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Itras By (English) $19.95 $14.95
Average Rating:4.7 / 5
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Itras By (English)
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Itras By (English)
Publisher: Vagrant Workshop
by Mathew D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/14/2018 00:10:46

One of the most enchanting and innovative roleplaying games ever made.

Players draw from a deck of eight Resolution cards to resolve actions on one another’s behalf. (These were designed by Matthijs Holter, the guy that did Archipelago.)

Each person playing also draws one card per session from a deck of Chance cards. These contain a variety of improvisational prompts communicate the disjunctive elisions and dreamlike combinations of surrealist narrative.

The greater part of the book describes the City that is inspired by these creative implications, including human-spider hybrids, ox-headed boys, sailors’ alleys and opium dens. Free-wheeling, atmospheric and fun.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Itras By (English)
Publisher: Vagrant Workshop
by Kyle T. R. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/24/2017 22:30:53

Awesome and open-ended story-game. The core mechanics are more like Fiasco than Dungeons & Dragons, with cards used to help decide an occasional outcome or mix things up. Enough people have described the beauty of the game, so I'll leave off on the description.

One note: There is A LOT in this book. I think it could be edited down to about 50% of its current content and still be full. Pages 11-85 are worldbuilding, which is fun to read, but most people who sit down to play this will not have even glanced at. Then you have a full 24 pages on The Character. There are no character stats. Just sayin'.

I have yet to play this game but I can tell already that my RPG group will love it. I gave it a full five stars. Just be aware of opening this book and flipping through about half of it to find the information you need.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Itras By (English)
Publisher: Vagrant Workshop
by Edward J. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/18/2013 12:05:55

When I first discovered indie RPGs after many years thinking GURPS was the epitome of gaming, I thought simply opening up the GM role to the rest of the table, asking the other players "I don't know, what IS behind that door?", would make an awesome play experience. It didn't work very well! But with Itras By, I've finally found that experience: it's a game where volleying ideas back and forth between GM and character-players is fun, functional, and utterly central.

Itras By is founded on the principles of improv theater. "Don't block," that is, never stifle another player's fun by rejecting their ideas or refusing to participate in their stories. Instead, use what they give you, and build and add your own spin and suggestions. It brings about a delightful, smooth flow of play with a lot of kibbitzing and laughter.

The setting, an anything-is-possible surrealistic city where elements of weird urban fantasy (like China Miéville or Neil Gaiman), crime noir, and mythic fable blend, supports this freewheeling creative energy. No suggestion is totally implausible. And the minimalist mechanics, involving card draws that provide task-resolution with a jolt of improv inspiration ("Yes, you succeed, but a tiny detail goes wrong...") or inject surreal elements that take scenes in new directions ("play this scene on the B-side of Itras By, where everything is opposite"), work perfectly to keep things moving in new and exciting directions.

The editing is not perfect; you will need to inure yourself to strange turns of phrase and blatant typos, especially on the official cards. But these minor blemishes are not enough to take off the product's 5-star rating for me. This is rapidly becoming one of my all-time favorite games!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Itras By (English)
Publisher: Vagrant Workshop
by Georg M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/22/2013 09:35:42

A beautiful book, and a very dreamy setting as well. Get it, if only to impress fellow gamers with a charming alternative to more crunchy games. Itras By values the creative freedom of its players and shares many great hints for those interested to improve their repertoire.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Itras By (English)
Publisher: Vagrant Workshop
by Judd G. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/13/2013 09:42:22

"Itras By" is evocative and surreal while still providing a framework to keep the group on the same page regarding the setting. An innovative idea in the game codifies the "make it your own" concept of setting design by assigning the group an exercise (one of four) to remove several paragraphs in the setting chapter from existence, as desired. Other exercises encouraging customizing the game via the addition of new pages and notes to the "official" setting material (and therefore canonizing it). An aside - these exercises make explicit "rules" that should be implicit in all games, and the group may strike or add rules or setting equally.

Game advice is provided for players new to the ideas of the early surrealism movement in art. Clear explanations and examples of how to make play surreal without making it meaningless and absurdist is provided.

The artwork and layout of the book is gorgeous and clean. Images bring the setting to life and also give examples of the dreamlike elements that appear in the game's setting. The layout and page elements have a feel of the 1920's art-books in which surrealism found its first home. Clear fonts without being drab and boring. Some pages might eat toner when printing, but the number of pages like this with game material is small.

The setting is creepy, majestic, and presents scenario ideas on each page. The rules are simple and clear, and focus on narrative control. Fans of "Over the Edge" will be impressed by this game, in both rules and setting. I highly recommend it.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Itras By (English)
Publisher: Vagrant Workshop
by Michael S. S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/08/2012 16:04:31

Itras by has the most unique setting I've encountered in RPGs. Not only is it a great game in itself, but there are lots of great advice for any RPG here. The layout and artwork is even better in this edition.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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