Troll Lord Games

Rather than dig up the old thread which I am sure is around, I thought I'd just start another one...

This thread is to talk about whatever RPG item you're currently reading. Can just be a list of it, or you can use your post to "sell" to someone who may not have an idea what it is. I figure the more exposure to the variety of "stuff," the better my game can ultimately become.

Anyway, I am currently flipping through something that landed on my doorstep. It was free so I'm not complaining. And, it involved Ravenloft, my almost-favorite setting:

Ravenloft Gamemaster Screen (d20 version)

Secrets of the Dread Realms (d20)

I like the screen itself. I can use that in a non-d20 game. The other thing seems to be a reprint, basically, of the Darklords book. I can dig that, but they made some changes that I just cannot agree with. I know why it happened, but I don't like it. For example, Dragonlance, seemingly, is not WotCs... so no Lord Soth in the Domain of Sithicus. Not a bad idea, but I'll use the original sources.

My Paizo Lords of Chaos arrived today:

http://paizo.com/store/byCompany/p/paiz ... scuss#tabs


Plus the City Maps product came with it, VERY pleased with it, despite only one side being worth a crap to me.

I'm presently proofreading Kenzer & Co's Hacklopedia of Beasts. I know, I keep talking up this product -- it's super awesome.

I've also been reading the C&C Player's Guide. I'm planning on rolling up every character type in the near future, and then I'm going to turn my attention to Airdhe, as I am a setting junkie and I want to learn all I can about the C&C world. (I'm a setting junkie!)

On top of the first two, I've been spending a lot of time flipping through Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, and Deatwatch from FFG. I'll be playing DH this weekend and I am trying to familiarize myself with the system.

Also on my list of books to glance through shortly is the Tunnels & Trolls 7.5 box set, as well as the Delver's Pack.

I'm re-reading the "Ecology of" series of articles from the 1e/2e issues of Dragon.

Right now, I'm reading Pathfinder Bestiary 2. I cringed when I saw the Dhampyr (half-vampire). The first person who requests a Mwangi/Dhampyr Ranger with undead as a favored enemy is getting pimp-slapped. (Blade)

The second pimp-slap is reserved for the person who requests a sylph sorceress with the elemental air bloodline who wears a white unitard and levitates. (Storm)

I am currently taking waiting list applications for future spots on the slapping list if anyone wants to apply.

Steve likes getting slapped.

I'm only involved in two RPG thingys right now. Now that my latest project is finished, I can sit back and take in the latest two pieces of treasure.

The first is the recently released Swords & Wizardry Complete game from Frog God Games. I was never a real big fan of S&W as it when it came on the retro-clone scene. When the S&W White Box was released, the game was a little bit more my style. The awsome box and the basicness of the game really apealed to me in this manner. But ultimately, I knew I'd never play it. After a few months, I realized that the S&W game was just too bare bones for me. The White Box version is awesome, but I don't feel like coming up with a ton of my own rules anymore. Been there, done that. Ultimately I put down S&W forever. Then came along the S&W Complete rules from FGG. Now THIS is the S&W that I can get behind. The book looks gorgeous, and enough material was finally added to fill out the game into the level of basicness that I am comfortable with. Don't get me wrong, S&W is no where near as good as C&C. But while reading this book from cover to cover, I'm finally realizing that my basic version of the game we all love is now S&W Complete. I don't see myself returning to Basic D&D anymore. I love Mentzer's Basic D&D, and have for 20+ years, but now I think the basic level of gaming for me is finally "complete"... Swords & Wizardry Complete.

The other RPG tidbit that I am staring at is my newly arrive copy of Deathwatch Collector's Edition. Not only is Deathwatch cool, but the Collector's Edition stepped its game up. There may never be a collector's edition of an RPG that surpasses the Deathwatch version. The Deathwatch Collector's Edition weighs in at about 12 lbs. Each one is personalized to the owner (very cool!) and the pages are actually printed on parchement paper. Oh man, geekgasm. The case in which the tome comes in is is a steel case emblazoned with iconography relating to the Warhammer 40,000 setting. It's just a mind blowing presentation. Unfortunately, it's not practical at the game table. A true collector's version.

~O

serleran wrote:Rather than dig up the old thread which I am sure is around, I thought I'd just start another one...

Hmmm, are you referring to my thread about "What gaming stuff are you reading"??

That thread seems to have disappeared or was not carried over from the old forums.

Well, Son of a Biotch!!

I had one before that one that somehow got mysteriously deleted.

I suspect foul play.

Indeed, good sir, I do mean that very thread. I cursorily read the first three or so pages here but did not find it and was too lazy to use Search... so I opted to start it anew. Its a fun topic, I think.

I think the other thread about "What novel are you currently reading" is missing as well.

Subterfuge runs amok!

Who the hell is in charge around here anyway??

Omote wrote:The first is the recently released Swords & Wizardry Complete game from Frog God Games.

Holy crow, another one?! And now from a third publisher? Geez-uz... I thought the Earthdawn situation was unconventional, when FASA sold the liscence to LRG, then turned right around and sold it again to Red Brick later (and LRG died a horrible death). So, first Brave Halfling parts ways with Mythmere (amicably, from all appearances), with Mythmere still publishing and supporting the older rules while BH focuses on the slightly different WhiteBox version (and getting settled into his new church gig --I absolutely adore the fact that he's a pastor and a gamer; a man after my own heart). Mythmere hooks up with Allan over at Black Blade so they'll be publishing the "current" S&W rulebook along with Knockspell, and now a company I've never heard of is whipping out yet another edition, with this one following in Dangers & Dweomers's footsteps (expanding S&W with other supplements). My head hurts. lol

Y'know, what's worse, none of the "RPG news" sites I monitor, even RetroRoleplaying.com (which keeps tabs on the retro clone scene), said a bloody word about this new version/edition (or maybe I missed it, to be fair). I probably couldn't have afforded the 40 bucks for the limited edition hardcover at the moment, not until next month, but I'm annoyed to no end that I didn't have a shot at it (limited edition or not, I always prefer hardcovers). Even more annoyed that a batch of a hundred copies of an obscure, barely advertised game sold out, yet I can stumble across a limited edition of only 50 copies of something on Mongoose's website, over a month after it was posted, and still preorder it. Boggles the mind.

But seriously, three different companies simultaneously publishing variants of the same game, with the same name? Wow. Yeah, that won't get confusing, uhn-uh.

The other RPG tidbit that I am staring at is my newly arrive copy of Deathwatch Collector's Edition.

Mother of God! I'm not into 3E Warhammer rules (FFG's turned it into a freaking miniatures/board game with cards, like 4E --I'll stick with 2nd edition), but wow, that is one impressive, and ungodly expensive, tome. Heck, I can't even bring myself to call it just "book." Over 12 pounds, you say? And is that a key to open it I'm seeing in the pics?

I thought the same thing you did when I saw it. No way could anyone actually use that for gaming, which means another huge chunk of cash will have to go out the window for a "regular" copy to play with. It's insanely priced (200 clams), but man, it is damned gorgeous, I'll give them that.

Frog God Games version of S&W takes a lot of the optional rules added during the late 70s and puts them back into the game. FGG is a small company for sure, and only promoted the new rules via message boards (Necromancer Games and DragonsFoot) and through the blogosphere. It's crazy how fast FGG's version sold out. About 200 hundred copies were sold in the first 30 mintues (crashing their server), and the entire print run was gone shortly thereafter. That speaks volumes about the quality that FGG produces in my opinion.

As for Deathwatch, the book is near useless at the gaming table, though the tome itself comes free from the casing. Because the paper is thick, it's a big horkin' book for sure. But yeah, it's definitely a collector's piece made to chat about or look at on a shelf.

~O

Recently I had to revisit my Traveller house rules from 2003, in light of the fact that there were holes in the original document. So that made it necessary to go through about a half dozen books plus The Traveller Book to get things set up just the way I like them. So needless to say, Classic Traveller (though not in its entirety).

But, the book I'm flipping through right now is The Blood of Heroes RPG. For the uninitiated, it's the DC Heroes system on steroids. The rules are top notch. The artwork ranges from pretty good to downright horrible. The universe is meh. But I bought it for the system, not the world. If I really need a DC hero, I just hit http://www.writeups.org and I'm set.

Rhuvein wrote:I think the other thread about "What novel are you currently reading" is missing as well.

Subterfuge runs amok!

Who the hell is in charge around here anyway??

It was 66 pages of goodness that slimy started and most of us have posted on. Yeah, I think the thread got disintegrated on the conversion, which is funny since the spell is a fav of slimy's wizard in my FR game

L.S.

I posted the same in another thread - reading City of Strangers and The Godsmouth Heresy from Pathfinder, published by Paizo - great stuff! Gearing up for my email campaign set with monstrous characters in Kaer Maga (the City of Strangers).

Zombacalypse for Savage Worlds. Love me some flesh eaters (if you couldn't already tell).

Castle Keepers Guide, digest edition. It will look adorable on the desk after I've read through the new stuff.

Just finishing up Crusader #24. Good stuff.

Currently reading Blood of the Martyrs, a supplement for Dark Heresy detailing the Adeptus Ministorum (the Church of the God-Emporer of Mankind). It came out about a month ago or so, but I finally got my copy in. Holy crap! if you are a fan of the Warhammer 40K, and in particular the inner working of the Ecclesiarcy (Adeptus Ministorum), this book has it all! I've only read about 40 pages and I know this is my favorite 40K RPG book yet. This book deals with the Sisters of Battle, Redemptionists, and the like. The fluff in these 40K RPG books are usually top-notch. This book goes way beyond top-notch with 40K's dark, gothic setting and really puts the weight of your sins against the Emporer of Man rightfully, and heavy upon your shoulders... feel the burn.

FOR THE EMPEROR!

~O