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Board Games and TCGs

Dragonbane: Your Next Fantasy Tabletop RPG

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With only a few sessions left in my Dragonbane campaign, I think now is a great time to release the review. Please note that I did receive a free copy of the pdf and foundry module, but I was planning on at least running the quickstart guide eventually. That said, this will be my honest review. 

If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

Dragonbane Core Set

What is Dragonbane?

Dragonbane is a fantasy tabletop RPG based in the Mysty Vale It features unique races, an interesting combat/initiative system, and a less limiting class/character creation system than a traditional RPG. The game is easy to pick up, and fun to play once you’ve adapted to the Year Zero engine.

Initiative

Dragonbane uses cards for initiative, and I love this system. While I love rolling dice, nothing beats the randomness of drawing cards. While some characters and creatures might go multiple times in a round, there are no initiative bonuses in Dragonbane. Instead, the creature or player who pulls the lowest card goes first. 

This order isn’t fixed. Players can switch initiative cards with each other or enemies for an advantage, and the initiative resets after each turn. It felt like my players were no longer waiting around for their next turn, but instead were adapting to change, or planning to gain the advantage. 

Combat

I love the combat system in Dragonbane. As a GM, I love how the system handles monsters. Monsters come with a roll table of abilities and attacks they can perform each turn. During a monster’s turn, GMs roll for the action. The randomness of this system makes combat a lot more exciting. I either roll for the TPK (I never did), or I waste a turn on a useless debuff. There are some monsters I’d tweak for future campaigns, but combat generally had enough fun and suspenseful drama. 

From a player’s perspective, I love how strategic the action economy is. A player can use their action to attack, aid a party member, or evade/parry an attack. I like that players aren’t waiting around for damage, but can instead use their action to mitigate it. Waiting and evading a deadly attack is so satisfying.

Classes

It’s important to note that classes in Dragonbane are more like templates. While other systems limit the abilities and skills available to a character based on their class, Dragonbane gives players the freedom to play their character how they want. Classes in Dragonbane are only really to help players allocate their proficiencies and skill points. 

After a player starts the adventure, players have the freedom to allocate skill points wherever they want. This means you can be a wizard who is proficient at swords, or a knight who can cast magic (depending on how your world handles magic). To people coming from other systems, some of the classes will feel underwhelming, but I always let my players change their character if they don’t like what they come up with the first time. 

Leveling

Leveling in Dragonbane is based on five questions:

✦ 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)

At the end of the session, the GM asks players these questions. I didn’t use the optional rule for my campaign because we didn’t want to deal with keeping track of weaknesses. For every yes, players get a point they can spend on attempting to level one of their skills. They then roll a D20 for every skill they want to level. If they roll a number higher than their skill, the skill increases by 1.

There will be sessions where players will level every skill they roll against, and in others, they won’t get any. The higher the level, the harder it is to upgrade which is what gives the game the system its balance. My players loved this system because they got to roll dice, and they had the freedom to customize their character to fit their plays tyle.

I loved the questions because they forced my players to play differently. My player who didn’t usually participate was suddenly roleplaying and encounters that would have usually resulted in murder were resolved peacefully. It was such a nice shift, but it also meant I needed to be ready for anything.

Adventure

The prewritten adventure is a great way to get you started in the system. GMs get access to a well-structured template of adventures, and players get a solid sense of what to expect from the system.

The adventure is a collection of quests loosely tied by lore, but they can exist independently. I changed a lot from the adventure because that’s how our narrative flows. If you’re thinking of running Dragonbane, and don’t know where to start, the adventure in the core book is fantastic. Like all prewritten adventures, use it as a template, and don’t be afraid to go off-script. 

I always start with these prewritten adventures, but we usually veer way off and have a lot of fun doing so. This adventure was no different. I liked the adventure. The flavor was good, the lore was neat, the encounters felt balanced, and there was enough content for a long campaign.

Conclusion

We had a lot of fun with Dragonbane, and it’s going to be hard switching to another system. With the new Beastiary coming out in March, I’ve got a few more sessions planned, so it isn’t goodbye just yet. 

I loved how easy it was to jump into this system and pick up all the rules. I love how easy of a transition it was from 5th Edition. Some mechanics took some time to get used to, but nothing that I would call impossible. It has a neat leveling system, a fun combat system, and unparalleled freedom in character creation.

If you are looking for a fantasy TTRPG, you need to look into Dragonbane. I recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, or just needs a break from 5th Edition burnout. Pick up your copy of the rule book in PDF from Drivethru RPG ($24.99), but the art is so beautiful you’re going to want a physical. You can pick up your physical copy from the official site ($41.98 +shipping) or Amazon ($49.99 shipping included.) It is currently on sale on Amazon for $45.69.

Board Games and TCGs

Mutant: Year Zero – Ad Astra – Take the Apocalypse into Space

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I was sent the Mutant Year Zero: Ad Astra Campaign for free to cover for my blog. I haven’t had a chance to play the game because I am still finishing up my Dragonbane campaign, but I’ve read through the book. This will be my impressions of the book.

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What is Ad Astra

Ad Astra is the latest campaign book for Free League Publishing‘s TTRPG, Mutant: Year Zero releasing onf Febuary 13th. Ad Astra picks up after The Path to Eden campaign. It is recommended you own the Mutant: Genlab Alpha and Mutant: Mechatron expansions for additional rules and stats. I don’t see why you couldn’t just make up rules on the spot, but it is always nice to have balanced stat blocks at the ready. You’ll also need a copy of the core rule book, although you might get away with just using the starter booklet. 

If you’re interested in running a game of Mutant: Year Zero, I recommend you pick up the starter booklet. The booklet provides a streamlined and condensed sample of the game, and it comes with a sample campaign and character sheets to get you started. I recommend you run through the starter booklet before you invest in the system. You can grab your free copy of the PDF on Drivethru RPG, but I’ll leave a copy here for your convenience. 

MYZ_starter_bookletDownload

Story

Society has fallen. The planet has become a wasteland. Those who survive on its surface have mutated, and are now unrecognizable to their ancestors. With the resources dwindling, survivors must fight to stay alive. This time, the call to adventure takes our heroes into space. What mysteries lie beyond the stars? What adventures await? Explore the solar system and fight new monsters in this new epic adventure.

Impressions

I love the comic book style of this system, and Ad Astra is no exception. I absolutely love the flavor of this game, and space campaigns are always fun. I am never big on following prewritten adventures, but I am coming around. It is nice to have something already prepared with lore, encounters, and loot. I usually use these as a jumping-off point, but will eventually end up off-book. When that happens, it is nice to have something to fall back on when the story needs a little nudge.

I like how this book feels like a history book. It goes into a good amount of detail about factions, history, and everything you need for World Building. How much I would use it would depend on my players, but I appreciate the book for the resource that it is. 

As gameplay goes, I’ll have to run a campaign first. I’ve been having a lot of fun with the Year Zero system, so if this game plays anything like Dragonbane, I am here for it. 

If you are interested in a campaign of Mutant, I recommend you run the booklet first to get a sense if it’s the right game for your table. After your table has become invested, move through the rest of the resources until you’re ready to take things into space. 

If you’re already playing Mutant and want to take things into space, you should consider Ad Astra. The artwork is fantastic, the flavor is great, and it introduces unique monsters, items, and mechanics you’re going to want to borrow for your campaign. 

You can preorder your copy of the Ad Astra campaign on the official site for $41.80 (not including shipping), or from Amazon for $39.99 (free shipping with Prime). 

Board Games and TCGs

Building Better Worlds Expansion for Alien RPG is out now!

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The Building Better Worlds expansion for the Alien RPG just released, and you might want to pick it up for the colony mechanics. You will need the core rulebook to use this resource, so either the Core Rulebook ($54.08) or the Starter Set ($51.22) should be enough to get you started. 

Starter set doesn’t include GM Screen

The Starter set has everything you need to get you started:

  • 5 generated character sheets
  • prewritten adventure
  • 84 game makers to keep track of characters, motions, and more
  • 54 custom cards for weapons, personal agenda, and initiative
  • 10 specially designed base dice
  • 10 specially designed stress dice
  • 864x558mm double-sided map

You do get a condensed version of the rules, but this should be perfect for new players. If you want to create your own adventure, I recommend you pick up the core rulebook! You get a pdf version for either physical copy.

Thoughts on the Expansion

Building Better Worlds is a neat resource for GMS who need a little extra help to spice up their next Alien campaign. I typically like to make up my adventure, even when working from a book, but I appreciate being able to fall back on other people’s ideas from time to time. This book has some neat ideas I definitely want to try at my table, like having my players become stranded on a prison planet of deranged criminals and Xenomorphs. 

The book introduces new ships, NPCs, planets, solar systems, and weapons to help aid GMs with flavor and world-building. It includes several plot hoots, ideas on how to run certain planets or colonies, and even a campaign players can run through if they need a jumping-off point. Most importantly, the book introduces the colony mechanic.

From my brief understanding, players will need to travel to foreign planets and either start, maintain or save a colony for humanity’s expansion into the cosmos. This won’t be an easy task. Planets are inhospitable, conditions are unpredictable, and there are bloodthirsty aliens lurking in the shadows. In space, if the stress of survival doesn’t kill you, the Xenos will. This sounds like the perfect bleek setting for any table that needs a change of pace, and I am here for it. 

Where to Buy

Remember, you need access to the core rules before picking up this expansion. Those interested in the Building Better Worlds expansion can get their hardcover copy from the official Free League Publishing website for $45.51. Those who don’t care about physical media can pick up the PDF on DriveThruRPG for $19.99. If you play online, I recommend picking up the official Building Better Worlds module for Foundry VTT. I’ve written a post explaining why you should use Foundry VTT if you want to know more.

I do plan on running Alien RPG at some point after Dragonbane. I have a huge collection of RPGs I need to get through, and I like to take my time and live in them for a bit. Until then, stay tuned! If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow and share this with your friends.

Board Games and TCGs

Get a Free Frozen Foes Bundle With Your Order of Skinny Minis

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Skinny Minis is giving away a free set of their Frozen Foes bundle with orders over $60. With free US Shipping, now is a great time to load up on some high quality acrylic minis for your next campaign. You never need minis to play D&D, but it is always nice to have a table full of high quality figures to move around. 

What are Skinny Minis

Skinny Minis sells high-quality 2D acrylic miniatures, high-quality maps, and prepacked one-shots to elevate any RPG session. They feature a very cool art style, and they have a product for just about any campaign setting. The best part about Skinny Minis is how well they store. While I would love to have a collection of high-quality minis 3D printed or otherwise, I don’t have the space for it.

If you’re for a minimalistic way to elevate your next campaign, check out Skinny Minis!

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Board Games and TCGs

Back the Survival Horror TTRPG Eldritch Automata on Kickstarter!

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Eldritch Automata just went live on Kickstarter and has already made 13k on the first day. There is still a bit to go before they get to their $65k goal, so go back if you’re looking for a horrific mech tabletop RPG.

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Story

The world is overrun by unspeakable horrors that have left humanity hanging by its last tread. Those unfortunate to survive must face off against the ever-present threat of bloodthirsty eldritch abominations and nightmares. Hope sits on the shoulders of those few in the world who can pilot the mighty Automata, giant mechs that appeared at the start of the calamity. Piloting the Automata is no easy feat. Pilots must be of strong resolve, because the pressures of responsibility, the strain of piloting the Automata, and the constant threat from monsters and other survivors constantly eat away at their morale. 

The world of Eldritch Automata is no easy picnic. Do you have what it takes to survive? 

What is Eldritch Automata

Eldritch Automata is a survival horror TTRPG that uses the award-winning Year Zero Engine. I’ve played a few games that use the Year Zero Engine, and love it so far. It’s easy to pick up, and not an impossible transition from D&D. What makes Eldritch Automata unique is the giant mechs, Automata. I am very curious to see how the Mech and Kaiju fights work, especially when players have to worry about their morale. I bet it not only makes for fun roleplay, but will also make things tense and exciting. 

Kickstarter also mentions that there will be a focus on a social aspect where players need to navigate different factions, worry about treacherous factions, and form different alliances. I already have some cool ideas for roleplay, and I am excited. 

The rulebook will be about 400 pages long and include accessories, depending on the tier you support and what stretch goals get reached. 

If you’re looking for a horror survival game with the potential for epic kaiju battles, go back the Eldritch Automata Kickstarter today! The campaign is live until February 1st, and the product plans to ship in August. 

Kickstarter Levels

Civilian (Digital Edition) – $30

  • Digital copy of core rule book
  • All Stretch Goals

Manufactured (Digital Bundle) – $45

  • Digital copy of core rule book
  • Digital copy of the starter set
  • All Stretch Goals

Pilot (Core Rulebook) – $55

  • Digital copy of core rule book
  • Physical copy of the core rulebook
  • All Stretch Goals

Automata (Physical Bundle) – $70

  • Digital copy of core rule book
  • Digital copy of the starter set
  • Physical copy of core rule book
  • Physical copy of the starter set
  • All Stretch Goals

Horror (Physical Bundle) – $100

  • Digital copy of core rule book
  • Digital copy of the starter set
  • Physical copy of core rule book
  • Physical copy of the starter set
  • Game Master screen
  • Equipment and Armor Cards
  • Horror Dossier Pack
  • All Stretch Goals

Higher Levels get you more goodies!

Board Games and TCGs

Ruins of Symbaroum 5E is Getting Two Exciting Expansions!

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The Ruins of Symbaroum 5E is getting two new expansions: The Throne of Thorns Part I and The World of Symbaroum. You will need the 3 core Ruins of Symbaroum (Player’s Guide, Gamemaster’s Guide, and Bestiary) and a fundamental understanding of the 5E OGL rules to play the expansion. I can see you running games with just the Gamemaster’s guide, but there is always room for more flavor. The expansions bring new characters, monsters, and adventures to fans of Ruins of Symbaroum 5E. If you’re looking for a way to spice up your next campaign, you might want to look into the Ruins of Symbaroum 5E.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Ruins of Symbaroum 5E?

Ruins of Symbaroum is a dark fantasy TTRPG that uses the 5th Edition OGL rule set as a foundation, but expands on it with its intruduction of new settings, mechanics, and classes. If you enjoy 5E but want to change things up without having to learn a new system, Ruins of Symbaroum might be worth looking into. While there is a lot of content to keep you busy for a while, all you really need is the Gamemaster’s Guide. Everything else you can purchase as you need it. 

Synopsis

The rich and nuanced Symbaroum setting revolves around the Ambrians – a civilization that two decades ago were forced to flee their ancestral soil after a devastating war. Their new and promised land borders on the vast forest of Davokar, covering the remnants of the Empire of Symbaroum which fell into ruin hundreds of years ago. Brimming with natural resources and mythical treasures, the forest calls out to the Ambrians to be explored and plundered, but the road into its depths lays far from open. Not only are the shadows beneath the foliage fraught with danger, monsters and infectious Corruption; there are also the elves of the Iron Pact who have vowed to die to keep anyone from disturbing the ruins of old, warning that the ancient evil of Symbaroum stirs in its sleep. 

Throne of Thornes I

Throne of Thornes I contains the first two episodes of the epic adventure chronicle. Designed for players levels 7-9, the book takes adventures on a perilous expedition into the dark depths of the Davokar Forst. The stakes of this adventure are high as heroes must fight off cultists, monsters, and other horrifying dangers that fill its pages. The book introduces:

  • 20+ color maps with new towns and areas to explore
  • 50+ stat blocks for new NPCs, monsters, and advesaries
  • New side quests and adventures
  • Handouts for clues and other important information

I’ll need to see the book and read through it to form a better opinion, but the world seems pretty neat so far. If you’re looking for a new campaign in the Ruins of Symbaroum universe, Throne of Thornes I might be worth the preorder. You can preorder the beautiful hardcover from the official Free League Publishing website for $47.85. Preordering the book also gives you instant access to PDF so you don’t have to wait for shipping. 

The World of Symbaroum

The World of Symbaroum is more of a resource book for the GMs who enjoy the world but want to create their own campaign. The book expands on existing lore and settings presented in the Ruins of Symbaroum Gamemaster’s Guide by diving into the history of the world and introducing new people, places, and events. The book also provides Gamemasters with 34 plot hooks, 18 historical secrets, and 7 adventure landscapes in the forest of Davokar for level 5-10 adventurers. 

I’ll need to get my hands on this first before I can form an opinion, but this seems like a wonderful resource for people who are already invested in this game. If you have a table that cares about lore, or just need some ideas to freshen up that next session, go preorder The World of Symbaroum. You can preorder The World of Symbaroum from the official Free League Publishing website for $47.85. Preordering the book gets you instant access to the PDF so you don’t have to wait for shipping. 

Conclusion

These expansions seem to be geared more toward people who are already invested in the system. I recommend you check out the core book and move from there. If you’re already invested, make sure you put in your preorder! I’ll be doing a preview of the core book soon, so make sure you stay tuned for that.

Board Games and TCGs

Running Dragonbane for a Party of One

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I’ve been running Dragonbane for a couple of weeks now, and yesterday was the first game where only one of my players could make it. I was about to cancel the game, but my friend asked if I could run it anyway with just him. I’ve never run a 1 on 1 campaign before, but I figured there was no harm. He was ready to play, and I had a rough idea of what to run. 

I’ve been going through the rewritten content in the core rule book, but I went a bit off-script for this adventure. It is always good to go off-script if that’s where the narrative takes you.

The party had made it to the Temple of the Purple Flames where a group of cultists opened a portal to the demon realm to bring forth their lord. The party found the portal and needed a way to close it before more demons got through. The book has rules on what happens if the players go through the portal. I ignored these and created an adventure out of it. 

Prep

Prepping for the game took me thirty minutes. I run my game on Foundry VTT, and the official module has everything I need to put an impromptu adventure together. We used theater of the mind of this adventure, but having the stats and tables to roll from is always nice.

All I needed to do was comb through the bestiary for monsters to build thematic encounters and copy them to a new folder. I then wrote down some key descriptions to set the mood and created an NPC for roleplay and direction.

Gameplay

Dragonbane has rules for solo play, but I didn’t have enough time to look those over. Instead, I ran the game like normal but made a few adjustments that I thought worked out well.

For starters, I gave my player an extra turn in the initiative. I know there is a feat for that, but in the game, it was a blessing a random demon NPC gave him. This made it so that when he was outnumbered, he wasn’t waiting around for his turn. It also made boss encounters more exciting. Two turns gave him the option to parry or dodge without feeling like a turn was wasted. I also let him heal 1D6 for free after every encounter because I didn’t want to kill his character.

Reaction

The friend I ran this for is the least experienced in the group. We’ve been playing D&D for only a couple of years, and it was really cool to see how comfortable he’s gotten even with a new system. He came out of the gate roleplaying and got into character fairly quickly. I had designed the adventure thinking he would want to fight everything, but he kept trying to avoid conflict. I did my best to accommodate his creativity and had a blast crafting a unique narrative together. 

One of the features that I like about Drabonbane is how they handle leveling. At the end of the session ask a series of questions to the table. 

✦ 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?

Every yes gives players a marker they can use to level up a skill. Players roll a D20, and if the result is higher, the skill increases by one. For example, if the player wants to increase their Evade, they would use one of these markers to attempt to increase it. If their Evade score is 12, and they roll a 15, their new Evade score is 13. 

What I like about this system is the question about overcoming an obstacle without using force. In Dungeons and Dragons, I had to go out of my way to describe NPCs as non-threatening because everything ended in a fight. In Dragonbane, my players try to find alternatives wherever possible because they want that extra mark for leveling. It makes for interesting RP moments, and it creates a nice balance of combat and Roleplay that I’ve enjoyed tremendously. 

The extra turn made combat feel great. I did have a few issues balancing a couple of the encounters, but I was happy overall with the results. My friend ended up rolling the best he’s ever done. He rolled two dragons and saved at every pivotal point. It definitely made for an exciting session.

Conclusion

I’ve been having a lot of fun with Dragonbane, and running this 1 on 1 session was a real treat. It gave me a chance to hang out with my buddy and mess around in the system in ways we normally can’t. If you’re thinking about running a 1 on 1 adventure, go for it. Do your prep and have fun with it. For those of you interested in Dragonbane, I recommend you start with the free Quick Start guide. 

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Board Games and TCGs

Explore Vaesen, a Supernatural Mystery TTRPG

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There are still slots available for the free Vaesen learn-to-play event happening over at StartPlaying Games on Thursday, December 28 at 10 AM PT, and Tuesday, January 2nd at 2 PM PT. The event is hosted by the good folks over at Alchemy VTT through Discord, and it gives potential players a chance to learn about a new system and virtual tabletop. I sat through one of the sessions, and it’s gotten me curious about the Vaesen RPG. I’ve written about the class in a previous post, but you should sign up anyway since it’s free. 

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

Recently, Free League Publishing was nice enough to send a bunch of their games to review. I am currently running through my first Dragonbane campaign and loving every minute of it. Till I can get to the rest of the games, I’ll be previewing all the games in the Free League Publishing library. These will be my initial impressions since it wouldn’t be fair to review a game I haven’t finished a campaign in. 

I’ll begin with Vaesen because it is the game I have the most exposure to outside of Dragonbane. What drew me to Vaesen initially was the artwork. The art in this book is beautiful. It reminds me of the old children’s books my father used to read to me when I was little.

Background

Vaesen is the spirits that exist in this mythical 19th-century Scandinavia. There used to exist a symbiotic relationship between the humans and the Vaesen. The humans would know how to keep them happy through things like offerings, and the Vaesen would bring them rain or make the fields grow. It was a relationship that worked, but one that didn’t last forever.

War and industrialization change the landscape. People begin to move to cities, and people begin to forget about the Vaesen. Years go by, and the corruption of industrialization begins to change the Vaesen. Strange and unexplainable events start to haunt the people, and they demand answers.

Only a few people exist with the ability to see the Vaesen. They have formed a secret organization to investigate and stop any nefarious supernatural activity.

Flavor

What I like most about is the flavor. The 19th-century aesthetic is neat, but the folk tale and lore are what sell this RPG to me. The core rule book is full of lore for the different Vaesen that can appear in your campaign. I enjoy reading about the different monsters, and can already have a few ideas for one shot. If your table enjoys dark supernatural mysteries, you might want to consider Vaesen.

I like how classes are handled in Vaesen. Each class has unique abilities, motivations, and equipment that help build the world of the RPG. The core book does a good job of giving players ideas for things like motivations, secrets, and trauma to help with character creation. For example, you can play a priest who is on a sacred mission because he wants to atone for being possessed by a witch, but he still hears the devil speak to him. You can also create your own, and the possibilities are endless. I like that the adventurers are just normal people who have been called to keep the world safe from the supernatural. It’s giving me fun monster of the week vibes, and I am here for it.

Gameplay

Vaesen is a D6 system. You only need six-sided dice to play. There is combat and checks which seem pretty straight forward, but the main focus seems to be on the roleplay. The game is about investigating supernatural events so players will be asking questions, searching for clues, and although there is combat, you don’t always have to kill the monsters. This is something you should consider before buying into the system. This one might be a little hard to sell at my table, but they’ve surprised me before.

Where to Buy

You can pick up the core book from the official Free League Publishing website ($52.91 + shipping). You also get access to the PDF so you won’t have to wait to get started. The core book is also available on Amazon ($64 book only) and DrivethruRPG ($24.99 pdf only).

Board Games and TCGs, gaming news

Official Dragonbane Mini Subscription now on MyMiniFactory

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Our friends over at Free League Publishing have partnered with Titan Forge and MyMiniFactory to release a series of high-quality miniatures for their fantasy tabletop RPG, Dragonbane. If you have access to a 3D printer and need a way to spruce up your next adventure, you’re going to want to subscribe to The Adventure. 

The Adventure is a subscription service by MyMiniFactory that offers players high-quality miniatures from the Fantasy TTRPG Dragonbane. Subscribers will get the STL files for the five pre-generated characters from the core rulebook’s prewritten adventure, and one printable monster or enemy file every month. The Makander mini alone should be enough to move this subscription. 

Subscribers also get 10% off a purchase of Dragonbane content from the Free League Publishing store, 10% off other MyMiniFactory purchases or subscriptions, and story teasers for Dragonbane. The subscription is $9.99 a month, or you can pay for the whole year in advance for $89.88 ($30 savings). If you’re in the market for officially licensed minis, The Adventure is definitely worth looking into. 

What is Dragonbane?

I recommend you check out the quick start guide before you buy anything. It gives players and DMs a nice taste of what to expect from the full version, and it’s free. I’ve written a post about my experience running the Quick Start guide for those interested.

If you’re ready to buy into this system, there are a few options. If you play online, you’re going to want the PDF. It’s searchable, and the most cost-effective way to get started. You can pick it up on DrivethruRPG for $24.99.

Now if you’re playing on a VTT, I always recommend Foundry VTT. I am not an affiliate. It’s just what I’ve been using, and I love it. I’ve written a post about why. You can pick up the official module for $27.87 and it has everything you need to get started. You don’t have to use the module to play on Foundry, but it makes things easier. Check out my previous post where if you want more details.

If you want to play in person, all you need is the core rulebook, some dice, and a pencil. You can pick up the core rulebook for $43.70 on the official website. Now there are other special items to spruce up your games like special edition books, the core set, and dice available, but that depends on how much you want to invest in the game. I’ve been having fun, I recommend you check it out as well.

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Board Games and TCGs, video game reviews

Dragonbane on Foundry VTT is Amazing!

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We’ve had our third session of Dragonbane, and have been enjoying every minute. It was a rough start as we learned and adjusted to the new rules, but things are running more smoothly. 

What has made the transition easier has been playing on Foundry VTT using the official module. You don’t need the module to play Dragonbane. All you need is the quick start guide and some dice. You don’t even need the official module if you’re using Foundry, but it makes things so easy that you’re doing yourself a disservice by not using it. 

I’ve written about why you should use Foundry VTT as your virtual tabletop, so make sure you read that post if you haven’t done so already. Foundry VTT is easy to use, it has tremendous community and dev support, and it has a lot of the features you want from a VTT for only $50. There is also a demo you can try if you need more convincing. 

The Dragonbane module costs $27.22 with everything you need to play the game. You get:

  • 144 Actors.
  • 28 Journal Entries.
  • 370 Items.
  • 164 Rolltables.
  • 20 Scenes.
  • 5 Macros.
  • 6 Card Stacks.

Starting a game has never been so simple. The module splits up everything you need into easy-to-search journal entries and chapters. You can choose to play one of the ready-to-play pre-generated characters. But if you want to make your own, the module walks you through the simple process of character creation where you can roll your stats, and drag and drop everything you need. 

Running the prewritten adventure is even easier because you have everything you need at your fingertips. It splits up the adventure into manageable sections with quick links to help you navigate decisions. You have tables to roll from, monster stats you can easily drag onto maps, and you can roll for the monster abilities. Maps come with all the lighting effects, walls, doors, and hidden areas which is sure to impress your table. I’ve never had an easier time prepping running a game. Now this will change if you want to run your own adventure, but if you want to start with the prewritten content, the module is a boon!

The only issue I’ve been having is getting used to the system. While the system is easy to learn, my table is full of busy dads who somehow manage to make time for our weekly games. It’s been fun, and getting better as we grow more comfortable with the system.

If you’re playing Dragonbane, or thinking about running your first game online, I recommend you get this module. You’ll get more than your money’s worth, especially if it ends up being your tables main RPG.

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