Johnny O’Neal

@johnnyoneal

Brotherwise Games Co-Founder. Geeky dad. Game designer, art director, and chief Cosmere officer. Trying to make the world a more positive & joyful place through games.

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Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 13h

Academy members were invited to submit designs for new heroic path talents, and the Plotweaver core design team provided feedback! The notes reveal a lot about how to create balanced, clever talent designs. Just one step toward making Plotweaver the most designer-friendly open source RPG out there!

Screenshot of a Participants in the Plotweaver "Talent Show" share responses to the experience, like: "This is absurdly more feedback than I ever expected these submissions would get" and "Thanks to the Plotweaver team for such excellent feedback." (Full text available in comments section of linked article.)

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 10d

The Plotweaver team, especially Setting Leads @kiennas.bsky.social and @anarisis.dylangrinder.com, have created a unique fantasy world with emotion-based magic, ancient technology, and a high concept of adventuring as therapy for a wounded world. Journey to Erstwild and share your feedback!

A page showing concept sketches for First Age ruins in the world of Erstwild. (Download the linked PDF to for the full text of this page.)

A page showing concept sketches for Hastelings, our current term for human and near-human ancestries. (Download the linked PDF to for the full text of this page.)

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 10d

To support the Open Alpha for our first Plotweaver setting, the @plotweaver.bsky.social team has created a new PDF of imagery to introduce your players to Erstwild! Just visit PlotweaverRPG.com and click on the link to access our Google Drive for the Alpha playtest materials!

Welcome to Erstwild cover page
World by Kienna Shaw and Dylan Grinder
Concept Art by Christian Benavides

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 14d

Told my wife that this was an award for the handsomest men at Gen Con.

Hollywood hunk and D&D creator Joe Manganiello with a Gaming Trend Best of Gen Con award

Cosmere RPG Creative Director Johnny O'Neal with a Gaming Trend Best of Gen Con award

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 14d

☝️That photo shows our Mistborn leads with the books they led: Meric Moir (Mistborn World Guide), Lydia Suen (Mistborn Handbook), and Lyla Fujiwara (Mistborn Legacy). We're also grateful to Andrew Fischer, who passed the Cosmere RPG Design Lead baton to Lydia before moving on to lead Plotweaver!

Andrew Fischer and Lydia Suen split Design Lead responsibilities on the Mistborn Handbook.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 14d

I feel incredibly lucky that @brotherwisegames.bsky.social has been able to work with some of the industry's most talented designers to create the Cosmere RPG. It's a joy to work every day with Mistborn campaign setting leads @mericmoir.bsky.social, @suenshine.bsky.social, and @lyla.bsky.social.

Mistborn Lead Writer Meric Moir, Lead Designer Lydia Suen, and Adventure Design Lead Lyla Fujiwara, each holding production samples of their books!

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 14d

The most fun I had at Gen Con: @lyla.bsky.social ran a fantastic game of Blood on the Clocktower for this gang of folks. Afterward, we took this photo posing as our characters. Can you guess what role everyone was playing? 😁

A group of game industry folks posing as their characters in Blood on the Clocktower

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 16d

You know what never gets old? Seeing Brotherwise posters on the doors into Gen Con. I love that @jillianschumacher.bsky.social secures this location for us every year. This is our 13th Gen Con and a decade ago I could not have possibly imagined we'd be in this spot -- literally or figuratively.

Johnny at the front doors of Gen Con, which are adorned with posters for the Cosmere RPG and Shards of Creation.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 17d

Stormlight: War for Roshar is an asymmetric war game based on Brandon Sanderson's epic fantasy series. The Kickstarter isn't until October 13, so what you're seeing here is just a prototype. But it's pretty incredible! If you like games like War of the Ring or Star Wars Rebellion, this is for you.

Brotherwise Games president Johnny O’Neal playing a prototype copy of War for Roshar in the Cosmere room at Gen Con

The War for Roshar game board is so large that the prototype is printed on two boards. It shows the map of Roshar, covered in tokens and cards.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 21d

These are just for making 1" tokens that work nicely on battlemaps for our Cosmere RPG demos. They look like this before we print them and snap them into the little reusable plastic disks. They're handy for prototyping and available online (with the boxes) as "coin holders."

Two sets of tokens from Stormlight: Law & Obligation, an adventure that will be available for demos at Gen Con.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· 21d

All packed and ready for Gen Con! Spent a lot of this weekend prepping our "State of Games in the Cosmere" presentation, printing out character sheets for RPG demos, and punching out tokens! So many tokens.

Photo of printed paper tokens in reusable plastic coin holders, our usual method for con demos of unreleased adventures. In the background, pages and pages of punched out circles give a silent testament to the hours that Johnny spent making these little tokens.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Jul 10

My friend Susan is a retired librarian, and one of our Michigan summer traditions is that "Aunt Sus" comes over every day and reads to the kids. This summer she has read our youngest son stories by Terry Pratchet, James Thurber, and Douglas Adams.

A boy (and his dog) sitting attentively as a woman reads him short stories by James Thurber

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Jun 18

I'm headed to Origins Game Fair and looking forward to playing some games! I'll have a copy of Shards of Creation in my backpack, so hit me up if you want to play a quick game. Anybody else headed to Columbus?

Shards of Creation card game on display on a table

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Apr 12

If you're not familiar with the full version of "All the World's a Stage," here's a comparison to the original. (BTW, these images all have alt text.)

All the world's a game table,
And those around it merely players;
They have their critical hits and misses;
And one group in their time tells many tales,
Though more remain untold. The first character
Chosen at a whim, paper-thin and doomed,
Steps aside for a proper heroine;
Brimming with backstory, ablaze with
Potential; but her campaign is cut short.
The player, alone, seeks solace in rules;
Builds someone unstoppable, optimal,
Unplayed. This mighty adventurer lives
And dies in the player's dreams, character sheet
Pristine, never used in a single scene.
But then, a call: there's a new game to play.
Five friends gather together fortnightly.
A new hero lives and loves and levels;
Wise and dextrous, strong and bright. At last
The campaign ends in glory! What comes next?
A long rest, a fresh start. Then the friends try
New journeys, a new party, for a time:
A princess, a warlock, a paladin,
A bard. But scheduling is hard. Game nights
Slain by the deadliest of dragons: Time.
It demands one last sacrifice, a toll;
Someone to run every role, every roll.
A servant served up on the altar of fun;
The master of games, but player of none.

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Apr 12

In "All the World's a Stage," Shakespeare describes the different roles a person plays over the course of their life, until we reach the inevitable end. Reading it, I couldn't help but think about role playing games the different characters we play. So I ended up writing this... 😁

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Apr 10

I recently had the chance to join a panel with some RPG industry all-stars, and I felt lucky to be onstage with such smart, talented, driven people. But I felt even luckier to be with such nice, thoughtful, *good* people. How cool to be in an industry that encourages kind, joyful professionalism.

A panel of tabletop RPG industry professionals including Johnny O'Neal, Anais Morgan, Else Rezendes, Spenser Starke, and Ross Thompson

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 28

Yesterday, Brotherwise Games announced our Plotweaver Artist Search. We'll be hiring dozens of artists for our new RPG, including a Lead Artist whose role will kick off with a $10,000 commission package. If you're an artist or TTRPG fan, learn more about this awesome project at PlotweaverRPG.com!

This illustration by Wiktor Kozyra shows two adventurers traveling between fantasy and sci-fi worlds. As the composition moves from left to right, it fades from rough grayscale sketches to to finished linework.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 20

If you want to be a part of the next big RPG, we're recruiting Alpha playtesters now! To sign up, use this form: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... So stay tuned, and follow @brotherwisegames.bsky.social, because we have some big announcements coming later this year. This is going to be awesome! 🧵/🧵

Timeline for Plotweaver
Q2 2026: Alpha Playtesting
Q3 2026: Secret
Q4 2026: Secret
Q1 2027: Beta Playtesting
Q2 2027: Kickstarter

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 20

Our Consulting Designer @maxcbrooke.bsky.social urged us to define "values" underlying the Tapestry setting lore and system design. Here's the list, which I think is pretty cool. The art here, by Mœbius, is just for inspiration. But if you know any artists with a similar style, we're hiring! 6/🧵

In the Tapestry...
The universe is full of possibilities. Some are scary, but you shouldn't fear the unknown. Curiosity is rewarded far more often than it's punished.

No one's pulling the strings. No gods decide our fate. When the universe seems cold and uncaring, it's our job to create warmth and meaning.

We write our own stories. There's no "chosen one." No group of people is superior to others, and no one is born a villain. Any path is open to people with the right training and mindset.

Ties are what bind us. As an individual, your luck can be measured in the community you find and the connections you forge. Seek the support of others and don't split the party.

Some threads can't be broken. A few bonds--true love, families, close friendships--are strong enough to cross realities and ripple into infinity.

Stories are power. We discover who we want to be through stories, and become the stories we tell about ourselves. Magic draws on emotions to weave narratives that change the world.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 20

Plotweaver's Lead Designer, @afischergames.bsky.social is responsible for setting design vision. One of his guidelines has been to leave lots of design space for other creators. Folio, Grimoire, and Codex aren't trying to cover every fantasy, modern, or sci-fi story. They're specific & focused. 5/🧵

Each Plotweaver sourcebook is a guide for storytelling in a distinctive world and subgenre. These aren't designed to cover every fantasy, modern, or sci-fi campaign. We're leaving plenty of design space for indie creators.

The sourcebooks will work as standalone releases, but each will connect to the Tapestry universe.
Each will hint at the threads of reality, the ties that bind us, and the power of stories. All official Tapestry books share a few core philosophies.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 20

We expect most people using the Plotweaver system to use their own worlds and IP, but our in-house sourcebooks will be subtly connected in a meta-setting called the Tapestry. Curious? Visit PlotweaverRPG.com to learn more about our first three worlds, codenamed Folio, Grimoire, and Codex. 4/🧵

THE TAPESTRY
Under the Plotweaver OGL, anyone can create their own worlds and settings for this system. But in-house sourcebooks will take place in a shared universe.
In this universe, every world is part of an endless Tapestry, each with its own stories to tell. And sometimes, those threads become tangled.
Some Plotweavers adventure within a single world, often one affected by the touch of another. Others travel the Tapestry, saving the day when worlds collide!
We'll launch with three worlds, codenamed Folio, Grimoire, and Codex.

(Art shown here is by the legendary Jean-Giraud Moebiūs, and is not owned by Brotherwise Games.)

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 20

Plotweaver isn't the best system for *every* genre, but it supports storytelling in a wide variety of settings. That also makes it great for crossovers: it's balanced for stories where people have magic *and* guns *and* high technology (since that's how we had to build the Cosmere RPG). 3/🧵

Plotweaver is ideal for stories that...
• Combine magic and technology.
• Span worlds, magic systems, and/or technology levels.
• Include strong character progression.
• Balance mechanical depth with strong narrative elements.
• Place equal emphasis on combat, social, and skill-based scenes.
The system's power level is heroic.
• Combat is fast and dangerous, but Plotweaver heroes are highly resilient.
• They're generally more capable than survival-horror protagonists.
• But not usually engaged in cosmic-level superheroics.
• They're the kind of heroes you see in most action-packed, character-driven speculative fiction.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 20

This is a sneak peek inside a "creative vision" document that I wrote with our amazing RPG Director, @mericmoir.bsky.social. It's a look at what we think Plotweaver has to offer. The Cosmere RPG was the #2 TTRPG of Fall 2025, and we're excited to expand the system to an even broader audience! 2/🧵

d20 Evolved: Attributes, skill tests and dice rolls are familiar, but every other system is reimagined.

Narrative-First: Rules are made to be broken ...except the rule of cool! Narrative hooks underpin every character, and the plot die encourages improvisation.

Flexibility: Instead of rigid classes, Plotweaver offers flexible talent trees. The adaptable system supports any heroic action genre.

Customization: It's the perfect system for aspiring game designers, with enough mechanical heft to inspire diverse variety and infinite combinations.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 20

Happy Friday! I'm lucky to be working on a lot of exciting projects right now, but the coolest one has to be Plotweaver. The system powering the Cosmere RPG, Plotweaver is an awesome, flexible ruleset for a range of heroic roleplaying. We want this to be the best system ever for OGL creators. 1/🧵

Plotweaver evolves familiar d20 mechanics for a new generation of narrative-first roleplaying.
For players, it offers flexibility, deep customization, and character-driven storytelling.
For GMs, it supports any heroic action campaign …especially ones where worlds and genres collide!
For designers, we’re building a truly open license, a supportive community, and a best-in-class ecosystem to monetize your creations.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 5

When my youngest son was 6, we used to do this very cute dance routine where I'd bounce him around while we listened to music by Toby Fox. He is 10 now and the "lift him in the air" move is much more difficult. 😅 But it's nice to be back home after a few days on the road.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 3

Had a great time meeting with game retailers this morning! @meanpomelo.bsky.social shared details on Free RPG Day, the Plotweaver Envoy Program and our direct-to-FLGS program at bwiseretailers.com!

Jillian presenting to a standing-room-only crowd at GAMA Expo

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Mar 3

All set up at GAMA Expo! Come visit me us at the @brotherwisegames.bsky.social booth!

Johnny and Jillian from Brotherwise smiling in front of banners for the Cosmere RPG and Super Boss Monster 2.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Dec 15

Please allow this proud dad a moment to brag about my kids: My 18 year-old earned straight A's during his first quarter of pre-med classes at Northwestern. My 16 year-old got accepted to a summer program at Yale to study law and politics. And my 10 year-old won a writing award today at school! 🎉

The O'Neals (Johnny, 18-year-old Jack, and Beverly) with Beverly's mom and Johnny's parents, with their youngest son at his elementary school. The little guy was happy to win a Reflections award for fiction writing.

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Dec 5

After-hours fun at Dragonsteel Nexus with @brotherwisegames.bsky.social (and friends from Kickstarter and Demiplane)!

Playing "the Gang" (co-op Texas Hold 'Em) with the gang

Johnny O’Neal@johnnyoneal· Dec 3

On Saturday at Dragonsteel Nexus, the Cosmere RPG team is running our first-ever actual play for the Mistborn campaign setting! I'll be playing Jacques Ardot, an overconfident dilettante with Gold-powered super-healing. The team is running some hilarious characters... this is gonna be fun!