spycraft/ shadowforce archer/ gun book

[Shard O'Glase]

I just played spycaft for the 1st time last week and it was a blast. So I picked up the book, and am thinking of getting the guns book and the shadowforce seting book.

Anyone have oppinion and comemnts on these books before I purchase them.

I understand the setting has mystic stuff and psions, can anyone give quick comments on how they work, is it a spell level system like d&d or a skill system like the force etc.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Salutations,

Anyone have oppinion and comemnts on these books before I purchase them.

I got them and like them. I picked up the Archer Foundation over the weekend, and it is good as well- it is very "out there".

Meaning a lot about magic and psi, but they said they are starting their books on the wild side of the world and will circle in towards the less-supernatural aspects of the Shadowforce Archer setting.

I think that is a mistake, but the book is still good.

I understand the setting has mystic stuff and psions, can anyone give quick comments on how they work, is it a spell level system like d&d or a skill system like the force etc.

Psi- I don't know star wars, but it is a skill/feat system. There are classes and PrC's for psionic characters, but one can actually take feats and gain access to the powers.

I have yet to see them in play, but they read well designed.

Magic- I have not read this too closely, but there is no class. You take feats and can learn spells (i don't recall if they are feats themselves, skills, or something else).

You make a skill check to cast a spell- and each spell has a casting time. If you don't make the check during that time, then you can extend the casting time by the same amount and make another skill check (adding the result from the previous check)- until you make the DC.

There is a system for how followers affect casting spells and a corruption-like system for casting too much magic.

Gun book- wow, that is a whole lot of guns.

There is also a lot of optional rules to make combat more realistic- flowing iniative and recoil. There is also one PrC in there- triggerman. The two-gun wielding kungfu kind of character. heh.

The writing is top notch and they have some great ideas in all of the books.

FD
Spycraft Fanboy

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Thanks for the info.

Everything I've seen from spycraft has so far rocked, and since they don't use a spell level system and instead a feat/skill system I think I'll love the psi/mystic system as well.

So it looks like I get to spend even more money this month.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

So it looks like I get to spend even more money this month.

I curse them every time I open my wallet. Those monsters!



I hope you enjoy their work half as much as I have.

FD

 

[Teflon Billy]

So far I really love the game. I wish I hadn't bought the Shadowforce: Archer seting, but that's nothing to do with the product's quality, just it's cost and utility to me (I'm not super fond of it's Psi-Heaviness).

The Modern Arms Guide and the Main Rulebook are gold though.

 

[LcKedovan]

So far I really love the game. I wish I hadn't bought the Shadowforce: Archer seting, but that's nothing to do with the product's quality, just it's cost and utility to me (I'm not super fond of it's Psi-Heaviness).

The Modern Arms Guide and the Main Rulebook are gold though.

Boy am I glad that I only ordered the main book and the Arms guide Sounds like we have the same taste when it comes to a 007 espionage style game

-W.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Boy am I glad that I only ordered the main book and the Arms guide Sounds like we have the same taste when it comes to a 007 espionage style game

-W.

Salutations,

You may want to flip through the books- they have a lot of cool ideas, escpecially in the form of bad guys.

For example:
The Shop- the old r&d department of the spy agency have betrayed their former employers and are not up no good. Not only do they have the tech, but they know all about their enemies. They may still have moles in the agency.

The russian mob with their "chemical monsters"- which are the result of a cold war experiement to create super soldiers.

A lot of the threat ideas have different suggestions for what is behind them- some psi and some not.

They also have a cool setting in the Archer book- a secret underwater lab in the baltic sea suffering from some odd problems.

The Shadowforce Archer book also has some PrC's- hacker, cat burgler, counter-terrorist, and sniper.

It still may not be your cup of tea- but there is not psi on every page.

FD

 

[Cardinal Aidan]

If you're running any sort of spy game, let me suggest any of the material for the old James Bond game by Victory Games. Its been OOP for a decade, but I've seen multipacks of modules/supplements sold through such places as Chicago Scientific, and remainder book stores. The stats aren't useful, but the books were filled to the brim with campaign flavor. I still use the Q Branch equipment guide.