We’re going to try a slightly different format in our presentation of the PDFs this week. We’re going to start off with our Spotlight of the Week. Then we’ll rank the rest of the new releases in order of how impactful and interesting the rest are; basically a top 10 of the newest releases. We’ll do this from #10 up to our #2 PDF. We’ll follow this with a brief mention of the PDFs that didn’t make our top 10 but still might be of interest to someone. As usual, we’ll follow this all up with WotC’s rereleases for the week and a look at what Adventures were released for which systems.
If you agree or disagree with our week’s ranking let us know. Also, as always, if you have purchased some of these PDFs, let us all know in the comments as to what you thought of it.
[h=3]Spotlight: Most Interesting PDF of the Week[/h]
#1 - On the Non-player Character
The social interactions between the player characters and non-player characters can be tricky. When done wrong it can derail a campaign and put a sour note on gameplay. When done right is can become the highpoint of a campaign. This 60 page PDF takes a detailed look at NPCs and the interactions they can entail. It includes advice on how to run social exchanges and deals with the often complicated issue of player vs. character social skills; do you base a social exchange on the player’s skill or the character’s stats or something in between? The PDF also gives advice on how to design NPCs to be something memorable, along with other advice that deal with the use of NPCs in an adventure. This looks like an excellent book for newer gamers, as well as us older gamers; we all can learn more to up our game.
#10 – Shotguns & Saddles
I’ve always felt the Western genre is unrepresented among rpgs. It has everything a good rpg needs, plenty of opportunities for adventure and where combat is a part of the genre, instead of a setting excuse. This PDF is a retroclone style rpg that aims to bring the Western genre as depicted in film, TV and books to rpg life. It is not a detailed history of the Old West, but rather a hearty rendition where the characters can run rampant. If you’ve never tried the Western genre, now is your chance.
#9 - Open Gaming Monthly #4
This magazine is all about d20. It provides new material for both players and GMs. This month they have an adventure, new players options with a new archtype, new spells and plants as magic items. For the GMs there are new maps, new monsters and new advice. Of interest is that Kobold Quarterly has some material in this month’s issue as well.
#8 - DCC/Xcrawl Free RPG Day 2013
For those of you who missed the Free RPG Day at your local brick and mortar store, the publishers have been slowly releasing their products from the as PDFs. This one from Goodman Games features two adventures, one for Dungeon Crawl Classics and the second is for the upcoming conversion of Xcrawl to the Pathfinder system. The DCC adventure is for 1st level characters. The Xcrawl adventure is for levels 6-8 and is a first look at the forthcoming conversion.
#7 - Asian Adventures Bundle
This Bundle of three products gives us three new classes for the Labyrinth Lord retroclone, though they can be used for any 1E or similar rpg. The three new classes are the Ninja, Samurai and Tanuki (a nature spirit). If you are looking to add the oriental to your old school game, this is a good place to start.
#6 - Shadowrun Fifth Edition Preview #5
This week’s free preview of fifth edition Shadowrun takes a look at magic and its use. To me Shadowrun is defined by two things, cyberware and magic. Thus, this is an important look at a core concept of the game. Get a look at the latest version of Shadowrun before it hits the streets.
#5 - Magic'Pocalypse
I like rpgs with fun settings. This one is our world after a magic apocalypse has destroyed civilization. Now magic and the monsters of myth run rampant and humanity fights to survive. Humanity is also altered and has gained the powers of magic with which the characters can fight back. The setting uses its own rules system but the rules are complete within this one PDF. They author claims game play is easy to grasp and follow, and even adventures are easy to set up with a series of random tables that allows for adventure generation "on-the-fly".
#4 - Skinner SAS
I’ve always felt White Wolf had some of the better “adventure modules” out there, just not enough of them. This week they release a new adventure to tie into their recent release of Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition. It features the ever popular Skin Dancers and Haight, one of the best villains from any game. It looks good.
#3 - Knights of the Dinner Table
Kenzer & Company give us 3 more of their compilations showcasing their famous comic strips on the culture of gaming. Bundle of Trouble vol. 4, vol. 5, and vol. 6, combine issues #10-#18. Along with the strips from those issues the Bundles also give bonus strips not to be found elsewhere. If you like funny and rpgs, these are awesome.
#2 - The Tome of Excess
Fantasy Flight Games continues to support their Black Crusade, Warhammer 40k line of rpg products. Black Crusade allows players to play "evil" characters within the universe. They have been releasing a series of books that takes a look at the chaos gods. This is all about the followers of Slaanesh. The book provides a variety of new character options. There are also new rules for social interactions such as how to recruit new minions. To round the entire PDF out, there is also an adventure included.
[h=3]The Rest[/h]
[h=3]WotC Classic PDFs[/h]
Some more 2E stuff to coincide with their recent rerelease of the 2E rule books. WotC has consistently released 4 new PDFs of old material every week since they jumped back into the PDF marketplace. It’s kind of amazing how much material they have released over the years. My favorite this week is the Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix III; the Ravenloft monsters were always weird and scary. Which is your favorite?
[h=3]Adventures[/h]
If you agree or disagree with our week’s ranking let us know. Also, as always, if you have purchased some of these PDFs, let us all know in the comments as to what you thought of it.
[h=3]Spotlight: Most Interesting PDF of the Week[/h]
#1 - On the Non-player Character
The social interactions between the player characters and non-player characters can be tricky. When done wrong it can derail a campaign and put a sour note on gameplay. When done right is can become the highpoint of a campaign. This 60 page PDF takes a detailed look at NPCs and the interactions they can entail. It includes advice on how to run social exchanges and deals with the often complicated issue of player vs. character social skills; do you base a social exchange on the player’s skill or the character’s stats or something in between? The PDF also gives advice on how to design NPCs to be something memorable, along with other advice that deal with the use of NPCs in an adventure. This looks like an excellent book for newer gamers, as well as us older gamers; we all can learn more to up our game."Problems with your players being frustrated at your non-player characters? Looking for the hidden social combat system that's been part of classic fantasy role-playing for over 30 years? Do you want your social encounters to be navigated by player skill, rather than by what's on the character's sheet or how good the player's personal charisma is? Are you looking for the fast way to generate memorable and long term non-player characters? Do you want every table result regarding non-player characters to be instantly gameable, rather than trying to figure out how they are every going to discover what you rolled?
Then get this book and watch those problem social encounters disappear, to be replaced by everyone talking about how awesome your encounters are.
Then get this book and watch those problem social encounters disappear, to be replaced by everyone talking about how awesome your encounters are.
#10 – Shotguns & Saddles
I’ve always felt the Western genre is unrepresented among rpgs. It has everything a good rpg needs, plenty of opportunities for adventure and where combat is a part of the genre, instead of a setting excuse. This PDF is a retroclone style rpg that aims to bring the Western genre as depicted in film, TV and books to rpg life. It is not a detailed history of the Old West, but rather a hearty rendition where the characters can run rampant. If you’ve never tried the Western genre, now is your chance.
#9 - Open Gaming Monthly #4
This magazine is all about d20. It provides new material for both players and GMs. This month they have an adventure, new players options with a new archtype, new spells and plants as magic items. For the GMs there are new maps, new monsters and new advice. Of interest is that Kobold Quarterly has some material in this month’s issue as well.
#8 - DCC/Xcrawl Free RPG Day 2013
For those of you who missed the Free RPG Day at your local brick and mortar store, the publishers have been slowly releasing their products from the as PDFs. This one from Goodman Games features two adventures, one for Dungeon Crawl Classics and the second is for the upcoming conversion of Xcrawl to the Pathfinder system. The DCC adventure is for 1st level characters. The Xcrawl adventure is for levels 6-8 and is a first look at the forthcoming conversion.
#7 - Asian Adventures Bundle
This Bundle of three products gives us three new classes for the Labyrinth Lord retroclone, though they can be used for any 1E or similar rpg. The three new classes are the Ninja, Samurai and Tanuki (a nature spirit). If you are looking to add the oriental to your old school game, this is a good place to start.
#6 - Shadowrun Fifth Edition Preview #5
This week’s free preview of fifth edition Shadowrun takes a look at magic and its use. To me Shadowrun is defined by two things, cyberware and magic. Thus, this is an important look at a core concept of the game. Get a look at the latest version of Shadowrun before it hits the streets.
#5 - Magic'Pocalypse
I like rpgs with fun settings. This one is our world after a magic apocalypse has destroyed civilization. Now magic and the monsters of myth run rampant and humanity fights to survive. Humanity is also altered and has gained the powers of magic with which the characters can fight back. The setting uses its own rules system but the rules are complete within this one PDF. They author claims game play is easy to grasp and follow, and even adventures are easy to set up with a series of random tables that allows for adventure generation "on-the-fly".
#4 - Skinner SAS
I’ve always felt White Wolf had some of the better “adventure modules” out there, just not enough of them. This week they release a new adventure to tie into their recent release of Werewolf 20th Anniversary Edition. It features the ever popular Skin Dancers and Haight, one of the best villains from any game. It looks good.
#3 - Knights of the Dinner Table
Kenzer & Company give us 3 more of their compilations showcasing their famous comic strips on the culture of gaming. Bundle of Trouble vol. 4, vol. 5, and vol. 6, combine issues #10-#18. Along with the strips from those issues the Bundles also give bonus strips not to be found elsewhere. If you like funny and rpgs, these are awesome.
#2 - The Tome of Excess
Fantasy Flight Games continues to support their Black Crusade, Warhammer 40k line of rpg products. Black Crusade allows players to play "evil" characters within the universe. They have been releasing a series of books that takes a look at the chaos gods. This is all about the followers of Slaanesh. The book provides a variety of new character options. There are also new rules for social interactions such as how to recruit new minions. To round the entire PDF out, there is also an adventure included.
[h=3]The Rest[/h]
- Destiny Beginner – This fantasy rpg is aimed at those new to their system.
- The Metamorphica – 156 pages filled with over 650 mutations that can be used in a variety of campaign genres/styles. Includes tables for random mutations and random creatures.
- Eternal Contenders – A setting and system book for duels and gladiatorial combat.
[h=3]WotC Classic PDFs[/h]
Some more 2E stuff to coincide with their recent rerelease of the 2E rule books. WotC has consistently released 4 new PDFs of old material every week since they jumped back into the PDF marketplace. It’s kind of amazing how much material they have released over the years. My favorite this week is the Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix III; the Ravenloft monsters were always weird and scary. Which is your favorite?
- PHBR13 Complete Druid’s Handbook (2E)
- DMGR6 The Complete Book of Villains (2E)
- DMGR7 The Complete Book of Necromancers (2E)
- Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix III (2E)
[h=3]Adventures[/h]
- The Winter Home – DCC. Level 3-4.
- Into the White – Pathfinder. Level 5.
- The Sunken Pyramid – Pathfinder. Level 7.
- Goblins of the Opera – d20. Level 1.
- The Pale Assassins – d20. Level 1.
- Stone Dragon Solstice – Tunnels & Trolls.
