Ariadne and Bob

Ariadne and Bob is a "GMful" roleplaying game about a know-it-all and her trusty sidekick going on adventures and getting in trouble. Ariadne can be condescending at times, but her ego is not entirely undeserved. Bob is Ariadne's long-suffering partner. The Pinky to her Brain, the Sherman to her Peabody, the Watson to her Holmes, the Luz to her Eda. This game draws inspiration from the many favourite fictional pairings that follow this pattern, from Laurel and Hardy to Rick and Morty.

Designed for two to four players, each role has agendas and moves that prompt the players to play off one another in interesting and fun ways. Beyond the first two, additional players take on the role of The Chorus, playing minor roles, bit parts, and comic relief. I call the game "GMful" instead of "GMless" because the traditional roles of the GM are split up among the players. So everyone gets part of the fun of being the GM and all the fun of playing a character.

Ariadne and Bob's simple rules make it quick to get into and play any time. It's great for one-shots, but is also rewarding over several plays with the same characters, and has enough variety to keep you playing over and over again. It's the perfect game for when one or two of the group can't make your regular game: you need a game designed for small player counts; you want something easy to pick up and quick to start playing; you want to finish a complete story in one session. Ariadne and Bob delivers on all of that!