Tabletop RPG · since 2014 · #76 most discussed

Into the Odd

Fast, deadly adventures in a strange industrial-fantasy world, with minimal rules and a focus on exploring odd places and items.

Into the OddWeirdroll underclasslesshigh lethalityrandom generationtheater of the mindShort arcsNeeds a GM

6.0

Geek rating

From 9 firsthand play reports in 3 r/rpg threads. The threads alone average 7.2.

Player rating— / 10

No visitor ratings yet.

Discussion5.7 / 10

164 r/rpg posts named it, October 2023 to October 2026.

Rules weight

Fits on a page. Hype 3.7 for its age.

Have you played it?

Rate Into the Odd from 1 to 10. One rating per browser and device; you can change it any time.

Didn't work for usOne of our best

What players say

At the table

Firsthand play detail is thin. Most of the three threads are about other games, and nobody describes a session in depth. The reports that exist say Into the Odd plays fast and light, and that its random characters can feel disposable at first.

What works

Combats ran about five minutes, a relief for one group coming from Pathfinder 2e fights that ate half a session. (thread)
Not rolling to hit went over well with that same group. (thread)
Characters began to feel distinct organically after about a four-hour dungeon. (thread)
Minimalist rules leave little to look up, and players pick them up quickly, which suits one-shots and brand-new players. (thread)
GMs don't balance monsters or build abilities, so prep can go into the situation or location. The Remastered edition runs straight out of the box. (thread)
One player calls the rules elegant and unmatched among the Mark of the Odd games, and says ganging up on opponents is very effective. (thread)

What tables struggle with

Random starting gear and stats made characters feel like throwaways to a group that loves crunchy character building. (thread)
The game felt more deadly, and arcana outcomes leaned heavily on luck or GM choices. (thread)
The setting is only loosely implied, so there is less guidance on running it. One player bounced off the game, though their reason is cut off. (thread)
There is little advice on prepping or building dungeons, especially for people outside OSR culture. Third-party support is sparse next to Cairn. (thread)
One GM who has run both prefers Electric Bastionland for its setting and Failed Careers. Another rarely plays Into the Odd unmodified. (thread)

Who it suits

Groups who want quick fights and a rules-light, GM-ruling style.
Tables running one-shots or teaching new players.
GMs comfortable building their own situations and locations, or hacking the game.

In players' words

"After a single pathfinder 2e combat taking like half the session into the odd's idk 5 minute combats were such a breath of fresh air." (thread)
"I do like using it as written for one shots and brand new players though, it's so quick to learn and get started." (thread)
"Then I got ITO and bounced off it." (thread)

The threads behind it

Each thread is rated for the play it describes, from the firsthand reports in it. Load one here or read it on Reddit.

8.0

Did Into the Odd get lost in the shuffle?

The thread is mostly about why Into the Odd gets less attention than Electric and Mythic Bastionland and Cairn. The few people who say they ran Into the Odd call it fast, easy to learn and easy to run, with little third-party support and thin prep guidance as the main complaints. None of them describe specific sessions. 4 firsthand · 52 comments

Open on Reddit

6.5

Mythic vs Electric Bastionland (and Into the Odd). Where do I start?

The thread is mostly about Mythic and Electric Bastionland, and it has very little firsthand detail about playing Into the Odd. The few reports are split: one person loves its simple elegance, another bounced off it, and a third gives a general summary that may come from play. 3 firsthand · 39 comments

Open on Reddit

6.5

Rpg between Pathfinder 2e and Into the Odd?

The thread is mostly about alternatives to Pathfinder 2e (Nimble, Shadow of the Weird Wizard, 13th Age and others). The only real play reports are the original poster's, who ran a few Into the Odd sessions and loved the fast combat. They found the random characters feeling disposable and the game deadly, though characters started to feel distinct after a dungeon or so. 2 firsthand · 20 comments

Open on Reddit