Key & Token 2e

Welcome back!

It's been a year since the first edition of Key & Token was released and a lot has happened in the randomless community since.

Key & Token was my first release and I wanted to improve on the original system with everything I've learned in graphic and mechanic design.

I'm new here, what is this?

Key & Token is a compact shared-world tabletop role-playing game directly descended from games of Belonging Outside Belonging and the No Dice, No Masters engine, both of which were first introduced in the book Dream Askew / Dream Apart by Avery Alder and Benjamin Rosenbaum.

The game fits onto a standard business card (3.5in x 2in).

Players create characters, scenes, and play setting elements called Keys.

A Key is anything in a scene. A token is anything close to hand.

Key & Token can be played with 2+ players. It's highly modular and you can add anything you like onto the system. For solo play, I recommend using the ask oracle instead.

License

Key & Token is released under the Anti-Capitalist Attribution Cooperative License. 

What's changed?

Key & Token's second edition has totally revamped rules for how to spend and gain tokens. It also features a new oracle system, allowing players to ask questions without a gamemaster.

In the previous edition, spending tokens was vague, simply "make a significant act". In Key & Token 2e, players spend tokens to do, feel, say or know something.

Players now gain tokens by using a safety tool or answering a question with either "yes", "yes, and", or "yes, but". Players gain two tokens for answering a question with "no, but".

New card art! The card no longer has a character sheet. Your character only needs a name to play.

Safety Tools

Use safety tools to keep yourself and your friends safe while playing. Remember that you're all here to have fun.

The QR code on Key & Token's card links to a curated list of safety tools. Use any of these with your games.

Community

Join the Randomless Renaissance Discord!

Learn more about CERAMIC-Strict, a framework for creating randomless games. There's also the CERAMIC Jam.

Credit

I sought feedback on my previous tool 'ask' on Reddit and AcrobaticDogZero responded on this reddit reply with the guidance to remove the options "no" and "no, and" and a means to establish a metacurrency system, which I have adapted as a core mechanic in Key & Token 2e. Thank you, AcrobaticDogZero!

TheGiftOfGabes introduced me to the concept of a player's actions being "do", "think" or "feel". They're a good friend and frequent collaborator. Check out their games!

Download

By purchasing Key & Token for £1.95 you will receive a printable version of the game card. The cardsheet is formatted for an international size A4 paper, but should print fine on standard US trade.