Fates and Karma are dealt with during the Intermission. Then the game alternates between Acts (where you roleplay) and Intermissions (downtime where you spend XP and adjust your PC). Then the PCs have preludes to establish the PCs and the scenario. The game has a default structure, though it is a relatively conventional one. You can prevent this by removing Fates, Buddhist style. When spent they produce Karma, and when you reach 108 Karma, your PC falls to the dark side. These generate bennies called Aiki Chits that can be spent like both XP and action points. The first is that each PC has a list of Fates, which represent things important to the PC. The Karma/Fate/Game Structure section consists of two parts. worthwhile miscellaneous combat actions the reverse death spiral and the handling of character death The combat system is equally simple and straightforward with some real gems such as: The Rules section is a simplified White Wolf style system, with attributes and skills, HP (Vitality) and Wound Levels. Characters (this is roughly the same size as the other 4 parts combined) Setting (though a lot is also contained in the Character section) The RPG consists of the 5 main parts (all but one being roughly of similar size): The first is sample characters (almost prebuilt PCs for each archetype), the second is archetypes (these allow PCs to be made by combining 2 to 4 smaller archetypes) and the third is from scratch. One of the best things is that there are three approaches to PC creation. Each character archetype is detailed in around 20 to 30 pages (setting and mechanics) and there are over 10 archetypes. The books include full page manga examples of the mechanics, a 5 page player handout introduction, a list of 222 things to throw into a game, a huge list of in setting names, a section on the game's inspirations.

There is lots of game aids, something I wish more RPGs would do. This has been of considerable benefit from a first read through as the game is well explained at all times with little need to cross reference, but it may reduce in benefit over time.

There is a reasonable amount of repetition in the text. The added pages come from a number of factors: That makes it sound like the game is complex but its not. The RPG is a big game at 700 pages (though with graphic novel sized pages). I am about 50% the way through the RPG, so I can't comment on the RPG as a whole just yet. On Sunday, the pre-release PDFs for Tenra Bansho Zero were released to allow for a week or so of editing by eagle eyed fans, before the final PDFs are released and sent to print. An older thread started when the Kickstarter commenced can be found here: This is a new thread regarding Tenra Bansho Zero.

Tenra bansho zero pdf download