Episode 47

full
Published on:

20th Jun 2023

Lonely TTRPG EP 47 - ECOMOFOS by David Blandy

Around two hundred years ago, everything went to shit. The wealthy, who created this mess, fucked off to Mars while the lucky ones hid in vast underground bunkers. We were left to fend for ourselves on the surface, eeking out an existence in the broken world they left behind, searching for remnants of a past world to help us survive, searching for a place to call home.

Play a group of misfits who have found each other in the wastes and ruins of the fallen world. The past is just a hazy legend, the story scattered over thousands of usb sticks and servers, but the future is there to be written.

Thoughts: This is a great game that really shines in exploration and discovery.

You can find ECO MOFOS at https://davidblandy.itch.io/eco-mofos?ac=pEV55vHqdvG and you can find their Kickstarter at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/daniellocke/eco-mofos

Find our merch at https://my-store-d24802.creator-spring.com/

Find our games here at https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/20990/Black-Dragon-Dungeon-Company.php?affiliate_id=3362048

BDDC logo by https://www.instagram.com/craftyteapotfox/

You can find us on Twitter @bddc_pod or Tumblr @bddc-pod

You can support us on Patreon https://patreon.com/blackdragondungeoncompany for early releases and exclusive content.



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

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Transcript
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Greetings weary wanderer and welcome back to another edition

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of Lonely T T RRP G, the Solo actual play and review podcast.

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This week we are playing Eco Mofos by David Blandy.

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That's right, David Blandy is back on the channel.

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This guy makes great games that don't seem to miss so far.

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I'm excited about checking this one out.

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We've already reviewed him with Lone Eons.

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You can check that out in one of our earlier editions.

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But we are older and wiser now and we are definitely here to check out

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our Post-Human Punked Up role play.

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Now, apologies for the delay on release for this, cuz after

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all, this is a massive game.

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This took me a little longer to go through than I thought it would.

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So right up front we have our credit page.

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Which we're gonna stop on for just a minute because this game

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is taking a lot of elements in it that make for a unique experience.

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We have into the Odd and Cairn as some of our base

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experience.

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We're also using 24 XX Notes, bite-sized dungeons.

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The solo rules for this are provided by Chaoclypse, and some great art

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being provided by Aaron Cottoir Chaoclypse and Daniel Locke, and

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of course, some excellent writing and themes by David Blandy himself.

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Introduction.

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Eco Mofos is a mid future cyber eco punk ruined delving survival game as

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player characters or punks seek a safe homestead to start a new community.

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Around.

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200 years ago, everything went to shit.

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The wealthy who created this mess fucked off to Mars, while the lucky ones hid in a

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vast underground bunkers, we were left to fend for ourselves on the surface, eeking

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out an existence in the broken world.

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They left behind searching for remnants of a past world to help us survive.

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Searching for a place to call home.

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For a group of misfits who have found each other in the waste

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and ruins of the fallen world.

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The past is just a hazy legend.

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The story scattered over thousands of USB sticks and servers, but

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the future is there to be written.

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Now really, we're only gonna go over some of the gameplay basics here.

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After all, again, this has a large book to it about 76 pages worth

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of rules, tables and backdrops.

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So for our basic rules, if we are attempting to do

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something trivial, you succeed.

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If an action is risky or failure would be interesting, we will roll

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to make a save, which means we need to roll equal to or under our

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relevant ability score on a D 20.

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If we have disadvantage, we will roll twice.

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Taking the worst role.

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If we have advantage, we roll twice.

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Taking the better role.

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HP or hurt protection, cushions damage in combat.

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Once loss, damage depletes your strength, surprise, damage always depletes strength.

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And if any strength is lost, save against your new strength or you are down.

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So the world is broken up into the waste, the ruins and hidden

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silos, havens and bunkers.

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So the waste feels endless, but people gather around shared resources.

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Only the punks dare to seek a world beyond ruins.

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Haunt the land and remnants of a past life and our hidden silos,

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havens and bunkers hold secrets and promises and maybe some answers.

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We do not know much about the before times.

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However punks have seen glimmers of the old life.

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Many legends exist and all have an element of truth for the people

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They're divided into the wasters, their corpo, the bandits, and the punks.

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The wasters just wanna survive.

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They obey the corpo and fear the bandits.

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Their corpo want control and keep a fragile hold on the wasters.

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After all, what is a good punk game?

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Without the corpo being the villains, the bandit know the world is broken,

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so life means nothing anymore.

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And the punks are the outsiders who inspire strong emotions.

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In addition, you have hermits elders who have adapted able to see

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glimmers of the past and future.

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They can see urgent horror, looming threat, and blissful

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visions of a better world.

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They share these visions with the punks, seeing them as strange, kindred spirits,

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and the ultimate goal is a new glade.

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Our glade has been destroyed by the corpo, which has sent us out into the waste.

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But we have seen the glade in our dreams and visions given during our first

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adaptation, a place for better life.

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Free from want, free from fear, a place to build a new society.

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It is our obsession, our goal that defines every small action wasters

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think it's a fairytale.

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We know it's real.

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So picking in your punk, who are you?

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All right, so for stats we have strength, dexterity, willpower, and luck.

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Strength is your body dexterity, how well you can dodge and sneak

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willpower, how well you can focus under emotional and physical duress and luck.

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The fickle finger of fate, which is everything else.

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For meta currency, we have juice, which is a small, solid deposit

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of essence, warm to the touch.

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It is a concentrated fragment of magical force used as currency, but can also

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be consumed in lieu of food and water.

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However consumption brings with it the risk of a burden.

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So burdens are the emotional debts that must be paid in specific ways.

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If risking a burden make a will save, taking a burden deemed by

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the GM or selected at random three burdens at any time, and you're

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treated as though you have zero hp.

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And then finally, we have adaptations during the adventure.

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If the.

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Correct key item is found.

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You can choose to gain an adaptation to adapt.

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Your body is physically and mentally draining each time you do take a burden,

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but you will also become more resilient.

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Add one your HP then roll a D 20 for strength, dex, and wisdom.

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If the result is higher than the ability it increases by one to a maximum of 18.

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If none of your ability increases, then your luck increases by

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one to a maximum of nine.

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As for some of the other stuff we have, trade currency is in

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shots of juice, commonly referred to as shots, juice, or simply J.

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Almost all trade takes place through barter with goods, roughly equivalent

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values and a good deal of persuasion.

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Supply is an abstract item representing basic gear and costs one G.

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At any time during a session, a PC may trade a supply they carry for any

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simple, commonly available item, which they then note in their inventory.

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Supply can also be used to repair damaged pieces of armor or weapon

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given time for wear and repair.

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If a one is rolled during combat, the weapon gains wear, the weapon

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now rolls with disadvantage.

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Roll another one and the weapon is broken.

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If the opponent rolls max damage on your armor, that gains wear.

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If it gains wear again, it becomes broken.

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Now, of course, unarmed attacks.

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Ignore this rule.

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You do not have to worry about your hand breaking off and no longer being usable.

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Now we've talked about supply and trade, so now we have to talk about inventory.

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We only have 10 inventory slots.

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Most items take one slot to carry, but some slots like weapons, armor,

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or orbs, can take up to two slots.

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Burdens take up one slot.

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loot and stuff, stuff is everywhere.

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In this ruined world, most of it is useless, but some of it is interesting.

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Certain areas may contain certain stuff.

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Corpo compounds likely have new stuff.

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An abandoned shopping mall is likely to have old stuff.

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A hurriedly departed camp is likely to have stuff.

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In each of these cases, roll once using a d 66.

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That is two D six on the relevant table to give attention to an item of note.

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If unsure or if it's an interesting area, roll the full D six six

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table and see what you get.

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As you travel, you can collect ingredients, particularly in the

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wilderness though they do turn up all over the place inside a moldy

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fridge, growing in the embers of a fire or wherever you can find these

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ingredients can be combined through alchemy or cooking at a stronghold.

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There is someone who can do it for you in exchange for something, combine any

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three ingredients, roll for the result.

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This combination is now fixed in your game, so make note of it.

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And then there's a very interesting ingredients table.

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So as you're going through, you can roll your D 66 in order to

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determine what ingredients you find.

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And once you have three of those, you can attempt to combine them and.

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Roll on your D six six again, and that will give you what it is.

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And then it gives a name and that becomes locked in.

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So for example, if you roll for finding an apple, a radish, and a horn, you can

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combine those and then you randomly roll.

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And let's say you get something called fear blood.

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Well, that is now how you make fear blood.

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And then of course, there are massive tables for the different

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types of stuff you can find.

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So onto the actual gameplay.

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All right.

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First we have saves.

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The save is a role to avoid danger from a risky action.

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Roll a D 20.

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If your role is equal or under the appropriate ability score, you pass.

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One is always a success.

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20 is always a failure.

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We talked about advantage and disadvantage earlier.

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Again, advantage roll twice.

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Take the better score.

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Disadvantage, roll twice.

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Take the worst score.

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Burning luck.

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Luck is a special attribute.

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Punks can decrease or burn it.

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To modify a strength, dex, or will save adding or removing the

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amount spent from the role result.

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Punks can't benefit from a critical success this way, so if

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you roll a two, you cannot burn luck to get a critical success.

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Sometimes you will be invited to test your luck to see if the

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guard is looking the wrong way.

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If there's a turn in the weather or another moment of uncertainty.

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If the result is less than or equal to your current luck, you

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are lucky and better things will happen then if you had been unlucky.

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If you're lucky, you will lose one luck point, and if unlucky,

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you will gain one luck point

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now when things turn violent, it is broken up into turns,

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actions and attacks for turns.

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Generally the players will take their turn before any enemies.

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If there is a risk of being surprised, characters must roll a

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dex save or be unable to act on the first turn on their turn players

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can act in any order they wish.

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Actions on your turn, you can move and perform an action.

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An action can be anything from negotiating, attacking, or fleeing

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attacks are detailed shortly.

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For other actions.

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You can roll the at-risk character to save.

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For example, an attempt to trip an opponent might force them to pass a

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strength save to stay on their feet.

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While an attempt to trick an opponent into surrender may force them to pass a

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will save or lower their arms for attacks.

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Attackers roll a die dictated by their weapons and subtract

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the opponent's armor score.

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Their attack causes this much damage.

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range weapons.

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Roll damage in melee, but only hit if the dice shows at maximum.

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And then we have some various descriptions on the different type of damage.

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Blast blast weapons cause damage to all targets in an appropriate area,

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rolling separately for each for damage.

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When an individual takes damage, they lose that many hp.

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If they have no HP left, they are wounded and any remaining damage

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is removed from their strength.

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They must then pass a strength save to avoid going down

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When down.

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A character is unable to take further action until they're attended to

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by an ally and have a short rest.

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If they're left for an hour without being tend to, they die.

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Now there is magic in here.

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Gaia has awakened magic.

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And characters can use magic by focusing it through an orbs

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power as a normal action, though it requires risking a burden.

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So if your punk is a magic user, then they risk a burden.

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However, if they are not a magic user, they automatically take a burden.

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Now, there are certain things that will affect your ability scores.

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For example, we already talked about strength.

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If your strength goes down to zero, you die.

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If your dex or will go down to zero, you are either paralyzed or delirious and

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cannot act until they have a full rest.

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Now, if your punk dies, Tough luck.

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You gotta create a new punk,

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and that is just how it is.

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There's also a morale mechanic, so a group will require a will save

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to avoid being routed when they lose half of their total numbers.

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Groups with a leader may use the leader score in place of their own

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lone combatants must pass this save when they're reduced to zero h p.

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This applies to opponents and allies, but not to punks.

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Fleeing to safety under pursuit requires a dex save and somewhere

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to withdraw to . For your rest.

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You have short rest and full rest.

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A short rest is a few minutes.

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And a swig of water recovering all of your lost hp.

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A full rest requires a week of downtime at a comfortable location

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and restores all ability scores.

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So those will be definitely things to take into consideration.

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All right, do you need D XP and try to push on a little bit, or do you go back

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to the last safe place and take a week?

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Now finally we're gonna talk about time.

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Time is tracked using three measurements, round, turn, and hour.

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So a round is 10 seconds used during combat.

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A round is enough time for a PC to perform in action.

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A turn is 10 minutes used when exploring an adventuring site.

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A turn is enough time for a party of punks to search a dungeon room, pick a lock,

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or do any other significant activity.

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Each turn, the GM will roll a D six on a result of one.

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An encounter occurs and you roll on the random encounter table to

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determine the nature of the encounter.

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And then hours are one hour in game used when traveling the world.

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It is enough time for the party to hunt for food or explore

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the area around them each hour.

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Roll a D six to determine if a random encounter occurs

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to travel.

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One map point at the day scale takes two hours.

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Now for the scales,

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that is part of the actual gameplay loop.

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So it is important to remember that Eco Mofos is a game of exploration,

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discovering the wastelands and pockets of recovery, seeking a

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secluded glade to call your home.

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This is designed as a point crawl adventure, working with a set of pre,

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pre-generated maps that are stocked with different elements for each location.

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Locations are given in three scales, week scale, a series of locations connected

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by routes, showing the lay of the land.

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Moving between each point takes a day, adventuring through the journey

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environment, the day scale, featuring overground locations where each map

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covers roughly a day's travel and the hour scale, featuring indoor and

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underground locations where each map covers roughly an hour's expiration.

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So to start at the week scale, you're gonna draw a small circle on the map

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and mark this as your home ruins.

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This is where your previous Glade was that got destroyed.

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You're gonna draw a line up leading north and a similar circle.

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You're gonna roll some dice to determine what the new location is and what type

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of terrain you have there, as well as how many days travel it will take.

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At each stage, you're gonna describe what you imagine this place is like.

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And don't forget to do your roles while you were doing that at the day scale.

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Each day's travel is divided into points each roughly two hours a distance,

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representing moments in the journey.

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You can roll on the maps table for a map of the area or devise your own each point.

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Roll for a new environment for your journey terrain.

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The exit point marks the location, or way through to another

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day's travel in this terrain.

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So for a basic map, the simplest map follows a basic pattern.

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The first point is the entrance roll for the environment.

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Roll for sparks to add extra flavor.

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The second point is a feature roll for a new environment and feature a stranger

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interesting place in the journey.

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The third point is a hazard roll for a new environment and hazard,

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a being or environment that must be negotiated with care.

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And the fourth point is the possibility of some extra loot

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and to end the game once the party have befriended a hermit.

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And the hermit stronghold.

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Roll for location on the weak scale on a D four instead.

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once you find a glade, you can choose to end the game building a new community.

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There are also rules for factions and how the factions can also play into this.

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We are not gonna go into those because that is already getting way too

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complicated for this particular format.

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However, be advised that factions exist and if you wanna include factions in

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your game that they have goals and everything that they want to do as well.

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Now, Eco Mofos is designed to be played as a group.

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However, as we said, there are solo rules, solo rules that

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were developed by Chaoclypse

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getting into those, you are gonna start by making a map just like you normally would.

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Once you have defined your crossroads from your home ruins, use the maps

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table for maps of subsequent areas on the week scale, journeying to

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them using the maps table for maps.

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On a day scale, you'll meet characters, have encounters, and possibly run into

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factions if you're playing with that.

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Once an area is traveled through, market has visited, note down, any changes.

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Did you take loot?

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Did you meet someone friendly?

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Any of these areas can now be traveled through again, at double speed.

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Now, because you're playing solo, you are going to need a lot more NPCs there are

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random tables to help build that, and you will run into these NPCs as you travel,

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but you're going to meet them, not just on the random tables, but also anytime

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you come to a waster or punk stronghold.

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Anytime you meet an NPC or reach a waster or punk stronghold,

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roll an NPC using the table.

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If they're not hostile, they could have a job for you.

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The vast array of the table, randomized point maps will help, but there will

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be times when you are unsure of the element of the story as it unfolds.

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In this case, you can roll the world, which is what they.

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Are calling their oracle.

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So if you're unsure what will happen in your narrative in a

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particular situation, you might have to test it against the world.

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Make sure you phrase your question so that a result of yes is positive.

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Then you are gonna roll two D 20 as a luck save against the world.

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The dice represent both circumstances and blind luck.

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Compare them against your luck score.

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Now, if either of those D twenties is a one that is an automatic yes.

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And however, if either of those is a 20, that is an automatic no.

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But now if you roll both a 20 and a one, Then chaos as

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ensues as you get a yes and no.

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So have fun with that.

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And the oracle is broken up into no, but no.

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Yes, but yes and yes and for no.

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But that is a failure to beat or match your luck with both dice.

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No is a failure to beat your luck with one dice, match with the other one.

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So if your luck is nine and you roll a nine and a 10, then

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you matched one and failed one.

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So that is just a no yes, but you beat your luck score on one

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dice, but fail on the other.

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Yes is you beat your luck score on one dice and match on the other.

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So that means that if your luck is a nine and you roll a nine

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and an eight, that means that you beat one and match the other.

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So that would be a yes and then a yes and is you beat your luck on both dice.

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Now fairly obvious, no means negative.

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Yes means positive, a but means a negative unforeseen consequence and an and means

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an additional positive consequence.

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Now because this is a luck role, remember when you are rolling

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the world, if you succeed.

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Deduct one from your Luck score.

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If you fail, add one to your luck score.

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So in addition to the rolling the world, Oracle, there's also a general oracle that

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provide you with some prompt questions if you're just looking for some way to go.

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Cuz after all, sometimes you need an idea about the situation, location,

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or person you're encountering.

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If you do consult the Oracle table rolling a D 66 and interpreting the results.

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If you need more clarification, roll again and combine.

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So that is the basics on that.

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So now we are going to transition to our gameplay.

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So first things first, we have to roll for our ability scores, which is going to

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be a two D six plus three for each score.

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So starting out with strength, we got a nine.

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Dex, we got a 10

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and for will, we got a nine

SteelStash:

now for luck, we're gonna roll two D six plus three and

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halve the total rounding up.

SteelStash:

So hopefully our luck is gonna be better than any of these other scores.

SteelStash:

Mm.

SteelStash:

So that was a raw of seven.

SteelStash:

So our luck is four.

SteelStash:

I have a feeling we're gonna be getting a lot of nos and quickly jump our luck up.

SteelStash:

All right, next up, we need to roll a D 66 for our starting adaptation and to

SteelStash:

help us determine what we actually are.

SteelStash:

And once again, that D 66 just means that you're rolling two D six and you're gonna

SteelStash:

read it just like it was an actual thing.

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So I rolled a four and a three, so that is a 43.

SteelStash:

So four gives me a rogue thief.

SteelStash:

That also gives me a starting HP of four.

SteelStash:

We also have four juice as that is what our luck is.

SteelStash:

So that's what that starts out with.

SteelStash:

All right, so rogue.

SteelStash:

So going to the rogue page, they don't actually have thief listed.

SteelStash:

They do have hustler.

SteelStash:

So we're gonna switch ourselves to a rogue hustler.

SteelStash:

As that is the same as I rolled,

SteelStash:

now they are Kickstarting for a new version of this game.

SteelStash:

Hopefully that will be something that gets picked up during the editing process.

SteelStash:

All right, so the Hustler is gonna give us the key item of a finger implant test.

SteelStash:

Luck to have something small and useful in your pocket.

SteelStash:

Has advantage on lock picking and

SteelStash:

ledger domain.

SteelStash:

And for our starting items, we have a blaster, a fine knife, a

SteelStash:

padded cloak, a balaclava, a Kevlar jacket, and an elegant jumpsuit.

SteelStash:

And as I can wear a cloak over a jacket, we're gonna say that

SteelStash:

combines to give me an armor of two.

SteelStash:

So I have an armor of two and an HP of four.

SteelStash:

Now all we need is a name for our punk, which is just gonna be stash.

SteelStash:

After all, we are very creative here.

SteelStash:

We actually are, and you can see some of that creativity on display in any

SteelStash:

of the games that we've developed.

SteelStash:

Go check out the links down below,

SteelStash:

but now we have our rogue, we have our punk established, and all we have

SteelStash:

to do is figure out what we shall do.

SteelStash:

So we're gonna start off with our home.

SteelStash:

So starting off with our map building, we're going to go

SteelStash:

northeast, southwest rolling one D three or a D six divided by two.

SteelStash:

And to the north we have a lair

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to the east, a bunker

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to the south, another bunker.

SteelStash:

And to the west, we have another lair.

SteelStash:

Now, once again, we're gonna go northeast, east, southwest, and

SteelStash:

we're gonna determine travel time.

SteelStash:

So our northern lair is three days.

SteelStash:

Our Eastern bunker is one day.

SteelStash:

Our southern bunker is three days,

SteelStash:

and our western lair is one day.

SteelStash:

Finally, once again, around the horn rolling a D six do determine the terrain.

SteelStash:

So Northern Lair is wilderness,

SteelStash:

our Eastern bunker.

SteelStash:

Is ruins.

SteelStash:

Our southern bunker is in the Wastelands,

SteelStash:

and our Western lair is also in the wastelands.

SteelStash:

All right, so I think we're gonna take the one day travel to the bunker, go check out

SteelStash:

those ruins over there, see what we can scavenge and what lies beyond that way.

SteelStash:

So we've determined that a day lasts eight hours,

SteelStash:

which breaks down into four points, four points.

SteelStash:

In addition to that, that will be eight chances at random encounters.

SteelStash:

So I'm just going to start off by rolling eight D six to see if we have any random

SteelStash:

encounters that happened this day.

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No, no random encounters.

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Now I'm going to roll for the different

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point maps we can use.

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So there are some pre-generated point maps in here.

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And in order to determine which of those maps to use, you start by

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flipping a coin, then rolling a D six.

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So I'm gonna roll a one D two and a one D six four times because I am

SteelStash:

using digital dice and I can do that.

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Now, the way these point maps work that they have generated for you is

SteelStash:

a blank circle will be a safe spot.

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If it has an exclamation point, that will be a hazard.

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And if it has a dollar sign, that will be potential loot.

SteelStash:

And a minor correction to all of that.

SteelStash:

You're actually only going to roll up for one of the maps

SteelStash:

as each point on the map represents two hours.

SteelStash:

So for each point we will roll up a new environment based on the

SteelStash:

terrain tables and then whatever we potentially find there.

SteelStash:

So starting off with our entrance point, we are in ruins, so

SteelStash:

that'll be a simple D 20 roll.

SteelStash:

We got 19 in the middle of the ruins, a valley of deep forest.

SteelStash:

So we seem to be surrounded by some forest.

SteelStash:

And in this forest, I will say that I see three game trails

SteelStash:

and I'm gonna go ahead and go to the south.

SteelStash:

I'm gonna go straight south and there is a hazard and loot and indicated.

SteelStash:

So let's resolve the hazard first.

SteelStash:

So rolling our D 20, we got 13 for our hazard.

SteelStash:

A massive gas leak, intensely flammable.

SteelStash:

So I am going to roll the world on this, is this gas leak hazardous to me

SteelStash:

and I need to roll under a four with 2d, and I failed both of them.

SteelStash:

So I got a five and a seven.

SteelStash:

Now, the bright side, that means my luck increases, but

SteelStash:

the downside is I got no but.

SteelStash:

So already I phrased my question wrong.

SteelStash:

It should not be is the, is the gas hazardous?

SteelStash:

It's,

SteelStash:

is the gas benign to me?

SteelStash:

And I got no, but so not only is the gas hazardous, but I'm

SteelStash:

going to say that I will have to make this save at disadvantage.

SteelStash:

So we're gonna we're gonna do a save to see how well we respond to this gas.

SteelStash:

And this will be a straight strength save, but it will be a

SteelStash:

strength save at disadvantage.

SteelStash:

Mm six and a 14.

SteelStash:

So that means I failed.

SteelStash:

Now, damage in this sense can range from a D four to a D 12.

SteelStash:

We're gonna be a little nice to ourselves and just do a D four.

SteelStash:

So I'm gonna take a D four of damage.

SteelStash:

All right, and that will be going to my strength.

SteelStash:

So that was two points.

SteelStash:

My strength drops from nine to seven,

SteelStash:

but there is loot here.

SteelStash:

So what loot do I find?

SteelStash:

14.

SteelStash:

I find an abandoned mobile home inside Pristine roll two D six

SteelStash:

times on the D 6 66 items table.

SteelStash:

So roll eight times on the 6 66 items table.

SteelStash:

And in yeah, we're just gonna roll it eight times and then we

SteelStash:

will figure out what we found to.

SteelStash:

So for our first item, we got 6 63,

SteelStash:

which is roll for a key item.

SteelStash:

We will resolve that here in a minute.

SteelStash:

Then we got four 12, which is a USB stick 2 42,

SteelStash:

which is Twisted Rope knuckle dusters, which is a weapon.

SteelStash:

But it doesn't seem to be any better than the weapons I have.

SteelStash:

So I'm just going to go ahead and leave that sitting there.

SteelStash:

And we got 4 65,

SteelStash:

which is a tourist guy to Milton Keys.

SteelStash:

It has no value, so we will leave that there.

SteelStash:

Not even gonna worry about thinking about that.

SteelStash:

5 52, which is a nano heal bot syringe one, use resource strength, Dex or wisdom.

SteelStash:

2 36,

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which is a huge spanner

SteelStash:

and that does a D 10 worth of damage.

SteelStash:

And finally 6 35,

SteelStash:

which is roll for Ingredient.

SteelStash:

All right, so we're definitely keeping this nano heal bot.

SteelStash:

Now we gotta play the game of Im inventory management.

SteelStash:

Luckily, the USB stick doesn't seem to take up any space, so

SteelStash:

we'll figure out what that here is what that is in just a second.

SteelStash:

Pretty sure we're keeping the spanner because that is.

SteelStash:

That does a D tens worth of damage and everything I have does a D six,

SteelStash:

so definitely want to definitely wanna make sure that we are

SteelStash:

producing damage, should we need it.

SteelStash:

The biggest drawback on the spanner is the fact that

SteelStash:

it takes up two slots.

SteelStash:

All right, let's let's resolve this USB sick.

SteelStash:

So that's rolling two D six.

SteelStash:

I have to do it at disadvantage, so we're gonna roll four D six and

SteelStash:

we got 26 is the lower result.

SteelStash:

So that is going to be a huge collection of strange.

SteelStash:

And mesmeric video files

SteelStash:

and no, it is not strange adult videos that is actually its own category.

SteelStash:

Let's see what our let's see what ingredients we get.

SteelStash:

One, one is an acorn.

SteelStash:

And then for our key item,

SteelStash:

we got four, five,

SteelStash:

which is a shiny stone,

SteelStash:

a shiny stone which would allow us to take the grifter adaptation.

SteelStash:

So now I need to decide if I want to keep the shiny stone by ditching

SteelStash:

chain one of my other items.

SteelStash:

And yeah, I think we're gonna keep the shiny stone and

SteelStash:

we're going to go ahead and

SteelStash:

we're gonna go ahead and ditch the balaclava

SteelStash:

just because of nothing else.

SteelStash:

This stone is worth 25.

SteelStash:

juice..

SteelStash:

Yeah, if nothing else, it's worth 25 juice.

SteelStash:

That is way too valuable to pass up.

SteelStash:

All right, so now we're gonna go ahead and continue on our way.

SteelStash:

We are going to head north again, back to the entrance point and

SteelStash:

then head north one more time.

SteelStash:

There is another hazard there.

SteelStash:

So rolling our one D 20 to determine our environment.

SteelStash:

We got four, which is a vast grassy plane,

SteelStash:

and now we get a feature to go with this environment.

SteelStash:

There are four options for this, so we're just gonna roll a one

SteelStash:

D four to see which one we get.

SteelStash:

Skeletons of a herd of animals strewn across the ground.

SteelStash:

So five skeletons strewn across the ground.

SteelStash:

And let's see what hazard we get for the area.

SteelStash:

18.

SteelStash:

An ambush half seen shape.

SteelStash:

Distant noise roll for crawler.

SteelStash:

All right, this is outstanding.

SteelStash:

Now we wanted to do

SteelStash:

some combat anyway.

SteelStash:

And the crawler we got is a gray ooze.

SteelStash:

Large blobs of gray ooze, a billion nanobots that stick to

SteelStash:

walls and ceilings attached by dropping on top of their victims.

SteelStash:

The nanobots infect both metal and wood along with the carrier, but cannot

SteelStash:

affect stone consume flesh becomes more gray, ooze immune to all damage

SteelStash:

except fire, water, and electricity.

SteelStash:

Once stuck on a victim, can only be removed if burned away.

SteelStash:

All right, so this is an ambush

SteelStash:

and

SteelStash:

it's immune to everything except for fire, water, and electricity.

SteelStash:

None of my weapons do fire, water, or electricity damage.

SteelStash:

All right, so first let's make a dex save to see if I can act during the ambush.

SteelStash:

Mm.

SteelStash:

That is a crit fail, so no, I will not be able to act during this ambush.

SteelStash:

So this crawler is going to be able to

SteelStash:

strike out at me with its corroding touch, which is a D eight plus a D 10.

SteelStash:

And that is seven.

SteelStash:

My armor is going to take two of that, so that's five.

SteelStash:

My HP is four,

SteelStash:

so my HP is now zero.

SteelStash:

My strength goes from seven to six.

SteelStash:

And I am wounded, so now I need to make a strength save in order to avoid

SteelStash:

going down, which means I need to beat a six and I got a 10, so I am down.

SteelStash:

And as there is no one to save me, and especially because it's

SteelStash:

a gray ooze, it looks like stash has died in the wilderness and

SteelStash:

ruins consumed by the gray ooze,

SteelStash:

and that is eco mofos.

SteelStash:

So this is a, this is a really fun game.

SteelStash:

I like this game.

SteelStash:

I like this game a lot.

SteelStash:

I really like the point by system for, for the crawl, for the exploration.

SteelStash:

You can tell that exploration was the key on this and it really shines with that.

SteelStash:

David did a really good job with the exploration mechanics.

SteelStash:

Now there are some there are some minor confusion, some minor issues with.

SteelStash:

Some of the editing, but

SteelStash:

again, this, this looks like the play test copy.

SteelStash:

It's not that big of a deal.

SteelStash:

It's very easy to get past.

SteelStash:

But this game is going to Kickstarter.

SteelStash:

There is a Kickstarter actively going on right now for a new version of this game.

SteelStash:

So I imagine any issues that you're gonna f any issues you're gonna

SteelStash:

find with formatting in here will be corrected with the Kickstarter.

SteelStash:

But yeah, no, this is a brutal game.

SteelStash:

This is a lot more brutal than Lone Eons was.

SteelStash:

Lone eons had a very similar exploration concept, but it was a

SteelStash:

lot easier to kind of skate by on some of the stuff with lone eons.

SteelStash:

This one, this one is definitely a lot more, a lot more brutal.

SteelStash:

And maybe it was just because I drew a horrendous creature to

SteelStash:

face by myself, but you know, sometimes that's how the dice go.

SteelStash:

It was not faded for stash to survive.

SteelStash:

But yeah, the exploration in here is really strong.

SteelStash:

The point system is great.

SteelStash:

I love how the map builds and expands out.

SteelStash:

It is a very wonderful way to generate the map and the amount of tables

SteelStash:

that he has in here to help out with a lot of this stuff is also.

SteelStash:

Just amazing.

SteelStash:

Again, you have a D 20 table for each of the three terrain types to provide

SteelStash:

the environment that you're going into, and then any of the features

SteelStash:

that you might find in there, and then the hazards, and then the loop.

SteelStash:

So a lot of, definitely a lot of work, a lot of great stuff in here

SteelStash:

to pull from and draw from, and make this just a, a wonderful game.

SteelStash:

Just a great way to go out and explore and try something.

SteelStash:

And it really, really shines with that.

SteelStash:

As far as how the other stuff manages to work out I don't know.

SteelStash:

I didn't get a chance to run into anybody, but again, you know, sometimes the dice

SteelStash:

are with you and sometimes they aren't.

SteelStash:

It's.

SteelStash:

Been a very long time since I've played a solo game that has

SteelStash:

actually killed my character.

SteelStash:

So there is that, and it's exciting to see when that type of stuff happens.

SteelStash:

So definitely, definitely go check this out.

SteelStash:

Definitely go check this out.

SteelStash:

If you wanna pick it up right now, you can find it on itch at

SteelStash:

davidblandy.itch.io/eco-mofos.

SteelStash:

And of course, in the link down below.

SteelStash:

In addition to that, again, they are doing a Kickstarter.

SteelStash:

You can find the Kickstarter link on their itch page.

SteelStash:

We will also have that down below.

SteelStash:

But that Kickstarter should be going live in any day now.

SteelStash:

Yeah, that Kickstarter launches on the 27th, so in just about

SteelStash:

a week, so go check it out.

SteelStash:

Some of the things that they're hoping to do, they're hoping

SteelStash:

to get some more art for this.

SteelStash:

They are going to be breaking these solo rules out into its own zine so

SteelStash:

that it's not just kind of tacked onto the back and yeah, it'll be the

SteelStash:

more complete version of the game.

SteelStash:

As again, this is the beta.

SteelStash:

However, if you do want the beta, again, it is on itch.

SteelStash:

It is currently $10, but if you hurry, it is part of a solo bundle

SteelStash:

with three other games for just $15.

SteelStash:

So four total games by David Blandy for just $15.

SteelStash:

That includes lone eons, Babel eco mofos, and the Gathering Storm.

SteelStash:

So can confirm at least two of those games are amazing.

SteelStash:

The other two probably are as well.

SteelStash:

I have not gotten around to Babel yet, even though it is in my dusty stacks

SteelStash:

pile, but $15 for those games is great.

SteelStash:

You still have a little over a week in order to pick that up.

SteelStash:

However, if you are catching this after the Kickstarter and after the bundle,

SteelStash:

then again this is $10 to pick up.

SteelStash:

Highly worth it.

SteelStash:

And if you do get it, make sure that you.

SteelStash:

Leave a like and a review on their page and let 'em know

SteelStash:

that steel stash sent you.

SteelStash:

And remember, I mustache y'all to stay awesome.

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About the Podcast

Lonely TTRPG
A Solo Play Podcast
Lonely TTRPG is a show where I play and review solo TTRPGs.

Every other week, we play another solo TTRPG from across the indie community.

So join us as we roll, draw, and journal our way through some fantastic games.

About your host

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John Stum

Black Dragon Dungeon Company is a TTRPG podcast. We do weekly actual play podcasts and bi-weekly discussion podcasts where we talk about certain things about the TTRPG world.

You can reach us at blackdragondungeoncompany@gmail.com or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bddc_pod