Ring Side Report- RPG review of Discworld RPG Kickstarter

Product– Discworld RPG Kickstarter

System- Discworld RPG

Producer– Modiphius

Price– FREE here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/modiphius/terry-pratchetts-discworld-rpg?ref=4ogp2x 

TL; DR-Solid, narrative game.  99% 

Basics– Only the turtle knows what’s coming next.  A new edition of the Discworld RPG is coming!  Let’s look at the breakdown and see how its played.

Base Mechanics and stats-  There are no stats, but your character is a write up with a few sentences.  When you want to do anything, you tell the GM what you want to do and explain why you’re good at the action. The GM then tells you to roll any die from a d4 to a d12.  Bigger dice means you are better at the action.  The GM then rolls a d8.  Whoever has a higher roll gets their desired result.  Ties succeed, but a mix of results happen.  Negative results cause conditions such as a wound, damage, or something else happening for the characters.

And that’s it!

Mechanics or Crunch–   So, there are dice and things happen, but the mechanics are VERY light.  This game uses a much more narrative system.  It also relies on a LOT of trust between the GM and the players.  If you enjoy that, it works.  If you need the +1 from this and the +4 from that, you will absolutely HATE this system.  I don’t mind it, but your experience will be determined by your personal preferences.  5/5

Theme or Fluff–  Do you like Terry Pratchett?  That’s honestly what will determine if this game’s theme is good for you.  This a lot more theater and a lot less crunch than most systems, so be aware of this.  Again, if you need dark fantasy or more logic like Lord of the Rings, maybe give this a pass.  I LOVE Pratchett, so I love the idea of this game.  5/5

Execution– This is a near perfect demo for the game.  You have a decent rundown of the game, fun worldbuilding, and a FULL four hour adventure with  multiple premade characters.  It reads fast and easily, but no hyperlinks!  That is the lone issue with this book’s construction.  This is almost a copy of my last review, but it still holds true!  4.95/5

Summary– This game is a litmus test for you and your gaming group.  If you need the crunch, you will not like this game even if you like Pratchett.  If you can’t stand satirical fantasy regardless of the narrative gameplay, you will not like this.  I am ok with both, depending on the group.  The book reads like Pratchett and has the right flavor of the world.  That honestly makes me profoundly happy.  I don’t think Pratchett lends itself well to DnD-style kill-goblin games. Discworld is more funny stories with a purpose.  And for the price, go check this one out regardless.  99%  

Ring Side Report-RPG Review of Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20: Operation Vanguard

Product– Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20: Operation Vanguard

System- Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20

Producer– Modiphius

Price– $6.99 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/355128/Achtung-Cthulhu-2d20-Operation-Vanguard?affiliate_id=658618 

TL; DR– Almost perfect but not what I wanted.  97%

Basics–  Time to go, soldier!  You just stopped a Black Sun ritual, so now it’s off to stop more Nazi shenanigans!  What could they be doing off at sea?

Mechanics or Crunch-Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20 does almost all the things I want and does them right, and this adventure has that as well.  Solid monsters and encounters lead you through a stealth to destruction mission with lots of fun along the way.  Just well done crunch if you like the 2d20 system.  5/5

Theme or Fluff– The theme/fluff/story is where I have my one major problem.  The story itself is great.  Investigate Nazi base, destroy, stop bad guys-all the fun things players want to do in Pulp Weird War II.  But, this was billed as the sequel to the starter adventure, and it is, but it’s just a second adventure after the first.  They are not connected in any real way.  It doesn’t tell as much of a continuing story aside from “go destroy more weird stuff.”  Go destroy the weird stuff is honestly 90% of A!C 2d20, and that’s why my players and I are here.  But, I wanted the escape from France of the last adventure.  My players LEVELED the castle in the last one as nothing stops evil like 40 TONS of stone to the head.  So my expectations were slightly let down.  If you don’t have the same expectation, you will have a blast.  4.5/5

Execution– PDF? Yes.  Hyperlinked?  Yes, extremely well done.  I LOVE THIS PRODUCT.  A page with pictures to cut out to give to players for handouts, hyperlinks EVERYWHERE, easy to read, nice stat blocks, and TWO VERSIONS as a less graphics intensive one makes my tablet run better all make me a happy GM.  This is how I want books made.  5/5Summary– Oh A!C 2d20… you make me so happy.  It’s a well done, slick system, and this is a well done slick adventure for it.  I just wish this was more “direct sequence” and less “continuing adventures”, but oh well.  If you don’t have my singular crazy obsession with continuity, then you will absolutely LOVE this book.  From crunch, to story, to just general production, I’m glad to have this one. 97%