Crown of the Lich King - 13th Age Organized Play - Session 3

Enjoy the next session of the first arc of the 13th Age Organized Play program! This is an exciting new development in the new 13th Age product line. Our gaming group, in our inimitable fashion is woefully behind the schedule in our google hangout sessions. However there is a new six-part adventure series coming up, and I encourage you to join in at home, or even better your FLGS!

Please note that this is an Actual Play of our home session, and while we aren't downright crude, this is an explicit recording, so beware of sensitive ears.

Due to technical issues, we had to restart recording halfway through.

The Demolished Ones Review

Perfectly controlled explosion or scattered rubble?  

Summary

• A deep mystery game, which keeps you on your toes throughout the campaign, with dangers from within and without.
• This product has a unique take on FATE's quick character generation, which provides a blank slate approach to that encourages immersion in its rich thematic element.
• The rules within are a great entry product to the FATE system, the uncluttered approach and slow building up of mechanics suits newcomers well.
• For those who enjoy mysteries, twists, and cinematic play, the ending of this product is both fulfilling and unexpected.

A mystery in FATE? I would typically be uninspired by this sort of thing. It is not that you could not run an investigation using this lighter rules system, rather that the system does not explicitly support it like systems such as Gumshoe. However, I'm pleased to be disproved by The Demolished Ones by Brian England and Rite Publishing. This setting creates a compelling cinematic Victorian-themed Noir mystery by playing to FATE's strength, character backgrounds, by making who your characters are the true mystery.

This product has a clean two-column layout with unobtrusive background art inlaid. The evocative art sprinkled throughout the book meshes well with the gaslamp aesthetic as well as the black-and-white format. The handouts in particular are well-executed. The whole thing comes to 88 pages which is packed with to-the-point content and an accessible brevity.

The base mechanics follow the same sort of lighter bent, much like the recently released FATE Core. Resolution, for those unfamiliar, is based on rolling 4 fudge dice, which have blanks, plusses, and minuses, yielding a result of -4 to +4 biased toward +0. This is added to a skill value, which is then compared against a difficulty. Beyond this mechanic, the true engine of the game is FATE points and aspects. FATE points are an economy which rewards accepting poor choices based on aspects which describe character background or unfortunate circumstances. These are then spent to allow PCs to influence the plot at times of their choosing based on character background or fortuitous circumstances. This product provides a clean, uncluttered, and nicely brief explanation of the rules, and the light mechanics seem to fit well with the setting.

The flavor of this product is reflected in mechanics through the Stress tracks (here Health and Composure), Skills (Engineering, Science, Slight of Hand), the use of aspects to reflect temporary and permanent Gear, and some especially powerful aspects that can have special features at extra cost. However, the real innovation is how characters are made. This game is about discovering the mystery of yourself, and using a re-imagining of the on-the-fly character generation to build, rebuild, and perhaps destroy who you thought you were, all based on progression in the plot. This is where the mystery lies, and is reflected eloquently in how you build your character as you move along.

As a mystery is the key to this neat campaign, I feel the need to avoid spoiling the fun. In broad strokes, the story is broken into a three act structure. The players have leeway, but there is definite structure and a sequence to the game. Character development is key, but there is a narrative and a progression to the game which makes it compelling. This product's plot does require a bit of trust from the players, things could go awry if they are not expecting some twists or the GM to alter aspects of their character. That said, it is worth these concessions to keep the mystique of the game. Speaking of twists, they are numerous and like any good thriller or investigation novel, the biggest come at the dramatic conclusion.

Overall, the tightness of the narrative is reminiscent of other great games and novels of self-discovery, notably Aletheia, another great mystery game. This is a well-thought out product which targets a particular play style and is incredibly accessible, the kind of game which could bring in new players that are huge mystery fans. I'm left with the lingering impression that with the right type of group, this could be the kind of campaign which can help shape a very memorable experience.

Crown of the Lich King - 13th Age Organized Play - Session 2

The 13th Age Organized Play program has begun! This is an exciting new development in the new 13th Age product line. Our gaming group is participating in our google hangout sessions, and I encourage you to join in at home, or even better your FLGS. Don't worry, you won't be spoiled if you join in late, as you will start wherever we are!

Please note that this is an Actual Play of our home session, and while we aren't downright crude, this is an explicit recording, so beware of sensitive ears.

Crown of the Lich King - 13th Age Organized Play - Session 1

The 13th Age Organized Play program has begun! This is an exciting new development in the new 13th Age product line. Our gaming group is participating in our google hangout sessions, and I encourage you to join in at home, or even better your FLGS. Don't worry, you won't be spoiled if you join in late, as you will start wherever we are!

Please note that this is an Actual Play of our home session, and while we aren't downright crude, this is an explicit recording, so beware of sensitive ears.

10 Things I FATE About You

Or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the fudge dice.

Fate Core was a huge Kickstarter success and has now been fully released to the public through Evil Hat's website and DriveThruRPG. It is a pay-what-you-like model, which I can't give enough love to as a starting point for getting a game line's core rules out. However, as a reviewer and general gaming aficionado, a straight review of a game which is free and exists in tons of forms over years of game development seems passe. I have an interesting relationship with FATE in general, in that I started out hating it. Now I've grown to love it. I want to share with you ten reasons why FATE Core fixed the system for me, and why you should take another look if you hated FATE like I used to.

A bit of background on my personal experience. Time travel back to 2007. Spirit of the Century had just come out and was starting its glory as an rpg.net darling. I heard nothing but praise, so I tore the PDF off its digital shelf with abandon. Then I read it. Special dice? Non-numerical resolution? Piles of notes everywhere? At the time it was my personal gaming nightmare. I had a few misconceptions, sure, but mostly I couldn't get past these caveats. It was a tragedy, because I loved the pulpy feel and missed all the best parts. I never really brought it to the table. Dresden Files made huge strides toward correcting some of these issues, but I still had a hard time teaching it and found it a lot of work to run.

So what has changed with the new releases? Here are ten reasons I was able to convert myself to FATE Core:


#10 - Clearer FATE points

Five-ish uses of FATE points (FP) was a little convoluted in the past. While many of these old uses reveal themselves other places, the real point of FP has been highlighted. FATE points are for Aspects, you get better when using FP to power actions based on drawing on a character's back-story and gain FP when that same backstory gives you a karmic backlash. Extensive workups of FP uses have fallen away in favor of a clear indication of the design goal of this system.

#9 - Extras and the System Toolkit

The downside of greatly simplifying an existing system is that you throw the a great rules baby out with the unnecessary complication bathwater. The flavorless generic RPG is why there are so few that persist. Sure setting splat books with optional rules can solve this problem, but many first-time players will be unwilling to invest any further than a core book. FATE Core provides a DIY process by which you can add flavor to match a setting, and there is a whole system toolkit planned if you need more help.

#8 - Original FATE settings

Most of the stretch goals in the Kickstarter campaign were to unlock custom settings built for the game by other great designers. When these are compiled it will vastly increase the value of the core book. Sometimes the biggest trick of a game which can be customized is a suffusion of choices, our old friend analysis paralysis can make it hard to pitch a game with a new flavor. Fortunately FATE Core has a slew of pick up and play settings, which are also great tools for crafting a new game with just parts you like.

#7 - The Accelerated edition

There is an even simpler version of FATE Core, FATE Accelerated Edition. This is a love letter toward super-light gaming systems and the GM that is trying to recruit new players or change the minds of crusty gamers. Basically the core of Aspects and Actions remains the same, but skills and some rule intricacies are hulled out of FATE Core to create this sleek little beauty. It enables FATE to be truly pick up and play. I could teach this version of FATE in five minutes.

#6 - Stunt Formulas

Stunts can be a lot of fun, but many players slam up rapidly into the aforementioned analysis paralysis. There is no list and you not only have to come up with a snappy phrase like aspects, you also have to make up the mechanics. This adds a ton of time to character generation. Taking a page from the stunts in the Dresden Files RPG, we are given an even clearer framework of how to build stunts (especially in the Accelerated edition). Unless I really want to do something out there, I need only pick an action or a rule to bend and an applicable circumstance and I'm done.

#5 - Simple skill descriptions

Gone are the days of the massive examples for every permutation of a skill, a la Spirit of the Century. These were great examples, don't get me wrong, but they made it difficult to consult a skill and promoted dwelling on how exactly to use which skill to accomplish your goal. The FATE Core version, by contrast, fits into about 10-15 lines at most with nice reference icons. Even this need not be referenced in play, it just shapes actions and provides suggestions.

#4 - Simple Success (a.k.a. Skip the Spin)

Spirit of the Century's system of spin and other momentary advantages in practice worked decently well, but it really defied explanation to new players. While boost takes a touch of explanation, it is one word to represent a lot of jargon phrases. It is also really easy, if someone baffles easily, to say temporary aspect instead of boost. An elegant solution to keeping a mechanic that should be there but that can edge toward fiddly.

#3 - Graded NPC Categories

This is another area where all of the mechanics and layout were there in past FATE outings, but is far more clearly explained. We've had rules for the lesser henchman and baddies for some time now, and Dresden Files nicely detailed tuning the power of a foe. However, FATE Core brings it all together, and gives much neater rules for various kinds of thugs and lieutenants in a simple and easy to understand manner.

#2 - High Concept and Trouble

Another great incorporation learned from the Dresden Files RPG and hinted in previous products. By shaping the selection of two aspects toward things players will benefit from in play is nice. There is nothing worse than a player coming from a different gaming system making a perfect character and being depressed at how little they can do without compels. Trouble helps with this goal, and along with High Concept, ensure that every character has a tie-in to the economy of Fate points that drives this system.

#1 - Four Actions, Same Mechanic

*Drum Roll* The number one addition that makes me a true convert is this tweak. All of the little specific skills text I felt I had to reference in Spirit of the Century (which in retrospect I shouldn't have worried about) are rendered simple and direct with this one change. Four actions are amazingly easy to teach to new players, which in practice will be most people encountering FATE in your friendly local game stores. Skills will still give you tips for how they can be used, but they are clearly advice and solidly prescriptive rather than proscriptive. Finally, as a GM running a game, it gives me easy ways to categorize an unspecified player action, instead of deciding whether reading a musty tome is a declaration or spouting lore or somesuch action, it is just Create and Advantage. The dice come out, then the little gaps are filled in.

So these are the things which finally converted me to FATE. Any inaccuracies that were clearly present in past incarnations of FATE have my apologies, but should also reflect how much clearer they were in this latest edition. Go check FATE Core and FATE Accelerated editions out. If you love them, be sure to up your pay what you like so these folks can keep up the good work.

Format Shift!

Hi Folks!

The arrival of the newest little gamer and wrapping up graduate school has made maintaining video actual plays and podcasting beyond my means. However, awesome games are still being made, so I will continue to blog and review about great products that I encounter!

Achtung Cthulhu! The Trellborg Monstrosities Read-through Review

Scandinavian Stupendousness or Wartime Weariness?

Summary

• An awesome cinematic story is this adventure's crowning achievement, but also a potential downfall. It's a bit linear in construction with lots of great scenes that evoke an awesome WWII feel. This can be great for most GMs and players, some will stifle at this.
• Excellent production value in layout, evocative art, good choice in readable fonts.
• In contrast to my qualms with the Call of Cthulhu rules being deadly and counter to the pulpy feel in Three Kings, Savage Worlds fits perfectly in tone and mechanics with this adventure.
• A bevy of extras help this adventure, a novella, pre-gens, maps, and handouts make this adeventure easier to run and helps evoke the feel and tone crucial to this genre

In the Trellborg Monstrosities by John Houlihan and the folks at Modiphius, A crack team of the British Special Boat Section and vetted experts journey into the far north to unravel the Nazi's interest in the town of Trellborg. They will uncover the dark mysteries in a set of 5 adventures which form the arc of this adventure supplement. Each has enough material for a session, more if you run at the slower speed I usually work through published materials.

The whole thing comes to around 51 pages, which is packed with adventuring material and background. This is nicely accompanied by resources to help run the game. Notably, some nice handouts and a short novella around the events of the adventure up the overall quality of this adventure. The production value is nicely consistent with the past adventures released (Three Kings in particular) in terms of both art and layout. I'm a little less wild about some of the NPC specific art, but these and the handouts both evoke that classic Call of Cthulhu flavor.

A major objection I had in the first Achtung Cthulhu! adventure, Three Kings, was that run straight from the Call of Cthulhu rules the encounters seemed combat heavy and likely quite deadly given that the system is oriented away from combat at its core. It's night and day with a Savage Worlds conversion with the Realms of Cthulhu setting book rules, which really highlights the pulpy aspects and relishes the combat encounters.


Realms of Cthulhu also offers dials on the deadliness and degree of mind blasting, which in this adventure could be used to change the tone from pulpy horror to gritty wartime to suit a group. I'll definitely be picking up any future adventures with this rules conversion.

The plot and setup is the thing that will make this adventure or break when you sit down to the table. I don't want to touch the sandbox vs. railroad debate because its rather moot, these are just tools in the GM kit (See Monte Cook's recent post for a well-articulated discussion). This is a structured adventure, it will take you to some awesome places if you go along for the ride. It has some elements, like redirecting contingencies and an NPC that is nudging a little toward a powerful GM PC.


The adventure "knows" this and the author gives clear indication and the pitfalls to note. This is all in service of creating a memorable narrative and lots of cinematic action. It helps hit on the classic pulp cliches like crazy Nazi occultists, monsters, and beating impossible odds. The setting is undeniably spooky, with the environment as much an enemy as anything else. It also, to my knowledge of Nazi occult (mostly derived from recent Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff episodes), the events depicted fit into that nice niche of ridiculous-yet-plausible.



There is a fair amount of investigation and inquiry to evoke the Mythos flavor, but its generally moved along by the action scenes. In short, you will never see the rails in all likelihood, but if your group bucks at this prospect whenever they see it, you'll have some extra work in this adventure. I want to emphasize the choice the author made here by design, rather than accident.


Overall, this is a great product for setting up a nice short campaign arc, converted to a system which plays to the flavor of the setting well. The consistency between this and the first product professes to the continuation of a high-quality product line. It also increases my excitement for the GM and Investigator's Guides, which will be the product of Modiphius' recently funded Kickstarter.