Introducing Mausritter – An RPG with swords and whiskers

A new role-playing game from the Mytago publishing house has recently arrived in our shop, inviting adventurers of all ages to experience a whiskered adventure. It is called Mausritter, just like the German original, which literally translates to “mouse knight”. Since the game is designed for beginners and children alike, it is worth introducing it, sharing some practical insights, and highlighting the main strengths of this world of mouse heroes.

What is Mausritter?

Mausritter is an RPG, or role-playing game. Together with two to five friends, you will tell stories and create a shared world. The rules help keep the world predictable, interesting, and full of challenges.

One of you takes on the role of the Game Master. Their task is to invent and describe a meaningful and believable world full of dangerous opponents, wild regions, and friendly settlements. The Game Master also impartially judges the rules and ensures that both player mice and non-player characters follow them in the game world.

The other players take on the roles of mice. Each of them plays a tiny, brave, and perhaps a bit desperate adventurer who sets out to dangerous places and explores the world described by the Game Master.

Mausritter is a cute-looking role-playing game that has absorbed many interesting ideas from now-cult games like Into the Odd, Knave (which Mytago is currently preparing a Czech translation of), and Goblin Punch. In terms of genre, it is very close to the famous Mouse Guard series or the setting of the board game Mice and Mystics.

Who is the game for?

Compared to other robust systems, the game rules are very simple. They emphasize a quick start and solve key game situations with clever, elegant mechanics that even the youngest players can easily grasp.

I would venture to say that the game will be especially enjoyed by players who prefer an old-school style of play, built on overcoming challenges and obstacles through wit rather than numerical statistics on a character sheet.

I tested Mausritter with children aged 6 to 9. At first, I was a bit worried about how they would take to the mouse setting, but those concerns quickly vanished – the character creation process itself is very fun, and the players immediately bonded with their characters. The game uses a whole range of polyhedral dice, which makes it quite attractive, especially for newcomers who haven't encountered such dice before.

Is there anything special about Mausritter?

Aside from the distinctive visuals (all illustrations are by the game's author, Isaac Williams), you will be immediately struck by the inventory system. It is handled via small cards that are placed on the mouse character sheet. Everything is managed through inventory items – equipment, magic, and even injuries or status effects. It is a very fast, elegant, and, above all, fun solution that works perfectly in the game.

Where can I get the game?

You can find the core rulebook in various brick-and-mortar and online bookstores. The boxed version is available exclusively from us at imago.cz. In addition to the rulebook, the box includes a GM screen, a rules summary, a booklet with character sheets, a marker, and easy-to-detach tokens for the mouse inventory. Furthermore, the set includes a standalone adventure titled Honey in the Rafters.

If you just want to try the game out, are on a tight budget, or simply prefer reading on a screen, you can download our basic PDF manual for a voluntary contribution.

author Jiří Reiter