5 comments about Vampire : The Masquerade (Revised Edition).

1. This is not a white wolf book, rather it is the conversion rules for people who are interested in playing vampire but not in learning a new system and who are already competent with the GURPS rules. If you are new to role playing and want to play a vampire then I suggest you find the world of darkness rules for this game as they are more expansive and complex.

   However, if you already know GURPS and are interested in playing a vampire then I strongly suggest this book. The rules are clearly laid out for people to read and understand. Though it is not a stand alone product, it's not trying to be. And it allows people who like WOD but who don't want to learn a new system to use a system they already know to play it.

   For those unfamiliar with vampire I'll do my best to give a rough over view. There are many different types of vampires known as Clans. Each clan has separate special powers which give them an edge up on one another. Some people find this system to be stereotype based, I have found, however, that the point is not to play a typical Brujah, Tremere, Venture, Lasombra or Toreador (just to name a few), but rather to create one who falls with in the lines of the clan but also is a unique individual. The Storyteller then guides the players though an advanture just like any other roleplaying game.

   As for the format of the book it is a bit confusing for those who aren't used to the way White Wolf sets up books. Unlike most WOD books, however, the index is surprising useful and can be used to find just about everything that is needed in the book. I do suggest the use of sticky notes for some sections as quick reference or your can write in the margins if you don't mind writing in books.

   One last thing for those with young children, Vampire is an intense rather dark game. It's not happy or light and fluffy. The plays are playing vampires who do kill people, and it is a horror based game. The book is dark and intense and probably not suitable for children under the age of 14.




2. I wasn't a vampire player at first in fact a freind and I were at each others throats for a while over the diferences between mage and vampire. but after taking a closer look at the two games I have come to realize that they coenside with each other quite well and are very easily mixed together.
   
   And as for the stupid assumptions of this Jonnhy traunt character he probably hasn't even played the system under a descent game master. His arguments are pethetic as well and heres why.
   
   
   1)you are of course going to run into a lot of gothic players. if he read the book then he would know that it says you are playing in the gothic punk world of darkness on page# 28 the paragraph labled in BIG BOLD LETERS stating "Gothic punk isperhaps the best way to describe the physical nature of the World of Darkness". So thus endeth that stupid assumption. I think I speek for all of Us Goths out there Christian Goth or not that this is definatly a Highly goth game and that this guy has just insulted the population of Goths.
   
   2) Munchkins, Power gamers, Rules lawers, and Dicers are all varyiants that the Game master should have to syphon through. I know this because I am A GM for vampire, Mage, Werewolf, Shadowrun, and heros unlimited. It even states in the GMs guide that the GM has to take care of that problem and Either remove them or deal with it. Note that comprimises are acceptable.
   
   3) This game is set for mature gamers not for beginners. This jonnhy guy really must of started with it and thought that its rules were to complex. Wrong the rule are simple. you just gotta be smart.
   
   So last Dont take any of the whining gibering of Jonnhy truant. BUY THIS BOOK. Oh yeah and Jonnhy be smarter than the equipment you opperate, or, in this case learn to read the whole book before you try to give a stupid opinion that has no good reasoning. can we say hollow?....... Come on I know you can do it. never mind.
   
   
   To the rest of you i leave this
   
   
   Life is short, But death is eternal.



3. This was the first version of Vampire that I played, and I absolutly love it. Yes, the dice is a little confusing, but as with all systems, it all comes down to how each individual player chooses to interact with the system. My favorite part of the system is the merit/flaw system that allows characters to have twice as much depth as some other systems.



4. A novel approach to the role playing game, that was quite successful, with a different feel, style and mechanism. Vampires are a popular theme, and this had more crossover appeal to more of the population it seemed than something like Dungeons and Dragons, so a definite breakthrough at the time this was produced.



5. Ok, here's the honest deal. Some people love this game above all others. Others hate it. There are few people in the middle ground. I am certainly in the middle on this one. I will play Vampire if I am invited to a game, but there have been multiple times when I was unsatisfied. Typically, I play Malkies or Setites. That comment right there will probably stop most hard-core Masquerade fans from reading the rest of this review, but these are the clans that interest me.
   
   Ok, on the mechanics. A storyteller, and even players, need to know the White Wolf D10 system pretty well to run any of their Storyteller games properly. This becomes more true with Vampire, because this is one of the few games with huge amounts of social powers to listen in on distant conversations, dominate another person's mind or make them love you, or even drive them mad with a glance. With perhaps the exception of Changling, no other White Wolf game requires so many roles in non-combat situations. I do consider this a weakness to some extent since it really does slow down game sessions considerably while the two parties roll, and inevitably counter-attack, and so forth. Frankly, it does seem like there is a roll for everything in Vampire, which is not really the case for many of White Wolf's other storyteller system games.
   
   On the plus side, this game has an amazing backstory. From the fall of man, and more specifically Cain, to modern nights, the history is great. It ties in things from actual history that make this stuff seem almost believable. The only problem I have with this is, to get most of that history you need to shell out some hard cash to get the supplement material. You can easily find yourself lost or just relying on another player on points of Vampire history and society most of the time. Some more development in the base book on this deep history and culture would be appreciated. That said, as long as the ST of your home game is aware of this information, you should be fine.
   
   A comment on the players of this game is needed. A number of reviews have been blasted because they discussed the players being goths or just in general complained about the players. It is a valid point, however. You can't play Vampire by yourself. That is called day-dreaming. Many of the players are devoted fans with deep knowledge of their clans' histories and can tell you all didn't want to know about them. This is not a real problem, but for a new player it can be very daunting. I was fortunate that my first game only had two such people, and one was the ST. If you are the only new player in the game, however, be afraid.
   
   I should also point out, since most of the negative reviews complain about LARPing, this is NOT the Vampire: the Masquerade LARP manual. Go look for Minds Eye Theatre stuff. This is the table top version. If you are more comfortable sitting around a table with your friends with chips and pizza somewhere, this is the version for you.
   
   This game is part of a larger world created by White Wolf. The meta-plot of the World of Darkness has many other games in it. If Vampire isn't your cup of suspiciously red and thick tea, but you enjoy the world or the system, try looking into the other games. Werewolf: the Apocalypse is great for combat oriented folk in defense of nature. Mage: the Ascension is a deep thinking look at subjective reality. Changling: the Dreaming is a call to return imagination to the world. The list goes on. White Wolf's games are not like D&D or some other RPGs. What game you play gives your character preset goals. There are stereotypes, especially in Vampire, to play with. If you haven't tried one of these games yet, Vampire is a good starting place, but if pseudo-political drama-queen blood-suckers ain't your style, move on down the list until you find something you love.

5 comments about Promethean The Created (Promethean).

1. For this new release, White Wolf again shows his incredible sense of personal introspection in a dark and insane world. The new race of monsters for the World of Darkness is a new look to the humanity, in the terms of those who seek her as a utopia; not the minds of those who preys on it (vampires), the ones who live in their society but belongs to their primal rage (werewolves) or the awakened ones (Mages).This solid effort is based more on the paradigm of the knowledge of humans making monsters, that wants to be humans.
   
   The art is not as good as Mage or Vampire, but it makes his work. Also, the tales and the first chronicle gives you the opportunity to refresh your ideas for new campaigns in your version of WoD. Their difficulty of playing (due to the Disquiet, a natural condition of the Prometheans) can push the player to make alliances, or to make strategies to keep your condition from the eye of hunters or other creatures, at the time that you search for your goals.
   
   After reading the book, the sensation is very similar to the one that you may feel after reading the masterpiece of Mary Shelley. Is the life an accident? is somebody authorized to play as God? Romantic, terrorific and human: this is the Promethean Mood. a Must-Have for the lovers of the good terror rpgs.



2. Promethean The Created is a new hardcover book for use with White Wolf's mega-popular World of Darkness RPG, and represents a broad new canvas for fans of the game. Promethean offers a new type of character to build and play...soulless corpses, reanimated with life and representing pure Greek Tragedy in their scope, or pure gothic horror...or maybe even both to players. The book bases its background on the myths of things such as the Frankenstein monster, golems, and other such constructs. First, the book does a fantastic job of providing background on these creatures as well as source books and films, giving payers a wide array of options. These created need not be pieced-together bodies of corpses. As pointed out, even creatures such as DC Comics' The Swamp Thing are considered a created being.
   
   Chapter One is vital and provides the player and GM with the setting and background for Prometheans. This is very key as the background of these characters is perhaps more important than any other type of WOD character. All manner of sample Prometheans and methods of creation are included...from alchemical to electricity to primordial beings. You'll find yourself mesmerized for hours by the depth of research done by the game designers. I'm not sure how much of this will ever be used, but it makes for interesting reading nonetheless.
   
   After you've read about these various types of constructs, chapter two will not get you into the character creation phase. Let's just say there's a heck of a lot more to do here than rolling a few dice. Select the character's attributes, skills, specialties, features, and various advantages. There are some excellent examples provided to get players moving in the right direction in creating their Prometheans. There's a boatload of skills and powers with which to equip your character. These include various uses of fire and electricity, but also subtler mental powers as well. This is one of the very best sections in the book and one of the best such sections I've ever read for any RPG system. The amount of detail that the eclectic nature of the promethean abilities is stunning, and even a bit intimidating.
   
   Succeeding chapters deal with Promethean antagonists and storytelling, as well as the Promethean condition and how they affect those around them. The book is capped off with a lengthy appendix. There is so much in this 280 plus book that it's impossible to cover it all in this review. Suffice to say this is one of the most richly detailed RPG supplements I've seen in quite some time. The book is accompanied by the usual outstanding art that you've come to expect from White Wolf.
   
   This is a grand new book in the World of Darkness mythos that opens up a whole new landscape for its fans.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



3. It was very quick to arrive, however it arrived in a overly big box for the book, but it arrived in the condition of which they told me that it would be in. And I was very pleased. But next time maybe a smaller box would be better for the book so it wouldn't flop around during transport.



4. Now THIS is a game for the new World of Darkness
   
   Yeah vamps are OK and so cliche in movies, wolfies are crying for been Forsaken, mages take time and a lot of experience to learn their stuff, meh... PROMETHEANS are REALLY looking to become human!
   
   How many settings talk about been human? About wanting to get a soul? About to learn how to be something they were and that the animals, people and even Earth scorns for been a blasphemy against natural life?
   
   Yes you also have powers and can become a deadly machine, but in the end the Pilgrimage takes you through Milestones so your Pyros can get purified with the Azoth that lives in you and you can create the Lapis Phillosophorum: a Soul. All this means that you travel to learn what you need to become human. A true human not an animated corpse.



5. I enjoy the WOD and most of it's associated products on the whole i find the production values higher then wizards of the coast. I have purchased all the other supplements for wod and while i still value changeling as the best I very much enjoyed promethean. The idea of the golem and frankenstien appeals very much especially since a great many of us feel misunderstood at some time or another. the book is well layed out and a joy to read I especially like the opening piece as i believe it really captures the feel of the game. This book will appeal to those who value a strong story line set in a world like our own but whose darkness is personified in various supernatural species. But be forwarned the tone of this game is all about isolation and loneliness in an attempt to garner enough good karma to become human and while we can relate many gamers might not like the idea of playing a character who is reviled by everything and everyone. overall high production value, well thought out and an entertaining system of tranmutations. this tome can be mixed with the others but on the whole promethean don't really play well with others even their own so the story teller might have to make some modifications to make this one work.

1 comments about Winter Masques (Changeling: the Lost).

1. Winter Masques is primarily a player's guide. It contains expanded information on the Seemings and the Kiths from the corebook, a massive amount of new Kiths, and many options for changeling politics, including two full Court systems. White Wolf's player guides tend to be more for role-playing than mechanically expanding character abilities - fluff over crunch - but this book has a strong mechanical element, aside from the blessings obviously necessary for all the new kiths. It is a good expansion of Changeling, but Autumn Nightmares is better and in my opinion more useful.
   
   The prologue is a demonstration of the one of the new Court systems, and a nasty look at just how convoluted Changeling politics can get. The first chapter is all about Seemings. It really does cover everything. There are three sample realms of origin for each Seeming, sometimes realms of with one Keeper, sometimes a general type of realm. It examines how Keepers convert people into Changelings. Then it goes into the usual lifestyle of each Seeming, how they live and how social they are, how they interact with mortals and their usual places in the Freeholds. Each section ends with a new Contract that is quite emblematic of the expanded Seeming. It is well written, thorough, enjoyable, and a good role-playing guide. One small flaw is that several Freehold entries start by saying the Seeming is hard to pigeonhole because the Kiths are so diverse, which isn't expanded on in the next chapter.
   
   Unfortunately, the next two chapters don't quite keep up that standard. The second chapter is all about Kiths. The marketing blurb for this book says it contains 41 new Kiths. That blurb was edited with the same care as White Wolf use on their books, as there are more like 46 new Kiths, spread over this chapter and the next. All of the original Kiths are expanded on, and there are a minimum of 4 new Kiths for each Seeming. There are guidelines on generating new Kiths. There are optional rules for removing and adding Kiths to an existing character. The new Kiths are generally good, but some seem more just peculiar than interesting and worth playing. Also, to me the expanded Kith descriptions, while they did give some new ideas for characters, did not provide much more than the information provided as part of the Seeming descriptions.
   
   The third and last chapter is a real grab bag. It starts out by reminding the reader that the fae are based on myths and legends and encouraging players and Storytellers to read them for ideas. It also encourages stories in game that mirror the original folklore. The whole chapter is about taking the folklore of a particular land of interest (or residence) and using it in the game. There are three folklore based Kiths for each Seeming. I found them generally more distinctive and more interesting than those in the second chapter. They draw on a really broad range of cultures. That is followed by a guide to describing the Hedge for many different environments, including cityscapes, grasslands and the ocean. Any setting could serve, as long as there are mazes and plants with sharp edges. A new oddment is featured with each of the many settings.
   
   Then come the politics. There are guides and examples to different ways of organising a Freehold. Quite a few make a mockery of the term `Free'hold. Some new Pledges are introduced. Then come the main section on the Courts. First off is a guide to changing the Seasons of a four Court system to match the actual seasons of an area, for long summers or long winters for instance. There is also a `Tornado Season' for the American Midwest, and later in the chapter is a sidebar on using a `Donkey and Elephant' rotating Court. The two full Court systems are the Directional Courts of East Asia and the Sun and Moon Courts of Eastern Europe. The descriptions are as detailed as those in the corebook and include a new Contract for the Directional Courts. Personally, I find the Courts too polarised and thus too limited compared to the Seasonal Courts. Young Changelings of the Sun or Moon Courts would never work together, let alone join the same motley. The Directional Courts are basically divided into two martial Courts and two mercantile, creative Courts.

5 comments about Werewolf: the Forsaken.

1. I got this along with World of Darkness, Mage and Vampire. My group has decided to "graduate" from Dungeons and Dragons to World of Darkness because its much more sophisticated. In this game you play modern day werewolves who hunt evil spirits and keep a balance with nature. It mixes well with all the other 3 core games and you can easily do crossovers. This game is about modern day horror, not furry power rangers.
   
   The illustrations are incredible, White Wolf really produces amazing work. I cannot rate this game high enough. If you are bored with D&D or other munchkin games like Magic the gathering or even substandard imitations like WitchCraft from Eden Studios, then THIS game is for YOU.



2. Some of you may have read my review of Requiem. If not, then allow me to retread some of it in order to preface this review.
   
   When the Original World of Darkness ended, White Wolf promised something new to those who had been longtime fans and players of its games. They released Requiem first, but it wasn't until Forsaken hit the shelves that the promise was really fulfilled.
   
   Werewolf: The Apocalypse was about a dying race's futile fight. Geopolitics and ecological concerns injected themes that were off topic for the subject matter.
   
   Forsaken lacks these flaws.
   
   The mechanics, though sometimes convoluted, are strong. They serve the themes of the game in unique and interesting ways.
   
   The presentation is complete, and conveys the primal nature of the werewolf. The mythology feels old, as if told from the beginning of time. The individual psychologies of the various factions are understandable, compelling, and complex.
   
   The setting itself focuses on a much more tightly constrained level than its predecessor. Instead of a large region, the pack is intended to take charge of a small territory, dealing with the brutal threats of other packs, while at the same time hunting in the spirit world... both because it is their nature, and because it is their responsibility.
   
   Nothing save a few minor terms from Apocalypse are reused, although some concepts see resurgence (the spectrum of forms is nearly the same, and the five auspices are similar to their old counterparts.... though care was taken to make the new renditions distinct from the older versions). There are small nods to the old game, but generally speaking the themes, cosmology, and setting are all new.
   
   Though the Breeds of Apocalypse have been Excised (all werewolves descend from human lineages), the society and psychology of the Forsaken are remarkably lupine, and the game takes care to emphasize that fact. A legal code is counterpointed with a morality trait (a first for a Werewolf game) that allows the characters to find an animal ethic in acts that would be monsterous to a normal human. Make no mistake, Werewolves are savage beasts, not shape shifting world savers.
   
   As with Requiem, this game lacks a metaplot. The world is for the storyteller to develop... but discussion of past events, and history goes far to make the setting feel as though it were genuinely alive.
   
   I daresay there's more wolf in the core rulebook of Forsaken than there was in the entire revised edition of Apocalypse... and in a game called 'Werewolf', that's a good thing.



3. The book is great. It is a good way for those who want to start playing the WoD.



4. Let's begin by dispelling the idea that this is or should be seen as an update of the older Werewolf: the Apocalypse. Most other reviews of this product begin with the premise that it should be compared to its predecessor, and review this product from there. What follows, then, is a biased description that starts and ends with the other game.
   
   This is not Apocalypse. This is a new game. Some elements carry over, some do not. But the themes and stories one tells using it are drastically different and the game deserves to be reviewed on its own flaws and merits and not whether it changes your favorite concept from an earlier game.
   
   And from that perspective this game does very well. It mixes many traditional Werewolf concepts with a new spiritual slant. Its "dark animism" themes are entirely appropriate to the horror setting presented in White-Wolf's World of Darkness. Its concepts of pack and the local, territorial focus create a strong set up for a role playing group. It somehow mixes bestial fury and violence with elegant symbolism and mysticism, and presents the whole package through a dark lens that sets up exceptional stories for players to create.
   
   Do not be taken in by those who would compare Forsaken to Apocalypse. I've played both. People who prefer the later are looking for something different than what you'll find in this game. That's fine, but do not let them convince you that apples are bad because they prefer oranges.



5. Different system; better IMO. Wold of Darkness book will be a help in understanding this system.

5 comments about WoD Armory (World of Darkness (White Wolf Hardcover)).

1. Armory presents a wide variety of new weapons, vehicles, and equipment for any World of Darkness game. New fighting styles and other merits add many new combat options for characters, and the discussion of how real world equipment and weapons training works is very helpful. If you want more detail than the World of Darkness corebook offers, or just don't know a lot about guns and weapons, then this is a great product offering enough detail and discussion to flesh out equipment without overwhelming the reader with endless lists of identical weapons.



2. I appreciate most about this book what it does that isn't typical of an equipment guide. It offers legal context for items. It lists common myths about weapons and the truth behind them. It gives results for the often silly and overly cinematic things that the players may try. It offers guidelines on how high a character's skill should be based on background and training, often giving creative means to justify having a score (Weaponry dots justified by playing baseball, for example). Lastly, it doesn't feel the need to provide lists and lists of weapons, rather it encourages the Storyteller to just use the stats of the most similar item provided. Not at all what I expected and I am very happy with it.



3. I was reluctant to get this supplement. My games are not combat heavy or combat focused, but this book does an excellent job of detailing any possibly weapon a player can use in the World of Darkness game. It is also usable in any WoD game such as Vampire the Requiem or Werewolf the Forsaken. It even covers combat merits and maneuvers for developing good cinematic action games. I am very glad to make this book an essential part of my gaming library.



4. Gives the user all up todate information on weapons and weapons and brawling. Features swords and guns alike.



5. The gun is said to be the great leveler. It doesn't matter how big or small you are, weak or strong, skilled or unskilled at fighting, a shotgun blast to the chest will take you down. Obviously, in a world of supernatural monsters, the humans are going to want a boatload of guns. Sometimes, though, you need something sharp to finish the job, and sometimes you have to fight with whatever you have on hand. And sometimes, you just REALLY have to blow something up. Nuke it from orbit; it's the only way to be sure.
   
   ARMORY is a supplement for the core line of White Wolf's World of Darkness. It's critical for mortals to have some kind of arsenal, but mages need kevlar vests as much as anybody and a werewolf might find an antique silver butter knife to be the most effective weapon against her opponent. ARMORY has all that and more.
   
   Also, it seems that every group has a gun nut, or a sword enthusiast, or someone who just plain knows how to brawl (I had an artilleryman, for example). They know a lot more than the ST about the equipment they specialize in and can overwhelm you with their technical knowledge. ARMORY at least keeps you informed about the difference between ACP, LR, and magnum ammo.
   
   I originally thought ARMORY would just be a list of equipment and how it modifies dice rolls. And how much stuff could there possibly be to describe? Well, ARMORY covers improvised weapons, guns of all kinds, heavy weapons and explosives, WMD's (chemical/biological/nuclear), vehicles, and equipment. And it doesn't just list weapons, it tells how to use them. This is really invaluable, and you will learn a lot about how firearms work, how bullets deal damage, what kind of nerve agents are out there, and how a kevlar vest protects you when it is nothing but tightly woven cloth. It is really quite fascinating (and a bit chilling) to read and really understand the myriad ways that human beings have for killing each other.
   
   ARMORY also includes new combat merits, including fighting styles. The "sniping" and "Spetsnaz knife fighting" styles are probably the most impressive.
   
   Overall, ARMORY is an amazing book and so much more than an equipment list. After reading ARMORY, you'll have a much deeper understanding of weapons and defenses, and knowledge is a powerful weapon in the World of Darkness. But a Magnum Research Desert Eagle is even more powerful.

5 comments about Mage the Awakening (Mage).

1. Before I go into the bad, a few things on the good of the book:
   
   The story about Atlantis I found neat, along with the Abyss and how Paradox works. I like the mechanics for magic, as well. The elements introduced are neat, such as the Banished and the Seers. But as a Mage I am a loner. I distrust other Mages and mortals push me away. Something small like this can easily be changed, though. The rest is a little more difficult.
   
   Also, there is no central conflict. There are small conflicts here and there, but there are very limited amounts of plot hooks. The closest to a major plot consists of the Exarchs and Oracles, an ancient war of gods which might or might not have happened. They do give a bit on Boston, but what if I don't want to be in Boston?
   
   The book spent far too much time on what spells I should cast. Give me the basics, and let me figure it out. A few rotes are neat, but 134 pages of a book about 400 pages (including the character sheet, index, ads, etc) is ridiculous. Especially when they could have spent it giving real plot hooks, more artifacts, or even more antagonists.
   
   The antagonist section is also weak. They give mortals, other mages, and a few spirits, which are little more than modified ghosts from the core book. The storyteller must guess at vampires and werewolves, unless he feels compelled to buy the other supernatural books.
   
   Outside of the cover, the book looks hideous and is difficult to read at times. The art isn't that great. The few times the art doesn't look bad, it has no borders and meshes in with the print. The borders on the sidebars are broken, so the sidebars have a tendency to mesh with the regular text. Sidebar fonts are done in gold print instead of black, but it is still more difficult to discern sidebars from normal text than it should be. If there are multiple sidebars close together, they start to mesh and then you don't have font differences to tell them apart. The subtitles are written in a gold cursive font, which is difficult to read.
   
   The price is horribly high for the content. On top of that, the supplements, which they force you to buy if you want to have any idea of where White Wolf wants the story to go, are expensive. I ended up reading some cheap novels and doing some research on historical figures to come up with storylines.
   
   In short, the price is ridiculous, the book is poorly laid out, there is no real conflict, there are few antagonists presented, and a lot of room was wasted on how one should cast magic. The origin of Mages sounds neat, and the mechanics are good. A nice buy if the price is a great deal lower.



2. My friends and I just bought this game along with the World of Darkness roleplaying game and I had to get on amazon and review this. It has an absolutely gorgeous cover, this is one of the most beautiful books I own. It is also huge, over 400 pages of rules for how to play a modern day mage or sorcerer. You can set this game almost anywhere. I love urban fantasy novels like Sandman and Dresden Files and with this game I can play those kinds of stories. It is a bit dense but it is only because of the huge amount of detail for a roleplaying game.
   
   You play a modern day wizard, you can be a nature mage, a scholar, a shapeshifting sorcerer or a warrior monk. I was reminded of the movie the Matrix, because it takes place in a modern setting and its about how magic can bend the rules of reality.
   
   My group and I are going to all play mages belonging to the Adamantine Arrows (warrior mages) in search of supernatural creatures who hurt mankind. Also, one of the best things about this game is that the magic system is very flexible, it lets you cast spells on the fly or through formulas (called Rotes). Ive played Dungeons and Dragons and believe me, this game is not as simplistic as that game (no memorizing spells, you can cast them as often and as quickly as you like ALL the time).
   
   The interior art is amazing, its by Michael Kaluta who has drawn many comics and book covers and he does ALL the artwork for this book. Gorgeous!!!



3. I've always liked the Storyteller game system used in the World of Darkness. Back in college I had a lot of fun playing Mage using the old system, which was full of great concepts and fun ideas. I picked up the new book after I started playing in a World of Darkness campaign, optimistic about the changes they've made. Wow, what a disappointment.
   
   I agree with many of the other critical reviews here. The 9 Traditions from the old book were far more interesting and evocative than the rather generic Paths and Orders offered in this book. The consensual reality of the old game was far inspired than the dull myth of Atlantis that they wheel out for the new version. Basically they've gotten rid of everything I really loved and replaced it with ideas that feel plain in comparison.
   
   The book has very high production value and a cool cover, but that doesn't overcome the fact that the book is poorly organized, confusing, and overwritten.
   
   That said, it's still a good game system and still a lot of fun to play. Given the choice, I'd rather play the old Mage, but I imagine new players to the game will enjoy this quite a bit.



4. i used ot play the old vampire the masquerade and i had little to no knowledge of mages or mage culture except some bargains i had struck with NPCs. so looking into the new world of darkness i was pretty interested in buying this book.
   
   it is really good, although i have not played as a mage yet, i would recomend this to any world of darkness player as a bit of research material.
   
   white wolf does a good job making their books worth reading.



5. The game rules are not terrible. They are fairly streamlined and idiot-proof. However, WW apparently could only simplify the rules by simplifying the background material. They took a wonderfully open-ended and absolutely brilliant background world (the consensual reality) and stripped it down to a cartoonish and rather silly Atlantis myth. Terrible. Just Terrible.
   
   I also find it amusing that they cleared out all of the metaplot history in Vampire to make the game more open to interpretation and less confined by metalplot events, and then went and eviscerated the background of MAGE, the WOD game that was MOST open to interpretation. A pale and dumbed down version of MAGE for the WOW generation...

5 comments about Vampire: The Requiem.

1. If you're expecting the same ole same ole in Vampire: The Requiem, best to look elsewhere, because Vampire: The Requiem isn't Vampire: The Masquerade, Fourth Edition. It certainly qualifies as being different from Vampire: The Masquerade, with some improvements to the basic rules to make playing and Storytelling easier, despite the fact you need the World Of Darkness rulebook in order to play the game.
   
   While the number of basic vampire clans have been paired down to five, the bloodlines of those clans have expanded considerably (many of the original clans of Vampire: The Masquerade have been relegated to bloodline status), and this allows players to create richly textured, more complex characters, continuing the basic mortal characters they created with the World Of Darkness rulebook.
   
   Also, five vampiric Covenants will allow your vampire character to become a more interesting character because he/she has to live within (or attempt to escape from) the boundaries and strictures of a particular Covenant, because a Covenant is similar, in many ways, to choosing a particular "religion". Characters can leave a particular Covenant, if they wish, but escaping from a vampiric Covenant can be much more difficult than you might think.
   
   Each Covenant -- Ordo Dracul, Circle Of The Crone, Lancea Sanctum, Invictus and Carthians -- has its own book, but the V:tR core rule book gives you an overview of each Covenant, and this should help you decide whether or not you should get one or more of the Covenant books (why, oh, why did White Wolf decide to publish all of their supplement books in hardcover form? Hardcovers ARE pricey, so if you decide to play in the World Of Darkness, better have plenty of cash and a strong bookshelf.).
   
   Some reviewers have complained (and with some justification) that much of the history, the rich backstory and suspense which made Vampire; The Masquerade an RPG classic is missing from Vampire: The Requiem. While some are pleased with those changes, especially the removal of the oft-confusing "metaplot", the rich backstory which V:tM had made it interesting and fun to play was one of the highlights of the game, and that's the problem I have with Vampire: The Requiem. Where's the history and the rich backstory about ancient vampires playing games of power? I miss that particular element, but perhaps this has been done in order to make room for other books which offer several versions of the V:tR backstory, like MYTHOLOGIES, which is now available.
   
   If the good folks at White Wolf had included a much richer backstory, I'd gladly give this book five stars, but since that's the one element which it lacks, I give it four and a half stars.
   
   It's not bad, overall, but it could have used a little more ... bite.



2. To begin with, this is a review by a new player for new players. I like horror role-playing and picked this book up on a whim. I really love the system and the setting and have bought a lot of the White Wolf games since. But I've never played or read Masquerade, so I can't possibly talk about whether the changes have been better or worse. But I can relate to someone who is interested in trying this game for the first time and I'll try to make this review useful to you.
   
   To start at the very beginning, REQUIEM uses the Storytelling System, so you'll want to buy the WORLD OF DARKNESS corebook. This corebook runs through the basics of the system: each dramatic action has a number of 10 sided dice that you roll called your dicepool. Usually this number is the sum of an ability score and a skill, plus or minus situational modifiers. You get one success for each die that rolls 8 or above and you get to reroll 10's. Most actions succeed with a single "success", although many require a certain number of successes over time, or you compete against a target for the msot successes. This corebook explains how to make mortal characters, and other sourcebooks (like REQUIEM) have you start with a mortal character based on these rules and add "supernatural" elements to have a vampire, mage, or whatever. Some people are unhappy that more than one book is needed. I love it for 3 reasons: the corebook is awesome on its own and it allows you to play mortal horror games all by itself (which a great many people have discovered the joy of; I would now only run CALL OF CTHULHU using World of Darkness characters); if you buy more than one gameline, having character generation and the rulesystem repeated in every book seems a waste of time and money; and finally, REQUIEM is already a pretty big book and something would have to go in order to add the extra rules. It would be a shame to wedge in the extra rules since REQUIEM is so well developed its like a work of art.
   
   Speaking of art, I thought I'd note the high production quality of the book. Some people are embarassed that they like a book based on its cover. Not me - as a bibliophile, I like a book that looks nice on the shelf and holds up well in addition to being useful between the covers. REQUIEM is a gorgeous holographic red hardcover with tight binding that has held up well. The pages have a glossy finish to them that makes this tome really stand out in a crowd. I like how each of the game lines has a distinctive cover that draws your eye to which series a book belongs to. The interior art is all black-and-white; some is a little cartoonish, but for the most part it is good and gritty.
   
   So, what's so great about REQUIEM besides a pretty face? Well, the content is well laid out, is clear and orderly, and supports the theme of the game. Maybe the first quarter of the book is nothing but flavor text. This is important; a game designed around "storytelling" should itself tell a good story. Even if it isn't terribly narrative, the reader should feel immersed in the setting before breaking in with rules and numbers. REQUIEM does an excellent job of discussing what vampires are, what are the different biological and sociological groups, how they relate to each other and what they do. No rules-jargon is used at this point; everything is conversational (not that I mean that the wordcount is puffed up, but that you don't need special knowledge to understand everything that is going on). The section is concise, informative, interesting, and colorful, and it leads into character generation very smoothly. I never felt the need to flip forward or backward in order to understand something and I was very excited about the setting by the end of these chapters.
   
   The middle half of the book is devoted to character creation. You start by creating a "mortal" - you assign points as if you were a mortal, and then you add on the bonuses based on your vampiric clan and choose vampire powers. You get discount access to some abilities due to your clan but the others are harder to learn. Each ability is well explained and they all seem fairly well balanced. If you buy status in your covenant you can buy "magic" or get a discount on other merits. The covenant Ordo Dracul gets the most poweful abilities in that they can overcome vampiric curses by changing their physisology but the XP cost is extremely high. Again, everything in this chapter is well-ordered and easy to understand. I was able to make interesting characters right away (no need to buy additional supplements to do interesting things) . The Humanity system is explained, which introduces a tangible mechanic for acting in violence or cruelty; as you act like less of a decent person, humans see through your facade to the predator within. The character can't "pass" as human any more, with caps on dice pools when interacting with people. Feeding and loosing control of the monster within are also discussed. Rules for Blood Potency are given, which is a measure of the relative power of the vampire (the "super stat").
   
   The final section has is on using REQUIEM to play a game. This chapter is more high-level than I hoped for, in that it discusses how to make sample campaigns, how to break up the action into digestible scenes, how to make a coherent plot, etc. It would also have been useful to have some turn-by-turn play examples. This section also details "bloodlines", which is a way to introduce your own tailored kind of vampire with special powers and disadvantages. This is a very useful chapter if you are not experienced with the Storytelling System.
   
   There is also an Appendix which describes the signature city of New Orleans. It seems a little dated since Katrina, but it spells out (to the extent of usefulness) the movers and shakers, what there is in the city, and the vampire history of the city. It is very helpful to have a setting right out of the box, with no additional purchases demanded of you. There is some political intrigue to start a new story, or just to allow your characters to explore the town.
   
   Overall, this is a superb product. The production quality is outstanding, the layout and design shows maturity in the field, and the setting is exciting. Character generation is easy. There is sufficient explanation of every class and ability to make it immediately useful. And there is a setting to start play in right away, which also ties into the free demo for download from White Wolf's website.



3. Im new to this game and I think this game is the best one out there. Unlike Dungeons and Dragons this game offers more potential for roleplaying and is more mature in nature. You do need to buy the World of Darkness along with this book in order to play, but that is still cheaper than buying a Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual in order to play D&D.
   
   Plus this game allows alot more flexibility if you want to play with Werewolves, Mages and other supernatural creatures. It gives you the freedom to create almost any character concept from lord of the night to shapeshifting vampires.
   
   This game is absolutely amazing and I plan on buying the other supplements for it.



4. White Wolf ended the Original World of Darkness with grand fanfare. They promised after its discontinuation a new line, a new setting, and a new vision where fans of the original lines could tell a whole array of horror stories that had not been well supported by the original setting.
   
   Requiem was to be the first offering in fulfillment of that promise. It fails to deliver.
   
   In all fairness, I must offer three distinct ratings to the three distinct subsections of this game.
   
   Mechanics 4/5
   
   Presentation 4/5
   
   Setting content 1/5
   
   The mechanics are solid, and while some of the names seem a touch hokey (especially in comparison to their counterparts in Masquerade), the actual mechanics function well, and serve their purpose admirably.
   
   The presentation is beautiful, downright breathtaking in many places. The game tries hard to look good, and it shines for it (I find it somewhat amusing to note that the developer, Justin Achilli, actually stated in his live journal that a coworker had put a drop of blood into the ink vat used on the first print run.... very fitting for a game about vampires)
   
   The setting though... The setting is nothing new. It reuses three of the clans from Masquerade with almost no tweaking of their respective themes, and the two original clans have all the vibe of simply being composites of discarded clans. The advent of covenants, admittedly new, in many ways redraws the faction lines that they tried to eliminate by removing the Camarilla. The whole thing comes away feeling like a simplified iteration of Masquerade, with an alternate history founded on the same roots.
   
   The choice to eliminate Metaplot from the New WoD lines hits Requiem hard. Masquerade was arguably the most metaplot dependent of the original world of darkness, and while many felt that this constrained the game by writing material that the individual storytellers could have worked up themselves... it did create a sense of a dynamic, inhabited world. Requiem lacks this. Anyone intending to run this game will have a lot of work cut out for them, because material on individual cities is sparse, and examples to inspire are similarly hard to find.
   
   Overall, this feels like Masquerade with training wheels put on for the newcomers. It's not what the old guard was promised, it's insulting to the newcomers who should have been offered a game of at least equal complexity and quality to it's predecessor, and it just plain doesn't measure up to the high standards that White Wolf has set for itself.



5. The Vampire: Requiem is a nice offspring of the well-know storyteller game, Vampire: the Maquerade.
   
   Fortunatelly, all the vampire's history is built upon the new world view. The combinations of Clans, Covenants and Bloodlines gives a lot more options for the players and storytellers alike. The atmosphere of the game is still gothic horror.
   
   The system is revised and better than the old one. It's a bit more player-friendly in a way.
   
   I didn't like the idea of buying more books than one to start playing.
   
   Altogather, it's a nice book that's worth it's price!

5 comments about Changeling: the Lost.

1. Changeling is the 5th game launched under the "new" version of the World of Darkness from White Wolf Game Studio. It is partially a re-imagining of Changeling: the Dreaming and a chance for White Wolf to explore myth and legend in new ways. This game deviates much more from its predecessor than Vampire: the Requiem does from Vampire: the Masquerade. Sure, there are a few familiar terms in this version of Changeling, but the game is very, very different from the Dreaming.
   
   In Lost, the characters are victims of the True Fae, having been abducted or seduced into service of these other-worldly beings. The Fae often replace the victim with a Fetch (a Fae creation that effectively assumes the role the character would have had in the mortal world). While in Arcadia the characters fill any number of roles for their masters, servants, lovers, slaves, pawns and decorations in the endless imaginations of The Others.
   
   Changeling: the Lost is a very different game than Changeling: the Dreaming. Some of the terminology may be similar but each book explores fairy tales in a different way and offer up very different types of games. Some fans will want to compare the two games, others will look at Lost as something new and original. I'm a fan of both games. Changeling: the Lost is an amazing book, full of great writing and tons of story elements.



2. While I'm glad that they published a new Changeling for the new system, I'm sorely disappointed with the actual product. Spotty writing, inconsistent mechanics and a lack of creativity pervade the product.
   
   Let's start with the available types of changeling, called Seemings. These are Beasts, changelings with an animalistic aspect; Darklings, sneaky and shadowy changelings; Elementals, element-aspected changelings; Fairest, pretty boys and girls; Ogres, bruisers and teethgrinders; and Wizened, the 'twisted up' changelings.
   
   Fans of White Wolf's other games might recall something similar in a recent product; there's the animal-vampires (Gangrel), the shadowy-vampires (Mekhet), the twisted up vampires (Nosferatu), the pretty vampires (Daeva, sometimes Ventrue)...
   
   The game takes equal measures to remind you that the changelings are beautiful and manipulative and to make them, by and large, socially inept. Most of the Seemings have social penalties of some sort attached to them, and the book uses variants on the phrase "alien to humanity" so often it feels like an editor's note.
   
   Of course, some of the other mechanical tidbits are a bit strange as well. This is hidden somewhat by the huge lists of powers and potential bonuses and penalites in an array that might've made the developers of AD&D 2nd ed drool, but some of the kiths (sub-categories of Seeming) have flavorful, defining powers that provide meaningful benefits (sometimes free and persistant), while others get things like a (for most characters) small bonus to armor once per day, which also imposes penalties, doesn't stack with regular armor, and requires some of the changeling's power source, Glamour, to activate.
   
   Character development is a mess. Changelings all get a bonus Specialty, but they don't tell you that until a hundred pages after the character creation section that should have covered it. There's an example in the sample character creation section, but it doesn't give any guidelines (the Speciality selection is actually rather limited), nor does it explain why they're doing it.
   
   This isn't a terrible product; it definitely doesn't meet my expectations, but once I finish writing up houserules, it should be perfectly serviceable. My biggest issue is that a product with the issues that this one has typically merits a revision and republication -- and I'm sure that's a great business model, but it makes me as a gamer and a fan of the world of darkness feel a tad bit exploited. I'm already purchasing far fewer of the nWoD products than I did of the old WoD; this is merely incentive to continue that trend.
   
   If you were going to get it anyway, go ahead; it's got a very lovely cover and you should be able to adapt it to your group alright. If you weren't, well, don't.



3. Changeling: The Dreaming was the biggest disappointments of the original World of Darkness. Unlike the other reimagined WoD this book is a great step up. You play human being who was kidnapped by the Fae, and then has escaped back to the world. You are a Changeling and are greatly altered by your stay. Not only that decades, or seconds may have past, and you may have a fetch living your life. It's a much more dark and mature setting. Your powers have real world effects. (You do suffer from overt displays in front of mundane wittinesses.)
   
   The book cover is amazing in terms of the art, and the art inside the book is great too. The system is well thought out, and powers fit within the theme of the game. This is by far the best second try of all the WoD games. It stands up there with the best and is only over shadowed by the original mage game. Now if I can only find people who want to play it. (Several member of my current gaming borrowed my copy of Changeling: The Dreaming, and are still traumatized.)



4. DISCLAIMER: First off, this is MY PERSONAL OPINION and I know many people will not agree. It's important to remember however that we're all entitled to our opinions and we all have different preferences. My negative review doesn't mean I think the book should be pulled from the shelf or that people should not be permitted to play it, but rather that *I* personally did not find it enjoyable or pleasant. If you do, fantastic! It's just not MY cup of tea.
   
   Onto the review. I'm a long time fan of this book's predecessor, Changeling: The Dreaming. (Henceforth "C:tD") I collected all the books and I greatly enjoyed the theme, setting and style of the books. I never read any of the other lines (Vampire, Mage, etc.) but I did really enjoy what was created with C:tD. There was a brightness to C:tD; a sense of hope and promise. That despite things being bleak, Spring would always still return. Set in a darker version of our real, modern world, it was ultimately a game about hope, promise and Beauty. I appreciated that since far too often we only celebrate ugliness in our society.
   
   So when White Wolf ended the original World of Darkness for their New World of Darkness ("nWod"), I wasn't originally terribly interested. As I said, I never read any of the other lines so it didn't matter to me that they'd relaunched them in different forms. Until, that is, when I heard there was going to be a new Changeling edition.
   
   When I finally got it and started to read, I realized it was VASTLY different from the old C:tD. Gone was the sense of lightness, whimsy and beauty and in it's place was something MUCH darker, ugly and sinister. Changeling: The Lost ("C:tL") isn't so much a revised version of C:tD as it is an entirely different concept all together. Which is perhaps part of why I disliked it so much. I expected more of the same C:tD. What I found wasn't the same at all.
   
   In C:tL you play a human who was abused by the True Fae that has now escaped back into the mortal world. The book makes it VERY clear that every single person was tortured, abused, raped, hurt, beaten and/or any other combination of unimaginably cruel events. That the True Fae are utterly without hearts, morals or understanding and that they put your character through Hell - physically, emotionally, mentally, sexually and more. That you had to fight to get back, tearing yourself further into shreds only to find that when you returned, you were changed. You're now more like they are. Worse, your human life is utterly unreachable to you. You fought through all of it to find either you're now believed dead, too much time has past, or you've been replaced by an impostor who now IS you. All that and there's nothing waiting for you upon your return. Your family is lost to you. Your life is lost to you. Your spouse/partner is lost to you. Your job/career is lost to you. Everything you were before is gone.
   
   Pretty bleak, hu?
   
   Changeling: The Dreaming was, at it's core, about hope. That though things now weren't great, they were going to get better. Changeling: The Lost has no hope. All hope was ripped away from you prior to the game's beginning. You're now left broken utterly to fend for yourself. Oh yeah, and to live life looking over your shoulder to ensure you're not recaptured by the True Fae you escaped from who may or may not be actively hunting for you.
   
   This just isn't my cup of tea. You're forced to play a victim. And, you're constantly reminded how awful things were and how terrible your past was. I feel that the world is already too dark and too bleak and I rather not spend my free time encouraging MORE of that attitude.
   
   Now, I want to be clear that if you like it, more power to you. I make NO judgment calls on anyone who plays the game in ANY way. I'm just saying it's not for me. And I think for many people who may have been the victim of abuse, it may not be for you either. I can greatly see this book and this concept being triggering to people.
   
   So in summary...
   
   If you do not like horror situations, or dark settings, or concepts of abuse, kidnapping, torture and related are troubling to you, do yourself a favor and avoid this line. C:tL is NOT like C:tD at all. If you're expecting something airy and light like the original, you'll be sorely disappointed. When they say it has mature themes, they mean it for these reasons.



5. Changeling the lost is a game of coming home to a world that you no longer belong to. Taken from home by the dark fey (something straight out of grimms)an imposter left in your place. The man returns home months or years later to find he no longer has a home, a family a life. This game is wonderful. The dark tones the nod to classic conceptions of fey creatures this is no disney cartoon or happily ever after this is darkness and urban legends in all its glory. Of all the WOD supplements i find this one to be the most complete. It is a well thought out system of pacts and promises as well as containing insight into all you'll need to play a character it also gives the story teller almost all he needs (except for what is in the WOD book) it even contains a full account of a setting in miami and the main players there. overall i love the setting and the tones set by this book i read it from cover to cover over the course of a week and enjoyed every minute. If you love world of darkness or even just the darker aspects of happily ever after i reccomend this game to you.

5 comments about The World of Darkness.

1. I got this as a gift for my son and he (13 years old) has really been enjoying it - says it is a great game book.



2. This book is essential in order to play one of the core setting books such as Vampire the Requiem, Werewolf the Forsaken and Mage the Awakening. This book provides all the core rules and mechanics for character creation, combat, actions and the World of Darkness setting, a fictional world much like ours where the supernatural exists. White Wolf has produced books for the World of Darkness, their core game setting for many years, but this version presents a new "reboot" or re-imagining of their game world. Many of the mechanics have been fixed, such as massive dice pools which resulted in having more chances for a botch. Additionally, the game makes use of the common everyday Joe mortal as the basic character. You begin as a mortal and then may acquire one of the supernatural templates such as vampire, werewolf or mage.
   
   The introduction of virtures and vices adds an element of roleplaying that was missing in the previous version. To that add an extensive chapter on storytelling and setting building. One of the things I like most about this game is that you have so much development of the World of Darkness that you need never play a vampire or mage. Humans have as much devoted to them that it makes this a stand alone game if you decide not to purchase the vampire, werewolf or mage setting books.
   
   I was a fan of the old World of Darkness, but with this version I have become an avid gamer like never before.



3. Just picked this up and Im so jazzed. It is probably the best rpg me and my group have played to date. This is the basic rule book for the other games, you need it in order to play vampire, werewolf or mage. Without thsi book you dont have the basic rules, like combat, characters merits and skills, so be sure to buy this book FIRST. In fact, its so good that you can just play mortals with this game without having any of the supernatural settings like vampire or mage. I researched this game alot before buying it and this game book has even won MAJOR game awards! Im a huge werewolf buff and my GM is running a great game for us.
   
   
   This game ROCKS hands down!!!!



4. This book, was a through, compelling and fun intorduction to the World of Darkness role-playing game. I found the instructions easy to follow and their simplicity was only amplified by the written examples of when you would use such rules during game play. A+++



5. All the details you need to begin a quest or improve on your current chronicle. Highly recommended.

1 comments about WOD Innocents (World of Darkness).

1. This is a *self-contained rulebook* for playing children (up to 12-13 years of age) in White Wolve's World of Darkness. However, this is NOT a role playing game for children. It contains very adult themes, albeit, from the perspective of a child. In it you play an "innocent" who lives in a world of horror and the supernatural. Imagine the world of Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth or The Orphanage, but you play the little girl of boy. The book contains all the rules you need to play these child characters, you dont need the World of Darkness corerulebook. That said, it integrates seamlessly into Vampire, Werewolf or Mage, or particularly Changeling.
   That said this game may not be for everyone. If you are not interested in exploring horror and supernatural themes from the point of view of a child; if you dont want to play stories in which you are a child living in an adults world, with little protections other than those granted by adults, caregivers or social agencies; if you want a character less empowered to change his world and who must live by the rules of a society that still see's them as "innocents," then this game will definitely NOT be for you. White Wolf has the reputation for publishing books that are edgy (yet innovating). This book is one of them.