Tabletop RPG · since 2009 · #80 most discussed

Fiasco

Players build a tangled story of ambition and bad decisions among flawed people, ending in a darkly comic disaster.

GM-lessComedyGM-lessdice poolworldbuilding togethertheater of the mindOne-shotsNo GM

6.9

Geek rating

From 23 firsthand play reports in 5 r/rpg threads. The threads alone average 7.9.

Player rating— / 10

No visitor ratings yet.

Discussion5.6 / 10

107 r/rpg posts named it, October 2023 to October 2026.

Rules weight

Fits on a page. Hype 3.1 for its age.

Have you played it?

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What players say

At the table

Fiasco is a GMless game that players describe as fast, chaotic and cinematic, often compared to a Coen Brothers film. Setup builds tangled relationships, and the story is meant to end in wreckage. Several reports say the first scenes or the first few sessions feel rough before the group finds the rhythm.

What works

Easy to teach, including to newcomers, and fun for mixed ages and experienced D&D players. (thread)
The second edition's cards make it easy to keep track of what to do next. (thread)
A player who lightly facilitates can remind the table of the steps and model good play, which suits a game where every player has equal authority. (thread)
The finished story, retold in edited order, comes out interesting. Act 1 builds tension and Act 2 lets it burn. (thread)
Cards and prompts give strong starting scenarios, and characters partly built by other players are easy to wreck. It also works as a first RPG, even 1:1. (thread)

What tables struggle with

One player can resolve the major plot threads before the halfway point and wreck the pacing. (thread)
One commenter's single session felt undirected, and they think the game depends on players who know how to make it work. (thread)
Scenes can feel too short, forced or dragging, and groups may not know how to set up engaging ones. Cutting a scene early works better than letting it run long. (thread)
Timid players can freeze when it's their turn to frame a scene. Online play and three-player tables feel more awkward than five people in person. (thread)
Players trying to be funny have ruined some games. (thread)

Who it suits

Groups that accept failure and bad outcomes and are willing to improvise.
Newcomers, or mixed groups, who want a no-prep one-shot, ideally with someone who has played before.
Not tables that want a GM-led game or a lasting campaign world.

In players' words

"we just rode it screaming" (thread)
"It takes a few games to get the vibe, I felt this way too." (thread)
"My one Fiasco experience was pretty undirected and I think the game really only shines with people who really know how to make that happen." (thread)

The threads behind it

Each thread is rated for the play it describes, from the firsthand reports in it. Load one here or read it on Reddit.

8.4

Fiasco might be the most cinematic rpg I've played

Players who have run Fiasco describe fast, chaotic, funny Coen-Brothers-style stories, and many use it to introduce newcomers to RPGs. The problems are mostly about the group: timid players, online play and people forcing jokes, not the game's rules. 11 firsthand · 27 comments

Open on Reddit

7.5

Fate, Dread, and Fiasco

The few people who played Fiasco say it is easy to teach and fun, and even a longtime D&D GM enjoyed it. The one real problem reported is a player who defeats the game's purpose, and the thread is mostly a three-way comparison with Fate and Dread, so there is little detailed play reporting. 4 firsthand · 19 comments

Open on Reddit

7.0

Good Society vs Fiasco?

The thread is mostly about Good Society versus Fiasco, so firsthand detail on Fiasco is thin. The original poster has played Fiasco many times and their group really enjoys it. One commenter had a single undirected session and thinks it only shines with experienced players. 3 firsthand · 12 comments

Open on Reddit

6.0

Any advice for making Fiasco's ACT I and ACT II better?

The original poster runs Fiasco and finds the finished story entertaining, but the scenes feel too short, forced or draggy while they play. Another player says they had the same trouble at first and that it takes a few games to get the feel, and the replies mostly offer pacing advice. 3 firsthand · 9 comments

Open on Reddit

8.0

GM led Fiasco?

The thread is mostly about finding a GM-led alternative to Fiasco, so firsthand play reports are sparse. The two commenters who have played it say it works well, and that a facilitator who reminds people of the steps and models good play helps a lot. 2 firsthand · 13 comments

Open on Reddit