Coming of Age

A Tale Telling Game for 1 to 6 Players We are more than we appear.

by Mendel Schmiedekamp wyrmwood@[Link]
Version 2.2.2 - Dec 22nd, 2011 Playtesters: Briana Schmiedekamp, Maura Dailey, Dug Swank, Mike Whyte, Adam Klein, Lia Talmas, Andrew Lindsey, Matthew George, Josh Sholes, Julia Heinemann, Zach Gotsch, Gabor Koszper, Shreyas Sampat, and many others. Other Contributors: Cassie Konkle

A Few Words ...

Coming of Age is a game that you and your friends play by taking on the roles of characters who are coming of age, and telling the tales of those characters as they overcome adversity, both personal and external. Together you will decide what sort of setting and characters most interest you, and then together you will tell the story as those characters overcome their failings and realize their destinies. A coming of age story isnt the same as your standard heroic tale. At the beginning of the story your characters arent particularly
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capable. Early on your character might wish to charge a dragon or make the love of your life fall for her, but she is more likely to hesitate out of fear or inexperience or trip on her feet or words. But as the game goes on she will be tempered by challenges, learning from defeat to become the the person you destined her to be. Though a coming of age story seems to be about an external threat or adventure, the meat of it is in the inner struggle for each character to overcome their failings and weaknesses. In Coming of Age, failure can be good if you

learn something from it. And though success is sweet, when it is undeserved and not fought for, it can slow your characters growth into her new self. If youre not too familiar with this sort of game, dont worry about it. The most important thing to remember is that as you play Coming of Age you will describe what happens to your character and the world around her. You can do that by acting her out, you can tell it like a story, or even jump between the two. The second most important thing is that all of you playing the game can and should help each other. When someone is getting stuck deciding what trouble to

face or how to describe what happens with his character, if youve got an idea, give him a suggestion. Hopefully hell return the favor. If you are familiar with this sort of game, that last paragraph still applies. But also be aware, Coming of Age does some things differently. There may be things that are missing from the kinds of role-playing games youve played. By and large, those arent important for Coming of Age to play well. If you really miss them, take a look at Bits and Pieces, towards the end for some options and strategies that might make things more familiar.

The Basics
Coming of Age doesnt have a default setting. Instead each game is based around a setting chosen by the players. Thus, one game of Coming of Age can be about adolescents stranded in the wilderness ghting to survive and the next about heirs to greatness being introduced into high society. There are only two important details about any Coming of Age setting. First, all the players must
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agree on the basic idea. Second, there must be a group in the setting who are in the process of coming into their own. Those will be the characters you will all play. Dont worry if you get stuck, this book is full of examples. As important as the setting are the dice. Like many games, Coming of Age uses dice to determine some of what happens. When talking about dice, Ill write

d4 for a four-sided die or d20 for a twenty-sided die. This game uses lots of dice of different sizes, often called polyhedral dice. To tell the difference, it often helps to get dice that are different colors. There are three types of dice in Coming of Age: Self dice - representing your characters destiny. Issue dice - representing your characters aws and inner difculties. Trouble dice - representing outside adversity facing all of you. Self dice are one d20, one d12, and one d8 for each player. Issue dice are three differently colored sets, each set having a d12, d8, and d4. Issue dice are shared by everyone. Lastly, trouble dice should be several dice of all sizes (from d4 to d20), and visually distinct from self and issue dice. Self dice represent the competency of the characters, named after titles, compliments, or virtues your character might one day receive. Issue dice represent the weaknesses and faults of the character, the very things that she is trying to overcome. Over time,
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your issue dice will drop in size, from d12 to d8 to d4, and disappearing altogether when your character conquers that weakness. Trouble dice are shared: they represent external problems, obstacles, and goals. They come in two subtypes, xed dice are persistent problems. Like a recurring annoyance, a dangerous place, or some other xture of your tale, xed dice cant be defeated; they can only be avoided. Goal dice, on the other hand, can be beaten, acting as problems to be solved or opponents to defeat. As you play Coming of Age, you take turns choosing your characters action. As you do so, you select the dice you will be rolling. First, the trouble dice you are working against and the self die that represents how you are striving against that trouble. Then add all your issue dice, since your inner obstacles are always present. First roll your Self die, this will be the die roll that all other dice are trying to beat, by rolling higher. Then you roll your trouble dice to nd if any of them beat your self dies roll. If they do not, it looks like you will be succeeding baring your issues arising, you

get a reward for getting this far. Lastly, youll roll your issue dice, if none roll above your self die, then your character has defeated the trouble, and can even cross out a goal die, gaining a further reward. If an issue rolls higher than your self die, you have been defeated by the highest rolling issue, undermining what could have been victory. If a trouble die beats your self dies roll, then you were defeated by that trouble. You will also roll your issue dice next, but instead of them risking changing Continuity At the center of telling the coming of age tale of your character is the idea that the world of all the characters will retain a certain consistency, that events will ow from one moment or description to the next. Coming of Age relies on this continuity to help bring the characters and hence you the players together. Because the troubles are shared among you, how you describe the changes in those troubles and in the wider world of the game directly affects what your fellow players can do. While often taken for granted,
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things, the highest rolling issue is reduced, since your defeat teaches your character a lesson about that issue. In some ways this is the best outcome, because here your character has the opportunity to grow and take a real step to her destiny. Regardless of the outcome, you always describe something happening when you take an action, even if it isnt quite what you intended. And dont forget to ask and accept suggestions from the other players.

continuity isnt automatic. Most of the time, each of you will respond to each others ideas and incorporate them into your actions and description. But sometimes a player will forget some detail important to you, like the fact that the demon knight has entered the castle, meaning that to overcome the knight may require entering the castle as well. If that happens, tell him. Politely remind him of the fact, and if it changes what he was planning to do, try to give an alternate suggestion. Be open to clarication by others, they might have different ideas of what

had happened. Most importantly, work together to resolve the gap. It may seem odd, but one of the keys to keeping the continuity working in Coming of Age is to not plan too far ahead. You already know where your character is headed, because of her Number of Players Coming of Age is very exible to the number of players. In its simplest you can play by yourself, buying and confronting trouble and mapping out the growth of your character. For solitaire play, I recommend writing down a short line or sentence for each action, to help keep you honest about describing what happens. On the other side, Coming of Age for more than four or ve people can become difcult for everyone to follow what is going on, so special care should be taken to make sure that everyone

self and issue dice, the purpose of the game is to discover how she gets there. The dice, and more importantly your fellow players will surprise you. And thats what you should look forward to as part of playing Coming of Age.

can hear and understand each other. These sorts of games often work better with a Director (see Optional Rules). The number of players will also loosely determine the time it takes to play your tale from creating your characters to a natural conclusion. In solitaire play, you will likely take between an hour and two. For three to four players, the time will likely be between two and three hours. For six players the tale may take more than three hours.

Settings
The rst step in starting a Coming of Age game is for all the players to decide roughly what setting to use. Do you want sword and sorcery? Perhaps you want modern crime drama? Or
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maybe school children ghting zombies? There are many options, but several factors are essential. First, the protagonists need room to grow. So teenagers ghting crime works well, but a special

ops teams doesnt unless they are completely out of their element. Second, the characters should all have reasons to know each other, even if its just because they all live in the same town, go to the same school, or work in the same bar. Jan, Peter, Anna, and Dave have gotten together to play Coming of Age. When it comes to choosing the setting, they have very differing ideas. They pass around a sheet of paper, each writing down an idea for the setting. Jan has just watched the Goonies and writes, Geeky kids in modern day, searching for treasure. Peter writes, Assassins in training. Anna writes, Med school grads doing their rst internship. Dave writes, Academy of Magic. They pass the paper around, each

voting for a setting other than their own. Jan votes for Med school grads. Peter votes for Academy of Magic. Anna votes for the Goonies. Stuck with breaking or making a tie, Dave asks if the med school grads could be in a hospital in the future, perhaps with alien patients and doctors. No one has a problem with this, so the setting becomes Med school grads doing their rst internship in space! If youre looking for inspiration, the next section has a few setting sheets, pages with a short setting description and suggestions for self, issue, and trouble dice. You can use these as lists to pick from, as a starting point to build from, or even as an example for playing another setting entirely. Remember that these sheets arent exhaustive, so try to come up with new ideas to mix with the existing ones.

Space Police Cadets

Coming of age as a police cadet has never been easy. But with space pirates and maniacal computer given exams, it has never been more interesting. Potential Self Dice: Chief of Police Relentless Detective Ace Pilot Best Dressed Alien Bringer of Peace Hero of Cadia IV Smooth Negotiator Brightest Mind Deductive Genius Death Incarnate Ambassador Friends Above and Below Loving Parent Crack Shot Master of Politics Potential Troubles: Potential Issues: Naive Forgetful Clumsy Unobservant Self-Doubt Excessive Exuberance Doesnt Understand Humans Airhead Teen Angst Parental Shadow Need to Rebel Need to Conform Bad Timing Computers Hate Me Terried

Final Exams (goal) Talia, the new girl (goal) Vince, the new guy (goal) Food Fight! (goal) Surprise Inspection (goal) Pirate Inltrators (either) Romance in the Air (either) Heroically Wounded (either)

Talkative Computer (xed) Astrogation Class (xed) Professor Chaf (xed) Corrupt Principal (xed) Space Pirate Incursion (xed) Venusian Flu (either) Academy Security (either) Doufnar, Space Hero! (either)

Squires of Sword and Sorcery

Someday they will be heroes and villains, their exploits told in smoky taverns and the great halls of kings. But that day is not today. Now they face their rst real challenges, learning whether their training has been of any use, as they begin to show the rst glimmers of greatness. Potential Self Dice: Invincible Duelist Mother to Princes Archmage of the Swamp Hero of Kroags Den Defender of the Faith Fist of Gods Warmaster Of Terrifying Aspect Arcane Inventor Siege Commander of Thul Serpentfoe Hunter of Beasts Teller of Truths Loyal Adviser Infamous Lover Potential Troubles: Potential Issues: Sickly Terried Wizards Curse Obsessed with Romance Obsessed with Fighting Obsessed with Studying Uncontrolled Shapeshifter Disrespectful Obsessed with Money Overenthusiastic Lazy Dishonorable Lineage Servant Mentality All Thumbs Terrible Luck

Squires Tournament (goal) Training Course (goal) Demon Knight (goal) Vicious Bandits (either) Traitor in Your Midst (goal) Visiting Knight (either) Love is in the Air (either) Magic Storm (either)

Dark Wizard (either) Castle Guards (xed) Castle Dungeons (xed) Rival Squires (either) Teilek, Kings Adviser (xed) Balash, Court Wizard (xed) The Axe of Ages (either) Sir Kelor, Instructor (xed)

Rite of Passage
Youve been prepared by your people for a special ordeal. You will face challenges, struggling against the elements and the dark things that dwell in the wild lands. But when you return, you will be a child no longer. Potential Self Dice: War Leader Shaman Gifted Medium Aspect of the Bear Wisewoman Storyteller Master Crafter Beloved Father Truth Seer Trickster Reborn Dutiful Husband Fastest Runner Hunt Leader Great Builder Chosen of Gourash Potential Troubles: Potential Issues: Irresponsible Uncooperative Ignorant Fearful Sickly Hesitant Leaps Before Looking Foolish Unaware Homesick Troubled by Spirits Pampered Too Clever Domineering Bloodthirsty

Ordeal of Fire (goal) Ordeal of the Beast (goal) Rival Initiates (either) Gourashs Challenge (goal) Shadowy Pursuers (goal) Spirit Quest (goal) Dalar, the Winter Wolf (either) Enemy Ambush (goal)

Lost in the Spirit Realm (goal) Mount Tyuth (either) Thunder Storm (xed) Dark Reections (either) Wild Lands (xed) Hostile Spirits (either) Proof of Maturity (either) Old Man Yutal (xed)

Magic Academy
You are students in a magical academy held secret from the mundane world. Here they teach the four arts of magic: the wand, the cauldron, the seal, and the sword. But it is a place ripe for corruption by subtle enemies. Only you can keep them at bay. Of course, you also need to pass your examinations... You can build your own magical academy or club using Appendix 1. Potential Self Dice: Dragon Hatcher Discoverer of Is La Trollfriend Finder of the Lost Seal Enemy of the Dark Loyal Friend Prince of Wizards Potion innovator Successful Novelist Swordmistress Invented the Magicmobile Deputy Minister First in Class Transmutation Instructor Forged the Peace of Nock Potential Troubles: Potential Issues: Magic is the Answer Too Shy Obsessed with Boys Ambiguous Destiny Teen Angst New to Wizardry Second Class Citizen Cant Stop Talking Easily Confused Superiority Complex Unreliable Magics Cursed Romantic Confusion Recovering from Trauma Arrogant

Ixana, Dark Sorceress (goal) Mid-Term Exams (either) Spring Ball (either) School Curfew (xed) Transformation Potion (goal) The Antlered Beast (either) Curious School Nurse (either) Artifex Class (either)

The Three Swords (goal) Guardian Statues (xed) Parents (xed) Exchange Student (either) Academic Squabbling (goal) Secret Romance (goal) Quest of Blackstone (goal) Labyrinthine Library (xed)

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Scions of the Superspy

The mysterious superspy known only by a number has foiled many nefarious plots, and broken many hearts. Each of you comes from one such dalliance. But something has gone wrong the superspy is missing, the world is in peril, now its time for you to live up to your heritage. Suggested by Cassie Konkle and Briana Schmiedekamp. Potential Mothers:

Mimi La Troube - French Dr. Becky Wellhead - AmeriCanadian Gambler and Huslter can Nuclear Scientist Self Self High Roller Nobel Prize Winner Invented "Lo Mein to Go" Con Chief of anti-WMD Operations Issues Issues Searching for the Big Score Lost In Thought Doesnt Know When to Quit Technobabbler Troubles Troubles Marcel La Troube Dr. Ivana Milovich Gambling Debts Dirty Bomb Network Capt. Yekaterine Federov Rasamee Sookdhis - Thai Former KGB Cryptographer Sniper in Chinese Intelligence Self Self Brilliant Mathematician Decorated Sniper Master of Deception Master Chef Issues Issues Always Suspicious Perfectionist Lost in the Numbers Oblivious to the World Troubles Troubles Leningrad Code The Titanium Chefs KGB Remnants Jacque Minette

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 Verena Kurtz, East German Kitty Grand - Former British Archivist and Secretary Heiress and Huntress Self Self Translator of Linear B CEO of HMDR International Loyal Assistant Famous Conservationist Issues Issues Overly Honest Haughty Nobility Stuck in the Books Nature Obsessed Troubles Troubles The Mazerach Code Blue Crossed Loon Society of the Golden Horn Potential Sutors Gloria Tatas - Bolivian Agent, Raised in the Ukraine, Master Poisoner Self Rodeo Superstar Collector of Venoms Issues Overly Careful Cant Stop With a Taste Troubles Jackie Cojones Assassination Job Jenny ntendre - Surviving sister of the ntendre twins, Famous Haitian Acrobats Self Brilliant Performer Linguistic Genius Issues Cultural Confusion Soft-Hearted Troubles Grandfather Mikhail The Show Must Go On

Nanami Mami - Ninja by Day, Lt. Mona Bhoot - Logistics Flower Arranger by Night Ofcer in North Indian Command Self Self Master of Assassins Fantastic Dancer Artists Eye Master Planner Issues Issues Bound by Honor Rigid Procedures Bloodthirsty Doing Too Much Troubles Troubles The Perfected Lotus Missing WMD Corporate Ninjas Arranged Romance
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 Sugar Brown - Micronesian Edith Jenkins - Welsh Military diver and tour guide Nurse and Bio-weapons Expert Self Self Oceanographer Indomitable Spirit Sweet Talker Encyclopedia of Medicine Issues Issues Risk Taker Works in Theory Hopeless Romantic Slow to React Troubles Troubles Shipwrecked Treasure Troublesome Patients Aunt Candy Unknown Pathogen
Other Self Dice: Irresistible to Men Has the Perfect Gadget Unappable Impeccable Dresser Combat Expert Perfect Chameleon Tradecraft Instructor Cannot be Deceived Other Troubles: Other Issues: Distracted by Boy Toys Confusing Double Life Your Fathers Shadow Inexperienced Existential Crisis Idealize Your Father Angry With Your Dad Impractical Plans

The Mastermind d12 (xed) The Henchmen d8 (xed) Attractive & Available (either) Machette Vic (goal)

Lorelai Tubbs (goal) W.R.A.I.T.H. (either) The Watkins Device (goal) MI6 Interference (xed)

Mothers: Each Scion will have a mother who was once a femme fatale, love interest, or incidental conquest in the many adventures of the Superspy. Some possible mothers are listed above, but this is by no means exhaustive. The Villains: The Mastermind and his or her Henchmen are free xed dice, so you can pair them with goal dice representing their plots or your current guess for who they are. Mastermind starts for free at d12 and the Henchmen starts at d8. Defeating the goal die you have selected to be the mastermind at d20 resolves the global crises and starts one last round by all the other players tying up loose ends as to end the game. 13

Bureau of Time - First Mission

The Bureau of Temporal Reconnaissance and Defense holds the line against criminal cartels who smuggle across the time lines and parallel worlds, dark conspiracies of temporal hegemony, and nefarious aliens from the far future. Always light on agents, your probationary team been sent out on a routine mission, but in BTRD there is no such thing as routine. Potential Self Dice: Poly-Linguist Master of Arms Doctor of Temporal Physics Averted the Yarshok Incident Perfect Timing Senior Time Pilot Inspector Temporal Healthy Family Life Inter-Temporal Diplomat Human Computer Steady Headed Past and Future King Gifted with Gab Unstoppable Councillor of Dreams Potential Troubles: Potential Issues: Forgetful Attracted to . . . Hero Worship Provincial Something to Prove Hesitation Time Slippage Over-Attention to Detail Craves Danger Excessive Curiosity Raised in the Past I Dont Belong Married to the Rules Inated Ego Dangerous Nostalgia

Weight of History (xed) Demanding Future Self (goal) Enigmatic Device (goal) Paradoxical Romance (goal) Alluring Natives (goal) Causality Eddies (both) Imperial Agent (goal) Branch Commander (xed)

Smuggling Ring (goal) Temporal Raiders (goal) The Quiet Ones (both) Time Line Changed! (xed) Enraged Dinosaur (goal) Alien Inltrator (goal) Cartel Enforcer (goal) Chronon Maelstrom (both)

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Playing the Game

Now that youve all agreed on a setting, youre ready to start building characters and creating troubles. Building Characters The rst step in describing your character is to get a copy of the character sheet and write down your characters name and setting. Since Coming of Age is a game about potential, your characters are described in two other ways, self dice and issue dice, which you name by lling in the boxes. First, you must choose the destiny that one day your character might be achieve. Think of titles like: Maa Don, Archmagus, or Protector of the People. These all suggest an accomplishment. They also can also imply many things, such as who you know and what you can do. These self dice represent your characters destiny. Each character has ve self dice. The highest is a d20, indicating the most important self die describing what your character will become. The d12s are meant to esh out the core of that future career. Destiny as a Dashing Duelist is one thing, but it has a different connotation if you will also be
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destined as the Life of the Party, a Hunter of Beasts, or an Infamous Lover. Finally, the d8s add the last dimension, leaving room for nal details, such as the generals musical talent or knowledge of engineering. Avoid doubling up the self dice; each should be distinct. Also, consider referring to specic places, people, and things. Protector of the Southside suggests that Southside will play a role in the game to come. Likewise Husband of Lady Margaret indicates that Lady will feature in the course of the game. These sorts of self dice are fairly exible, as exactly what happens in Southside, or what being a husband to Lady Margaret might entail, can be developed during play. Once youve considered who your character will become, you should consider what personal failings stand in their way. Choose three faults or problems to become your characters issues, each starting at a d12. Issues, unlike trouble, is an internal difculty for your character. Cowardice, ignorance, shyness, depression, inexperience, or an unhealthy ob-

session are all examples of issues. Issues can be more physical, such as bad vision or frailty. They might be more social as well, such as being distrusted or a secondclass citizen. You will overcome issues over the course of the game. At rst they will dominate your characters actions, leading to failures and complications, but these complications will enable your character to grow, as the trouble she encounters force her to face her problems and grow beyond them. Jan, Peter, Anna, and Dave are ready to start choosing their self dice. Anna quickly picks her d20 as Gifted Surgeon, her two d12s as Well Respected and Exceptional Teacher, and her two d8s as Always Cheerful and Wiz at Space Golf. Dave picks his d20 as Prestigious Alien Researcher. Peter inquires whether Daves character is an alien or researches them. Both. he replies. Building on that, Dave picks his d8s as Space Traveler and Black Belt in Centauri Judo and his d12s as Savior of the Kroneck and Diagnostic Expert. He doesnt know who or what the Kroneck are, but that doesnt matter; hell gure
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that out as the game goes on. Jan and Peter are having a little more trouble. Jan wants to be a cold and somewhat abrasive doctorin-training. Shes just not sure how to put that as self dice. Anna offers Makes the Hard Decisions, and Peter suggests just taking Abrasive Personality. Jan takes both, the rst at d12 and the second at d8. From there, she decides to take Director of Medicine as her d20, and then a d12 as Politically Savvy and her last d8 as Harsh, but Fair. That leaves Peter, who has been focusing more on the other players characters than his own. Not sure of what he wants to play, he asks the others. Jan suggests a womanizing troublemaker, Dave suggests a pediatrician, and Anna suggests a veteran medic working to become a doctor. Peter shufes those ideas together and decides on his d20 as Brilliant Pediatrician, his two d12s as Faced Fire and Irresistibly Attractive, and his two d8s as Loved by the Nurses and Respected by the Paramedics. With the self dice nished, the four players are ready to gure out their issues, all of which start at d12. Anna

takes Lack of Condence, Easily Distracted, and Clumsy. Dave takes Cant Relate to People, Self Serving, and Uneducated. Jan takes Desire to be liked, Shy, and Cheated in Med School. The others point out that Cheated at Med School isnt really an internal issue, it might be trouble if it comes up, but Jans character wont just learn to get over it. Dave suggests Loose Ethics as the last issue and Jan puts it down. Peter looks over his selection. He has taken Foul Temper but he really wants to have Shy and Lack of Condence as well. He asks the other players if theres any problem with doubling up on issues, and no one seems to mind, so he selects those as well. With this done, each of them has developed a character and theyre ready to buy some trouble and start playing. Creating Trouble Once youve built your character, each player gets 10 story points to use in collaboratively building the troubles for their tale and in encouraging the other players. Troubles are also described as dice, and are purchased by one or more players using their story points. You should place a trouble
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sheet in the middle of the table to record these dice. There are two types of trouble dice. First, xed dice represent persistent aspects of the setting, such as a treacherous forest or difcult school work, or anything you want to be a xture in the tale. The important thing about these dice is that they cannot be won, only avoided. This means that they act as backdrops for the other dice: Goal dice. Goal dice represent specic people and situations that present trouble for a character and can be overcome. Trouble dice cost half their highest value in story points. So a d8 costs 4, a d12 costs 6, and a d20 costs 10. Fixed dice go up to a d12, while goal dice go up to a d20. Raising an existing die costs the difference in the costs, so raising a d8 to a d10 costs 1, while raising a d12 to a d20 costs 4. You can purchase new dice or raise an existing die at any time. You can even bring a goal die back from being overcome by raising its size and describing how that trouble has returned or changed. However, you should discuss and purchase a few trouble dice at the beginning. It helps to get things owing.

Jan, Peter, Anna, and Dave all have ten points to spend on trouble dice. While thinking about troubles, Jan and Peter start to lay out dice for the game. Jan puts out a set of red dice from d4 to d20, and another orange set next to it. Those will be the trouble dice, since they are of a wide range of sizes, so she puts them next to the trouble sheet. Meanwhile, Peter hands out different colored trios of dice: a d20, a d12, and a d8 to each player. Those will be the self dice, since each player only ever rolls one self die at a time. Lastly, Jan puts a white, a gray, and a black trio of d4, d8, and d12 near the middle of the table. Those will be the issue dice, as they go down in size. Each player assigns one of those colors to each of their issues, writing it down on the side to keep track. At the same time, Anna has decided on a trouble die, a Sadistic Supervisor which she decides is xed (since she doesnt want the supervisor to be removed by defeating it). She spends three of her story points to set it at a d6, hoping that the others will add to it. Jan and Dave both agree to add one point to the supervisor, making it nally a xed d10. Dave has decided on a goal die instead, specically a Transport Accident
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lling the ER on the characters rst day. He spends ve points on this, making it a d10 goal die. Peter then buys a Cheating Scandal based on his troubles in Med School. He plans to build things up, so he only spends four on it, making it a d8 goal die. That leaves Anna with seven story points left, Peter with six story points left, and Dave with four. Jan decides theres enough trouble for her at the moment, and keeps her remaining nine story points in reserve. Thats ne, since she can spend them at any time during the game. Taking Turns Once you are ready to play, choose someone to go rst. Starting with her you take turns, going around in a circle. Each turn one players character makes a signicant action. Usually this involves trying to confront one or more trouble dice using an appropriate self die. Take the self die, the trouble dice, and any issue dice that arent explicitly irrelevant (which usually means all of them). Roll the self die, then the trouble dice, and nally the issue dice. Eventually you may want to roll them all at once, but at

rst it is easier to see what is going on if you roll them in groups. If the self die isnt exceeded by any of the trouble dice, you gain a story point. If at least one trouble die exceeds the self die, then reduce the highest (or one of the highest) rolling issue dice by one step, from d12 to d8, from d8 to d4, or from d4 to no die. If all of your issue dice are already gone, you instead lower another characters issue die, telling how your difculty shows them something. Once youve done this, you can describe the outcome of your action: If your self die rolled equal to or greater than all other dice you are victorious. Describe how your attempt to overcome the trouble succeeded. You may cross out any one goal trouble die you rolled, gaining an additional story point. If you do so, describe how your success overcomes that goal (perhaps only temporarily). If the self die is less than a trouble die, you failed to beat that external adversity. Describe how you failed, but learned something in the process, remember you reduced
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the highest rolling (or one of the highest rolling) issue dice by one step. Even if you have no issue dice left, you still teach someone else in your failure. Otherwise, you beat your trouble, but were beaten by your issues, so describe how you failed in your attempt, due to your inner failings, the highest (or one of your highest) issue dice. Usually this makes the situation more complicated. When a roll is completed, any other player may choose to spend a story point to give you another chance to roll. Both outcomes apply; treat this as a refocusing of your efforts, a sort of extended screen time. You should do this for other players as a reward for an interesting action; after all, a good story deserves a good reward. After any additional rolls, the player to your left takes his turn. At times, players nd their characters at odds. In this case, if both of you agree, you may roll another characters self die as one of your trouble dice. This die are treated as xed, but provides a story

point award if defeated. If your self die is above all other dice, including the other characters self die, then you may reduce any one issue die of that character. You have literally taught him a lesson. In any case, the outcome involves description from the involved players, working together to say what happened. Jan, Peter, Anna, and Dave have played a few turns already, and now its Jans turn again. Jans character Beka is trying to work on two patients at once, due to the Transport accident, while her Sadistic Supervisor is keeping an eye on her, looking for any mistakes. Jan takes a red d10 (supervisor) and a orange d10 (accident) as her trouble dice. She decides to use Bekas Makes Hard Decisions, a blue d12, and also takes her three issue dice, all at d12 as well (black, gray, and white). She then rolls all six of these dice. She rolls a 3 on her self die, which is the lowest of her dice. Her issue dice rolled highest, 11, 8, and 11, respectively. But, what matters is that her self die was beaten by her trouble dice, particularly the accident, which rolled a 9. Because trouble dominated Jan reduces one of her
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highest issue dice, either Desire to be Liked or Loose Ethics. She decides to reduce the former as shes learning that being likeable just doesnt cut it. Jan describes how Beka runs from one patient to another, rapidly losing her calm, until, as shes working on stabilizing a woman with a leg full of splinters, her other patient starts to die. Since its Peters turn next, he responds, Great, I run to the the dying patient. He decides his character, Geoff, will roll much the same dice (no one else has had a chance to lower their issue dice yet), except he will use his self die of Brilliant Pediatrician, deciding on the y that the coding patient is the womans young daughter. He rolls a yellow d20 as his self die, and rolls a 12 on it, automatically beating all the other dice, since none of them can roll above a 12. So Peter gains a story point and crosses out the Transport Accident, gaining another story point. Peter describes reaching the girl side by side Beka, as another doctor is about to give up on her. He cries out, Were not letting her die! and starts to resuscitate again, succeeding through sheer willpower. He describes how the patients are handled and things

come back to a relative calm. He then spends a story point to bring back the Transport Accident, this time as a d12, mentioning how another wave of trauma patients come into the space dock a few minutes later. Anna calls out, Lets hear some more! and spends a story point to give Peter another turn. He goes to another child hurt in the accident and attempts to work a

miracle. Unfortunately, he rolls an 8 on his self die: above the two trouble dice, but not his issue dice 10, 5, 9, respectively. Geoff would have succeed, except for his Foul Temper. As he is working, he takes out his aggression on a nurse, and while distracted his patient gets worse. Although Peter doesnt succeed, he does get a story point since he defeated the trouble dice. Now its Annas turn to come to the rescue.

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Bits and Pieces

Coming of Age is a fairly simple game. In many ways it is like a set of tools. There are many ways to use them to create your own coming of age tale. Different settings are just the tip of the iceberg. Optional rules and strategies, as well as ways of using trouble dice you might not have considered, can all be found here. Settings Black Ops Retirement (setting) - The best at what you do. No secret mission, no cunning conspiracy, no maniacal villain too tough. All of that cant prepare you for what you face now, settling into a normal, mundane life. Diamond Edge (setting) - The world is changing, and those who dont keep up wont see tomorrow. Youre on the edge of the nano-tech revolution: governments fear you and corporations want to recruit you. Or at least thats who you plan to be in a few years. Family Matters (setting) Growing up in a family can be tough, especially if your
22

family is the Family. Will you embrace the life or run from it? Or will you go straight for the top? Heroes of the Revolution (setting) - You were leaders and soldiers struggling with your friends and allies to free your country. Then you died. But others carry your memory on to greatness. In the end they will forget your failings, and you will become a legend, a Hero of the Revolution. In the Wilds (setting) Stranded together in the wilderness, you must be resourceful and clever if you are to stay alive. Without the comforts of civilization what will you discover about yourself? And what will you discover about each other? Introductions (setting) - High society and high culture have their own rituals to mark adulthood. For the pampered, they come all too fast. Will you do your family proud? Or will you nd another path? New Recruits (setting) - The vets tell you that nothing will

prepare you for when you go under re. Maybe youll be a hero, maybe youll just make it through. But one thought that keeps you going, you and your buddies are going to make it out together. On the Street (setting) - London is a hole in the ground haloed with choking smog, and more kids get lost there everyday. But if you have to choose between the workhouses and the street, youll choose the street. If youre clever enough, youll do more than survive, youll make it big. Sharks in Training (setting) - Chaladni, Morris, and Zech are the most prestigious rm of defense attorneys in the city. Youre the new hires, and the partners say half of you wont make it past your rst case. The Next Day (setting) Yesterday was a horrible day. Your town was destroyed with power youve never seen before. Your friends and family are dead or, worse, enslaved. Only a few of you are left. And its up to you to face the
23

next day. Unlikely Heroes (setting) The local dark lord is starting a nefarious plan that bodes ill for all. The people of the land cry out for someone to save them. But all they got was you, a rag-tag band most wouldnt call heroes. But it doesnt matter, because its time to save the day. Wild West (setting) - Young and idealistic, you converge on a town of troublesome folk, train robbers, and crazy prospectors. Your team is the new law in town. You just have to get everyone else to believe it. Optional Rules Avoiding Issues (option) - If you dont think an issue die applies to your action explain why before you roll. If no one objects, you can omit it from the roll. Remember that if you do so, you cant reduce the die as part of the outcome. This option makes it easier to achieve victory, but makes it tempting to put off learning and improving until later. Be warned.

 Blanks (option) - If you want to discover more about your character during play, consider starting with only your d20 self die and one issue die named. Then when you want to use another self die, or one of your unnamed issue dice causes you to fail or gets reduced, decide right then and there what that die is named. This can help if youre having trouble naming all the dice before you play, or if you want the various characters plots to be more intertwined. This is related to the Revise option below. Director (option) - Many roleplaying games have someone who (instead of playing a main character) helps to facilitate the game by playing the part of supporting characters and generally keeping things owing. You might nd some of that useful. If so, consider having one player be the director. She can still play a character, but she gets the authority to hurry along slow descriptions or ask questions to help other players be more creative. Of course,
24

she also gets the responsibility to keep things moving and fair. In Coming of Age all the players are encouraged to do this, but the director in particular is assigned to pay special attention. Endgame (option) - You may have noticed that as issue dice drop and trouble is defeated the game moves towards a natural ending. Typically the game ends when the players feel that the tale is concluded. But if you want a specic rule, there are two good options for triggering an endgame. One option is starting after any one player has dropped all her issue dice to 0. Another option is when a number of d20 goal dice are defeated equal to the number of players. In either case, that player has just had her last turn this game. Then let each other player take his last turn in order, working to resolve any dangling threads. Pacing (option) - A regular game of Coming of Age will take about 3 hours, maybe a little more if you have more than ve people. You can spread this out over

multiple sessions if someone makes notes about the situation when you leave. But if you just want a longer paced game, consider adding two or four steps between each size of issue dice. That way, you must learn three or ve lessons before the die reduces in size. This will mean signicantly more trouble will appear and be defeated. Adding two steps will about double the time, while adding four could as much as quadruple it. Revise (option) - Sometimes you may regret a choice for a self or issue die. If so, bring it up on your turn and ask the other players and if no one objects, change it. Generally you shouldnt do this for a self die youve used frequently or an issue die that has already started dropping. This is related to the Blanks option above. Sequels (option) - This option is a way for you to play a sequel to a game of Coming of Age you just nished. First, remove any character who has two or more issue dice at 0.
25

Those players will create new characters, or build a new version of their prior character as a starting character for the sequel. Then take the remaining characters and copy to a new sheet their self and non-0 issue dice. Raise those issue dice by one size each (up to d12). Then if your character had an issue die at 0, give her a new issue die at a d12. Each player then chooses one trouble die to keep, copying it over to a new trouble sheet. Lastly, the returning characters gain 10 story points, less 2 for each d8 issue die they have. So if your character has two d8s, she gets 6 story points to start with. Strategies Continuity Tricks (strategy) - One of the subtle but important parts of Coming of Age is that the description of one character sets the situation around those the troubles for the other players. This can be surprisingly useful. Separating two troubles geographically can help make people choose between them. In the same way, if you push

troubles together other players will nd it easier to confront all of them, and harder to avoid some. These sorts of tricks can be very effective, but should be used carefully. Its easy to push to hard and make things seem contrived or annoying, so be careful with this. Escalation (strategy) - If you have an important trouble die, its a good idea not to start it much higher than d8. You might want it to be a bigger danger, but part of what makes troubles signicant is the scope of their inuence on the game. By starting lower you have more room for escalating the trouble, so when it becomes time to raise it to d20 more players will be interested. And dont forget this strategy tends to give you more bang for your story points. Failing Too Much (strategy) - If you nd you are failing too much, consider the most unsatisfying outcome is when you defeat your trouble, but lose to your issues. You might have a better time either Los26

ing and Learning or Victory strategies. Indirect Action (strategy) Youre not required to make your character the center of her actions. After all, she could inuence subtly, acting through others and causing her plans to occur with complex chains of events. For these sorts of actions, describe the inuence as part of what happens, but focus on supporting characters, like friends, allies, and family members. Lots of indirect actions can lend the game a strategic feeling, where the characters are above getting their hands dirty. One peculiar application of this strategy is characters acting after Death. Instant Return (strategy) This highly recommended strategy exploits the fact that you can spend story points at any time to instant return a trouble die you just defeated. Since you get two story points for defeating a goal die, and it usually only takes one to raise that die and return it, this effectively costs you nothing

(until you want to raise the goal die to a d20, in which case you might want to ask some help). This is easily described by giving your trouble a set-back, causing a change in tactics or approach. Losing and Learning (strategy) - If your issue dice arent dropping fast enough, its time to prioritize losing and learning. Find ways to use your lower self dice, and select the largest trouble dice you can. A few actions like these should ensure your poor character gets some scars, and some lessons to go along with them. Reveal (strategy) - If you name some of your self dice with proper names like Hero of Block Seven or Master of the Jin Rah, youve given yourself the opportunity to reveal what that means as you play. Thus, if the giant squid is attacking your city, you could decide that your battle with it occurs in Block Seven or that the secret technique needed to defeat it is the geomantic art of Jin Rah. This naming style provides a great
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deal of exibility and lets everyone discover something unexpected during play. Versus (strategy) - The rules allow you to include another player as an trouble to your actions. This means that if you work with another player you can play out a back-andforth duel, each taking the others self die as a trouble die. This duel could be a battle of wits, competition over a romantic opportunity, or a physical ght. In any case, this strategy gives a great way to tie two characters together. Victory (strategy) - If you really want to win, there is no substitute for taking your d20 self die and going after low trouble dice. Of course, if you nd yourself falling to your issues again and again, you might want to consider Losing and Learning for a little while rst. That way your hard knocks will come with benets. Using Trouble Advantages (trouble) - Advantages are things like allies, equipment, or special training.

Oddly enough they appear as troubles, not when they are used, but when they are missing or unhelpful. A xed die of Outside Our Territory can be a good way to show the advantage the heirs to a crime family might have close to home. Likewise, a goal die of Magic Sword Shattered brings to light the power of that sword. Ultimately, coming of age is about inner growth. That means that material advantages become most important when they arent present. Death (trouble) - It may seem that characters in Coming of Age cant die. This isnt quite right. Your character can die if you choose to have it occur during one of your actions. If you do, you should purchase a xed die representing the state of death. This doesnt remove you from taking actions. It just means theyll tend to be Indirect Actions (see above). Death might even be a goal die, if you plan to return from the dead during the course of play. Of particular note, the premise of
28

the Heroes of the Revolution (also above) setting includes all the characters being dead. Disease and Poison (trouble) - Disease and poisons make excellent trouble dice. If they are xed, they represent plagues or conditions which cause difculty for the characters. Perhaps they risk becoming reinfected or poisoned repeatedly. As goal dice they can add signicant drama, as characters struggle to nd a cure whether they are infected or not. And sometimes you might decide they result in Death or Injury. Injury (trouble) - Injuries and wounds make interesting trouble dice. As xed dice, they cause difculty for the injured character and any other character that might be hampered by it. As goal dice, they present something that can be overcome (by hard work or perhaps supernatural means). Characters in Coming of Age rarely have negative consequences from their actions, but every once and a while an injury can help make a game more interesting.

 Locations (trouble) - Locations are nearly always xed trouble dice. They are places you can be that cause trouble or are difcult to deal with. But sometimes a location can be a goal die, if its a prison youre trying to escape or a labyrinth in which trying to get to the middle. Named and Unnamed (trouble) - One neat trick with trouble dice is that multiple dice can apply to the same specic trouble. If you have a xed die as your commanding ofcer, and a goal die as a hidden traitor, and you discover that he is the traitor, both dice apply. This means that you can defeat him as the traitor even though you cant defeat xed dice. That means its a good idea to have a mix of proper names and more generic trouble dice. Perils (trouble) - Much like disease and poison, perils such as drowning, falling, death traps, and infernos are represented as trouble dice, often as goal dice so they can be overcome. Thus defeating

the peril and avoiding death. Or perhaps Death and Injury do occur. Romance and Relationships (trouble) - Trouble dice work well in parallel. One way to do this is to have a relationship be a goal die, such as Romance or Ask Him Out. Then during your actions you can describe how you do this with one of the existing trouble dice, xed or goal. This gives other players the exibility to try a similar relationship with other troubles, or even the same one, which could lead to a Versus competition. Situations (trouble) - After people, situations are the most common type of trouble dice. Often, situations are intended to be resolved by the characters, making them goal dice. Sometimes, however, a situation that is long term, such as Kingdom at War or largely immune to the characters, such as Hurricane, can be a xed die. Those sorts of situations will most likely be backdrops to the actions of the characters.

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Coming of Age: Character Sheet

Scion Name: Mother's Name: Scion Blurb: Self Dice
d20
color:

Story Points

Issue Dice

d12 d12 d8 d8

d12

d8

d4

0 0 0

color:

d12

d8

d4

Decideonaction: Selectoneormore Troubledice,one ofyourSelfdice, andallIssuedice GainaStory PointandRoll allIssueDice

Action Flow Chart

Rollyour SelfDie.

color:

d12

d8

d4

Rollyour TroubleDice. AreanyTroubleDice higherthanSelfDie?

yes

no

RollallIssueDice AreanyIssuedice higherthanSelfdie?

no

Tellof Victory!May strikeonegoal Troubledie andgaina StoryPoint

Tellhow yourIssues cameup. Oneof highestrolling Issuedice.

yes

Tellhow Troublewins, butyou Learnfromit. Reduceoneof thehighest rollingIssue dice.

AfteraPlayer'sTurn: SpendaStoryPointforthatplayerto continueheraction,usingthe samedice. AtAnyTime: SpendStoryPointstoraiseTroubledice. [Link]: Withpermissionuseanotherplayer'sSelf [Link] Victory,youmayreduceoneoftheir IssuediceandgainaStoryPoint. TroublewinswithnoIssuediceabove0: Gainastorypointand,ifpossible,reduce anothercharacter'sIssuedie,andtell howyourdifficultyteachessomething.

Options

Coming of Age: Trouble Sheet

Buying Trouble Dice with Story Points Trouble dice cost half their highest value in Story Points. Fixed dice go up to a d12, while Goal go up to a d20. Either type of die can be raised by spending the difference in Story Point costs. This can also be done for a goal die which has been struck out, returning that die at the new value.

Fixed Dice

Goal Dice

Appendix 1: Creating a Magical Academy

1. Vital Statistics: (a) Academy Name (b) Choose a Magical Academy, or a Mundane one with Magical Clubs (c) Academy Location (d) Academy Motto or Seal (e) Choose boarding or commuting (f) Age range - starting age and graduation age (g) Is it a public academy? - all children passing some test in the area are sent here, usually run by some agency or ministry. (h) Is it a private academy? - this school requires some payment or lineage, exceptional students may be accepted regardless. (i) Is is run by some group? - the school is run under the auspices of some group: religious, political, even military. (j) Is it known or hidden? - is the school: well known, known and avoided, an unmentioned part of the community, or a well kept secret. 2. Classes (see Class List below) (a) Choose 3 Required Classes - These classes are required for all students each year and represent the most important part of the schools education. (b) Choose another 5-10 electives - The other course the academy offers. 3. Activities (see Activities List below) (a) Choose three popular activities. - These activities are popular and competitive. (b) Choose another 2-10 activities that the academy supports. 4. Houses or Clubs - Choose if your academy has Houses or other major social groupings. If your school is a mundane academy, at
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least one of the houses or clubs should be magical. If so, pick a magical class speciality. If so, for each house or club choose: (a) House Name (b) House Virtue (c) A Specialty Class or Activity Magical Classes Alchemy - Making potions, elixirs, salves, and transforming objects. Artifex - Making, maintaining, and charging magical items. Cosmogeny - Traveling, orienteering, and perceiving in our universe and others. Cursing - Hindering and manipulating chance. Divination - Finding information through any number of means. Elementalism - Manipulating the inanimate elements of the natural world. Geomancy - Altering magical environments, setting up large magical effects, nding sources of power. Glamour - Altering mental states, emotions, and perceptions. Healing - - Perceiving health, preventing illness, curing pains. Hortimancy - Altering, controlling, and developing plants and related creatures. Monster Hunting - Methods for nding, capturing, and slaying magical monsters. Necromancy - Affecting and controlling the dead and causing decay and death. Shapeshifting - Altering ones own form, and sometimes others. Summoning - Calling beings from this or another universe.
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 Warding - Resisting different forms of attack, preventing access to areas and people. Zoomancy - Altering, controlling, and developing animals and related creatures. Grimorie - Casting spells from books and other records. Runic - Use of runes, magical inscriptions with their own power. Unworking - Disrupting and breaking down magics. Arcane Language (Draconic, High Trollish, Left-wise-speak, . . .) History of Magic - Origins and past of magic and the people who use it. Philosophy of Magic - Ethics, practices, and deep theory of magic. Activities Note: Activities marked with a * are not generally available outside of Magic Academies. Magical Sports (areball, water hockey, track and teleport, . . .)* Magical Dueling* Fencing / Kendo Mundane Sports (football, eld hockey, track and eld, . . .) Chess Computer Camping Magical Gaming (sorcerers chess, Politicians and Pundits, . . .)* Mundane Gaming (chess, go, Dungeons and Dragons, . . .) Drama Choir Band
34

 Automotive Fan Club (bands, TV shows, . . .) Debate Politics (Liberal, Conservative, Pan-Sapien, Arcano-Supremist, . . .) Drill / Marching Special Interest (mundane or magical classes not taught at your academy) Mundane Classes Astronomy Biology Chemistry Physics Health Shop (wood, metal, . . .) Mathematics History Geography Economics Political Science Psychology Art Literature Writing Native Language Foreign Language Religion
35

Coming of Age: Magic Academy Sheet

Academy Name: Magical / Mundane Location: Boarding / Commuting Age of Admittance: Who Runs It? Well-Known / Quiet / Feared / Secret Req Req Req Classes Pop Pop Pop Activities Graduation: Public / Private / Military / Religious / Political Houses / Magic Clubs Name Virtue Specialty Name Virtue Specialty Name Virtue Specialty Name Virtue Specialty Name Virtue Specialty Academy Motto / Seal