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Board Games and TCGs

I Enjoyed The One Ring RPG, but it’s not for everyone

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This week, I finished my campaign for The One Ring RPG. I ran it using a mixture of the starter set and a few events I made up along the way. Please note that Free League Publishing sent me free copies of the PDFs to review for my blog. While I am very grateful, this will be my honest review. If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is The One Ring RPG?

The One Ring Roleplaying Game is a ttrpg based in Tolkien’s iconic fantasy universe. Even though GMs can run their own stories within the world, events are meant to exist between those in The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings. This is a game that is heavily driven by narrative and roleplay. The books are lore-rich and flavorful. While an extensive knowledge of the source material isn’t necessary to enjoy this system, fans of the series will have a deeper appreciation for its level of detail.

Gameplay

While The One Ring has an interesting skill and combat system, the game is roleplay and narrative-driven. Rolls can sway the narrative and lead to some funny moments, but the focus will always be on the story and creating an epic yarn within the universe.

The most unique aspect of The One Ring is the Council. The Fellowship phase is where players talk to a council and ask for permission, jobs, favors, etc. There are also bonuses associated with building a relationship with the fellowship and patrons. This is a neat feature for players and GMs who enjoy roleplaying diplomacy with the added spontaneity of dice rolls.

The system also features a very unique combat system. There is no initiative. Players always go first, unless ambushed, and they can pick typically pick the order they go in. Mechanics like combat stances, gear, and stances allow for strategy, but it isn’t meant to be min-maxed. While I’m sure some people could break this game, combat is designed to tell a story based on how the dice roll.

My favorite aspect of The One Ring is how it handles travel. To start travel, players will come together to map out their route. The GM version of this map may include obstacles the party may encounter but are kept secret till they become relevant. The party chooses then chooses from one of the four roles: Guide, Hunter, Scout, and Lookout. Players then roll their perspective skills, and a story is made based on those rolls. There are tables in the scorebook that help create this narrative, we typically just make up our own.

What I enjoyed most about travel is the fatigue mechanic. Based on the results, the party gains fatigue through the course of the adventure. Fatigue limits the amount of gear they can carry, and can make them go down quicker in combat. The only way to reduce fatigue is in town, and typically after a quest. This mechanic made travel feel more impactful, and players would be cautious of how they mapped their adventure to avoid unnecessary fatigue.

The Starter Set

The Starter set includes everything you need to run your first One Ring campaign. The box includes:

  • A 24-page rulebook
  • Lorebook for The Shire
  • An adventure book with 6 prewritten adventures
  • 8 Double-sided pre-generated character sheets
  • Two Large maps for The Shire and Eriador
  • 30 Item Cards
  • 6 Double Sided Journey Role and Combat Stance Cards
  • 2 D12 Feat Dice
  • 6 D6 Success Dice

While having the physical product with the special dice, maps, and cards is nice, it isn’t necessary. You can get by with the PDF, theater of the mind, and normal dice. You can pick up the PDF version of the starter set on DriveThru RPG.

The adventure in the starter set is a great way to onboard new players to RPGs. The adventure does a lot of hand-holding. Players and GMs are slowly introduced to the different mechanics of the system, GMs get terrific examples of encounters and descriptions, and there is a detailed lorebook to help fill the world. While experienced GMs and players will find the adventure a little slow, it is an invaluable asset for players who have never played an RPG. My biggest piece of advice for GMs running through the adventure is to not be afraid of going off-book. What you and your party make up will always be better.

I ran through some of the adventures, but we quickly went off-book because the pacing was too slow, and our interest shifted elsewhere. The adventures are fine, but they left a bit to be desired. Fans of The Hobbit might enjoy the adventure more. I don’t think the starter set is necessary unless you need a place to start or want the items in the box for your main campaign. I can’t speak for the quality of the items in the box, but I would start with just the core book if you already know how to run an RPG.

Review

We enjoyed The One Ring, and I am happy I got to run it. It was a very different change of pace, but we had a blast making up the store. We stripped away some of the mechanics that didn’t make sense for our table, like the council, and I recommend you do the same.

This system isn’t going to be for everyone. The game is heavily dependent on roleplay and storytelling. I would avoid this game if you’re group isn’t comfortable with either of these aspects. I was surprised at how quickly my group took to the new style because I have players who don’t do either, but we’ve been friends long enough to feed off each other’s jokes. Ultimately, the most fun we had in this game was when we went off script and created the dumbest, most insane story within The Lord of the Rings universe.

I wouldn’t be afraid that this is a Lord of the Rings game. My table went into this game with a vague understanding of the lore and had fun. The books are well-written and have all the lore you’ll need if that’s the kind of game you want to run. I feel like my players enjoyed reading the lore about monsters and races more than they did playing the game. While I am sure fans of the series will appreciate the details, it isn’t going to be a problem if you go into it as a casual. The books also have some beautiful illustrations so at worst, you have a cool-looking fantasy book to sit on your shelf.

I liked that we played the system, but it isn’t something that we would ever rush to play. The system is unique, the gameplay is fun, and I loved the stories we came up with, but I enjoyed other systems better. The game isn’t bad, it’s just personal preference. This game is made for a specific type of gamer who likes to roleplay high fantasy and enjoys The Lord of the Rings lore. If you’re looking for a new fantasy TTRPG to get into, make sure you are comfortable with roleplaying and storytelling. This is the type of game that you can run successfully with only 5 minutes of prep time if you’re good at improving, and your players are comfortable participating. If you and you’re group aren’t there yet, I would look elsewhere.

You can pick up a copy of the core book ($49.99) or starter set ($39) on Amazon through my affiliate links.

video game reviews

Terra Memoria: The Cute RPG You Should Already be Playing

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I was sent a free copy of Terra Memoria to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a quality budget headset, check out the Fifine H9 Gaming Headset using my Amazon Affiliate link. Make sure you check out my full review. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is Terra Memoria?

Terra Memoria is a pixel art turn based RPG out now for PC, Xbox, Switch, and PlayStation

Terra is a world of magic and magical technology. For years, innovation has been powered by magical crystals mined from the earth. But a shortage has hit Terra, and access to these crystals grows increasingly scarce by the minute. The citizens of Terra grow uneasy as the world around them begins to shut down. Luckily, Fate has willed a group together a group with the power to change everything. What secrets will they uncover? Can Terra ever be restored to what it used to be?

Gameplay

Terra Memoria is an adorable RPG with interesting mechanics that help it stand out against other titles in the genre. I particularly enjoyed how the game handles crafting, gear, and combat.

Crafting and leveling are done at campfires or inns in town. Make sure you visit them often. As you battle monsters in the field, you’ll collect materials and experience points. Getting to a rest area automatically levels your character, and I appreciate that simplicity. Crafting is what makes the rest areas an interesting mechanic.

Crafting armor and cooking is done during a party’s rest, provided you have the right amount of materials. This is not only flavorful, but it means you don’t have to keep running back to town for upgrades if you plan accordingly. Cooking is done through a simple rhythm mini-game that you can fail if you’re not paying attention. Failing a recipe means you lose the materials, and materials can be scarce in the beginning. Cooking permanently raises your party’s HP, so eat often. This is the only way to raise your HP, and tougher enemies will wipe your party if you haven’t been easy. I appreciate that cooking isn’t just a gimmick, and I didn’t mind the mini-game.

Crafting weapons is just a press of a button. Unlike most games, gear in Terra Memoria comes in the form of stickers. This is such a cute idea, and I wanted to craft them all. Stickers grant buffs to the elements a character can use. Each attaching character can only carry three stickers at a time, and these stickers make a difference.

Terra Memoria’s combat system is the reason why you should play this game. When combat starts, characters and enemies are placed in a space on the timeline. When a character uses an attack, they are moved several spaces on the timeline based on the attack. For example, casting a punch attack will move a character four spaces in the timeline.

Characters have access to fast and slow actions. Fast actions are weaker, but they cost less spaces. Slow actions are more powerful, but move your character to the end of the order. Landing in an occupied space means you go after. The key to combat in Terra Memoria is taking advantage of the action economy, enemy weaknesses, and shield breaks. Breaking an enemy’s shield moves them to the end of the combat round, so try to do so often.

What makes combat exciting is the RNG. The party is made up of three main attackers and three characters to support them as pairs. While the three main attackers are always the same, the pairs are chosen randomly at the start of each combat. You can restrict the pairs you don’t want, but you can never choose your pairs. Each support character has a unique ability that changes how the main character attacks. This gives the party a very diverse move pool, but it also means you’re going to get pairings that don’t feel optimal. Make sure you restrict your choices as soon as the option is available.

Some abilities are stagnant, but Opals is also driven by RNG. Sometimes you’ll pull the exact pairings with the correct elements, and others you’ll have to deal with what you are given. I never felt like the RNG was unfair, and it always felt amazing when the stars aligned perfectly.

There is a grind to this game, as there typical for the genre, but it doesn’t feel soul-crushing. The RNG kept things interesting, and there was always a chance I would mess up and have to start over.

Review

I loved Terra Memoria. If you’re looking for a new RPG, this game should be on your list. This game is cute, quirky, and a whole lot of fun. The story for this game is well written. It is a little on the silly side, but I appreciate the dedication to its tone and theme. It made the game feel like a wholesome good time.

If it wasn’t clear, I enjoyed the game’s mechanics immensely. Combat was engaging and fun, crafting didn’t feel like busy work, and collecting the cute stickers became an obsession. I didn’t even mind the grind. You can over-level, so be mindful. The bosses always seemed to offer a decent challenge, so it wasn’t a huge issue.

Puzzles in this game are creative, and challenging, but don’t require a guide. There is a building mechanic. I don’t care much for building, but it is cute and is sure to eat away at your life. My only complaint is that I would get lost a lot, but I am famously bad at directions. If you’re a fan of classic RPGs without waypoints, this game is for you.

I loved Terra Memoria, and I think you will do. It is cute, fun, and very addicting.

You can pick up Terra Memoria PC, Xbox, Switch, and PlayStation for $19.99.

video game reviews

Go Play Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

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I was sent a free copy of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you’re looking for a quality budget headset, check out the Fifine H9 Gaming Headset using my Amazon Affiliate link. Make sure you check out my full review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials. 

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is remake for the classic dungeon crawler from the Apple II era of gaming out now on on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG for $39.99.

Hire your team of adventurers and dive into the perilous maze. But your trek won’t be an easy one. The Mad Overlord is on your tail, and he is sending everything in his power to put an end to your adventure. Fight monsters, disarm traps, find treasure, and conquer the labyrinth. Do you have what it takes to carve your name into history, or will you be another of the maze’s casualties? 

Gameplay

Players start the game by creating heroes or hiring them from the tavern. Once a six-person adventuring party has been established, players can dive into the maze and conquer all its secrets. 

Players move through the maze one space at a time, with random encounters and traps to keep things interesting. Combat is a turn-based system with some unique mechanics. The adventuring party is split evenly into a front and back row. The front row can attack, the back row parries, and both rows can cast magic. There is a strategy to this combat. I don’t believe a guide is needed, but you do need to be mindful of your party’s composition, character traits and abilities, and your resources. 

The hardest mechanic in Wizardry is navigating through the dungeon. I have a terrible sense of direction and spent a lot of my playthrough running in circles. I eventually did start to remember where I was going and got deeper into the dungeon. I recommend you map out your run so you don’t make the same mistake. 

Wizardry has an unavoidable grind, but one that doesn’t feel so bad. Because I was constantly worried about my party’s health, and resources, and trying to find the way back to town, runs felt intense and scary. This game is very unforgiving if you’re wasteful and aren’t planning properly. 

The game is a solid remake that not only captures the spirit of the classic RPG, the much-needed quality of life changes make the game fun, exciting, and more accessible. 

Review

I’ve always had a soft spot for classic dungeon crawlers, and Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is no exception. The art and soundtrack of this game are fantastic, and I appreciate the nods to the original game. It is cool to see how far things have come since the Apple 2 Days without losing any of the spirit of the original.

The gameplay is fun, and the difficulty is appropriate. The game was hard enough to keep things engaging without ever being frustrating. The hardest part about this game is navigating through the dungeon, but that is all part of the immersion and what makes this game unique and engaging. The game can feel a little repetitive at times, but I found the repetition soothing. The grind is not as bad as other games in the genre. You can play the original mode if you prefer without any of the quality of life changes, which is a great nostalgic trip for anyone who needs it.

If you’re a fan of fantasy and want something that feels retro but with a modern pace, you need to pick up Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord. 

You can pick up Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG for $34.99. 

Board Games and TCGs

I am Really Enjoying Running the One Ring RPG so far

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I’ve been running The One Ring RPG starter set for a couple of weeks now. Yesterday we went off script, and we had a ton of fun with the wacky story we ended up with. Please note I was sent a free copy of the rulebook and the starter set PDFs to review for my blog. While I am very grateful, I will always be honest with my impressions and reviews. 

If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is The One Ring RPG?

The One Ring RPG is a fantasy TTRPG based in the world of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The events of the RPG are meant to exist between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, but you don’t need to be a fan of the series to enjoy this game. None of us are big LOTR fans or super-versed in the lore. You can play the game with just the rules and make up the lore. We do a bit of both since I do have a couple of players who enjoy the lore included with the books, and I like to reward them for doing the work. If you enjoy high fantasy, story-driven campaigns loaded with Lord of the Rings flavor, this is a solid TTRPG.

Impressions

I was a little afraid to run this game because it is more heavily narrative-driven compared to other games I’ve run. This is the kind of game where you’ll need to be comfortable with your playgroup and your improved skills to keep the story going. This isn’t a game for those who enjoy min-maxing combat. While the combat is creative and fun, it is designed for storytelling. We play The One Ring using theater of the mind, and I let my players describe what happens based on the rolls. It got really fun once we adjusted the new combat system. 

Running the Starter set was a good way to get my players comfortable with the system. I made a couple of adjustments to the first couple of quests, but I’ve run them pretty much to the letter. Yesterday my players wanted to explore some random town on the map because it had a funny name, and I ran with it. I picked a couple of enemies from the core rulebook, and we made up the rest on the spot. 

This random, off-script detour was probably the most fun we had with the system. The dice rolls did their part in making the arc epic, but the inside jokes, the dumb lore we made up, and the friendship we’ve built over the last three years of playing TTRPGs made it all memorable.

The One Ring’s mechanics give players and GMs the freedom to tell an epic Lord of the Rings story. To run a successful campaign, game masters need to know when and where to bend the rules, and when to go off script. The adventures in the starter set do a solid job of onboarding new players, but you shouldn’t be afraid of visiting a random town, especially if you’re uncomfortable with the lore. We make up lore all the time. 

Fans of the source material will enjoy the flavor, lore, and mechanics. Those who are only here for the fantasy will enjoy the storytelling. If you’re looking for a game that is a bit more combat-focused or aren’t quite comfortable with your improvisation, I would hold off. The One Ring is a solid RPG, but it is made for a specific type of fan. It’s not going to be a fit at every table. 

As a group of casual dads who like to mess around once a week, we’re enjoying it for what it is. 

Board Games and TCGs

I Found the Pathfinder 2E GM Core Book Impressive

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I am excited to announce that I recently started a partnership with Paizo, the creators of Pathfinder and Starfinder. I’ll be covering both games moving forward and will start with the GM Core book.

Please note that I was sent free copies of a few of the rulebooks. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity, but I won’t let it sway any of my opinions. I am still running The One Ring, so I haven’t gotten to running a session of Pathfinder. I have read the book, and these are my honest impressions. 

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is Pathfinder?

To put it simply, Pathfinder is the version of Dungeons and Dragons you play when you need something more technical. The amount of rules and details loaded in this book can seem overwhelming to the casual TTRPG enthusiast, but it does fit in its niche nicely. If you’re looking for an alternative to D&D, Pathfinder is a solid option. The game is familiar enough for an easy transition but with its unique vibe. This is a fantasy TTRPG that gives GMs everything they need to run their own campaigns, but there is quite a bit of prewritten content for those who need the help. 

Impressions

I’ve read through a few different rulebooks, and the Pathfinder GM Core for 2nd Edition is by far the most detailed. This book goes into great detail on how to properly run every single mechanic of this game with tables, charts, and beautiful illustrations. This almost 400 book may seem daunting, especially to new GMs, but you aren’t reading this book cover to cover, and you aren’t going to use all the rules. This is a terrific reference, and you always have the freedom to run Pathfinder in the way that best fits your table. The book gives alternative rules so that you can run your game as casual or hardcore as you want. 

What I loved most about the book is how it dedicates its first few chapters to onboarding new GMs to roleplaying games. I know most experienced GMs will skip through this section because it feels like common knowledge, but there is some good advice that translates beautifully into other RPGs. 

Pathfinder seems like a solid fantasy RPG with an incredible amount of content. If you’re thinking of running this system, the GM Core has absolutely everything you need to run a successful campaign. It’s going to seem like a lot, especially for the more casual players, but it’s not that bad. Most of the book is spent on item and monster starts, charts, and ideas for settings, encounters, and plot hooks. Pathfinder is the game you get when you want everything spelled out, just in case you need it. 

You can pick up your copy of the Pathfinder GM Core 2E hardcover off Amazon for $59.99 (Currently $44.70) using my affiliate link. If you don’t care about physical media, or want the ability to search, you can pick up the PDF on the official Paizo website.

video game reviews

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Isn’t as Bad as People Say

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I was sent a free copy of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a unique JRPG out now for PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC via Steam, Epic Games, and GoG. The discovery of magical objects known as “rune-lenses” has shaped the history of Allraan. The Galdean Empire has discovered a way to amplify these objects and seeks more in its quest for complete domination. As a young adventurer, Nowa has been called to aid in these efforts, but what he uncovers will change everything. 

Gameplay

Eiyuden features a turn-based system familiar to the traditional genre. Character can charge up their “rune-lenses” by performing basic attacks, and using mana to cast special abilities. The game includes an auto-battle feature that makes the grind almost non-existent. The auto-battle is pretty solid, but I never tried using it for the boss fights. 

Boss fights were creative and had additional mechanics that brought new life to some of the monotony that comes with the JRPG grind. This game isn’t as grindy as some, but you aren’t going to want to actively fight every encounter. Boss fights will have special conditions or mechanics that players will have to be mindful of. They will need to be wary of certain animations to perform other actions like taking cover. This makes the game feel a bit more tactical, but you can always over-level if you get stuck. Ultimately, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a classic feeling JRPG with enough modern flare to keep things interesting. 

Impressions

I enjoyed playing Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. It has a decent story, beautiful art, and solid gameplay. Most of the hate around the game seems to be coming from fans of Suikoden who feel like it is an inferior version. I don’t have that frame of reference, but it is something to keep in mind. As a filthy casual who enjoys JRPGs, I thought it was fine. It isn’t genre-defining by any means, but you’ll get your money’s worth. 

I am a huge fan of the artwork. This game is so pretty, and the attack animations are fun to watch. The story isn’t anything to rush to, but the voice acting is really good so I found it enjoyable. 

I believe it to be a solid JRPG and if you have no other point of reference, it is a fantastic place to start. Everything is tame and self-contained, and there are a lot of heroes to choose from for a truly unique experience. You may not get the memorable experience you would from other titles, but it is a solid and fun title to throw on when you’re searching for something new to play. I recommend it, just don’t expect it to be a successor to Suikoden.

You can pick up Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC via Steam, Epic Games, and GoG for $49.99.

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Drakantos April Dev Log Teases Reya the Lightning Queen

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We are now one month closer to Drakantos and the hype remains. April’s Dev log just dropped, and there are some solid teasers to get excited about. We got some art, animation, and a solid Reya teaser. Make sure you read the official Dev log, but here are my highlights. 

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

Reya The Lightning Queen

I am always amazed by how good the jiggle physics are for this pixel art MMO. While there is some blatant fan service, Reya’s mechanics are solid. I love the lightning flavor of her attacks, but I don’t think I am smart enough to be good. Reya is definitely for the gamer who likes sneaky, fast, and explosive abilities. Her lightning-quick reflexes allow players to bob and weave through enemies, leaving a trail of smoking bodies in her wake. I can’t wait to see what they do with the rest of Drakantos’ expansive cast. 

More Environment Spoilers

The Orphis boss fight has been completed, but we didn’t get to see the final boss. Instead, we got a peak at the dungeon and it looks amazing! I am a huge fan of the pixel art in this game, and the dark gothic vibe this map gives off has me excited. 

We also got some new mount animation, and a peak at the Parallax system for high places. Look how pretty:

Items

Relics

Conclusion

It was a short Devlog, but a good one as well. I just hope we can get a beta soon! Make sure you check out the full devlog for all the details, and join the official Drakantos Discord to stay on top of all the news. Don’t forget to add Drakantos to your Wishlist!

Board Games and TCGs

Dragonbane is a Beautiful Addition to my TTRPG Collection

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I was sent a free copy of the Dragonbane core rulebook to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you need to buy any trading cards, pick them up on TCG Player through my affiliate link. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

The Book

The Rulebook includes the rules, bestiary, roll tables to get you started on your own adventure. It also includes an introductory adventure if you need a good starting point.

Quality

I am a little disappointed that the cover has a glossy finish because it is going to be covered in fingerprints by the end of any session. You can easily clean it, but I wish it were matte instead. This is not a deal breaker because the book is beautiful. The images truly pop on its fine paper, and it is going to look great at your table. I have the PDF, and while I enjoy the convenience of the search function, nothing beats flipping through the pages and looking at all the pretty illustrations.

What is Dragonbane?

Dragonbane is Fantasy TTRPG brought to us by our friends over at Free League Publishing. It is an easy-to-learn system with some terrific flavor and interesting mechanics. If you’re looking for a new RPG, you are going to want to look into Dragonbane. I’ve covered this game before, so make sure you check out my older posts if you want to know more. 

What I enjoy about Dragonbane

What makes Dragonbane unique is its leveling system. Classes in Dragonban act as a starting template, but players have the freedom to explore their character in whatever way feels best. Want to play a wizard who is also good at sword fighting? Dragonbane can accommodate, so long as you pass the checks. 

What I enjoyed most about Dragonbane is how experience points are handled. At the end of every session, players are asked:

✦ Did you participate in the game session?

 ✦ Did you explore a new location?

 ✦ Did you defeat one or more dangerous adversaries? 

 ✦ Did you overcome an obstacle without using force?

 ✦ Did you give in to your weakness (optional rule)?

Players get a point for every yes. We didn’t play with weaknesses, so they had 4 points every session to level. These points could be used to attempt to level up their skills once. Players need to roll a D20 and roll a number bigger than the skill they are trying to level. Say they have a 4 in their sword skill, they will need to roll 4 or higher to level up. My players liked this tangible form of XP, and the gambling aspect made things interesting. Sometimes you leveled all 4 skills, sometimes you didn’t level any. 

What I particularly appreciated about this system is that it made creative with their encounters. They would always try to get out of an encounter without using force. This always led to interesting roleplay and took my players from being somewhat murder hobos to more developed player characters. 

Dragonbane also has an interesting combat system that I enjoyed as both a player and a GM. Dragonbane uses cards for initiative which eliminates rolling and bonuses. Players and creatures draw from the same card and the lowest number goes first. These turns can be traded, which gives potential to some cool strategy. Players only have one action or reaction per round, which means they are either attacking or defending. There were times when players were on death’s door, and a lucky dodge roll kept them in the fight long enough to earn that epic kill. 

I particularly enjoy that monsters have roll tables for their actions. Running a monster had the excitement of uncertainty. Would the monster kill a player with a powerful attack? Will it stun the party for another turn? Some of the tabled do need tweaking because they felt underwhelming, but I enjoyed the randomness.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been championing Dragonbane for a while now. I’ve run through both the quickstart and the prewritten adventure and enjoyed every minute of it. I did go off-script a lot in this game, but I used as much of the flavor as I could fit. The game is a great little system, and the book is a beautiful addition to my collection. This is one of the books I really wanted because of how much I enjoyed the game and how much I love the art. I fell in love with Dragonbane because of the art. My interest in Dragonbane is also why I have the wonderful opportunity to try all these cool indie TTRPGs. 

You don’t need to buy the rulebook to play Dragonbane. I recommend you check out the free quickstart guide below, or on Drivethru RPG to get you started. The quickstart has a prewritten adventure to run and pre-generated characters to choose from. It is a streamlined version of the game, but it provides a solid snap shot of what to expect from Dragonbane. 

Dragonbane_Quickstart_Guide_v1Download

Once you fall in love with Dragonbane, you can make due with the PDF, pencils, and paper. If you like physical media, the book is so pretty and printed to the high quality standards I’ve come to expect from Free League Publishing.

Pick up your copy of the Dragonbane Rulebook on Amazon for $39.99. 

Board Games and TCGs

A Solid First Impression of Mutant: Year Zero TTRPG

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I was sent a free copy of Mutant: Year Zero to review for my blog. I haven’t had a chance to run a game of Mutant, but I did read through it. These will be my honest impressions of the system. 

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The Book

The quality of this rulebook’s printing is expectantly phenomenal. You have a sturdily bounded book printed on high-quality paper. I have the PDF of Mutant: Year Zero, but nothing beats flipping through the pages and actually seeing the illustrations in person. I am a huge fan of the artwork, so I had a lot of fun flipping through the pages and admiring the illustrations. You don’t need the book to play Mutant, you can get by with the PDF, but it’s cooler with the book out. 

The Story

The World as we know it has ended. War, famine, and illness have ravaged the land, leaving it a desolate and inhospitable place. Humanity’s only survivors have twisted and mutated to become unrecognizable to their ancestors. As the world falls into chaos, the Arc becomes humanity’s last remaining claim at civilization. Here, the lucky few have formed a community away from the brutality of the zone. But those peaceful days within the Arc’s walls are numbered. As supplies begin to dwindle, and tensions begin to rise, it is time to venture into the unforgiving unknown and search for salvation. What adventures await?

What is Mutant: Year Zero?

Mutant: Year Zero  is a post-apocalyptic tabletop RPG that uses the award-winning Year Zero engine to tell its story. If you haven’t played a game that uses the Year Zero engine, it is a super easy system to learn that uses D6s to run. Players succeed based on the number of sixes they roll. 

In the simplest terms, Mutant is a post-apocalyptic world filled with X-Men. Players start the game by picking a role, rolling stats, and rolling for a random mutation. Players can’t choose their mutation, but they can roll for a second ability at the cost of some skill points. Having a random ability is bound to spark some cool narratives. 

The core book has everything you need to run a campaign in Mutant. It has an expansive lore about the world, abilities, and communities. While you don’t have a module to run, you do have access to a decent list of hooks and encounters. You’re going to need this rulebook to run a complete campaign of Mutant, but there are some prewritten modules if you need them. 

What sets Mutant apart is its survival mechanics. Players will consistently push their limits as they fight to live another day. Food is scares, gear will break, and players will be forced to use their mutations. It is not a giddy dark survival that you would expect from Alien RPG, but isn’t easy either. If you’ve ever wanted to play a superhero campaign, Mutant: Year Zero is a fantastic place to start.  

Free Starter Booklet

The best place to start with Mutant: Year Zero is the starter booklet. The booklet offers a streamlined condensed version of the rules, a prewritten campaign, and a set of pre-generated characters to run your first campaign. It is always a good idea to test if a system is a good fit at your table. You can get a copy of the free booklet from the official site, but I’ll leave it below for your convenience. 

MYZ_starter_booklet-1Download

Impressions

I am a huge fan of the artwork. I love the comic book style of the illustrations, and I appreciate the amount of flavor that fills its pages. The jobs and mutations have some fantastic flavor. I am interested in seeing how my players react to their random mutation. I definitely see the potential for shenanigans. 

This seems like an easy system to pick up with a solid amount of potential. Combat seems fine, but the fact that gear can break and players can use mutations is sure to keep things interesting. Ultimately it comes down to you enjoying the flavor and wanting to break out of the fantasy real. It’s going to be a while before I run a campaign of Mutant because my players prefer their fantasy, but I’m slowly getting there. I did manage to break away from D&D, so I’ll hold on to my faith. 

If you’re looking for a new TTRPG about survival and superpowers, check out Mutant: Year Zero. You can pick up the Mutant: Year Zero core rule book on Amazon for $49.99 using my affiliate link. 

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Drakantos March Devlog: Iris Teasers, Challenges, & Mounts!

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The March Devlog just went up for Drakantos, and I am hyped for what is to come. Each update brings us closer to a release date, I just hope I can get into a beta soon. If you’re looking for a game with a classic MMO vibe, a cool pixel art aesthetic, and the portability to play it anywhere, you’re going to want to look into Drakantos.  

Make sure you check out the Devlog for all the juicy details and don’t forget to add Drakantos to your wishlist. If you enjoy my comment, please give this a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

Iris Teaser

The community has voted, and this month’s teaser is Iris gameplay. Make sure you join the official Discord to stay up to date on all the updates and to get hyped with the growing population of fans. Iris is a sorceress who uses illusion magic. She can create illusions of herself that can also attack, portals to teleport, and a magical shield. She definitely seems to be one of the flashier heroes I’ve seen gameplay for.

Challenges

Nil’varix is a demon clown who will appear to characters and offer them special challenges on their missions. Accepting these challenges will add new mechanics to a mission for added difficulty. One example is a giant demonic hand that follows the players and tries to smash them. Completing these challenges increases the rewards received by the players at the end.

Nil’varix is a demon clown who will appear to characters and offer them special challenges on their missions. Accepting these challenges will add new mechanics to a mission for added difficulty. One example is a giant demonic hand that follows the players and tries to smash them.

This sounds like such a cool feature because it gives some added diversity to the grind. Players may learn and memorize the mechanics for a certain mission, but you can never really be ready for the randomly generated challenges Nil’varix. I can see this being an issue if the game loops through the same type of challenge, but we’ll have to see the implementation.

There are currently 15 challenges programmed at the moment, with more planned for the future. Some examples given are:

  • Chain the players together, requiring them to move within the chain’s limited range.
  • The players swap places every X seconds.
  • Every enemy you kill drops a bomb that explodes after a while.
  • Randomize a card for each player, and some enemies will have this card displayed on their heads. The corresponding player must remove this mark. If the wrong player hits it, he will receive damage as punishment.
  • A giant hand follows your team for the entire mission, trying to smash you.

Traps

You can’t have a fantasy game or a dungeon without traps. Having environmental challenges and traps adds some depth and flavor to the world. I’ll have to see how random the traps are. It be cool if there were characters who could disarm traps in dungeons or use them against enemies.

More Mounts!

Adventurer’s Guild Tavern

The Adventurer’s Guild Tavern will be one of the main player hubs where players can buy supplies and accept missions. I love the flavor and aesthetic that went into this design. I love all the art that has been coming out for this game, and I can’t wait to see more.