At Gen Con 50 Laura Hoffman and I talk about Game On Tabletop and how it is different from other crowdfunding platforms. One of those differences is it’s by gamers! Some of the others include fulfillment and marketing assistance.
I do believe I will be using Game on for my first game later this year, or early 2018.
I caught up with Sean Patrick Fannon at Gen Con 50. We talked about Savage Rifts And Evil Beagle Games LLC. Some cool info in this one like Freedom Squadron and the omniverse.
I am looking forward to seeing Sean at Con on the Cob in November.
Out of the Abyss
Adventure
255 pp.
Retail 49.95
Published by Wizards of the Coast
Being the fourth adventure book for Dungeons and Dragons 5th ed., it has a lot to live up to. Like Princes of Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss is also a full blown campaign for characters from levels 1 through 15. While it’s set in Forgotten Realms, it gives us a totally new look into this game world. It is the first look we get into the Underdark in 5th edition.
The first thing I noticed when reading this book was that it felt different or unique while still preserving a connection to Forgotten Realms. They did a good job of making the Underdark have a personality all its own. So many things they did make it a character that is dangerous, creepy, and weird. There are hints and reflections of psionics throughout the book, which brings a rising anticipation to the traditional Underdark motifs that we are used to, but with new interpretations and mechanics.
Ultimate Intrigue
Published by Paizo Publishing
The latest of the Ultimate series books is packed with a ton of themed information. This is a gem for any espionage player or GM. Ultimate Intrigue features the Vigilante base class, new archetypes, feats, intrigue systems, social combat, new spells, and gear.
Vigilante base class has some pretty cool perks. The first and the coolest is the ability to have dual identities – like Batman! The class has the option for each identity to have a different alignment. My GM would have a lot of fun with that concept, and as a player it would be a great challenge to role-play. Beyond that you get to pick a path of specialization as an avenger or a stalker. An avenger gains an attack bonus equal to the character level, while a stalker capitalizes on stealth to gain 1d8 precision damage on flanked, flat-footed or otherwise unaware foes. This increases 1d8 every two levels. There are also several Vigilante talents. My favorite has to be Blind Spot. It allows the character to hide from creatures with special senses like Tremor Sense. That’s something I could have used in my last adventure.
There are of course several new archetypes in Ultimate Intrigue, and while many of them are specialized most can be used without too much difficulty. My favorite is the Guild Breaker, a Ranger who specializes in taking down an enemy organization. The difference is that the bonuses they get are applied to an enemy organization instead of to a favored enemy. This archetype also gets Deep Cover, which allows bonuses to Bluff and Disguise against the enemy organization.
SHADOWS OF ESTEREN ANNOUNCES FIRST GRAPHIC NOVEL
PARIS, FRANCE (November 15, 2016) – With 2 days left to go in the successful Kickstarter campaign, Agate RPG is thrilled to announce the first graphic novel based on the award-winning Gothic horror RPG Shadows of Esteren has been unlocked for backers and offers a first look of the book with the attached preview pages. The graphic novel, Yldiane, will serve as an introduction to the forthcoming Shadows of Esteren video game, The Mac Lyrs’ Legacy.
The graphic novel, written by Emmanuel Roudier and Shadows of Esteren creative director Nelyhann, with illustrations by Roudier, will follow will follow Yldiane returning home to Melwan to find her world has changed and reflects events depicted in the 3 scenario from SOE: Book 0 Prologue.
Continue reading »
Matt takes his first look at Horror Adventures from Paizo for Pathfinder. Some of the highlights Matt discusses are Corruptions, Madness, and expanded Fear rules.
I think the best part of Horror Adventures are the Corruptions. The compleity they add to role-playing is just too much fun for everyone.
Grab your copy here.
Matt takes a look at the Ultimate Intrigue from Paizo. It features the Vigilante Class, verbal duels and intrigue systems to enhance your game. I think I will use verbal duels and the leadership system the most.
I think the pursuit rules have a place in any game there is a chase. Check back soon for my full review.
The tale of a clever rogue and her angelic partner pit against a centaur army
PATHFINDER TALES: Shy Knives
By Sam Sykes
Tor Books and Paizo are pleased to announce a new and original novel set in the Pathfinder universe: PATHFINDER TALES: Shy Knives (A Tor Trade Paperback; $14.99; On-sale October 18, 2016) by Sam Sykes.
Shy Ratani is a clever rogue who makes her living outside of strictly legal methods. While hiding out in the frontier city of Yanmass, she accepts a job solving a nobleman’s murder, only to find herself sucked into a plot involving an invading centaur army that could see the whole city burned to the ground. Shy could stop that from happening, but doing so would involve revealing herself to the former friends who now want her dead. Add in an aristocratic partner with the literal blood of angels in her veins, and Shy quickly remembers why she swore off doing good deeds in the first place.
