A Distortion Dice game targeted at kids. The 3 stats are Might, Magic, and Manners. Aspects will be what kind of princess you are, Assets will be your mount (dragon, horse, unicorn, griffon, etc) and what you wield (staff, scepter, sword, axe, etc).
This is a game about magical princesses (or princes, or dukes, or whatever title you prefer) who face challenges and must save the day. It is intended to have a fantasy setting that you can build with your players, and it’s inspired by Perils & Princesses, Princess World, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Sailor Moon, Miraculous and many other works of fiction about magical girls, or princesses in challenging situations.
There is a Google Sheets Character Keeper available if you would like to keep track of your characters digitally
As a distortion dice game, this is based on the same system used in Distorted Domains. Please look at Distorted Domains if there are any questions on how the system works or how to run the game
Prismatic Princesses is a game about powerful princesses overcoming problems. Each princess will have a magic of some kind, usually defined by a theme related to their color. These things can be elemental, a fundamental aspect of the universe, or perhaps a more subtle kind of magic, such as dance or feats of strength. The game has no defined setting, aside from featuring a number of Princesses who have been gifted with magical power, and a responsibility to protect others, and lead them through darkness into the light. Each Princess wields their magic, as well as a powerful artifact, and has the help of a companion that enhances or compliments their own abilities. While there is an included science fantasy setting, there is also a guide to creating your own setting as a group.
The player characters in Prismatic Princesses are refered to as Princesses. However, they do not specifically have to be a princess. Princesses in this game are more of an idea than a gendered term, or a title of royalty. A Princess is someone blessed with a magical power related to a specific color. A Princess is someone who fights for good, who protects others, who believes in compassion, and wants to make the world a better place. The actual title of your Princess could be Princess, another royal title like Duchess or Prince, Something made up like Light Bringers, or maybe each Princess has a super-hero like name.
Each Princess wields a notable magical artifact of some kind that helps them channel their power. They also have a companion in the form of a mount, familiar, or spiritual being.
Roll or choose your stats
| D12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Might | d4 | d6 | d4 | d6 | d10 | d10 | d8 | d6 | d6 | d8 | d8 | d4 |
| Magic | d6 | d4 | d10 | d10 | d6 | d4 | d6 | d8 | d6 | d8 | d4 | d8 |
| Manners | d10 | d10 | d6 | d4 | d4 | d6 | d6 | d6 | d8 | d4 | d8 | d8 |
I am the [adjective], [adjective] prince(ss) of [thing]
For Example:
Set your Aspects all to d6, or to d4, d6, and d8
My Companion is a [adjective] [object/noun] of [thing]
For Example:
I wield the [adjective] [item] of [thing]
For Example:
Set either your companion or item to a d8, and the other to a d6
I sometimes struggle with [thing]. You get 2 Struggles
For Example:
Set both of your struggles to d6
First, select the die for the stat that you want to use for your action. Then add the dice for any assets or aspects that can be used. Roll them and keep only the highest die. The Narrator will select the harm die that matches your stat (if you use Might they will use the Might harm die). Then the narrator will add your struggle die it it makes sense, and finally the narrator will add a die for the challenge you are up against. The narrator rolls and also takes the highest die. If your die is higher than the narrators, you succeed, if your die is 5 or more, you get a success with a bonus, if you tie, you get a partial success, and if your die is lower, you get a failure.
The included setting of Prismatic Princesses is the world of Iridesia. A land once occupied by a powerful people who abandoned this planet known as the Lost Ones. They left behind advanced technology that few can even begin to understand. Iridesia is comprised of many lands of varying colors, and is currently suffering from a corruption of Null Shards. These shards absorb the color out of things near them, corrupting them, and throwing off the harmony of the world. This creates violence and chaos near where the shards have landed. The source of the shards is unknown, but many think it may be related to the Lost Ones.
There is a princess for each color, the number of colors and which colors are included depends on your table. Each color will be a different nation with different customs, including how they choose their princess, and what that princess’s title is.
In the center where all of the colors meet is the Rainbow City. The Rainbow City is home to the Princess Academy, where princess candidates are sent to train in the ways of being a princess. How these candidates are selected will vary by color, with some of them being appointed by leadership, some voted in, and some having to compete in some sort of trial.
Occasionally there are legacy princesses, with the title being carried by a family through the generations. Potential princesses from these families still have to go through the regular candidate and training process, though they are generally seen as favored to become a princess, which can come with its own challenges.
Prismatic Princesses can tell a variety of different magical girl stories. Such as fighting off the effects of the Null Shards, and the people who wish to use the power of them. Or maybe dealing with the pressures of trying to become a princess and attending the Princess Academy. Sometimes it might be just helping a village put on a festival or rebuild after it was damaged through the effects of a Null shard. Other times it could be complications from Lost Ones technology being awakened.
The setting for Plucky Princesses is implied to be whimsical and magical, but ultimately the details are up to you. Maybe all the characters are talking animals, maybe you can explore a candy cane forest, perhaps there’s a snowy mountain where it always storms.
Here are some questions to help you figure it out.
Other Potential Settings: