What CK Aids Should I Buy?

Stuie · Post by **Stuie** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:36 pm

I've got $29 to spend. Woohoo! Sorry - but that's saying something when you have four kids.

Anyway, I want some Castle Keeper aids. Every time I think about buying an actual adventure, I realize I can make something just as good myself. So I want stuff to just aid my creativity.

What I have:

PHB

M&T

DMG (1st ed. of course)

So what else might be handy and within my budget? I've thought about the old survival guides (Dungeoneer and Wilderness) but have never actually looked at them.

What else?

Edit: Oh - I've thought about the old Monster Manual as well.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:41 pm

Engineering Dungeons, soon to be released.

[C&C]

Ask serleran for Creature Crucible. [C&C]

Gary Gygax's Living Fantasy or World Builder. [LA / d20]

Toolbox from AEG. [d20]

Mother of All Encounter Tables. [d20]

Creative Campaigning. [AD&D2e]

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:11 pm

So many choices... so many suggestions which could be offered.

But I guess it depends on what 'direction' you would like some of your games to take. If you're eager to do some Dungeon Related stuff... Engineering Dungeons would be great. Of course, it's not out yet (and there is no release date; only the legendary 'TBA')

Seriously though, if you're looking to get something sooner rather than later, AEG's Toolbox has a bit of everything... dungeon, city, people, things, wilderness, etc... It's a d20 book of tables which can easily be adapted for whatever.

A good monster book is always nice... But if you're looking for some bang to your buck, here's a couple of other suggestions:

Codex of Erde ... great campaign setting with tons of info jammed in. TLG still has their sale one which means you can get this bad boy for only $10!

Check out the Role-Aids sale from Mayfair... stuff made for AD&D on the extreme cheap (discontinued). I recently got an order of some of this stuff and I have to say there are more than just a couple of things that have given some inspiration! Here's the link:
http://www.mayfairgames.com/shop-specia ... fg-ra.html

The 'Source & Background Set' for example is only $15, plus shipping.

I've seen places on and off that has had the Castle Zagyg: Yggsburgh hardcover on sale... if you can get it within your budget, that's a definite big source of ideas!

Hope that helps.

Moriarty the Red
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Stuie · Post by **Stuie** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:56 am

serleran wrote:
Engineering Dungeons, soon to be released. [C&C]

Ask serleran for Creature Crucible. [C&C]
Gary Gygax's Living Fantasy or World Builder. [LA / d20]

Toolbox from AEG. [d20]

Mother of All Encounter Tables. [d20]

Creative Campaigning. [AD&D2e]

Engineering Dungeons looks like it will be cool... but since it is TBA I'll probably grab something else for now.

Creature Crucible??

Thanks for the suggestions. You too, moriarty!
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Jyrdan Fairblade · Post by **Jyrdan Fairblade** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:18 pm

I'd suggest:

Mother of All Treasure Tables - I've gotten a good deal of mileage out of that one - many of the treasures make great adventure seeds.

The old Survival Guides would be good, too. I like the Dungeoneer's one slightly more, though they're both excellent.

Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:42 pm

Castle Keepers Screen

Stuie · Post by **Stuie** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:27 am

Jyrdan Fairblade wrote:
The old Survival Guides would be good, too. I like the Dungeoneer's one slightly more, though they're both excellent.

Ok - I got these pretty cheap off ebay. So I still have another $10 or so the spend. I might actually go for an Egypt source book with the rest (Gurps I suppose), since "our heroes" will be magically transported into my version of egypt soon. Bwahaha.

@Buttmonkey - I made my own screen. Very "old school" and all that - complete with hand drawn fighter getting fried by a dragon.
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thedungeondelver · Post by **thedungeondelver** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:52 pm

The upcoming Yggsburgh module "The Citadel", "Newtown and Environs" and of course the 2008 release, "Expedition to the Black Reservoir"

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:12 pm

Creature Crucible is a document for creating monsters of your own... its a definite CK aid. And, since you have to ask to get it, its free, and available nearly immediately. I'm cool like that.

Zulgyan · Post by **Zulgyan** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:32 pm

Something that would be really handy is to have all the M&T creatures in statblock format.

Since in C&C you can do that in a line or two, this can be very cool for the DM during play, since he has every creature he needs in 2 or 3 pages and does not need to search and flip through the manual.

Stuie · Post by **Stuie** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:24 pm

serleran wrote:
Creature Crucible is a document for creating monsters of your own... its a definite CK aid. And, since you have to ask to get it, its free, and available nearly immediately. I'm cool like that.

PM sent.
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:42 pm

serleran wrote:
Creature Crucible is a document for creating monsters of your own... its a definite CK aid. And, since you have to ask to get it, its free, and available nearly immediately. I'm cool like that.

Out of curiosity, has it changed any since it was initially posted and available (I remember getting about a year ago)...

Thanks,

Moriarty the Red
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Partner to Brave Halfling Publishing
http://www.arcanacreations.com

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:21 pm

No, I haven't modified it, though I did use it to make a monster maker in QuickBASIC, which I never got to work the way I wanted it to, so I stopped bothering with it. I figure there are new people who have never sene it that makes it worth bringing up now and then, and, there are people smart enough to make whatever changes they want as well. Its not "complete" but its a good tool for inspiration, and that's what a CK needs... not rules and junk.

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:24 pm

Very true... I had completely forgotten about it till you mentioned it. Pulled it out and started glancing through it. Great stuff!

M
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"You face Death itself in the form of... 1d4 Tarrasques!"

Partner to Brave Halfling Publishing
http://www.arcanacreations.com

nwelte1 · Post by **nwelte1** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:29 pm

Pm sent as well requesting creature crucible.

Tadhg · Post by **Tadhg** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:11 am

I'll go out on a limb here and recommend ~ The Castle Keeper's Guide*
*[When it's available that is!!!] Pretty soon!
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Stuie · Post by **Stuie** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:11 am

Rhuvein wrote:
I'll go out on a limb here and recommend ~ The Castle Keeper's Guide*
*[When it's available that is!!!] Pretty soon!

That goes without saying! I'm hoping to have some other disposable income appear when the CKG is finally released - or I just won't drive my car for a week; that equals about $25. The money I have now is for more immediate purchases.
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