Catalyst
$25
Blood, fire, death, chaos. Our world is crumbling. Can you save humanity from the demon onslaught?
Long-form, modern day RPG with innovative card-based combat
4-6 players, including GM
Ages 12+
120+ minutes per session
The Catalyst RPG box-set includes a 270-page softcover game manual and 142 action cards. This is everything needed for both players and game masters to launch a Catalyst campaign.
“I pulled sweet car stunts, I burned demon snake babies, I turned another character into a rolling death ball, and I was only sitting in for the guy who couldn't make it.”
- Christopher
The World
Demon armies have marched through their horrid portals on a genocidal campaign. As if the blood-thirsty monsters were not enough, a plague swept over the lands and claimed nearly every human left standing. Fate gave us control over the mysterious magical forces fueling the demon troops; those of us left may yet survive. Our civilization is ruined, our leaders are dead, and our hope is a fleeting dream.
Humanity needs a catalyst to change their course in this war. Join the tattered remains of our species in this long-form role playing game. Weave a rich story between a game master and a group of survivors in this alternate-present reality. Embody compelling characters with Catalyst’s classless character system. Engage in tense battles with our unique card-based combat. Attempt to save the world or just live to see the next day.
What makes Catalyst different?
Setting
Catalyst's demon invasion is set in our world and during our time. You are not fighting on another planet; you are battling in your country. Instead of trekking through the Elf Forest, you are fleeing Denver through the Rocky Mountains looking for safe haven. Your group's favorite bar becomes the resistance's meeting point and the ornate church down the street is the headquarters of a demon-worshiping cult. The magic brought by the demons blends with the technology of modern humanity; survive in your city however you can.
“In our first game, I fought alongside a psychotic lawyer and a barista who, through a twist in fate, could throw people, including customers, with their mind.”
Gameplay
Combat is card-based. Everyone in Catalyst simultaneously chooses a card representing their action, creating tension at every moment. Do you lash out with your knife and leave yourself open? Do you try to dodge, knowing the enemy is near-death, but a crossbow bolt from a single demon will end your life? Do you cast a powerful spell at a foe, betting on your quicker ally stunning them with deft crowbar hit? Revel in correctly reading the mind of your opponent or think up an impromptu backup plan when your friend unexpectedly runs away.
“[The card system] ends up making combat very smooth, as players as forced to decide all at once what they are going to do. It can also lead to some humorous outcomes as they may be trying to complete different outcomes at the same time.”
- Amazon Review
Characters
Be the character you want. Catalyst has no classes or professions. You decide who your character was before the demon invasion and what they become. Save the world as an autistic drug dealer with divination magic, a wannabe action hero who can throw foes with their mind, or a smooth talking frat bro able to cloak himself in darkness. Be the person the demons will learn to fear.
“The canon the game provides gives just enough structure for the game master to work with, but it's still open ended enough to be different every time.”
- Kevin
Campaigns
Catalyst needs a game master - someone willing to help their group take on the demon horde. A campaign gives the game master all the lore and challenges they need for a multi-session campaign.
Catalyst campaigns give a Game Master premade adventures to lead their group through the demon apocalypse. This bundle includes Civil Unrest, Fourth World, Rehabilitation, Runaways, and Shadow Parliament.
This PDF set is pay-what-you-want. Click here to give a PayPal contribution.
Few places are truly safe from the demons and their horrid plague. Rumors spread amongst survivors of a maximum security prison that has become a fortress for humanity, though the denizens may be more frightening than the horde. "Rehabilitation" follows the players' flight from their shelter in an old sporting-goods store as they attempt to find a safe haven and cure to the plague.
This guide aids game masters in directing a Catalyst campaign. "Rehabilitation" takes 3-5 players through a short, 3-session campaign.
Supplements
These tools will help you navigate the ruins of humanity.
Reviews & Playthroughs
Cloak and Meeple
Roll for Crit
Living by the Board
Other versions
A digital download of the Catalyst game manual. This defines all the rules and lore of the Catalyst universe, giving players and game masters all they need to create and play a campaign.
This PDF set is pay-what-you-want. Click here to give a PayPal contribution.
Due to distribution shuffling, we ended up with a few copies of Catalyst’s first printing. This version has a thinner game box, no small card box, and a couple manual typos. Otherwise, it’s the same great demon-slaying adventure.
Catalyst Wiki
Visit the survivor-made wiki about Catalyst.
Questions? Feedback? Stories of glory? Fanart? We love hearing from players. Contact us with anything game-related.