Katzbalger Roleplaying Game
A cinematic tabletop RPG system for modern, near-future, and supernatural worlds
Welcome to Katzbalger, a flexible roleplaying game system designed to support everything from street-level crime and military action to cyberpunk dystopias, alien invasions, and worlds beyond the norm.
3rd Edition
February 2nd 2026
Forward
Katzbalger takes its name from a Germanic close-quarters sword and a word associated with desperate, chaotic fighting. That spirit defines this system.
Katzbalger is a tabletop roleplaying game built for fast, cinematic action and meaningful character decisions. The core rules are genre-agnostic, supporting settings from medieval fantasy to far-future science fiction without changing the system itself.
Roleplaying
In Katzbalger, each Player controls a Character within a shared world. Play is not about moving pieces or optimizing numbers alone - it is about making decisions as that Character, based on their skills, motivations, fears, and goals.
Rules exist to provide structure and fairness. When outcomes are uncertain, the rules determine what is possible, what is risky, and what consequences follow.
The Table
A game requires multiple participants. Katzbalger can be played with as few as two people, though four Players offers a strong balance of focus and pacing.
Each person at the table has a defined role.
Director
The Director presents the world, describes the Scene, portrays all Non-Player Characters (NPCs), and adjudicates the rules. The Director controls the environment, challenges, and consequences that shape play.
The Director's decisions are final. Questions and disagreements should be handled calmly and respectfully to keep the game moving.
Players and Characters
Each Player controls one Character. The Player decides who that Character is, how they behave, and how they act within the Scene.
Characters are defined by statistics, skills, and abilities, but they are brought to life through choices and roleplay. Players are responsible for understanding how their Characters function within the rules.
Scene
Play unfolds through Scenes. In each Scene, the Director describes the situation, the Players declare their actions, and the rules resolve uncertainty.
Success and failure both drive the story forward.
The Rule of Cool
Lastly, there is always the Rule Of Cool for the Director.
Rule of Cool is a guiding principle in gaming and storytelling where the desire for an epic, memorable moment overrides strict adherence to rules, logic, or realism. It prioritizes entertainment, allowing the Director to bend constraints if the result is sufficiently awesome, creative, or fun.
Core Rules
Character & Combat
- Character Creation - Build your character, attributes, skills, and advancement
- Combat System - Combat mechanics, actions, and resolution
- Combat Tables - Quick reference for combat
- To Hit Tables - Attack modifiers and difficulty
- Weapon Damage - Damage values and weapon stats
- Armor Tables - Armor values and protection
- Critical Hits - Critical hit effects by location
Special Systems
Campaign Settings
LA 2069 - Zoned: Code Red
A cyberpunk near-future setting in quarantined Los Angeles after an alien invasion.
- LA 2069 Campaign Guide - The complete campaign setting
- LA 2069 Character Sheet - Printable character sheet
Other Settings
- LA 2020 - The early days of the invasion - In development
- Weird West - Western setting with supernatural elements - In development
- Beyond the Norm 2038 - Planned setting page for a later alpha pass