Wicked Ones is a new roleplaying game from b-Design currently up on Kickstarter where you don't take control of the valiant heroes but the nefarious villains and creatures that dwell within the dungeons normally raided in tabletop games.

Made using the Blades In The Dark system from Evil Hat Productions you will be taking on the role of monsters who have to tend to their dungeon, head off on raids in civilised territory and then finally defend their base from the approach of annoying goodie two-shoes heroes.

Think of the game as a little bit of a mix between Dungeon Keeper and traditional roleplaying games. You will still be heading out to adventure, looting and killing as you go, but you also have to manage your dungeon and prepare it to defend against approaching heroes.

As well as a sheet which tracks your exploits you'll also have sheets which govern your own dungeon plus a map where you draw out just how it all looks. This game seems like an awesome sandbox for people that like to be creative whilst also doing their regular roleplaying at the tabletop.

• You draw out your dungeon - its rooms, tunnels, traps, creatures, things you discover, private lairs, and sanctum are all drawn out. It's obviously the most unique feature of the game and the dungeons it makes are creative and awesome.
•  Players can roleplay monsters, meaning they don't feel bad about working against the group's interests because there's mechanical encouragement for sometimes playing up your monstrous nature and at other times, suppressing it to work towards group goals.
•  You collect battle scars which give you permanent XP, making you gain abilities faster. Too many scars and you've been beat into a pulp, though, and your character is retired.
•  You go feral when you take too much stress, a resource used to resist consequences. You become beholden to your flaws, having to act to satisfy them. You're truly a monster. Go feral too many times, though, and your characters slips over the edge and is retired.
•  Magic is creative and on-the-fly. Players detail the spell they want to cast and the GM gives it a tier determining how difficult it is. Magic is very creative.
•  Monster science is possible with insane contraptions, alchemical compounds, potions, and more. The system is flexible and rewarding, but with danger and volatility built in.

It all seems like a very neat and different approach to roleplaying games, much like with what we've seen by creators like Grant Howitt. The tabletop is a space for all sorts of ideas and this one has very much captured my attention!

What do you think of the idea?