Draft:Coyote and Crow

Coyote & Crow

Designers	Connor Alexander
Publishers	Coyote & Crow
Publication	2021
Genres	Board Game

'Coyote & Crow' is a tabletop fantasy role-playing game by Connor Alexander, set in an alternate future of the Americas where colonization never happened.The game was designed by a team of Native Americans of more than a dozen tribes.

Description

The game occurs in an alternative universe in which colonization never occurred. The game takes place seven centuries after a cosmic phenomenon caused the world to plunge into a time of struggle where survival became paramount. In the game, players get to experience a world where science and technology meet spirituality and endure conflict to find resolutions outside of violence.

Mechanics

To play this introductory game, there needs to be 2-4 people, a “How to Play” document provided on the “Coyote and Crow website, a 2 six-sided dice, some pens or pencils, and a couple of hours worth of time. If anyone in the playing group is familiar with role playing games, it is recommended they take on the role of “Story Guide.” Everyone else will be “Players'' and take on the role of Characters in the Story. If no one has played a roleplaying game (or RPG) before, it is recommended the person who feels they are the best storyteller take on the job of Story Guide.

The Story Guide will read through the “How to Play'' document privately prior to playing. Then, each Player should choose one of the available Characters and read them over, keeping the character sheets handy. Players can share information about their Characters with each other and should be familiar with their comrades and their general capabilities. From there, the Story Guide will begin reading the Story to the Players. At certain points, Characters will have to make decisions or take actions at key points in the Story. These are called Encounters.

Encounters: Every Encounter has three routes the Players can send their Characters down. Players will collectively decide which direction they want their group to take, and the Story Guide will then read the appropriate follow-up text and instruct the Characters on how to proceed with their Dice Checks.

Dice Checks: During an Encounter, both Players and Story Guides will need to make Dice Checks to determine the outcomes of their actions and to influence the progression of the Story. Some of the steps needed to understand Dice Checks go as follows:

The Story Guide will express the Success Number needed based on previous choices made by the Players and whether it’s a Spiritual, Mental, or Physical Challenge. Each Player will roll 2 six-sided dice (2d6) for their character, adding the value of related stats (Ex. Strength for Physical, Spirit for Spiritual, or Intelligence for Mental challenges) and also adding any equipment used.

If the total is less than the Success Number: No Success; Equal to or higher than Success Number: One Success; 12 or higher: Two Successes.

If the total number of Successes among all Players is three or more, the Encounter is completed. If it is less than three Successes, The Story Guide will make a Dice Check, and players (some or all) can lose some Essence and should mark it on the Character Sheet. If any Character loses all of their Essence, the game is over - and the Players must start from the beginning.

The game mechanics are centered around a unique dice system based on d12s, with players typically needing around 10 of them for gameplay. The resolution of actions relies on skill rolls against a target number, with each success determined by meeting or exceeding this threshold. Coyote and Crow employs a narrative-focused approach to gameplay, with combat encounters typically being brief and abstracted, emphasizing storytelling over tactical maneuvering.

Character creation involves selecting various elements such as motivation, archetype, and skills, which primarily contribute to skill rolls. Characters advance through short-term and long-term goals rather than traditional levels, with goals tied to improving skills or gaining new abilities over a set number of game sessions. Additionally, characters have separate pools for body, mind, and soul representing physical, mental, and spiritual health respectively, which can be healed through rests, skills, or special abilities.

Coyote & Crow: Future Directions

Coyote & Crow has made significant strides since its debut, expanding its offerings with a variety of products. These include new in-game additions, and even upcoming new games. Listed below are a few of the projects that Coyote and Crow LLC will be working on this year:

Coyote & Crow has expanded beyond its core rulebook with items like the Story Guide Screen, Custom Dice, and the Naasii: A Coyote & Crow Dice Game. These additions provide players and game masters with more options and experiences, catering to different tastes and styles of play.

Projects like the "7 Clans" card game and the upcoming Expansion Book promise to deepen the Coyote & Crow lore with new stories, characters, and settings. The upcoming game "Wolves" introduces a fresh theme of community survival, emphasizing resource management and teamwork. This suggests a willingness to explore diverse gameplay mechanics and themes, potentially broadening the game's appeal.

Reception

• Coyote & Crow won the Diana Jones Award for excellence in tabletop gaming.
• Coyote & Crow launched one of the largest Kickstarter Gaming campaigns ever, raising $1,073,453.