In the world of Woof&Wyrm.exe, danger doesn’t always arrive with claws bared or spells blazing.

Sometimes… it arrives as a shuffled deck.

TNT Tabbies is a character illustration based on one of the chaotic mini-games forced upon the heroes during their boss encounter with Catrick the Cheat — a villain known not for brute strength, but for bending the rules of the very games the heroes rely on to survive.

During this Phase One encounter against Catrick the Cheat, the heroes are forced into a rigged game based on Exploding Kittens.

However, instead of using a traditional Exploding Kittens deck, each hero must play using a standard deck of playing cards that have been enhanced with special effects from Barker’s of Ruin — turning familiar hands into unpredictable hazards capable of skipping turns, forcing draws, triggering explosive effects, or even defusing disaster at the last second.

🎴 Strategy Meets Chaos

The illustration captures the moment before the chaos unfolds — a mischievous tabby calmly holding both dynamite and a rigged hand of cards.

It’s a visual metaphor for the type of battle that defines the Woof&Wyrm.exe universe:

Not every fight is won with strength.
Some are decided by luck…
And others by whoever understands the rules best — especially when those rules are being rewritten in real time.

🃏 How TNT Tabbies Works In-Game

In this Phase One encounter against Catrick the Cheat, the heroes are forced to play a modified version of Exploding Kittens.

However, instead of using a traditional Exploding Kittens deck, each hero plays using a standard deck of playing cards that have been enhanced with special effects from Barker’s of Ruin.

🔁 Turn Structure:

• Standard Exploding Kittens draw rules apply

• At the end of each player’s turn, they must draw 1 card

As the game progresses, hands grow larger — increasing the likelihood of triggering dangerous effects hidden within otherwise familiar cards.

⚔️ Dual-Use Card System:

Each playing card may be used in one of two ways:

1️⃣ Barker’s of Ruin Style
Use the card for its suit-based tactical ability tied to your hero’s combat role.

2️⃣ Exploding Kittens Style
Use the card as an Exploding Kittens-type action such as:

• Skipping a turn

• Forcing additional draws

• Redirecting effects

• Avoiding or triggering hazards

🚫 Important Rule:
Cards may be played using either Barker’s of Ruin mechanics or Exploding Kittens-style effects —
but never both at the same time.

Once a card is played for one effect type, the alternate usage is ignored.

This forces heroes to constantly decide between:

• Tactical consistency
  or

• Chaotic survival

…all while playing a game that Catrick himself has rigged from the start.

🎨 Created in Procreate

This piece was digitally illustrated in Procreate as part of the ongoing Savior Over Sin art series — blending tabletop game mechanics, fantasy storytelling, and character-driven design into a single visual moment.

Like many artworks from The Artistic Shepherd, TNT Tabbies is inspired directly by gameplay outcomes from my solo TTRPG system — where dice rolls and custom card interactions help shape the stories… and the art that follows.

Because in Woof&Wyrm.exe…

🔥 No Tail Left Untold.

🎥 Watch the Speed Art Video

🖼️ View the Artwork