Category Archives: W.O.I.N.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and other news!

D&D, Judge Dredd, news, RPG, W.O.I.N.

The end of last week saw EN Publishing release the latest major Judge Dredd story arc supplement for the Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 A.D. RPG, The Apocalypse War.

The cover!

So what is contained inside the 114 pages that make up this supplement?

Contents page

“The Apocalypse War supplement includes:

  • New origins, species, careers and Judge options
  • Expanded equipment and rules for Sov Block items
  • Three new scenarios plus guidance campaigns set in the Apocalypse War
  • A timeline and gazeteer of the Sov Block”

What I like about buying directly from EN Publishing is if you buy the physical copy you get the pdf included. Which is available instantly after you complete the purchase. So you can be reading the supplement while you wait for the physical copy to arrive. I know one or two other publishers also do this. I wish more did.

You can order a copy from EN Publishing here.

In other news there is a new Kickstarter that went live yesterday from the legendary Sly Flourish for his latest book The Lazy DM’s Companion.

For anyone not aware of my position on the Lazy DM approach and books I’m a big fan. I own both the other books in this series Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master and The Lazy DM’s Workbook, and love them.

“Each page of this 64-page book offers useful guidelines, an adventure or campaign generator, or a versatile map within which to build your own adventures.”

On the Kickstarter page is a 17 page sample from the book that can be downloaded, which you can use straight away. It really does contain some really useful/handy information such as info on improvisation during a session, safety tools, building situations, a core adventure generator, to name some of the pages.

You can back The Lazy DM’s Companion here.

Remember if you decide to back this project that VAT and shipping will be added on after the campaign has finished during the backerkit stage. So there is not a massive surprise Mike aka Sly has included some guide costs for this on the page (near the bottom).

Judge Dredd & the Worlds of 2000 AD RPG Case Files 1 – 7 Print Edition

Judge Dredd, RPG, W.O.I.N.

This morning the printed copy of Judge Dredd & the Worlds of 2000 AD RPG Case Files 1 – 7 arrived.

This is a collection of the case files that were first available as separate pdfs as part of the EN Publishing Patreon. I bought these via the EN Publishing webstore. For your money you get a pdf of the case files and a physical copy that is printed on demand via DriveThruRPG.

This is a soft cover book. 36 pages of content, with 2 blank pages. Print quality is ok, nothing outstanding.

There are 7 case files in this collection. 5 of them have been available for free to patreons (Monkey Business, Nobody Expects the SJS, Night of the Living Dredd, Obstructing the Law, and Red Dredd Redemption) as pdfs. The remaining 2 are new (All Boxed Up, and The Future of Law Enforcement), or I’m assuming they are as I haven’t noticed them on the EN Publishing patreon page.

These case files can be run as one shots or as part of an already on going campaign.

I particularly like that Monkey Business “is designed to be played as a one-shot. It is perfect for convention demos, or introductory game sessions.” This is the one I’d use as a taster with friends or those that want to try the system.

A couple of the case files have a content warning because of the themes. If running those ones and you aren’t using any safety tools then you might want to think about introducing them. And definitely follow the advice given about running those adventures.

The case files have a different layout to the original pdfs. I particularly like how the stat blocks appear in the case files.

  • Original Stat block
  • New Stat block
Stat block comparison

The look of the stat blocks matches the other Judge Dredd books, as does the rest of the layout. It’s more compact and easier to read.

I do prefer the original green and yellow colour scheme to the blue and gray of this collection. The original felt more comic book like. Don’t get me wrong I don’t dislike the new colour scheme, I just prefer the other one.

I have one complaint about this collection and it is with the first case file Monkey Business.

Below you will see a comparison between the map for this case file in how it appears in the original pdf, the pdf of the collection and the printed copy.

  • From the Monkey Business pdf
  • From the Case Files pdf
  • Printed copy
Comparison of the map in case file 1 Monkey Business

In the printed copy the map is too dark, the grid lines and details are almost invisible (I’m hoping the photo above captures this). I thought it might be the pdf, and although smaller and darker than the original version, it is still clear. So the printing is the problem here. I’d almost say the printed version is unusable.

It is obvious that in resizing and re-orienting the map the image got darker and fuzzier. Luckily I have the original pdf. But I’m disappointed that this got through quality control. The new version of the map is a step backwards.

Monkey Business is the only case file with maps. There is a second map, but this is a side view of a building, also dark, but much less an issue. There is the blessing that no other case file have a map, so they are unaffected by this printing issue. For the remaining case files you are expected to come up with your own maps for various locations used.

In an ideal world EN Publishing would make the original clearer, sharper map available as an image GMs can download and print.

I’m struggling to say this compendium of adventures is worth the money. Especially if you are only getting two new adventures. It’s handy having them as a hard copy but worth it? I’m not sure.

Quest Models

Cyberpunk Red, D&D, DM/GM Tips, Eberron, genesys, Judge Dredd, Paranoia, Rogue Trooper, RPG, Strontium Dog, Uncategorized, W.O.I.N.

This recent video by Sly Flourish is one of many short DM advice videos that he has released recently. They are rather nifty, and brilliant for those with busy lives.

The reason I’ve embed the video and talking about it here is that I think this advice is pretty universal to which ever RPG system you are playing.

The three common quest models Sly briefly covers in the above video are:

  • Kill the boss quest
  • Recover the artifact
  • Rescue somebody

Sly points out that it’s the flavour that makes these quest models interesting. To aid in that flavour I think the adventuring party needs a patron of some kind. Whether that patron is a crime lord, guild leader, a fixer, wealthy, powerful, a corporation (I think you get the idea) they are a handy plot device to use to introduce one of the quest models above, and not just away to give the party useful equipment.

For instance they could have to eliminate a rival crime lord, steal a top secret device/plans from a rival corporation, or rescue hostages.

This isn’t the first time that Sly has talked about quest models. In the video below he talks about “The Three-of-Five Collection Quest”.

“The Three-of-Five Collection Quest” is a variation of “recover the artifact” quest. Sly also lists three other quest models within the above video, the “heist”, “kill the lieutenant” and “destroy the thing”. But in reality to the initial list from the quest models video we are only adding one new quest to our tool box.

  • Kill some-one
  • Recover the thing/heist
  • Rescue somebody
  • Destroy the thing

I would argue a heist is a variation of the recover the thing quest model, if not the same thing. I don’t see any difference between the “kill the boss” and “kill the lieutenant” quests. They are basically go kill some-one for some reason. So I think count as one.

UPDATE: adding a fifth quest model escort/protect someone/thing.

With these handful of quest models it should be easy to come up with quests for your campaign or even at a push on the fly.

Oh while I’m talking RPGs. It struck me as I was binge watching Leverage for the third or fourth time that the Leverage team is the perfect party make up for a cyberpunk (Red or Android) party.

I’m not sure what the mastermind role would map to, but they are basically the brains of the group. But every other role maps I believe. At a push this could be a D&D party too. What do you think?

Start of my horror notes

Cyberpunk Red, D&D, genesys, Judge Dredd, netrunner, Rogue Trooper, RPG, Strontium Dog, W.O.I.N.

Today I decided to start making some notes about horror in relation to RPGs instead of just dumping clippings into a note app entry on my iPad.

I’m using the excellent iThoughts mind map app to organise them. It allows me to create something like below.

Basically I’ve captioned headings, sub headings, etc and turned them into mini mind maps on one big mind map.

The plan is to expand each of the mind maps with further notes. Which naturally will take sometime.

But thought I’d share this incase it’s of interest to anyone.

Some sources for running horror in RPGs

D&D, genesys, magic, MtG, RPG, W.O.I.N.

With a stomach bug taking me out of action for a day or three, I’m slowly getting back to the new normal.

Which means I’ve been doing a bit of research that I should have been doing a while back.

Earlier in the year I was watching the Gen Con YouTube channel and their three streamed Alien RPG sessions for the Chariot of the Gods cinematic scenario (these are one shot adventures, that use precon characters and have a high body count!). During the start of the first session the GM quickly runs through what amounts to a session zero. It was when he stated that he was a fan of body horror, and he will be describing things in detail.

That left me a bit confused. What was body horror? It’s not a term I was familiar with. I knew slasher flicks (Friday 13th, Halloween etc), video nasties (hey that was my teenage years in the 80’s, although I pretty sure the majority were banned for the shit acting), and torture porn (Hostel).

But body horror? Nope not heard of it.

Then again it didn’t surprise me, these days I rarely watch any horror movies. I suppose I could have asked my friend James. He’s a massive horror fan. Boy does he watch some obscure stuff. But I never got round to it.

Over the months afterwards I got the rulebook for the Alien RPG, I already had the D&D Curse of Strahd (CoS) adventure, and the desire to run a horror based game of some sort buried itself away in the back of my brain.

With the recent release of another D&D horror inspired adventure, Icewind Dale Rime of the Frostmaiden (IDRotF) that desire to run a horror based game floated to the forefront once more.

But what information was out there to help run such a game?

Well within the pages of CoS we are given page 7 Marks of Horror. Which is a page of tips for running horror. Whilst in IDRotF all we get is a breakout box warning about the content (see image below).

But this fails for me as a warning. You actually have to go to D&D Beyond to get an idea about the content and some great advice for running horror in D&D in the post Creating Terror without Being a Jerk.

But none of this stuff told me what body horror was.

Then I remembered that the Pathfinder RPG had a horror adventure book. What did that have inside?

In Chapter 6 – Running Horror Adventures it defined body horror as…

“This visceral subgenre concerns itself with the organic terror of the flesh, including disease, physical corruption, and transformation. At its basest level, body horror is the revulsion felt upon hearing a bone break or seeing a joint violently bend in the wrong direction. Elaborated upon, it’s the terror of becoming physically monstrous and the awfulness that might hide within.”

Cool I was a lot wiser now.

I can see how that would fit in with the Alien RPG and the cinematic scenarios. Although I feel that the Alien RPG would be more cosmic horror with some body horror moments (facehuggers, chestbursters). The Pathfinder book has some pretty cool stuff in there that is of use for other systems.

In my internet journeys I stumbled across a quote by Stephen King (see below) and his book of essays about writing and horror Danse Macabre. It’s a bit old now.

But going by that quote still relevant. So I picked up the audible version of the book.

There is a little but brief information within the Alien RPG about running a horror session. Shockingly light really. There is also a section on Horror as a tone within the Genesys RPG core rulebook.

That’s been the disappointing bit with D&D and the Alien RPG. The brevity or lack of information.

But I feel between King and the Pathfinder book I now have enough to equip myself with running a horror based RPG session. But more importantly use the correct language whilst talking with the players, and be comfortable knowing where the lines should be based on the players feedback. Which is where I should be when using a pre-written adventure/scenario.

I’d like to think that once I’ve finished King and the Pathfinder chapter I’ll have basic tools and knowledge to create my own horror one-shot. Whether it’s a cinematic scenario for the Alien RPG (I do love the Alien universe), uses the Genesys system (ideally with the Android setting), Cyberpunk Red, D&D or Judge Dredd/Strontium Dog.

Some inspiration for a Strontium Dog adventure/campaign

Judge Dredd, RPG, Strontium Dog, W.O.I.N.

I like doing lists. I’ve done one or two in the past about sources of inspiration for other RPGs. So with the Strontium Dog rules dropping digitally for the Judge Dredd and Worlds of 2000 A.D. system I thought I’d do one for that.

Strontium Dog can be looked on as a “sci-fi Spaghetti Western” crossed with “interstellar bounty hunting“.

Let’s get my disclaimer out of the way. This is by no means a comprehensive list. Just stuff that came to mind at the time of writing.

There is only one natural place to start and that’s the source material, the original comic strip. You can still pick up the collected reprints for a reasonable price. A good place to get the reading order is the wiki page.

I’m a western fan, and there are a lot (understatement) of films out there to call upon. So I’m recommending some of my favourites that I think are relevant.

First up are the two Trinity movies that I love starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer.

When you are talking westerns you can’t miss out Clint Eastwood, especially his spaghetti western roles. However I’m recommending some of his other efforts that I feel are more fitting. And yes Pale Rider is a remake of High Plains Drifter.

These next two are most definitely classics, but look at what happens at the end for the gun fighter. An interesting idea to explore within an RPG.

I love these next ones. Definitely worth “borrowing” the plot lines for an adventure or two.

Battle Beyond the Stars is basically The Magnificent Seven in space. It’s a little cheesy and generic, but still worth a watch. Killjoys and Firefly are mentioned as sources of inspiration with in the Strontium Dog rules. So had to throw them in. Although Killjoys only spends at best a couple of seasons actually bounty hunting.

I hope these suggestions have helped, remind you of something I’ve missed.

Strontium Dog RPG now available to pre-order

Judge Dredd, news, RPG, Strontium Dog, W.O.I.N.

It seems to be the week for pre-ordering RPG related stuff. Yesterday EN Publishing made it possible to pre-order the hardcover version of the Strontium Dog RPG rules from their website, along with being able to purchase the pdf version straight away.

If you pre-ordere the physical version you automatically get the pdf version as well free.

Not a bad deal. And one I took advantage of. So I now have the pdf version of the rules to read at my leasure, knowing that some point at the end of August I will get the hardcover posted to me.

The publisher also put up this morning on their Patreon page for patreons a short Strontium Dog adventure as well. Flicking through this adventure very quickly it is designed to be playable whilst going through the character creation process. Which is an intriguing twist to character creation. Plus there is a combat mission for the Strontium Dog Miniatures Game from Warlord Games. I’m sure at some point in the near future this will turn up on the publishers web store for non-patreons to buy it.

The one thing they need to do between now and the actual physical publish date is add to the resources section Strontium Dog related resources, such as character sheets, and some pre-gen characters.

We’ll look at sources of inspiration for adventures in another post. Probably the same one that I briefly look at the rules.

Muties incoming

Judge Dredd, RPG, Strontium Dog, W.O.I.N.

If you listened to the latest episode (that’s number 97) of Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk you will be rather excited with the news that the pdf for the Strontium Dog rpg is possibly dropping pretty soon. Potentially around the 7th of May if we are really lucky.

I do like the WOIN system used by the Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 A.D. So I’m pretty excited to see how they bring this great character and being a strontium dog to life.

I hope that Strontium Dog also gets the same level of support that Judge Dredd has campaign book wise.

The three campaign books for Judge Dredd so far follow major story arcs from the long and rich history of the comic strip. Naturally they have started off with the earliest ones first, and going forward in chronological order.

What I like about these campaign books is that they expand the world of Judge Dredd, new exploits, careers, weapons etc. The usual stuff that you’d expect, themed around the story arc being covered by the campaign.

Along side the campaign that follows the story arc (which are Judge focused naturally) you get short adventures based around a handful of stories from the issues that followed that arc. Plus a campaign themed around the story arc for perps and citizens.

Although the Cursed Earth breaks that formula a little focusing more on hooks etc that can be used instead of short adventures.

So having these campaign books as a guide I’d love if EN Publishing did something similar for Strontium Dog, even if it gathers two or three arcs together.

In the meantime I’m digging out my collected Strontium Dog books and rereading them.

The Day The Law Died Comes To Judge Dredd RPG

Judge Dredd, news, RPG, W.O.I.N.

One of the things I think that EN Publishing are doing right for their Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 A.D. RPG are the campaign settings they publish.

So far we have had The Robot Wars, Luna-1, and The Cursed Earth. Each covers a major storyline from the early days of the comic strip.

Stories I grew up reading in the pages of 2000 A.D. Stories that I have many fond memories of, and dare I say it love?

I really like that EN Publishing are enabling players of their system to recreate these classic stories.

Naturally after The Cursed Earth there is only one storyline you can do next. That storyline is the one that started right at the end of The Cursed Earth with the return of Judge Dredd to Mega City One, The Day The Law Died.

And that is exactly what EN Publishing announced yesterday on their Facebook page for the system.

The story has many memorable moments and characters, such as Fergie, Judge Fish, Judge Cal, the Kleggs and the Klegg hounds.

After this campaign what next? Well I’m assuming we will get The Judge Child, followed by Block Wars/The Apocalypse War. Plus we have the Dark Judges to squeeze in as well.

Plus we still have the much anticipated Strontium Dog rule book to look forward to later in the year also. Which I’m hoping will also get the same treatment campaign wise, with campaigns covering major storylines.

Some timely twitter D&D tips via Sly Flourish

D&D, genesys, RPG, W.O.I.N.

On Sunday there were a couple of tweets by Sly Fourish that I found timely reminders and great advice for DMs/GMs. Although aimed at D&D (hence the hashtag) they were both applicable to any RPG system in my opinion.

So without any sort of permission I thought I’d share them here below.

The Sly Flourish tip I’m totally guilty of. I need to take this into account more within my session prep. At the moment if they get to showcase them it’s more by luck.

The DnDTweets tip is a great reminder that stuff still happens while the adventurers are doing their thing. Plots of NPCs advance, stuff happens. It reminded me what is Angrath the Minotaur pirate currently doing? I could even throw Vraska into this thought process. I’ll write more on this and what I think is going on in a session prep post with all the disclaimers for my party.

I hope others reading this find the tips useful.