Konosuba TRPG - Character Creation

I recently picked up a copy of Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! TRPG. This is a Japanese RPG by F.E.A.R. who is Japan's largest RPG publisher that has been translated in English.

I did not know much about Konosuba before looking into the RPG. In essence, its an Isekai anime parody. Isekai is a popular genre of anime where a human from our world dies and wakes up in a fantasy world. In Konosuba, the world is structured much like a JRPG MMO, where there are adventurers who join a guild, have classes, go on quests, level up, and gain new skills.

The primary comedy comes from the the fact that the main character is a pretty ordinary person, like a level 0 rogue, but his party is formed by characters that you would expect from extreme min-maxers. However, the GM has decided to punish these players by enforcing all those flaws they took for their PCs. So, you have a fighter with DR100 but a -10 to attack, a mage with level 9 spell Meteor Swarm but no other spells, and a cleric who is a follower of herself (she's also a deity).

The RPG doesn't really enforce this comedy element mechanically. There is an optional Cheat system, which allows each PC to take one super powerful ability but with a pretty powerful flaw. All the characters in the show are represented, but there are other options too. Outside of this, the RPG presents a solid light hearted fantasy RPG and lets the usual shenanigans that comes from playing a fantasy RPG handle the comedic side of things.

Overall, the RPG provides a complete RPG system. It has character creation, advancement, equipment, a bestiary, a setting, a starting adventure, GM advice, and (like most Japanese RPGs) an extensive example of play called a replay. As such, it goes beyond the show and could handle most light fantasy anime shows, especially in the Isekai genre, easily such as Escaflowne and Inuyashi.



Anyway, introductions aside, I thought it would be most illustrative to create a PC for the RPG. The RPG comes with 5 pregenerated PCs for quick play. But there is also a full system for making your own PC. The steps to this are:

1. Choose a race
2. Choose a class
3. Acquire skills
4. Determine ability scores
5. Acquire items
6. Determine secondary ability scores
7. Determine blessings
8. Determine character level
9. Determine background

Choose a race

First up is choosing a race. There are only three options here. A Native Inhabitant, a Reincarnated Person, and a Crimson Magic Clan (which look human but have red eyes and powerful magic).

There aren't many demi-humans in Konosuba, but elves and dwarves are represented by Native Inhabitants.

Unless anyone wants to see one of the other options, I am going with a Native Inhabitant, pretty much aiming for your vanilla human fighter.

This gives me an 8 in all 7 ability scores - Str, Dex, Agi, Int, Per, Mnd, and Luk. I also get 5 bonus points to add but can't raise any above 13.

Given that ability score mods are determined by dividing a stat by 3 and rounding down, the aim would be to get ability scores to a 9 or 12 where possible. Str seems an obvious choice, and I add my last point to Luk. Arguably Agi would be better for defence, but I am expecting a boost there from my class.

So my final stats are:
STR 12 (+4)
DEX 8 (+2)
AGI 8 (+2)
INT 8 (+2)
PER 8 (+2)
MND 8 (+2)
LUK 9 (+3)

Next up, choosing a Class.

Choose a class

The game has 2 types of classes - Starter and Advanced.

Advanced classes can't be taken until level 10, so I won't detail them here. They are primarily advanced versions of the four primary Starter classes i.e. Mage -> Archmage.

Starter classes include Adventurer, Warrior, Priest, Wizard, Thief, Elemental Master, Creator, Swordfighter, Knight, Lancer, and Rune Knight.

Warrior, Priest, Wizard, and Thief are fully developed classes and the most likely choices. An Adventurer is a jack of all trades and can take skills from any class. The others are specialty classes which only 3 exclusive skills. However, its relatively easy to swap between classes from what I have seen, so this shouldn't be too limiting.

As such, I choose Warrior.

This gives me +2 to Str, Dex and Agi. These bonuses are to the ability score mods and not the ability score. So the result is:

STR 12 (+6)
DEX 8 (+4)
AGI 8 (+4)
INT 8 (+2)
PER 8 (+2)
MND 8 (+2)
LUK 9 (+3)

I also get the following:

HP: 26 (with +14 per level)
MP: 20 (with +8 per level)

Its important to note that all classes uses MP to power their skills. So my PC will need to use them as well.

Next up, acquiring Skills

Acquire Skills

Now I acquire skills. As is common in many Japanese RPGs these are presented as discrete powers that could easily be printed on cards.

My PC gets to choose 1 race-based skill, 5 levels of class-based skills (though none higher than 2) and 2 general skills (at level 1).

As a Native Inhabitant, my race-based skills are Combat Arts, Snap Decision, Stalwart, and Versatility. I can't take Combat Arts at character creation. Instead, I take Snap Decision. Its a passive ability giving me +3 Action Points (think Initiative). I am thinking of an impulsive warrior that relies on his luck a little too much.

Next up are class-based skills. There are 20 of these so I won't list them out. I take:

Accuracy 1 (+1 SL on attacks with weapons)
All Purpose Defense Skill 1 (+2 to Physical Defence and +1 Magical Defence)
Last Resort 2 (+6 damage, but roll -1d6 for reactions for scene, costs 3MP)
Mow Down 1 (perform close combat attack against 2 targets in an Engagement, costs 3MP)

Last we have General Skills. There are 19 of these and 7 magic ones. I take:

Detect Deception Skill 1 (+1d6 to Mind when seeing through bluffs and lies)
Fleet-footed Skill 1 (+1d6 Action Points when withdrawing from an Engagement)

The end result is as follows:

Snap Decision (+3 Action Points)
Accuracy 1 (+1 SL on attacks with weapons)
Last Resort 2 (+6 damage, but roll -1d6 for reactions for scene, costs 3MP)
Mow Down 1 (perform close combat attack against 2 targets in an Engagement, costs 3MP)
Detect Deception Skill 1 (+1d6 to Mind when seeing through bluffs and lies)
Fleet-footed Skill 1 (+1d6 Action Points when withdrawing from an Engagement)

Next up is determining ability scores, which I have already done as my skills did not change these from further.

So, next up is acquiring Items.

Acquire Items

Each PC starts with 500KE.

To acquire equipment, it needs to not be restricted for your PC's class or level and you can only acquire one item per slot, otherwise it becomes a belonging i.e. stored in your backpack. The game recommends not to be worried about belongings too much.

I go straight to swords and find there are 9 options, 4 of which are out of my price range and 7 beyond my level. As a level 1 PC, I choose:

Long sword: -1 to hit, +7 attack power (damage), - 1 action mod (initiative). Its one handed and costs 150KE.

Next up is a shield. Again of the 7 options, only 1 is within my level and price range being a round shield:

Round Shield: +3 Physical Defence, +0 Magical Defence, -1 action mod. Its one handed and costs 100 KE.

Last is armour. I am not going to ignore helmets for now (of which there are 14 ). Of the 4 armours I can acquire, chain mail is too expensive, so I choose:

Leather Jacket: +0 Dodge mod, +4 Physical Defence, +0 Magical Defence, -1 action mod. Its occupies the body slot and costs 100 KE.

I then see that there is a Support Armour list including a buckler (which is attached to the arm but can't be used with a shield. Instead, I grab:

Cape: +0 Dodge mod, +1 Physical Defence, +0 Magical Defence, +0 action mod. Its occupies the support armour slot and costs 100 KE.

With my final 50KE, I acquire an Adventurer's Set (10), Camping Tools (3), and Heal Potion (30), leaving me 7KE, which is enough to eat for 3 days.

To summarise the impact of my weapon and armour, my combat stat mods are:

Action: -3
Attack: -1
Damage: +7

Dodge: +0
Phys. Def: +8
Mag. Def: +0

Next up, determining secondary ability scores.

I like this book a lot. There's an infectiousness to the fluff, that unfortunately doesn't quite carry through to the mechanics content; I think it could definitely have done with a translation pass from someone concentrating on the mechanics side. Still, I've seen far worse translations, and finally getting one of this style of RPG book in english.

Determine secondary ability scores

Secondary ability scores consists of HP, MP, Action Points, and Movement.

For my PC, these are calculated as follows:
HP: 38 (adding base Str score)
MP: 28 (adding base Mnd score)
Action Points: 3 (being 6 base and -3 for equipment loadout)
Move: 10 (being 5 + Str of 6 - 1 for armour)

These are without factoring in skills which I do so in the final character sheet.

Next up, determine blessings and level.

Determining blessings

This one is simple enough. Everyone gets 5 unless modified by a skill.

They can be spent for rerolls or adding dice (including damage).

Determining character level

Even simpler. A starting PC is character level 1.

Last up, determining background

Determining background

This has two parts. An origin, that can be created randomly, and other details (name, age, gender etc).

For Origin, I roll randomly and get:

Drifter - One of more of your parents are drifters, always on a journey. You have gone with them, travelling to many places and seeing many things.

For Circumstance, I get:

Fallen - Circumstances led to you losing your social status, abundant wealth, or family honour. After all, your family was a shadow of its former self, fallen into ruin.

For Goal, I get:

Retake - Your goal is to take back something that was stolen from you. That is why you act.

So, the PC is a 20 year old male called Aegis, who grew up in a wandering family. When he came of age, he was told that the family was once the loyal retinue of a noble but they were exiled when that noble was assassinated. When the family discovered that a rival noble was behind it, they were put to death, leaving it to Aegis to reveal the crime and recover his family position.

Name: Aegis
Race: Native Inhabitant
Class: Warrior
Level: 1

Background
Aegis grew up in a wandering family. When he came of age, he was told that the family was once the loyal retinue of a noble but they were exiled when that noble was assassinated. When the family discovered that a rival noble was behind it, they were put to death, leaving it to Aegis to reveal the crime and recover his family position.

Ability scores
STR 12 (+6)
DEX 8 (+4)
AGI 8 (+4)
INT 8 (+2)
PER 8 (+2)
MND 8 (+2)
LUK 9 (+3)

Secondary ability scores
HP: 38
MP: 28
Action Points: 6
Move: 10
Blessings: 5

Skills
Snap Decision (+3 Action Points)
Accuracy 1 (+1 SL on attacks with weapons)
All Purpose Defense Skill 1 (+2 to Physical Defence and +1 Magical Defence)
Last Resort 2 (+6 damage, but roll -1d6 for reactions for scene, costs 3MP)
Mow Down 1 (perform close combat attack against 2 targets in an Engagement, costs 3MP)
Detect Deception Skill 1 (+1d6 to Mind when seeing through bluffs and lies)
Fleet-footed Skill 1 (+1d6 Action Points when withdrawing from an Engagement)

Combat
Attack: +0
Damage: +7
Dodge: +0
Phys. Def: +10
Mag. Def: +1

Equipment
Long sword
Round Shield
Leather Jacket
Cape
Adventurer's Set
Camping Tools
Heal Potion
7KE

Is this available in PDF form? My Google searches so far have only brought up digital versions available on Google Play Books (but not in the UK, apparently), iTunes (I don't own Apple devices), Kindle (in a horrid fixed dual page spread format) and Kobo (only review reporting formatting errors in tables) but no online stores selling a simple PDF.

Not as a PDF. In typical Japanese RPG industry paranoid fashion, it’s only available in ePub and other formats less easy to print and copy.

Looking over the rules over night I noticed some rules that would change the character, particularly that you use Dex to attack. So here is a revised version.

I note that I haven’t added a Cheat to this PC as that is optional. I have also added in the ability score mods to the combat stats.


Name: Aegis
Race: Native Inhabitant
Class: Warrior
Level: 1
View attachment 45161
Background
Aegis grew up in a wandering family. When he came of age, he was told that the family was once the loyal retinue of a noble but they were exiled when that noble was assassinated. When the family discovered that a rival noble was behind it, they were put to death, leaving it to Aegis to reveal the crime and recover his family position.

Ability scores
STR 8 (+4)
DEX 12 (+6)
AGI 8 (+4)
INT 8 (+2)
PER 8 (+2)
MND 8 (+2)
LUK 9 (+3)

Secondary ability scores
HP: 34
MP: 28
Action Points: 6
Move: 8
Blessings: 5

Skills
Snap Decision (+3 Action Points)
Accuracy 1 (+1 attack with weapons)
All Purpose Defense Skill 1 (+2 to Physical Defence and +1 Magical Defence)
Last Resort 2 (+6 damage, but roll -1d6 for reactions for scene, costs 3MP)
Mow Down 1 (perform close combat attack against 2 targets in an Engagement, costs 3MP)
Detect Deception Skill 1 (+1d6 to Mind when seeing through bluffs and lies)
Fleet-footed Skill 1 (+1d6 Action Points when withdrawing from an Engagement)

Combat
Attack: +6
Damage: +7
Dodge: +4
Phys. Def: +10
Mag. Def: +3

Equipment
Long sword
Round Shield
Leather Jacket
Cape
Adventurer's Set
Camping Tools
Heal Potion
7KE

Skywalker said:

Not as a PDF. In typical Japanese RPG industry paranoid fashion, it’s only available in ePub and other formats less easy to print and copy.

Click to expand...

That's unfortunate.

I did pick up the physical book from Waterstones last night and I'm in the middle of reading through the replay section. No PDF will make it a hard sell for my group though is still mostly online.

That said, my googling for English versions of the character sheet did uncover a fan translation in PDF of the rules sections (character creation, game rules and GM section) which should help.

Thanks for doing this so thoroughly. I was on the fence before but now I'm definitely going to pick it up.

I believe, but am not 100% sure, that this game uses the same system Sword World uses, which is HUGE in Japan. (I do know that Goblin Slayer will also be based off of this system, so if you want, you could cross them over. Not that you SHOULD, just that you could. the tonal shift alone would kill most players)

remial said:

I believe, but am not 100% sure, that this game uses the same system Sword World uses, which is HUGE in Japan. (I do know that Goblin Slayer will also be based off of this system, so if you want, you could cross them over. Not that you SHOULD, just that you could. the tonal shift alone would kill most players)

Click to expand...

Not 100% sure about your comment. As far as I know Goblin Slayer is based off Sword World, but Konosuba RPG has been adapted by F.E.A.R. which normally use their own Standard RPG System for most of their games.

Oh and while I'm here. Skywalker, are you looking to do anything further with this thread? Like maybe generate another character and run a sample combat?

Sorry. Haven’t got time to do so in the near future.

First thing - don't buy the digital from Amazon. It was in their kindle format but wasn't optimized - I couldn't resize or look at sections. A two page spread was tiny and hard to read even on my pc. I wound up returning it and getting physical for only a few dollars more.

It's a solid game. I find the stat generation odd - pick a number, transform that into another number - I'm surprised D&D still does that; but that's a minute of oddness quickly gotten past. The choice of races is limited - isekai, crimson clan, other. Overall, a good game but not boundary pushing. I dunno if I'll ever get a chance to play but it's nice read.

So it can be played serious instead of silly? Not sure I can accept that... (JOKING!)

I'm also curious about the Goblin-Slayer game. Maybe I'll order both (Once I save up the pennies again.)

Yes. The RPG is almost entirely a standard fantasy RPG. The comedy is assumed to come from the usual shenanigans that come with playing a fantasy RPG like D&D.

The only comedic elements are the Cheats (optional amazing powers matched with big flaws) and the odd Skill or Bestiary entry like a One Punch Bear, Cabbages, and Gifted Meat Skill.

Skywalker said:

Yes. The RPG is almost entirely a standard fantasy RPG. The comedy is assumed to come from the usual shenanigans that come with playing a fantasy RPG like D&D.

The only comedic elements are the Cheats (optional amazing powers matched with big flaws) and the odd Skill or Bestiary entry like a One Punch Bear, Cabbages, and Gifted Meat Skill.

Click to expand...

I was being silly, but I'm sold.

The GS is on Pre-Order on Amazon and is 26CDN for a hard copy. I can swing that for July!

I just put an order in for the Goblin-Slayer game. I've done some calculations and I'm covered for the July release date.

Now, I just need to save the pennies and get the Konosuba one to.

Cool. I am tempted after my experiences with Konosuba, but I am not sure how much I would explore the wider IP from what I have heard.

So I got the Konosuba game, and with just a cursory look through it (I got it like literally an hour ago, as of this post, MARK) on the can, I disagree that the game needs the GM to push the humour. There's a LITTLE built into to help get the mood of the setting.

Adventurer Cards with levels and skills listed, Cabbages as a type of enemy to fight, some of the 'Cheats', some of which the main cast of the Light Novels/Manga/Anime have, like Darkness. Sure, you can play it straight too, but they got the 'feel' of the Konosuba setting to help you along.

Yep, agree. There are comedic elements in the RPG that help set the tone. I don’t recall anyone saying the GM needed to push the humour though.

Ladybird said:

I like this book a lot. There's an infectiousness to the fluff, that unfortunately doesn't quite carry through to the mechanics content; I think it could definitely have done with a translation pass from someone concentrating on the mechanics side. Still, I've seen far worse translations, and finally getting one of this style of RPG book in english.

Click to expand...

Skywalker said:

Yes. The RPG is almost entirely a standard fantasy RPG. The comedy is assumed to come from the usual shenanigans that come with playing a fantasy RPG like D&D.

The only comedic elements are the Cheats (optional amazing powers matched with big flaws) and the odd Skill or Bestiary entry like a One Punch Bear, Cabbages, and Gifted Meat Skill.

Click to expand...

These two posts implied it, but I may have been misreading it. Either way, I am liking this book. I'm going to need to get a book repair kit, cuz this thing is going to be abused religiously.

I think its a misread. I read you last paragraph as saying the exact same thing as my quote above, so it seems to be that we agree

I’m signed up for a gaming of this at Origins next week. I’m looking forward to giving it a try.

Played it this afternoon. I can’t say I really understand the system all that well, but it was fun. I’d describe it as something like a mix of D&D and a JRPG. I tried to evoke some of the silliness of the anime. I was an amnesic character who forgot his own name, and when we encountered some undead stuff, I taunted it from a distance while I was trying to get past it to disarm a trap. When the obvious villain revealed his true nature, one of the party members stopped and requested payment (a new quest) before we started fighting it (and then the wizard toasted it in one shot with a fireball and an awesome roll). The humor is optional though. The system doesn’t really push you to do it (beyond the fluff that’s already there). We didn’t use the optional cheat rules though (since it was an introductory con game).

I've got a game with a couple of friends. I turned them onto the show, and they want to play. They just made characters for now.

The husband is playing a bit of a gag archetype. He's a Native, whose parents (Both) are adventurers. And yes, the first adventure he went on was a vacation to a manor with it's own graveyard. Which had an Undead problem. So at the tender age of five, while his parents were dealing with the rest of the monsters, he got to learn the tricks of the trade by beating skeletons with their own arms.

But the gag is that he's a kinda reverse of the 'loli'/sexy character archetype. In anime, the flat, young looking girl is often the oldest character, and the buxom beauty is the under age girl. So this Warrior is a tall, strapping teenage boy, that everyone thinks is 18 and taking advantage of his partner, except that Fredrick is actually 13, and she's 14.

The wife is playing a Crimson Wizard/Wizard (She LOVES Yunyun) whose mother is a great heroine, having saved several kingdoms and villages from dragons, cabbage rampages and orcs. Even broke a siege of a Demon Lord general's castle, blowing the wall open! Tamakun is rightly very proud of her mom.

Unfortunately, her mom is mostly remembered for casting her spells too close and blowing the front of her clothes off. Every time. And everyone who knows of the legendary Archmage Maritan is expecting Tama be similar. So Tamakun hangs WAAAAAY back whenever she's throwing her Fireball. Just in case.

I'm still formulating the first adventure. Thinking of having it be at Fredrick's original 'vacation home'. Maybe have the ghost who caused the problems in the first time actually make a quest because his/her tenants are too noisy and/or troublesome.

For people wondering if it's selling electronically?

Ebook sales from Bookwalker Global.....

Amazed to spot Konosuba TTRPG 13th overall!