# Frontier Scum tags: #game/rpg/frontier-scum ![[Frontier Scum (cover).jpg]] So, you want to know about **Frontier Scum**. It's a roleplaying game that lovingly shoves the gritty, bizarre, and downright miserable aspects of the "Acid Western" genre into a rules-light package. Think less John Wayne, more _Dead Man_ or _Bone Tomahawk_. You're not heroes; you're outlaws, wanted criminals, and general lowlifes just trying to survive in the "Lost Frontier," a surreal and brutal landscape where capitalism is the real monster and everyone's one bad decision away from becoming buzzard food. The whole thing is presented like a tattered 19th-century chapbook, dripping with grim flavor and an art style that feels both historical and hallucinatory. It’s a game designed for you to create a memorable scoundrel who will, in all likelihood, die a horrible, yet oddly poetic, death. At its core, **Frontier Scum** uses a simple d20-based system for resolving actions where the outcome is uncertain. To perform an action, you roll a d20, add your relevant ability modifier (Grit, Slick, Wits, or Luck), and try to meet or beat a Difficulty Rating (DR), which is usually 12 unless the Game Marshal decides otherwise. Having a relevant skill gives you "Advantage," letting you roll two d20s and take the higher result. Combat is where it gets particularly nasty. Melee and non-gun ranged attacks are opposed rolls, but if you're shooting a gun, it's an automatic hit unless the shot is considered "tough." In that case, the attacker makes a Slick check, and the poor soul being shot at makes a Luck check to see if they can miraculously avoid getting a new hole ventilated in their person. Don't get too attached to your character's hat; you can sacrifice it to negate all damage from a single attack, but you'll have to pass a Luck check to see if it survives the encounter. Damage is brutal, and hitting zero hit points leads to a "Death Check," which is more likely to leave you bleeding out over minutes, hours, or even days rather than grant you a clean exit. It's a system that ensures violence is fast, decisive, and has lasting consequences. The game has seen a few printings, including a special "Red Ink" version and a "Bones Edition," but the core rules have remained consistent. The main difference between editions tends to be the color of ink and minor art alterations, not mechanical changes. ## References - [Official Website - frontierscum.com](https://frontierscum.com/) - [Buy the PDF - DriveThruRPG](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/403322/Frontier-Scum) - [Buy a Physical Copy - Games Omnivorous](https://gamesomnivorous.com/products/frontier-scum) - [Review - No Dice Unrolled](https://www.nodiceunrolled.com/frontier-scum-review/) - [Review & Retrospective - Līber Lūdōrum](https://liberludorum.com/2022/08/01/frontier-scum-a-review-retrospective/) - [Kickstarter for a new print run and adventure - Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gamesomnivorous/frontier-scum)