[PR MKY] From Stone to Steel

[Fearsome Monkey]

I am very happy to report that after many delays our first major entry into the sourcebook arena has finally gone to print. Yes, From Stone to Steel is actually at the printers. This book, detailing weapons, armor, and warcraft from the stone-age through the Renaissance checks in at 352 pages. Its a hardcover and will retail for $39.95. Expect it to be available at the end of April or the beginning of May. If you want to read the blurb, or view a few art samples visit our site at http://www.monkeygodenterprises.com/stone.htm.

If you have any questions, fire away.


David Hurd
MonkeyGod Enterprises
http://www.monkeygodenterprises.com/index.html

 

[Krug]

How about a TOC?

 

[Havilor]

I believe we will be making our Table of Contents or Index available as we near release, and I have spoken with the publisher about releasing a 4 page teaser in a week or two to give a small example of this work. IMHO, I think the Index would give you a better picture of just how thorough this book is.

This work is comprehensive. It is not, as we have seen with a number of equipment or arms books, an item list. This is a historical resource, with stats, new and optional combat mechanics, attention to both historical and system detail, and as extensive and varied an inventory of historical armor and weaponry as have ever been put in an RPG source. Every weapon or suit of armor is illustrated, with real attention to detail. And the items are listed in their historical and cultural context, and explained in that context, so that weapons that might later be superceded build upon their predecessors.

This has been a labor of love for me. I've spent more than a year researching historical origins, piecing together histories, and developing unique ways to deal with weapons that just don't fit the standard model of a d20 weapon, without requiring a major change to the standard combat system. In fact, even if you use every optional mechanic, every feat, and every item in the book, your combat time shouldn't be significantly longer or less colorful than the current d20 system allows. Actually, a few of my optional rules make combat even more colorful, realistic, and yet also cinematic.

I guess I feel passionately about this book. I've written it with every intention of making From Stone to Steel a new standard.

 

[Fearsome Monkey]

FSTS Contents

I believe we will be making our Table of Contents or Index available as we near release, and I have spoken with the publisher about releasing a 4 page teaser in a week or two to give a small example of this work. IMHO, I think the Index would give you a better picture of just how thorough this book is.

I agree that the index would be more informative. I was planning on putting it up on site once we debriefed from GAMMA. The TOC comes in parts.

- a master TOC showing the chapters -
Introduction
Sticks and Stones
Chariots of Bronze
Iron and Empire
Rome
The Far East
A Dark Age, A Golden Age
Pagentry, Platemail, and Pistols
Myth and Magic
Materials
Appendix
Master Tables
Index

Plus each chapter has its own TOC that is more detailed.

I will consider uploading each TOC plus the index later this week. Its too much to write in this forum. FSTS contains a huge array of weapons, armor, and other topics of interest. Subjects range from Polynesian and Aboriginal items to matchlock firearms. The book also contains new mechanics, classes, feats, and skills all balanced with the core rules.

I'll post when the information is on-site.

David Hurd
MonkeyGod Enterprises
www.monkeygodenterprises.com

 

[Havilor]

Last time I posted on these boards about From Stone to Steel, I had one person mention that it seemed an excellent resource for Ravenloft.

I went out and picked up the Ravenloft corebooks, to see what the good people at Swords and Sorcery had done with the setting. And found that, in an incredible twist of fate, they done some work on defining certain technological levels and giving some description of the kinds of cultures and items most commonly found at each level.

From Stone to Steel does something very similar, breaking down each level by chapter and examining predominant and fringe cultures of that time period, attempting to give as wide a view of the strengths and weaknesses of military developments and practices. The similarities in the way we divided up time made it instantly obvious that the person who had posted interest was exactly right.

From Stone to Steel is an incredible resource for settings like Ravenloft, or other settings that deal with wildly different technological or cultural levels. It also makes an excellent resource for people who are interested in doing pseudo-historical gaming, who wish to create their own game world at a different technological level than the medieval period, or who wish to incorporate cultural flavor items like those of Russia, China, or Mesoamerica. In short, From Stone to Steel is one of those rare products that gives added flexibility to the d20 system, allowing greater transition between cultures, technologies, or even genres.

 

[mythusmage]

And it's full of crunchy bits!

You want to know what really happens when a stone axe hits steel plate, the book will tell you. (It's a rare stone axe that survives the encounter.)

From the one chapter I got to read I can tell you it is not a book for folks who are just into combat. It adds a level of detail that can add a lot to a game, but it works best with a group who are into the setting as a setting and want a bit more in the way of versimilitude. In the hands of a good GM you can add such dramatic events as swords breaking, plate getting staved in, and stuff like that there. Find out why that half price sword wasn't such a great bargain.

If you're into mindless violence, don't bother.

If you want a world that's more alive than the typical, by all means get it.

(And when I get my hands on a copy I'm incorporating the crunchy bits into the ARD.)

 

[Havilor]

Those rules when through an incredible number of revisions, too, just to get them to the point of being playable with a minimum of stat tracking and work. And in the Materials and Appendix sections I tried to make everything as transparent as possible, so you can easily convert fantasy items from other d20 products for use with with some of those optional but exciting new rulesets like the Durability rules Mythusmage mentions.

Mythusmage: When did you get a chance to check out a copy of From Stone to Steel? If you got a chance to see the copy we had at GAMA, then you've seen the final version, with all the incredible pictures (THANK YOU JIM BRANCH!), but otherwise the system you saw has gone through a few revisions, ultimately bringing it more closely in line with the hardness and hit point systems, while still retaining the best parts of the old Durability system. You'll still shatter your stone axe on good, solid Maximillian Platemail, but now you do it with less math.



I'm glad to hear you liked what you saw, either way.

 

[mythusmage]

I subscribe to d20 Weekly. Found the playtest file there. Think you'll be using d20W for future playtests?

 

[Havilor]

Ah... okay. You were one of the d20Weekly playtesters. The input you folks gave us was invaluable. Serious revision was made to stuff like various wood densities, damage to bows, and adding things to bridge many different house rules styles of combat. I think you will all be proud of how your input helped improve this product.

As for whether we'll use you folks as playtesters again, I can't speak for the company as a whole, but I know that we've got more source books in the offing, and some of those will likely need outside examination. I'll talk with the Head Monkeys about pushing more stuff your way.

 

[Fearsome Monkey]

Tables of Contents

I have made links to the table of contents for each of the 11 chapters. These are PDF files - check em out at From Stone to Steel if you are curious. Bear in mind this book is quite exhaustive and individual items are not listed in the toc. Each chapter has a weapons and armor table for the equipment from that period and there are master tables in the appendix. The book is also fully indexed and illustrated. I'll get a PDF of the index up sometime in the near future.


David Hurd
MonkeyGod Enterprises