Originally published at: http://diehardgamefan.co-
m/2014/05/05/tabletop-review-the-mummy-a-dungeon-world-playbook/

I’ve been a big fan of Dungeon World since it started. Heck, I was even one of the original kickstarter backers. It’s a great game that deserves more mainstream attention that it is getting. Third party publishers are taking note though, with many companies releasing playbooks (character creation profiles) to allow all sort of new and crazy PCs into the game. Case in point is Awful Good Games’ latest – The Mummy. I love mummies. They’re my favorite undead. Whether it’s old Anktepot from Ravenloft to modern mummies like those found in the award-winning Mummy: The Curse, I have owned and/or reviewed it. Unfortunately, aside from TSR and White Wolf/Onyx Path releases, most mummy-related tabletop pieces are mediocre at best. Especially Pathfinder ones. That’s why I’m so happy about the sheer quality of this Dungeon World playbook. Not only is it well done, but I can actually play a mummy PC for the first time outside of the World of Darkness games. I’ll definitely be using this playbook for my next Dungeon World character – let’s see why!

The Mummy consists of two PDFs: a seventeen page playbook and a two page character sheet. The character sheet is like any you’ll find for Dungeon World. The two pages cover all the possible options for a mummy character, and you simply check off which options pertain to your PC. It’s incredibly well done, and I love seeing all the options from Levels 1-5 directly in front of you while you are playing. I do think Dungeon World has the best character sheets in gaming today, and if you haven’t viewed one, you really should. Awful Good Games hasn’t reinvented the wheel at all here. They’ve just copied the same format and plugged in their Mummy options. No complaints here.

Then we have the playbook itself. If you’ve played Dungeon World, you have a good idea what to expect. The playbook starts off with a list of six new Mummy related tags and what they mean play-wise. It then gives you a couple pages of background for the mummies and the decision making process behind the character class, which was a treat to read. I was surprised they relied on the 1999 remake of The Mummy rather than using the classic Universal black and white films or even the Hammer horror movies, but hey, it’s their playbook, right?

From there, you get a list of sample names and eleven and a half pages of character building options. Of course, some of those pages only have a paragraph on them, leaving a lot of blank space, but it is what it is. You’ll find a lot of options for physical appearance (eyes, bandages, head topping and fleshy form), three starting backgrounds and a list of your four starting abilities. I loved Soul Food because this is the first fantasy RPG that really talks about how food and beverages were left with mummies to consume in the next life. This really makes the race fit in line with Egyptian folklore and makes them a more playable PC, since they have to eat, drink and sleep like other classes/races. There are also nice twists on conventional D&D mummy tropes, like the ability to curse victims, the aura of fear and the usual mummy rot effect. After that, you pick your alignment, gear and bonds, and your character is ready to go. You should be able to have a Level 1 Mummy PC ready for play in about 15 minutes.

Advanced Moves are where things get interesting. For Levels 2 through 5, you get to pick one ability from the list of twenty options. There is a further list of four non-canon options that didn’t make the final product. Cool to see that included as a bonus. Anyway, of the Advanced Moves, my personal favorites are Dust to Dust (cloud of sand form!), Eternal Retainers (mummy NPC sidekicks!), Sand Storm (vomit a cloud of sand or vermin!), Seeker of Secrets (lifeline to the GM who reveals hidden things to your character), Wrap it Up (using your bandages as constricting or grappling tendrils) and Organ Donor (steal organs from living beings for free health boosts!). All the Mummy options are pretty fantastic, though, and as I have said, I’ll definitely be making a character with this playbook.

After the Advanced Moves, you are given a list of new gear and magic items for a Mummy, and that’s that! It’s pretty to the point with this playbook, and I loved it. It’s by far my favorite third party Dungeon World playbook so far, and if you’re a fan of the system, this is $2.50 well spent!