The tabletop Pathologic is based on the video game by the same name, but, unlike its inspiration, offers the role of the Sand Pest to one of the players. Treacherous and elusive, the Plague aims to kill a number of predetermined victims. This role will likely fit the players who prefer to be sneaky, stealthy, upset others’ plans, and be a one-person team.
Others become the healers. Each of them has their own strong suits, but none can overcome the Plague on their own—so they’ll have to cooperate, forging temporary alliances and executing common strategies. But the game only has one winner, who gets everything—while the rest will have wasted their efforts in vain. Thus the healers’ roles are most likely to be of interest to the players who like to negotiate, cooperate, break their promises, negotiate again, keep an eye on a lot of events unfolding in every corner of the map, and break their promises once more.
Features
- 2–4 players.
- An average session takes 60–80 min.
- Each player takes on the role of one of the three Healers or the Plague.
- Each Healer has their own playstyle and abilities, with the Plague’s gameplay being drastically different.
- The Healers resolve missions while doing all they can to preserve their Wards; the Plague aims to kill the latter.
- The Healers act on their own or delegate tasks to the Wards. The Plague has no assistance and is usually stealthed, only revealing its location when it goes for the kill.
- Players will have to strategize, trying to evaluate each other’s secret plans while executing their own. Talking, bluffing, and manipulations will become second nature to everyone in the Town.
- Every action has consequences. Great risks yield great rewards… and with those comes great responsibility.
