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Dixit and roleplaying collide with surreal RPG Dreampunk

Dreams can come true.

Use a set of interpretive illustrated cards to navigate the surreal world of the unconscious in upcoming roleplaying game Dreampunk.

An RPG inspired by the strange nature of dreams and what they could symbolise, Dreampunk sees players becoming Dreamers - people who have the ability to manipulate the world of the unconscious. Rather than using traditional RPG mechanics such as dice-rolls to determine what happens within the roleplaying game, players have a deck of art cards that they can use to drive the narrative.

In a similar fashion to the card game Dixit, players can interpret these cards in different ways in order to tell a story. Using the cards requires the players to be able to explain how the card they’ve chosen plays into the action they’re attempting to perform. For example a card depicting a scientist using glass vials could be used to have the player character create something by combining two things together. Using their imagination, players can shape the game’s story however they wish.

Dreampunk RPG cards

Dreampunk can be played as either a traditional roleplaying game - with a games master to take the role of narrator - or as a GM-less RPG, with all the players working together as Dreamers to tell the story. When they’re creating their characters, players are not restricted by stats or features. Instead, players define their characters by the Needs that drive their journeys into dream, with a selection of playbooks available to choose from to help further determine who a player’s character is. There isn’t necessarily a set goal for each session of Dreampunk, with players following the narrative wherever it happens to lead them.

Xavid is the creator behind Dreampunk, having previously written LARP - or live action roleplay - games such as The Importance of Being Convergent, a title that sees players becoming a member of a fictional society in Tetranan, and a piece of interactive fiction called Vain Empires.

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The artists responsible for both the art cards and the book artwork are Sarah Morrison, Jhenne Tyler, Kindred Styles, Chad Wyrwicz, Obaseun Ogunkeye, September XYZX, Steff Bradley, Idefix, Nathaniel Santore, Camille O’Leary, Finn J Carey, Santiago Alzate and Natalie Olivari.

The Kickstarter campaign for Dreampunk is live until August 14th, with a pledge of $50 (£37) getting backers a physical copy of the book and art deck this October. Alternatively, a PDF version of just the rulebook is available for a pledge of $10 (£8).

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Alex Meehan avatar
Alex Meehan: After writing for Kotaku UK, Waypoint and Official Xbox Magazine, Alex became a member of the Dicebreaker editorial family. Having been producing news, features, previews and opinion pieces for Dicebreaker for the past three years, Alex has had plenty of opportunity to indulge in her love of meaty strategy board games and gothic RPGS. Besides writing, Alex appears in Dicebreaker’s D&D actual play series Storybreakers and haunts the occasional stream on the Dicebreaker YouTube channel.
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