Play table games like a Muppet in The Land of Eem
When the people at Exalted Funeral first introduced me Land of Eem – the role-playing equivalent of how the Muppets might play Dungeons & Dragons – I was immediately hooked. To my pleasant surprise, the review copy lived up to its lofty, if erratic, promise. Land of Eem is great in the same way the best cartoons are: wrapping serious themes in a silly bow that rewards curiosity and social connections. With a big boost for TTRPG clubs in schools and libraries, Land of Eem is a great game for players of any age.
Based on the middle grade graphic novel series, Rickety Stitch and the gelatinous goo Through Eem writers Ben Costa and James Parks, the setting and mechanics of Land of Eem are aimed at players who prefer story over combat, as well as a younger audience. The core rules will be familiar to anyone who has played D&D. There are basic attributes (Vim, Vigor, Knack, and Knowhow) that affect skills and that modify skill checks. However, instead of rolling a d20, the game uses the much better (at least in this journalist’s humble opinion) d12.
The character and party creation process, along with Land of Eem‘s system for allowing players to level up is where the game really diverges from its inspiration, D&D. This game is explicitly about prioritizing and rewarding creativity, curiosity, and exploration, while ensuring that the adventurers treat everything they encounter as a person with thoughts and feelings – even if they end up having to fight with it.
Land of Eem has six classes that cater to different playstyles, including the classic Bard and Knight-Errant, the exploratory Dungeoneer, the supportive Loyal Chum, the magical Gnome, and (my personal favorite) the rogue-like Rascal. It also has 16 unique Folk (the term for species) that form an array of whimsical little guys. And yes, most importantly, you can play a frog person or even a humanoid that looks like a Muppet.
Character creation emphasizes that building a well-rounded character with ideals, flaws, personal goals, and relationships with each other party member will not only make the game better, but also how your character will level up. Based on the tradition of story gaming, experience points are not gained by killing monsters, but by acting on your character traits, developing relationships, meeting new NPCs and exploring new parts of the world.
Although all that is required for the game is the complete rulebook (and the character sheets which can be downloaded online). Land of Eem The set includes a comprehensive 500-page setup guide, a bestiary, and a hexcrawl map of Eem which give GMs a huge world to present to players. The setting guide is packed with scenarios that would fit perfectly into a Saturday morning cartoon, with depth and care that prioritizes the people already living there. If you’re looking for a lighter, story-oriented fantasy game to play with the whole family (or even just your friend who loves Adventure time) This is the game for you.
Land of Eem is available now from Exalted Funeral. The game was previewed using a retail product from Exalted Funeral. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased through affiliate links. You can find Additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy can be found here.