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What I Like About Lucha Libre

 You can find the system here.

What's So Cool About Lucha Libre is an iteration of the What's So Cool About ...? systems that blends Mexican-American culture with political activism. This is a much shorter analysis than my Sentai&Sensibility analysis, mostly because What's So Cool About Lucha Libre is a much shorter and less mechanical system that S&S.

I have not read the original What's So Cool About ...? system, but I do generally enjoy the set up for Lucha Libre as a whole. Primarily I enjoy the En Fuego system, which allows you to narratively go above and beyond for the sake of keeping yourself and your friends on your feet in combat, as this system is primarily geared around combat as a way of keeping the peace. The en fuego mechanic is one I've mused about twisting into something usable for other games I've run, as it allows you to save your friends from permadeath using interesting roleplaying moments as that catalyst.

Starting at the top of the system, I really enjoy the fact that you can make your own mask, and that they have a small table of options available to people who maybe didn't grow up entrenched in wrestling. 

table showing the color, theme, and details of your mask as a luchador

Next is "why you fight" which includes things like fighting to atone, fighting the battles police won't, or just fighting to protect the common folk. Then you have your fighting style and some skills to choose. The purpose is to feel badass and have some cool stuff that you're capable of, and the hype is very, very real.

Dice and hit points are simplified in this system, allowing for a streamlined way to play, especially for people who are newer to tabletop; being able to feel cool and not getting slogged down with math can make a game very exciting for new and returning players.

You have a super attack that you can do while en fuego that allows you to do something cool and big so long as you haven't been hit yet. This leads into what it means to take a fall, the equivalent of HP in this system. You're allowed 3 falls, from a 4 (en fuego) to a 1 (on death's door). If you would fall to 0 and one of your allies is en fuego, they can spend their fuego to keep you alive, and bring you all the way back up to 4. If you do die, you're sent to the spirit world instead and must fight your way back out or be brought back out by your allies. You can also make a pact with a spirit to come back on your own terms.

image showcasing the resurection rules, stating that you go to the spirit world and can make deals there to come back to the land of the living

Outside of mechanics, I'm enraptured with the idea of being a técnico who balances fighting within the ring with fighting magical or supernatural creatures. I won't lie, I was sold on "magical luchador" and did not need much convincing to get the system and explore. As someone who was raised entrenched deep in Mexican culture, the borderpunk aspect of the game is close to my heart.

Cultural context - be it punk culture, a locale or peoples, or just a vibe - is a high priority when it comes to games I enjoy. Finding games that emphasize interconnectedness, or just a hero standing up for the little guy really sits well with me, and it's why in systems like D&D I'm drawn to the Folk Hero archetype as well.

If you're looking for a system that is quick and easy to get into and allows you to look and feel like a badass, I highly recommend What's So Cool About Lucha Libre.

If you want a more "liveblog" experience, you can follow me over on Bluesky where I will be posting more often about my TTRPG experiences while on hiatus from actually streaming.

Thank you for reading!

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