Tabletop RPGs, frankly speaking, feel like such an under-represented artform in the fanart space. So many series out there could work so well in a tabletop roleplay setting, whether that’s through unique mechanics or just a fascinating world. Despite that, some TTRPGs still floor me with how well they translate to the tabletop.
Especially when said TTRPG is about anime horse girls.
UMA RPG by Laelaps Games is a horsegirl racing TTRPG, a combination of words that should honestly appear more in the history of the English language. Shockingly, it’s not even the first attempt at a TTRPG inspired by the anime, but it’s certainly one of the most ambitious. Tabletop fans will be quite surprised to see how well the average horsegirl stacks up to the fantastical DnD races.
The strength and speed of these young women easily match that of horses in the real world. As a bonus, they even possess a fey-like beauty, all the way to enrapturing audiences with concerts after a victorious race. Speaking of, their culture revolves almost exclusively to racing, each young horsegirl fated to run forever forward. That should give you an idea of how seriously these equine ladies take the sport. The game faithfully brings the intensity of training and racing horsegirls to the tabletop.
It also explains why The UMA RPG does not take half-measures in its interpretation. Though you only need the humble d6, there’s a surprising amount of mechanical depth from training to racing. Even so, it was designed for even TTRPG newbies to get into. Instead of the complexity of DnD classes, character creation revolves around a universal pool of stats, hobbies, and talents.
But for my horse-betting money, the most fun mechanics come straight from the meat of the game: racing. The impressively designed race tracks and multiple race phases capture the moment-to-moment tension perfectly. If you’re at all a fan of Umamusume, you owe it to yourself to check this game out. And even if you aren’t, there’s a genuinely compelling sports-themed TTRPG here for you to enjoy.
You can check out the UMA RPG for free on itch.io.
If the UMA RPG’s got you in a great mood for more tabletop hijinks, the Wargamer Discord has plenty to share.
Source: Wargamer
