Dark Ladies, Villainesses in RPGs is a d20 product from 0onegames and written by Andrew and Chris Hind with supplemental information by Stephen Elliot. At 46 pages and $ 6.00, it is a fairly solid, well-written product but it is not without a few flaws. Fortunately these flaws are minimal and to some they may not be flaws at all.
The product’s title may be somewhat misleading to readers. At first glance one may assume that this is a product that explains how to create memorable villainesses for a campaign. In reality, it is a product that gives the reader 17 pre-generated characters from all walks of life and with varying degrees of villainy. Some of these femme fatales are elegant masterminds while others are ruthless scoundrels. Despite the fact that this product may not be what many people suspect, don’t let that prevent purchasing it. You may find this is quite a nice little product, filled with subtle ways to bring in memorable characters to just about any campaign.
First, the writing is very good and the editors did a solid job of making sure the best possible descriptions of these characters came to light. The characters are well put together and from a mechanics standpoint and I was hard pressed to find any design flaws. Alessandro Cioffi’s artwork graces the pages and whereas the art is not breathtaking, he certainly does a great job of capturing the feel of the characters. The visuals are a great touch, breathing life into the characters.
I am still not certain whether it is a positive or a negative but a little less than half the characters are women from history or popular fiction – Erzsebet Bathory, Catherine di Medici, Mata Hari and Morgan Le Fey, to name a few. I was a little taken back at first, wondering how anyone’s Dungeons & Dragons campaign would benefit from a character taken from 1500’s Florence, Italy. But the more of the historical characters I examined the more I realized that Catherine di Medici and Erzsebet Bathory would actually make perfect archetypes for just about any campaign setting as devious and nefarious manipulators. Merely change their names and keep their stats and the GM already has an instant powerful villainess for a campaign that involves any kind of intrigue or political machinations.
The characters which are original creations are just as well designed as the historical figures. They each come with a detailed personality, motivation and some adventure seeds that could initiate some exciting adventures. Some of the more memorable characters provided are Dominica Rayn, a ruthless gambler and small time crime boss; Lady Kamcha, a deadly protector of elves; and Pizzta (one of my personal favorites), an angry and vicious Halfling rogue with delusions of becoming the city’s most powerful crime lord.
Admittedly, for as much as I ended up enjoying this product, I can certainly see where, under the circumstances, the $6.00 price could be a deterrent for some buyers. Try not to let the price dissuade you from buying it as I firmly believe that many GMs could really get some use out of this by making some memorable and detailed characters for their campaign. Also, consider the plot suggestions very carefully as entire weeks of play could be centered on dealing with not only the villainess in question but potentially dealing with the aftermath of her schemes and plans. Even further, if she manages to elude capture or defeat from the PCs, there is certainly the possibility of her becoming a recurring character in the GM’s campaign.
For those readers who really enjoy the ‘crunchy bits’ there are some nice treats in there for them, too. Some of the characters have a few feats that tie in with their character (such as the aforementioned Domincia Rayn’s Card Shark feat, giving her bonuses to her favorite pastime, gambling). Also, there are a few unique magic items that some of the characters possess that could be interesting and entertaining to explore.
Overall, give Dark Ladies a chance. You won’t be disappointed if you enjoy well crafted characters and have a desire to inject some well made femme fatales in your campaign.
I proudly give this 4 out of 5 stars.
