Bruno

Release Date: November 2000
Set Size: 4 Buttons
Publisher: Hunter Johnson
Designers: James Ernest, Hunter Johnson
Artist: Dan Smith
New Rules: Berserk Dice

Bruno was the second set to have individual abilities in the same vein as the Sailor Moon sets. Bruno was a promotional tie-in for the Bruno! comic strip, which originally appeared in Steve Jackson Games' Pyramid magazine (in both its print and on-line incarnations).

Hunter Johnson had the characters set before he came up with a new special die for the expansion, but he knew he wanted to have a new special die. Bruno is pretty much a hothead munchkin roleplayer type, so he wanted something to go with that. One of his original brainstorming ideas for the special die was to have it be an actual physical attack. For example, spin the die at the opponent's dice and whatever it hit/knocked over or something would be captured. The next idea sent to James was a Bruno Die with a new Bruno Attack: capture any die with the same or fewer *sides* regardless of number showing, but the Bruno die would then be removed from play. James wasn't thrilled with the idea of a new attack with no added drawback. So, trying again resulted in the Berserk Dice.

Hunter Johnson said the following in an interview conducted via Facebook:

I was a booth monkey for Cheapass Games for several years, and was still when they launched the Button Men line, so I demoed it hundreds of times and enjoyed it every time. It was thrust upon me, but it was good.

In parallel developments, I had worked with Dan Smith both at cons and on stuff for Steve Jackson Games. I'd read and enjoyed his Bruno! comic.

So I found out how much a licensed set would cost (licensing costs, material set up) and worked out with Dan a business arrangement and then got the license from James Ernest.

Bought the button press and components and started printing, pressing, and shipping buttons. It was basically print-on-demand.

Oh yeah: and had to do my work too: came up with the unique dice mechanic and got them blessed. I felt each expansion by that time should have its own hook to make it more appealing to the player. There were only so many ways to combine the basic dice. Part of the licensing agreement was that any such rule had to get approval, so it didn't feel like a eureka! idea. An idea of using big strength and then giving the opponent a less-valuable target in return. It can make power attacks, or reduce its value to the opponent by making a speed attack (not being a Speed Die).

Buttons

• 

  Bruno
  B(8) B(8) B(20) B(20) B(X)
• 

  Pappy
  (4) (4) (10) B(20) (X)
• 

  Synthia
  B(4) (12) (12) (T) B(T)
• 

  The GM
  (4) (8) (12) (16) B(U)