Free Role Playing Game Supplement Review: Yin Yang Panda

Yin Yang Panda by Łukasz Kołodziej is a free role playing game supplement published by Skavenloft. This is the core book for Yin Yang Panda, which is based on Lasers & Feelings and is covered by the CC BY 4.0 license.

The supplement is available as a 25-page PDF for free from DriveThruRPG. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one page is the front matter and one the Table of Contents.

The Introduction explains that the players are disciples of a martial arts monastery in a remote part of the Dragonfly Empire, whose mission is to protect the monastery and local villages, help those in need and improve your kung fu. Your grandmaster has recently ascended to the afterlife.

Participants explains this is intended for 2-6 player; one Narrator – GameMaster – and the rest Players.

Tools explains the game needs six-sided dice as well as paper and pencils.

Triggers and Player Comfort is on running games safely.

Character Creation has a set of d6 tables. Players may roll randomly or pick from species, virtue, flaw, weapon and goal. They can choose their Approach, from 2-5; a high Approach means being better at Yin, or acting in tune with your training, whilst a low one means being better at Yang, or being in tune with their animal nature. Players can them name and detail their character further. The monastery has two d6 tables; two strengths can be rolled or chosen and one problem. Again, fluff can be written for the monastery.

Rolling the Dice is how to play. One d6 is rolled, one extra one if prepared and another if an expert. The dice are rolled and each die result is compared to the number for Yin or Yang; roll under for Yin, roll over for Yang. No successes means it goes wrong. One success means the task is barely managed. Two means it went well. Three is a critical success. Equalling the Approach is a harmony roll; a success and a chance to communicate with the grandmaster or an ancestor.

Helping allows other character to help with a roll.

Using Techniques explains each character begins knowing one technique. These may or may not require a roll to use, depending on the technique.

Combining Techniques explains that each rolled success allows one technique to be used, up to three.

Learning the Technique explains how new ones are learned.

Contradicting Techniques is when two techniques are mutually exclusive.

Following this are six styles: crane, mantis, monkey, panda, snake and tiger, one for each species. Each has results for a successful Yin roll, a successful Yang roll, a neutral technique and an ultimate technique.

Narrator has six d6 tables for randomly creating an adventure framework and explanations as to how to run the game, not pre-planning outcomes.

Game Aids is a collection of 14 tables that can be used as inspirations, with a page showing the 12 weapons from one of these tables.

Terminology has basic kung fun terminology in very simplified Chinese.

Inspirations is various media that inspired the game.

The final page of content is a character sheet.

Yin Yang Panda in Review

The PDF lacks bookmarks and is long enough that these would have been useful. The Table of Contents covers the various sections and is hyperlinked. Navigation could be better. The text maintains a single column format outside of tables and appeared to be free of errors. There are a number of pieces of black and white art, some stock and some custom. Presentation is okay.

This is a simple system, and the Lasers & Feelings roots can be seen by those familiar with the game. It does require more effort to create adventures and it is more of an improvised game than a rule driven one. It should be noted that this is an anthropomorphic animal game; Kung Fu Panda is stated to be an inspiration, after all. Yin Yang Panda is a different little game and it can be downloaded for free by clicking here.