[Tell me about...] Palladium Fantasy, 1st Edition (plus Palladium's other books)

[Knightfall]

Forked from: Tell me about these older edition D&D products [revised list]

It was Trade Day Today!

I went to a local used book store and traded away some non-gaming books of mine for two used game-based books.

<snip>

The second one I traded for to use as trade bait at Whyte Knight. How rare is this Palladium book?

That's first edition Palladium Fantasy. I don't think it is rare, and I'm not sure if it is sought after. On Amazon I can buy one used for $5 and new for $6 and that includes shipping. The second edition version of the game I have usually seen as the preferred game.

Good to know. I would have hated to give up something really rare, that I didn't know about, for very little. (I thought "Revised Edition" might have meant 2nd or 3rd Edition, but since I don't know anything about Palladium books, I didn't really know.)

BTW... How many versions of Palladium Fantasy have there been? Or is more complicated than that? I ask because I often see Palladium books for sale at used book stores and I have no idea what they're worth.

Hmm... it sounds like it is something I'd want, just to have it. Thanks for the advice, Crothian. I appreciate your input.

My understanding from recent threads about Palladium is that the 1st edition was more fantasy oriented and its own animal, while the second edition was basically the first set updated to rules more in line with those used by Rifts and other palladium products. My brother had the black covered palladium book when we were kids, and I believe the content is identical to the color covered edition now available on drivethrurpg.com. It's a great game and worth checking out and playing.

<snip>

Can't speak to value of the products outside comparable prices you'd find on ebay, craigslist or amazon, but the black-and-red covered palladium book is well worth keeping and playing, and valuable in that sense.

My guess is that few Palladium books would be worth more then cover price. Palladium did lots of prints runs on their books so it was rare to see things go out of print. TMNT line might be worth something these days as they lost the license. Thinking back there is a first printing of Palladium Fantasy that includes some politically incorrect items on their insanity chart so it might be worth something because of that, the table was altered in later editions of the book.

Palladium did some limited run hardbound books that might be collectors item. All the normal run stuff they do is soft bound.

So, it's a completely different monster then? Hmm...

<snip>

Well, I might take a look at it, but I don't think it will grab me. I've looked at Palladium books before, and I simply find them too complex and a little confusing.

The setting stayed the same the rules changed to be more like what they have in their other game lines. For creativity, Palladium Fantasy and its many books are great. If you want ideas the books Bill Coffin write have more ideas per page then most any other gaming product I can think of. It is a very good setting.

That might be why there are so many Palladium books in used book stores around here.


Actually, if i found one of those books, I'd probably keep them. I love TMNT!


Well, I looked in my copy and I have to say that those tables are pretty politically incorrect... for the 80's that is. Some of it would be inappropriate now too.

FYI... my copy says Second Printing 1984.


Hmm... now that's interesting. I've definitely never seen a hardbound Palladium book. Of course, I wasn't really looking for one... so I might have missed such a book. I'll have to keep an eye out for that.

The one I'm thinking of has a Sexual Deviation table. I found a reference on line that has it in the third printing, so it could be in yours.

That's a piece of gaming history. The type of thing that gets passed down from father to son.

Heh! Heh!

Hmm...

Now I'm wondering about whether or not I'll keep it or trade it. Decisions, Decisions!

Man, I actually found some old TMNT stuff at a Used Book Store once. Never bought it though. I wonder if I should be kicking myself right now.

I would be.

There is a used book store near me that has a used copy of TMNT and they have it for $50 which is saying something since I tend to get gaming stuff there for great prices. I found a Planscape Planes of Chaos for 8$ just last year.

Wow, that's a lot. I don't think I'd spend that much for it.

I decided to fork this discussion from my "old editions D&D" thread.

Specifically, I'm now curious about the rarity of 1st Edition Palladium Fantasy books. I'm also curious to find out what people think about 1st Edition Palladium Fantasy as a game system.

Note that I know nothing about Palladium books.

Cheers!

Knightfall

 

[Treebore]

After all of that the best thing to do is buy the thing and read it! Its going to be one of the best settings you have ever read. The way the class flavors mix with the setting material is awesome.

I am sure you saw the link to the wiki.

As for rarity? Not very. Like the others said, a lot of copies have been printed. Look around and you'll probably find it.

If your looking for collectability hunt down the Judges Guild products Kevin S. did art in. Some of those have high collector value. I don't think it has to do with Kevin being the artist though.

 

[jdrakeh]

They (Palladium RPG books) aren't very rare but they easily some of the most entertaining RPG books I have ever owned (for playing or reading purposes). I seriously wish I hadn't had to part with mine — of course, now I'm selling my car, so parting with RPG books seems somewhat trivial by comparison.

Oh, and the best things about that particular book? Undead Hit Points and the Ultimax Deathstone. The concept of a mechanically quantified animating agent for undead in a fantasy RPG is just neat. The Ultimax Deathstone is really just a way to work it into the adventure, but that name is pure gold.

Ultimax Deathstone is the Midnight Sunstone Bazooka of Palladium Books!

 

[Knightfall]

Query: What other Palladium books, besides the books listed on Pen & Paper, do I need to run a campaign set in the TMNT universe? Also, are there other TMNT books that aren't listed on that page?

Finally, I'm assuming this is the main book, correct?

This is the primary Palladium book I think I'm going to try to find.

 

[Urizen]

Query: What other Palladium books, besides the books listed on Pen & Paper, do I need to run a campaign set in the TMNT universe? Also, are there other TMNT books that aren't listed on that page?

Finally, I'm assuming this is the main book, correct?

This is the primary Palladium book I think I'm going to try to find.

I'd suggest Ninjas and superspies (ninjas baby!), and maybe Beyond the supernatural for some cool monsters and such.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Ya know, I'd forgotten the sexual deviation table. Dear oh dear oh dear.

I have 4 of the old Fantasy RPG books: The main Fantasy RPG book; The Old Ones; Adventures on the High Seas(?) and the Arms and Armour Guide (?). It's been a long time since I dragged these books out of storage so a bit vague on the names of the latter 2 books.

The Fantasy RPG book has been covered pretty well here and in other recent threads so I won't go into detail except to say I really liked it. Oh and 'balance' be damned: a 1st level Summoner could summon a prince of Hell with the right circle, true name and other materials. Controlling said Prince would be another matter entirely....

The Old Ones is more of a setting book. IIRC it details that part of the world known as the Old Kingdom. It has several adventures in it. One adventure I recall as more of a mini- campaign going against tribes of vicious ogres who are attacking the cities on the fringes of the Old Kingdom. Another was a pure dungeon crawl in which the heroes find a crazy, but very powerful, wizard trying to awaken the Old Ones themselves. Oh yeah, Old Ones: the Palladium universe Cthuloid horrors from beyond space and time etc. are detailed in the back. But do you really need stats for a critter with 30000hp?

Adventures on the High Seas gives you what you need to run adventures on the high seas. Of course. Stats for boats from all parts of the world. From Wolfen longships to the Demon Ships of the Western Empire. It also details the Isles of the Cyclops (which are just near the Demon haunted Western Empire I believe.) An island empire of Cyclops who are all corrupt and depraved. But oh so powerful and rich and in possession of ancient magic. IMC I had the elf longbowman (he had a physical beauty that put most goddesses to shame) kidnapped and sold into slavery on the islands. The rest of the party had to rescue him from the Cyclopean Bishop of the Church of Darkness before <nana unfriendly> happened.

The Arms and Armour Guide listed weapons and armour from all around the world and from all different times. From ancient Persia, Greece, Rome, Byzantium and the Middle Ages. It also introduced a change to the basic RPG rules set. Originally armour had one 'hardness' value that protected the wearer. eg: Plate Armour had 17. The A&AG gave different values for different attacks: bludgeoning, cutting, piercing (and one other I think.) Added tp the book keeping a bit but was very cool. Oh and it had maps of various real world castles too.

all up very cool stuff. All I can say is it's a shame my books are in storage 1000km away from here.

cheers,
Glen

 

[Mark]

This might help -

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/254589-running-palladium-fantasy-rpg.html

 

[Crothian]

I'm also curious to find out what people think about 1st Edition Palladium Fantasy as a game system.

It is a variant of D&D. More attributes, percentage based skill system, armor that can only absorb so much damage before it gets destroyed, lots and lots of playable races. Lots of different classes. It is a playable system, Palladium has its problems but the game works.

 

[Knightfall]

This might help -

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/254589-running-palladium-fantasy-rpg.html

Yeah, I noticed that thread, but I hadn't started to read it yet. (I just skimmed it.)

 

[Knightfall]

It is a variant of D&D. More attributes, percentage based skill system, armor that can only absorb so much damage before it gets destroyed, lots and lots of playable races. Lots of different classes. It is a playable system, Palladium has its problems but the game works.

You told me inthe other thread that PFRPG, 2nd Edition, uses a slightly different ruleset. Which edition do you consider better? Which edition is easier to learn?