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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Simon Collins" data-source="post: 2010783" data-attributes="member: 9860">This is not a playtest review.This review contains possible spoilers to the game, the novels, or the TV series. The review presumes you know something about Babylon 5 - apologies to those who don't (ask me below if you want to know more).The Babylon 5 Roleplaying Game and Fact Book: Signs And Portents (hereafter known as the Babylon 5 RPG) is the primary sourcebook for d20 roleplaying in the Babylon 5 setting based on the sci-fi TV series of the same name. It's licensed by Warner Brothers but published by Mongoose Publishing.The Babylon 5 RPG is a 304-page full-colour hardback costing $44.95. The margins are very dark and give the illusion of being larger than they actually are. The font is fairly small (it had to be reduced to fit more information into the book) and there are only a few chunks of white space. Almost all the interior illustrations are stills from the TV series and are appropriate to the text. There are also maps (of a kind) showing the layout of the station and some of its component parts. These resemble a cross between an 80's computer screen and an architect's plans and are definitely the poorest of what is in general only average presentation, despite the glossy pages and colour stills. The text is well written and engaging, and editing seems OK with occasional minor errors.IntroductionThis section gives a chapter by chapter summary, advice for newcomers to Babylon 5 and d20, along with a breakdown on the new rules used in the game, and the way these affect the way characters and adventures in Babylon 5 will pan out. Probably the most important aspect of this is the new system for hit points. Hit Dice are gone, replaced by a small fixed number of additional hit points as you gain levels. This means combat in Babylon 5 is deadly and this will need important pre-game warnings from the GM and probably some 'learning the hard way' for players. Also, Constitution does not affect hit points - instead it increases your chance of survival after being seriously wounded. AC is also gone, replaced by a fixed Defence Value with armour granting Damage Reduction, similar to the Judge Dredd RPG previously released by Mongoose. The most important aspect of all this is that the Babylon 5 RPG is designed to be roleplaying-orientated and players are encouraged to battle with their wills rather than their PPG's. Mental ability scores become much more important than in standard d20 games. PrefaceThis is a great intro from the writer/designer of the series, J. Michael Straczynski. Funny, deep, and weird. "Even Vorlons love chocolate" - classic.Chapter 1: Welcome To Babylon 5This short chapter gives a brief overview of the history of humanity since alien contact, and the Babylon 5 diplomatic station.Chapter 2: Characters On Babylon 5Covers five main races:* Human - standard human features.* Centauri - +2 Cha, -2 Wis, social skills boosted to aid diplomacy, and increased saves against poison, etc. Strangely have Agent instead of Diplomat as favoured class.* Minbari - +2 Str, -2 Cha, bonus to Init, gain Great Fortitude as a bonus feat. Bonuses and favoured classes vary with caste: Warrior (attack roll bonus, Officer), Worker (Craft/Profession bonus, Scientist (surely Worker would be more appropriate, but perhaps reflects their role on Babylon 5 as opposed to Minbar)), or Religious (Knowledge bonus, Diplomat).* Narn - +2 Con, -2 Cha, low-light vision, additional hit points, soldier is favoured class.* Drazi - +2 Str, -2 Wis, good unarmed fighters, natural armour, bonus to Init and favoured class is soldier.* Brakiri - darkvision, roguish social skills improved, good in hot conditions, agent is favoured class. No illustration. Hm.After some discussion of increasing hit points and Con modifiers to stabilising after being wounded, eight character classes are up for grabs:* Agent - 1d6+4 initial hit points, then 2 per level. 6 skill points, average BAB, good Ref saves, roguish class features.* Diplomat - 1d6+3 initial hit points, then 1 per level. 6 skill points, poor BAB, good Will saves, class features revolve around influence through contacts, resources, and diplomacy, a little like the Star Wars noble class.* Lurker - 1d6+3 initial hit points, then 2 per level. 6 skill points, average BAB, good Fort saves, class features include local knowledge, bonus feats, luck and additional choice of class skills.* Officer - 1d6+4 initial hit points, then 2 per level. 4 skill points, good BAB, good Will saves, class features involve bonus feats dependent on military branch, and increased ability to command and rally troops.* Scientist - 1d6+3 initial hit points, then 1 per level. 8 skill points, poor BAB, good Will saves, class features focus on knowledge and the ability to use alien artifacts.* Soldier - 1d6+6 initial hit points, then 3 per level. 2 skill points, good BAB, good Fort saves, class features increase combat abilities.* Telepath - 1d6+4 initial hit points, then 1 per level (varies with P-rating). 8 skill points (varies with P-rating), average BAB, good Will saves, class features based on improving telepathic abilities (or increased hit points if the P-rating restricts access to powers). This class must be taken at 1st level (i.e. you cannot multi-class into it - the latent telepath feat does, however, allow some limited telepathic abilities for non-telepaths). Each telepath begins with a P-rating reflecting their innate telepathic ability. Higher P-ratings must be purchased at the cost of skill points and hit points during character creation. A restrictive mechanic is used to define this, whereby the player chooses a category of P-rating (1-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12), and then rolls a modified die (e.g. 1d3+5 for the 6-8 category) to give the P-rating. As P-ratings define what telepathic powers a Telepath has and therefore defines the character, hopefully a later sourcebook gives an option for the player to define their exact P-rating with a rating-by-rating cost, instead of by category.* Worker - 1d6+3 initial hit points, then 1 per level (Blue Collar workers get 1d6+5, then 2 per level). 6 skill points (additional 2 for white collar workers must be spent on Int/Wis-based skills), poor BAB, good Fort saves, class feature is a fascinating salary increase at 6th level, which makes him an expert in his field (+4 to Profession checks, no specific salary increase noted). Perhaps this was meant to be an NPC class, but the text fails to suggest this. Chapter 3: Skills And FeatsSix new skills are introduced - computer use, drive, medical, pilot, technical, and telepathy. Other skills such as concentration, forgery, and survival are significantly changed, whilst Profession and Knowledge skills are expanded appropriate to the setting. Other skills from the PHB are useable, but not described here, whilst some (such as heal and alchemy) are not useable in the setting).Two new types of feats are introduced - telepath feats and racial feats. A list of useable feats from the PHB are referenced but not described (others are not useable such as metamagic and item creation feats). Over 50 new feats are described including alien anatomy (don't suffer penalties to medical checks when treating aliens), dense scales (a Drazi racial feat that increases natural armour at the cost of Initiative), gestalt (allows P5 or higher telepaths to harness power from other telepaths), and vehicle combat (decreases penalties for vehicle combat at speed). One feat, Contact, seems to emulate the Contact class feature of the Diplomat, though it does have a prerequisite of Cha 15+.Chapter 4: CombatThe chapter begins by delving more deeply into the Defence Value and damage reduction of armour mentioned in the introduction. There is then a section on running gunfights, including advice on aiming, rapid fire, and stray shots. There is also information on attacking objects, exposure to vacuum, explosive decompression, effects of gravity, and other environmental dangers such as toxins and radiation. A further section is dedicated to vehicles - speed, manoeuvres, terrain, collisions, combat actions, weapons, crews, and special qualities (such as artificial gravity, pivotal thrusters, and afterburners).   Chapter 5: Equipment And VehiclesFollowing various views of a Starfury, the chapter begins with information on economics (including the Black Market), followed by weapon descriptions (from Minbari fighting knife through PPGs to grenade launchers) and weapon stat table, general equipment descriptions (such as communicator, changeling net, identicard, and data crystal), and armour and clothing descriptions. A significant section on vehicle descriptions follows this including stats on spacecraft such as the Minbari Sharlin Warcruiser and Earth Alliance Nova Dreadnought. There is also a table showing running costs for spacecraft. Further sections discuss spacecraft crews (with stats for running the spacecraft) and vehicle weapon descriptions (such as antiproton guns, particle beams, and plasma cannon).Chapter 6: TelepathsThis chapter begins with a run-through of the mechanics used to activate a telepathic power (essentially a skill check). Range is an important factor, as is Concentration. Various modifiers are given, and there is a discussion of use of powers in hyperspace. The remainder of the chapter is taken up with the description of 17 powers - each defined by minimum P-rating and range required to use it (along with minimum ratings required for longer range use), the DC required to use it successfully, whether Concentration is required, and whether the power can be used on multiple subjects. Examples include accidental, surface and deep scans, reality fabrication, and pain. Powers range from P1 (e.g. sense telepathy) to minimum P12 (false memory implantation). A necessity of the nature of telepathic powers in the Babylon 5 setting is that once defined at 1st level, your P-rating does not increase (except under exceptional circumstances). This means that if a telepath runs with a low P-rating, many of the cooler powers are never going to be within their reach, even at 20th level. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it fits with the TV series.Chapter 7: All Alone In The NightBefore the chapter starts there is a two-page spread showing an outline map of the station and its various colour-coded sectors. The chapter then gives an overview of life on Babylon 5, including arrival on the station (e.g. dockers guild, jumpgate operation), damaging the station (e.g. sensors, the defence grid), diplomacy (e.g. ambassadors, the advisory council), and facilities (e.g. quarters, BabCom, medical facilities, and law and order). There is then further detail on a sector-by-sector basis, such as docking and customs in blue sector, the casino and the zocalo in red sector, the alien quarters with their alternate atmospheres, and the hydroponics garden, in green sector, downbelow and the shanty town in brown sector, the commercial research laboratories in grey sector, and the fusion reactor in yellow sector.The chapter continues with stats and background for the major NPCs of the station. These are restricted to those characters that appeared in the first season of the TV series (indeed, the whole book never covers more ground than is revealed in the first season, including Ivanova's latent telepathy - which is marked as classified). The chapter ends with some useful sample NPCs - a commercial telepath, dock worker, lurker, market trader, medlab personnel, security officer, and thug.Chapter 8: And The Sky Full Of StarsThis chapter is preceded by a star map of the major systems and governments of the Babylon 5 universe. The chapter explores these aspects in more detail, looking at space travel, the Earth Alliance (including EarthGov, EarthForce, Psi Corps and Mars Colony, along with a timeline), the Centauri Republic (including noble houses), Minbari Federation (including The Grey Council), Narn Regime (including the Chon-Kar or Blood Oath), the Vorlon Empire, and a few of the members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds (which also has further race options for PCs - the amphibious Abbai, methane-breathing Gaim, moralistic Markab, disgusting Pak'ma'ra, and the naturally telepathic Vree).Chapter 9: Signs And PortentsThis chapter looks in detail at the happenings and plot development of the first season of the TV series, which takes place across the year 2258. Each of the sections within the chapter concentrates on one episode, but there is plenty of additional information tied into each section. Examples include the creatures called Soul Hunters, the mind probe device, stats and background for Alfred Bester, PC stats for the Dilgar race, a lengthy discussion of roleplaying alcoholism, information on the Mutai fighters, stats for the Ninja ZX11 motorbike, defences of Epsilon 3, information on Babylon 4, the alien healing device that resurfaces later in the series, and Santiago's assassination plot, amongst many others. This information, along with plenty of campaign hooks and adventure ideas linked to each episode stop this from being a dry run-through of the TV series.Chapter 10: Campaigns On Babylon 5This chapter begins with discussion on different types of campaigns to run with the Babylon 5 RPG (either on B5 or not), advice on how much information GMs and players should or should not have and how to amend campaigns to suit this knowledge level, and a list of the sourcebooks that will be released to cover the following four seasons of the TV series. Further advice follows on running epic campaigns and some of the themes that should be an integral part of a B5 campaign (consequences, choices, tragedy, faith, and compassion). Further information concentrates on campaign development, adventure seeds, multiple story arcs, characterisation, and one-shot scenarios. It also discusses integrating a GM's campaign with the main B5 plot line and iconography, as well as how much flexibility to allow the players to change what happened in the TV series. Different types of campaigns are then discussed, where the PCs are starfarers, EarthForce officers, psi corps members, working for the narn military, politicking in the centauri royal court, distant world explorers, or actually play the main NPCs from the TV series. A few other ideas are also briefly discussed that are less directly related to B5. There is also a brief discussion of the loose XP award system recommended for play in B5.The chapter concludes with 10 prestige classes, each of which has a reference to the episode that inspired the PrC:* Fence - 5 levels, minimum 4th level entry, poor BAB, non-standard save progressions and crime boss-type class features.* Mutari - 10 levels, minimum 6th level entry, good BAB, non-standard save progressions and martial arts-type class features.* Planetary Surveyor - 5 levels, minimum 6th level entry, average BAB, non-standard save progressions and class features useful for those alone in space, such as improved communication with aliens, danger sense, and jury-rig repairs.* Psi Cop - 10 levels, minimum 9th level entry (+ P12), good BAB, non-standard save progressions, and class features suited to defending from and subduing rogue telepaths as well as additional contacts and resources.* Psi Corps Military Specialist - 5 levels, minimum 6th level entry (+ P8), average BAB, non-standard save progressions, and class features focused on investigating and breaking conspiracies by EarthForce officers.* Raider - 5 levels, minimum 4th level entry, good BAB, non-standard save progression, and class features specialising in ship attacks without honour.* Terrorist - 10 levels, minimum 4th level entry, good BAB, non-standard save progression, and class features focused on terrorist activities including making explosives, resisting scans, and sneak attacks.* Thenta Makur Assassin - 5 levels, minimum 6th level entry, good BAB, non-standard save progression, and class features involving interrogation and critical strikes.* True Seeker - 10 levels, minimum 5th-level entry, poor BAB, non-standard save progression, and class features focused on goodness, wisdom, and diplomacy with some spiritual, almost supernatural abilities to withstand violence.* Xenoarchaeologist - 10 levels, minimum 6th-level entry, poor BAB, non-standard save progression, and class features focused on discovering and understanding ancient alien artefacts and surviving ancient alien traps. The book ends with designer's notes, a glossary, comprehensive index and a rather ornate character sheet.High Points:There is a wealth of information and ideas here for running a Babylon 5 campaign set in 2258. The sections on running a campaign, layout and workings of the station, and the politics and geography overview of the Babylon 5 universe are excellent in particular. I particularly liked the wealth of campaign hooks presented in the penultimate chapter and the advice on themes of a B5 campaign. I also liked the fact that there was only a limited amount of information on weapons, equipment, NPCs, and locations relevant to the firs season - it meant I was not overloaded and gives a GM a firm place to start, with the lure of other sourcebooks on further seasons coming in the near future.Low Points:There were a few inconsistencies with the mechanics and rules used to bring Babylon 5 to life. Where the 'factbook' side of the product exceeded my expectations, the 'roleplaying game' side slightly disappointed. Non-standard save progressions for prestige classes, a couple of odd choices for favoured classes and ability bonuses for races, a couple of weak (numerically and roleplaying-wise) classes, and an over-broad mechanic for generating Telepath P-ratings all failed to impress me. There were a few times when additional illustrations/stills would have helped where they were lacking - particularly the additional races and some of the locations around the station.Conclusion:Despite the few rules issues that concerned me, there is a set of rules here that can be used to forge and run a Babylon 5 campaign and adventures. The balance issues need to be resolved by the kind of campaign and adventures designed by the GM as advised by the product itself - orientated towards social and political interaction, and the use of mental skills rather than towards combat and the use of physical skills. A couple of minor tweaks to the rules should resolve the issues I have with P-ratings, PrCs, and racial features. Hey, it’s my game! The intelligent presentation, the depth of information, the slew of campaign ideas and adventure hooks, the promise of so much more to come, and the resurrection of a great setting outweigh the somewhat bland presentation outside the stills and the rules issues mentioned above. And the J. Michael Straczynski preface will make you smile out loud.</blockquote>

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