RPG Sales & Discounts

Started by bayonetbrant, December 23, 2016, 08:30:55 PM

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Bison

Quote from: Nefaro on January 17, 2017, 12:42:12 AM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on January 16, 2017, 06:49:22 PM
King Arthur Pendragon 1st ed is free thru January

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/3125/King-Arthur-Pendragon-1st-Edition


Quote from: Bison on January 16, 2017, 06:59:30 PM
Awesome.  I always wanted to read the rules for this.




Pendragon is a good classic with an interesting system. 


Don't think I've ever read the 1st Edition.  Started with 2nd IIRC, but I'm pretty sure the core system is the same throughout.  More options & fluff in later ones I suppose.

I need to read again, but so far I'm not sure how impressed I am with the system. 

Nefaro

#16
Quote from: Bison on January 17, 2017, 06:47:02 PM
Quote from: Nefaro on January 17, 2017, 12:42:12 AM



Pendragon is a good classic with an interesting system. 


Don't think I've ever read the 1st Edition.  Started with 2nd IIRC, but I'm pretty sure the core system is the same throughout.  More options & fluff in later ones I suppose.

I need to read again, but so far I'm not sure how impressed I am with the system.


The mechanics are very simple.  I'd liken them to a very simple version of Runequest, but using a d20 roll instead of d100 and with much fewer combat maneuver options.  Probably even more simple in 1st Edition, but I haven't yet compared to later stuff.  There is likely a lot more content in my 3rd (or 4th?) edition than the original, but I think I've read others mention that the core mechanics are mostly the same. 



One of the things that set Pendragon apart from other RPGs, aside from being dedicated to playing knights based on Thomas Malory's version of mythical Arthurian Britain, was the long-term campaign.  Not only did it have separate undertakings based on season, namely Wintering, but it also featured generational play.  In other words, if your character died you could continue onward by rolling up one of their children and passing along some traits/bonuses from father to son.  Character aging, and it's effects on stats, virtues/flaws, etc is in slow and somewhat random flux over the years and is more important than many RPGs due to this generational thing.

Of course, the hereditary stuff wasn't the only feudal nobility things to be involved with (and aside from adventuring/questing).  When you made the first character of a new family, you'd also roll up their status, holdings, liege, number of familial knights and soldiers you could call to battle, etc.  So in addition to appropriate questing of the regular adventure types we're all familiar with in RPGs, it also promoted dynastic roleplay.  Like a tabletop RPG with the mechanical seeds for CK-like dynastic struggles & intrigue the GM and players may have wanted to dip into.




Another thing that set it apart back then was it's character Virtue/Vice system.  There is a list of polar opposite Virtues & Vices, paired sets.  ex. Brave->Cowardly, Contemplative->Boisterous, Modest->Braggart; I don't recall specifics but things of that nature.  If one side is rated '14' then the other is '6'. 

They're listed and valued much like the skills are (1-20+).  They're rolled/chosen during character creation and can change over the course of play, depending on how they're un/successfully used.  They're also tested like skills and can be invoked for extra bonuses, rewards, or whatever the GM wants to use them for.  You can also become a paragon of your selected faith, gaining permanent bonuses while the specific virtues & vices of that religion are kept at certain minimums.  Christian and Pagan knights have different favored ones.

Therefore the Virtue & Vice system can be used as mechanical motivation to try & be that ideal Christian or Pagan exemplar, making hard choices between making an convenient decision to take the 'easy route' or upholding your proclaimed virtuous ideals.  Or just see how those things turn out via your in-character decisions over time.  The GM can, and should, also use it to test characters, and to create tough decisions via situations that can affect them.



I've since seen some later RPGs utilize some of these ideas.  More recently I've seen the Star Wars Force & Destiny rpg has a simpler, more loose interpretation of the Virtue-Vice system.  Quite a few have had some kind of mechanics regarding personality traits & such over the years and I don't recall any of them doing so before Pendragon.  The One Ring rpg has some seasonal mechanics, and most notably the Winter Phase.  It has obviously inspired some of those people currently creating RPGs.    8)

Bison


Nefaro

Quote from: Bison on January 21, 2017, 04:34:41 PM
Swords and Wizardry Complete Rulebook is free http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/86546/Swords-and-Wizardry-Complete-Rule-Book

Also noticed WEG's D6 "core set" bundle is free.  Guessing that's a regular thing.

bayonetbrant

Yep. The d6 series is usually a free PDF these days.
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Bison

Well cannot beat free!  I'll be reading some of the more obsure D6 stuff I hadn't heard of before tonight.

Nefaro

Hunter: The Vigil package deals on sale at Bundle Of Holding.


http://bundleofholding.com/presents/HunterVigil



..modern Monster Hunters in the Chronicles of Darkness system.

Bison

Good deal, but I've never really like White Wolf games. 

bayonetbrant

The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

gameleaper

Quote from: Nefaro on January 23, 2017, 05:29:34 PM
Hunter: The Vigil package deals on sale at Bundle Of Holding.


http://bundleofholding.com/presents/HunterVigil



..modern Monster Hunters in the Chronicles of Darkness system.

Oh God, that's a bloody good deal, I just bought it, thankyou Nef, I cant say how much this has made me happy, for the price of one book you get a full set.

Nefaro

Quote from: gameleaper on January 25, 2017, 05:03:43 PM
Quote from: Nefaro on January 23, 2017, 05:29:34 PM
Hunter: The Vigil package deals on sale at Bundle Of Holding.


http://bundleofholding.com/presents/HunterVigil



..modern Monster Hunters in the Chronicles of Darkness system.

Oh God, that's a bloody good deal, I just bought it, thankyou Nef, I cant say how much this has made me happy, for the price of one book you get a full set.


Figured you'd jump at that since it's your favorite system.

I probably would have, but already picked up a used copy of the core Hunters book, along with the Witch Finders splat.  Instead of dropping money on half of what I already own, figured I'd just put it towards getting a hard copy of one of the other two large supplements, or something similar for a different RPG (as my fancy has it).

Still curious about the Ghost Finder (?) one, but I think the latest CoD core book I picked up already has some of that content in it.  Interesting ghost/monster abilities, and their accompanying requirements, for sure.

gameleaper

because I play solo, reading the books is very slow, but having them allows me to plan it, and I think I'm in the mood for this, I may settle down for a week and get through these.

I like hard copies, but I'm finding digital just allows you to take snippets of the rules and place them in a notepad for quick reference, I suppose the hardcopy allows quick refe too,

I have the core books but I find it hard to buy addons, but this deal has given me the source to develop a game,

Nef there is no way I would of seen this without you posting, It sends a shiver down my spine to think I could of missed it.

Nefaro

Quote from: gameleaper on January 25, 2017, 07:34:17 PM
because I play solo, reading the books is very slow, but having them allows me to plan it, and I think I'm in the mood for this, I may settle down for a week and get through these.

I like hard copies, but I'm finding digital just allows you to take snippets of the rules and place them in a notepad for quick reference, I suppose the hardcopy allows quick refe too,


The only reason I'd want PDFs is to print off select bits.  Like tables or other such things. 

Feel like I can look up stuff more quickly with a large physical book.  Partly because it's large & easy to flip through.  But also because I tend to remember approximately where things are located in an actual physical book.  And often just by the way the specific page layout looks from when I read through it before.

But I do like being able to print certain oft-used sections for easier reference.  Just wish the PDFs were cheaper when you buy the physical copy.  They often cost about 2/3rds what a physical book costs, even if you pick up the latter at the same time.  ::)



Quote

I have the core books but I find it hard to buy addons, but this deal has given me the source to develop a game,



Not all supplements are equal, that's for sure.

Those in some lines can provide a lot more options and/or save you more time creating, with enough extra content.  Whether the price-to-content value is good can be a tricky thing to figure out before a purchase, however, especially since "splatbooks" often aren't cheap for their size.



Quote
Nef there is no way I would of seen this without you posting, It sends a shiver down my spine to think I could of missed it.

:bd:


Nefaro

Hrmm...

Now I'm gonna have to jump after all.   Was more books in the full package than I knew.    :-"

Damn yous Bundle Of Holding! 

bayonetbrant

The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers