Here at EN World, I'm looking at all-ages tabletop role-playing games, board games, and card games. Do they engage the players at the kids' gaming table? Would they cut it at the adults' table? Are they genuinely fun for every age? A Friend In Need by Jenny Jarzabski from Playground Adventures is a 26-page "stand-alone mini-adventure for […] 1st level characters. Recommended for ages six and up, this module includes adventure content as well as advice for gaming with children." While this review covers the Pathfinder version of the adventure, there is also a 5e version available.
Both versions assume that you know their core rulebooks and, of course, that you're ok with using their bare-knuckled-solution-systems with your children (for an insightful discussion around why violence-as-experience is mentioned from time-to-time in this column, read Chris Helton's recent piece here).
A Friend In Need is a well-balanced first level adventure with a nice mix of skill tests, combat, and role-playing to keep children and adults engaged in the session. How does it accomplish this balance? Unlike some one-shot adventures, this product gives you a lot of bang for the buck with a winding adventure (of course), two new magic items, several maps, an original spell, and enough creatures and fully stat'ed NPCs to warrant a bestiary (thirteen over 26 pages). The contents are impressive, but what might be more impressive is that this product does not pander, it's written to play well for young children, yet would be an engaging opening to any campaign for adults.
To walk you through the broad strokes, a young mage has been kidnapped by a dragon but she manages to get a message to your before she is carted off. (Why'd the young dragon kidnap her? Disney-esque tragedy sums it up.) Message received, your party can set off to a monastery and some twists. For the first encounter, beyond describing the environment and the enemies, there's a note advising the GM to be conscious of their language – "killed" or "death" – with more sensitive audiences. It's a quick note that can remind GM's to always think about who is at their table. There are notes throughout the book that offer helpful guides for how to approach young players such as advice on how to handle a riddle.
The art is the only area that this stays decidedly in the "kid" realm. Jacob Blackmon's work is perfect for the youth audience, very kinetic yet evoking the setting of the adventure. Travis Hanson's cartography is both of the world and yet beautifully simple enough to be easy to read for every level of player. The maps really stand out in this project.
Does A Friend In Need win the kids' table? Yes. With the caveats above in mind, this is a great one-shot. It runs through all of the skills, situations, and combat you could ask for while also providing NPCs for the characters to work with. It's a prime example of what D&D-style RPG can be for players of all-ages.
Does A Friend In Need work at the adults' table? Yes. With only minor tweaks to some of the role-playing challenges, this is perfect for any first-level group. Every table would benefit from more Pathfinder and D&D adventures that offer this level of fun and engagement.
Disclosure: This review uses affiliate links.
contributed by Egg Embry
Both versions assume that you know their core rulebooks and, of course, that you're ok with using their bare-knuckled-solution-systems with your children (for an insightful discussion around why violence-as-experience is mentioned from time-to-time in this column, read Chris Helton's recent piece here).
A Friend In Need is a well-balanced first level adventure with a nice mix of skill tests, combat, and role-playing to keep children and adults engaged in the session. How does it accomplish this balance? Unlike some one-shot adventures, this product gives you a lot of bang for the buck with a winding adventure (of course), two new magic items, several maps, an original spell, and enough creatures and fully stat'ed NPCs to warrant a bestiary (thirteen over 26 pages). The contents are impressive, but what might be more impressive is that this product does not pander, it's written to play well for young children, yet would be an engaging opening to any campaign for adults.
To walk you through the broad strokes, a young mage has been kidnapped by a dragon but she manages to get a message to your before she is carted off. (Why'd the young dragon kidnap her? Disney-esque tragedy sums it up.) Message received, your party can set off to a monastery and some twists. For the first encounter, beyond describing the environment and the enemies, there's a note advising the GM to be conscious of their language – "killed" or "death" – with more sensitive audiences. It's a quick note that can remind GM's to always think about who is at their table. There are notes throughout the book that offer helpful guides for how to approach young players such as advice on how to handle a riddle.
The art is the only area that this stays decidedly in the "kid" realm. Jacob Blackmon's work is perfect for the youth audience, very kinetic yet evoking the setting of the adventure. Travis Hanson's cartography is both of the world and yet beautifully simple enough to be easy to read for every level of player. The maps really stand out in this project.
Does A Friend In Need win the kids' table? Yes. With the caveats above in mind, this is a great one-shot. It runs through all of the skills, situations, and combat you could ask for while also providing NPCs for the characters to work with. It's a prime example of what D&D-style RPG can be for players of all-ages.
Does A Friend In Need work at the adults' table? Yes. With only minor tweaks to some of the role-playing challenges, this is perfect for any first-level group. Every table would benefit from more Pathfinder and D&D adventures that offer this level of fun and engagement.
Disclosure: This review uses affiliate links.
contributed by Egg Embry
