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.
I really like how WotC seem to have gone the extra mile for the FLGS with the upcoming Mythic Odysseys of Theros (MOoT) release for D&D.
Naturally due to current events the actual physical release of MOoT has had to be pushed back to the 21st July from the 2nd June. These things happen. I’m surprised it wasn’t longer.
However WotC are still releasing the digital version of MOoT on D&D Beyond on the original release date. So players really desperate to play using this source book will still be able to do so.
In the meantime when announcing the above a couple of weeks ago WotC also added how they were also supporting the FLGS with this release and encouraging people to buy from their FLGS.
Normally when WotC release a new source book or adventure for D&D if you buy it from your FLGS you have the option (if your FLGS is a member of the WPN) of having the alternate art work cover or the regular cover. It’s a nice choice to have, you can choose the art that you prefer.
But as I said at the top of this post, WotC have gone the extra mile for the FLGS for this release.
If you pre-order now from your FLGS (and they are a WPN registered store) and you are one of the first twenty to do so, you should receive a 50% discount code for the digital version on D&D Beyond.
Plus as a special bonus, the first 25 customers will also receive a double sided 19″ x 13″ laminated map, featuring 4 key areas of Theros.
I think these are brilliant incentives to get MOoT from your FLGS. It’s why I pre-ordered this morning as soon as my FLGS opened up their pre-orders. Within minutes my FLGS had messaged me my discount code. And just as quick I had used it to pre-order it digitally on D&D Beyond.
Personally I think this discount should be a permanent thing they do when you buy a physical copy of a product. They did it with the Essentials Kit. I think they would see a bigger uptake of physical and digital.
The laminated map is a great idea. Especially the fact that it’s laminated! For me an inspired little extra to give away.
If this floats your boat, it’s worth getting that pre-order in. Forget it about it, and then get that pleasant surprise in the post late July.
Thanks to current events the physical release of the latest MtG block/set Ikoria was a little late hitting your FLGS. But now it is in our grubby hands. FLGS have been keeping the postal service busy shipping out orders of physical product.
My pre-order arrived this morning.
Although I loved the Greek inspired theme of Theros, and the fairy tale, Arthurian legend inspired Eldraine. Ikoria is the set that speaks to me a lot. A land of big creatures. Which is basically four of my Commander decks, Big Green Stompy, Horrors from the Deep, Dinosaurs Tribal and Dragons Tribal.
Thanks to not playing Standard now (I think I’ve documented those reasons enough on here) I can save money by target buying the singles I need. Although it was fun cracking open the packs that came with the Prerelease kit.
So below are some of the cards that caught me eye for various reasons, such as I like the art, it’s shiny, or will go into a deck I have.
Ikoria brings back cycling, keyword counters (I want to know how this interacts with Atraxa), introduces a new keyword mutate and companions (which I believe some are already calling broken).
Pretty happy with my pulls. But I know need to look at a list of all the cards and get the singles I’m interested in.
Just can’t wait to play the new Commander decks with friends. But patience is needed on that front. That day will come, but in the meantime vigilance and safety are the keywords.
A friend on twitter this morning said that they had a craving for fish and chips. I replied I missed playing board games with my friends.
Yes there are the app versions of some, and the various virtual table tops. But they are not the same as playing in person. Although I do prefer the app version of a game over the virtual table top equivalent. Plus most of my “gaming” has been against the AI. Not much online gaming has taken place for a while now, outside of my usual Star Realms, Epic the card game and Lost Cities games.
Now I realise that the time when it’s safe and allowed to get together in a social setting is still a little way off. But it doesn’t stop plans and lists being made.
For instance I have the games below that have been added to the collection (although technically the Targi expansion is on it’s way) during the madness.
For those wondering, yes that is another copy of Love Letter. This time it’s the latest version of the game printed by it’s new masters Z-Man games. This latest printing now plays up to six players, instead of four. Has new art. Which we could debate for ages whether it’s an improvement or not. Plus a couple of new cards with new abilities. So with all those changes it was inevitable that I’d get this.
Apart from Targi and it’s expansion, there is a theme in the above games. You could argue they are “filler games”. Games that play quickly in under 30 minutes.
Naturally I’m also keen to get back to having the D&D sessions running again. Plus with the new ikora themed Commander decks hitting playing a game or two with them with friends, which would be real cool. Plus having the opportunity to get a first game of Last Days is something I’m also excited about.
What games are you excited to play once this mess is over and it’s safe to do so?
The elf wizard Torgil Silverleaf has asked your party to venture into a nearby dungeon to stop a group of cultists summoning a demon. Torgil has promised you some of his treasured magic items if you are successful.
I see this as the first level of a two or three level dungeon. Naturally the cultists will be found on the bottom level. I think this dungeon would be found in the ruins of a monastery. The cultists are in fact what remains of the monastic order that once occupied the monastery.
That’s the latest random stuff. I really do like how quick and simple this stuff is.
Below is an example of some of my none gaming activities, sourdough loaves and shortbread biscuits.
Finally my set of RPG Character Dice Set II arrived this morning. They had been ordered what now seems an age ago, back at the start of February.
I first heard about them whilst watching a YouTube video by Arcane Library about being a minimalist DM.
Basically these dice allow you to create an NPC on the fly during a game. And for the undecided whilst creating a character it could be used to help defeat that indecision.
Here is a quick character created by rolling them.
Meet Nura Westbrook a halfling druid, who is Lawful Neutral. I chose the name randomly using the joker card name table from the Deck of Many Dungeons.
Nura is a ghostwise halfling from Chondalwood and is a guardian of the nesting grounds of the giant owls that her clan use as warrior mounts.
An egg was stolen and Nura has ventured out to recover the egg and bring justice to those that stole it.
Last night I fell asleep to the latest Roll for Crit live play that they uploaded, which this time was for the RPG Mothership. A game they decided to play in honour of Mother’s Day. Which I assume is this weekend for the Americans. The real Mothers Day was earlier in the year.
I must stress before I go any further I haven’t played this game yet. I only came across it last night. But wanted to share what I found out about the game with the world.
Mothership is a sci-fi horror RPG, that uses d10. It’s obvious by the look of the game that it has been influenced by the Alien movies.
So if for whatever reason the official Alien RPG doesn’t appeal to you, but you want that Sci-fi horror feel. Then Mothership just might be worth a look.
It is possible to play Mothership for free. The rules are available on DriveThruRPG on a pay what you feel basis. So if funds are tight at the moment then you can pay nothing for them.
The rules are short. Only 44 pages and that includes character sheets etc. So it’s not a heavy system.
What is missing that other RPG publishers normally include in their rules (along with more rules) is an introductory scenario. Plus advice on creating adventures for the system. Although there is plenty of advice out there on that subject. Some tips on creating a horror inspired adventure would have been welcome.
So if you want to play for completely free then you will have to prep an adventure yourself. However there are four modules plus two pamphlet modules from the publisher. The pamphlet modules are “double sided tri-fold brochure and contains all the information you need to play an excellent one-shot.” I like this idea and hope it gets picked up more by publishers/creators (although there is the one page dungeon). Including a pamphlet module in the rules would have been a great addition that would not have increased the page count drastically. Having said all this the actual cost of the modules isn’t a great amount (under $10 for the main ones, and $2 for the pamphlets).
I love that on the official website (and in the rules) are player cheat sheets (something that WOIN and the Judge Dredd RPG could do with), and all the other usual stuff you’d expect for an RPG like character sheets etc.
This looks like a cool alternative to the more costly official Alien RPG (which itself looks pretty cool) that would be ideal for running one shots, where there are not a lot of rules to remember.
Back to using the Map and Dice Playing Cards to generate a random dungeon.
With the party entering this dungeon through the Grim Gate (Ace of Spades) I see this being a long forgotten dwarven outpost on the side of a mountain.
The path leading up to the Grim Gate is a small, worn trail, More likely to be dismissed as a goat path than once belonging to battle harden dwarven warriors.
I like the idea of stealing from Tolkien and Lord of the Rings and that famous door to Moria scene. So to get into the dungeon the party will have to work out how to open the Grim Gate. However each failed attempt increases the likely hood that some unseen horror will appear and attack the party. I’d use clues like the temperature starts to drop, they notice some rocks falling etc.
Last Sunday’s youtubers video by Jamey Stegmaier (embedded below) was all about how “How Games Approach Sensitive & Controversial Themes”.
Apart from the theme of a game Deliverance not being what first came to mind (hill billies, river trips and squealing like a pig are not apparently what this game is about) this subject got me thinking about D&D. But not only D&D but other RPGs and settings.
RPGs can involve sensitive and controversial themes. For instance look at the Android settings and how bioroids and clones are treated. There are obvious parallels with slavery. In one of the FFG novellas there was even a story with the futuristic version of the underground railway for clones.
Then there is Vampire: The Masquerade an RPG that is for mature players because of its “…graphic and written content of a mature nature, including violence, sexual themes, and strong language.” (Taken from the warning https://www.modiphius.net/collections/vampire-the-masquerade).
So that’s just a couple of examples of official products that contain sensitive and controversial themes. Then we have the actual campaigns and adventures that a DM/GM come up with as well.
There have been a couple of high profile examples of where a DM/GM has abused a position of trust and chosen a subject that is controversial and in my opinion inappropriate for a RPG and has no place in a game whatsoever. Last year there was a GM at UKGE that made the headlines. Then just weeks ago an internet famous GM Adam Koebel caused the cancellation of one of his internet shows.
So how do we handle potential sensitive and controversial material in RPGs?
From an official setting point of view there is the warning about content. Such as that given by the publishers of Vampire: The Masquerade. Everyone playing the RPG should be made aware of that warning. If at an open gaming session at a con, at the start of the session. Or during the session zero.
Similarly EN Publishing give a warning about the content of a published adventure for the Judge Dredd and Worlds of 2000 A.D. called Nobody Expects the SJS! “This scenario involves themes of harsh interrogation and psychological and physical abuse. Please ensure you talk with your players before hand about their feelings in this area.”
As a gaming group the DM/GM during the session zero (that’s the session before any play starts where players create characters, and discuss the up and coming campaign) should be discussing the themes that the upcoming campaign will be touching on. But what’s more important is that the DM/GM makes sure that the players are comfortable with those themes, and giving the players a chance to indicate publicly or privately (because they may not be comfortable discussing in public) whether they are happy with those themes.
During play there is the possibility to use X cards. These allow players during play to discreetly indicate that the current subject matter is unsuitable and making them feel uncomfortable.
I think it also helps if a DM/GM “knows” his players. I knew for my D&D group that I had to avoid certain themes/subjects because of the beliefs of one of the group.
The nature of my campaign means that it is possible that new themes to cover crop up during the campaign as story ideas come along. So I’ve checked with the group that they are comfortable with this new theme. That was an open discussion before a session. Before I start using that story idea and theme I will once again bring the subject up with a bit more detail and give the players an opportunity to publicly and privately discuss this with me.
These two measures should stop incidents happening like the ones mentioned above. But that’s only if everyone follows them. They don’t stop it happening if the DM/GM doesn’t use them or ignores them. We can’t stop people being dicks.
That’s how RPGs handle sensitive and controversial themes.
