RPG Kickstarter Roundup 2013 edition

Here are a few noteworthy RPG related kickstarters that are going on right now. Some expire soon, so check them out while you can still get the goods!

First up, Deluxe Tunnels and Trolls! T&T has been around just about as long an Role-playing games themselves. Flying Buffalo has assembled an all-star team for a new edition of a classic. They have already smashed the original funding goal, and the stretch goals are being rapidly achieved.

There are some really cool rewards and options offered on this one, including a map of TrollWorld, coins of the realm, and what looks to be a very useful easel binder. Flying Buffalo has wisely included several pledge levels for any budget and provide for PDF, softcover, and hardcover versions of the core rulebook. At this point they’ve tacked on a few bonus solitaire adventure PDFs. As of this writing they are getting close to the GM screen stretch goal, with a little over a week remaining.

Next up, FATE Core. Evil Hat productions is winding down a very successful kickstarter, and you only have about a day left to get in on this one. Known for their use of fudge dice, and adaptation of the Dresden Files world, FATE has quickly become one of the more popular “rules-light” RPG systems in the last decade. The text for the update is almost entirely complete. In fact, once you have pledged, you get immediate access to the draft (sans-art) and a bunch of other preview PDFs of other supplements that have been unlocked. The original funding goal for this project was a measly $3000. As of this writing it has gone well past $377,000. You read that right. They are offering a ton of different books and options, and have done a really great job on trying to make sense of all their different pledge levels with some really creative graphics. The last stretch goal listed is Dresden Files Accelerated! I haven’t found time to play Dresden Files myself, but I have only heard good things. Get on this one while the getting is good!

Finally, the Cortex Plus hackers guide, from Margaret Weis Productions. Based off of the very flexible Cortex Plus system, most notably used in RPG adaptations of Leverage and Smallville, the hackers guide is an idea book filled with essays and worlds that utilize the cortex system for any genre you can imagine. Featuring some of the guys from critical-hits.com (who have been heavily involved with the Marvel Heroic RPG also from Margaret Weis), the hackers guide should give you all the inspiration you can handle for getting the most out of the cortex plus system, for any world. You’ve got a few days on this one, and with lots of options for PDF and printed material there are lots of ways show your support!

Thats it for now. Support RPGs, and good gaming to you!

Dungeon Alphabet Review – Expanded 3rd Printing

I’ve been a big fan of Goodman Games for some time, especially since they came out with Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, but before they galvanized the OSR movement, they created some great system-neutral supplements and resources such as PC Pearls, GM Gems, and the awesome Dungeon Alphabet.

Recently they released an expanded third edition of the popular supplement complete with new art, new entries for some letters, and a limited edition gold foil cover. I had previously owned a PDF of the original alphabet, and had raved about it earlier, but with a new expanded limited edition, it was enough for me to make space on my gaming shelves for a print edition.

For those of you not familiar with the concept, the dungeon alphabet has an entry for each letter of the alphabet detailing common features found in dungeons, and provides a table of randomized variables. Its like a random treasure table, but randomizes everything a party would come across in a typical dungeon crawl.

New entries in the expanded edition include: A is also for Adventurers, B is also for Battles, D is also for Dragons, M is also for Maps, P is also for Potions, R is also for Relics, S is also for Stairs, and T is also for Treasure Chests.

This book is filled with inspiration to turn what could normally be a mundane encounter in to something truly memorable. Normally when the heroes find a map, it usually takes the form of ink on parchment and maybe an X that marks the spot. By contrast, here is an entry from M is also for Maps: “The map is in liquid form. Contained in a plain glass bottle, this odd liquid must be sipped to gain the benefits of the map. Each time a small amount of liquid is consumed, the drinker receives an accurate mental picture of the dungeon (or simply their immediate surroundings). This cerebral image is fleeting, lasting no more than a minute or so before fading from the drinker’s mind. In order to make longer use of the liquid map, he must either quickly sketch a copy (and perhaps make errors in his haste) or sample from the bottle regularly and risk running out of the cartigraphical fluid at a crucial moment.” WOW! That is just one of the twelve entries on the maps page.

Some of the pages have multiple tables, or tables within tables allowing for nearly endless combinations, or you can just read them all and pick the one that makes the most sense for the dungeon theme you are trying to create. The price for the gold foil collector’s edition is a bit steep at $29.99, but hey, it’s for collectors. The regular print edition is $19.99, and the PDF is worth every penny at $7.99. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for the dungeon master looking to get the creative juices flowing, and keep their players guessing!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some dungeons to build…

Pathfinder Pregens, Part 2

In the second installment of our ongoing Pathfinder Society pre-generated characters series we present the Dwarves of the Fireaxe Clan. While not truly a full-fledged clan, these dwarves have banded together because of racial pride and their love of greataxes.  Led by a freedom loving barbarian, the clan consists of his brother, a trapsmith, a desert dwarf skilled in both the arcane and martial, a fiery cleric of Angradd and an old dwarven ranger.

Ergoss Fireaxe
Male Dwarf Andoran Barbarian (Armored Hulk)
A battlerager of sorts, Ergoss Fireaxe has learned to tap into his rage and unleash it upon his unsuspecting foes.  While wearing the heaviest of armors, he swings his greataxe in arcs of destruction to help free the oppressed and enslaved under the direction of Major Colson of the Andorans.

Dergak Fireaxe
Male Dwarf Sczarni Rogue (Trapsmith)
Dergak Fireaxe seems to be very different than his brother, Ergoss.  Whereas Ergoss is brave and daring, Dergak is reserved and calculating.  At an early age Dergak was fascinated with traps, whether it was building or disarming them, and how they worked.  Renowned for his gold sniffing nose, he has found a particularly useful niche with the Sczarni and their devious machinations.

Gundra Sandstone
Female Dwarf Osirion Magus (Kensai)
The beautiful (for a dwarf) and enigmatic Gundra Sandstone hails from beyond the desert.  Drawing on her Osirion connections, she has learned to combine her prowess with her greataxe with powerful arcane might.

Borgun Trueflame
Male Dwarf Silver Crusade Cleric
As an ardent follower of Angradd, Borgun Trueflame has brought to bear his mighty greataxe for the causes of righteousness and the Silver Crusade. Bringing forth flame and fury, he is ready at a moment’s notice to dispatch any evil he encounters.

Deeprock
Male Dwarf Shadow Lodge Ranger (Deep Walker)
The aging brooding dwarf known only as Deeprock is sort of an enigma to the rest of the clan. The white bearded dwarf has spent so much time in dungeons and underground caverns and he has only recently come to the Pathfinder Society and found friends in the secretive Shadow Lodge.

Download them all and raise your axes and your voices in a dwarven battle cry! Check out our other downloads as well.

The first of our series, Pirates of the Toothless Gar, can be found here.

What if Batman was a Pathfinder

David Finch’s Batman #700

Often players use heroic archetypes or existing characters from pop culture as inspiration for their PCs. Recently I was looking over the Ninja class for Pathfinder, and it struck me as a pretty good fit for a Batman-like character. I don’t pretend this is an original or new concept, in fact it is the subject of a healthy debate on the Paizo forums. This is my take.

This will be a Pathfinder Society legal 20-point build. Originally I was working on combining a Druid (Bat Shaman)/Ninja combo, but in the end I really like the feel of Druid/Monk/Ninja. See if you agree:

THE DARK KNIGHT — CR 3

Human Druid (Bat Shaman)1/Monk 1/Ninja 2

Medium humanoid (Human)

Init +4  Senses darkvision 60ft.; Perception +5

Defense

AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +1 Wis)

HP 25 (4d8+2)

Fort +4 Ref +10 Will +5

Defensive Abilities Sudden Shift (4/day)

Offense

Speed 30ft

Melee Unarmed Strike +6 (1d6+2)

Flurry of Blows +5/+5 (d6+2)

Ranged Batarang (as Mwk Boomerang) +6 (1d6+2)

Special Attacks Flurry of Blows, Stunning Fist (1/day DC 13)

Druid Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +2)

1st – Disguise Self, Jump, Damp Powder (DC 12)

0 (at-will) – Resistance, Detect Magic, Detect Poison

Domain Deception

Tactics

During Combat Batman uses Stealth to close within melee, then pummels foes with Flurry of Blows. If they try and run, they get the Batarang.

Statistics

Str 14, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14

Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD +18

Feats Improved Unarmed Strike, Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Boomerang), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Stunning Fist, Traits: Deft Dodger, Charming

Skills Acrobatics +8, Appraise +4, Bluff +6, Climb +6, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +8, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +8, Fly +8, Handle Animal +6, Heal +5, Intimidate +6, Knowledge: Geography, History, Local, Nobility, Religion +4, Knowledge Nature +6, Linguistics +4, Perception +5, Ride +8, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +8, Spellcraft +4, Stealth +8, Survival +7, Swim +6

Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan

SQ Ki Pool (3 points, magic), Poison Use, Sneak Atk 1d6, Sudden Shift (4/day), Wild Empathy +3