Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Elemental Evil Player’s Companion

March 24, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Product– Elemental Evil Player’s Companion

System– Dungeons and Dragons

Producer– Wizards of the Coast

Price– $FREE! here http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/145542/Elemental-Evil-Players-Companion-5e

TL; DR– If this is what WotC’s future looks like, I’m on board! 93%

Basics– Horrors of the elemental apocalypse are upon us! It’s time for new heroes to rise! This book provides new player options including new races like the deep gnomes and the genasi. This book also proves a surprising number of spells for almost all the classes except for clerics

Mechanics or Crunch– Honestly, it’s good to get ANYTHING from the currently quite WotC. The new races are all well done. These races are not anything new for the system, but they are new to the current rules set. The spells all look great, and they add some new diversity to the ones from the core set. It’s just good to get some more! The one problem I do have is the exclusion of clerics from the rules. What here is good, but he absence of some things are noticed. 4.75/5

Theme or Fluff- This does have some fluff to it. Each race has a write up that adds some impressive diversity to the races in the Forgotten Realms. Again, these write-ups are not anything new as the races are all old favorites from at least fourth edition, but it’s good to hear what these races have been up to since fourth edition DnD ended. The spells all have some great elemental flavor. What I did want that wasn’t here was some bonds to draw characters in as well as some background on the adventure. My players all loved this new book, but the current season doesn’t have that much background to front load the adventure like the Paizo Player’s Companion books for their adventure paths. I love what I’m reading, but I’d like a bit more to bring the playing in. 4.25/5

Execution– I’m really digging the new layout for the DnD books. This book feels like an RPG, but it also feels fresh. Sure it’s a short book, but getting this much content from another company would cost you $5 from Monte Cook games, and Paizo doesn’t even offer this much content in their free player adventure path companion books! The font is good, the spacing is great, and the art is fantastic. There is only one piece of art that I know has been reused, so that’s even more top marks for WotC, who has notoriously reused art in the past. If you can keep this up, I’ll buy more player books when they happen! 5/5

Summary– This isn’t perfect, but it is amazing. And, it’s FREE! I’m really surprised that this book is free. It’s got an impressive amount in it for the first really player expansion out there. I know that we, the player base, can’t expect to get free books forever, but if this is the treatment I’m going to get for all of the adventure seasons, I’ll be happy. I would like more, but for the price and the content, I’m thrilled! 93%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Baker Street

March 17, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Product– Baker Street: Roleplaying in the world of Sherlock Holmes

System– Baker Street

Producer– Fearlight Games

Price– $20 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/142228/Baker-Street-Roleplaying-in-the-world-of-Sherlock-Holmes?term=Baker+Street

TL; DR– If you want to investigate some Victorian crime, you can’t do better. 93%

Basics– Holmes is dead, but the world still needs heroes! In Baker Street, the players all take the roll of inspectors hired by Scotland Yard to help solve cases that would normally be throw to the late Sherlock Holmes. Are you on the case?

Mechanics or Crunch– This is its own complete system, so let’s break this up.

Base mechanic- This is completely a skill based system. You only have a handful of trained skills, and when you do an activity, you choose a skill and roll that many six-sided dice along with a Sherlock die. If you are not trained and you need a skill, you roll two six-sided dice. You succeed on a 4, 5, or 6. The Sherlock die will add some randomness to the other dice. The Sherlock die has a 1, 2, 3, Watson, Moriarty, or Sherlock face. The 1, 2, and 3 sides of the Sherlock die make the 1s, 2s, or 3s successes on the other dice. Watson gives you a free assist to help another player or an extra success. Moriarty makes all non-successful die faces count against the successes! The final face Sherlock, Sherlock himself, allows you to name a dice face number and those dice now count as successes. The last thing to mention is professional skills and specialties. When you use a professional skill (think a skill you have ranks in) any 6’s you get on dice allow you to reroll the die for extra successes. This can continue until you don’t roll a 6 again! Specialties allow you to gain two extra dice on a check because of your degree of training in a particular area. The whole system is quick and easy.

Combat-Combat happens, but this isn’t the main push of the system. Sherlock fights some foes, but that’s not the big pull of the books. However, this game does have some interesting twists to fighting. The basics of combat work just like any other skill. If I try to hit your character, you would roll you dodge skill, and I would roll my weapon or attack skill just like the base mechanics above. If your dodge roll has more successes than my attack, you didn’t get hit. However, if I have more successes on the attack, I roll a weapon damage roll. This weapon damage roll works just like above, but I use a chart to determine how many dice I would roll for the attack instead of a skill. I still roll the Sherlock die however. The most interesting thing is combat is not done with initiative like any other RPG. It’s done by naming another character or the game master. Players start, then after the first player goes, and he/she chooses who gets to go next. However, keep in mind if all the players go, and choose the bad guys run by the GM to go last in the round, the GM can choose to have the bad guys go again at the start of the next round almost taking two turns in a row! That’s a simple turn order mechanic, but it does lead to some interesting thoughts and discussions around the table! It’s also fun to see a novel way of managing combat in a RPG.

Investigation- Here’s the real meat and potatoes of Sherlock Holmes! When players investigate a murder or a crime scene, they enter a new phase of the game to gain and eliminate clues through several sub-phases. First, players Observe the scene revealing clues. One player rolls the dice for their observe skill, but every other player can give that player half their dice pool rounded down for their observe skills. The number of successes reveals clue cards that the players can begin to investigate. Each clue has a description as well as three leads that may go deeper down the rabbit hole or throw them off the trail. After the Observation round, players then do a Reason round. One player rolls his/her reason skill and other players aid as above. This will eliminate a number of clues that are false or erroneous. Finally, players then enter the Deduction round. Just like the previous two phases, one player rolls deduction while the other players help. This phase gives players a number of times they can ask the GM about different leads on each card to ask if they are real or not. Some leads on a clue card are not useful at all, while some are the next area that they players must observe or interrogate to determine who did the dastardly dead.

Threat-Sometimes a player want to ask more questions to a NPC then there is time to do. Sometimes a player want so re-investigate a room. Sometimes a player just wants to ask the GM for an assist to find the best way forward. When that happens, the threat level of the investigation raises! This is a behind the GM screen level of general tension that can only hurt the players. When the threat level rises, some bad events may occur like thugs ambushing the players, making the Sherlock die’s 1 phase not work, or just adding extra bad guys to the final fight. It’s an addition to keep pushing the players forward in their quest to solve the crime while preventing them from spending days looking over the first room.

Characteristics-This game doesn’t have feats like Pathfinder/DnD, but what it does have are characteristics. You start with two personal characteristics, two professional characteristics, and two negative characteristics. These characteristics not only give you roleplaying hooks, but when you invoke a professional or a good quality you get extra dice on that skill roll. The negative characteristics give the GM some story hooks in you as well!

Resolve-I love story candy for my players. Resolve is that currency in this game. It’s used for several things from adding dice to a dice pool to preventing damage when you are hit with a weapon. Also, when a GM invokes a negative characteristic of your player, you can spend a point of resolve to avoid the flaw. If you don’t have some resolve, then you follow your darker impulses and do something that most likely won’t end well!

Summary- Overall, this is a good system, but it does some minor flaws that are flaws in how investigations are narrated in all stories. You know every day you sit at the gaming table that there will be an investigation scene, kind of like every episode of CSI will have an investigation scene. If you can’t get past that or don’t want that in your game, then this system might not be for you. The system of investigation means that pretty much every charter has to have some ranks in the three skills used to find and discard clues and leads. Now, that isn’t too much fun to have some of your character planed before you get to play, but then again you are playing a criminal investigation game! The basics of the skill system and the ease of it use do work really well. It’s quick, fun and easy to play this game, even if I’d like a bit more flexibility in the game overall. 4.5/5

Theme or Fluff- You want some classic Victorian crime novels? You got it! This game has some great world building describing in vivid details the different classes of servants the upper class has to the various different kind of criminals that stalked Whitechapel in the 1890’s. Baker Street is set up to tell a Sherlock Holmes’ story well, and it succeeds in spades! Even the provided adventure looks like it’s printed on a newspaper from the time! 5/5

Execution– Overall, this book is really well set up, but there are some problems. The general character building and how to play are all done well. It reads quickly and has some good spacing, all of which are very important to me. The PDF is presented like an old book with some wear and tear, which does give some excellent flavor. However, the PDF isn’t really hyperlinked well with the hyperlinks just listing all the pages. Also, the adventure that is presented has great flavor as it looks like an old newspaper, and I’m happy to see an adventure here to help me run my first game. However, the use of Victorian newspaper format makes it harder to really read and digest quickly. You can’t really scan it to find what you need in a hurry as it isn’t really spaced well. It’s some minor complaints, but these small things did hurt my overall experience slightly. 4.5/5

Summary-This is a great way to run an investigative RPG, but the problems you might have are if you want an investigative RPG. This game solves the absolute hardest and worst problem to correct in a RPG investigation-are the players and GM out-thinking each other? Much like old school point-and-click adventure games, investigation in a RPG might stall out because neither side of the GM screen finds the train of logic from the other side. The investigation system here is top notch allowing for really deep stories to be told. However, my only real problem with this system is its build really well to do what it does. If you want to do something that the system isn’t designed for like run a Sword and Sorcerery campaign on Mars, this isn’t what you should use. Also, you need to want to play a criminal drama and build your character for that. Pathfinder/DnD will have this one beat for variety, but if you want some really well done Victorian sleuthing, then you can’t do better than this out of the box! 93%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Insight RPG System Core Rulebook

March 9, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 1 Comment

Product– Insight RPG System Core Rulebook

System– Insight RPG

Producer– NEVR

Price– $10 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127515/Insight-RPG-System-Core-Rulebook?term=Insight+RPG

TL; DR-An interesting, simple universal RPG system that’s worth the intro price. 92 %

Basics– It’s time for an every system RPG! The insight RPG system is a universal RPG system that uses a d10 based mechanic for all its rolls. Let’s give this system a point by point break down.

Mechanics or Crunch– Like all good universal system RPGs this needs a few points for the mechanics. Let’s break this up.

Base mechanic- This system uses d10 for all its rolls. It’s an attribute and skill point system that plays a bit like a combination between the Synthicide RPG I reviewed last time and 4th edition Legend of the Five Rings. Basically, you are six different stats that are similar to the standard D&D array most roleplaying gamers are comfortable with. This determines the number of dice you roll. Then, you have skill ranks that you use to determine your success range. If you are untrained and the skill is something simple like dodge (the basic don’t-get-stabbed skill), then every dice you roll can only succeed on a 10. However, as you put points into the skill, the success range increases with two ranks meaning the success range is now a 8-10. If you roll a 1, it is a fumble and never good side effects can occur. So a person with four body control (think dexterity for D&D/Pathfinder) who is shooting a gun with four ranks in the skill will roll four dice and can succeed on a 7-10. Some skills are complex meaning they are a mixture of two skills. When that happens, on skill is instead added as a bonus to your dice pool instead of modifying the success range. It all works well and quickly after some adjustment.

Difficulty and Challenge rating-Insight builds on the base mechanic by adding two different side mechanics to the game. Difficulty modifies the success range in the opposite range of skill ranks. A difficulty 2 task with a character with four skill ranks would only succeed on a 9 or 10. Challenge is the number of successes needed for a task. Climbing an ice wall while being followed by a polar bear would be a challenge 3 task needing three success at whatever range and dice pool you have.

Combat-Like most RPGs, combat is a pretty central tenant of the game. What makes this game interesting is that two different mechanics are introduced for movement and range. One is a custom system that is a hybrid of theater of the mind miniature combat, while the other is a standard D&D/Pathfinder battle map mechanic. In the Insight system, players are different distances and these distances represent different areas of the map. A basics quick diagram of the combat would be a middle band of the combat area where melee combat happens with five different range bands extending on both sides of the melee middle ground. Both systems use an action point mechanics to determine how many actions you can do on your turn. Using a larger, heavy hitting weapon takes more action points to swing, while stabbing quickly with a small knife would be fewer points per attack. One final subject of combat is damage. Damage works by the attacker rolling his attack dice using the base mechanic of ability dice number and skill number determine success range while the defender rolls defense in exactly the same way with the defender subtracting successes from the attacker’s success total. If the attacker still has successes after defense, the number of attacker successes remaining is multiplied by the weapons damage value and the defender subtracts his/her armor value from this damage. Damage also affects specific areas of the body as a random dice roll is used to determine hit location. Each location can only take so much damage before the character begins to take penalties to attacks, defense, and skill values.

Magic- Insight is a universal system set up to run your steampunk game to your high fantasy, future magic system. Magic is a complex skill with a separate pool of points a player spends to cast spells similar to magic points from the Final Fantasy games. It’s also elemental based with different elements being separate skills and granting separate effects such as fire doing damage and spirit healing and summoning creatures. Like everything else, it’s well presented with examples.

Summary-Overall, I liked this system. I do have a few problems with it. First and foremost is the way skill dice work. It’s confusing to get a higher skill number but that lowers the acceptable dice values for a skill check. Now, if you can follow the basics and you play for over 30 minutes, you will be fine and completely understand how the game is played. But, it’s a little new user unfriendly. I do like the addition of the two ways to set up combat. I don’t think I’ll use the Insight introduced distance system at my table, but it’s a new, well designed system. In summary, Insight might not be a perfect system, but it’s got things that I love like variable actions per turn with action points and successes determining damage. It’s worth checking out if you get a chance. 4.25/5

Theme or Fluff- Full disclosure-I was not expecting any theme from the Insight RPG. Insight is a universal RPG, so most authors don’t put the time in to make a world for the players to destroy. However, the last chapter of the book is a fantasy world to play in as well as an adventure. It might not be your favorite world, but this book does have a setting as well as a quick adventure. There is even a map of the place! Well done! 4.5/5

Execution– This book has my new favorite execution mechanic-icons for important subsections. The book understands that the system might not be as simple as say Pathfinder/D&D to get on your first read through. However, the writers just put an icon next to an example to grab the reader’s eye. The book also does this for important rules, notes, and optional sections. It speeds up your reading and rereading when you can glance over a page and get the rules you need right away. Also, the book does a simple introduction before the first chapter. You get the game rules as an intro before the book even starts, and as a person who reads lots of RPGs, that really helps me know what I’m getting into. And, it’s a great reference for advanced players who need a quick start. There is even art from several different RPG styles and the world in the last chapter has a map that I never expected to see. From something I always complain about, the book has well done spacing, layout, tables, and font again making this a pleasure to read. 5/5

Summary– This is a well done system that has more in it than I expected going in. The system is pretty simple if you are accustomed to RPGs. If you are not, then the skill system might be a bit much for some intro players. That’s the only negative thing I can really say. It’s got a story to it that I didn’t expect to read, and the execution of the book makes it fun to read. Honestly the only thing I want from this RPG is more. And, NEVR has several extra PDF available to build on your favorite aspects of the system. You don’t get the custom, out of the box fit for a specific setting you would if you get a system specific RPG, but with a little work this RPG could easily be the campaign setting/system you’ve been searching for. 92%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Liber Arcanum

March 1, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Product– Liber Arcanum

System– Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG

Producer– Cognition Pressworks

Price– PDF ~$10 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/139777/Liber-Arcanum

TL; DR– More wizard options than you can shake a wand at. 90%

Basics– Behold the Book of Secrets! Liber Arcanum contains new wizard and elf player options for DCCRPG. This book contains the expected new spells but also has patrons, new subclasses of wizard, magic items, and more.

Mechanics or Crunch– Here is where the book shines. I love DCCRPG, and play it every other week. But, Goodman Games doesn’t make many player options. This book is an excellent addition to any player wizard. It’s got an impressive amount of spells as well as new patrons that come fully fleshed out. Every spell get’s several pages describing it in detail as well as giving all kinds of interesting flavor. It’s an easy drop into any DCCPRG game. 5/5

Theme or Fluff- Theme is another home run for this product. I’d expect, in book of spells and patrons, spells and patrons, but the book goes a little further by adding little story bits as well as art to draw you in. The arts not perfect, but it does a great job of telling a story. Furthermore, the book even has a cosmology. That is way more than I expected from a simple spell splat book. 5/5

Execution– Of the areas I review RPG products on, this is the one area where this product struggles. Some white space would really help this product. The first chapter adds lots of content, but it’s pretty text dense. A few tables and some more art would have really helped break that up. On the subject of art, this product’s are is ok. It’s not bad, but it’s not as good as the core DCCRPG book. That can take away a bit from the text, but overall, I’m just happy to see some art here. A little more space, some organization changes, and some art touchups would help this product make it over the top. 3.5/5

Summary– It’s always good to read some more DCCRPG. Strange fantasy is always a crowd pleaser, as is this book. It’s a massive 300 pages with lots of content ranging from the expected spells to the unexpected planer diagrams. That’s pretty impressive from a third party publisher. However, it’s not without its faults. The art is a bit off in places and the font size and spacing could use a bit of work. However, that doesn’t detract from the awesome content in this one. A well done tome that should be found in any wizard’s library. 90%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Synthicide Preview

February 16, 2015February 16, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Product– Synthicide

System– Synthicide

Producer– Will Power Games

Price– Prekickstarter Preview! Check http://www.synthiciderpg.com/ for more information

TL; DR– Firefly, Terminator, Mad Max and Mutant Chronicles combined with sleek RPG mechanics 93%

Basics– Man has explored the cosmos, fallen into war, and crashed back into barbarism. Now, the Tharnaxis Church (a cult of synthetic humanoids) rules the worlds relegating humans to second class citizens. How will you survive in a galaxy that doesn’t care for you?

Mechanics or Crunch– Let’s walk through the different aspects of this system as there is, alternating, a ton and not much to cover:

Base Mechanics– This game uses a single 10-sided dice for everything. Want to shoot a guy? Roll d10+Combat+bonuses (Combat is its own statistic in this game). Seduce a robot? d10+Influence+bonuses. This is either verses a pre determined value such as a armor value or verses a Action Difficulty (think a threshold or a DC) for both cases. Also, your statistics do not have some value you need to determine: a Combat 1 is a +1 bonus to combat rolls, and an Influence 4 is +4 to influence rolls. Unlike Pathfinder/D&D, I don’t have to do simple math to determine what my bonus is. It’s quick and clean with no little fiddly bits added on, just the way I like it.

Combat-Combat is interesting as it’s point based. You get a number of points based on your half your Speed score + 3 (divided down). Your first attack costs 1 point, your next cost 2, and your third costs 3. Moves are 1, while defending is 2. It’s easy, but allows for a player to gamble on what they want to do. Don’t want a defense bonus for the round? Make that second attack. Want a bonus to your rolls that round? Spend 2 actions to get a bonus. It’s different from the D&D/Pathfinder move/attack/swift mechanic, and I enjoy the flexibility it provides. Also, as you move around on the battle field, some weapons allow for quick attacks (think attacks of opportunity from D&D/Pathfinder), but only some weapons. You can’t quick attack with a claymore, but a dagger works just fine. This is another interesting nod to reality I liked.

Damage-Above I mention that basics are d10+ability+bonuses. If that roll hits, damage is the same d10 roll+combat+weapon damage. I like that how well you hit also determines how well you damage the target. You don’t reroll the d10, you just keep the same d10 roll from before. I’ve complained before about how a d20 roll of 17 and a d20 roll of 10 can equally hit the AC 10 orc for the same damage of d8. This system gets past that problem by factoring damage and attack at the same time. WELL DONE!

Character Generation and Leveling Up-Characters are created by selecting human, mutants, part robot, or all robot providing some base statistics. From there you choose an aspect that adds statistics onto the base stats to make your custom character and use point buy to get traits to further specialize your character. It feels like any other point buy with one key difference. Point buy will always win for specialization for character generation, but will lose to simpler systems in the time required. However, Synthicide will hopefully roll out of the gate with a character generator. The NPC one works great, but the preview did not come with player character side. Characters earn experience points called trait points (TP). Your character levels up when you have four gross TP not net TP meaning you have a running total of how much you have earned and a total you currently have. You can constantly be spending TP to refine your character, but still moving toward leveling up.

Psychic Powers- Synthicide is an RPG that wants to stay rooted in science fiction without crossing over into fantasy like Shadowrun does. To add “magic” to the system, the game adds psychic powers. They are well done, and something you may be able to buy based on the physical body you have (complete machine people can’t use psychic powers). For the most part, these powers are either limited to a number of times per day based on your influence ability or are free to use as much as you want. Also, something I really enjoy, some powers can be super charged for extra effects that cause you to take damage. I love cast-till-you-pass-out systems!

Drama-In addition to current almost standard ideas of giving players some chips to cash in for rolls and rerolls based on storytelling and role-play, this game also adds a drama system. Drama is a number that is added to and subtracted from as the game progresses by player rolls and actions. When the dam breaks, the drama score gives the GM a guide line on how to add interesting elements to the game on the fly. It’s a fun, optional system that can help a GM better add to his/her world by integrating more of the players actions as well as dice rolls.

Summary- Synthicide isn’t perfect, but for the most part it’s well done. A bit more explanation as well as a few more examples like a full combat example and some tables will really help the system. However, this is a kickstarer preview. If this is where the game is starting, then they are well on their way to an excellent product! It got sleek combat and general mechanics. The rules flow easily, and in general, everything is just set up to be user friendly. Nothing feels bloated. I’d like a bit more, but what’s here is ready for show time. 4.75/5

Theme or Fluff- This was a pre-kickstarter preview of the RPG, so I didn’t expect much. But, I was surprised. The game has a very fleshed-out world (Or should I say worlds?). Even the Game Master section of the rules tells you to emphasize how little the world likes the characters. The one sentence explanation of the story is Man went to the stars, made mutants and went to war with mutants, crashed into the near Stone Age while artificial intelligence took over the galaxy relegating humans/mutants to second class citizens. I get the feeling from this game of a recipe made from equal parts Firefly, Terminator, Mad Max and Mutant Chronicles. Honestly, that’s a fun place to be if you want a post-apocalyptic space opera with elements of racism and the struggle to survive. It can use more, but the version I have didn’t have any pictures, so more art will really help this one blossom. 4.5/5

Execution– I received a PDF of the game. I usually harp a lot on spaces and art, but I’m putting that aside as this is a preview. What is part of the PDF is the basic system, and honestly it’s done. The thing I have in my hands would be something you could easily get on Drive Thru RPG for cheap. That’s an excellent place for a kickstarter to be. It just needs to be cleaned up a bit by adding art, more white space, and some tables. Tables would really help some of this product by giving short summaries of what the different traits do. That’s my major complaint so far is summaries and short tables would help things. But what is explained and laid out well are the base mechanics and such. That was a present surprise in an over hundred page PDF. However, what also came with the preview package were the tools to make non-playable characters. This RPG doesn’t have a monster manual, and while I want one, it does come with some tools to make characters on the fly with a computer. That right there is awesome as it comes lock, stock, and barrel with a character generator and slightly ironic as now I’m building machine enemies on my laptop. Overall, a well done RPG that’s ready to roll for it’s kickstarter debut. 4.75/5

Summary– I like what I see here. This RPG went up to kickstarter, but was pulled to be refined. I didn’t get a chance to read the original RPG, but if that lead to what I see now, that was an excellent idea! What I read through is an easy to read, run, and play RPG set in an interesting galaxy. It’s not done as it has now art and needs a few minor improvements to really make this one a grand slam. But, when those are added to the final PDF/book, I think this will be a phenomenal RPG. It doesn’t bog down the world and mechanics with unimportant garbage just like the mission statement of the company said they wanted to do. This is one to keep your eyes on! 93%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Shadow, Sword & Spell books, PART 2

January 27, 2015January 27, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 1 Comment

Last week I reviewed Shadow, Sword & Spell: Basics, Expert, and Threats. Here-https://throatpunchgames.com/2015/01/19/ring-side-report-rpg-review-of-shadow-sword-spell-books/ This week let’s dig deeper by looking at Player, Gamemaster, and an adventure The Stew.

Product– Shadow, Sword & Spell: Player

System– 12*

Producer– Rogue Games

Price– ~$5.25 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127666/Shadow-Sword–Spell-Player?term=shadow%2C+sword+%26+spell%3A

TL; DR– Hard to follow the last book, but still well done. 93%

Basics– You know what players want? Lots more options! This is another splat book in the same vain as Shadow, Sword & Spell: Expert. It covers a ton of new additions to the system from rules about honor and reputation to new options for martial arts. The biggest change in this book is the change from human-centric to now introducing the full gambit of new races.

Mechanics or Crunch– I really like this one for its mechanical additions to the system. The 12* system really expands itself nicely into all the new subsystems, skills, and mechanics. I also enjoy the addition of templates for quicker character generation. The system is pretty easy to build characters, but the templates really do add a nice touch to the system. Well done! 5/5

Theme or Fluff- S,S&S:Player adds a ton into the system, but this book doesn’t add as much to the story. S,S&S:Expert added the world to the game. S,S&S:Player does have story for all its elements, but it’s less than the last supplement. Not bad, but it’s hard to keep up with a whole world. 4/5

Execution– S,S&S:Player shows that Rogue Games has grown as a company. It’s still the smaller book style with nice spacing, but now with better art! The production quality on this one is much nicer than the previous books. Well done! 5/5

Summary– This book is a good book, but the victim of how good S,S&S:Expert was. The production quality is better, but there are fewer stories in this one than Expert. However, if you’re a player and your GM has made his/her own world, then Player have some amazing options for you! Also for less than a Happy Meal, this is well worth it. 93%

Want more Shadow, Sword & Spell? Here you go!

Product– Shadow, Sword & Spell: Gamemaster

System– 12*

Producer– Rogue Games

Price– ~$5.25 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/133788/Shadow-Sword–Spell-Gamemaster?term=shadow%2C+sword

TL; DR– Lots of different topics in one book including the dreaded psionics. 97%

Basics– Well, your players got some options in S, S&S: Player, why not you, the GM? S, S &S: Gamemaster give the GM more options for his/her games. This book also introduces the controversial psionics to the game. However, most of this book is more rules options that you don’t have to figure out on the fly.

Mechanics or Crunch– After working my way through the entire S,S&S/12* system, it’s fast becoming one of my favorite systems. 12* is really well done, and expands nicely by adding new skills to accommodate new options. Psionics operate just like magic except you have a pool of points you spend from. DONE! The book also expands on the rules for running kingdoms and domains, adds ship combat, and provides new multiverse rules. All the rules all work well and give some really nice rules that a GM can use and not have to devise on the fly. 5/5

Theme or Fluff- The book has rules on how cities work, but I would have really liked if the book revisited the different cities from S,S&S:Basics and Expert to provide some examples on how those cities should work. That’s not bad, but now I have the numbers to describe what they are and revisiting would help a bit. What this book will be really remembered as this is the multiverse and psionics book. What’s here is full of different descriptive options on how the multiverse could works. And then the book goes crazy by describing deep math physics in chapter to demonstrate the multiverse. As a PhD, I loved this! You might not enjoy this as much. But, if you want some options to throw at your PC’s from the quilted universe model to old school 1st ed. DnD, here you go! As for psionics, I was a little surprised to see this here and not in S,S&S: Player. The authors describe why this is here since the addition of mental magic makes games a pain, but it does stick out a bit. It is described well and given some nice story elements, but it is a bit off in this book. 4.5/5

Execution– Just like in S,S&S: Player, the art budget really helped this book. It still has the small book style with nice font and good layout. But, focused art and even asides for math really made me enjoy reading this book. 5/5

Summary– I really liked this book. It’s up there with S,S&S: Expert on how happy it makes me. The 12* system really shows its versatility by easily just adding a whole new class mechanic here without any real growing pains. The city system is well done and reminds me of city stat blocks from Pathfinder. The multiverse has a section for discussing how real multiverse could work with included simplified math! That warms my heart! 97%

And the last S,S&S book I have- THE STEW!

Product– Shadow, Sword & Spell: The Stew

System– 12*

Producer– Rogue Games

Price– ~$5.25 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/84047/The-Stew

TL; DR– A few errors in a pretty nice, standard pulp story. 87%

Basics– Looking for adventure? The Stew is an adventure for the 12* system where the players wander into the town of Flatrock as mercenaries for a wizard. In town, the players learn about a rash of disappearances. Will the players protect their charge and find what’s happening is Flatrock?

Mechanics or Crunch– This is a fairly simple adventure. It’s a town full of people to talk to, a tower the wizard in interested, and the cause of the disappearances. The adventure doesn’t add any major mechanics, but uses the basic mechanics to great effect. Players get to face off against everything from social encounters to magic nicely rounding off all the mechanics of the system. You won’t spend all your time in magic duals or social combat, but everybody will get a chance to shine. 4.5/5

Theme or Fluff- This is a simple adventure. Players are trying to understand what’s going on and keep their charge safe. It’s not Lord of the Rings epic, but it does have good points that keep the storey going. Honestly, a party that works well together and doesn’t mess around will have this whole adventure done in four hours. That’s not bad for a one shot adventure. There is a reveal that you might see somewhat coming, but that’s not handled poorly either. Also, I do like how the different chapters of the book are named based on different types of dinner courses. 4.5/5

Execution– The Stew works well, but has a few problems that hurt things. Some of the NPCs don’t have all their stats. Some characters don’t have stats that let them use the weapons they are carrying. However, all the named characters get nice pictures that you can show your players. Overall, the adventure works, but some elements are not as clean as I would hope. Also, this adventure is priced as much as the core book. That’s a bit steep for an adventure that is relatively short. But, that’s not a major complaint as the total price is still less than a Big Mac. 4/5

Summary– Rogue Games has put out some quality, and this is no exception. It’s a bit short and a bit pricy compared to the other books. But, what you do get is a fun mystery for the players to solve, some psychological terror, and a nice dose of combat and social deduction. It’s not at A Game of Thrones level of storytelling, but it is well thought out. If you want a good intro adventure for your players, this is a great place to start. 87%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Shadow, Sword & Spell books

January 19, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 4 Comments

Time for a three part review! Shadow, Sword & Spell-Basic, Expert, and Threats!

Product– Shadow, Sword & Spell: Basic

System– 12*

Producer– Rogue Games

Price– ~$5.25 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/83073/Shadow-Sword–Spell-Basic

TL; DR– All the stuff I love in an RPG 94%

Basics– How about some good, old fashion pulp fantasy! Shadow, Sword & Spell is an old school RPG with some new mechanics and a serious side of Conan. It’s a simple system, but simple in a smart way. It’s also human focused. Let’s look at the first book, and possibly the only book, you need to run the system-Basic.

Mechanics or Crunch– This game doesn’t have a ton of moving parts, but let’s look at the different things presented here:

Base Mechanic- This system used a 2d12-based, roll-under system for all tasks. Basically, for any given task you determine an attribute from your character (like brawn for swinging a sword) and a skill (melee for the sword) and add those two numbers together. That’s the number you need to roll under on two twelve sided dice. All tests are resolved this way. Its quick, it’s easy, and I’ve just taught you the entire system in 30 seconds.

Degrees of Success– From above, you need to roll under a target number. BUT, what I really like about this system is the degrees of success really matters. In your standard DnD Game, hitting the orc with a 10 on the d20 really doesn’t change how dead the orc is compared to a rolling a 15. However, in this game, you count how far under the number you needed to roll. If your opponent wants to dodge the attack, he/she/it rolls under its quickness and dodge scores, and counts the degrees of success (if any). The target’s successes are subtracted from your successes, and if you still have hits, you hit the target and that number of net hit is multiplied by the weapon damage of your weapon. This system uses NO other dice. Thus, a hard hit is one where you are way below your own target number and they completely flub their defense roll. It’s interesting, almost as if you run the race against yourself. I like that a really good roll has a really good result. This works for everything from sword fights to battles of wits with the king.

Magic-It wouldn’t be fantasy if it didn’t have magic. And it wouldn’t be pulp if magic didn’t cost you something! In Shadow, Sword & Spell, all magic will cost you some vitality (hit points), and some will cost you sanity. Just like before, it’s all roll under your proficiency with a spell, compare your successes to their successes, and do an effect. Unlike before, that magic system here is cast till you pass out. You cast a spell, you lose some life. Keep going, and you might kill yourself! I love that in a magic system! The magic is broadly divided into two different categories: common spells and alchemy. Common spells are the magic you know and love that will rain fire or heal your friend. Alchemy is your potion brewing, elixirs, and poisons.

Hooks and Story Currency-Lately I’ve been on a kick of giving some narrative control to my players. I love ideas like hero points and inspiration from the big two. Most 3rd party RPGs are adding this in as well. This RPG is no different. In this game you get hooks. Hooks are one line descriptors that describe your character. This can be “I will never let an innocent suffer” to “if it doesn’t pay, I don’t play“. They don’t need to be noble or even nice, but they do tell the GM what you will do with your character. When you follow these hooks you get action points. Action points let your character cheat: raise your target number for your roll, become proficient in a skill, or whatever you might dream up. It’s pretty simple, and doesn’t need much explanation, but this does make me happy to see this added to another system.

Vitality-Vitality is your hit points. What’s interesting about this is that as you lose vitality, you also gain negatives. I’ve taken a few hits in my day, and as I take a hit, I wear down. Lose a percentage of your vitality; you gain a -1 to all tests. Lose more vitality, and you gain more penalties to all your target numbers. “More than none, ready to run” isn’t realistic, and I appreciate the gradual reduction in your abilities when you get hurt.

Summary- This system is a combination of all the things I like to see in an RPG. It’s got a combination of dice rolls that provide a more stable average for your rolls. Its mechanics are simple enough to grasp in five minutes. It’s got magic that doesn’t require a college degree to understand and explain. It’s got player narrative control, cast till you pass out, and damage reducing your abilities. And most importantly, its use of roll under target numbers is a well executed, general mechanics for all its tests. This last point is the most important. When I teach RPGs to new players, the vast number of different mechanics at play tends to be the most confusing. Here, I can just say, “Roll under those numbers, and tell me how much lower you were.” And it’s done! That right there is the best part of this whole system. The only thing I would like this game to talk about more is how to build fights fairly. The book doesn’t go too in-depth on how to make a combat. It discusses running a combat, but not how to set one up. 4.8/5

Theme or Fluff- For a third party pulp book, this book actually has a really well done amount of fluff! I honestly wouldn’t have expected a whole world to play in to come from this book. The book has a lot of ground to cover from teaching the system, to giving all the math a GM will need to run this effectively, but the book actually invents its own world that you can use right out of the box. Yes, the world is pretty much what you’d expect from Conan and Lovecraft fan boys. But, I’m a Conan/Lovecraft fan boy, so I’m on board. I did feel like there should have been some kind of divine magic as the arcane and the alchemical are good, but don’t explain some of the cult magic you’d read about in the old school pulp. 4.75/5

Execution-This is a really well done third-party product. It’s not perfect. I’d like a bit more guidance on how to set up fights for my players, and I’d like the art a bit more focused. However, there is a decent amount of art for a small company. It really breaks up the text well. I never felt bored reading this book. And the book even comes with an adventure. For the price, this is well worth it for a complete system. Also fun, the system books kind of look like pulp books. They’re short books with some simpler covers. That simplicity isn’t much but it really does tie things together. 4.5/5

Summary– This is a well done system. The math behind everything from after dinner quips with the queen to killing all her guards is simple. I like the race with myself mechanics. The books are executed fairly well also. It has LOTS of white space. Look, I tend to get some flak for that. I’m supposed to like reading RPGs if I LIKE RPGS. But, I like when a book doesn’t make itself a chore to read. And the sleeper hit of this whole package is the word that is discussed here. If you want your own pulp world, the book helps you with that, but if you want an out of the box setting ready to roll, here you go! All said and done, I’m really impressed with this game. 94%

How about some more Shadow, Sword & Spell?

Product– Shadow, Sword & Spell: Expert

System– 12*

Producer– Rogue Games

Price– ~$5.25 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/89294/Shadow-Sword–Spell-Expert

TL; DR– A textbook splat book example! 97%

Basics– How about some more Shadow, Sword & Spell? Now ON EXPERT MODE! Expert is the truest definition of a splat book. It’s just more of the stuff you want for your S, S&S game. Expert adds rules for everything from managing a kingdom to making new monsters. Expert also adds to the world and expands on the places you can conquer, explore, and control.

Mechanics or Crunch– This book is crunch-tastic. Honestly most of the book is new subsystems to add to your game. These are not mandatory subsystems, but they are ones your GM would have to custom build on the fly if, say, you wanted to tax your fiefdom and raise an army to go conquer your neighbors. Now, these are all the d12 mechanics we know and love from Basic, but now you have a set in stone from the designer’s rules for how to do it. Also, rules for monster generation are really useful. 5/5

Theme or Fluff- Expert is larger than Basic, and Basic has to explain how to play the game! That said Expert explains the rest of the world and has maps. I loved how Basic had a world to play in. And now I love that Expert makes the world truly a world. It even expands on all the fiddly bits of the world. It’s not down to the level of favorite fish of a region to eat, but it’s done well enough and taken from the pulp sources that you could find that information. For a book on adding subsystems to a game, there is a ton of new story to add to your games. 5/5

Execution– Expert is done extremely well, but it could use a bit more. I’d like a few more examples with some example characters and groups to help me understand the subsystems it adds a bit more. What’s here is good, but it needs a few read-through’s to get its point across. Also, I am happy to see art and white space to break up texts, but as with basic, I would like a little more consistency in the art. While in its execution Expert stumbles, Expert falls from perfection to extremely well done. 4.5/5

Summary– I really like this book. Now just like the authors of Basic said, you don’t need this book. But, you most likely will want this book. No pulp game could be complete without a battlefield and a fiefdom to command! Now you get nitty-gritty rules for that! I’d like a few more examples and some more art, but overall, this is what a splat book should be. 97%

And more Shadow, Sword & Spell, but this time it’s the monster manual!

Product– Shadow, Sword & Spell: Threats

System– 12*

Producer– Rogue Games

Price– ~$5.25 here http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/102515/Shadow-Sword–Spell-Threats

TL; DR– A well done monster manual 93%

Basics– Every good game needs a monster manual. Sure, Basic had a small one, but here are a ton of different threats (see what I did there!) to throw at your players.

Mechanics or Crunch– It’s a bunch of monsters that all follow the rules set forth in Expert. The abilities are all defined well and you will know how to make them. I would kind of like a repeat of the rules from Expert on how to build a monster, but honestly that book’s cheap, so go buy that one! 4.75/5

Theme or Fluff- I like the monsters here. They all feel pulpy, but they don’t get too much write up. A common set up is one page for a picture and one page for stats and description. Descriptions get the short side of that stick. The description does give you something to work with, but I would have liked a bit more. However, the book does describe a few new villainous organizations for you to throw at your players, so Threats does build on the story of the campaign setting. 4.5/5

Execution– Threats does have some problems, but overall it’s well done. There are a few typos and other minor problems. Also, just like Basic, no real advice is given for how to build a fight. But that is par for any pulp fantasy RPG course. Even with those minor complaints, I am really happy with one thing: EVERY MONSTER GETS A PICTURE! I hate having to describe each monster and then point at a general monster of that type. The pictures are not perfect, but at the very least they’re in there! 4.75/5

Summary– Every good system needs a monster book. And this is just a well done monster book. My problems with this one are minor. I’d like game specific art for each thing, but some are is better than no art. Also, while other monster manuals teach you to build the monsters, Threats expect you to look at Expert to know those rules. Those are not bad, but just know that going into this one. Overall though, what’s here is well done and well worth your five bucks. 93%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Dues for the Dead

January 15, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Dues for the Dead

Product– DDEX 1-04 Dues for the Dead

System– Dungeons and Dragons 5e

Producer– Wizards of the Coast

Price– FREE

TL; DR-An amazingly long dungeon crawl! 93 %

Basics– The dead walk, and that’s a problem for the priests of the dead. Adventures are called to the Valhingen Graveyard to find the cause of these undead. Will you answer the call?

Mechanics or Crunch– Mechanically, this game pretty much a by the book dungeon crawl. It’s a fun romp that does have a lot of undead in it. As a low level adventure, it’s got all the greatest hits you can expect. Don’t expect a ton of new content, but get ready for a fun catacomb crawl. 4.5/5

Theme or Fluff- You know what I want out of a four hour experience? I want a crazy long dungeon crawl! This adventure covers an extreme amount of ground. Honestly, go big or go home! There is also a ton of encounters and a ton of roleplay. The players work with an acolyte who is a reluctant addition to the party. She doesn’t steal the show, but she provides an awesome counterpoint to just having to kill wave after wave of monsters. No one will be bored during this adventure. 5/5

Execution-Hay, it’s free! That gives this some slack. Usually I expect more pictures from a RPG product to break up the text, but for these free productions I’m ok. The layout is ok, but I would like a bit more content spotlighted such as items, gold, and room highlights with either bold text or subsection on room descriptions. That is a constant complaint I have for the current Adventure League adventure format, but again for free content, I’m pretty happy with what’s here. Also, the adventure comes with two different maps: an awesome one of the whole catacombs and another of just the final encounter. That helps groups that want to play up-close and tactile and for groups that want to play theater of the mind. It’s got my constant complaints for layout, but all and all, it’s a good product. 4.5/5

Summary-I’m kind of biased on this one. My favorite characters to play are clerics, and my favorite enemies to fight are undead. Let’s write an adventure to me specifically! Sure there are a few problems with layout like no art to break up text and honestly this is a by the book dungeon crawl, but this is a GOOD by the book dungeon crawl. It’s large, has great roleplaying moments with your constant acolyte companion and “other” things that pop up over time, and build on the current story arc well. I had a blast running it. My players have always had a blast playing in it. And now none of us can wait to see what’s next! 93%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of PFS Scenario #6–06: Hall of the Flesh Eaters

January 3, 2015 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Product– Pathfinder Society Scenario #6–06: Hall of the Flesh Eaters

System– Pathfinder

Producer– Paizo

Price– ~$ 4 here http://paizo.com/products/btpy9986?Pathfinder-Society-Scenario-6-06-Hall-of-the-Flesh-Eaters

TL; DR– A short dungeon crawl. 87%

Basics– Time to go to the Shackles! Among the Gloomspires rests Sevenfingers’ treasure hoard. A new finding by the Pathfinders will allow the explorers to find the proper shifting island where the hoard is buried. Can the Pathfinders survive the island the treasure is hidden on and explore the dangerous depths of the cavern below it?

Theme or Fluff-This adventure was a fun one, but the fact that it was in the Shackles or dealing with pirates wasn’t a main focus. It is more of a dungeon crawl. But, the dungeon isn’t that large, so it’s hard to get going as you’re done before you almost start. It’s fun, but you will have to add your own pirate focus to get the theme of a dungeon crawl for pirate treasure to come through. Also, this is the first part of a few adventures on this island. There is a record screeching halt in one area as the map basically give the equivalent of an invisible wall to hid the next adventure. This will be filled in in later adventures, but I really don’t like having to tell my explorers not to explore! 4/5

Mechanics or Crunch– As I said in the theme, this is mostly a dungeon crawl. Before the Dungeon is a short above ground section, but there is not much to do after an encounter happens up there. In the dungeon there are some unique events and traps that make some of the later encounters more interesting. The encounters that do happen are well balanced. But, as a dungeon crawl, it’s pretty short and easy. 4.5/5

Execution-What is here is well done. I like the spacing of the text, the maps, and the general layout. I’ve written before that I would like more description in these encounter blocks, but that is a general issue I have with all the PFS documents. 4.5/5

Summary– This is a short, fun dungeon crawl. It’s pretty linier, but that doesn’t make it bad. If your players want to start some adventures in the Shackles, this isn’t a bad adventure to start a quest line off of. I would have liked a bit more as it felt short, and a down to business party will get through this in less than two hours. As a GM, it ran smooth, and my party had fun. That’s the mark of a good adventure. I don’t like invisible walls in an RPG, but I am curious what the next adventure will be. 87%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of PFS Scenario #6-08: the Segang Expedition

December 31, 2014 ~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 1 Comment

Product– Pathfinder Society Scenario #6–08: The Segang Expedition

System– Pathfinder

Producer– Paizo

Price– ~$ 4 here http://paizo.com/products/btpy9a1w?Pathfinder-Society-Scenario-6-08-The-Segang-Expedition

TL; DR– A good mix of combat and roleplay. 90%

Basics-Time to hitch a ride! Funds for the Pathfinder Society are low after the adventures in the Worldwound. Now Pathfinders are working with new allies to find old archeological sites. Can you find and explore a new site while working with and befriending some new patrons?

Theme or Fluff-This is an interesting one. It’s two separate missions. Befriending one of two patrons while still finding what you want in an island Jungle. As a dungeon crawl alone, it’s not that best one I’ve played. As a pure roleplaying experience, it’s not complete either. But this one combines the two well and really does have something for the combat monkey and the thespian in your groups. It’s not perfect in either, but it does a good job balancing the fun. 4.5/5

Mechanics or Crunch– The adventure provides a new mechanic for how to befriend one of two wealthy backers. My players constantly tried to keep finding ways to secretly befriend both. You will have to think on your feet with this one. The combats are quick, and the adventure does give some extra mechanics fun for allowing players to go hunting from a hunting lodge. For its fights and non-combat encounters, it’s reasonably well done experience. 4.5/5

Execution– My main problem with this PFS scenario is the same problems I have with all of them. Paizo only publishes PDF adventures for the society. Paizo try to keep all the adventures a set length, but honestly, the PDFs could be infinite length providing all the rules I need to run the adventure from how the spells work to basic random dice rolls. This adventure lists a bunch of different creatures, and I have to have the books to look them up. Why not just give me the full stats? It won’t hurt to expand a few extra pages and give me those stats, since I know more and more people are now running adventures as PDFs off tablets. It’s just a pain to have to dig up all my books to get one stat for from one book and another stat from another book. Otherwise, the text if sized fine, the art is good, and generally, I have what I need to run this adventure. 4.5/5

Summary– I liked this one. A father and a son-in-law are off hunting and the players act as guards while still trying to be Pathfinders. I can see repercussions from last year’s Pathfinder’s affecting the future, and I like it. The adventure itself is fun, has roleplaying and combat well done, and fits neatly within the time frame for a PFS game. I had a blast and so did my players. Well worth running at your tables. 90%