10 Candles

Summary

10 Candles is a horror tabletop roleplaying game that Shawn recently discovered the name of during Session 10. The game uses physical props—either 10 candles or 10 matches—as its core resolution mechanic. Shawn describes it as "an experiment with the form" that explores innovative approaches to RPG mechanics.

The game caught Shawn's attention as an example of systems that could potentially be played while camping, demonstrating interest in tabletop games that integrate unconventional mechanics.

Details

Resolution Mechanic

The central mechanic of 10 Candles requires players to complete any action they want to take within the amount of time it takes for a match to burn down. This creates a real-time pressure element where the physical burning of a match or candle directly determines how long a player has to resolve their character's action.

Components and Tracking

The game appears to use character sheets that incorporate candles as a tracking mechanism. Shawn mentions that "there might be sheets and the sheets have candles on them or something like that. And that's like kind of the way they track it." The resolution mechanic is tied directly to burning a match during play.

Genre and Design Philosophy

10 Candles is specifically designed as a horror game. The use of consumable physical components—burning matches or candles—creates an atmosphere appropriate to the genre while serving as the game's mechanical foundation. Shawn humorously notes that the game "is much more wasteful than pretty much any other rpg except for a car crash," referencing a hypothetical RPG where players would need to crash a car every time they wanted to do something. This commentary highlights how 10 Candles pushes the boundaries of what components a tabletop RPG might require.

Digital Alternatives

There may already be a match burning app created for the game, suggesting that the community has developed digital alternatives to the physical component requirements.

History

Session 10

Shawn discusses 10 Candles in Session 10 of the campaign as part of a conversation about innovative RPG mechanics and games that could be played in unconventional settings like camping. The discussion establishes Shawn's recent discovery of the game's proper name and interest in experimental game design approaches that use physical components to create unique play experiences.