Blue Rose fast-play rules are up

[JPL]

http://bluerose.greenronin.com/blue_rose_support.php?id=P67

Interesting.

I have no particular interest in the "romantic fantasy" genre, but I'm curious.

And the possibility of a stripped-down, interaction-based d20 game...for some groups, this is gonna be just the ticket.

Opinions?

 

[Turanil]

Looks good...

 

[Aaron2]

Thanks for the heads up. The preview was a bit cheesier than I expected but most of the rules stuff was similar to what I expected. Not sure how weapon damage works. Why does Brianna (with a +2 Str) do only +3 with her longsword when Jann (with a +0 Str) does +2 with her shortword?


Aaron

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

I'm thinking that's a typo. At least I hope its a typo. She should probably have +5 damage.

Yea, it was a bit more overwrought and cheesie than I'd have liked. I found myself groaning every three words. Like how UnDead have become the much cuter "UnLiving" and even then they've got flowers growing in them. Even though its supposed to be like "Romantic Fantasy" I kept having visions of Romantic Anime with giant chibi-smiles and girls with big eyes and small mouths running through flower-fields with sparkles coming off of them for no apparent reason.

I like the rules. As I thought it would be, seems to be M&M blended with Steve's Psychic's Handbook for the "Arcana" which works well for me. I like the way alot of the rules work ... the "Light side" / "Dark side" methods for regaining Hero Points, um, "Conviction". I'm not fond of the Tarot-Card-Linked alignment cognates.

On the whole I'll have to wait and see if the full book will have anything more in it than "Mutants and Masterminds W/ Psychic's Handbook" as far as utility goes.

--fje

 

[Jeremy Crawford]

Why does Brianna (with a +2 Str) do only +3 with her longsword when Jann (with a +0 Str) does +2 with her shortword?

It's a typo. Brianna's longsword should have a +5 damage bonus. Her shield should have a +3 attack bonus and a +1 damage bonus, assuming she uses it in her off hand.

 

[Zoatebix]

I kept having visions of Romantic Anime with giant chibi-smiles and girls with big eyes and small mouths running through flower-fields with sparkles coming off of them for no apparent reason.

[Hijack]For a refreshing take on romance in animation, check out His and Her Circumstances (translated and distributed in the US by Right Stuff International).[/Hijack]

I'm printing out the quick play rules now. I have to agree that the flavor text I've seen so far is bordering on cringe-worthy.
-George

 

[JimAde]

Ok, dumb question time: How is "romantic fantasy" different from the more typical kind? Is it simply that the heroes are heroic (as opposed to gritty and conflicted) or is it more of an emphasis on interaction roleplaying and story (a la the White Wolf games)? Pray, enlighten me.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

It's sort of an interpreted term. In terms of Literature, romantic refers to the "Romantic Period" which, short short version, had alot to do with idealized situations and, oddly, conflicted heroes. The poetry of the time also had a focus on natural beauty.

So alot of themes located in here could be classically "romantic". Some have suggested that this "romantic fantasy" is the type championed by some of the popular female fantasy authors of the last 30 years or so: Lackey, et al.

The psychic furry friends angle plays into that, that's for sure. Y'know. Strong female characters, character-driven, psychic cute animals of some sort invariably turning up and bonding permanently in total sweet-and-light harmony. Big Bad Guys who are BAAAAD but minor bad guys who are charming and handsome and invariably seduce the heroine before betraying her utterly, yada yada.

I think they're overdoing it a tad, putting too many "romantic" elements in there. The beauty of nature, flowers (oh god, the flowers), the "Light" and "Shadow" alignments, basing nature off of Tarot cards, Psychic Furry Friends, the perfect natural splendor of the wonderful Kingdom where everybody gets along ... I'm waiting for rules on how to fall in love with handsomely evil foes before getting betrayed.

--fje

 

[Jeremy Crawford]

Some have suggested that this "romantic fantasy" is the type championed by some of the popular female fantasy authors of the last 30 years or so: Lackey, et al.

Blue Rose is definitely in that tradition of romantic fantasy. Mercedes Lackey's novels have been key references for us, in terms of style, while developing the game.

 

[Krieg]

Mercedes Lackey's novels have been key references for us, in terms of style, while developing the game.

Well that would explain the "interesting" prose in the fast play rules.

Guys, a lot of us really, REALLY want to like this product...was it necessary to make it us wade through so much cotton candy to get to anything worthwhile?

Is the final product going to be as difficult to get through as the preview?