Ring Side Report- Board Game Review of Machina Arcana

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Game– Machina Arcana

Producer- Machina Arcana

Price– $80 here http://machinaarcana.com/store/

Set-up/Play/Clean-up– 45 min per player (1-4 players)

TL; DR– Style over substance. 65%

 

Basics– Can you stop the end?  Machina Arcana takes place in the Cthulhu mythos/steam punk world as brave heroes battle the forces of darkness.  Each turn, each player gets a number of stamina points to spend on different actions that range from one point for moving to three points to activate places on the map.  Players can act in any order each turn.  Then, each player rolls to see if monsters spawn on the map with each player who doesn’t spawn a monster making it easier for monsters to spawn.  Then, one player rolls a horror check.  If the party doesn’t have a horror event, then it becomes easier for a horror check to happen next round.  If the party does have a horror event, then another track that monitors how difficult the monsters are moves forward and a bad event occurs.  Finally, the monsters move around the map attacking players if able.  Play continues like this until players activate map points advancing the plot.  Players continue moving about the map, activating different map points for items/events/plot until the final plot card is resolved and the players win or the last available hero is killed and the players lose (and the world ends).

 

Theme-This game has a lot of theme, but it’s pretty random.  The game makes some great strides in telling a cool story as the different scenarios all have different plots.  I liked to move through the cards and read aloud the story as well as the horror cards, events, and even the characters backgrounds.  What takes away from all that is the randomness of the game.  The best comparison for this game is Arkham Horror, Decent 2nd ed., and Castle Ravenloft.  The monsters that spawn are all random in both Arkham Horror and Castle Ravenloft, with Decent only having on theme monsters for each scenario.  But, those games fix the story problem in several ways with Arkham Horror stating that more than just the big bad guy is moving around, doing stuff and Castle Ravenloft has all the monsters on theme to begin with.  This game has random monsters spawn from all over the Cthulhu rogues gallery, but the theme is off as some of these monsters really wouldn’t work together.  Some even have eaten one another in the mythos!  The boards are random too, but again this is fixed in comparison games as well.  Arkham horror has gates to different lands with random mythos encounters in the gates, Castle Ravenloft stacking the tile deck to make sure a desired tile occurs, and Decent custom building each map.  All of the problems in this game don’t completely make it jarringly difficult to get into the world, but it’s a noticeable problem.  As for a steam punk, the theme of that comes across only on the art.  Again, not bad, but I was expecting more.  3/5

 

Mechanics– Again I’m going to compare to Castle Ravenloft, Decent, and Arkham Horror.  The basics thoughts of all those games combine decently in this game.  You get the exploration of Ravenloft, the movement and attack of Decent, and the mythos/story/events of Arkham Horror.  What I got here was fairly well done.  What are new about this one are the items.  Some items have marks on the sides and bottom.  If you combine these items with other cards with the same marks on the opposite side or top, you can upgrade your equipment.  That’s pretty cool!  The only real big problem is the monsters mechanics.  Monsters all follow some basics rules.  Castle Ravenloft has much better mechanics for giving the monsters autonomy when they attack, move, or do anything else.   4.5/5

 

Instructions-These instructions are not well done.  Arkham Horror, Decent, and Castle Ravenloft all have better instructions in them to get the same points across.  This game attempts to do a semi-quick start, but the quick start doesn’t end quickly and will leave you fairly confused.  There is way too much going on on any page.  The rules are convoluted, and you will end up rereading a passage several times as you try to understand the game.  I barely made it through because I bought the game and I wanted to see how it worked. 2.5/5

 

Execution– Here is another problem area.  Lots of the boards came warped.  My box was dented on the inside.  That’s a pretty petty complaint, but I paid $60 via kickstarter, I expect more.  The art is somewhat detracting as it interferes with readability.  The cardboard is also strange as its thick but too malleable.  The monsters come as cardboard tokens with standees, but to get them in the standees, you have to force them, and they more often than not bend too much and warp.  I now have a wappiejaw Mi-Go and shoggoth standing at strange, sadly Euclidian angles! 3/5

 

Summary-This isn’t a bad game, but it’s not a good game either.  If you want a well-done co-op Cthulhu mythos game, play Arkham Horror or Eldritch Horror.  If you want a well-done co-op dungeon crawl, then play Decent or Castle Ravenloft.  If you have to have both of those together, then this game will do.  It does have steam punk, but it’s not the main push.  Its got faults, but it’s not unplayable by any means.  But odds are, I won’t be playing this one any time soon. 65%

Daily Punch 9-1-14 Magic Domain for DnD Next

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 5 Comments

If we have magic gods in the Forgotten Realms, then there must be a magic domain for clerics.  Let’s make this happen!

 

 

Magic Domain

Gods of Magic like Mystra control and are the magical weave that binds the world together.  Mortals are sometimes called to protect, maintain, or build the weave and become clerics of this domain.  Sometimes these clerics are tasked with preventing misuses of the arcane as well.  The mortals who pray to the gods of magic are often wizards, sorcerers, and those that dabble in the arcane, or those asking for protection from it.

 

Magic Domain Spells

Cleric Level     Spells

1st      detect magic, Identify

3rd     Magic Missle, Shield

5th     Magic Circle, Dispel Magic

7th     Evard’s Black Tenticals, Dimension Door

9th    Creation, Bigby’s Hand

 

Bonus Skill and Spell

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain training in the Arcana skill and gain one cantrip on the wizards spell list.  At 6th level gain a second, and 12th level gain a third.  Unlike a wizard, you cast these and any other arcane spells you know using your wisdom as your spellcasting ability instead of intelligence.

 

Channel Divinity: Enhance magic

Starting at 2nd Level, you can use your channel divinity to enhance the next arcane spell you or another cast.

As an action, you can target you or another creature in 30 feet.  The next arcane spell cast by the target has the save DC increased by half your proficiency bonus or add half your proficiency bonus as a bonus to any attack made with an arcane spell.  The creature must cast a spell within in one minute of you using channel divinity.

Also, as an action, you can enhance an already active spell.  If you do so, the active spell gains a  bonus to its DC equal to your proficiency bonus for the duration of the spell.

A target may only benefit from your use of Enhance Magic once even if you use the ability multiple times.

 

Channel Divinity: Counterspell

Starting at 6th level, you can use your channel divinity to cast counterspell as per the spell with a bonus equal to half your proficiency bonus on the saving throw.

 

Arcane Blessed Strike

When you hit a creature with a divine spell or a creature does not save against one of your divine spells, you may cast an arcane cantrip as a free action against the same target.

 

Arcane Protection

At 17th level, you gain advantage on saving throws against arcane spells.

Daily Punch 8-29-14 Nimble feat for DnD Next

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 6 Comments

How about some extra for those characters who only wear light armor?

 

Edited version

 

Nimble

You are built for speed, so you are built to get out of the way of an attack!  Gain the following benefits:

  • Gain +1 to dexterity, to a maximum of 20.
  • Add half your proficiency bonus to your AC while you are wearing light or no armor.  This stacks with any other effect that adds to your AC.

 

ORIGINAL

 

Nimble

You are built for speed, so you are built to get out of the way of an attack!  Gain the following benefits:

  • Gain +1 to dexterity, to a maximum of 20.
  • Add your proficiency bonus to your AC while you are wearing light or no armor.  This stacks with any other effect that adds to your AC.

 

Thoughts?

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Barrow of the Cursespawn

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Product-Darkwood Arc Excursions: Barrow of the Cursespawn

Producer– Saga RPG

System-Pathfinder

Price– ~$6 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/132931/01AE01-Barrow-of-the-Cursespawn-PFRPG-PDF

TL; DR-Zelda puzzles in Pathfinder!? 93%

 

Basics– Welcome back to the world of Darkwood.  Miners are missing, and OTHER adventures are on the way!  But, after a chance meeting in a bar, you and your friends are dragged into the events at the mine.  Can you save the day and find out what’s happening in the wilderness?  This is a Pathfinder adventure that is designed to fit well into the Darkwood Adventure path for characters level 7.

 

Story or Fluff-This is an interesting one.  To really get all you can out of this mission, a GM worth his/her salt must deeply read the background.  This company excels at building story in their adventures, and it shows in this one.  At its heart, this adventure is a simple dungeon crawl with adventure set in Saga’s world of Darkwood, but these people write an awesome intro to get your involved and build story into the dungeon to make it interesting.  However, like some fantasy or Sci-Fi adventures and stories, this adventure has the Dune problem for names-way too many terms are introduced to describe thing that have a general name like a burial mound or a shaman.  It’s not bad, but as a reader, it can sometimes be confusing.  4.5/5

 

Mechanics or Crunch-When you look at this one, it’s a pretty short adventure.  If your table doesn’t mess around, you can easily get through this adventure in about three to four hours.  The monsters are pretty par for the Pathfinder course at seventh level, but what will make this stand out are puzzles!  I love adventures that have more than just fights.  The puzzles are pretty nice.  Now as a person who’s played every Legend of Zelda game, these puzzles are not world endingly difficult, but anytime you have a TIMED puzzle in a tabletop RPG, it’s going to be a good evening!  The traps and monsters are all normal stuff, but its standard stuff you’d expect to fight at this level.  There is new stuff here, but I don’t think any seventh level party will be overly challenged by this adventure.  However, those issues maybe more of a Pathfinder system problem than anything that is written by Saga.  It’s a good stand along adventure, but you’ll need all the standard Pathfinder/Paizo books to run the adventure, but to get the most from this adventure you will also need Saga original AP book (reviewed here https://throatpunchgames.com/2014/06/06/ring-side-report-rpg-review-of-the-deft-and-the-deadly/ ) 4.75/5

 

Execution-This is a pretty short product, but the price is right.  Like I said before, these writers are great at story, but there are a few pages of nothing but text with lots of new terms.  I’d like a bit more art, but what is there is art, its put to good use.  Also, the puzzles and some of the traps get great layouts and art to really help the players and GM understand what’s going on and how to run the adventure properly. 4.75/5

 

Summary-This isn’t a perfect adventure, but it’s a damn fine one.  It’s got a good plot that factors into Saga’s other metaplot for their adventure path.  It’s a nice evening adventure sized adventure with fighting, traps, and puzzles.  If you like Saga’s current AP, then you’re getting this one regardless of what I have to say.  But, if you want some good third party Pathfinder adventure, for six bucks, you can’t go wrong here. 93%

 

Disclosure: I was provided a review copy of this adventure.

Daily Punch 8-27-14 Tracer Understanding feat for Pathfinder

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 2 Comments

Reading stuff for the Iron Gods Adventure Path, and I though of this for androids

 

Tracer Understanding

Be it being better built or a better understanding of your biology, you know how to use the tracing built in your body.

Prerequisites: Android

Benefit: You can illuminate with dim light an area of 10 feat around you.  In addition, can use your tracing to change your appearance to gain a +4 inherent bonus to disguise checks to mimic a humanoid of your size.

 

 

Thoughts?

Ring Side Report-RPG Review of Crawl! #10

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 1 Comment

Product– Crawl! #10 (Fanzine)

Producer– Stray Couches Press

Price-$3 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/133560/Crawl-fanzine-no-10

System– DCC RPG

TL;DR– Class options for demi-humans! 100%

 

Basics-Crawl! is the semi-official fanzine of the DCCRPG.  This month its options for demi-humans.  Instead of the basic race as level options frorm the main DCCRPG , this book presents Dwarven Priest, Elven rogue, Halfling burglar, and Halfling champion (fighter) as options for Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings.  The book also presents a system to take half levels or multiclass and the random stats tables for height, weight, build, hair type, eye color, and other physical features.

 

Mechanics or crunch– The one thing DCCRPG needs more of is options.  This is not a universal opinion, but I know I want more books for this system.  The class options here are still fairly balanced, and things I’d allow at my table.  If you want more options for your dwarf, this is worth a look.  Also, even the tables to add to your character are random, so you get more options, but don’t lose the randomness that is pervasive in the system. 5/5

 

Theme or Fluff-I know it’s not in the OSR spirit, but I don’t want to grow up to be a dwarf!  I like the idea of race shaping your character, but I want more options for that character.  This gives a few more options for what your characters can be instead of the basic dwarf has to be a dwarf idea from old school gaming.  The classes still fit the mold for DCCRPG, so they don’t stick out badly but really just add to the world.  The last half of the book is random tables to make your character more of a living person, not just a few stats, so that is great for story and character building as well. 5/5

 

Execution- All too often a fanzine will be crap because its one guy in a basement.  This one is not one of those.  This is well done with the same layout, art, and style of the DCCRPG main book.  It’s a quick read that’s priced right for its content and size. 5/5

 

Summary-Want some quick options for your demi-humans?  Get the book.  Want some ways to build your character a bit more than just a few stats?  Get the book.  Want more DCCRPG?  GET THE BOOK!  My only problem is I’d like MORE class options, but for three bucks, I’m ok with what I get in this book.  Hopefully, we will see the more options like this soon. 100%

Daily Punch 8-26-14 Arcane Avenger (Ranger) for DnD Next

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We have the Eldritch Knight for DnD Next-WHICH IS AWESOME!  But I want to make a ranger who uses arcane magic as well.  Let’s see what we can come up with.

 

 

Arcane Avenger (Ranger Archtype)

Use the standard ranger class abilities except as noted.

 

Spellcasting

You have learned magical secrets as a wizard would.  You cast spells as a wizard does and must prepare them as a wizard does too with the addition of Hunters Mark to your available spell list.  You gain a spellbook, and cast spells based on your intelligence modifier.  While you hold either a sword or a bow in one hand, you may cast your spells adding your proficiency bonus to the attack or to the saving throw DC as a wizard does with an arcane instrument.  You can only cast spells up to fourth level.  Follow your normal spell progression rules, but use the wizard spell selection instead.  Gain a number of wizard cantrips equal to your intelligence modifier.

 

Arcane Attack-Replaces Extra Attack

At level five, when you hit with an attack, as a bonus action you can cast a spell that must include the foe you just hit.  It may include other foes as well.

 

Invisibility-Replaces Hide in Plain Sight

At level 10, you can expend a second level or higher spell slot to instantly cast Invisibility as per the spell.  This spell is cast silently.

 

 

 

Thoughts?

Daily Punch 8-25-14 Augmented Summoning Feat for DnD Next

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Its an oldy but a goody-Augmeented Summoning.  Here is my take on it.

 

Augmented Summoning

What you create is just more powerful the other casters.  Any conjuration spell that you cast gains the following benefits:

  • The spell gains additional hit points equal to double your level.  You must split these hit points as equally as possible among all creatures you summoned.
  • The spell gains a bonus to attacks and skills equal to your proficiency bonus.  You must split this bonus as equally as possible among all creatures you summoned.
  • The spell gains a bonus to AC equal to your half your proficiency bonus.  You must split this bonus as equally as possible among all creatures your summoned.

 

Thoughts?

Ring Side Report- Board Game Review of Run, Fight, or Die

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Product– Run, Fight, or Die

Producer-Grey Fox Games

Price– ~$35 here http://boardgamegeek.com/geekads/click/361282?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coolstuffinc.com%2Fp%2F205940

Set-Up/Play/Clean-Up– 10 min per player 1-6 players

TL; DR-Zombies!!! without the annoying length/Yahtzee with Zombies! 90%

 

Basics– Zombies!!! meat Yahtzee!  In Run Fight or Die, you play several different survivors trying to flee the zombie apocalypse while gathering up different survivors in town.  Each turn, you roll the main five dice and an event die.  The event die has random occurrences ranging from a sneak attack from a zombie (lose health) to an all clear night with no more zombies spawning this turn.  After that you have your main dice which can be rerolled two more times after the first roll.  These dice have faces ranging from running, melee attacks, range attacks, finding people, the “book of the dead”, and the zombie symbol which can’t be rerolled normally.  Each player has a board with three ranges on it (close, medium, and far).  Melee kills two close zombies, ranged attacks kill one at any range, and running moves one zombie back one range or off the player’s board.  The “book of the dead” and the finding people sides have different effects ranging from finding locations, healing, killing all zombies in one range, events, or finding gear depending on the number of matching symbols.  The zombie symbol causes one more zombie to spawn on your turn during the end of turn steps.  You can reroll a zombie symbol if you take a fleeing card-these are never good events!  After you attack zombies and get followers/locations/gear, you move all zombies one space closer.  If a zombie moves on to your character (from close range onto you), you lose health.  Then, you spawn three zombies with more for every zombie die side you have at far range, and the next player takes his or her turn.  The game continues until someone dies, someone finds the town line card with enough followers or someone gets the last zombie boss victory point.  Then, its the player with the most points wins!

 

Mechanics– This game is pretty simple and pretty fun.  Make no mistake; this is NOT a brain buster of a game.  It’s a simplified run and gun game.  You run around killing an unlimited hoard of zombies while trying to find people, locations, and gear.  The dice rule this game, and if your dice run cold, you will have a phenomenally bad time.  Each character is enough different from one another because their powers really do separate them from one another.  Each character has a different dice combo that will trigger something amazing if it happens, but it’s usually really hard to pull off, so I’ve never seen it actually happen.  The best description of this game is the old Zombies!!! game mixed with Yahtzee.  You move around town waiting for an end condition card to occur or enough point to happen to end the game.  Most often though, the game will end when someone dies.  It’s not a bad mechanic, but don’t expect any surprises or extreme complexity from this game.  4/5

 

Theme – I like this theme.  It’s zombies, so I know some people think that theme is played out.  But, the way the theme of advancing undead is implemented is a fun one.  The zombies fall down your player board almost like Tetris pieces at an unstoppable pace.  It’s rather tense as you try to stay alive but know that your continued survival is all dependent on the dice rolls.  It’s a very tense game that plays out in less than 30 minutes sometimes.  The different stories from each survivor do make an interesting story for how the world’s ending, and the fact that some followers are detrimental is another interesting way to represent how hard it is to deal with some people under pressure.  This game has a lot of style that really help emerge you in the world. 5/5

 

Instructions-So funny story-When I got my kickstarter copy of the game, it came with the rules, but was missing the middle pages of the rules.  The rules were not on board game geek either.  After emailing the creator, they now posted them there.  With the rules, the game isn’t hard to play.  It’s not horribly organized, but I think it could be better laid out.  Also, some questions like how often I can flee from zombie dice have come up, and the rules don’t specifically answer that question.  The rules are not bad, and the game is playable even with these questions, but a bit more would have helped make this game a bit better. 4.5/5

 

Execution-This game is pretty well set up.  The zombie pieces are well done miniatures, and you get a ton of them.  The cards all look cool.  The different characters have great art, layout, and story.  The player aids and zombie range boards are all done well.  The dice are nice and chunky with easy to read pictures.  The one thing I don’t like is the zombie boss.  It’s a giant zombie, but for most people who buy the game, it’s a cardboard token.  I would have liked to pay a bit more and ensure that everyone gets an awesome zombie boss mini that was part of the kickstarter.  You can buy your own boss mini, but that seems off to me.  I hate paying to make my games a bit better-it feels a bit like pay to win for me.  Like all my other minor problems with the game, the problems I have are not major, but a little bit more would really rocket this one to the top. 4.5/5

 

Summary- This is a fun game.  It’s not the kind of game I’d solely invite people over to play for a weekend, but it’s a great game to bring out late game day as a quicker game to get a bunch of people playing some last minute games.  This game has elements of games like Zombies!!!, but really cuts down on the length of the game.  And, the game has Yahtzee elements as you will try to roll for combinations of different effects to make it to the next turn or find different things.  The game isn’t perfect, but it’s a great way to get your zombie fix without having to spend hours spinning your wheels. 90%