Sword World fixes TTRPG no-shows with its Fellow system

Players skipping sessions is a chronic problem for tabletop RPGs. Sword World RPG has a built-in fix: the Fellow system converts absent player characters into simplified NPCs so they can still join adventures. The 36-year-old game is getting an English localization from Mugen Gaming.

Fellows use a simplified sheet with a list of default actions — a spell or a weapon attack — each paired with a character quote for flavor. A d6 roll on a random table determines their actions, though groups can ignore that rule for less randomness. Fellows follow distinct rules: they can't be killed or targeted, and they are meant to be easy to manage and helpful without overshadowing the party.

The system grew from Group SNE's early practice of publishing roleplaying “replays” in Comptiq and sharing characters by snail mail. Players mailed fellows between groups so characters could take part in campaigns and then trade stories; that social habit continued online.

sword world, fellow system, ttrpg, absent players, npcs, mugen gaming, english localization, d6 roll, default actions, group sne