ToV Tales of the Valiant Alpha Release is out.

[mamba]

repeating for emphasis

nooo, get rid of short rest as a recharge mechanic, WotC 2024 almost dared to, and then stumbled across their 70% hurdle, no need to do this here...

 

[Marc Radle]

Caverns of the Spore Lord adventure now available!!
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/446412/Caverns-of-the-Spore-Lord

 

[Reynard]

View attachment 290698
Caverns of the Spore Lord adventure now available!!
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/446412/Caverns-of-the-Spore-Lord

Cool.

Purchased.

 

[Zaukrie]

Not a bad adventure. I'm not sure how I feel about all the formatting of the adventure, I have to think about it some.

I'm not really sure how the party would know of most of the cures, frankly. Also, never sure how I feel about intro adventures that require the players to think about their moral decisions to kill monsters or not, though this time it is fairly clear that the leader is sick and can be cured.

 

[Marc Radle]

The Black Flag Returns​

From the beginning, “Black Flag” sparked a fire with fans. We liked it too! Everyone, it seems, rallied under the Black Flag to make Tales of the Valiant possible.

We couldn’t trademark the term, though, so we put it down as we moved forward.

But as we’ve explored Core Fantasy Roleplaying and the open licenses it encompasses, we noticed we didn’t need to trademark the name of our free, open system, available for anyone to use with no restrictions and no money. So . . . what if we raise the Black Flag forever?

SPOILER ALERT: We’re doing it.

The Core Fantasy Roleplaying (CFR) system will now be called the Black Flag Roleplaying (BFR) system. Upon release later this year, the BFR rules will be a complete, distilled system document permanently available to everyone. Henceforth, our open, perpetual, irrevocable license, available for all to play and publish, will sail under the Black Flag.

To ensure you have what you need, we’ll release a Publisher’s Kit later this year with documentation and system guides needed to write your own adventures and materials. We’ll make an announcement once this is ready.

https://koboldpress.com/valiant-friday-return-of-an-old-friend/

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I sure hope no one got a Core Fantasy Roleplaying tattoo.

 

[Reynard]

Thoughts as I read through Caverns of the Spore Lord:

Telling the reader that some stuff is going to be beyond them and might require non combat efforts is a +1 from me.

Concise Background and Summary. No walls of text. Love it.

I really like the NPC breakdown format. It is brief, evocative and (best of all) full of useful information for actually running the NPC.

The art of Kylana does not reflect her "olive skin" -- a shame but not a big deal.

I like the fact of a simple alternative to Kylana as a quest giver is presented right there.

1 Hulgig: Unfortunately this starts to veer back into wall of text territory, with important information a little buried. Also, the distribution of descriptive material between impressions, read aloud text, and GM facing text is odd. I would prefer to see the Sporeborn Ambush entry truly called out.

 

[Reynard]

I like that we get a list of names of the villagers as well as a couple phrases defining their states. That's the kind of thing that is easy to roll with on the fly as a GM.

I think the NPC info blocks should say where the NPC is found, since they don't necessarily appear on the same page as their key location.

Typo: On the top of page 8 in the Jurik block, it should read "Talking to Jurik"

The layout isn't the best, as far as how the NPC entries really separate important text and tables.

Why isn't there a keyed map of the village?

 

[Reynard]

Why on Page 9 under "From Here..." aren't the key numbers given with the directions.

I like the brief but useful and evocative description of the Caverns.

I am confused: are there two log spear traps, one set off and one still armed?

Maybe I missed it, but what are the parameters for rolling on the loot table? Is a check required? Does each PC get to roll?

I am generally not a fan of milestone leveling and the GM telling the players what to do. A sidebar for new GMs that mentions how if the PCs push too far they could be in trouble is okay, but don't tell them to tell the players to rest.

I really like the bullet point info style of the Abandoned City. It makes my job as a GM much easier. I feel like the specified elements and locations in this area should be keyed on the map as well.

I like the list of options with DCs for entering Bellgrove.

 

[Reynard]

What does "Occasional giggles give away [the invisible quasits'] positions" mean mechanically here? Are the unseen but can be targetted?

The traps should definitely be keyed on the map.

I like the context link for A Precious Ring being present and very visible.

Why no Mycolid name list?

Oop -- dinner time. I'll come back and finish impressions later.