Gemopedia
Tabletop Role-Playing🇳🇿New Zealand21st century

Monster of the Week

URBAN-FANTASY / SUPERNATURAL-INVESTIGATION TABLETOP RPG (2012 first ed, 2015 revised) by MICHAEL SANDS — a POWERED BY THE APOCALYPSE (PbtA) game inspired by BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, SUPERNATURAL, THE X-FILES + shows featuring monster-hunters. Each session (or 2) = one MYSTERY: the hunters investigate + defeat a monster. Signature: MYSTERY STRUCTURE with monster prep + countdowns. Playbooks: The Chosen, The Divine, The Flake, The Monstrous, The Mundane, The Spooky, The Wronged, etc.

⏱~180 min🌤indoor

Quick facts

Category

Tabletop Role-Playing

Type

Team sport

Players

2–6

Duration

~180 min

Where played

indoor

Country of origin

🇳🇿 New Zealand

Estimated origin

First ed 2012 Generic Games; 2nd ed 2015 Evil Hat Productions; expansions Tome of Mysteries + Codex of Worlds

Olympic

No

Popularity

regional

How it works

Objective

Investigate + defeat the mystery's monster before its countdown reaches midnight.

Rules

Basic rules

  • Standard PbtA 2d6 + stat resolution: 10+ full success, 7-9 partial, 6- Keeper hard move

    Signature PbtA mechanic.

  • MYSTERY = pre-prepped by Keeper: monster + minions + bystanders + locations + countdown

    Signature mystery structure.

  • COUNTDOWN (from Day to Midnight): if hunters don't stop the monster, escalation happens at each notch

    Signature countdown pressure.

  • PLAYBOOKS: The Chosen, The Divine, The Flake, The Monstrous, The Mundane, The Spooky, The Wronged, etc.

    Signature 14+ hunter archetypes.

  • 5 core moves: KICK SOME ASS, INVESTIGATE A MYSTERY, MANIPULATE SOMEONE, PROTECT SOMEONE, USE MAGIC

    Signature core moves.

  • Between mysteries: HUNTER'S SESSION for character advancement + downtime

    Signature downtime structure.

Scoring

Cooperative narrative per mystery.

Win condition · Defeat monster before countdown reaches midnight.

Equipment

  • MotW core rulebook + 2d6 + playbooks + Mystery sheets + countdowns

    Signature PbtA + mystery-prep toolkit

Terminology

Keeper
The GM (Keeper of the Mysteries) — leads investigation + plays monster.
Hunter
The PCs — supernatural investigators.
Mystery
Session-long adventure with monster to defeat.
Countdown
Prep tool from Day → Midnight; ticks forward as time passes.
Michael Sands
New Zealand game designer; MotW is his flagship RPG.

Where it is played

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-28.verified