1 comments about Dungeon Crawl Classics 39: Dm Screen and Adventure (Dungeon Crawl Classics) (Dungeon Crawl Classics).

1. In the days of old, I remember taping index cards to a manila folder and then duct-taping the edges together; soon pizza stains & soda rings formed and v'wa-la! A seasoned DM screen. Inside these walls the DM snickers and the sound of dice clatter; this DM screen is just what I've been waiting for since High School. Nice and heavy construction the DM screen also has a nice plastic coating that should put up with even the best delivery pizza's or energy drink. Stocked with all the needed quick reference tables this DM screen tops off a nostalgic game table.

5 comments about Dark Ages Companion - A Sourcebook for Vampire: The Dark Ages.

1. Great book filled with lots of info on different religions, really helps form backgrounds for npc's. On top of that I also have a pc who is a salubri and It REALLY helps, thank god I found a book that has the discipline of Valeren in it. Anyway overall this book was very helpful.



2. While Vampire: The Dark Ages is infinitely resourceful, the Dark Ages Companion is infinitely more so. It has detailed information on aspects of the dark ages which will help any chronicle. Included are several new bloodlines, plenty of new disciplines and new powers for old disciplines, and details on several religions. Possibly the most valuable resource is the new data on combat, including the mass-combat for the armies of the day.

   All in all, this product is essential to run a complex chronicle, and well-worth the money.




3. If a chronicle is hard to build, it is a dark ages chronicle, not because of lack of plot, but excess of it, there's too much going on with the church, also there's chivalry and clan differences begin to break the vampire society. Certainly it is a good time to have a companion to give you few details.

   It expands existing disciplines providing new ones, with even new rituals. The blood lines also prove to be interesting characters that players might enjoy, and storytellers trying to run the dark ages chronicle will find this book quite useful.




4. If you have just purchased Vampire: The Dark Ages, then you will want to look deeply into this book. This book contains information to help make vampire chronicles even more dynamic than before. This volume contains a detailed section outlining the various actions and reactions of different religious organizations. I state organizations because too often the word Church is assumed to mean the Holy Roman, or Catholic Church. Although it was a major power in Europe, there were still plenty of other religions in the world; each religion had its own agenda and these are illustrated in the Companion. Now a Storyteller can be sure throw a massive curve into a Chronicle when Cainites are now confronted by not only Catholic clergy, but also pagan and followers of even more remote religions. What basis of belief do the Assamites follow? It is most assuredly not catholicism. With this book, you can get a slight taste for their beliefs, or the beliefs of those in their homelands.

   So that is the church, but what about Cainites themselves? The Companion carries the higher level disciplines for the one listed in the Dark Ages core book. The authors have also included more Thaumaturgical paths as well as power to make better Infernalists. This book carries a wide selection of Dark Thaumaturgical paths and rituals. It also carries a few new disciplines altogether. Wait! New disciplines? Who wield them? This volume also adds four new clans/bloodlines. The Laibon, Lhiannan, and Lamia make their possible First Appearances in the White Wolf canon. Their chapters contain information on their origins, structure, beliefs, and discipline just as it does for all others. The one exception is that it also spells out each bloodline's fate. These Cainites do not survive into the modern days, and now you know why. But, I only mention three, who is the fourth?
   The Dark ages are a strange time. Not only does it see the "birth" of a new clan, but also the genocidal hunting of another. Yes, the Salubri are still alive at this time and the Companion provides both a clan overview as well as a long listing of Valeren, the Salubri principle power. For all you veterans, Valeren is not the same as Obeah. Now we have the actual power the Unicorns wielded long ago in Enoch, the very power that is said to have temporarily soothed Malkav of his madness. This alone makes the book worth its cost, but the authors have included so much more.

   In summary, coupling this book with Vampire: The Dark Ages will only enhance a chronicle. If players feel they done this before, add a few new religious antagonists, or just drop one of the unknown clans into he story to add danger, intrigue, and a huge new enigma to solve. Do not forget to spice the game with the upper levels of Disicplines. You may have a Brujah or a Nosferatu with a ton of Fortitude, but what good is that when you opponent can strike you from across the room without moving? What good is a ton of Potence and Celerity when your weapons shatter upon impacting another Cainite and not leaving the slightest mark? Who said the "things-that-go-bump-in-the-night" in the night do not have their "things-that-go-bump-in-the-night" as well? Can we say Methusala? Sleep well, childer. Sleep well.




5. This is an absolute essential guide for Dark Ages: Vampire players. It has info on Medieval life, history of the time, religion of the time period, and fictional info on more obscure DA:Vampire bloodlines and disciplines, including the frightening Baali and the mysterious and doomed Salubri. Definitely recommended, excellent reading..... If you're going to play a Dark Ages Vampire game, get this!

No comments about RuneQuest Games Master's Handbook.

1 comments about Making Terrain and Buildings for Historical Wargames.

1. I bought this book hoping it would show me in detail how to go about making terrain in a step by step kind of way in order to take my terrain skills to a higher level. In a couple of cases it does that but these are few and far between. There is some discussion on techniques but these are more beginner to intermediate ideas.
   
   The section on modular terrain is probably the section I got the most out of and it is fairly comprehensive with a number of techniques and ideas on how to go about it.
   
   There is a lot of discussion on a wide variety of terrain manufacturers and supporting companies and the products they make and some ideas for there use and that is where this book really has value as it also lists manufacturers including web addresses.
   
   In it are a lot of colour photographs which themselves provide a lot of inspiration. Unfortunately the photos are more focused on the miniatures than the terrain they are on but this is a minor distraction.
   
   Its an OK book well worth adding to your library if your a beginner to intermediate terrain builder and a good reference for the rest of us.

No comments about Beyond the Supernatural Rpg (Beyond the Supernatural).

3 comments about Iron Kingdoms World Guide: Full Metal Fantasy, Vol. 2 (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. What can I say abut this? This has to be the most comprehensive guide to an RPG world I have ever read. It reads like a history text and encyclopedia combined, but not as dry. The writers at Privateer Press have outdone themselves. Background info is given on the wonderful world of the Iron Kingdoms that they have shared with us. They go into such detail int he book. Each country's entry gives info that I wish other publishers put into their publications, such as the hierarchy of nobility and titles used. They even go as far to devote a section to ships used int he Iron Kingdoms and describe them.
   
   There is so much information here, most GMs will find it daunting to know where to start with what they have before them. But between this and the IK World Guide Vol 1, these stand out as the best written RPG products to come along in a long time.
   
   If you have any passing interest in the Iron Kingdoms, and even if you don't, this and the ocmpanion Vol. 1 book are highly recommended!



2. The Iron Kingdoms World Guide: Full Metal Fantasy, Vol. 2 is packed with awesome information about the world of the Iron Kingdoms. Great detail and very well written, I would highly recommend this book to anyone running an Iron Kingdoms campaign and anyone who simply likes a well done game setting.



3. I finished reading the World Guide this weekend, and felt like I had studied for an exam in European history...a very interesting exam that is.
   
   This book is chock-full of history and information on Western Immoren. Everything is incredibly detailed and yet extremely interesting.
   
   One thing that stood out to me was that it all "made sense". The history actually shapes itself into a logical sequence. I was always frustrated with regular genre fantasy...where nothing makes sense. This world does. It lays out why and how magic and technology has evolved, and how they are currently used...together and apart.
   
   The only downsides to me were the maps and some of the fonts used. They push so much information onto a small map area that it is hard to read at times. Resources and towns become cluttered, and make it difficult to even tell what the geography is. The other problem is that on some of the images in the book, they use a...I guess a gothic type font. That particular font is very difficult to read.
   
   If you are looking for a refreshing twist on standard high-fantasy, this book (and world) is for you. Check out the Iron Kingdoms: World Guide.

5 comments about Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (DC): Prima's Official Strategy Guide.

1. soul reaver is second game i ever play second. I like the Soul Reaver because, I like all his tricks and he have lots of actions and power. If you play for the firts time you have hard to play it, but if get the game it's essay game and is fun.



2. soul reaver is second game i ever play . I like the Soul Reaver because, I like all his tricks and he have lots of actions and power. If you play for the firts time you have hard to play it, but if get the game it's essay game and is fun.



3. GRAPHICS:Minor Flaws wont stop your eyes from bugging out over the rich backgrounds and atmospheric level layouts.Handsome and detailed.Soul Reaver is a definite looker.

   SOUND:More moaning and groaning than at the dentist's office,but it is all good.The outstanding narration and vocal talent add a layer of depth.There's not enough music,though.

   CONTROL:There;s some minor graphics messiness and a little bit of a slow down,but Reaver plays better than 90% of the games out there. Pay attention to the manual or youll find your self gnashing your canines.

   FUN FACTOR: Better belt your self in tight,because Soul Reaver is one lonf bumpy ride.If you dont get too lost in the enormous levels,Youll find yourself pleasantly surprised by this toothy little title.

   GRAPHICS=5.0 SOUND=4.5 CONTROL=4.5 FUN FACTOR=5.0




4. Soul Reaver is an excellent game even though it has some very minor gliches. It is one of the most challenging I have ever played on playstation, and it is sure to keep you going and going for hours. The guide is a tremendous help. Without it you are sure to run into many confusing puzzles, and spend a whole lot of time wondering where to go, and what to look for. To sum up... the guide is a definite must, but with or without it the game is excellent, and recommended for all you playstation fans out there!



5. This strategy book is fine. It guides you to the game, but, listen to my advise: use it as a 'confirmation' resource, go and explore in the game, experiment with Raziel abilities, and later check if you didn't miss something....you can always go back in this game.
   The only reason I didn't give the 5th star is because some pictures are very dark, I found a wrong picture in one of the pages, and It will also be helpful to show some sidebars in the pages where important items are to be found.

1 comments about All Tomorrows Zombies (Afmbe).

1. Another solid AFMBE book. Think Aliens/Alien/Shadow Run/Star Wars mets Dawn of the Dead. Includes space ships, cybernetics, cyberpunk hacking..... Good if you want a gritty Aliens type survival horror game. Or if you just wanted to gm a Star Wars with zombie storm troopers game....

5 comments about The Wurst Of Grimtooth's Traps (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. Short review time, this is probably the only off-brand book that I would consider essential to any half-decent DM. For anyone who complains that D&D is far too combat oriented, put a couple of the more vicious traps from this book in their path. Granted, a lot of them have a very cheesy 2nd edition feel to them, but even those provide inspiration for your own traps, and 90% of this book is PURE genius.



2. Short and sweet.... It has everything I liked about the original books and is in a format that I can use to easily torture my players. Good stuff!



3. This tome is a compilation of the Best of the Grimtooth's trap series. The majority of these traps will kill off a character. The last chapters of the book contain adventures, Traps Bizaar and the Dungeon of Doom, which are cool but again will kill off a party...



4. The original Grimtooth's Traps books were loaded with devilishly inventive and horribly deadly traps, really only suitable for a DM who wanted to kill an adventuring party. This update to those classic traps preserves the original creativity, while giving a DM Search and Disable Device DCs for each trap, giving PCs a _slightly_ increased chance of survival. However, what really makes this book shine is the detailed descriptions of each and every trap. The perfect cure for everyone who's tired of the standard: "Trap: CR 2, poison darts, trip wire trigger, Search DC 12, Disable DC 15." I highly recommend this book to all D&D players; whether or not you use the traps in the book, they're simply fun to read.



5. Traps described in this books are much more interesting than standard ones, but absolutely unrealistic. Can you believe that somebody will use a teleporter for... throwing a victim some yards up, in order to drop him on the spike? If I'll make a teleporter trap, it will be MUCH more effective.
   
   But if your players are not interested in realism of your D&D world - this book will be excellent for you. Game mechanics described in it is very interesting.

5 comments about Hackmaster: The Official Game Master's Guide.

1. The HackMaster GMG, like all HackMaster material, reads like the original 1st Edition AD&D gamebooks by Gary Gygax, but with lots more humor and with plenty of good-natured ribbing to the "Godfather of Gaming".

   The HM Gamemaster's Guide is a great book, and like it's old 1st Edition AD&D counterpart, it can give a GM plenty of ideas for his/her campaign, simply by opening it and taking a look around. It's creative, well-written, better organized than most RPG's GM reference material, and it is DEFINITELY more entertaining (most RPG reference books read like VCR instructions and are about as dry as plain saltines with nothing to wash them down).

   In short, if you like the fun you had years ago with your hack-n-slash AD&D campaigns, and you're not interested in the new gaming system that Wizards of the Coast is trying to pass off as "D&D", then HackMaster is for you. Don't believe those that try and tell you that HackMaster is just a parody of a popular RPG... it's a full-scale, playable, well-thought-out, and well-playtested RPG based on the game that started an industry!




2. I for one, totally than WOC for fecking up D&D. This allowed for Hackmaster to be readily available. I've been gaming off and on for more than 5 years. I thank God my GM decided to drop D&D and convert to Hackmaster.

   It is funnier, more interesting and more fun than D&D could ever hope to be. I just got the GM guide, and can't wait to begin GMing.




3. This book contains Most of the 1st and 2nd edition rules for AD&D,and a whole lot more! Unlike 3rd Edition which claims to be clear and concise this book actually is organized and clear in it's presentation. The art is good, but not distracting from the content. Plus the book is actually ENJOYABLE AND EASY TO READ. Seriously, I could hardly put it down.(I stopped trying to decipher the 3rd ed D&D after Chapter 1 Yecch! What a headache.)

   Plus this version of the game actually stops all those annoying arguments people get into over the rules. (Just do as the GM says or get a roll on the Smack-Down Table) They thought of EVERYTHING!

   This is more than a Roleplaying game. It's also Primer for how to play a roleplaying game. Loaded with Good advice. Wow!

   A+ Good job Kenzer Keep em coming!




4. Call it AD&D with a big bold sense of humor and lots of murder and mayhem. Hackmaster is the game and you're not going anywhere without this Hackmaster Game Master's Guide. Hackmaster is a truly brilliant game from Kenzer & Co., and something that veteran (I hesitate to say old) AD&D gamers like myself will love. Hackmaster freely and with permission uses the original AD&D rules (hence the remarkably similar covers) to those original Ad&D books of the late 70's and early 80's but imbues it with a sly sense of humor and an in your face attitude to provide the kind of gaming experience that you used to love before TSR and now Wizards of the Coast went nuts and started putting out a gazillion supplements.
   
   Veterans (there's that word again) will recognize much of the material contained in side this massive book but you'll still have to pay attention because the designers have added their special little nuances throughout to make this one hilarious but still straight-forward, RPG experience. Everything you'd expect to be covered is, including character creation, class, race, etc, but these guys have added their own little touches such as character quirks and flaws that add new depth to those two-dimensional character. These quirks take form in things like male pattern baldness, lips, and nosebleeds. Some could even aid your character. Turning to combat, Hackmaster has, hands down, the largest critical hit table that I have ever seen, even including an anatomical drawing to help show where the damage is done.
   
   Hackmaster provides a tool that is overdue by some 25 years...a Smartass Smackdown table. This table is used for dealing with out of control players. Roll a D100 and see the results. Perhaps that whiner develops a twitch, perhaps that ruthless killer of NPC's is infected by a skin-eating bacteria, maybe the dawdler slowing down the game finds himself the object of unnatural love from a powerful NPC (I'll let you define unnatural) It's touches like this that make the book a scream. Want another nice tool? How about a random tavern name generator? Now that really works!
   
   The magic item selection contains all those great items you remember from the original DM guide although some of the names have been changed to protect...someone. Thus we have the Hand of Vectra, along with the companion Eye, and, new to this book, the Feet of the Lich Vectra. There's also the Ring of Mercy Killing (AKA the Ring of Kavorkian), the Rod of Gender Bending, and the Bolt of the Month Pouch. If I am making this sound like a parody it's really not. At it's core Hackmaster is good, old time AD&D hack & slash fun. The designers have simply taken what is a great game and added a little humor that was probably already there to begin with in your own campaign. And, Hackmaster also has the largest random encounter tables I have ever seen, requiring the roll of a D10,000 to find out what you run into. What a superb book and what a great tribute to a simpler time of RPG gaming.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



5. If you have the first edition AD&D stuff by Gygax, then you really don't need this book. Its basically AD&D with some funny commentary every once in a while. I bought this thing when i decided to get back into gaming. I wanted something simple so i could introduce new players to dungeons and dragons. I took one look at the character creation part and decided that Hackmaster wasn't for the group i was putting together. It would have taken three hours to roll up. definately not a way to introduce new folks to the game, but if you hate the D20 stuff and you want to get into gaming the way it was in the good old days then you should give hackmaster a try.