One of these days, I’ll buy Paranoia. I’ve heard about it and it sounds like something I’ll enjoy. It’s already on my wishlist.

Today, however, I realized I had the Red Clearance Edition wishlisted, but not the Core Book. And with that realization, comes the admission that I have no clue what’s what.

So… does anyone here know the difference?

Sure, Red Clearance says we’d be Troubleshooters, but I don’t know what that means. Would I still need the Core Book? Or is it just another flavour?

Links, fwiw:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/453042/The-Paranoia-Core-Book

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/191159/Paranoia-Red-Clearance-Edition

  • CascadeOfLight [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    If you’re going to be Friend Computer (the GM), then you have Ultraviolet level clearance and can read everything in the Core Book.

    If you’re going to be a Troubleshooter (player) then reading anything above Red clearance is grounds for immediate termination. Thoughtfully, a version of the rule book with only Red-clearance information in it (i.e. the basic rules) is provided to prevent such an unfortunate event.

    Basically, a key component of Paranoia is that only the GM is “allowed” to know the rules - or at least, display knowledge of them. It’s a kind of tongue-in-cheek way of saying that whatever the GM says goes, because the players “shouldn’t” know enough to argue about it, but it’s also fun when players really don’t know the full story on various background elements and in-universe “hidden” information, such as the secret societies or mutant powers or contraband technology. So as GM, you should get the Core Book and (ideally) provide Red Clearance books for the players.