THE CROWN COMMANDS - Carefully Designed Battle Scenes For 13th Age

Iconic set-piece battles have always been a staple of fantasy roleplaying games. Tactically interesting foes in carefully selected environments can make for the most memorable encounters in a gamers roleplaying career. I dare say we all have that one awesome encounter we all remember - mine was inside a giant clock as the cogs individually rotated. For 13th Age, Pelgrane Press has produces a book containing 40 carefully crafted "battle scenes", including maps, news monsters, story ideas, traps terrain, and scaling options. They've kindly sent along a preview of The Crown Commands - The Lich's King's Spire. Check it out below, find the book here.

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[Desh-Rae-Halra]

is it full color, or only partial color (meaning some maps, but not other illustrations)?

 

[mach1.9pants]

Obviously another item like high magic and low cunning. I'd really rather see more like eyes of the stone thief than a bunch of set pieces. I guess that I must be in the minority since this is the second in a row

 

[Jer]

is it full color, or only partial color (meaning some maps, but not other illustrations)?

The book is entirely black and white. The optional map folio is full color. The maps are not poster maps - just full page color maps of the encounter sites. You can kind of use minis on them, but if you are a stickler for scale you'll likely be annoyed.

guess that I must be in the minority since this is second in a row

It started as one book that got too big so it was split into 3 parts. The third one is apparently out later this year.

I love Stone Thief, but I've gotten a lot more utility out of these two books personally. The short scenarios make great side treks when my players do something unexpected. They're also a good source of inspiration for larger adventure ideas.

 

[Desh-Rae-Halra]

I love 13th Age, but I passed on the last one, and will pass on this too. I would rather have an actual map/playmat that I could just unfold and use at the table. I know that would drive the price up, but that is the only way I can see me really using this product.