Tabletop RPG · since 2019 · #72 most discussed

Troika

Play strange wanderers in a surreal multiverse, with random backgrounds, odd skills, and a lethal, unpredictable initiative system.

Its own systemWeird2d6roll underrandom generationhigh lethalitytokensclasslessOne-shotsNeeds a GM

6.0

Geek rating

From 10 firsthand play reports in 4 r/rpg threads. The threads alone average 7.0.

Player rating— / 10

No visitor ratings yet.

Discussion5.8 / 10

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

Rules weight

Light. Hype 4.6 for its age.

Have you played it?

Rate Troika 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 reports are thin and mostly short, but they lean positive on tone and ease of play. Tables praise the weird setting, quick character creation and simple GMing. Some groups found the rules too thin to stay satisfying.

What works

Rotating one-shots with a different GM each time worked well, and the bizarre world lets any fun-sounding idea fit. (thread)
The backgrounds and spells are called evocative, and one player wants to keep the backgrounds even in another system. (thread)
Character creation is quick and the game is easy to learn and to GM. (thread)
Token/card initiative and the quirky inventory rules are fun when the table accepts the intentional jank. (thread)
It has run for after-school students, adults and an 11-year-old with friends. The published modules Hand of God, Fronds of Benevolence and Blancmage & Thistle were hits. (thread)

What tables struggle with

One player found the single Skill stat overly simplistic and the combat system frustrating. (thread)
Some groups felt there isn't enough game to stay satisfying, and one party found the system disappointing next to its flavor. (thread)
Balance is loose: combat is swingy, some skills are busted or useless, and one character can dominate a fight. (thread)
It doesn't suit players who want crunch or min-maxing. (thread)

Who it suits

Groups that want a fast, light, quirky game and are happy to embrace its imbalance.
GMs who want something easy to run, including for one-shots or younger players.
Players who want crunchy, balanced tactical rules will likely want something else, or will borrow only the backgrounds and setting.

In players' words

"Because the world is so bizarre, it meant that if anyone had any kind of fun sounding idea, it just *worked*." (thread)
"I have found the core system frustrating to use and overly simplistic - in particular the single \"Skill\" attribute and the combat system." (thread)
"There's just not really enough game there that we found to be satisfying." (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.

6.0

Have you heard of Troika!? Can you give me your opinion on the game?

The few people who played Troika! split. One GM ran a whole campaign and called it a blast, and another loves how easy it is to GM, while two groups found the rules thin or disappointing despite the flavor. Reports are brief and mostly about the quirky, unbalanced, jank-embracing chassis. Much of the thread is reading impressions, and the Bones Deep report is about a different game, so I ignored it. 4 firsthand · 21 comments

Open on Reddit

8.0

The "A Bit O' Troika" campaign is closer to reaching the "every backer gets every Melsonian Arts council pdf, even if it's nothing to do with this campaign" tier, which will be an excellent deal if it happens

The few people who say they have played Troika describe it as a fun, fast, beer-and-pretzels game that works with different groups, including kids and after-school students. The thread is mostly about the crowdfunding bundle, so the play detail is thin, and one drive-by comment says it sucks without any detail. 3 firsthand · 18 comments

Open on Reddit

8.5

Troika is now 100% free

The few people who say they played Troika describe a fun, flexible game. A playgroup ran it as rotating one-shots, and the weird setting let any idea work. Most of the thread is hype for the free release, praise for the published adventures, and talk about OSR in general, so firsthand evidence is thin. 2 firsthand · 21 comments

Open on Reddit

4.5

Looking for an RPG to staple Troika! onto

The only firsthand play report is the original poster, who ran two Troika! scenarios and loved the tone, backgrounds and spells. They found the core rules, especially the single Skill stat and combat, frustrating and too simple. Almost all of the thread is about other games (Electric Bastionland, Grok?!, Patchwork World, Fate and others), and that material was ignored. 1 firsthand · 30 comments

Open on Reddit