Posted by Caroline
This is probably going to jinx it, but over the past few months I’ve been hammering away at a second edition of Downfall. *Cue thunder and lightning*
I’ve had ideas for a second edition now for several years, but have finally found the time and willpower to start actually playtesting them, in no small part due to Ben’s encouragement and the fun notes I’ve gotten about his Empire of Light Downfall game.
We just started our own game and are having a fantastic time so far. We’re an insular Hobbity society, just beginning to have our Loyalty turn against us. We set it up so that we are one society among a whole world of fantasy societies, and our plan is to jump between places as each one falls in its own way.
Things are still pretty fluid, but for the second edition here are some things I’m working on:
- Rules for 2-5 players
- Slightly different Elements set up to calibrate settings to be more or less weird
- No more character non-monogamy and space for more subplots within the society
Revolutions
The most fundamental change is an option for long-term legacy style play – Revolutions – where we see the society changing over a longer period of time with different Heroes emerging and falling. Instead of playing until the society collapses, and that’s it, we get to keep going and explore what comes next.
There’s a few more changes that I’m still testing out, and it’s going to be a long development road. I like to take my time, so there’s really no telling when it’ll be ready. But at least for now things are looking bright for a Downfall 2 *eventually*!
<3
Very exciting! I can’t wait! Oh right, I don’t have to wait, I’m playtesting it with you right now!
This sounds incredibly exciting! The idea of adding legacy-style play with Revolutions is a fantastic evolution for Downfall. I’ve always found the concept of exploring societal collapse fascinating, but seeing what comes after—how a society rebuilds, changes, or evolves—feels like a natural and compelling extension. The flexibility in settings, especially with the “weirdness calibration,” should open up even more creative possibilities for players.
Also, as someone who loves multi-layered storytelling, I’m intrigued by the added space for subplots. It sounds like the second edition is shaping up to offer even more depth and replayability. Looking forward to seeing how it all develops—take your time, quality always shines through!