Sometimes the only way to win is to stop playing...
The Monkey King has overthrown Buddha, and the ineptness of his Celestial Bureaucracy has led to an increase in Rogue Poltergeists and the active participation of the Numberless Courts of Hell in the affairs of the material world. Recursers, individuals capable of reincarnating between the material world and the Numberless Courts of Hell, sometimes moonlight as Poltergeist Investigators, managing the affairs of the afterlife where the system has failed.
Poltergeist Investigators acquire Karmic Attachments as they search for Rogue Poltergeists and infiltrate The Numberless Courts of Hell. While this Karma is what empowers their Poltergeist Forms, a Recurser who accrues too much Karma becomes an Ashura, a Karmic Devil. If one chooses to engage with these themes, it is a game about navigating within and operating in defiance of a dysfunctional system, of trying to better the world while recognizing one's own dysfunctions; where in failing to do so, reincarnation after reincarnation, one will eventually reach Maximum Recursion Depth.
Maximum Recursion Depth is a rules-light, Into the Odd-based game set in an alternate version of the modern world, inspired by Buddhist and Taoist philosophy, and weird urban magical realism like Doom Patrol and Persona. It's a dark examination of the self and society, but equally full of camp and humor and absurdity.
Features
Complete ruleset with 7 Poltergeist Forms and 100 Special Items for interesting character customization
Unique Karma-driven gameplay loop based on Buddhist philosophy
Conflict Resolution mechanics expanding on Into the Odd that allows for the seamless blending of traditional skull bashing with non-violent approaches to Conflict like a heated argument, a battle of wits, or things weirder and more metaphysical
Evocative Poltergeist Forms that feel entirely unlike Traditional Fantasy character class clones
Module: A Poltergeist Investigation and Court Crawl with high randomization/replayability, and a good framework to get a feel for the setting and to write your own adventures. Built on the principles of Social Intrigue and Tabletop RPGs as Performance Art
Additional, free materials for the game can be found on the creator's blog: https://weirdwonderfulworlds.blogspot.com/
"This is the first book in what will be a series, but this is all you need to build a campaign. If you like things that are weird and intellectually challenging, that don't conform to genre conventions, that allow you to explore complex themes about psychology, philosophy, science, and metaphysics, but also like gonzo absurdist scifi/fantasy fun, then I hope you will find inspiration in this book."
- Max Cantor, Creator
Weird setting, writing, and game design by Max Cantor
Vibrant original art by Uve Lorenzo and Scrap Princess
Stylistic layout and Cover Art by Roque Romero
Editing and guest writing by Fiona Geist
Published by Exalted Funeral Press
