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INTRODUCTION
Know Your Role! World Wrestling Entertainment Roleplaying Game is the (new) official RPG for World Wrestling Entertainment. It happens to be OGL/D20 based, which is somewhat appropriate given that the WWE is the D20 System of wrestling promotions. This also means that characters are translated into typical D20 terms; for instance Paul Heyman is an 11th level Manager. If that level of gamespeak offends you, quit reading now.
The other problem with this approach is that it's hard to buy the premise that Kurt Angle, however cunning or technically skilled, has a natural 18 Intelligence (because that's the prime attribute of his main class). But if you're willing to buy into all that, Know Your Role can be pretty interesting.
THE BOOK Know Your Role as a book is of average quality- "illustrations" are all color photos of the various WWE characters (I call them such because almost every single one of them has a Trademark next to the first mention of his name, even the non-wrestlers who use their real names). Text is in 2 columns per page and is easy to read. Some people on RPG.net have complained that the spine breaks or pages fall out easily; I haven't seen that on my copy. However some of the dye apparently stuck the first few pages together, causing a small rip in the splash page when I tried to separate it without knowing it was stuck.
Chapter 1: Time to Play the Game! is the book's introduction. It, like the other chapters, is started with character dialogue from show announcers. While the chapter goes over the obligatory "what is a roleplaying game?" jazz, it points out how Know Your Role is distinct from other RPGs; for one thing, it emphasizes the use of multiple characters per player (or 'troupe' play), which also allows the possibility of playing without an official GM. This section also details the role of the GM (which here means 'General Manager'), who provides the possibility of something more complex than 'write up your favorite wrestlers and fight it out'- namely, NPCs, betrayals and the sort of plot complications that make pro wrestling "soap opera for guys."
The remainder of this chapter provides an example of "What is Smash-Mouth Roleplaying?" Interestingly, it goes straight into an example combat between Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle. Some of the details will be familiar to D20 players, but the unique features of the game are also on display. A unique stat called "Heat" determines first initiative; the two players declare their actions in reverse initiative order and the one who gets the better die roll on D20+ mods wins initiative for next round, and gets to perform the action he described while preventing the opponent's action. The thing is, the winner also has to describe both sets of actions as though the round were being announced play-by-play. This is a bit intimidating to me, because the example made it seem like you had to be just as quick on the fly as the professional announcers, which is hard if you (like me) barely know the difference between a half nelson and a triple salchow.
Chapter 2: Know Your Role! deals with the basics of character generation. This is very familiar in D20 terms; you either use a point-based system with six stats starting at 10, or you roll each stat with the best 3 of 4d6. The closest thing to a racial package is the character's Weight Class. As you might expect in the beef-heavy WWE, Heavyweight is considered the baseline: Cruiserweights get a bonus to Dexterity and a penalty to Strength and/or Constitution, while SuperHeavyweights are the other way around. As with human characters in D&D, characters have their extra skill point ('built in') and two feats to start, except for the UltraHeavyweight, who gets a bonus to Strength but a heavy Dex penalty and only one feat to start (meaning the Big Show probably qualifies as a non-human racial package). Characters above Heavyweight also take extra damage from falls and slams while the Cruiserweights get a bonus with aerial manuevers. Every character also has a Lift DC number based on his weight (it's hard to slam Big Show, but if you do, he feels it).
The game also uses D20 concepts of advancement by class and level, with level scaled in terms of 1st level being a "dark match" worker who only appears on the non-televised warmup matches, the mid-levels being "jobbers" and stars on weekend shows like Velocity, and 10th level+ being a main event star. Classes in Know Your Role resemble those in D20 Modern in that each of the main stats is based off of a particular D&D attribute; in order these are Aerial Superstar (Dexterity), Power Superstar (Strength), Rough Superstar (Constitution), Savvy Superstar (Charisma) and Technical Superstar (Intelligence). Wisdom gets the default class of Manager, which is also used for "0 level" characters like Referees- however the Manager also gets abilities that allow him to get his wrestler contracts and help him cheat.
It should be noted however that this section isn't very linear; before actually detailing the classes, the book goes into OGL concepts like Base Attack Bonus and saving throw. Know Your Role uses a concept like D20 Star Wars for hits: 1st level PCs start off with "Endurance" and "Trauma" scores both equal to Constitution, but with Endurance going up by Con score every level with Trauma as a constant. Trauma reflects injury that heals slowly while Endurance is the main hit point battery that gets burned off by both enemy damage and your use of special maneuvers. Naturally, Endurance can go up or down quite a lot. The book also touches on the character's Training Background, Reputation and Finishing Manuever before detailing exactly what they are and discusses whether your character's "Attitude" is going to be Face, Heel or Neutral. Most of this could have been put in a sidebar detailing exactly what the little marks on the Class Tables are for BAB, Fort Save and such.
The actual classes do indeed represent the "divisions" in the WWE very well, with Aerial being dominated by high-flying Cruiserweights, Power by Undertaker/Big Show types, Rough by "hardcore" bruisers, Savvy by cheaters and bamboozlers ranging from Ric Flair to The Rock and Technical by the Angle/Chris Benoit types who actually had their background in Greco-Roman events. Each class has its own BAB and saving throw tables of course, and each class has D20 Modern-like "talent trees" with appropriate names like Just That Damn Good and The Dirtiest Player in the Game. Managers have talent trees that allow for running "interference," influencing people with money, and representing wrestlers as a "mouthpiece."
Another D20 Modern-style feature of the game is the use of Training Backgrounds. Each allows a bonus feat (on top of the bonus feats received for level and class) and gives two skills that always count as your character's class skills.
The book then goes into Skills, which aren't too far removed from D20 skills except that they're interpreted in terms appropriate to the setting. Spot, for instance, can be used to see the opponent's manager slipping him a weapon, and the Perform skill includes the subcategories "promo" and "vignette."
Feats are also similar to D20 equivalents but have colorful names like Can of Whupass and Testicular Fortitude. It's worth noting that all characters can select a (x) Maneuvers Proficiency as a feat slot outside their class options, allowing a big man like Undertaker to do aerial tightrope manuevers without actually taking the Aerial Superstar class.
Chapter 3: Just Bring It! gets into basic combat. The sequence goes much as described in the introduction chapter, but with greater detail. In particular, each character has a "maneuver limit" based on his ability modifier with that maneuver class, minimum 1- so if Rey Mysterio has a 20 Dex, he can do up to five aerial manuevers in a row, but could only do one power manuever at a time (his Strength is 11 for a modifier of 0, minimum +1). The main roll modifier other than BAB, ability mods and feat mods is the modifier for the maneuver itself, determined in its own chapter later. In this system, a critical hit "threatens" and if the second roll beats the opponent's action check, the attack does maximum damage to Endurance. If the second roll is itself a 20 or within threat range, the damage is rolled normally but goes straight into Trauma. Some maneuvers (like the Angle Slam) require a Lift check to work, while knockdown maneuvers like the clothesline still do damage even if the opponent stays up. Recovering Endurance is similar to taking a Recovery in HERO System; you have to forfeit your action and make a Concentration check. This counts as a "rough" manuever and if your action count loses, the opponent gets to damage you further and you lose the recovery.
This section also gets into the details of Heat: each point spent can increase a noncombat roll by +1, increase threat range by 1, or allow an added attack at no penalty. 1st-level PCs start with no Heat, but it can be earned in game through various means, primarily by delivering 10 or more points of damage to the opponent. Heat normally goes to a max of 4 points storage.
The chapter also describes of double-teaming, distraction, and the game requirements for a pinfall or submission. These touch on the subject of Chapter 7 (below) but the combat effects are here. It's worth noting that it takes 1 Heat to perform your special Finishing Maneuver, which does double damage. If it's a submission, you need to spend a Heat each round (though the book notes that this may go over the 10 damage required to earn Heat, making the hold requirement self-maintaining).
Other important elements are brought in, namely the "countout" (requiring both PCs to make checks to get back in the ring) and the effects of tag teams. Tag team members can designate one of their finishing maneuvers as a "team" finisher (like the 3-D)- this allows either member of the team to spend the Heat, but the other must succeed in an Aid Another check to coordinate.
Also, this section goes over "trick" manuevers that anybody can do, and those reserved to either Faces or Heels. The book closes with a brief description of the flavor text required to describe an action round, and the special conditions of specialty matches.
Chapter 4: "What a Manuever!" gets into the rules engine for creating specialty manuevers. The general principle is that increasing the damage (from a base of 1d6) or causing some other advantageous effect like knockdown creates a penalty to the roll for the maneuver, while decreasing the damage or imposing a drawback (like landing prone after the attempt) creates a bonus. The modifiers are all totalled up to yield the final manuever modifier. Each manuever is also described by category, which is important for determining its ability modifier and the "manuever limit" described above. This leads to a long but by no means final list of typical wrestling manuevers written up in this system.
For instance, Superkick (aka 'Sweet Chin Music') is a short skip and followup kick straight back and up. The game effect is an Aerial Maneuver (thus based on Dex) with the following modifiers: +1d base damage, a total of 2d6 (-2), stagger/+4 on Lift checks against the target until next round (-2), target makes a knockdown check (-1), +2 Endurance cost (+2) is -5 +2. Total Maneuver Modifier: -3.
Chapter 5: Anything Can Happen in WWE! gets into that mushy "roleplaying" stuff frequently found in other games, which here details the character subplots, backstage intrigue, promos and brag sessions that WWE fans have come to know and (uh) love.
In terms of game time, each game session is organized like a WWE TV show, with each "show" broken into "segments." These are not just matches, but backstage interviews, skits, in-ring promos, pretty much any scene where a character appears. The key is that each character can only initiate a number of "appearances" per show equal to his Charisma modifier, minimum of +1. When you're out of appearance slots, you cannot do anything except be the target of someone else's schemes until the next show.
Non-combat bits include the interview (or promo) and the "vignette", basically a short skit involving the character, which can often be fairly elaborate. If the player is obliged to roleplay one of these, he gets a bonus of +1 to +5 depending on how well he roleplays and "gets into character" or how elaborate the skit is. This is added to an appropriate Perform check; success yields 1 Heat and some bonus XP. Backstage combat is also covered here, a major difference from standard combat being that the target of a "beatdown" ambush GETS Heat depending on how much damage he takes, which is something he can use later in the inevitable revenge match. Noncombat events also include demanding a match (requiring Diplomacy checks against the GM character) and the signing of a contract, which in WWE shows is a fairly ritualized affair. In both of these cases, the Manager's special abilities can come in handy for his wrestler.
"Backstage" stuff can even extend to the wrestler's off-stage and presumably real life, where you detail if a character wants to enhance his reputation for some outside venture like posing in a magazine or becoming a Hollywood action star.
Chapter 6: Desire! is the chapter detailing how experience works. The structure is the same as other D20/OGL games (1000 XP x current level to gain a level, so 1000 for 2nd, 3000 for 3rd, etc.). Base XP awards are determined as 100 x current level for winning a match (half that for losing) with bonuses for various things like the various stipulations required in a match, the difference in character levels (Hurricane gets a bonus for having to fight against Triple H) and so forth. And remember all those rules for roleplaying backstage banter and doing play-by-play on the action rounds? Those earn XP too.
This chapter also gives a short history of each show's various championship belts, which provide in game bonuses for each along with a bonus feat, all of which are only usable while the character holds the title. No wonder HHH is so obsessed....
Chapter 7: In the Interest of Fairness!
Or as the book puts it, "Yes, Virginia, there are rules in WWE."
If players are confused as to what the technical rules of pro wrestling are, that's ok, because the WWE people often seem to be confused about them too. But this chapter goes over some of the obvious basics. What counts as a pinfall? What is a "no contest?" What are "Australian rules?" The answers are here.
The second section of the chapter is general player advice. Like other "genre" games, Know Your Role emphasizes that things that happen in genre can make for a poor roleplaying experience. In particular, they stress the multi-character rules so that one star wrestler doesn't hog everyone else's time. Would that the actual WWE worked that way.
The second section is for the GM, who not only roleplays the General Manager and other NPCs, but is also the main scriptwriter, what wrestling would call the "booker." As with the WWE and roleplaying in general, the overall theme is "controlled chaos." The GM has to maintain an improvisational theme while still staying within the tropes of wrestling and the WWE style of show scripting. The general outline of a WWE TV show is presented, with the "mid-card" events in the middle and the high-ranking stars in the main event or sometimes even the opening event. This is another reason the game stresses the use of multiple characters, so as to simulate the variety of goings-on in a typical 2-hour show.
Chapter 8: The Most Electrifying Roster in Sports Entertainment! is simply an example list of various WWE Superstars and the main Managers (Bischoff, Heyman and Long). Naturally some of these are designed around their feats and talents or vice versa (so HHH has I Am the Game and Cerebral Assassin as listed abilities). While it's a good-size group, it doesn't include classic wrestlers like Stone Cold or the "next big thing" guys like John Cena.
SUMMARY Challenger OGL enters the ring first. WWE comes out to the theme of "No Chance in Hell," to a huge pop. The steel cage is lowered over the ring. The two combatants staredown- and the bell rings. OGL attempts an initial grapple, WWE counters with the troupe role-playing concept. WWE tries to follow up with a DDT but rolls a natural one. This allows OGL to bounce off the fence for momentum and do a scissor kick on WWE while WWE is forced to stand in the middle of the ring with head bowed for no particular reason. OGL does a flurry of chest slaps and puts WWE up against the fence with clunky D20-based class concepts. OGL continues to put pressure on, grinding WWE's naked back against the metal while pushing a wrist into WWE's throat. A bloodied WWE finally counters by grabbing OGL's shoulders and hitting the Atomic Drop, causing a stun condition for OGL. WWE then attempts to climb out of the ring, but OGL rolls better and pulls WWE's briefs, and they both slam to the canvas. WWE attempts an inside cradle, OGL immediately powers out and counters with the custom manuever Obtuse Gamespeak. OGL then puts WWE in a submission hold, doing damage over rounds. WWE, low on Endurance, rallies the crowd with an upraised arm and uses the Monster Comeback trick, spending a Heat to stagger up and break the hold. OGL does a legsweep kick, knocking WWE prone. OGL poses to the crowd, makes an initial climb halfway up the fence- then prepares a Shooting Star jump against the stage-flopping WWE. OGL leaps... and misses as WWE rolls at the last instant.
At this point Stephanie McMahon runs up to the ring with a sledgehammer and opens the fence gate to throw it in the ring. WWE grabs the hammer and whacks it into the center of OGL's back. OGL howls for effect. WWE follows up, doing a critical hit and inflicting Trauma. OGL gets bladed. WWE throws the hammer to the edge of the ring and then staggers through the open gate. WWE wins, but will probably have to wear bandages on next week's RAW and keep selling the injury for a week after that.
Style:3 Colorful presentation marred by a wandering layout.
Substance:3 In some respect, Know Your Role is by-the-numbers D20, but the setting presents a lot of opportunities for unconventional role-playing.
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