Beanfolk animated warrior gif
Beanfolk animated warrior gif
Beanpage header, BEAN The D2 RPG
Beanpage header, BEAN The D2 RPG

BEAN! The D2 Role-Playing Game from Fabled Worlds Games is a unique rules-lite system that’s perfect for all kinds of gaming sessions. It’s quick so you can jump right into a game when you don’t have the time to create anything super in-depth, but it works just as well for on-going campaigns. It’s great for experienced gamers as well as introducing first timers, especially kids, to the wonders of Role-Playing Games! And did we mention you play it with beans?

So just what is a “D2” RPG?

It’s a Role-Playing Game that uses D2 (2 sided "dice") instead of the standard polyhedral (“many sided” dice such as 20, or even the standard 6 sided dice) dice in its game mechanics.

Isn’t playing with D2 basically just flipping a coin?

It is, and you can use anything that has two distinct sides so that you can tell if you’ve rolled, or tossed, heads or tails, + or -, 1 or 0, but in this game we use beans! The number of beans used in various circumstances creates a sliding scale and that bell curve that classic RPGs are so fond of.

Why beans?

Beans roll easier than coins, they’re cheap and plentiful, there’s something kind of satisfying about tossin’ around a handful of beans when you’re fighting imaginary monsters, and it’s easy to create your own customized beans.

Um, ok, but really, why beans?

The Fabled Worlds game system is a quick and easy system to learn, and is adaptable to any genre. The mechanics of BEAN are so quick, so simple, and so consistent that they only require one kind of dice. I decided upon the D2 because…well, to be perfectly honest there’s just a whole lot less math involved with this D2 system than with anything else out there. There, are you happy? Good =)

Beanfolk Wizard Gazing
Beanfolk Wizard Gazing
Beanfolk Warrior,  1E Cover
Beanfolk Warrior,  1E Cover
Beanfolk Rogue Climber
Beanfolk Rogue Climber
Beanfolk Warrior Skeeter Slayer
Beanfolk Warrior Skeeter Slayer
DriveThruRPG link to Fabled Worlds Games and all the BEAN booksDriveThruRPG link to Fabled Worlds Games and all the BEAN books
BEAN Character Sheet, front and back, with beans
BEAN Character Sheet, front and back, with beans

Role-Playing Games are an artform of Collaborative Storytelling. One person is the Storyteller and referee, and the others play the roles of characters in the story. Together everyone's contributions shape where the story goes. A rule system allows you to determine if actions were successful or not, and how successful or not they were. A good rules system resolves things quickly without getting in the way of the storytelling. A really good rules system will work for any genre so you don't have to keep buying and learning new rules systems.

BEAN is illustrated with a bean-ish theme, but you can use this rules system for any genre. I'll let you in on a secret: a fan shared that they were hosting an online game using a well known RPG system, but unknown to the other players the Gamemaster was using the BEAN rules to resolve the game mechanics that were just too clunky with the other system. The game flowed smoothly and quicker without any long breaks to look up rules and do calculations, and everyone had a great time. Everyone had the gaming experience they wanted and had a great time. Mission accomplished!

BEAN has introduced lots of young kids to the world of RPGs, it's great for experienced gamers for quick pick-up adventures or ongoing campaigns, and there are even retirement community groups tossin' the beans. It's a really versatile system.