Last week, I posted the Part 1 of a review of the Mistborn Adventure Game, a role-playing game based on Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Trilogy of fantasy novels. Crafty Games has used an indie style game system to translate the novels into a fantasy role-playing game with a unique character generation system and a fast dice-pool resolution system which is both story driven and player-character intensive.
By the way, for readers who want to find out more about the Mistborn Adventure Game, there is an excellent podcast with information about the game system, the designer, as well as about the author of the Mistborn Trilogy, Brandon Sanderson.
Check out the Atomic Array podcast (#061) with host Ed Healy of Gamerati for more details!
And now… on to Part 2 of the Review!
Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Adventure Game
Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Adventure Game is a heroic role-playing game inspired by the Mistborn Trilogy of fantasy novels. The game features all the materials needed to create a wide range of player-characters based upon the races, powers, and talents demonstrated by the heroes in the novels, as well as a complete rule system for handling skill resolution and combat encounters. Mistborn features a unique magic system based upon drawing power from various metals and offers players three paths to use this power depending on their characters’ personality. The game manual also comes with instructions Narrators (Game masters) to run a Mistborn campaign, for creating adventures and encounters, and a “monster manual” of NPCs and creatures to challenge heroes – including how to build new NPCs and monsters!
More Adventure Game Stuff
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this review, the game designer divided the rulebook for the Mistborn Adventure Game into three sections (“Books”), and included a detailed Introduction to provide some context and some setting information. In Book One of The Mistborn Adventure Game, the author gave details on character creation and many of the rules needed to play the game.
In the second part of this review, I wanted to cover in some detail the magic system discussed in Book Two - The Treatise Metallurgic - and Book Three - Always Another Secret – which covers information the game master or Narrator needs to run the game.
There are three types of magical metallurgy discussed in Book 2 of the Mistborn Adventure Game: Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy. Each metal listed in this section of the book has a different power which can be invoked by these three techniques. But each technique is a very different in how it functions, and produces completely different powers depending upon the metallurgical techniques used by the practitioner.
Allomancy is powered by the practitioner actually ingesting a particular metal or metals, and “burning” them within their bodies. Most Allomancers are called Mistings, and a cable burning only a single type of metal, and the author gives information on how common Mistings are compared to full Allomancers, which are capable of burning any type of metal. As practitioners of allomancy are actually ingesting metals, the purity of the metal and the presence of toxic materials can adversely affect the health of the character. Each metal has a different rate at which is burned, which can last anywhere from instantaneous to 40 minutes, as well as a flare rate which increases the power of the practitioner, but causes the metal to be burned in a seriously accelerating rate. This system allows for a limitation on the powers based upon the amount of metal, measured in charges, that a character can possess.
Feruchemy is a magical method in the Mistborn Adventure Game which stores powers in objects, called metalminds – these range from small pieces of jewelry, or even larger objects like “pillars” or “thrones”. A Feruchemist slowly stores up powers over time, also measured in “charges”, by touching these metal objects, which they can release in either small amounts or in a tremendous display of power. According to the author, the powers released by feruchemy can be greater than allomancy, but has a limitation that once the power has been expended, it takes considerable time to rebuild a power in the metalmind. The downside of storing powers in a metalmind is that the character takes a detriment during the storage process. For example, storing strength up within a metalmind actually weakens the character (i.e. a penalty to the dice pools). Of course characters can store up charges during Short Breathers and Long Breathers, but once those charges are used up recharging typically takes place during game play.
Hemalurgy is a grim practice utilized by the state theocracy in Scadrial called the Steel Ministry. It involves using a spike of metal to kill another person and steal one of their characteristics or abilities, absorbing it into the metal –lit really stealing a small piece of a person’s soul! Then that spike is driven into another person’s body who then gains but powers are stolen from the murder victim. As with Allomancy and Feruchemy, different metals can be used in Hemalurgy to gain different powers. While player-characters can use Hemalurgy to gain powers, they do sell at a cost to their Wits, Charm, and/or Spirit scores, due to the conflicts it can incite in the practitioner for stealing a piece of another person’s soul! It should be noted that members of the shape-shifting Kandra race can utilize hemalurgical “Blessings” without ill affect.
The remainder of Book 2 of the Mistborn Adventure Game details the 19 metals used to power the magic’s of allomancy, feruchemy, and hemalurgy. These are divided up into five different categories: Physical, Mental, Enhancement, Temporal, and God - this last type being actually made from the physical substance of two deities! Most of these metals have a specific effects for each of the three disciplines, although there are a few metals which feruchemy and hemalurgy cannot utilize. For each of the metals, the designer has created a listing which discusses how the mental might be used by a Misting, the range of powers which an Allomancer can utilize, how feruchemy can store and tap power from the metal, and what effect a Hemalurgy spike can grant.
For example, the metal Pewter can make a character stronger and faster, allow them to heal faster, and even slow and stop the effects of diseases and poisons if they are an Allomancer. In feruchemy, strength can be stored within a pewtermind, and then tapped to perform amazing feats of strength, from acts of lifting and carrying very heavy things, to tearing off the iron gates of a fortified city! But due to the composition of pewter, a hemalurgist can gain the great strength from pewter as would a feruchemist – but each such spike steals a point of the character’s Spirit score away.
I really like this system of magic use as it is really quite unique and different than anything I‘ve run across in my many years of gaming. Its use of charges to limit the amount of power which practitioners can throw around during an adventure seems fairly balanced, and some of the effects of the metals and how they are used mechanically in the game is quite inspired – such as was described in the opening short story, where Allomancer Kelsier pushed against a steel coin on the ground to launch himself into the air, then pulled himself even higher by burning iron and pulling himself up a wall toward and iron embrasure! Very cool ideas here for describing what amounts to levitation.
In Book 3 – Always Another Secret – the designer talks about the various mechanics and concepts needed to be an effective Narrator. Some basic game master concepts are discussed here, as well as story-driven elements, particularly those needed to create the “Mistborn” style. A chapter is devoted to “Exploring the Novels” and those setting locales like wilderness, plantations, towns, as well as the various NPCs one might meet there. There is also some ideas on how to take the existing stories from the novels and rework them into new scenarios playing a game of “what if” and changing major plot points.
Possibly by the most inspirational chapters in this Book of the Mistborn Adventure Game details “Creating Your Own Stories” for the game. The designer gives a six step methodology for creating a story, which starts with the heroes sitting down and coming up with a “scheme” based upon their own goals and motivations. Many RPGs have “hooks” to entice heroes into taking on a mission or adventure designed by the game master. But in the Mistborn Adventure Game, that idea is turned on its head, and calls upon the heroes (i.e. players) to create a plan during a Long Breather (downtime). Using a Scheme Worksheet, the players role-play in character to create major story elements for the adventure based upon their personal motivations and goals. The Narrator can then enact the remaining steps such as adding twists, secrets to be revealed, enemies and allies to create an adventure. Personally, I think it’s a brilliant game mechanic, and a remarkable system of adventure design that puts the players’ heroes at the forefront of the tale! Admittedly, not all players will be enthusiastic about being put on the spot to initiate their own adventures, but with the right group of gamers, this could be a very exciting process.
The designer also included chapter entitled “Running the Game” which discusses a number of mechanics for making sure that the characters can play and develop under the best circumstances. Ranging from topics such as early character design, helping characters spend advancements, and using “beats” and breathers to maintain pacing, all help a Narrator to handle the game and keeping it moving.
One of the more important concepts and the novels is that of uncovering, hiding, or revealing secrets about oneself or others. The designer devoted an entire chapter to how secrets are used in the game as clues, leverage, weapons, or just plain old MacGuffins. A Secrets Sheet is provided for narrators to be able to keep their information straight and to track what secrets have been revealed over the course of the campaign. As discussed in the first part of this review, the character generation concepts of Destiny and Tragedy are discussed that some length, including how to design and utilize them throughout the course of the campaign. Information about Destiny and Tragedy is also tracked on the Secrets Sheet.
There is extensive chapter on that heroes found in the Mistborn Trilogy, including background information (novel spoilers!) and game statistics. There are for role-playing these NPCs, how they might act as an ally, or an enemy, and a possible “what if” scenario that can be used by a Narrator for his own game. And for some of the characters, different versions are offered for either their early portrayal in the novel, or what they eventually become by the trilogy’s end. There’s also a chapter called the “Rogues Gallery” featuring a cast of NPCs ranging from mere peasants, to Inquisitors of the Steel Ministry, and even horrific monsters called Mistwraiths.
A final sections of Book 3 details how Narrators can create their own characters, villains, monsters for use in their campaigns, offered appendix with the basic rules summary, and a plethora of character sheets and worksheets which any photocopied for use of the table.
Overall Score: 4.09 out of 5.0
Conclusions
I have to say that I’m very impressed with Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Adventure Game, and I think the game designer should be applauded for creating a rules system which is highly plot driven, with strong role playing features! It’s a complete game system here with everything that’s needed for both players and Narrators to jump right into an exciting fantasy world which is unique from anything I’ve ever played before. And certainly the game setting is intriguing enough to make me put the Mistborn Trilogy on my “must read” list for the near future, as it features a magic system which is both fantastic and a bit disconcerting at the same time. When you factor in how complete the game system is, along with its splendid presentation, and fascinating setting, it is easy to recommend the Mistborn Adventure Game for almost any RPG gamer of any skill level.
Any if you can afford to splurge on the deluxe edition, I strongly recommend it, as it is a truly gorgeous book worth displaying on any gamers’ prize bookshelf!
So until next review… I wish you Happy Gaming!
Grade Card (Ratings 1 to 5)
Author’s Note: This Reviewer received a complimentary copy of the product in the deluxe hardbound format from which the review was written.
By the way, for readers who want to find out more about the Mistborn Adventure Game, there is an excellent podcast with information about the game system, the designer, as well as about the author of the Mistborn Trilogy, Brandon Sanderson.
Check out the Atomic Array podcast (#061) with host Ed Healy of Gamerati for more details!And now… on to Part 2 of the Review!
Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Adventure Game
- Author / Setting Inspiration: Brandon Sanderson
- Game System Designer: Alex Flagg
- Illustrations: Ben McSweeney
- Publisher: Crafty Games
- Year: 2012
- Media: PDF, Deluxe Hardbound & Perfect Bound (584 pages)
- Price: $44.99 (PDF $14.99 available from RPGNow / Perfect Bound for $34.99 – available from the Amazon.com)
Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Adventure Game is a heroic role-playing game inspired by the Mistborn Trilogy of fantasy novels. The game features all the materials needed to create a wide range of player-characters based upon the races, powers, and talents demonstrated by the heroes in the novels, as well as a complete rule system for handling skill resolution and combat encounters. Mistborn features a unique magic system based upon drawing power from various metals and offers players three paths to use this power depending on their characters’ personality. The game manual also comes with instructions Narrators (Game masters) to run a Mistborn campaign, for creating adventures and encounters, and a “monster manual” of NPCs and creatures to challenge heroes – including how to build new NPCs and monsters!
More Adventure Game Stuff
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this review, the game designer divided the rulebook for the Mistborn Adventure Game into three sections (“Books”), and included a detailed Introduction to provide some context and some setting information. In Book One of The Mistborn Adventure Game, the author gave details on character creation and many of the rules needed to play the game.
In the second part of this review, I wanted to cover in some detail the magic system discussed in Book Two - The Treatise Metallurgic - and Book Three - Always Another Secret – which covers information the game master or Narrator needs to run the game.
There are three types of magical metallurgy discussed in Book 2 of the Mistborn Adventure Game: Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy. Each metal listed in this section of the book has a different power which can be invoked by these three techniques. But each technique is a very different in how it functions, and produces completely different powers depending upon the metallurgical techniques used by the practitioner.
Allomancy is powered by the practitioner actually ingesting a particular metal or metals, and “burning” them within their bodies. Most Allomancers are called Mistings, and a cable burning only a single type of metal, and the author gives information on how common Mistings are compared to full Allomancers, which are capable of burning any type of metal. As practitioners of allomancy are actually ingesting metals, the purity of the metal and the presence of toxic materials can adversely affect the health of the character. Each metal has a different rate at which is burned, which can last anywhere from instantaneous to 40 minutes, as well as a flare rate which increases the power of the practitioner, but causes the metal to be burned in a seriously accelerating rate. This system allows for a limitation on the powers based upon the amount of metal, measured in charges, that a character can possess.
Feruchemy is a magical method in the Mistborn Adventure Game which stores powers in objects, called metalminds – these range from small pieces of jewelry, or even larger objects like “pillars” or “thrones”. A Feruchemist slowly stores up powers over time, also measured in “charges”, by touching these metal objects, which they can release in either small amounts or in a tremendous display of power. According to the author, the powers released by feruchemy can be greater than allomancy, but has a limitation that once the power has been expended, it takes considerable time to rebuild a power in the metalmind. The downside of storing powers in a metalmind is that the character takes a detriment during the storage process. For example, storing strength up within a metalmind actually weakens the character (i.e. a penalty to the dice pools). Of course characters can store up charges during Short Breathers and Long Breathers, but once those charges are used up recharging typically takes place during game play.
Hemalurgy is a grim practice utilized by the state theocracy in Scadrial called the Steel Ministry. It involves using a spike of metal to kill another person and steal one of their characteristics or abilities, absorbing it into the metal –lit really stealing a small piece of a person’s soul! Then that spike is driven into another person’s body who then gains but powers are stolen from the murder victim. As with Allomancy and Feruchemy, different metals can be used in Hemalurgy to gain different powers. While player-characters can use Hemalurgy to gain powers, they do sell at a cost to their Wits, Charm, and/or Spirit scores, due to the conflicts it can incite in the practitioner for stealing a piece of another person’s soul! It should be noted that members of the shape-shifting Kandra race can utilize hemalurgical “Blessings” without ill affect.
The remainder of Book 2 of the Mistborn Adventure Game details the 19 metals used to power the magic’s of allomancy, feruchemy, and hemalurgy. These are divided up into five different categories: Physical, Mental, Enhancement, Temporal, and God - this last type being actually made from the physical substance of two deities! Most of these metals have a specific effects for each of the three disciplines, although there are a few metals which feruchemy and hemalurgy cannot utilize. For each of the metals, the designer has created a listing which discusses how the mental might be used by a Misting, the range of powers which an Allomancer can utilize, how feruchemy can store and tap power from the metal, and what effect a Hemalurgy spike can grant.
For example, the metal Pewter can make a character stronger and faster, allow them to heal faster, and even slow and stop the effects of diseases and poisons if they are an Allomancer. In feruchemy, strength can be stored within a pewtermind, and then tapped to perform amazing feats of strength, from acts of lifting and carrying very heavy things, to tearing off the iron gates of a fortified city! But due to the composition of pewter, a hemalurgist can gain the great strength from pewter as would a feruchemist – but each such spike steals a point of the character’s Spirit score away.
I really like this system of magic use as it is really quite unique and different than anything I‘ve run across in my many years of gaming. Its use of charges to limit the amount of power which practitioners can throw around during an adventure seems fairly balanced, and some of the effects of the metals and how they are used mechanically in the game is quite inspired – such as was described in the opening short story, where Allomancer Kelsier pushed against a steel coin on the ground to launch himself into the air, then pulled himself even higher by burning iron and pulling himself up a wall toward and iron embrasure! Very cool ideas here for describing what amounts to levitation.
In Book 3 – Always Another Secret – the designer talks about the various mechanics and concepts needed to be an effective Narrator. Some basic game master concepts are discussed here, as well as story-driven elements, particularly those needed to create the “Mistborn” style. A chapter is devoted to “Exploring the Novels” and those setting locales like wilderness, plantations, towns, as well as the various NPCs one might meet there. There is also some ideas on how to take the existing stories from the novels and rework them into new scenarios playing a game of “what if” and changing major plot points.
Possibly by the most inspirational chapters in this Book of the Mistborn Adventure Game details “Creating Your Own Stories” for the game. The designer gives a six step methodology for creating a story, which starts with the heroes sitting down and coming up with a “scheme” based upon their own goals and motivations. Many RPGs have “hooks” to entice heroes into taking on a mission or adventure designed by the game master. But in the Mistborn Adventure Game, that idea is turned on its head, and calls upon the heroes (i.e. players) to create a plan during a Long Breather (downtime). Using a Scheme Worksheet, the players role-play in character to create major story elements for the adventure based upon their personal motivations and goals. The Narrator can then enact the remaining steps such as adding twists, secrets to be revealed, enemies and allies to create an adventure. Personally, I think it’s a brilliant game mechanic, and a remarkable system of adventure design that puts the players’ heroes at the forefront of the tale! Admittedly, not all players will be enthusiastic about being put on the spot to initiate their own adventures, but with the right group of gamers, this could be a very exciting process.
The designer also included chapter entitled “Running the Game” which discusses a number of mechanics for making sure that the characters can play and develop under the best circumstances. Ranging from topics such as early character design, helping characters spend advancements, and using “beats” and breathers to maintain pacing, all help a Narrator to handle the game and keeping it moving.
One of the more important concepts and the novels is that of uncovering, hiding, or revealing secrets about oneself or others. The designer devoted an entire chapter to how secrets are used in the game as clues, leverage, weapons, or just plain old MacGuffins. A Secrets Sheet is provided for narrators to be able to keep their information straight and to track what secrets have been revealed over the course of the campaign. As discussed in the first part of this review, the character generation concepts of Destiny and Tragedy are discussed that some length, including how to design and utilize them throughout the course of the campaign. Information about Destiny and Tragedy is also tracked on the Secrets Sheet.
There is extensive chapter on that heroes found in the Mistborn Trilogy, including background information (novel spoilers!) and game statistics. There are for role-playing these NPCs, how they might act as an ally, or an enemy, and a possible “what if” scenario that can be used by a Narrator for his own game. And for some of the characters, different versions are offered for either their early portrayal in the novel, or what they eventually become by the trilogy’s end. There’s also a chapter called the “Rogues Gallery” featuring a cast of NPCs ranging from mere peasants, to Inquisitors of the Steel Ministry, and even horrific monsters called Mistwraiths.
A final sections of Book 3 details how Narrators can create their own characters, villains, monsters for use in their campaigns, offered appendix with the basic rules summary, and a plethora of character sheets and worksheets which any photocopied for use of the table.
Overall Score: 4.09 out of 5.0
Conclusions
I have to say that I’m very impressed with Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Adventure Game, and I think the game designer should be applauded for creating a rules system which is highly plot driven, with strong role playing features! It’s a complete game system here with everything that’s needed for both players and Narrators to jump right into an exciting fantasy world which is unique from anything I’ve ever played before. And certainly the game setting is intriguing enough to make me put the Mistborn Trilogy on my “must read” list for the near future, as it features a magic system which is both fantastic and a bit disconcerting at the same time. When you factor in how complete the game system is, along with its splendid presentation, and fascinating setting, it is easy to recommend the Mistborn Adventure Game for almost any RPG gamer of any skill level.
Any if you can afford to splurge on the deluxe edition, I strongly recommend it, as it is a truly gorgeous book worth displaying on any gamers’ prize bookshelf!
So until next review… I wish you Happy Gaming!
Grade Card (Ratings 1 to 5)
- Presentation: 4.25
- - Design: 4.5 (Fantastic design; excellent writing and logical presentation of rules!)
- - Illustrations: 4.0 (Awesome illustrations and artwork; disappointed that there wasn’t more)
- Content: 4.0
- - Crunch: 4.5 (Massively crunchy; extensive rules and game play examples)
- - Fluff: 3.5 (Good fluff with decent details; reading the trilogy feels like a necessity until a setting supplement is released)
- Value: 4.0 (Tons of content! Very complete game from either side of the “screen”!)
Author’s Note: This Reviewer received a complimentary copy of the product in the deluxe hardbound format from which the review was written.
