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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Face" data-source="post: 5790774" data-attributes="member: 52061">It is a good gameKurt (and I) are obviously biased since we have helped work on the game that you are inquiring about.I would say that it is a great game for all the reasons that Kurt mentioned, but what I think you want to know is would you think it is a good game?Hard for us to answer that without knowing what kind of play you enjoy.  Do you like games that are extremely realistic like Hárn or do you prefer something much more fantastic like D&D 3.5?I would put HackMaster closer to Hárn than 3.5, saying it is much more like Lord of the Rings.  There isn't a lot of magic visible, but it is there, along with high quality items (which a lot of people think of as magic......weapons up to +5 aren't magical but extremely high quality).  The game's "average" man would probably see a Mage cast a spell and assume he was a cleric of some type.Do you prefer turn based systems where action order is pretty much static during combat or do you prefer to be able to start performing one action and change your mind before you are finished and start something else?  HackMaster has a fluid count-up initiative system where actions take a prescribed amount of time.  If you are hacking away at a foe and decide you'd rather split and run, you could do so as you please.Do you want to start out a hero or hero-apparent or do you want to work your way up from a "nobody"?  In HackMaster the only thing separating you from the average joe is a bit more coin in you pocket and quite a bit of free will.  Your stats can be increased as you level and if you like you can devote more energy into building stats....energy that could be devoted to increasing skills or weapon use, etc.Do you want to be able to tweak your character pretty much how you want or would you prefer to follow a set advancement path?  In HackMaster skill/weapon/stat progression is possible through a build-point (BP) system.  You get 15 BP per level to spend and you can dole them out as you like or save them up for a big purchase.  Talents in earlier editions of the game could only be purchased at character creation, but in this version you can buy them at any time, and unlike some other games, there are no talent/feat "trees" that you need to pretty much be locked into at character creation or be behind the power curve.Would you like a low buy-in point?  Go ahead and pick up HackMaster Basic at the Kenzer & Company website for $15 as a PDF.  That is enough for the whole group (although players will most likely want a hardcopy) to get up through level 5.  That is actually a good amount of play, not counting PC deaths.Also, and I find this to be a huge draw for me, there really isn't a lot of difference between playing and GMing.  It doesn't take a lot for an experienced player to step behind the screen.  Almost all of the rules are available/used by the player.I'm a fan of HackMaster, as I've stated.  I'm also biased, which I've stated.  I've tried to throw out a few things that you may or may not find helpful.  If you have some specific questions I will be more than happy to answer them.  I'm not on this forum much since I usually hang around the KenzerCo forums (same handle).  Feel free to ask me what you want or try to get a hold of me some other way (twitter handle is @cstogdill).This goes for anyone else wanting to know more about the game.  HackMaster may not be for you and there is nothing wrong with that.  If you liked the Hacklopedia of Beasts however, picking up <a href="http://www.kenzerco.com/product_info.php?cPath=25_94&products_id=707" target="_blank">HackMaster Basic</a> is a very comfortable and easy step to make.If you live in the Boise, Idaho area, I'd be more than happy to arrange for a demo for your group.</blockquote>

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