curiosity, MC. Out of all the characters, who is your favourite?"
"Definitely the Lord of Fools!"
Mammon knew that The Lord of Fools was based on him, but wanted to play it cool
"Well of course he's yer favourite! He's the best one out of all of 'em!"
"He acts all tough, but I personally think he cares for his brothers"
MC looks at Mammon
"That sounds kinda like you, Mams"
"W-What-- Pfft!- Nooo..."
MC's eyes narrow at him, the look causing Mammon to feel very very hot all the sudden
Eventually, MC shrugs and puts on the last movie
"Whatever, I hope we get to see him in this."
Maybe at some point, Mammon will let MC know
Leviathan
MC and Levi were watching TSL in the otaku’s room
Now, it took a while for Levi to understand that the brothers were the inspiration behind the seven lords
So he sort of… assumed that MC knew about this..
However, in one scene, the Lord of Shadows was doing a monologue in front of Henry, and MC was listening with rapt attention
“The Lord of Shadows is so cool, he has to be my favourite character!”
“Yea! He’s mine too!“ Levi replied
Realizing only seconds later that the Lord of Shadows was based on him
Was that a sign?! Could he actually have a chance with MC?!
His mind started to overeagerly jump to conclusions
But as he thought more and more about how the Lord of Shadows is so much cooler than him, and how he’s just a disgusting otaku, his self confidence went down the drain
Levi would love to be with MC, but will he ever have that chance?
Satan
He would often invite MC to read with him in his room
The book MC had chosen this time was the newest edition of TSL
He knew from conversations with Simeon that the characters of the title were based on the seven brothers
Satan had finished reading a chapter, and before he could start again, MC huffs
“The Lord of Masks is so handsome it’s almost infuriating!”
Satan, clearly amused and curious at this, gestures them to continue
“Like, I want to glide across a ballroom with him, but I also want to slap him in his stupidly handsome face!”
“I understand that feeling.”
Satan uses his magic to clear the floor of any books before getting up and turning on some music before offering a hand to MC
“Since slapping him nor ballroom dancing with him is a possibility, why don’t you ballroom dance with me instead?”
Maybe one day, he’ll tell them
Asmodeus
He knew the basic things from Solomon talking about to Levi’s rambles
Obviously, he was flattered when Simeon based the Lord of Lechery off him
When Asmo discovered MC was a fan, he was prepared for the conversations that Levi and MC would have in front of the brothers
During one of these times, specifically during dinner, Satan had asked out of pure curiousity who MC’s favourite character was
“Oh, that has to be the Lord of Lechery. He’s a bit… eccentric, but I think that makes him stand out.. I don’t think the author did him justice though…”
Asmo was touched, truly. Although he started to wonder if MC knew the character inspiration
“Hon.. Do you know who the lords are based off of?”
“Hm? No?”
“Doesn’t the Lord of Lechery remind you of someone…?”
MC squints, and Asmo could see the math being done in their head.
“He kinda reminds me of you, Asmo.”
MC gasped, slamming their hands on the table.
“Wait, did the author take inspiration from you guys to make the seven lords?!”
“Ding ding ding! You got it right!” Asmo grins.
Asmo couldn’t help but snicker at the shocked face of MC as they sat back down and started blanking out, presumably retracing all the signs that the inspo was there
Beelzbub
Honestly, he was probably one of the least knowledgeable brothers when it came to TSL. He only remembers that the brothers are the inspiration when it comes up (mostly from Levi’s rambles)
It was movie night, and MC, having been the movie picker, decided to pick the second film of TSL, having picked the first movie the previous week
Before the movie started, Belphie was on MC’s lap, using them as a pillow, as he usually does
“Hey MC, who’s your favourite lord in TSL?”
“Oh, I like The Lord of Flies! He’s a bit dumb, but that’s what is endearing about him. I honestly don’t think he gets enough screentime”
Wait MC likes the Lord of Flies? Beel wasn’t expecting that
But he did get a warm feeling inside as he munched on his popcorn
Belphegor
The brothers had gotten tickets for a TSL play because MC was having a tough week, and Lucifer wanted to do something special
The only reason his brothers and himself wanted to come is presumably so they can see MC happy
At the seats before the play started, Beel asked MC something
“Who’s your favourite character, MC?”
“Definitely the Lord of Emptiness! I think he’s an interesting guy because you never know what he’s thinking! Sometimes I wish I knew, but it would take away half of the mystery surrounding him.”
Belphie gave a shit eating grin to the rest of his brothers before laying his head on MC’s lap
“The youngest is always favoured.”
55 notes
·
View notes