A game about the tragic struggles and defiant triumphs of a group of magical girls resisting an oppressive society. Girl by Moonlight explores the heartbreak of denying who you really are, and the transcendent power of relationships and community.
Magical Girls grapple with destiny in this multi-genre tabletop RPG. Girl By Moonlight explores the heartbreak of denying who you really are, fighting for what you believe in, and the transcendent power of building relationships while embracing your true self.
As a Magical Girl you will clutch your tragic struggles tight, seeking to score defiant triumphs against the darkness of an oppressive society. The game reinterprets the classic examples of the genre to create an allegory for self-discovery and queer identity. The text uses ‘magical girl’ as a shorthand, but your magical girls need not be girls, necessarily, but people whose identities put them at the margins.
Designer Andrew Gillis takes the rules engine beneath highly-acclaimed Blades In The Dark and tunes it to create a unique play experience representing the breadth of the Magical Girl genre.
Girl By Moonlight draws inspiration from many sources. When you sit down to play, your group will pick a Series Playset and tailor it with special rules, themes, threats, and more to make your game truly your own.
The four major Series Playsets include:
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At The Brink of The Abyss. Heroic magical girls fight to reclaim a corrupted world. It’s inspired by Sailor Moon and Steven Universe.
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On A Sea of Stars features mecha pilots struggling against extinction at the hands of the Leviathans and is inspired by Diebuster and The Vision of Escaflowne.
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Beneath A Rotting Sky deals with tragedy and betrayal where magical girls are doomed to an inevitable fate. It’s inspired by Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
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In A Maze of Dreams draws on both Paprika and Serial Experiments. Its central themes are desire, mass culture, and ideas developing a life of their own.
Girl By Moonlight is a complete, standalone game. No other books or supplements are needed. The book clocks in at 224 pages and comes in a beautiful hardcover edition, with full-color interior art.
Girl By Moonlight. Your everyday existence is oppressive and full of compromises. Defy society’s expectations, assume your full power, and transcend into your true self.
Want to try before you buy? Check out the free 50-page preview on DriveThruRPG for a solid overview of the game, its powerful themes, diverse settings, and innovative mechanics.
