With my 8-year-old daughter, it’s safe to say that I have watched a lot of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Not to mention all of the MLP comics we’ve read as bedtime stories. Our shared fandom bonds us. Another shared geeky passion between her and I is roleplaying. D&D sessions are so ubiquitous in our household as my daughter grew up that my kid eventually asked to play with us. While we’ve done it rather successfully, that success requires some accommodations, modifications, and handling of the more complex rules. That’s probably why I’m genuinely excited to run through Tails of Equestria as a family. By the looks of it, it promises a lore she’s deeply connected with and a rule structure she can more comfortably handle.
My Little Pony: Tails of Equestria is a tabletop RPG designed for 2 – 6 players, ages 8+. One of the players takes on the role of GM while the others play as PCs (pony characters). It has been confirmed that players can only choose from the classes Earth Pony, Unicorn or Pegasus. Sorry folks, there can be no new Alicorns.
The core rulebook has recently released and there is quite a bit there for fans of MLP. One of the coolest things included in the game is a full map of Equestria, drawn in the same style as any map found in a D&D sourcebook. I think my favourite detail so far is that character sheets have a space where you get to draw and colour your pony character. The idea of figuring out my character’s cutie mark is remarkably alluring.
One interesting thing about Tails of Equestria is the fact that the lead designer is Alessio Cavatore, of Games Workshop and Kings of War fame. During an interview, when asked how he went from these incredibly mature, dark settings to something like MLP, he responded simply, “I have a daughter.” Playtesting for Tails of Equestria involved the toughest group of play testers I could ever imagine; Alessio’s 6-year-old daughter and her friends, all of whom are huge MLP fans.
The core rulebook contains all of the information you need for character creation, play (including a “scuffles” section to outline combat) and a full adventure titled “The Pet Predicament”. Being a roleplaying game, the GM is free to craft unique adventures set in the land of Equestria or to follow along with the adventures as they are released. The sequel to “The Pet Predicament” is up for pre-order now and is The Curse of the Statuettes. In typical MLP fashion, the next adventure is quite meta. The premise is that ponies are mysteriously being cursed and turned into collectible figures, like the ones for sale right now at your nearest toy store.
My Little Pony: Tails of Equestria looks like a brilliant game that introduces younger kids to the fundamentals of roleplaying, while set in an incredibly vibrant world. No word yet on whether I can equip my pony with a party cannon, but I’m crossing my fingers.
What would you name your MLP pony character? Let us know in the comments!
Image Credits: Hasbro & Ninja Division