callinostros
Explorer
With the holidays winding down there is a slowing down of PDFs as well as most publishers pushed out their content earlier. However, PDFs are an ever-flowing commodity where each day/week we continue to see new and innovative items coming out regardless of the time of year. This week we have some intriguing PDFs covering a wide range of interests from the OSR, Rolemaster and Pathfinder, along with a bunch of new systems that attempt to do something different.
Old School Renaissance Handbook
One of the “problems” of the OSR is that there are a lot of different systems out there to choose from. Each of them has their own approach to the same thing. This PDF takes a look at 16 retroclone systems and compares them against each other, and the 1`6 appear to be the more popular ones. It goes over specific differences between them all and includes price and complexity. It also offers 5 generated 1st level characters as a means to quickly see differences and to be used as pregens if someone is looking to jump right into a game. If you have been confused by all that the OSR has to offer, or are simply curious, this might help to clear things up for you.
Ghost City Raiders
This new rpg has a fairly unique approach to its format. The system is modular in that you buy individual components. This does not mean that components are optional but rather that there is variety in the components and you choose the one you want to try out. The most important component is the Core Rules, which runs 8 pages long. This covers the basics of the mechanics but nothing of characters. From there you purchase the component for the class/character you want to play, which runs 8 pages long. This covers the abilities of your character and its advancement. And then you purchase the adventure module, which runs 8 pages long. In some ways this is nice as it allows you to only get the info you want; if playing a healing class is not for you, you don’t need to get that info. Pricing seems to be cheap enough so you won’t go broke getting each piece you want. The link provided is for the bundle which gives you the Core Rules, 10 characters and 10 adventures, but you can get the pieces separately of you want. Their plan is to keep coming out with new characters and new adventurers each month.
In His Name/The Last Hallowed Place
This is a 216 page PDF that can be had in three different game systems. There is the popular d20, but thereafter we get HARP and Rolemaster adaptions, systems we do not see covered by PDFs that often. The author, Robert J Defendi, has some knowledge with the two systems as he was a prolific writer for them; in fact he wrote the entire sci-fi version of Rolemaster, Spacemaster, almost completely by himself. I wonder if these could be used with the new Rolemaster playtest that is ongoing?
As for the product itself, it is 170 pages of In His Name, a setting wherein a theocracy rules by an iron fist and the characters seek to survive under the regime while trying to overcome the evils allowed to exist and the corrupt system as well. The Last Hallowed Place is a level 15 adventure utilizing the setting.
Toys for the Sandbox Year 1
Occult Moon has been producing Toys for the Sandbox series for some time now. Basically they are short PDFs (about 4-7 pages) that cover a location and then provide maps, NPCs, plot hooks and general information on the site. These are designed to be inserted into your own campaign or world design, or as locations for impromptu adventure spots for when your players go off course. There are a variety of locations covering such places as The Goblin Market, The Candle Maker’s Shop, The Ancient Temple, The Lost Graveyard and many more. This is a bundle collecting the past year’s worth of PDFs bringing together 43 different locations into one reduced purchase.
Act Ten Core Rules
I am always a fan of new rule systems. The good ones always have something I can adapt for my own uses, and the great ones call out for me to run them. Act Ten is a new rule set that seems to focus on character enhancement. There is a variety of character options, but from there it also expands out into what the characters can do during game play; such things as actions that change into other actions as they are being used, xp gained in play and allowing for character change during play instead of during downtime, and stat + skill combinations that allow for more all seem to be things done outside of conventional rule systems. Will it all work? Will this system give me some new ways of approaching rules? I don’t know but I am intrigued.
Ultimate Plot Decks: Twist of Fate
I am for products that help GMs and players keep a campaign/adventure interesting and unique. This set of 52 cards is meant to do that for Pathfinder games. Each card changes what is going on through storytelling and with the use of cards it can add a random element to a narrative. Along with altering ongoing games it looks like it might be a good GM resource for inspiration.
Heroes of the East
The Far East has always been a popular setting; it is alien enough to feel like a unique culture, but familiar enough to allow people to play in it. This PDF for Pathfinder expands Eastern style games with 3 new classes (or variants) and additions of real-world martial arts into Pathfinder rules. If playing in the Far East is for you, this may add some new elements you can use.
Digital Heroes
With the subtitle of “8-bit Fantasy RPG” this looks to pluck the heart strings of those of us who spent many an hour playing the old computer and console adventure games. How well they translate into a tabletop rpg is unknown but they offer a full game with characters that can advance up to level 20 with appropriate challenges along the way.
Adventures
Haunting at Rybalka Lodge – Pathfinder. Levels 7-9.
The Caravan of Watched Enlightenment – Pathfinder.
Blood Sporting – Pathfinder.
Heart of Darknes – Pathfinder.
Hostile Takeover – Pathfinder. Solo.
Midwinter’s Chill – Pathfinder. Level 10.
Adventures A0-A10 – Castles & Crusades bundle of 11 adventures.
Spotlight: Most Interesting PDF of the Week
KOBOLD Guide to Worldbuilding
Despite Kobold Quarterly no longer being produced, Kobold Press is still going strong with new releases. This particular one is dear to my heart as it deals with world building. This is not a guide on how to world build, but rather, a series of essays from some of the biggest names in the rpg community on various topics that every world designer will want to take a look at. Such names as Wolfgang Baur, Keith Baker, Mote Cook, Jeff Grubb, Chris Pramas, Mike Stackpole and others each wrote an essay that we’re all sure to learn something from. If world building is something you are interested in this should be an excellent read.
Old School Renaissance Handbook
One of the “problems” of the OSR is that there are a lot of different systems out there to choose from. Each of them has their own approach to the same thing. This PDF takes a look at 16 retroclone systems and compares them against each other, and the 1`6 appear to be the more popular ones. It goes over specific differences between them all and includes price and complexity. It also offers 5 generated 1st level characters as a means to quickly see differences and to be used as pregens if someone is looking to jump right into a game. If you have been confused by all that the OSR has to offer, or are simply curious, this might help to clear things up for you.
Ghost City Raiders
This new rpg has a fairly unique approach to its format. The system is modular in that you buy individual components. This does not mean that components are optional but rather that there is variety in the components and you choose the one you want to try out. The most important component is the Core Rules, which runs 8 pages long. This covers the basics of the mechanics but nothing of characters. From there you purchase the component for the class/character you want to play, which runs 8 pages long. This covers the abilities of your character and its advancement. And then you purchase the adventure module, which runs 8 pages long. In some ways this is nice as it allows you to only get the info you want; if playing a healing class is not for you, you don’t need to get that info. Pricing seems to be cheap enough so you won’t go broke getting each piece you want. The link provided is for the bundle which gives you the Core Rules, 10 characters and 10 adventures, but you can get the pieces separately of you want. Their plan is to keep coming out with new characters and new adventurers each month.
In His Name/The Last Hallowed Place
This is a 216 page PDF that can be had in three different game systems. There is the popular d20, but thereafter we get HARP and Rolemaster adaptions, systems we do not see covered by PDFs that often. The author, Robert J Defendi, has some knowledge with the two systems as he was a prolific writer for them; in fact he wrote the entire sci-fi version of Rolemaster, Spacemaster, almost completely by himself. I wonder if these could be used with the new Rolemaster playtest that is ongoing?
As for the product itself, it is 170 pages of In His Name, a setting wherein a theocracy rules by an iron fist and the characters seek to survive under the regime while trying to overcome the evils allowed to exist and the corrupt system as well. The Last Hallowed Place is a level 15 adventure utilizing the setting.
Toys for the Sandbox Year 1
Occult Moon has been producing Toys for the Sandbox series for some time now. Basically they are short PDFs (about 4-7 pages) that cover a location and then provide maps, NPCs, plot hooks and general information on the site. These are designed to be inserted into your own campaign or world design, or as locations for impromptu adventure spots for when your players go off course. There are a variety of locations covering such places as The Goblin Market, The Candle Maker’s Shop, The Ancient Temple, The Lost Graveyard and many more. This is a bundle collecting the past year’s worth of PDFs bringing together 43 different locations into one reduced purchase.
Act Ten Core Rules
I am always a fan of new rule systems. The good ones always have something I can adapt for my own uses, and the great ones call out for me to run them. Act Ten is a new rule set that seems to focus on character enhancement. There is a variety of character options, but from there it also expands out into what the characters can do during game play; such things as actions that change into other actions as they are being used, xp gained in play and allowing for character change during play instead of during downtime, and stat + skill combinations that allow for more all seem to be things done outside of conventional rule systems. Will it all work? Will this system give me some new ways of approaching rules? I don’t know but I am intrigued.
Ultimate Plot Decks: Twist of Fate
I am for products that help GMs and players keep a campaign/adventure interesting and unique. This set of 52 cards is meant to do that for Pathfinder games. Each card changes what is going on through storytelling and with the use of cards it can add a random element to a narrative. Along with altering ongoing games it looks like it might be a good GM resource for inspiration.
Heroes of the East
The Far East has always been a popular setting; it is alien enough to feel like a unique culture, but familiar enough to allow people to play in it. This PDF for Pathfinder expands Eastern style games with 3 new classes (or variants) and additions of real-world martial arts into Pathfinder rules. If playing in the Far East is for you, this may add some new elements you can use.
Digital Heroes
With the subtitle of “8-bit Fantasy RPG” this looks to pluck the heart strings of those of us who spent many an hour playing the old computer and console adventure games. How well they translate into a tabletop rpg is unknown but they offer a full game with characters that can advance up to level 20 with appropriate challenges along the way.
Adventures
Haunting at Rybalka Lodge – Pathfinder. Levels 7-9.
The Caravan of Watched Enlightenment – Pathfinder.
Blood Sporting – Pathfinder.
Heart of Darknes – Pathfinder.
Hostile Takeover – Pathfinder. Solo.
Midwinter’s Chill – Pathfinder. Level 10.
Adventures A0-A10 – Castles & Crusades bundle of 11 adventures.
Spotlight: Most Interesting PDF of the Week
KOBOLD Guide to Worldbuilding
Despite Kobold Quarterly no longer being produced, Kobold Press is still going strong with new releases. This particular one is dear to my heart as it deals with world building. This is not a guide on how to world build, but rather, a series of essays from some of the biggest names in the rpg community on various topics that every world designer will want to take a look at. Such names as Wolfgang Baur, Keith Baker, Mote Cook, Jeff Grubb, Chris Pramas, Mike Stackpole and others each wrote an essay that we’re all sure to learn something from. If world building is something you are interested in this should be an excellent read.
