Some weeks I ask myself, "Will there be enough new PDFs this week that look awesome?" This week looked like there wasn't much coming out and then over the weekend a bunch of really good looking PDFs were listed. My greatest fear is the week when this column only lists a couple of items, but thus far that has not even been close to the case. It is truly wonderful how creative, and prolific, the rpg community is.This week we have 12 new PDFs covering new and old systems, 4 new WotC rereleases, 6 adventures and a new PDF of the Week.
Wolsung: Steam Punk Fantasy
Studio 2 Publishing has been putting out a lot of games for some time now. Their most “famous” publication is the core Savage Worlds rulebook and other supplements. However, they have been putting out all sorts of high profile games such as Mistborn, Earthdawn, and Fantasy Craft. This is a new steam punk game with its own rules to simulate the genre. Its 512 pages seeks to provide everything a fan of steam punk wants. Its setting material should be expansive and could be of use for any steam punk game.
Fire, Blood and Steam
We had a second Steam Punk game system being released this week. This one puts a spin on the genre wherein civilization has fallen and now seeks to reexplore the world. The world has the technology of Steam and instead of magic there is psionics. This product is smaller than the previous one, but also much cheaper on the wallet. If you like the steam punk genre this might be worth checking out.
Midgard Player’s Guide to the Wasted West
Midgard is Kobold Press’ default setting. The Wasted West is an area of the world that was devastated by war and magic; a fantasy-based post-apocalyptic setting. This book is the player’s view of the area, giving some background on the region. It also provides a lot of crunch in the form of 7 new archetypes, new bloodlines, new traits, feats, spells, and items. Since the book is written for the Pathfinder system, it can be used in other settings as well, upping its overall value.
The Epic of Aeryth Bestiary
D&D is filled with a wide variety of monsters; there are multiple books that provide even more. Savage Worlds is still a relatively new system and does not have the plethora of monsters as other systems have. Thus any new book that gives us more monsters to play with is a good thing. This is a free monster book for the Aeryth setting spanning 29 pages of unique monsters. While they are geared for that specific setting, they should work in just about any fantasy setting.
Ye Olde Last Stand: Tome of Monsters
Following this theme of new monsters for different game systems, we have this book for Dungeon World. Last Stand is a near future/sci-fi game; this book is 6 of the Last Stand monsters adapted for the fantasy setting of Dungeon World. If you are one of those people who like Dungeon World this is for you.
Deathwatch: Ark of Lost Souls
This Warhammer 40k product is all about the genre staple of Space Hulks; ancient, drifting, cursed superships. The book is a three part adventure which beckons the player characters to investigate one such Space Hulk. For the GM, there is also information on Space Hulks in general and tables for the GM to create their own Space Hulks. It is an adventure and resource book in one.
Army Ants
Right now there is a Kickstarter for Michael T Desing’s Army Ants RPG and comic book. It has funded with about 11 days left. This is a PDF demo of the rpg rule set. This PDF is complete and allows a group to playtest the material. If you are wondering if you wanted to contribute to the Kickstarter or are just curious about the game, check out this free PDF.
Mutants & Masterminds
This past week has seen a number of companies releasing new M&M material.
AHC Studios has released 6 new protagonists that you can download individually. They include Black Mamba, Jacquline Makarov and The Red Storm, Tiger King, Sledge Hammer, Widow, and Man Hunter. In addition, they have released an organization, The Justice Corp, which can be added into a super-hero campaign.
4 Winds Fantasy Gaming has released 3 new Individual protagonists with a “golden age” feel to them. They are Danni Cipher, Captain V, and Dart. They are running these PDFs as part of a series and are also offering a subscription to get them all with their Deus ex Historica Subscription.
Xion Studios has been releasing individual M&M characters for some time now and this week they have given us Joyride.
To top it all off, Green Ronin, the originators and designers of M&M, have released their Gadget Guide: Robots this week. This PDF takes a look at creating robots and presents 5 sample archtypes.
Bulletproof Blues
Following in the superhero theme, we have this new rpg rule system that purports to be “rules light”, which for some is a welcome change from M&M. The 256 book also includes the Kalos Comics universe, a complete and detailed setting. It might be worth the purchase for the setting alone. Also of positive note is that some of the artwork is done by Storn Cook who has done some excellent superhero art in the past for a variety of other superhero systems.
Class Acts Compendium
Pathfinder is still the most expansive of 3E D&D. This PDF bundle is made up 38 smaller PDFs (each around 4 pages) that provide more crunch and information on the various classes. They range from Alchemist to Wizards and provide more of what makes those classes unique. If Pathfinder is your game and you are looking for more to add into your game this is something to take a look at.
The Wages of Sin
Way of the Wicked was an epic Pathfinder series of adventures that was designed for evil characters. This is the sixth and final adventure in the series and concludes the campaign. This adventure is for level 18 characters and also includes new character options and a timeline of the entire campaign. If you are looking for a D&D campaign that does something different, this is definitely for you.
The Unspeakable Oath 22
This is an ongoing magazine for Call of Cthulhu from Arc Dream Publishing. The magazine has scenarios, stories, items, monsters, and advice for running game within the Cthulhu mythos. If you are fan you can pick up the latest edition.
WotC Classic PDFs
This past week saw more releases of older D&D material from WotC. This time we have 4 more products from 1E. One thing I particularly like are the Product History notes for each module. I think it would be cool to have all these notes put into its own book to see the backgrounds of adventure modules through the years.
L2 The Assassin’s Knot (1E)
L3 Deep Dwarven Delve (1E)
UK1 Beyond the Crystal Cave (1E)
UK2 The Sentinel (1E)
Adventures
A Night in Seyvoth Manor – 4E. Level 6.
Through the Looking Glass – ICONS.
A Bitteroot Briar – OSRIC. Levels 2-4.
Deception: Strangebrew’s Chambers of the Unknown – Tunnels & Trolls. Solo.
Bad Dog! – Generic.
Q3 Death on Signal Island – Swords & Wizardry.
Spotlight: Most Interesting PDF of the Week
Gygax Magazine Issue #1
This new magazine line has managed to create quite a bit of buzz even before it was released. Some of this buzz has been controversial and some has been pure excitement for the project. Basically some of the old names from the early days of D&D have gotten together to create a new magazine that seeks to cover rpgs. With the backing, and writing, of a couple of the Gygax family (but not all of them) this issue provides a broad spectrum of rpg goodness. If you are curious what all the fuss is about this is your chance.
Wolsung: Steam Punk Fantasy
Studio 2 Publishing has been putting out a lot of games for some time now. Their most “famous” publication is the core Savage Worlds rulebook and other supplements. However, they have been putting out all sorts of high profile games such as Mistborn, Earthdawn, and Fantasy Craft. This is a new steam punk game with its own rules to simulate the genre. Its 512 pages seeks to provide everything a fan of steam punk wants. Its setting material should be expansive and could be of use for any steam punk game.
Fire, Blood and Steam
We had a second Steam Punk game system being released this week. This one puts a spin on the genre wherein civilization has fallen and now seeks to reexplore the world. The world has the technology of Steam and instead of magic there is psionics. This product is smaller than the previous one, but also much cheaper on the wallet. If you like the steam punk genre this might be worth checking out.
Midgard Player’s Guide to the Wasted West
Midgard is Kobold Press’ default setting. The Wasted West is an area of the world that was devastated by war and magic; a fantasy-based post-apocalyptic setting. This book is the player’s view of the area, giving some background on the region. It also provides a lot of crunch in the form of 7 new archetypes, new bloodlines, new traits, feats, spells, and items. Since the book is written for the Pathfinder system, it can be used in other settings as well, upping its overall value.
The Epic of Aeryth Bestiary
D&D is filled with a wide variety of monsters; there are multiple books that provide even more. Savage Worlds is still a relatively new system and does not have the plethora of monsters as other systems have. Thus any new book that gives us more monsters to play with is a good thing. This is a free monster book for the Aeryth setting spanning 29 pages of unique monsters. While they are geared for that specific setting, they should work in just about any fantasy setting.
Ye Olde Last Stand: Tome of Monsters
Following this theme of new monsters for different game systems, we have this book for Dungeon World. Last Stand is a near future/sci-fi game; this book is 6 of the Last Stand monsters adapted for the fantasy setting of Dungeon World. If you are one of those people who like Dungeon World this is for you.
Deathwatch: Ark of Lost Souls
This Warhammer 40k product is all about the genre staple of Space Hulks; ancient, drifting, cursed superships. The book is a three part adventure which beckons the player characters to investigate one such Space Hulk. For the GM, there is also information on Space Hulks in general and tables for the GM to create their own Space Hulks. It is an adventure and resource book in one.
Army Ants
Right now there is a Kickstarter for Michael T Desing’s Army Ants RPG and comic book. It has funded with about 11 days left. This is a PDF demo of the rpg rule set. This PDF is complete and allows a group to playtest the material. If you are wondering if you wanted to contribute to the Kickstarter or are just curious about the game, check out this free PDF.
Mutants & Masterminds
This past week has seen a number of companies releasing new M&M material.
AHC Studios has released 6 new protagonists that you can download individually. They include Black Mamba, Jacquline Makarov and The Red Storm, Tiger King, Sledge Hammer, Widow, and Man Hunter. In addition, they have released an organization, The Justice Corp, which can be added into a super-hero campaign.
4 Winds Fantasy Gaming has released 3 new Individual protagonists with a “golden age” feel to them. They are Danni Cipher, Captain V, and Dart. They are running these PDFs as part of a series and are also offering a subscription to get them all with their Deus ex Historica Subscription.
Xion Studios has been releasing individual M&M characters for some time now and this week they have given us Joyride.
To top it all off, Green Ronin, the originators and designers of M&M, have released their Gadget Guide: Robots this week. This PDF takes a look at creating robots and presents 5 sample archtypes.
Bulletproof Blues
Following in the superhero theme, we have this new rpg rule system that purports to be “rules light”, which for some is a welcome change from M&M. The 256 book also includes the Kalos Comics universe, a complete and detailed setting. It might be worth the purchase for the setting alone. Also of positive note is that some of the artwork is done by Storn Cook who has done some excellent superhero art in the past for a variety of other superhero systems.
Class Acts Compendium
Pathfinder is still the most expansive of 3E D&D. This PDF bundle is made up 38 smaller PDFs (each around 4 pages) that provide more crunch and information on the various classes. They range from Alchemist to Wizards and provide more of what makes those classes unique. If Pathfinder is your game and you are looking for more to add into your game this is something to take a look at.
The Wages of Sin
Way of the Wicked was an epic Pathfinder series of adventures that was designed for evil characters. This is the sixth and final adventure in the series and concludes the campaign. This adventure is for level 18 characters and also includes new character options and a timeline of the entire campaign. If you are looking for a D&D campaign that does something different, this is definitely for you.
The Unspeakable Oath 22
This is an ongoing magazine for Call of Cthulhu from Arc Dream Publishing. The magazine has scenarios, stories, items, monsters, and advice for running game within the Cthulhu mythos. If you are fan you can pick up the latest edition.
WotC Classic PDFs
This past week saw more releases of older D&D material from WotC. This time we have 4 more products from 1E. One thing I particularly like are the Product History notes for each module. I think it would be cool to have all these notes put into its own book to see the backgrounds of adventure modules through the years.
L2 The Assassin’s Knot (1E)
L3 Deep Dwarven Delve (1E)
UK1 Beyond the Crystal Cave (1E)
UK2 The Sentinel (1E)
Adventures
A Night in Seyvoth Manor – 4E. Level 6.
Through the Looking Glass – ICONS.
A Bitteroot Briar – OSRIC. Levels 2-4.
Deception: Strangebrew’s Chambers of the Unknown – Tunnels & Trolls. Solo.
Bad Dog! – Generic.
Q3 Death on Signal Island – Swords & Wizardry.
Spotlight: Most Interesting PDF of the Week
Gygax Magazine Issue #1
This new magazine line has managed to create quite a bit of buzz even before it was released. Some of this buzz has been controversial and some has been pure excitement for the project. Basically some of the old names from the early days of D&D have gotten together to create a new magazine that seeks to cover rpgs. With the backing, and writing, of a couple of the Gygax family (but not all of them) this issue provides a broad spectrum of rpg goodness. If you are curious what all the fuss is about this is your chance.
Contents for issue #1:
The cosmology of role-playing games by James Carpio
Still playing after all these years by Tim Kask
Leomund's Secure Shelter by Len Lakofka
The ecology of the banshee by Ronald Corn
Bridging Generations by Luke Gygax
Gaming with a virtual tabletop by Nevin P. Jones
Keeping magic magical by Dennis Sustare
Playing it the science fiction way by James M. Ward
DMing for your toddler by Cory Doctorow
Great power for ICONS by Steve Kenson
The future of tabletop gaming by Ethan Gilsdorf
The Gygax family storyteller by Ernest Gary Gygax Jr.
Talents off the frontline by Dennis Detwiller
D&D past, now, and Next by Michael Tresca
Gnatdamp: A sanctuary in the swamp by Michael Curtis
Magical miscellany - new items for AGE by Randall Hurlburt
An AGE of great inventions by Rodrigo Garcia Carmona
Scaling combat feats for Pathfinder by Marc Radle
Comics:
Marvin the Mage by Jim Wampler
What's New with Phil & Dixie by Phil Foglio
Order of the Stick by Rich Burlew
