Category: Ring Side Report

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-12: The Burning of Greensteeples

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Product– Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-12: The Burning of Greensteeples

System- Pathfinder 2nd Ed

Producer– Paizo

Price– $ 8.99 here  https://paizo.com/products/btq08bzx?Pathfinder-Society-Scenario-612-The-Burning-of-Greensteeples 

TL; DR-Fun events, but little big pictures.  90% 

Basics–  Greensteeples burns!  Thrune attacks the Pathfinders at Greensteeples, and it’s your job to help.  Can you get in, get your friends, and get out?

Mechanics or Crunch– This adventure covers a lot of bases. It has an infiltration round and several combats.  Infiltration could be better described in the core books, but what’s here functions ok within the rules themselves.  There is a smattering of social encounters, but overall, it’s several small events as the players attempt to sneak in, kill bad guys, get friends, and sneak out.  It’s good overall, with only a few small issues.  4.75/5

Theme or Fluff–  I know Thrune doesn’t like the Pathfinders, but there seems like there is more going on, but I don’t know it.  I feel like this is setting up something big, but I don’t have enough to tell my players about it.  There is moving and shaking, but I don’t understand it.  I’d like to know more than what’s here.  The base plot is fine, but the bigger plot is something I think isn’t well explained.  3.75/5

Execution– It’s Paizo.  I keep saying they do this well, and they did this well again. 5/5Summary– I liked this one, but I wish I could love this one.  I need more big story beats.  I felt like I missed it here, so my players may miss it as well.  The major events went well, and the players and I had fun with the crunch.  The execution is on point as always.  I just want to know more of what is going on.  90%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Pathfinder Adventure Path #183: Field of Maidens (Blood Lords 3 of 6)

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Product– Pathfinder Adventure Path #183: Field of Maidens (Blood Lords 3 of 6)

System- Pathfinder 2nd Ed

Producer– Paizo

Price– $ 26.99 here  https://paizo.com/products/btq02c11?Pathfinder-Adventure-Path-183-Field-of-Maidens 

TL; DR–  Good, but some fluff in the middle.  93% 

Basics–  Ok, but who’s behind all this crap?  Field of Maidens picks up where the book two of Blood Lords left off with our heroes being summoned to find who’s behind the poison plot. But along the way bodies start to pile up…

Mechanics or Crunch– The crunch here works well.  Paizo understands their system the best, and it shows.  The combats were balanced, and my all undead party had monsters where they could FINALLY use negative energy to damage.  There is some serious social interaction along the way as well as a bit of exploration.  Fun all around.  5/5

Theme or Fluff–  The adventure works, but some of it feels like fluff. This adventure has the characters go after a newly undead creature from the first book.  As they track them down, they learn about the new creature, but some of the events along the way are kind of out of left field.  There is about a third of the adventure in the field of maidens that felt like it really wasn’t necessary. It works, but it’s a bit of fluff that might not really build out the main quest.  4/5

Execution– Paizo knows their stuff.  Paizo made this so there is good art, hyperlinks, good layout, and an easy to read style that makes this easy to approach.  Solid production all around. 5/5

Summary–  This adventure is fun, but be ready for the filler episode.  The middle third isn’t really necessary, but the rest does advance the plot.  The monsters are fun, combat enjoyable, and the social interactions are well done.  It’s a well done book with a bit of filler.  93%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Old Gods of Appalachia Player’s Guide

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Product– Old Gods of Appalachia Player’s Guide

System- Cypher System

Producer– Monte Cook Games

Price– $7.99 here  https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/448863/old-gods-of-appalachia-player-s-guide?affiliate_id=658618 

TL; DR-Missing pieces and price hurt the product.  83% 

Basics-What’s that in the woods?  Old Gods of Appalachia is a horror podcast made into an RPG using the Cypher System by Monte Cook Games.  Let’s see what is in that hollar down yonder!  

System et al- This is the Cypher System you know and love.  You lose points from each pool instead of being dealt damage on a condition track.  Besides that, this is the cypher system that you either hate or love.

Cyphers-  So what’s a cypher?  I don’t think this book even explains it.  That’s a major problem…

Mechanics or Crunch– This gives a decent intro to the cypher system, but it has a major flaw not explaining what a cypher is.  You will learn fast, but the fact the book doesn’t explain this is a problem.  The system is explained decently and you get enough background to play.  The book comes with four complete characters so you can get playing fast. 4/5

Theme or Fluff– Here is the high point of the book.  This book spends lots of time explaining the world of the American coal country during the period of 1900 to a little past WW2.  It’s deep but leaves more room for you to explore. This is honestly most of the book.  5/5

Execution– This is good, but WAY TOO expensive!  This is a 32-page book that costs eight bucks.  AND IT DOESN’T EXPLAIN HOW A CYPHER WORKS!  This should be a free product and there is a free intro version that is 17 pages.  This is a lot of exposition and four characters.  It’s done well, but the art is recycled in the main book, so it’s just too expensive.  3.5/5

Summary– This is a decent product hurt by a few key issues.  If you have this, you have four characters that you can instantly run in someone else’s game.  That’s good. You will understand the rules EXCEPT for what a cypher is.  You will find out quick, but it’s the system name!  Also, the price is WAY too high for an intro product.  This feels more like a free product a company throws out to get interest.  Honestly, maybe just buy the core book which is 3 times as much but over 10 times as long.  83%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game

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Product– The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game

System- Cypher System

Producer– Monte Cook Games

Price– $24.99 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/498597/the-magnus-archives-roleplaying-game?affiliate_id=658618  

TL; DR-Run for your lives cypher system horror!  100% 

Basics– Begin your statement….  This is the full RPG for the Magnus Archives.  This has rules for the cypher system, how to make characters, character options, monsters, two adventures, and a full introduction to the Magnus Archives.

System et al- Cypher system is VERY agnostic for where you put it in.  It’s always only the player rolling,  and how hard a thing is, is its rating.  Players have abilities and can spend points to reduce the ratings of any challenge.  Players then roll a d20 and need to hit the rating times 3.  Failure isn’t instant death, but does have consequences.  Doesn’t matter if it’s Numenera, fantasy, or horror like the Magnus Archives.

Cyphers-  Cyphers are one time things that give you awesome powers.  In the original system, they were items from a long time ago that might be one time cool tricks, like a cell phone that will let you call five minutes into the future to give yourself a heads up on what problems you’re going to face.  Here, cyphers are one time abilities.  You rest up and you get these back.  I don’t hate the change, but it was surprising the first time I saw it.

Mechanics or Crunch– This is what I wanted!  This book has rules for the whole system. One shocking thing is how powered the monsters are!  Most monsters start at a challenge of 5.  That means a character must roll a 15 if they want to hurt them.  This goes with the theme, but the game says that you need to RUN when bad things happen. You’re just a dude and that zombie will eat you.  But, that ties the theme well into the story.  Also, most characters are not crazy psychic monsters like the X-men. You might get some psychic powers later, but for the most part, it’s hitting that zombie with a baseball bat or shooting horrors with a .45 to make them go away.  And I enjoy it!  5/5

Theme or Fluff– Theme is strong here as well.  Like I mentioned in mechanics, you don’t want too many straight up fights.  This isn’t pulp stories or superhero comics.  You’re gonna die!  And that’s horror.  The feeling that that thing in the dark is not just Generic Monster 4 for you to mop up for XP before the pizza arrives is very strong in this book.  The mechanics and the theme drive you to feel the dread your character experiences.  5/5

Execution– Monte Cook Games does solid work in production.  The book reads easily, has solid art, and is well laid out.  Overall it’s just a well done book.  I said this last time and I’ll say all the same things again.  The one minor issue is this book has two adventures but no premade characters.  But I will give it a pass as the free player book has four premade characters in it.  5/5

Summary–  This is a good book, but you have to decide what you want.  If you want more modern horror, then this is a solid book with great mechanics and a whole podcast behind it.  If you want to punch Cthulhu in his tentically face, then this is not the game for you.  Also, the podcast is well done but technically over.  That’s not bad, as you get a complete story, but might drive some players away. If you like the cypher system and want horror, then this is your game.  100%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of The Magnus Archives Player’s Guide

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Product– The Magnus Archives Player’s Guide

System- Cypher System

Producer– Monte Cook Games

Price– Free here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/498598/the-magnus-archives-player-s-guide?affiliate_id=658618  

TL; DR– Good, but this doesn’t cover most of the basics. 80% 

Basics– What’s your statement?  The Magnus Archives is a podcast that was adapted to the cypher system.  Players take the roles of investigators looking into paranormal events.  WIll you find what’s causing all these strange events?

Base Mechanics- This is the cypher system. Players state an action, and the GM states a difficulty.  The difficulty times 3 is what the player needs to roll on a d20.  If the player wants to lower the DC, players can spend points from a pool for mind, body, and dexterity to reduce the level.  The GM doesn’t roll dice!

And that’s it.  It’s built on the basic cypher system.

Mechanics or Crunch– This book gives the very basics of the cypher system, but dont expect to play the game with this alone.  You can’t build characters with this.  Nor can you really run a game with this alone.  You get the base mechanics of this game with a good explanation, but you get no options.  It has pregenerated characters, which I love, but it’s very bare bones.  3.5/5

Theme or Fluff– There is more here, but it’s very basic.  I don’t know what the Magnus Archives are and why there are statements.  I know there are podcasts about it, and I’m interested in them now.  But I don’t really know why or who is doing the investigating.  What’s here will draw you in, but you will need the full book to get those answers. 3.5/5

Execution– Monte Cook Games does solid work in production.  The book reads easily, has solid art, and is well laid out.  Overall it’s just a well done book.  5/5

Summary–  For the price of free, this is a good intro to the Magnus Archives.  If I had paid for this, I would be upset.  In a player’s guide, I expect a bit more character options and explanations to the game.  This has a decent explanation, but no options.  I also expect a bit more in terms of world building.  I’m intrigued, but I have no answers to what is going on.  As a product, this is a good book for production.  I want a lot more, and all of that is found in the main game book.  Worth a look at free if you want to see the basics of the system and world.  80%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of CthulhuTech: The Shadow War Quick-Start Rules (V2)

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Product– CthulhuTech: The Shadow War Quick-Start Rules (V2)

System- CthulhuTech (V2)

Producer– Wildfire

Price– Free here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/156677/cthulhutech-the-shadow-war-quick-start-rules-v2?src=hottest_filtered&affiliate_id=658618  

TL; DR– Good, but I miss robots.  93% 

Basics– Welcome to the shadow war!  In CthulhuTech, magic has returned to the world and it has merged with all the tech of the day.  However, strange Gods and Cults now use this for their own goals.  This will not end well for mankind!  This book has several pre-generated characters and a walk through of a very simple adventure with mechanics to introduce the new version to new players.

Base mechanic- This game uses a d2 system.  Basically you have a skill and an attribute. You roll dice equal to their total for an action.  If you get odds, you fail on that die, and evens are successes.  Get enough successes and good things happen.  This goes all the way through to combat and chases.  It’s a VERY simple system. 

Mechanics or Crunch– This is a simple game intro for a simple game.  But it works.  This is not crazy complex with all kinds of modifiers.  I’d put this closer to a Fate system.  If you want rules lighter but with some choice, this might be the system for you.   5/5

Theme or Fluff–  This adventure is good, but the layout is both good and annoying.  The characters have their own sections which is nice.  The GM doesn’t get a lot of introduction to the system before reading box text.  The game primarily teaches about the world and mechanics by box text.  This is good as an intro,but I still don’t know too much about the world itself.  I also feel its not really tech-based any more.  I feel this is just magic or even more closer to Persona with the characters basically using summons to fight.  I’d like more tech and less Cthulhu in this game. 4/5

Execution–  This works well.  The book has separate character sheets, pictures, and a nice layout to make it easy for players.  For the GM, there are nice sections to guide the GM so they can guide the players into the story.  It flows easily and quickly for a fun one shot adventure.  5/5

Summary– I am intrigued by this.  It’s fun and simple.  I typically like more crunch, but this works well enough for what it wants to be.  The world might be better served with more build up.  There is story here, but I feel like I’m missing a lot.  This is due to it being a quick start.  I am interested in the full book, so it did its job.  93%