Back in September, I announced that I am drafting a fantasy roleplaying game called SAGE, which stands for Simple & Awesome Gaming Engine. It’s designed to be: 1) easy to play; and 2) really cool. It’s meant for people who don’t have the time or inclination to plow through 400 pages of dense rules.
The game is very much in the vein of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), so if you’re familiar with that, you’ll find SAGE very easy to learn (it’s very much a d20 system). It’s also inspired by Grimdark Future and its response to 40K.
At its fundamental level, players create characters with various skills, who then work together as they go on imaginary adventures, developed, described, and moderated by a referee, or “Game Master.” Players roll dice to determine success in their endeavors, including fighting monsters. If a character is killed in combat, it is possible (though difficult) for them to come back to life. Alternatively, that player can create a new character, and continue playing.
As characters defeat foes and win treasure, they grow in power and have more adventures. While individual gaming sessions may last a few hours, the overall gaming “campaign” (or series of adventures) goes on for as long as the players want it to (weeks, months, or even years), provided their characters stay alive.
My goal is to debut the players book at Awesome Con in March 2026, with the GM book released later that year. I’ve been putting a lot of work into SAGE (now that I’m retired from the day job), and I’d like to share with you some of what I’ve come up with.
Races & Classes
SAGE has the choice of 7 “races” of characters available to players:
- Humans (the most common race in the game);
- Dwarves (tough and gruff people who live underground);
- Gnomes (magical cousins to Dwarves);
- High Elves (graceful and intelligent, who often practice magic);
- Wood Elves (cousins to High Elves, who are rugged individualists);
- Half-Elves (one parent was Human, the other was an Elf); and,
- Halflings (like the Hobbits from the Lord of the Rings movies)
Each race has its advantages and disadvantages. Players also choose which “class,” or profession their character is, out of the 12 available:
- Priest (a servant of the gods who can cast magical spells);
- Druid (a priest who worships Nature);
- Monk (a scholar, very knowledgeable in certain areas);
- Rogue (a thief, conman, or similar ne’er-do-well);
- Assassin (a professional killer);
- Bard (a musician, singer, or performer);
- Warrior (a fighting man or mercenary, good with weapons);
- Crusader (like one of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table);
- Scout (a Warrior who can live off the land, often wandering far from civilization);
- Wizard (someone who casts spells to wield strange powers);
- Illusion Weaver (a Wizard who tricks and beguiles); and,
- Witch (whose powers are drawn from the natural and supernatural worlds).
Humans may start off in one class, then switch to another. Non-humans (Dwarves, Elves, etc.) may operate in two classes at the same time, enjoying the benefits of both.
Combat
Depending on their class, characters may wear Light Armor (made of leather or hide), Medium Armor (chainmail or ringmail), or Heavy Armor (like medieval knights wore). Or they might wear none at all. More massive armor provides better protection, but slows characters down. Players will have to choose carefully when deciding what their characters will wear into combat.
Characters may also use a variety of weapons, from daggers to two-handed swords, clubs and hammers and axes, bows and crossbows. Smaller weapons don’t do as much damage as bigger ones, but they’re faster in a fight. Again, players will need to determine what’s best for their characters.
Warriors, Crusaders, and Scouts may learn one or more “Fighting Feats” that let them do amazing things, such as strike faster and/or more often, go berserk, or be particularly good with certain weapons or against certain opponents.
Priests, Wizards, and other spellcasters may use magic frequently in combat, rolling dice each time to see if the spell they’ve chosen works. If not, they can try again later.
Magic
Spellcasters have a wide variety of spells to choose from. Spells’ powers rank from “Minor” (being able to heal a broken bone, or unlock a sealed door), to “Major” (being able to fly, or cast a bolt of lightning), to “Master” (being able to bring people back from the dead), to “Miraculous” (making literal wishes come true).
Spells are grouped into “Spheres” of similar type. Some of these Spheres are listed below:
- Elemental magic (concerning air, earth, fire, or water);
- Black magic (forbidden spells whose use might turn a character evil);
- Combat and healing spells;
- Illusions and other mind-affecting spells;
- Nature spells (plants, animals, the environment, and weather);
- Witchcraft; and,
- Knowledge spells (that impart information to the caster).
Hero Points
By defeating monsters, winning treasure, and doing good deeds, characters accumulate Hero Points that they can use to either:
- Affect dice rolls (potentially saving their lives);
- Increase their physical and/or mental abilities; or,
- Grow more powerful by acquiring more skills, weapons, and/or spells.
More On The Way
My playtesters and I had our first game last week, and it went well. We had been playing an older version of D&D for several years, but they quickly adapted to the SAGE rules. More development is needed, as well as more playtesting, but I’m confident that we’re on the right track. Stay tuned for more about SAGE!
Kenton Kilgore writes books for kids, young adults, and adults who are still young. Follow Kenton on Facebook for frequent posts on sci-fi, fantasy, and other speculative fiction. You can also catch him on Instagram.