Wild Skies Europa Tempest: RPG Review

Wild Skies

Welcome to a review of Wild Skies: Europa Tempest an action packed anthropomorphic themed role playing game (RPG), which is available in softcover, hardcover, and portable document format (PDF) at drivethrurpg.com. The book was originally crowdsourced to life via Kickstarter, just short of $11k internet bucks. This review concerns the PDF as well as the print version; both were supplied by Wet Ink Games free of cost for the purpose of this review. Wet Ink Games is a member of the Indie Game Developer Network (IGDN Site: http://www.igdnonline.com/) a hive mind of independent creators and publishers, producing a variety of products from pen and paper RPGs, to board and card games.

Disclosure: This RPG review includes affiliate links to DriveThruRPG. I receive a token % if you purchase something from the landing page. Thank you for that support.

Ever since Palladium Books utilized Kevin Eastman’s and Peter Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) comic, as a jumping off point for an RPG, I’ve never ceased to have high hopes for anthropomorphic RPGs. TMNT was the my second-(or third) experience in this hobby and since I was a fan of the comic, and admittedly even enjoyed the movies in my youth, it was an easy transition. Though I’ve only had the opportunity to play a few, similar themed anthropomorphic RPGs have been a mixed bag at my table. Admittedly, why a player can get into an RPG like TMNT, and then put their nose up at something like Mouse Guard or Bunnies and Burrows, isn’t beyond my comprehension and in my opinion it’s simply a matter of choice.

What’s the fun with an anthropomorphic RPG without choices? The idea of having character options limited to only a bunny or only a mouse has limited appeal. This fact wasn’t missed out on by Palladium Books. TMNT had (I want to say over 50) a double handful of mutant animals you could roll up. Yeah, you could take the role as a ninja turtle (and I’m certain we did that), but creating a Kung Fu, butt kicking badger was just as fun (which I did). Having the choice certainly was worth its weight in D20s.

      

Wild Skies: Europa Tempest is a complete RPG featuring a unique dice system and a distinctive setting. The atmosphere of this RPG is classified as a dieselpunk and the art does a great job creating that tone.  Beneath the grit and with a little elbow grease Wild Skies is an alternate earth setting, which leads up to World War One and beyond. Anthropomorphic creatures are the norm of a human-less society, though playing it as humans is an option. While the timeline and events of this alternate world, pretty much mirror human history, it also expounds upon that, for its own (RPG) purposes.

Character creation starts with creating a concept and allocating points for Primary and Secondary Attributes. Each Primary Attribute has two Secondary Attributes. Players distribute ten points among the primary attributes and eight among the secondary attributes, with the caveat none of these can be less than one point. As with any system other abilities are outlined such as Health, Speed, Range, and the ability to jump etc.

Next, is selecting an anthropomorphic type, which Wild Skies offers up forty species, and as well as choosing the size for the type selected. Each animal is a unique template defining attribute bonuses and abilities, which are specific to the specific anthropomorphic type. For Instance, if you decide on a turtle the character has Defensive Tuck as part of that template; while a badger the special ability of: Eat Anything. These abilities are exactly as they seem, most of which are plays on the animal kingdom. If you prefer a bit of randomness in selecting the anthropomorphic type, there is a table (you roll on) which abides.

Rounding it out, characters start the game with a Perk or special ability and players can select up two additional Perks as long as these are balanced (one to one) with a Quirk. Perks and Quirks are pretty standard RPG stuff and there is a decent sized list of each. Players will then select a nationality and two Careers which offer a template of skills. Last is selecting the finishing touches on the character and select an affiliation… But, admittedly I’m skipping all that for better coverage for the unique experience point and alignment system of Wild Skies, the Moral Compass. We’ll let the game speak for itself here:

“Wild Skies every character has a Moral Compass which functions as both a compass rose, showing which personal goals the character can follow, and as a map, showing where the character has been. Starting from the center the character will move toward the edge of the compass after each game session and collect rewards along the way. Thus, the Moral Compass serves as both the alignment system and the experience system of Wild Skies. Combining these elements puts the focus on the storytelling. The Moral Compass helps determine a character’s motivations during individual game sessions and guides their story arc over many sessions.” (PG 45)

The Moral Compass functions as an alignment system and an experience system. This is a pretty interesting concept. The Moral Compass has eight axes points, each of which is tied together by two opposing concepts, or the potential of sixteen character goals/stories to choose from. Based on player character’s concept, players will create four potential stories they want to tell and design their characters Moral Compass. I’ll not give all of them away, but for instance one of the axes points is Wealth to Sacrifice. The player character can desire either, based on the story they want to build and the goals they want to achieve.

Advancing through this system is a matter of the player characters earning Plot Points (PP) based on play and using these points towards their character goals/desire. Once a story is told or a goal is achieved the character receives a reward toward advancing their character. There is a bit more to it than this and a healthy treatment of writing and examples which really help flesh it out. But, this idea is one which is both unique and awesome. I leave my thoughts for the conclusion.

The system mechanics of Wild Skies has a few moving parts. The system isn’t difficult, but the detail of the writing (when you just want an A,B,& C layout of rules) is a bit verbose. Basic skill rolls are percentage based, but each skill has a number of ranks available (in d6s) which are tallied onto the original (%) total. A Skill Specialty roll (a skill which is part of the character’s career) uses the standard basic roll, but is further modified by a governing attribute. The system also incorporates variable levels of success or failure based on difficulty. It’s hard to gauge without a playtest, but battles over land, sea or (most prominently) air, should be relatively fast and furious.

This review is property of Kenzer and Company and originally published in Knights of the Dinner Table #250; and republished here with permission.

As mentioned, the setting is World War One diesel punk, but that’s only scratching the surface. The discovery of Vrillium, which is a buoyant lighter than air (fictional) ore, allows the nations of the world to build efficient weapons of war and militarize the sky with fast planes and airships. The first massive air battleship the HMS Dreadnought is launched in 1906 and the arms race begins. The Great War kicks off in 1914.

The timeline covers 30 years of the history of the setting, and is richly described. Certainly, most of it is based on real world history before, during, and after WWI but it’s an impressive amount of setting detail (almost a third of the book) and there are plenty a nuggets, which the GM will likely build his or her campaign around. The major difference being the Great War doesn’t end in an agreed armistice. As with WWI, the setting is built on the involvement of many nations primarily (Europe) England, France (which is split in two nations), Germany and Russia. Though most of events described are put in past tense and the timeline assumes the campaign starts in 1930’s. The detail of the history is such that you could also run it as a plot point campaign within the major events of the history.

        

Overall, Wild Skies has a lot of elements I really like. The art does a really good job of giving the vibe of the setting. There is also a mini black and white comic in the middle of the text which I enjoyed. I probably relished the gun and equipment illustrations sections a bit more than is healthy, but nothing sparks the imagination looking over an illustration of a plane, tank or machine gun and the imaginings of heroic characters behind the yoke or pulling the trigger.

There were also a few things I thought could have been better presented. The writing in general and especially for the sections covering dice mechanics, are bit verbose. What’s written does an adequate job, but it’s not as clean (in origination) as some RPGs I’ve read lately, and I’d preferred to have read a bit less. Grammar wise there were a couple minor mistakes, but nothing all that distracting. The print version would have been just a bit better with a little more white space between the text of the column and the spine; obviously this is of no concern if you pick up the PDF version

Absolutely my favorite aspect was the presentation of the Moral Compass, which reverses the idea of characters acting for the purpose of receiving experience points and instead places a guideline which they themselves choose, for the purpose of advancement.

I certainly think Wild Skies is worthy of your cash. And even more so if like this reviewer you enjoyed TMNT or After the Bomb in your youth. The amount of character options is admirable, and if I’m reading this right more books involving the nations of the world as supposed to follow. I for one can’t wait to see what comes next.

RPG Review: Barbarians of Lemuria: Mythic Edition

BoL Mythic Edition Cover

Welcome to an in depth review of Barbarians of Lemuria: Mythic Edition, a role playing game (RPG) strongly based in the sword and sorcery genre, best known through the fiction of Robert E Howard’s Conan the Barbarian. Barbarians of Lemuria: Mythic Edition was brought to life via Kickstarter to the tune of £8,356.Barbarians of Lemuria is authored by Simon Washbourne.

This RPG isn’t directly tied to Robert E. Howard’s intellectual property as a number of swords and sorcery (pulp) authors are listed, but it is certainly inspired by it. I have both the full color hardcover and portable document format (PDF), both of these were supplied by the publisher free of cost for the purpose this review. If at the end of this review you’re so inclined, both formats are available at DriveThruRPG.

Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links with DriveThruRPG. I receive a token % if you purchase something from the landing page.

We start things off by letting this RPG speak for itself:

"Barbarians of Lemuria is a heroic role-playing game (RPG) set firmly in the sword-and-sorcery genre. Lemuria is a post-apocalyptic world of thousands of years into the future and unrecognizable to anyone today. It has returned to an almost prehistoric state – a land of steaming jungles, vast untamed wildernesses, horror-filled swamplands, and sunbaked deserts. Massive man-eating beasts roam the unexplored regions of Lemuria and beyond, from island-sized sea serpents capable of sinking war galleys, to the huge jungle-dwelling dinosaurs that can swallow a man whole." (PG 9)

The setting elements of Barbarians of Lemuria Mythic Edition, is absolutely the best aspect of this RPG. While admittedly the usual review format is more guarded towards the end, I just plain refuse to hold back on this one. Yes, spoiler alert: I’m totally impressed with this RPG!

We start with the Gazette chapter, which takes the reader through a brief historical overview of Lemuria. Additionally, this product goes the extra mile with chapters concerning the Gods of Lemuria, and the presentation of the most common (non-human and optional as playable) races of the land. Both the Gods and creatures in the bestiary are noticeably unique from any of the usual Tolkien inspired, fantasy fair. The bestiary includes full color illustrations for each beast. The art of most creatures includes a silhouetted (6ft.) barbarian, beside them, which will assist with (literally) sizing the encounter up for reference. HackMaster players will find this feature somewhat familiar, as the depiction is very much in line with Kenzer & Co.’s silhouette hero and creature comparison in the Hacklopedia of Beasts.

The world of Lemuria itself is detailed in my favorite sort of way: a respectable amount of detail, which frames the setting, with a decent amount space left for the GM to fill in for their campaign(s). A full color hi-vector map of Lemuria is included as a separate PDF Download with purchase, and a smaller version of the same map, is included as an illustration in both the PDF and Print version. The presentation of the setting includes a heaping handful of locations: cities, natural terrain, landmark areas of note, as well as isolated locations (ruins & towers). Adventure Ideas (basic plot seeds) and rumors are bullet pointed throughout the descriptions and the writing should do more than a decent job of getting a number of sessions and/or campaign adventure ideas rolling. The book also includes four fully fleshed out starter adventures. The plot of each adventure is well written and should have appeal to new players, easing the introduction and overall comprehension of the game.       

Barbarians of Lemuria offers relatively simple system catered with narrative or storyteller emphasis. Still, overall there is a bit of crunch to it. One of the most important aspects is that each character receives a number of Hero Points. These points can be spent or held back with character creation for the opportunity for specific die rolling boons or to mitigate unfortunate circumstances, and/or rolls; or spent towards specific abilities. Character advancement in this game is one of my favorite elements as players are encouraged to share tales based on what heroic or leisurely deeds the character preformed in their off-time such as spending booty, gambling, drinking into the wee hours etc., and will receive experience points from the GM based on the very tale(s) they weave.  

Mechanically, in performing an action if the GM determines that a roll is required this is called a Task Roll. To put it simply, the player rolls 2d6 against a Target Number (TN) and add the most appropriate attribute total and/or character career benefit, as a bonus to the roll. The Target Number is usually around 9 but can be modified (Table provided) depending on difficulty, which is determined by the GM. Rolling above the TN is an ordinary success, but the player character can spend a Hero Point to increase this to a Mighty Success, which is a boon providing a number of (player/GM choice) benefits to the task at hand. Rolling 12 (two 6’s) is an automatically a Mighty Success, but the player can again option to spend a Hero Point to change this to a Legendary Success, which is again a list of potential boons. Rolling 2 (two 1’s) is an automatic failure. Like any RPG system should have, there are subsystems for determining combat Initiative, and other such elements. While the system itself isn’t as intricate as you’ll find with medium or heavy crunch RPGs, it has a few elements that will take some experience getting familiar with, but it’s nothing unwieldy.    

Character creation is simple. First players are encouraged to decide on a concept and cater the rest of creation towards what they have chosen. Characters have four Attributes: Strength, Agility, Mind, and Appeal. With designing their hero, players have four points to distribute for their starting character among these attributes, which will assist with specific Task Rolls. Next is determining the characters combat abilities and again the player must allocate four points in regards to: Initiative, Melee, Ranged, and Defense; each of these will award a point bonus when engaging in that type of action. Next is deciding Boons and Flaws are very much as they are in most RPGs (+ or –; to something specific). Characters will start with a Boon, but it must coincide with their chosen background. Characters can start with more than one boon, but the player must also allocate an appropriate flaw.

Review Featured in KoDT #255

The last steps with character creation are calculating Life Points (health/hit point), determining how to use or reserve Hero Points (mentioned earlier), deciding the characters origin, and choosing their career paths.  The most interesting of these is choosing career paths. Characters with Barbarians of Lemuria receive four points to distribute among four (prior) careers and over twenty possible careers are detailed with what they offer the character. The system has no skills. Careers are used to roughly determine the characters knowledge and experience; and those points will add a bonus to a Task Roll, if the GM determines that the characters knowledge should award a bonus towards the roll. Finally, the player will create a backstory based on his or her characters careers. There is an excellent (succinct) example in the book so I’m quoting it here:

“Dagul was born into a family of traders from Oomis, and this naturally led him into a life of buying and selling (merchant 2). This lifestyle led him to sea trade and introductions to several sea captains in Parsool. Before long, he was sailing to far-off lands and learning the essential skills of a seaman (sailor 0). On one particular voyage several years ago, pirates attacked Dagul’s ship – the crew was captured and sold into slavery (slave 1). Dagul’s new mistress was the Witch Queen Methyn Sarr herself, and during his enslavement (and until his escape), he used every opportunity to learn the secrets of that great sorceress until he could perform basic enchantments himself (magician 1).”  (PG 23, 24)

The glossy hardcover on my desk is textbook size and 211 pages, featuring a full color depiction on the cover regarding a barbarian saving a damsel who is chained to rock and presumably about to be consumed by a tentacled sea beast. The PDF is organized with hyperlinked page marks with the Table of Contents. Both versions include a thoroughly done index. Interior art is an expressive mix of full color character and scene illustrations. The writing itself is very good. The layout is well organized with color text headers, and tables; the content text is in double column format. Both the print version and PDF include character sheets and maps for the adventures, illustrated by Dyson Logos.

   

Overall, Barbarians of Lemuria Mythic Edition is not your usual indie product. Without a doubt, the production and organization of this RPG is (surprisingly) on par with the big publishers. The quality of this product is obvious and immediate. As anyone who reads this column knows, this reviewer is huge on setting. Unfortunately, it’s often one of the most underdone elements with most RPGs.  In my read through -rarely (if at all), does this product miss an opportunity to integrate the Lemuria setting into just about every facet for the purpose of role playing. This also makes Barbarians of Lemuria something very different from your usual Tolkien inspired RPG, as it should be. And the creators involved, did not miss this unique opportunity with the sword and sorcery genre in mind.   

While most storyteller type RPG products I review get middle of the line reviews, because of simple lacking, be it in one area, or two, or three; I’m hard pressed to find any single element of this RPG which isn’t well done. If you’re in the market, Barbarians of Lemuria is certainly worth your cash.   

Adventurer Conqueror King: RPg Review

Adventurer Conqueror King

This issue is a brief review of the portable document format (PDF) of Adventurer Conqueror King (system). As suggested by the publisher I will be borrowing the much kinder and simpler abbreviation of ACKs. In 2011-2012 ACKs core book was brought to market via a successful Kickstarter campaign which funded just shy of $12k internet bucks. Autarch LLC has completed five successful Kickstarter campaigns since, through 2016 and while the publisher was kind enough to share a treasure trove of ACKs material, the focus of this review is with the ACKs Core book. This RPG and its supplements can be purchased in print as well as PDF at DrivethruRPG. You can also visit the publisher's website at: http://www.autarch.co/ for more information.

Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links. I receive a token % if you purchase something on the landing page. Thanks for the support.

Adventurer Conqueror King is a clone of Dungeons and Dragons and utilizes the open game license (OGL 1.0) of Wizards of the Coast. While not fully a retro-clone, having more advanced features such as proficiencies (likely borrowed from D&D 3e or 4e?) and not entirely neo-clone, with a semi-independent (ascending type) combat system, it’s hard to relate where ACKs fits in the scope of other clones.

About the only reason to compare it as such, is to guess whether the OSR and fantasy gaming consumer is interested, or at least why they might be interested. To the OSR and old school customer base, I would say that this RPG certainly has bits and parts of old school familiarity, which the OGL affords it, but it is also… Perhaps and certainly more so mechanically, it is a bit of a D&D mash.

Not in question, is that the value of this product is the campaign chapter. Adventurer Conqueror King (system) provides an interesting continuation of somewhat subtle idea. The framework of what was started (if I’m remembering this correctly at any rate) by AD&D nearly four decades ago: the push for adventure beyond the dungeon crawl. Otherwise known as Duh! A Campaign! The framework which is found in the Strongholds and Domains section is very well done. Anyone who has ran a D&D campaign knows that with survival comes player character influence (even fame) and while the final idea is that the player characters will build and maintain strongholds and domains, game designers have rarely provided a serviceable framework for this gameable idea. Even if you’re not in the market for an entirely new D&D system, the framework in ACKs can be modified to most systems with a little finesse. Personally, this chapter alone, turns this product into something I'd be happy to have paid money for. And recommend to others, which I do.

Review featured in KoDT #242

In ACKs characters cap out at 14th level. There are the traditional four: fighter, cleric, mage and thief. And some interestingly varied campaign character classes. Campaign classes are the Assassin, and Bard; which are exactly what you imagine them to be, Blade Dancer; human women who serve the god of war, think Amazon Women etc., the Explorer; which is much a ranger, Dwarven Vaultguard, Dwarven Craftpriest, Elvin Spellsword and Elvin Nightblade. All and all a decent mix of magic or advanced fighting/thief capabilities, in regards to demi-human races. No halflings, gnomes or half-elves; thank you, said some people.

Character Alignment is pretty much straight out of OD&D and applies the same way as most retro-clones; Law, Neutrality & Chaos. An interesting choice was to do away with memorization/preparation for spell magic. Casters need only rest themselves for eight hours before being able to restore their spell repertoire. I’ve house ruled this way for most of my fantasy RPGs a long time.

The production value of ACKs, art, tables and layout is respectable. For the PDF of the core book each chapter has a number of hyperlinked pages which you can click and arrive at your chosen destination rather than scrolling through or typing in the page number. This feature is present in the table of contents as well as the index. Both sections have been meticulously detailed and encourage use. The hyperlinked pages are certainly a feature I wish more publishers would take advantage of. One can only hope those publishers are reading this column!   

As I said, Adventurer Conqueror King (system) s is a bit of a D&D mash up. It seems as if the creator borrowed their favorite elements from the different editions of D&D and made an RPG stew of sorts. Some people like stew, while others won’t get near it. The combat system isn’t too difficult to get the gist, but I think most old school gamers would have preferred the standard ascending or descending armor class (AC) system. As I mentioned, the campaign chapter is really well done, expanding the idea of a valuable concept and creating a respectable framework in making it gameable. Keeping with our stew analogy, this is the ingredient that I think most gamers will love.

Centurion-Legionaries of Rome: RPG Review

Centurion-Legionaries of Rome: Cover

Centurion is a prime example of a genre specific storyteller RPG, featuring three potential (era specific) settings within Roman history.

This RPG has a couple of features which make it unique. Most prevalent, is the overarching emphasis (throughout) of crafting and sharing the narrative of the story. So defined, a liberal amount of creative control between the players and the Game Master (GM) is expected. System wise, Centurion has a distinct dice system, and even for a storyteller or narrative style RPG character creation is on the lighter side. Nearly all features of this RPG are designed to encourage story.

Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links to DriveThruRPG.com. I receive a token % if you make a purchase through the landing page. Thank you for the support.

Character creation for Centurion is framed in four simple steps. First, each player will create a character Concept. The concept is a word or phrase, which the player decides what they think best defines the (persona of) character. If this phrase can be referenced into (or used mechanically to build the narrative of) the story, the Concept will award (d6) a boon for the character, dependent on the situation; in regards to dice rolls. Second, the player decides how to distribute a set amount of Rank(s) for Traits: 1, 2, or 3 between Physical, Mental and Social. Each of these Trait points represents a d6. Third, players will create or distribute seven Ranks for Elements, which specifically define abilities or skills of the character.

Example: Players could choose to create four elements for their characters and use the remaining 3 points to increase the capability of those Elements or decide to create seven unique Elements. As with Traits, each Element’s rank (number), directly corresponds to a d6. Fourth, is an option for players to create 1 to 3 Pivots for their characters. Pivots are character goals or quirks. Each Pivot is shaped by one of three base Aspects, these are Duty, Honor and Valor, but additional Aspects are available depending on the scope of the game. If role played appropriately, Pivots shaped by an Aspect provide the GM an opportunity to award player characters an optional boon (d6) to spend in a variety of ways for a future a Test (or check in other systems) in a Challenge presented by the GM.

System wise, as you may have guessed, the use of Ranks implies that Centurion utilizes a dice pool, but that’s not all there is too it. In discussing the dice mechanics let’s start by letting the game speak for itself:

"Dice are used in Centurion to resolve actions. The process… is called the Test, and the results of Tests are decided by rolling… against the dice rolled by other players…"

"Centurion Characters are designed using Qualities… Each Quality is rated in D6s. A Quality that is rated at 2 has 2d6…"

"During a test… Qualities are assembled and can be used to buy other dice…" (PG 7)

Based on how many Qualities or d6s a character has, players compose a hand of dice. From this players can choose to use those dice to buy higher ranked (d8, d10, d12, d20) dice for each specific test or roll the raw amount of d6s available. Thankfully, and because the concept is a bit foreign, there is a table which clearly outlines the specific costs of buying higher ranked dice. Depending on the sort of Challenge presented by the GM, he or she composes their dice hand first for each specific Test. This allows players to consider making strategic adjustments to their own dice hand, if they choose.

A few caveats of the system for Centurion are that a higher ranked die (d8 vs d6) conquers a less sided dice in the instance of a tie, and for the most part number totals are compared by higher sided dice first, then highest to lowest, until the number of comparable dice run out. When the number of comparable dice runs out the Test is concluded. If one player rolls 6d6 and the GM has rated the Test of the Challenge at 4d6 and both roll the dice raw, the four highest results of the player rolling 6d6 will be compared in order. Each success or conquering dice allows the player narrative control of the story. There is also a Difficulty Table and info on how the GM might include Quality Elements to the Challenge. There is a bit more depth to the system for Centurion than this, and even an opportunity for players to earn luck (a future boon) when a Test roll results in 1; but for the most part these are the mechanics.

Review featured in KoDT #249

As mentioned in the introduction, Centurion is a genre specific RPG and based on the bibliography alone the author has certainly put in the work. Rome wasn’t built in a day and it’s apparent that neither was this RPG. All kidding aside, the setting info is thoroughly presented and takes up about two thirds of the book material. Centurion covers three Eras of Roman history.

The Late Republic details Roman activity, society and politics between 500 to 100 BCE (Before Common Era). The Civil Wars or the historical period known as the Denouncement of the Republic, as well as the Principate and provides a brief overview of Rome’s involvement in the wider world; territories conquered and how the army and social structure of Rome changed. The Crisis of the Third Century provides a brief overview of the beginnings of Rome’s fall from grace. These latter two go between 100 BCE all the way to 240-ish CE (Common Era). All of these periods are well written and include semi-relevant info as to the whys and whatnot's about Rome per specific period, including information as to running a game, but it also brings up a point of criticism. In short, some of topics should have been more broadly detailed. While the content on politics and intrigue, and massive scope of Rome itself is interesting on its own, the sections on how to incorporate this info for the purpose of an RPG, (though it is certainly present), is a bit light.

Disclosure: This product was provided by Swords Edge Publishing at no cost, for the purpose of this review, which was written for Knights of the Dinner Table, and reprinted here with permission. Centurion is available in print at Indie Press Revolution as well as other places, and in portable document format (PDF) at drivethrurpg.com. Centurion was brought to life via Kickstarter just short of $6K internet bucks. 

Centurion encourages players to create characters which are specialist type soldiers, scouts and spies. Though there isn’t a template or what most would consider a character class. Characters will likely be part of the Legion, but at the same time somewhat independent, and likely spend a fair amount of their military service away from Rome. If the player characters might be envoys, working for a Legion or Rome itself, a brief about some locations of the empire or outside it; a few sections about Carthage, or details about nations such as the Germany, Spain, Egypt etc., could have change my thoughts on this product from good, to great. As is, Centurion is a good RPG.

Overall, I enjoyed my read through and I defiantly recommend Centurion-Legionaries of Rome, especially if your fascinated with Roman history. Centurion has some unique storyteller style mechanics for sharing and creating stories with your player group. I found the premise interesting and writing does a more than adequate job of bringing Rome to your gaming table. I suspect the dice mechanics and the methods of “buying dice types,” might put those who prefer dice pools (or just standard D&D type checks) a bit off, but I think Centurion should especially appeal to role-players who enjoy dice lite or dice-less systems.

A Red and Pleasant Land: RPG Review

Welcome to a review of A Red and Pleasant Land, a bizarre and beautiful setting book for Lamentations of the Flame Princess or just about any earlier edition (best for Basic or 1st Edition), or clone of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) you might be playing. This review concerns the portable document format (PDF). For reference, I have a first edition in print as well. A Red & Pleasant Land was released in 2014. In 2015 it was awarded four ENnie awards; two gold: Best Writing and Best Setting, and two silver: Product of the Year and Best Adventure. The PDF is available at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com. The print version is available on the Lamentations of the Flame Princess site (lotfp.com), among other places. The company is based in Helsinki, Finland.



A Red & Pleasant Land

Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links to DriveThruRPG.com. I receive a token % if you make a purchase through the landing page. Thank you for your support.   

“Some women and some men and most children know that dreams leak. A lifetime of thinking it that way in your sleep can make drawer on a drafting table three or four inches wider on a side.”
“But there are lives longer than ours. And longer dreams.” (PG 7)

A Red and Pleasant Land is a difficult book to review, but thankfully not for the usual reasons. First, it is unique. Second, the maps and the illustration style are more impressionistic and almost abstract in spots rather than clean. Third and arguably most important, the book doesn’t endorse, nor does it resemble your Grandfather’s or your Dad’s D&D setting. It is a mash of strangeness, inspired by Lewis Carrol’s Through the Looking-Glass, with vampires replacing the principle ruling class, for reasons of which I’m uncertain (other than, why not). In case you are thinking it, the book is not of your favorite D&D setting (Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms etc.) meets Ravenloft, by any sense of comparison. Honestly, it doesn’t even try to do this. As a product, it is a very specific and very strange sort of thing. It is thoroughly, an interesting book cover to cover.

A Red and Pleasant Land is a setting and adventure book. If Lewis Carrol, Bram Stoker and John Eric Holmes decided to take a road trip in a Cooper Mini, because what else would these fine time-traveling gentlemen have to do on a random Tuesday… A Red & Pleasant Land would be the title of the made for TV movie, about such an adventure.

The setting is the war torn Place of Unreason, formerly known as the Land of Voivodja. In the north is the Card Castle, the rule of the Heart Queen Elizabeth Bathyscape. To the south, The Looking Glass Castle; the red house of the Red King, Vlad Vortigen. A war between these two vampire houses has gone on an indefinable amount years, months, or days upon the player characters arrival. The cause of the war is unknown. And to the last two points, and like so many other features of this book, these elements are left open for the Referee (Ref) to determine as they choose.

Wherever The Place of Unreason fits in the Ref’s campaign world, it is hidden and difficult to access. To the north and east it is shadowed by the Carpathian Mountains, while to the south and west forested by the Terrible Goblin Wood. The human population has been severely decreased by the vampire presence. The setting is a strange caricature (of an already strange land) of Wonderland, the world as its best represented in Lewis Carrol’s novels, Through the Looking-Glass and less so, Alice and Wonderland.

The terrain is divided by square-like a chessboard, though unlike Through the Looking-Glass the means of division are more to do with the altitude or height (or lack thereof) of each square, rather than by division of hedge. The terrain is left to the Referee to decide how these varied altitudes connect or even if they connect be it by portal, bridge, stair, ladder or earthly passage. The squares are unique unto themselves, the characteristics of which will be mostly left for the Referee to fill in via useful series of tables.

Through a looking glass is the Quiet Side (the above mentioned is the War Side), which is a mirrored reality. It is a place the gods can’t see (so clerics can’t cast spells) and where vampires don’t exist (lack of reflection). Only the Red King and his Red Brides can cross to the Quiet Side willingly, for but a moment. The Red King uses this ability, and falls to immediate to sleep there, and so that his rest is safe and undisturbed. Lesser vampires use mirrors to call out and lure humans from the Quiet Side for a meal. The Heart Queen can make an appearance if her name is called three times. The Player characters are very limited by the amount of time (mere seconds) they can inhabit the Quiet Side; the silence drives them mad, but like the Red King they too can keep their sanity if they can will themselves to sleep… Rest, keep their sanity, and hopefully be rescued. Almost every being who exists on the War Side has a Quiet Side equivalent and still does even after they are slain.

The Land of Unreason is a rich with unique character and monsters encounters. Most of the outlandish interactions, which are natural choices to those familiar with the fictional works of Lewis Carrol are therein, and have a chapter (and stats) dedicated to them. Admittedly, while it had been sometime since I’d read Alice and Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, (which, I did blow the dust off both) the author has left few stones, if any, unrecycled. There is even an opportunity for player characters to make an Alice, the settings only offer of a character class, but one that is more than worthy and a perfectly quirky fit for the setting.


Review Featured in KoDT #247

Adventure and nonsensical randomness, is generated through a respectable amount of tables. While use of these tables is enticing, but not required, their utility is indisputable; and entirely built to strengthen the setting. Many of these can be stripped of their nonsensical elements and re-utilized for any system, but the most impressive thing about them is the way the author has reversed engineered Carrol’s work for use as an RPG supplement.

While a good deal of the land, and basic plot points of the interior locations are left open for the Ref, both the Card Castle and The Looking Glass Castle are thoroughly detailed. Each space or room is described with a bullet point of three or four features on average, and if relevant the purpose of each space. In design, both castles are meticulously laid out and are very much like a dungeon. Some of the strangeness within these castles is occasionally anticipated, but great deal is unique. Some of my favorite elements are the little things:

One instance of this is that items are occasionally referenced with the following descriptor, I’m paraphrasing: “Items or furniture of this room are worth two or three times their weight in gold.” While this descriptor might be an affront to old school sense or game ability (coin = experience), its use made me put my put my Dungeon Master hat on (don’t you have one of those?) and ask why? After that, I found myself imagining the Red Kings favorite arm chair (the one worth three times its weight in gold) recently gone missing and the player characters hired to find it. Or reading the line straight to my player group, just to see what they would make of such a simple, yet odd concept. Was this what the author intended? Am I a reading a bit too much into this simple turn of phrase? That’s likely. But still, and like Carrol’s work, a weird and well placed phrase (or unsolvable riddle) is a perfect fit for this strange and dark world. And better than this, it gets the reader or in this case the DM thinking.

There are two print errors of note: the handouts for Fragment 6 and Chess Puzzle are missing. If you pick up the second printing I have no idea if these were amended. With the PDF these errors are nonexistent.

In conclusion, A Red & Pleasant Land is certainly strange and has some awesome features that with a little, “do it yourself,” you can plug and play with most RPG systems. The stranger elements don’t really journey to far from the inspired source material. The specific way these elements were engineered for the purpose of an RPG supplement is very well done. At the same time, if you’re in the market for a product with a more standard old school approach, the niche and strangeness of the Through the Looking-Glass setting, with vampires added in for flavor, might not appeal. Apart from all the above, while the review style for this column doesn’t usually point out the finer and more subjective aspects of composition, this book is literally one of the most unique and interesting RPG products that has graced my table… And (I cannot help myself, but) unlike D&D 4th Edition, the awards are well deserved.

RPG Review: Simple Superheroes

Simple Superheroes RPG

This is a review of the portable document format (PDF) of Simple Superheroes, undoubtedly a superhero themed role-playing game (RPG). Published and written by Joshua John Kitz of Compose Dream Games. Simple Superheroes is available online at the RPG Market Place (composedreamgames.com/marketplace) and my new favorite seller site, Indie Press Revolution (indiepressrevolution.com) in print as well as PDF. Compose Dream Games is a small indie publisher, which brought this RPG to life via Kickstarter at just over $4K internet bucks. Simple Superheroes was provided by the publisher free of charge, for the purpose of this review.

Disclosure: This review includes some affiliate links and references.

I’ve been reading over a lot of superhero RPGs lately. My live group is making a push for an alternative game and superhero RPGs are at the top of the pile. I blame Marvel Studios. My player group (of gentlemen grognard scholars) started with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, but when the original Dungeon Master bowed out, and I couldn’t sell them on HackMaster 5e (which is why I’m not in sales), we reverted to yours truly running a hack of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Basic. Personally, D&D Basic is my favorite for obvious reasons, simplicity. So, three such (simple) superhero themed RPGs are at the top of my reviewer slush pile and will most likely serve the purpose for our fill-in game. These are: Save the Day by Okum Art Games, OneDice Supers by Cakebread & Walton (reviewed for EN World here) and this very title, which is about to come under review.

Simple Superheroes features a unique system and via character creation is a bit of a sandbox. There are also some optional features in the rules as well, which push it a bit away from its simple theme and I suspect the author is a fellow number cruncher at heart. Honestly, I don’t mind sandbox elements, as long as the writing does the job of defining the elements for use within said RPG. While many gamers have different ideas of what is a sandbox is, mine are as follows. A sandbox has a box. A written framework, while the “sand” should consists of the ideas, which fill the box and like sand, should be plentiful, but because of the box, not overflowing. Even a decently framed sandbox, is usually the opposite of simple, because sandboxes are meant to cultivate ideas, rather than limit or streamline them. I’m not saying a simple sandbox is impossible, but I’m getting off track and I’ll leave that thought for the conclusion…

As far as its Sandbox elements, Simple Superheroes does this pretty well. The author defines the framework and is none too shy with examples which help color this in. Owing to simple, the book starts out with Character Creation, defined in brief within one page, The Rules defined in one page. And one page, which features Options and Special Actions. This organization is a bit disorderly to what is usually common clicking off the first few pages, but as a rough guide to the system/game itself, it’s decently presented while at the same time, will serve as a useful reference point for new players.

Character creation is anything but straightforward, yet is well defined. The most important and crunchiest aspect of this is selecting an Array. The choices which determine the type of superhero character being created are Well-Rounded, Standard or Focused. Each Array has a specific number of Talent Ranks and Relation Ranks, which will correspond to how many dice, are rolled when a specific talent/superpower/skill is performed. Well-Rounded characters will have a broader Array of Talents with more utility with Standard being the medium, and Focused characters… Being well, more focused!

Players and GMs will essentially be defining each character’s superpowers (Talents) as well as the overall superhero type, from scratch. In Chapter 3: Powers and Common Foes, there is a respectable amount of detail provided to assist with this process. Most information is based on what you’ll find familiar in superhero fiction, but the writer translates these ideas for the purpose of a RPG, without being reliant on other IPs. A collection of guidelines and tables, round this section out, providing a good starting point for how the ranks of superpowers or Talents apply.

 In place of alignment or disposition common to most RPGs, Simple Superheroes builds character personality through two short sections: Relations and Values; Description and Weaknesses. These elements are presented in brief, but mostly encourage players to create concepts or description(s) which will outline their superheroes history, personality, faults and flaws. I’ll let Relations and Values sections, speak for it-selves:

“Relations can be to a person, place, thing, activity or even a Value. The rank reflects the relative importance that your character places on each Relation. Relations are not meant to be used between player characters. They represent how much your character cares about something, not how much someone else is willing to help your character.” (PG 12)

 “…Heroes can take a VALUE instead of a Relation. A Value is a tenet, precept or belief that the hero cherishes and upholds. Because Values tend to be broader than Relations, a hero should only get to roll a Value once per session.” (PG 12-13)

I like what is presented in these sections. Ode to building character for a character’s sake, always gets a nod in my book, as it doesn’t delve into the pitfalls of alignment for a superhero themed RPG. What can I say? A superhero is always the good guy so time is usually better spent developing a backstory. This might be a personal hang-up of mine (in regards to superhero RPGs which focus on alignment), so let’s talk a bit about the system, while I contemplate that.

Simple Superheroes is a dice pool system, which utilizes d6. When characters are using a power or skill and need to resolve a conflict, the number of dice rolled is expressed by the Array Rank of the relevant Talent. For instance, if the player selected the focused Array, one of their powers will start with a rank of 5. If that power is say… super strength, they will roll 5d6 to determine if their task (using super strength) is successful. Like any dice pool the GM sets the difficulty, or the amount of successes required, which in Simple Superheroes a basic success is any die with a result of 3 or higher.

Except, the game also allows the GM to increase the difficulty, by raising the number of individual die as well, such as instead of a success being a 3 it might be a 4 or higher. Unfortunately, while this idea had my RPG mechanic-gear works turning, beyond a few play examples the idea (a good one mind you) doesn’t fully expressive itself. I found myself re-reading over sections just looking for it, doing key phrase searches… It also doesn’t keep to the simple theme, so perhaps this is why the idea isn’t further explored, but this also leaves me to wonder why it was included at all.



This Review Featured in KoDT #246

The true gems of this product are among some of the Game Master (GM) sections. My favorite was a simple questioner with the section Building Your City, which engages the GM to fill in some of the more mundane details of the city setting. Admittedly, this is something I do, when the city itself is important to the campaign or in the least, the player characters will be returning. Details are important for the backdrop of a mundane setting (as well as for the GM to know and create ideas on the fly) and I was delighted to add a few of the author’s questions to my own series. Also as to the GM sections, there is a nice presentation on conflict and how to use it, as well as a short collection of adventure hooks and pre-made superheroes, both of which should assist in getting the dice rolling.

The PDF upon my screen features black and white illustrations and is mere 119 pages cover to cover. Honestly, it reads a lot bigger than it is and much of it speaks not only to running this game, but superhero RPGs in general. The writing is in (RPG) standard double column format, which includes hyperlink references throughout text as well as The Table of Contents. I’m really starting to appreciate publishers who include this as a feature. It makes the material much more searchable and certainly assists with ease of comprehension in regards to new players and aided with this review.

Overall, this is a decent product. If I had to make a choice based on the layout, I would certainly recommend the PDF, rather than the dead tree version. The search-ability of the PDF is a plus, while the layout in book without digital tools leave a bit to be desired. Despite not liking the layout, the writing has craft in spots and the GM sections are articulated very well. In the download section over at Compose Dreams Games (composedreamgames.com) you can get a better idea with five page sample (here) of what Simple Superheroes free, by downloading The Heart of Simple Superheroes.

While no doubt, there are certainly easier systems I can only think of very few which have also attempted to merge the concept(s) of simple and sandbox. While I wouldn’t say the authors attempt is a complete success, I certainly do think the game has achieved a medium between the two and might provide some nice variation from your old RPG, go to systems. This product is worth a look if your player group likes creating their own superpowers and needless to say, especially if you are in the market for a superhero RPG.

Strange Stars: RPG Review

Strange Stars

This is a review of the portable document format (PDF) of the Strange Stars Game Setting Book, Published By: Hydra Cooperative; written By: Trey Causey...

Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links to drivethrurpg; I receive a % if you decide to purchase something from the landing page.

Strange Stars is available at drivethrurpg.com and rpgnow.com in print and PDF format. On hand, I was also provided the Strange Stars OSR Rule Book and the Strange Stars Fate (Core) Rule Book, which this review mentions in brief. These products were provided by Hydra Cooperative free of charge, for the purpose of this review.

The Strange Stars Setting book is compact: 32 pages cover to cover. Unfortunately, it’s so compact that the effort to put forth what I’d consider a “setting book,” has been nearly squeezed to irrelevance. That’s certainly my opinion. While I get what this product is, after I finished my read, my conclusion was that it’s not properly defined. If the book was subtitled: Game Setting “Treatment,” this review would be a little less harsh. Being fair, I certainly seem to be in the minority with this opinion. I’d recalled seeing a high number of positive reviews (and 5 star rates) for this product, but after my impression I was compelled to take a second look at those reviews.

“If you are looking for a book filled with rich histories, detailed customs and lifestyles of each planet and race- then this might not be the book for you.”

Or in other words, nearly the exact definition of what a setting book might be?

This one, is my favorite:

“The layout is smooth, easy to read, & gives not only a gist of the interstellar setting but an entire setting straight out of the box.”

Review featured in KoDT #244

This reviewer is overstating it a bit: An entire setting straight out of the box? This statement is false. A concept of a setting is not for all intents and purposes, a setting. The closest thing I can think of, as to what this product represents in layout and art direction, is a splatbook. In fact, as I write this, I look up the term splatbook (as my mind grasps at what to call it) and here is the first result that sums it up nicely:

“A Splatbook is a non-core sourcebook for an RPG that provides additional rules and material that can be used with the main system.”

 And yes, this is what the Strange Stars, Game Setting Book is, a system less, space opera splat-book.

As far as system, mentioned in the book is a loose association for the RPG: Stars Without Number (SWN), which you can find and download for free on DriveThrurpg.com. If I’m remembering correctly, the tech level for Strange Stars seems a bit advanced for SWN. The two additional titles for this review: Strange Stars OSR Rule Book (which works with SWR) and the Strange Stars Fate (Core) Rule Book roughly follow the same splatbook format, but do provide some serviceable crunch to their respective systems. Let’s talk about the actual book.

First is an overview of the setting. A brief history notes, the four epochs of human space exploration. Earth, known as Old Earth is a fable. Other empires have left behind remnants of advanced technology.

Creatures in the setting are categorized as Sophonts: biological creatures, Moravecs: self-replicating, sapient robots, and Infosophonts: digital minds independent of physical form. Ten or so variants are given a fully illustrated one page treatment and a few details in text. As this book is system less no crunch. These illustrative treatments don’t have their own chapter, but are spread every other page.

Between those pages and starting after the history is the meat of the setting. System maps give a brief treatment to each of the worlds of these systems, slightly detailing inhabitants and basic social conflicts/customs. This is exactly the thing that was missing and was my chief criticism for the Redemption RPG (link to that RPG Review). The system maps and the ideas on how to use them (for RPG purposes), provides the GM a handy resource to work from. On the other hand, Redemption had about 100 pages of detailed setting and history, which Strange Stars doesn’t even compare. The book ends with a number of thoughtfully presented one page treatments, which should aid the GM in getting adventures in this system going.

Certain, Strange Stars wasn’t my cup of coffee. There is a difference between a setting book and splatbook. The art is beautiful to a point, but mundane in it’s over use. I like my setting books with content. The layout is simple to navigate, because the concepts don’t run very deep, and moreover, neither provide the appropriate amount of detail in what should be included with a setting book. If you’re in the market for a space opera setting book, I’d certainly encourage you to look elsewhere.

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate: RPG Review

Wandering Heroes Of Ogre Gate

Welcome to a review of the portable document format (PDF) of Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate. A wuxia & xianxia inspired role-playing game (RPG). Don’t know what wuxia or xianxia is? Admittedly, I had only a passing knowledge myself. We’ll get to that. Digitizing in before me is nearly 500 pages of game content.

Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links. I receive a token % if you purchase something from the landing page. Any purchase you make supports this blog; thank you for the support.

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is available in Hardcover, softcover and PDF at studio2publishing.com and at OBS sites (RPGNow & DriveThruRPG) Bedrock Games is an active indie publisher and has a number of RPG products available. This is the second RPG product (Mafia Cosa Nostra being the first) I’ve had the pleasure to review for this column.

A brief on Wuxia and Xianxia:

One of the most well-known and readily available examples of wuxia is the movie Hidden Tiger, Crouching Dragon. If you haven’t seen this movie I highly recommend you do. If you don’t care to learn what wuxia is, I still recommend it. It’s good. To put it roughly, wuxia is Chinese mythologies knight errand. The literal definition is martial hero. Typically, these heroes roam the land righting wrongs, for the sake of virtue, instead of a typical knighted hero, for god and country. The driving elements in wuxia or of a wuxia story, are the martial artists’ journey for virtue itself-to do a thing because it is virtuous, rather than as with the western ideal, in the name of said virtue.

Xianxia literally means immortal hero. A xianxia story deals in the fantastical, bringing in the elements of demons and magic wrapped in Chinese mythology. The merge of these elements is attributed to the influence of Taoism, a real world religion being practiced today. While martial arts are a prime feature in wuxia, in xianxia martial arts are an element of the story. Xianxia themes are more to do with the supernatural. The best western movie I can think of to compare (or one which you may have seen) is Big Trouble in Little China; this to me, is a xianxia movie. Thankfully, the preface provides an explanation that should have any westerner ignorance covered, or least does so in an effort to create a roleplaying game with these themes. Now that we’ve covered that in brief, let’s get to it!

The setting of Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is Qi Xien, the realm of man, which following the multiple definitions used by Chinese language also implies the physical world players will explore. To say that amount of setting detail in Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate impressed, is putting it mildly.

Historical Eras are succinctly defined providing a mythological themed “beginning of time” and a brief description for each of the following eras to the setting’s present. The timeline encompasses about 4,000 years of Qi Xien (fictional) history. A few of these eras even come with their-own map! Those that read this column know that if this reviewer is a sucker for anything; its maps and setting. Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate has both. Admittedly, the setting elements of this RPG were the first chapters/sections I jumped to when I began my review. Beyond eras, lengthy sections expand and tie in the basics of Qi Xien: religions, cosmology, customs & daily life.

Chapter Eight: People & Places-provides a detailed outline of the Zhan Dao Empire, (the likely, governmental protagonist) and a number of brief outlines for the independent regions and cities beyond. Just about every notable region, or city location indicated on the map, is provided a treatment. While a picture paints a thousand words, the description provided in regards to the setting make sure that this picture is specific (or at least will be) in the theater of the (players/GMs) mind. Wander Heroes of Ogre Gate doesn’t imply, it richly describes it.

A bit of an aside, but with a little improvisation the setting elements of this RPG could certainly be inserted into just about any medieval fantasy setting. I have some thoughts to even incorporate Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate as a land afar, for my current D&D basic campaign. Let’s move on to the fiddly bits, otherwise known as game mechanics.           

Review featured in KoDT #243

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate utilizes a variation of the Network System. Mechanically, the Network System is a skill based system. Characters don’t have what we classically consider attribute or ability scores, which aim to simulate physical and mental aptitudes. The system utilizes a D10 dice pool. Unlike previous editions the system, Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate incorporates incremental numerical (+1 or -2 etc.) modifiers. Difficulty is determined by the Game Master and can be adjusted by situational modifiers and/or, martial hero capability.

A character’s skill or level of aptitude directly correlates to the total number of dice rolled for a check. With the target number set by the GM, as long as one of the dice rolled is a number equal or greater than TN, the character succeeds. A specific action which is determined by roll of the dice is a success, a greater than normal success, or failure.

A few particulars of this system are that with an unskilled check or trying to something in which a character has no rank in the relevant skill; the roll is 2d10 and the lowest result is taken. Penalty and condition modifiers can alter a roll dramatically reducing or increasing the dice roll by as much as (+/-) 3d10. In addition these modifiers, additional numerical modifiers equal to the number of dice, which are added (favorable) or subtracted (unfavorable) from the result. Rolling an unmodified 10 is counted as a greater than normal success and awards a bonus dependent on the specific nature of the roll, be it in the attempt at a skill or combat roll.

I’ve done a couple a reviews without; so let’s make a character!

Character creation in Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is no simple task. The reason for this is the number of options and the meticulous nature of the writing. Right away, while everything is clearly outlined and this being my first delve into making my martial hero, I can tell I’m in for it. I’m giving a brief treatment here rather than covering all of the thirteen steps.

Step One is picking a race. There are four other worldly options besides being human and the subtle features of these races (advantages/disadvantages) are borrowed from Chinese mythology. I took the road most traveled here and selected a human.

Step Two Primary Skill Groups. Players select their primary and secondary skills groups, note, not the actual skills themselves, until (step seven) the character is better fleshed out. Primary skills are selected among two of the six total categories, and receive 12 points for each. Six points are given for Secondary skills and can be among any of the other six categories. What interesting about this section is the ability for characters to increase the physic of their characters is possible by availability of skill ranks which reflect physical aptitudes. Most skill based systems avoid the mechanics of physicality (or at least the ones I’ve read mostly do), but as the practice of martial arts is certainly a physical activity I was glad to see these options. Skills are divided into two categories General and Expertise.

Step Three is to Select a Sect and/or Sifu. I’ll let the game speak for itself here:

 “Martial sects are organized groups of Kung Fu Experts and come in many forms. Some sects are associations or communities, some are religious orders and others are martial arts schools. Sects are divided into orthodox and unorthodox sects….” (PG 190; Martial Sects, CHPT 6)

There are a dozen sects to choose from. Each are provided a brief treatment: History, Organization Belief, Reputation & available martial arts techniques. If I ran a Campaign, I would certainly have the players start in the same sect, though this isn’t a requirement.

Step Six, is selecting from among four Kung-Fu disciplines which players previously allocated points to determine proficiency. Each discipline has a specific number of techniques attributed. What’s most interesting here is the way Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate balances a characters ability to utilize techniques by creating an applicable mechanic: imbalance and limiting the initial techniques that are available via sect/Sifu. Each of the four disciplines, the available techniques and options receives a detailed treatment encompassing roughly 60 pages of content.

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is certainly not an entry level RPG. Though a minor point, that could be a criticism, but if it is, it’s really the only one I can muster up. The level of detail is likely the first thing you’ll notice if you pick it up. In fact, as I wrote this review I had to carefully decide what to include and there is a lot of good and great content here I’m not mentioning.

The layout and organization is very important in a product like this due to its sheer enormity, but thankfully the table of contents acts as a mini index; chapters and heading titles have been thoughtfully linked in the PDF. One click and you arrive. Beyond what is written I can honestly say that there wasn’t a single aesthetic that I didn’t like; which is pretty rare. I usually find something to nit-pick. The clean lines and effects of the interior black and white illustrations, certainly add to the wuxia and xianxia vibe. The artist Jackie Musto is awesome! As is the cartography work. The maps, borders, headers and side pane illustrations are very trim this product nicely.

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is a product I defiantly recommend. And in so far, the best RPG I’ve reviewed, this year.

Deadly Trappings by Kenzer & Company: RPG Reveiw

Deadly Trappings

This RPG review of Deadly Trappings starts with a gamer admission, as well as a disclosure. What can I say? The Gawds of the Many Faced Dice, demand my confession. First, I have a long standing, and serious love/hate relationship in regards to dungeon trap manuals and RPG trap rules/guidelines. This is the first section of any new dungeon fantasy RPG I go to. “A rock falls everyone dies,” is my DM mantra.

Also, I write RPG reviews on a monthly schedule and contribute the occasional article, for Kenzer & Co.’s, Knights of the Dinner Table (KoDT) magazine. The Deadly Trappings in this volume published before I’d written anything with KoDT. I don’t’ think it will cause bias in the review, but I’m mentioning it.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links and I receive a token percentage if you purchase anything; thank you for that support.

Deadly Trappings is a collection of seventy-seven system neutral traps. Most are designed for use in a dungeon, but there are a couple of oddities (a spaceship trap & and a guy in a cowboy hat, triggering a western genre, bear trap). Each trap receives two or three panels of illustration and at minimum one half, to three quarters of a page description. Text size varies for each, but most trap descriptions are between 300-500 words. The traps are same format of those published monthly in KoDT. Presumably, this book is a collection of the best of those traps, which (originally published 2009) were written before 2010.

The reader immediately gets acquainted with Joe Cocksure, Deadly Trapping’s proverbial, faces of death test monkey. Joe is the featured character of the graphic illustrations of the traps. Joe dies a lot.

The writing of each trap is remarkably consistent given they are authored by about thirty individual contributors. While all of these traps are indeed system neutral, most include a short blurb about the history of the device as well as its mechanics (system less crunch); and/or information about the NPC designer of the trap, and/or the motivation behind the design. The fluff elements create an interesting back story for each trap, something pretty uncommon with supplements such as this, when mechanics are usually the sole focus.

Disclosure: This RPG Review of Deadly Trappings was written for and originally published with Stuffer Shack, republished here with permission

I understand that for some, the most important thing about a trap manual is directly related to how many of these traps the DM/GM might actually use. While others like to use manuals such as this to craft their own ideas. Deadly Trappings should have either camp covered, but the bottom line is, I don’t know your game. And dungeon crawl to dungeon crawl, I’ve seen very different ideas on the “proper way” to utilize traps.

The most useful solution I can think of is giving a baseline description as to the sort of traps featured with Deadly Trappings. I’ve collated a ten point bullet list for consideration. Needless to say, but some of these concepts overlap each other:

· Magic Traps: 21

· Step on it, Trigger: 25

· Total Party Kill (TPK); Or Traps which Feature this Potential: 14

· Traps which De-limb or Maim: 8

· Death by Rock or Stone: 9

· Death by Falling: 16

· Death by Fire: 6

· Death by Asphyxiation: 5

· Death by Poison/Toxin or Acid: 9

· Traps you’d be unlikely to use with Your Favorite Edition of D&D: 3 

In conclusion, Deadly Trappings has a respectable mix of traps. I have the perfect bound print edition which weighs in at 80 pages as well as (though I can’t find my old hard drive) the PDF. Whether you’re a fellow trapmatician, or just a DM in need of some good trap material I don’t think you can go wrong here. But then again, that’s likely the last thought through my player characters minds before… “A rock falls, every one dies.”

Happy trapping!

RPG Review: Dead Reign

Dead Reign

Welcome to a review of the portable document format (PDF) of Palladium Books, Dead Reign, which is available at DriveThruRPG.com. If you’d prefer an undead tree version, you can mash some buttons and order one at the Palladium Books website. Though Dead Reign was published late 2008 the PDF version wasn’t put up as a digital product until 2015.

Disclosure: This article includes affiliate links. I receive a token % if you purchase something on the landing page. Thank you for the support.

In the interest of transparency it’s important to disclose that I published three game articles with Palladium Books quarterly publication the Rifter from 2013-2014. I do not know anyone at Palladium Books personally and if I thought for a moment I couldn’t write a fair review you wouldn’t be reading it. Let’s get into it…

Zombie games, will they ever go away? The darn things just won’t die. What was once considered a fad has morphed into a full blown-movement people! If I had a nickel for every zombie I’ve slain at the gaming table, as the saying goes I’d be a rich man. Instead, I write the occasional game review to supplement my RPG habit...

RPGs are representative of a small but respectable share of the zombie movement. The first table top RPG which comes to my mind was Eden Studios, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, which was published in 1999. Credit to them for being zombie, before zombie was this cool… Fast forward almost ten years (and another 7 for the PDF) with a lot of games in-between and we arrive at Dead Reign.

As a publisher and of the many games under their flag, Palladium Books is known for the strength of its settings. In this regard, Dead Reign doesn’t disappoint. What’s important for any respectable zombie RPG; is that it must remain true to the media that came before it, yet not just settle on the creative common of that which has come before.

Dead Reign encapsulates two popular media tropes; part survival horror, something akin to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead and part modernization such as with Max Brook’s World War Z. Though the elements from these media are familiar Dead Reign doesn’t just sit idly upon them. The game defiantly has its own take on the zombie apocalypse and most importantly successfully translates it for the purposes of an RPG.

Palladium Books is also known for their old school approach to game mechanics and rules coined the Megaversal System. Coming up on nearly forty years in the business of publishing games, Palladium Books has never produced what one would consider a major system over haul or second edition. If you’re privy-no, in this reviewer’s opinion -though it did present some updates, Rifts Ultimate Edition doesn’t count. The rules are also slightly tweaked per each setting in which Palladium Books has produced. The Megaversal System is indeed looser (and inconsistent) than most modern role-players are accustomed and not to mention old school.

While Dead Reign continues both traditions (excellent setting/Megaversal System) it also has some useful approaches to help expedite character creation (the length of which to roll a character is usually a criticism) and a lot of interesting tweaks to the zombies you’ll try and head shot.

Creating a character in Dead Reign presents two options, traditional character creation and quick character creation. The quick method is not only as advertised it’s a bit more advantageous for the player character’s attribute scores-that is, if we consider the RPG Dice Gawd’s law of averages.

The traditional method will likely have its appeal to the purest while the quick method will likely have its appeal to those new and most importantly, those wanting to slay some zombies! Characters in Dead Reign have eight attributes three mental, five physical. Rolling attributes involves rolling 3D6, tallying and placing the result in order. The crux of this old school method is that you may get a low score someplace you’d prefer it not to be, while if you happen to roll a total of 16 or higher the player can roll an additional D6 to add to that specific attribute.

The quick method has eight options. The choice of which will leave few rolls but sum up the physical and mental attributives of the character. As with any system that utilizes standard attributes, Dead Reign provides ability and situational benefits (+/-) based on attributes. Utilizing the quick method you can really create the character you want. Want a character who’s physically tough, or one who can think themselves out of the situation? Dead Reign has this covered. Also of note is that the average attribute score using the quick method pushes attribute scores higher than they would be (on average) than using the traditional method. While making character creation a little less random I thought it was an excellent option for an old school system.

Dead Reign supplies two categories of characters to play, Occupational Character Classes (OCCs) and Survivor Occupants. OCCs are well detailed character classes with a range of special abilities and skills catered for the setting. There is even an interesting variant of playing a half-zombie like character. Survivor Occupants are ordinary folks-the cooks, cleaning ladies and TV repairmen; average Joes and Janes trying to survive in a world gone to heck.

Though there isn’t a huge dissimilarity in ability or power between the two sorts of characters you can roll up, there certainly is a difference. Point of fact it’s enough of a difference that it should make for some interesting choices in the sort of characters being played. For instance having a player group comprised of Survivor Occupants is going to necessitate a toughie based game, while choosing to use the Survivor OCCs will facilitate a more heroic or action themed game. Also while the two sorts of character categories are different they aren’t so out of whack that a Game Master (GM) if they so choose, can’t integrate a mix of both with the player group.

 

The setting of Dead Reign is modern day. The player characters are thrust into the role of survivors who have survived the initial zombie onslaught or wave. Instead of presenting a single theory or as some games often do or no theory in regards to the origin of the zombie apocalypse; Dead Reign presents five open ended scenarios. I liked the presentation in leaving the cause of the zombie apocalypse up to the Game Master (GM). Also, though it’s been left unsaid, offering the setting in this way allows the GM to have a bit of wiggle room. Seeing how the players react to the setting elements of the game may very well shape the overarching campaign in the hands of a forward thinking GM.

Disclosure: This review was originally published in Knights of the Dinner Table and is property of Kenzer & Company. It has been republished here with permission.

What about Zombies? You ask. Dead Reign features seven types. Though for the most part zombies are zombies, Dead Reign has some interesting variants, which in turn will offer some unique challenges. I’m leaving a bevy of excellent setting info out, but the short of it is I could probably write a review twice as long concerning this game.

There is a decent section of 101 Hook Line and Sinkers (AKA: Bait and Tackle in KoDT Parlance) which do a great job of bringing all of the setting elements of the book together. What’s also really good about this game is the work the writers put in to not only define the zombies, but the human presence within the zombie apocalyptic setting.

Ok-so what don’t I like…

My criticisms concerning Dead Reign are twofold. Having played Dead Reign as well as being familiar with the Megaversal System for many years, the tweaks for the game are less dice roll friendly than what has been published before. One example of this is the dice mechanics involved in killing zombies. In short, it is pretty difficult to land a head shot at relatively close range or least much more difficult than it should be. I think the tweaks are an attempt to simulate realism (fear anxiety) but as far as a game dynamic I would have liked to see something different in place.

My second criticism is that some of the content and choices include elements of the Megaversal system, though don’t actually apply to the game itself. I see this creating some confusion to any gamers new to the system. One example of this has to do with two attributes Physical Endurance and Mental Endurance. Both include listed bonuses for saving throws that aren’t particular to Dead Reign a save for magic and a save for psionics. Admittedly I’m not sure how big a deal this is but the layout could have been a little better defined-or magic and psionics included with the setting?-hey yeah!

Speaking of content, the illustrators of Dead Reign did an excellent job of setting the mood. The interior art is black and white and like any Palladium Books product there is plenty of it. While usually I like art being more consistent in my RPGs, the contrast in styles (perhaps because of the genre) works really well to my taste. The cover sets the tone and is both horrible and wonderful, illustrated by E.M Gist. If you’re looking for a zombie game, a PDF of Dead Reign is certainly worth the asking price.