Since college, I have become a theoretical role-player. My friend Matt has only played D&D and Champions, but he flies home twice a year to game with Since college, I have become a theoretical role-player. My friend Matt has only played D&D and Champions, but he flies home twice a year to game with friends. I've read dozens and dozens of games, but haven't rolled a die in about eight years. Sorcerer is one of the best games I've come across as a RPG-ologist. Ron Edwards is the most prominent figure in the current indie-rpg world, and with this game he pretty much spear-headed the independent game as a viable product. His essays on TheForge.net are required reading and changed the way I thought about roleplaying, especially his points about how you can't just take any system and use it for any style of game, that the system itself is vital to and will dictate the philosophy of the campaign you play. ...more
I loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many supplemental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possiblI loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many supplemental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possibly use them all. But you could read them all. And this was a Shadow World book, which made it cooler....more
I loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many supplemental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possiblI loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many supplemental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possibly use them all. But you could read them all....more
I loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many supplemental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possiblI loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many supplemental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possibly use them all. But you could read them all....more
I always wanted a GM screen as a kid, and never got one. I made my own (taped together manila folders, taped tables and charts to it), but never had aI always wanted a GM screen as a kid, and never got one. I made my own (taped together manila folders, taped tables and charts to it), but never had an official one. Ah well....more
I loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many suplimental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possiblyI loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many suplimental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possibly use them all. But you could read them all....more
I loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many suplimental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possiblyI loved the Rolemaster Companions. They gave you SO many suplimental rules, new character classes (battle-mage!), and items that you couldn't possibly use them all. But you could read them all....more
I always loved the idea of Alchemy in RPGs, but never had the time or devotion to work it into a campaign. Its always complicated and time-consuming, I always loved the idea of Alchemy in RPGs, but never had the time or devotion to work it into a campaign. Its always complicated and time-consuming, and involves characters tracking down supplies and spending days in one spot. Theoretically interesting, not practical....more
Another book more for Tolkien nerds than actually role-playing. You can't ACTUALLY work Gandolf or any of the other Maiar into your campaign, let alonAnother book more for Tolkien nerds than actually role-playing. You can't ACTUALLY work Gandolf or any of the other Maiar into your campaign, let alone the Valar. But its fun to read stats that are so insanely high....more
More obsessive documenting of Middle Earth. I had a copy of Tolkiens map (you now, the fold out one in the back of nice editions of the trilogy) blownMore obsessive documenting of Middle Earth. I had a copy of Tolkiens map (you now, the fold out one in the back of nice editions of the trilogy) blown up to 3'x6' that I tracked our campaign on; if you look closely at the eastern edge of Mirkwood, there's a small, free-standing section of the woords. We burned it down by accident, and had to black it out on our map....more
Back in highschool, I bought nearly ever Rolemaster supliment I could find - as this was pre-ebay, thats not as easy as it sounds. Between Dave and I,Back in highschool, I bought nearly ever Rolemaster supliment I could find - as this was pre-ebay, thats not as easy as it sounds. Between Dave and I, we tracked down all the RM Companion books, and of course, Creatures and Treasures. What can I say? Its filled with monsters and artifacts and lots of numbers. ...more
Admit it - you read the Histories of Middle earth and were bored stiff because what you secretly wanted was THIS. Its everything you could possibly waAdmit it - you read the Histories of Middle earth and were bored stiff because what you secretly wanted was THIS. Its everything you could possibly want to know about Rivendell, with all the characters broken down into the stats that RPG-heads need. Want to get your ass kicked by Elrond? Go for it. Our group used Rivendell as a jumping off base for many a campaign - we'd get whooped on, and have healers waiting for us at home. Good times....more
One of my favorite things back in highschool was to go to the back corner of KB Toys where they had over-stocked TSR products for dirt-cheap. I think One of my favorite things back in highschool was to go to the back corner of KB Toys where they had over-stocked TSR products for dirt-cheap. I think I picked this up for $4.99, and it was a great buy; Hollow World is one of the most under-appreciated settings ever. Its classic pulp fiction filtered through D&D, and is brilliant fun - you're on the INSIDE of the hollow Known World. Fantastic!...more
I might not have played much D&D, but I loved buying and reading their supliments for ideas. Most of their campaign settings were foundational to FRPGI might not have played much D&D, but I loved buying and reading their supliments for ideas. Most of their campaign settings were foundational to FRPGs, but by the time I was in highschool I was tired of high-fantasy, and most D&D settings were either cliched (Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Birthrigth) or lame (Ravenloft, Starjammers). Dark Sun was the most original thing I'd seen at the time, just when I was tiring of high-fantasy. Dark, violent, and alien, this inspired many a new, exciting adventure....more
An old-school classic crammed full of hundreds and hundreds of monsters, classic and new. So most of the new ones are lame - see, it looks just like aAn old-school classic crammed full of hundreds and hundreds of monsters, classic and new. So most of the new ones are lame - see, it looks just like a cloak, but when you put it on, its a BLOOD SUCKING FIEND! The reason I loved this as a teenage boy as the mosters looked like they were created (and illustrated) by other teenage boys, and I filled notebooks up with my own Monster Manuals, all inspired by this classic layout - a picture, stats, and a write up. I remember I made up a leech-like parasite that looked just like a leaf; they waited in swarms in forests, then attacked! Damn, I could have written this....more
I miss THAC0. It may have made no sense (you want high stats. High is good. Except for THAC0. That you want low, because you have to roll OVER it), buI miss THAC0. It may have made no sense (you want high stats. High is good. Except for THAC0. That you want low, because you have to roll OVER it), but its old-school. TSR fixed a number of the problems from 1E, and, more importantly, published this when I was 10, so its shadow has hung over my gaming ever since. This probably deserves three-stars, but this is just so influencial - if you think of role-playing games, the first thing you think of is probably AD&D 2E; if you've ever held a polyhedron die; if you make "saving throw" or "+5 slaying" jokes; if "chaotic-nuetral" means anything to you . . . this is why. If you've ever tried to explain an RPG to a non-gamer, inevitably one of you will you utter the phrase "sort of like D&D," and you won't be refering to the basic game....more
I REALLY want to get my hands on this game. I love Marin's characters and world, my friend Matt says the game is brilliant, and all the reviews of it I REALLY want to get my hands on this game. I love Marin's characters and world, my friend Matt says the game is brilliant, and all the reviews of it are good, too. I'm a bit turned off by the D20 aspect, but I still want to see how it works; its nearly five pounds, so there is a LOT in this sucker. Of course, the nearly $100 price tag is as lot as well. Thus, the "to-read" shelf....more
I keep picking this up at Barns & Noble, looking at the $45 price tag, and putting it right back down. All the reviews say its great, and what I've loI keep picking this up at Barns & Noble, looking at the $45 price tag, and putting it right back down. All the reviews say its great, and what I've looked at in store look great. Someday it will be sitting on a discount table . . ....more
I'm having a hard time tracking down the ISBN's for a lot of the games I used to play, as the original pulblishers have lost the rights to the productI'm having a hard time tracking down the ISBN's for a lot of the games I used to play, as the original pulblishers have lost the rights to the product (Cthulhu, Star Wars, et cetera) and new places are publishing new games that have nothing to do with the one's I played. West End Games is out of business? Dear god, I just found out FASA is gone! Sigh. I'm okay. Anyway, this book had a few good idea, but my pain issue was that I couldn't get into gaming in the Star Wars universe. The movies (just the three at the time) were so about the rebellion than I couldn't come up with campaigns or one-off plots, so our sessions always floundered. I think its just that, other than Shadow Run, I could never get into a non Fantasy RPG. Just me, so the game might be fine....more
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