Masked Paws

Masked Paws is a tabletop roleplaying game where heroes wear masks, villains monologue too long, and the city is always one bad day away from disaster. 
In this game, Players take on Anthropomorphic superheroes who protect Pawsburg City from supervillains, strange technology, and over-the-top threats. Every session feels like an episode straight out of a comic book or Saturday morning cartoon, packed with daring rescues, dramatic showdowns, and last-second saves.

Masked Paws is designed to be fast, flexible, and welcoming. The rules stay out of the way so players can focus on bold actions, creative solutions, and heroic narrative choices. It’s perfect for quick one-shots, convention play, or ongoing campaigns where fun and momentum matter more than complex bookkeeping.

Masked Paws is built to deliver big superhero moments without slowing the game down. Every session focuses on action, teamwork, and creative problem-solving, keeping players engaged from the opening scene to the final showdown.
The rules are easy to learn and quick to teach, making Masked Paws perfect for one-shots, convention play, and introducing new players to tabletop roleplaying games. At the same time, the system has enough depth to support ongoing campaigns filled with rival villains, evolving heroes, and long-term story arcs.
Masked Paws embraces a bold, colorful tone inspired by comic books and Saturday morning cartoons, blending lighthearted fun with genuine heroism. Players are encouraged to take risks, attempt daring rescues, and think outside the box, knowing the game rewards momentum and dramatic action over cautious play.
Whether you want a family-friendly superhero game, a fast-paced convention table, or a low-prep RPG that still delivers memorable stories, Masked Paws is designed to make every player feel like a hero.

Masked Paws uses a streamlined, narrative forward system designed to keep the focus on heroic action and fast moving scenes. Players describe what their heroes do, roll the dice, and immediately see the results push the story forward.

Heroes are defined by the P.A.W.S. attributes Physical, Awareness, Wit, and Spirit. These represent how a character approaches challenges rather than relying on a long list of narrow skills. Whether you are throwing a villain through a wall, noticing danger before it strikes, outsmarting an enemy, or pushing through against impossible odds, PAWS keeps rolls intuitive and easy to understand.

When a hero attempts something risky or dramatic, they roll 1d6 plus a skill modifier tied to one of their PAWS attributes. Higher results mean greater success, while lower results invite complications and push the story forward.
But they are superhero's so what about Powers?

When a hero uses one of their superpowers, they tap into their Power. Instead of rolling just a single die, the hero gains a Power Die that represents the strength of that ability. Heroes can spend Power Points to increase the size of the Power Die.

At the heart of the game is Momentum, a shared gauge that rises and falls based on player choices and dice results. Successes build momentum and keep the heroes on the offensive, while failures and risky decisions shift momentum toward danger, escalation, and bigger complications. This creates a natural rhythm of rising tension, dramatic reversals, and heroic comebacks.
Masked Paws is designed to be easy to teach, quick to run, and flexible at the table. With fast character creation and low Game Master prep, the game works just as well for convention one shots as it does for ongoing campaigns.

Character creation is a simple as assigning attributes, assigning skill points, choosing a powerset. You can build a character in less than 5-10 minutes. 

Check out Character Creation via Jeff Moore's Blog as he uses the Quick Starter Guide to make his own character:

Pawsburg City is a vibrant, sprawling metropolis where towering skyscrapers, bustling neighborhoods, and hidden corners collide. It is a city full of life, ambition, and trouble, and it always needs heroes.
From crowded streets and neon-lit districts to industrial docks and quiet residential blocks, Pawsburg is built for superhero stories. A single day can turn from peaceful to chaotic in an instant, as supervillains strike, strange technology malfunctions, or disasters unfold without warning. When things go wrong, the people of Pawsburg look to its masked heroes for help.
Pawsburg City is designed as a flexible sandbox rather than a rigid map. Game Masters are encouraged to shape neighborhoods, landmarks, and recurring NPCs to fit their table’s stories. Whether you want lighthearted cartoon action or higher-stakes heroic drama, Pawsburg adapts to the tone of your campaign.
At its heart, Pawsburg is worth saving. It is a city of everyday citizens, imperfect systems, and endless opportunities for heroism, making it the perfect stage for daring rescues, dramatic showdowns, and unforgettable victories.

Masked Paws will be a 125-145 pages of saturday morning comic fun. You will get 20 Supervillains, 15 Henchmen, and 15 Minions. You will get rules for creating your own Supervillains, Henchmen and Minions. You will get two introductory adventures in the book. Cold Days in Pawsburg is an adventure where you need to stop Iceberg from freezing over the city. Dino Chase is an adventure where you need to stop Vortex from releasing dinosaurs into the Pawsburg. You will get six districts with notable location and factions to make your Pawsburg City feel alive. You will get 20-30 non-Player characters to interact with your heroes including Mayor Stanley Lee, Dolly Pawton, and more. Seven species and seven Power Types to create your own Masked Paws. Plus you get all the Superheros and Supervillains from the Ledgendary Tier.

The Sidekick Tier is the perfect digital entry point into Masked Paws. Backers receive the complete Masked Paws core rulebook as a full color PDF, along with all unlocked digital stretch goals. This tier also includes printable and fillable character sheets, making it easy to jump straight into play, as well as a digital quick start and bonus extras designed to get heroes into action fast. Whether you are running a one shot, teaching new players, or building your first team of heroes, the Sidekick tier delivers everything you need in a convenient digital format.

The Masked Hero tier delivers the classic superhero tabletop experience in both physical and digital form. Backers receive a physical copy of the Masked Paws core rulebook, available in softcover or hardcover, along with the full color PDF edition for convenient digital play. This tier also includes all unlocked digital stretch goals, ensuring you get the complete Masked Paws experience. Perfect for players and Game Masters who want the feel of a book at the table while still having the flexibility of digital access, the Masked Hero tier is designed for heroes ready to suit up and protect Pawsburg City.

The Legend Tier is for those ready to leave their mark on Pawsburg City forever. Backers receive everything included in the Masked Hero tier, including the physical core rulebook in your choice of softcover or hardcover, the full color PDF edition, printable and fillable character sheets, and all unlocked digital stretch goals.

In addition, Legend backers collaborate directly to create a custom Superhero or Supervillain for the world of Masked Paws. You will work with the creator to develop your character’s concept, powers, personality, and backstory, bringing your vision to life within the official setting. Your character will be canon within Pawsburg City and may appear in future supplements, adventures, or official content.

Whether you choose to inspire hope as a noble protector or sow chaos as a rising threat, the Legend Tier ensures your legacy becomes part of the Masked Paws universe.

Masked Paws is largely written and developed, and funding from this campaign is focused primarily on art, layout, and final production. Once the Kickstarter concludes, artwork will move into full production with a single dedicated artist to ensure a consistent visual style throughout the book. Because the art is handled by one artist, this process may take several months to complete, with an estimated production window of up to six months before the book is ready for printing and fulfillment.
During this time, layout and final revisions will be completed alongside art production to keep the project moving efficiently. Digital rewards will be prepared first, allowing PDF backers to receive their content as soon as it is ready, followed by physical printing and fulfillment. Throughout the process, backers will receive regular updates on progress, milestones, and timelines to ensure transparency from start to finish.

Fullfillment

Questline VTT is the official Virtual Table Top for Masked Paws. We will have full complete rules and instructions for using Masked Paws in Questline VTT on our website. Every Pre-gen Character, Supervillain, Henchmen, and Minion will be available. The Package for Questline VTT will also include the entire book in Journal Format. Check out Questline VTT in use on our Youtube Channel. 

Sign up now for access to Questline VTT

Masked Paws is created by Dave Ward, founder of Grimwood Games, an independent tabletop roleplaying game studio focused on accessible systems, strong worlds, and memorable play at the table. Dave has published multiple tabletop RPGs and adventures across a variety of genres, from dark fantasy to urban fantasy and superhero action, with a strong emphasis on fast play, narrative momentum, and welcoming design.
With years of experience running games at conventions, streaming live play, and successfully delivering projects to backers, Dave brings a practical, table tested approach to game design. Masked Paws is a love letter to comic books, Saturday morning cartoons, and the joy of seeing players feel like heroes from the very first session.

Lyn Redder is a TTRPG illustrator focused on bold linework, comic-style designs, and strong visuals. They love collaborating with indie creators to bring unique characters, worlds, and ideas to life.