RPG Print News – Mongoose, Cubicle 7, Evil Genius, and More

Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition gets adventures, a new setting, and giant gorillas and robots. Traveller gets new tools, Warhammer Fantasy gets another city, and Shiver debuts a 10-part story to play through.

Note: RPG Print News covers new RPG releases and some classics, reprints, and sales available from retailers. It does not cover products that are only available directly to customers only through kickstarter or as print on demand.

Tools for Frontier Living by Mongoose Publishing

• SYSTEM: Traveller 2300AD
• PRODUCT TYPE: hardcover supplement
• RETAIL PRICE: $49.99
• DESCRIPTION: Every single world outside the Core is trying to kill the Travellers. Native life, climate, geography, even the air and water can be dangerous. To brave the Frontier, the Travellers need a selection of equipment that enables survival on alien worlds. There are five sections, covering a range of goods and services from deep space suits to the famous Foot-Long Egg, and including robots and drones, exploration and survival gear, medical equipment, along with weapons and surplus armor. Inside: space technology, exploration and survival gear, industrial equipment consumer goods and services, medical technology, and security and police equipment.

Salzenmund - City of Salt and Silver by Cubicle 7

• SYSTEM: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)
• PRODUCT TYPE: hardcover supplement
• RETAIL PRICE: $39.99
• DESCRIPTION: Salzenmund promises opportunity and excitement to adventurous souls. Explorers depart from the city to trade with fur-clad Norscans or brave the wide sea to Lustria. But the ruling Gausser family, newly installed and ambitious, threaten the stability of the Empire. The head of the family talks of a reconquest of the Wasteland and defiance of their old masters in Middenheim. In the taverns by the docks, vicious and crooked folk conspire in smuggling and piracy. Worse still, the honeyed whispers of forbidden cults entice the truly desperate into the worship of Chaos. Covers how to manage smuggling operations and mining concerns, the mysterious Spites that haunt the forests of Nordland, the Goblins who infest abandoned mines and tunnels, and has options for PCs from the city and surrounding region.

Kong - Skull Island | Pacific Rim by Evil Genius Games

• SYSTEM: Everyday Heroes
• PRODUCT TYPE: softcover adventures
• RETAIL PRICE: $24.99 each
• DESCRIPTION: Kong - Skull Island is officially licensed and set in the world of the film. Skull Island is the domain of the mighty Kong and is a land of unparalleled danger, adventure, and discovery. PCs are among the first to step foot on its shores, to explore its untamed wilds, to face the monstrous beasts more dangerous than anything previously known to mankind. Includes: the monster hunter class, the profession of mercenary soldier, monsters such as titans and superspecies, and the adventure Sliver of the Skull. In the adventure, the PCs must unravel a plot that poses a serious threat to the Skull Island ecosystem and save the island from ecological disaster with the help of mighty Kong. In Pacific Rim, the PCs pilot giant mechs to try to kill skyscraper-sized monsters called Kaiju which continue to invade from another dimension seeking to destroy Earth. PCs are Rangers, matching the Kaiju in size and strength with titanic robots called Jaegers; machines so powerful that they require the mental fortitude of two pilots to operate. In the included adventure a powerful new prototype Jaeger lies scattered at the edge of a deep ocean trench, its pilots still alive. The PCs must fight the Kaijus, rescue the pilots, and get home safely. Also includes: lore about the world of the film, the Bonded Twins class, the Jaeger Pilot profession, and rules for creating new Jaeger mechs.

Secrets of Spireholm | Secrets of Spireholm (Special Edition) by Parable Games

• SYSTEM: Shiver
• PRODUCT TYPE: hardcover supplements
• RETAIL PRICE: $49.99/$74.99
• DESCRIPTION: A grimy city setting of gothic horror. Also contains a huge 10 part story to play through as well as an additional one-sbot adventure. A high profile murder brings the unlikely group of PCs together to investigate. The PCs must fight their way through ghoul infested abandoned buildings, sleuth out a murder mystery, pull off a grand heist and fight werewolves, vampires, and monsters galore. Includes a new set of rules for long form stories which ties multiple Doom Clocks together into a terrifying Doom Calendar, seven new monstrous archetypes such as Vampires and Frankenstein's Monster , the Slayer Archetype, new Gothic themed backgrounds like Urchin and Plague Doctor, and a collecti on new items and monsters.

Planegea Deluxe Set | The Star-Shaman's Song of Planegea (Standard Edition) | Planegea GM Screen | In the Lair of the Night Thing by Atlas Games

• SYSTEM: Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PRODUCT TYPE: deluxe set
• RETAIL PRICE: $124.95/$59.95/$19.95/$19.95
• DESCRIPTION: Planegea Deluxe Set includes: premium dino-green embossed leatherette cover Planegea core book a version exclusive to the deluxe set, the Planegea GM Screen, and In the Lair of the Night Thing adventure all bundled together inside a deluxe slipcase. The Star-Shaman’s Song of Planegea is primal fantasy roleplaying set in a world of bone and fire. Elves are shimmering dream-walkers, dwarves are half stone, and dragonborn are just a heartbeat away from their draconic ancestors. There is only a patchwork quilt of local deities with powers that are bought with offerings and strange favors. The planes of existence have not yet separated, and a warrior can travel by foot from the Sea of Stars to the infinite, volcanic peak of Blood Mountain; but every step of the journey is plagued with danger and death. Includes: four all-new kinships like starlings and saurian, new sub-classes, 20 primeval backgrounds, equipment and trade, adapting treasure to the Stone Age, new spells, and new options for spellcasters. The Planegea GM Screen is a landscape three-panels hardcover stock which also comes with an eight page full-color reference booklet. In the Lair of the Night Thing, the PCs answer the call of dwarf chieftain Skarna Two-Axevto pursue and kill the monster that attacked her clan and killed her son. Starting at the chieftain’s clanfire, the characters uncover mysteries about the creature that can only be fully solved by tracking the awful Night Thing to its lair, which is full of frightening apparitions. The PCs may uncover an even deeper menace: a plot to overthrow the chieftain.

 

[Charles Dunwoody]

I am still going by what Marvel said and did when they released the playtest, that whatever distribution methods they use for comics, they are using for the game. Yes, that includes Penguin. And yes, back when the playtest book came out, several gaming-only stores I spoke to had no clue it was out.

Okay. If that is the case, then it won't be covered here unless it goes into games stores. The local RPG scene needs support. I did find this online, saying it is being sold as a book (except also on digital RPG sites it seems), which supports what you are reporting:

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Okay. If that is the case, then it won't be covered here unless it goes into games stores. The local RPG scene needs support. I did find this online, saying it is being sold as a book (except also on digital RPG sites it seems), which supports what you are reporting:

I mean, you do you, but I don't understand 1) Why you think that game stores would have trouble stocking it (other than not bothering); 2) Why you would chose to not cover a game, just because it's distributed - very slightly - differently than some other games. Forgive me if I'm not properly familiar with your reporting, but do you cover Kickstarted games? Because as a 30-year game store owner, I can tell you: Those are MUCH harder to get for a game store than this Marvel book is.

I doubt that it's your intent, but I feel like you are coming at this with some sort of anti-comic bias. I just can't figure out your stance otherwise.

 

[Charles Dunwoody]

I mean, you do you, but I don't understand 1) Why you think that game stores would have trouble stocking it (other than not bothering); 2) Why you would chose to not cover a game, just because it's distributed - very slightly - differently than some other games. Forgive me if I'm not properly familiar with your reporting, but do you cover Kickstarted games? Because as a 30-year game store owner, I can tell you: Those are MUCH harder to get for a game store than this Marvel book is.

I doubt that it's your intent, but I feel like you are coming at this with some sort of anti-comic bias. I just can't figure out your stance otherwise.

1) This whole conversation started because I can find very few games stores with the new Marvel RPG. Turns out Marvel is not marketing to those game stores from what I can find. Since I cover RPGs at game stores then Marvel is not marketing to me either. It isn't really complicated. 2) I do not cover Kickstarted games (unless a game store stocks them), POD, or RPGs only available from the creator's website. I cover in print RPGs, relatively new or a new printing in some cases, available in game stores with an occasional change up in format for a week I'll be on vacation. The second paragraph in my column always points this info out and has for months and months now.

The goal of this column is to cover in print RPGs available in many game stores. If other stores or distribution options carry RPGs that is great too, but this column doesn't cover those stores or distribution options.

For Kickstarter, Egg already covers those in his column.

As to comics, comics are great. But EN World covers tabletop RPGs. Marvel wants to try to sell an RPG to comic readers. Not sure why and I don't plan to cover their strategy so I'm going to move on now.

Also, as an FYI and to anyone who might be wondering, I don't cover every single new RPG that comes out. That is impossible. I have to find a new RPG at a game store that also sells online. Therefore, I cover a snapshot of the gaming industry as a whole, not every single new RPG.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Also, as an FYI and to anyone who might be wondering, I don't cover every single new RPG that comes out. That is impossible. I have to find a new RPG at a game store that also sells online. Therefore, I cover a snapshot of the gaming industry as a whole, not every single new RPG.

Yeah, that's fine. You can do what you like. I was (originally) just trying to point out that the vast majority of game stores should have no problem getting this book. You appeared to me to have some sort of "think of the little guy" crusade - but "little guy" stores are exactly what I was talking about, which I think is where our disconnect lies.

I don't think Marvel did anything particularly weird or wrong here, and TRUST ME - I am extremely critical of Marvel! I think that a controlling share of their business practices harm my store! But this one was fine. And besides, like I mentioned above, I AM able to get that book from regular game-related channels!

 

[jhallum]

I do have to say that I rather like the Skull island book, though I wish it had more Godzilla in and around it. Hopefully they can get the Godzilla license too and continue fleshing that place out.