The Reviews – The Rpg Academy

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today Michael is joined by Jake and Michael to review the latest iteration of D&D 5e’s Player Handbook.

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Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

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Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today Michael is joined by first-time reviewer JimmyLogan to review the Tales from the Loop – Starter Set.

Tales from the Loop is an RPG by Free League Publishing, publishers of various IP based games such as Alien, Lord of the Rings and The Walking Dead. This review covers the ‘Starter Set’ with a sample adventure.  Free League provided us with a digital copy of the Tales from the Loop Starter Set for this Review.

The 32-page rulebook is comprehensive and enjoyable to read, featuring clear color choices and fonts, along with well-delineated example text. Simon Stålenhag’s illustrations, coupled with what appears to be ‘company paper’ with typewritten information, work together to set the tone, capturing the essence of Kids in the ‘80s. The introduction is a well written piece of fiction that drops you directly into what is referred to as the “loop universe.” It moves into first person story telling and finally into an example of how this situation is resolved with the dice. For those new to role playing games, this is a great introduction! Whether or not you’ve seen the Amazon Prime television series, there’s enough background information provided for your imagination to run wild.

The show is set in the fictional Mercer, Ohio, while the game is set in Switzerland, as envisioned by the artist. An alternate setting is included as well – Boulder City, Nevada. This is explained in the time line as having been created first, some time during the 1950’s, followed by the Swedish counterpart in the late 1960’s. There are eight pages of world-building, including a fictional timeline of the United States and Sweden. The setting establishes that the fantastical experiences of the Kids are commonplace. Robots and flying machines serve as backdrop elements, taken for granted by the characters. Sufficient real-world history is included, allowing the Gamemaster and players to draw on their own memories of the era. For younger players, inspiration can be derived from television and movies. The included two sided map is reminiscent of those seen in older editions of Twilight: 2000. One side shows the Mälaren Facility and displays towns, islands, the reactor, and the ring network. This attention to detail creates an immersive, ‘in-universe’ experience. The flip side of the map showcases the American counterpart, catering to those preferring a more familiar setting. This side includes Boulder City, Nevada, the reactor, the ring network, and part of Lake Mead. Both sides offer numerous setting options for your Mysteries, the term used for adventures or modules in this system. The designers include a short note about using your home town as this setting. Perhaps the Loop was built there? This would allow you to use local people, streets, buildings and other set pieces for your game.

There are six primary principles that drive the game:

1. Your home town is full of fantastic things.

2. Everyday life is dull and unforgiving.

3. Adults are out of reach and out of touch.

4. Mysteries are dangerous but Kids will not die.

5. The game is played scene by scene.

6. The world is described collaboratively.

Number one is pretty much a given, what with the setting. Number two is a reminder that the characters are Kids – they are not super heroes and they don’t have an exciting life. What we see as spectacular is old hat to them. Number three is a reminder that the Kids are to be considered on their own for almost the entire Mystery. Some adults are mentioned as being contacts for more information, but generally speaking the Kids don’t interact with them. Numbers four and five have more to do with noting that the Kids face danger, but will not suffer mortal harm and the ‘scene’ is the method of role playing. Lastly, number six means the GM does not dictate everything in the game.

The Mysteries themselves are the purview of the GM, but the world itself is the result of the group adding their own perspectives. Robots, for example, exist without the need for extensive exploration into their origins, so new ‘tech’ can easily be introduced without scientific explanation. If it fits the world you are creating, it is accepted. The characters that the players use are referred to as Kids. They range in age from 10 to 15 and they have four attributes: Body, Tech, Heart and Mind. Body is obviously for physical challenges like running, jumping, climbing and even fighting. The Tech attribute is used when the Kid needs to program a computer, repair a robot, construct a machine and even to open locks. Heart is about making friends, deceiving people, persuasion and knowing the right people. Mind is about solving riddles and knowing things. It’s also used to find weak points or to otherwise understand something pertaining to nature. Clue gathering falls into Mind as well. Skills are tied to attributes as well, and help with the dice system described below. Like attributes, they are very straight forward, and help narrow the focus of the attribute.

Body, for example, includes Sneak, Force and Move. Your Kid might better very stealthy, but slow, or maybe a strong fighter, but slow and clumsy. These are all elaborated on at the end of the rulebook. Challenges in the game are called Trouble. Things you find are called Items. They can help with the task of overcoming Trouble. Each Kid starts with an Iconic Item that can only be used by them. Other guiding forces for the characters are Drive, a Problem and Pride. Think of these as motivation and guiding forces. The Drive is the why while a Problem is something the Kid has to deal with in everyday life. The GM can use this to put the Kid into Trouble. Pride is more important, and is unique to your Kid. The GM can use this to put the Kid into Trouble, but the Kid can also use it once per Mystery to score an automatic success. Lastly are Relationships. These are with each other and at least one NPC. These service as connections between the Kids and the strange goings on. It could be a parent, police officer, librarian, teacher or anyone else the Kid has a connection with. Conditions are bad things that can happen to the Kids. They can become Upset, Scared, Exhausted or Injured. These are taken as a result of a failed check or to ‘push’ the results of a Trouble check in an attempt to turn a failure into a success. Since they are not defined in detail, it is left up to the GM and the player to decide what is appropriate. These conditions have two effects. First, they are an aide to your role-play, giving you a guide as to how you should role-play the Kid. They also have the mechanical effect of giving a negative to all rolls. Each condition is a minus one, or to put another way you roll one less die. If you are broken, you will automatically fail.

The dice system, named the “Year Zero Game System,” is straightforward. Free League also uses this for their Alien, Blade Runner and Walking Dead RPG’s, as well as others. The GM never rolls. Players roll a number of D6’s based on attributes, skills, and possibly extra dice from their Iconic Item. Success is achieved with at least one “six,” and occasionally harder tasks may require more than one six. This simplicity avoids cumbersome calculations with plusses and minuses. A set of custom dice are included in the box set. I reviewed the PDF, so I can’t comment on their heft. The design is consistent with the artwork and the side with the six also has the logo of the Risenergi corporation, the government agency that operates the Swedish accelerator.

The starter set includes a 16 page introduction adventure called The Recycled Boy. Instructions for a new GM are included so he or she knows how to introduce the Mystery and how to introduce the Kids with a ‘starting scene.’ I found the text comprehensive without being overwhelming. Experienced GM’s will find the information interesting as well and it serves as an introduction to this particular game style. The format aligns with the rulebook design, making it an easy transition. Stats and backgrounds for NPCs, locations, and useful illustrations and maps are provided to assist the GM. Two handouts are included to enhance the table experience as well.

Lastly, the set includes five Kids (characters) for the players to use. Names, backgrounds and even an artist’s interpretation in included for each. Designed with the introduction adventure in mind, these two page handouts include stats for the Attributes and Skills. They also include check boxes for the Conditions as well as prefilled Relationships, Drive, Pride, etc.

Overall, it’s an excellent introduction for new players to RPGs as well as serving as a pregen for the included adventure. While I haven’t had the chance to bring it to the table yet, I can confidently give this a solid B! Though the genre isn’t my go-to, having run spies, Star Wars, and other fantastical settings over the years, I believe this would be a great addition to the rotation. If you’re a fan of the artwork or the show, your rating may be even higher, as it successfully captures the essence without requiring additional suspension of disbelief. The complete package makes it accessible for groups looking to embark on a learning adventure or test the system. An advertised full Core Rulebook encompasses rules for character generation, guidelines for crafting your own Mysteries, and includes some predesigned Mysteries too. If you’re having fun, you’re doing it right – this game will allow you to have fun! Give it a try!

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Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

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Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today Tom and I take a look at Phandelver and Below: Shattered Obelisk

Phandelver & Below: A+

Shattered Obelisk: C

Entire adventure: B

Phandelver & Below: A

Shattered Obelisk: B-

Entire adventure: B+

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

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Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

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Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today Jake and I take a look at the newest setting boxed set from WotC for D&D 5e: Planesape & Adventures in the Multiverse.

Breakdown:

Map & DM Screen:   C+

Morte’s Planar Parade:  A-

Sigil and the Outlands:  B+

Turn of Fortune’s Wheel: A

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Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

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Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today The Caleb G (@TheCalebG) takes a look at When the Wolf Comes by Ian Sharp ( @VikingVerse) in partnership with Schwalb Entertainment.

Howdy cats and kittens! It’s TheCalebG aka Professor Crunch aka the founder of Point Five Past.Today I’m here to review When the Wolf Comes, a Schwalb Entertainment game created by Ian Stuart Sharpe. The book was successfully funded at 458% back in Summer of 2022. At the time of writing this article, the book is available on DriveThruRPG along with many adventure modules, novels, and comics. The publisher was kind enough to send a copy of the game book for the purpose of this review.

Quick Overview

When the Wolf Comes presents the game rules for the Vikingverse, a series of stories set in an alternate timeline where Vikings are the dominant culture on Earth and in space. The game uses the Shadow of the Demon Lord rules.

Book and Resources

The book is massive, at almost 400 pages. About half the book is dedicated to rules and character options for players. There’s about 30 pages of setting details and about 50 pages of game runner guidance. A bestiary takes up another 50ish pages. The remainder of the book includes a sample adventure and two appendices.

Even though the book is large and dense, it’s easy to read and use when playing. The layout is smooth and there’s a very detailed table of contents and index. There is no wasted space in this book. Every inch is packed with information and details.

The star of the book is its gorgeous art, which seems to be a blending of Mike Mignola and Jack Kirby. It’s vibrant and evocative, helping immerse players in the unique style of the Vikingverse. 

Beyond this core book, there are a vast amount of resources to help inform players about the Vikingverse and immerse them in this fantastic world. Key among these is the Thought and Memory Saga, a campaign designed to take character from level zero to ten. There’s also Space Vikings, a supplement providing additional character options and rules.

Story

At first glance, the Vikingverse story is simple. All Norse mythology and magic is real. Viking culture became dominant prior to 900 AD and shaped the rest of human development. There is a blend of magic and science as humanity and others explore the cosmos.

But the truth of the fiction goes far deeper. The Vikingverse is actually a divergent timeline driven by Odin altering reality to avoid Ragnarok. But since ultimately Ragnarok can only be delayed, the universe experiences various chaotic events as fate tries to rectify what was done. These events drive the overall plot of the Vikingverse as explored in its source novels and comics.

Mechanics

When the Wolf Comes is built on the Shadow of the Demon Lord framework. The core mechanics are exactly the same. A d20 plus modifier roll resolves everything. There are four attributes along with a few derived characteristics. What would be called a skill check in other systems are called challenges here and are always rolled against a target value of 10. The Boon and Bane system functions the same way but they are instead called Weals and Woes.

There are rules for gaining Trauma when encountering the worst parts of the universe. An excessive amount of Trauma can induce Shell Shock which grants randomized mostly negative effects. Trauma can be removed by gaining permanent disorders. There’s also a system of social status based on gaining Honor and Shame through how story events are roleplayed.

Character Creation and Gameplay

Again, everything in When the Wolf Comes functions exactly like Shadow of the Demon Lord. Characters start at level zero with nothing but Origins and Professions. Origins are more than simply a description of where the PC comes from. They define Attributes and Characteristics, as well as provide special abilities that advance with level progression. They also have incredibly robust options to create differences within each Origin. Most of these options are focused on flavor, but some provide mechanical differences. Professions are focused on flavor, helping define what the PC was doing before embracing a life of adventure.

As with the art, the Origins serve to bring the unique elements of the Vikingverse to the forefront. There are only ten options, but it feels like there are far more given the wealth of variation within each one. Also, the Origins are fascinating, pushing far beyond the classic tropes of high fantasy. Each Origin is presented with a short description of its place in Vikingverse lore, but that description is rich with details.

After playing through an introductory game that serves as an advanced session zero, players pick their first level of a Novice Path, which grants various class abilities. The intent here is that this choice is inspired by the gameplay of that session zero instead of simply being an arbitrary choice made while reading the book. This intent continues as players are encouraged to make choices for their Expert and Mythic paths based more on roleplay and game events.

Gameplay in When the Wolf Comes is fun, fast, and deadly. This is not a “big damn hero” game. Instead it’s a tough game where each roll is tense and survival is not guaranteed. Once again, this is true to the source material of Shadow of the Demon Lord.

Opinion

I absolutely love this setting and book. It’s gorgeous. The art is spectacular. Maybe it’s the unique setting, maybe it’s the different style, but I feel like this art is some of the most impressive I’ve seen in a gaming book ever.

The Vikingverse is a carefully-crafted setting that turns typical high fantasy tropes on their side with logic and consistency. Nothing is done by accident or just to be different. It’s refreshing to see such a unique take on mythological lore and how that influences the game set in this world.

Personally, I never found a way to really engage with Shadow of the Demon Lord. I can appreciate the setting and mechanics and understand their palace in the tabletop hobby, but they just never clicked with me. I don’t enjoy a game that is so punishing to players, instead preferring my gaming escapism to allow those big heroic moments facilitated by lots of big numbers on the dice. But I both understand and love this version of the rules. The setting and lore are more appealing to me, so that’s a huge factor. But something in how it’s presented here just makes more sense to me.

Another detail I love is how the lore is presented. I had no idea this game was based on novels and comics. My guess is that the average gamer will not either. They’ll probably stumble across the book based on the impressive cover art and then get hooked with the overall concept. Thus, the fact that there’s a one-page summary of the lore at the start of the book is a genius approach. Many games that present unique settings spend a lot of pages introducing the setting before explaining the rules. That’s a fine tactic, but one that I don’t appreciate. I want to explore the setting by understanding the rules, and that’s how When the Wolf Comes approaches things. That summary captures readers by telling them everything they need to know about the lore and then locks them in by presenting Origins like living robots, mutated animals, and corporate clones with brilliant art. Then, 200 pages later, readers get deeper details on Vikingverse lore. This is such a smart approach.

Ian Stuart Sharpe has created a vibrant, unique world with love and attention to detail. This game is a beautiful addition to the Vikingverse and a shining example of how to adapt an existing property to a tabletop game. The decision to use Shadow of the Demon Lord as foundation for this game was completely right as the system beautifully supports the tone of the Vikingverse stories. This book has my absolute highest praise and recommendation.

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

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Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor Project – 

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today The Caleb G (@TheCalebG) takes a look at Myrrorside by Angus McNicholl / Parallel Publishing.

Howdy cats and kittens! It’s TheCalebG aka Professor Crunch aka the founder of Point Five Past.Today I’m here to review Myrrorside, a Parallel Publishing game created by Angus McNicholl. At the time of writing this article, the book is available on Drive Thru RPG in PDF, softcover, and hardcover versions. The publisher was kind enough to send a copy of the book for the purpose of this review.

Quick Overview

Myrrorside is a horror game in a modern setting where magic and scary things come from an alternate reality hidden behind the real world. Its mechanics are easy to understand and have a moderate level of complexity. There’s a nice balance between narrative flexibility and mechanical guidelines. The game works best when it’s used to tell stories in episodic fashion, similar to horror TV shows or mini-series. 

Book

At right around 100 pages, the book is easy to read and use as a resource during gameplay. Myrrorside is a focused world simulator, providing a vibrant setting for players to use as they wish. The first 14 pages are focused on that setting and there is not a specific story or named characters to follow. 

It’s worth noting that there is only half a page dedicated to safety rules at the game table. There is an abundance of information on this topic in the gaming zeitgeist, so what’s presented here is clearly a quick summary. Some may find this refreshing as it does not repeat information needlessly. Others may find it concerning and not considerate of players who may not have a wealth of experience at the table.

The remainder of the book provides gameplay instruction, mixing in small pieces of setting lore occasionally for flavor. Overall, the book’s layout is average. It’s easy to read and is well-organized. However there is a lot of empty space that could be used for examples, supplemental information, flavor text, or art.

The interior art is all in shadowy shades of teal, presenting a moody atmosphere that carries a persistent sense of dread. Like the green tones in The Matrix, this teal shading informs readers that something is different in this world and that the world is consistently dangerous.

Setting

The scary, horror-filled world of Myrrorside is presented as the underlying foundation of reality. The real modern world is built upon this terrible structure, like an operating system. The surface levels of the Myrrorside are just like reality, only slightly different. In some places there is an overlap between worlds and it’s possible for people and other beings to slip between them. Going further and deeper into the Myrrorside reveals the sprawling nightmarish world where human understanding breaks down and everything is trying to kill everything else.

Modern technology breaks down in the Myrrorside. Old-fashioned analog tech will still function, but digitally-powered devices like smartphones either stop working entirely or start glitching in strange ways. Likewise, the magic of the Myrrorside works only briefly in the real world, dissipating quickly. This keeps most of the game action set in the Myrrorside’s reality. Magical effects and terrible monsters can bleed over into the real world, but their impact is fleeting. 

The Myrrorside is populated by native creatures, called the Strange, and by humans that have been trapped in and warped by this alternate reality, called the Lost. There are many variations within these categories, but all are deadly to humans.

Core Mechanics

This game uses the 2dx Operating System. PCs have 4 Attributes and 24 Skills, all of which are rated by dice size from d2 to d12. After narrating their action, players make an Action Test by rolling the applicable Attribute and Skill dice, picking the highest result, then adding positive or negative modifiers. Opposed Tests happen when PCs and NPCs are in conflict. The magnitude of success or failure after comparing results is used as a guide to inform the role play of how events happen. An unopposed Action Test happens when the PC simply acts against the environment, similar to a Skill Check in a standard d20 system. A negative modifier to reflect the difficulty of the task is applied to the Test. A positive result is a success, a negative result is a failure, and a result of zero is a success at a cost.

Beyond situational modifiers to the Test, there is also a system of Advantage and Disadvantage. Unlike other systems using the same words, Myrrorside does not treat this a reroll. Instead, it adds an extra Attribute dice to the roll for every Advantage and Disadvantage gained in the Test. Then players remove dice until they have only two remaining. Advantages remove the lowest results while Disadvantages remove the highest results. Advantages and Disadvantages are cumulative and do not cancel each other out.

As this is a horror game, Myrrorside includes two mechanics that attempt to reinforce the dramatic tension of storytelling. The first is called Pulse or Tension. It can be raised through horror elements being played out and lowered by humanity-reaffirming moments. Higher levels of Tension inflict a variety of penalties that attempt to replicate emotional states of fear. The second of these mechanics is called Collateral. Players can take a Collateral token to convert any failed Action Test to a success as if the dice results were zero. Beyond the success at a cost that a result of zero brings to the story, Collateral has a variety of additional negative impacts on PCs.

Character Creation and Gameplay

Building characters is incredibly easy. The book provides the starting dice size for Attributes and Skills and gives simple instructions for improving dice according to where players want their characters to be focused. Players have the options of taking Quirks and Burdens, which provide mechanical support for roleplaying flavor details. That’s it. There are no classes or special abilities. This is a game about playing regular people dealing with supernatural horror.

Gameplay follows a standard TTRPG flow, with players dealing with the plot as it unfolds. There are no special mechanics included in the book that deal with plot pacing and management, such as filling clocks or moving through a countdown.

Using magic is possible in the game, but it is not easily done. Human characters must use complex rituals to harness magical powers. Each ritual presented in the book includes a casting time and component list. Mechanically, rituals are resolved with Action Tests, which might be opposed or unopposed, depending on the nature of the spell and the situation. On the other hand, creatures native to the Myrrorside can use magic much more easily and frequently.

The last 30ish pages of the book give advice and instruction to game runners. This includes guidance on using thematic tropes and structuring an episodic plot. There is a short bestiary. Also presented is a method of playing the game without a game runner, called Collaborative Meta-Gaming. This gives instructions on how players can create a scene structure, take turns leading scenes, and vote on how events progress with a resource called Influence.

Opinion

I think that  Myrrorside has a lot of fun ideas and it delivers a great horror vibe, but the overall presentation needs a little polish.

I like the setting. The concept of our world being the falsehood built on top of a horrible reality is very fun for episodic storytelling. Lore presented in the book is vivid enough to give players a strong understanding of the game’s intended vibe but also open enough to give players and game runners plenty of room to add their own ideas. And the overall idea of regular humans struggling against insurmountable and incomprehensible terror is a fundamental aspect of the horror genre. 

Another great feature is the mechanics. They’re easy to learn, excellent for newer players, and they support the horror vibe. The focus on human skill and the difficulty of using any supernatural resources informs players that their characters are up against a difficult struggle with little to no help.

That being said, the book is a little unclear at times. There are a few terms that are not as clear as they could be. For example, humans that visit the Myrrorside are called “firewalkers”, but this is really only picked up through context. Some creatures and world details are mentioned once and never given any further explanation. None of this really has a negative impact on the game, but it’s frustrating.

There are also a few mechanical details that are a little rough around the edges. For example, there is guidance for how to increase and decrease the Pulse or Tension (and the fact that both terms are used simultaneously is another point of confusion) and there is a list of what happens mechanically at the various levels of Tension. But there is no actual numerical value assigned to those levels. Similarly for Collateral, while the consequences of gaining it are provided, there are no clear instructions for how those consequences are applied to characters. While it’s not hard for a game runner to come up with a solution, it’s something I feel should’ve been included, especially since these features are so fundamental to supporting the horror tones of the game.

Likewise, the bestiary feels lacking. The lore tells players the entire Myrrorside is full of deadly creatures, but the book only gives a few examples and no instructions for how to create more. There are references to unique creatures that would be a natural fit for recurring villains in the episodic game, but very little support for them. Again, it wouldn’t be hard to figure it out, but why is it not part of the book? 

In general, I like Myrrorside. I love the opportunity to tell a story about humans in an impossible struggle, especially when the mechanics of the game support that tone. The setting is a nice combination of horror tropes and gives players lots of room for creativity. And the game is very accessible to new TTRPG players. But the game feels incomplete. A lot of the details and information are vague. While the unknown is a core aspect of the horror genre, that should apply to the characters, not the players. I think that Myrrorside has potential but falls short of other similar games in the episodic horror genre.  

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

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Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor Project – 

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today Michael Waldschlager II ( @LoserMLW ) drops in for a quick review of Mörk Borg  a dark fantasy role playing game created by Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell, and published internationally by Free League Press.

Mörk Borg is a dark fantasy role playing game created by Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell, and published internationally by Free League. You are stepping into the tattered boots of characters scraping to survive and eke out a living in a dying world prophesied to end very, very badly. Your characters may be attempting to stave off the impending destruction or embracing it, toiling for the very same beings that are driving the lands headlong into their demise.

As mentioned, the world of Mörk Borg is an extremely dismal and hopeless place. The sun has all but vanished, and darkness has lain heavy over the lands for hundreds of years. Ancient prophecies made by two ancient two-headed basilisks were uncovered during the construction of a Cathedral and as it turns out, every single foreseen event has come to pass. An enormous city came to grow around this Cathedral, and these prophecies have become the primary focus of worship by many of the world’s inhabitants.

There are a number of kingdoms and factions vying for the faith and coin of the people of these lands, and each of them is just as grim as the next. Will you side with the ageless Blood-Countess Anthelia in the kingdom of Kergüs? Do you seek servitude with The Shadow King in the forests of Sarkash? Your options are only as limited as your time as with each new dawn, the threat of armageddon hangs low on the horizon thanks to the Calendar of Nechrubel, which dictates with a roll of the dice if daybreak brings a new Misery to the world or not. If you happen to generate 7 Miseries in the course of your struggle to survive, the world and your characters die horribly and, predictably, the adventure ends.

One thing is certain when you open up this book, and that is that Mörk Borg is not your typical RPG rulebook. This is very much a product of its inspirations, and those inspirations are rooted in the haunting lyrics and gothic art of death, doom and black metal. From the stylized and chaotic skeleton and exaggerated logo on the cover to the included introductory dungeon crawl, this book screams slickly-designed and ordered chaos. Each page draws the eye, and while small sections may maintain a particular typeface, the layouts and fonts are constantly shifting to incorporate and contain the richly foreboding and inspiring graphic design work. Reading Mörk Borg, you can practically hear the frenzied thrumming of heavy guitar licks, the pounding beat of drums and primal scream of lead vocals in the background.

At a count of less than 100 pages, this short tome certainly falls under the category of a ‘rules-light’ system, with the first 17 pages dedicated to setting up the world and the vibe of the game, then diving right into character creation, equipment, combat, rest and some common dice checks. The Powers section, which covers the way magic works in Mörk Borg, starts on page 34, then there is also a section for Optional Rules, which offers a variety of tables for additional systems to add to your gameplay, as well as a number of default classes for your characters. The final two reference sections of the rulebook cover the enemies of Mörk Borg, Creatures and Outcasts, then the book dives into the short adventure, “Rotback Sludge” or “The Shadow King’s Lost Heir”. This offering is a dungeon crawl clearly inspired by the classics of early role playing game systems.

The final section of the rulebook contains a few more tables for filling out character details, such as “Where do you Wander” and “Who (or What) Contacts You?”, and a D100 Adventure Spark generator to assist Game Masters in coming up with grim quests to send your party on.

The last set of these tables is a well-designed dungeon generator, with which you can determine a name, dungeon status (active or inactive), the dungeon dwellers, dangers, distinctive features and sample rooms. I tested this and created one called ‘The Sin Tunnels’, an active dungeon inhabited by a heretical cult lead by a possessed 11-year old, with the danger of a terrible dormant curse about to be unleashed, and a distinctive feature where the rooms rotate around the dungeon’s center. Sounds like a place I’d love to go delving!

Finally, there’s a simple one page summary sheet for the game’s basic mechanics, and a one-page index as well, directing you to the various areas of the book for quick reference.

Mörk Borg’s system is D20-based, with characters having 4 main abilities: Agility, Presence, Strength and Toughness. These abilities are rolled with 3d6 and the roll determines your ability bonus, from a range of -3 to +3. Any checks are made against a Difficulty Rating (referenced as DR) determined by the Game Master, with the player rolling a D20 +/- the applicable ability bonus. There are no defined skills, with any action the player wishes to take falling into one of the 4 primary ability categories and being checked against that bonus. Trying to swim? Roll a D20 and add or subtract your Agility bonus. Surviving a fall? Roll using your Toughness bonus. Need to charm a Seer? Better have a good Presence bonus.

There are a number of weapons, armors and pieces of equipment available for selection, with all of the above items suffering from possible wear and breakage. The system takes carrying capacity seriously, with a limitation of the number of items any character can carry, and penalties that cause increases to Difficulty Ratings as your character becomes overloaded.

Combat is also very straightforward, as only players roll dice. Initiative is determined by a D6, and there are Melee, Ranged and Defense checks. For those lucky or unfortunate die rolls, there are both Crit and Fumble tables. On the Crit side, you have double damage, armor reduction and a free attack as possible outcomes. Rolling a 1 on the D20 gets you the Fumble table which has consequences for fumbling your Attack or Defense roll. If you drop to zero Hit Points you are considered Broken, but go below zero HP and you join the ranks of the deceased.

In the world of Mörk Borg, magic is referred to as Powers, and they are conferred solely by the use of Scrolls. Characters that use Powers are limited in their daily use, and if you fail the Powers usage roll…well, guess what? There’s a table in the Optional Rules for “Arcane Catastrophes” that has some very interesting and gruesome results, such as these examples from the text:

“You and a random nearby creature pass out. When you wake up, your souls have switched. Welcome to your new flesh.”

“Your skin tatters like paper, your flesh melts like wax and your intestines bloat like balloons, bursting and falling out until all that is left is a walking, talking skeleton.”

The game is very clearly rooted in Old School Renaissance or OSR-style gameplay, with a heavy reliance on reference tables, random effects and the dice determining almost every outcome to be had in the game. This may provide a challenge to gamers who are much more used to modern systems which put more focus on the role playing and storytelling aspects of tabletop RPGs and less on the more mechanical or crunchy nature of decision making via dice rolling.

Being a rules-light system, the character generation system is designed for rolling almost every aspect of your potential character against tables. Creating a character can be very simple, and a basic character can be whipped up in minutes by following the tables and taking the results as written. A player could also pick and choose, but using the tables makes it extremely easy for someone to jump in.

The system also allows for advanced character generation using the handful of Classes in the Optional Rules section. The classes include the Fanged Deserter, Wretched Royalty and four other interesting options with pre-set Specialties that add some variation to each class.

The Optional Rules also introduce a few other items to help make more interesting and three-dimensional characters, like Omens which are limited use abilities that recharge and even reset after 6 hours of in-game rest. More tables for fleshing out a character include “Terrible Traits” for personality quirks, “Broken Bodies” which give your character some physical distinctions. Also included is “Bad Habits” which is pretty self explanatory, and finally “Troubling Tales” to provide your group or individual character with some disturbing and compelling backstory beats.

I was able to roll up a character in minutes and using the Optional Rules, build them out with some Terrible Traits and Bad Habits. Once I added a name, I was ready to go! The process took 15 minutes at best, and the tables made things very simple.

Disclaimer: In the time I was working on this review, I was unable to take the game for a test-drive with a group. However, without having gotten to play the game, I can speak to what I’ve read and rely on my past experiences with new systems to make what I feel is a sound judgment.

I believe that Mörk Borg has the bones (no pun intended) of a very stylized and simple game to run a limited campaign or series of one shots in an extremely heavy horror-based atmosphere. I say limited campaigns or one-shots because mechanically, the system is designed to be very brutal and unforgiving. The nature of the game may have driven the design decisions behind why generating a character is so simple, as there’s a very good chance your initial character will not survive. I would relate this to a game like Dungeon Crawl Classics, where players are encouraged to generate four separate characters at once to minimize downtime when one inevitably dies.

Mörk Borg is a game designed for players and game masters who are fans of the brooding, pessimistic and often epic style of death, black and doom metal, and while I find the setting intriguing, I can see how that would also turn off potential players who long to portray heroes in a setting that feels hopeful or light. Mörk Borg is not that setting, and that is not its world.

The other potential negative that stands out to me is that for all of the imaginative design choices made in the production of the book, I feel like this book is more object d’art than a reference rulebook. While there are some really standout art pieces and layout decisions, I think that the disjointed nature of so many of the pages makes it difficult to go back and quickly find the information I might be looking for. This wouldn’t stop me from playing it, mind you, but the fact that the book is less than 100 pages can make that small issue even more frustrating.

Mörk Borg is no doubt a standout in the field for its innovative system, look and graphic design choices. For players used to core rulebooks that are easily referenced, and a world where they can rise to be heroes, however, it may be a hard sell. But for those folks looking for a gruesome change of pace, a metal-infused grimdark world and a system with some crunch, Mörk Borg is certainly worth your time!

Want to give it a go? There’s a free, plain text version available at https://morkborg.com/content/ along with blank character sheets and quick reference materials and a mobile character generator!

Buy a copy of the game from the Free League store

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Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy The Review series. Today Michael, Tom, and guest co-host Fiona ( @WAIR_Podcast ) Take a look at the newest WotC D&D hardback heist adventure anthology book – Keys from the Golden Vault

Quick Overview:

The book introduces a possible new Patron organization for your PCs called The Golden Vault, a list of possible rival crew who may be working against you in your missions and 13 individual heist adventures ranging from level 1 to 10.

RATINGS

Tom’s Overall Rating: B+

Fiona’s Overall Rating: A-

Michael’s Overall Rating: B+

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Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy The Review series. Today Michael and Tom take a look at Everyday Heroes from Evil Genius Games.  

Quick Overview

Everyday Heroes is a modern version of the D&D 5e game for both good and Ill.  If you like D&D 5e and are interested in playing a more modern / Action Movie style RPG this fits that bit very very well.  I was very impressed throughout by how they managed to re-skin 5e and more so by the changes they made.

The core book consists of 3 main sections.

Part 1: Heroes. This is roughly 200 pages and walks you through character creation and includes all the rules of how your Hero works.

Part 2: Game Rules. This is about  60 pages and covers the core rules, combat, and Skill checks as well as some miscellaneous rules as well as a section on vehicles and chases.

Part 3: Mastering the Game which includes sections on GMing the game, creating adventures, and a bestiary of sorts.

90% or more of the game lines up with a traditional action movie in the vein of Die Hard or Lethal Weapon. Extraordinary people but not super or supernatural. There are a few winks and nods, particularly in the bestiary section where you have creatures like Demons and Vampires included so you CAN dip into the Supernatural.

Primarily though you will get that sort of flavor through their Cinematic Adventure series wherein they are crafting a series of adventures based on popular Action Movies which will also, as needed, introduce new rules to match the tone style of those movies.

For this review I was also given digital copies of the Escape from New York Adventure and The Crow Adventure.  In particular I want to say that in The Crow they introduce rules for Ritual Magic.

I don’t want to say my expectations were low, it was more that I had no expectations going in.  I was aware of the Kickstarter that launched this product but it didn’t draw me in.  Now I wish it had.  As an Action Movie Junkie that also happens to enjoy D&D 5e and have a lot of skills for GMing that which would cross over here making this a very easy game to run, amazing adventures coming out every few months. This is a game I expect I will buy a hard copy of to have in my collection and will run at some point in 2023 (Probably when the Universal Solider Adventure Lands).

Is it perfect? No.  I had one minor issue with the font/ formatting but that may be how I was reading it digitally and am not sure if that’s reflected in the print edition.  But my biggest compliant is I really don’t like the art. Pretty much throughout the book the art doesn’t work for me.  Very much a YMMV situation and easy enough to ignore so  despite that I am still rating the game and the initial 2 adventures as a B+ and give it a high recommend.

Overall Rating: B+

If you would like to pick up a copy of Everyday Heroes at DriveThruRPG AND Support the RPG Academy podcast please use THIS LINK.

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

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Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

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The Blade Runner Starter set. Available from the Free League Press webstore

Howdy cats and kittens! It’s TheCalebG aka Professor Crunch aka the founder of Point Five Past.Today I’m here to review Blade Runner, a Free League Publishing and Alcon Entertainment game. Blade Runner achieved 16,513% funding on Kickstarter in May of 2022. At the time of writing this article multiple versions of the book and all related resources are available for purchase directly from Free League as well as on Drive Thru RPG and many other retailers. The publisher was kind enough to send a copy of the book and resources for the purpose of this review.

Quick Overview

Blade Runner lets you play in the world established in Blade Runner 2049. The book and its resources are part rules and part campaign setting, focusing on play in the gritty, noir, cyberpunk, neon landscape of LA as seen in both of the Blade Runner movies but set in the year 2037. Players work for the LAPD in the RDU, Replicant Detection Unit. Characters are either human or replicant and are tasked with locating and retiring rogue replicants. While there are rules for action scenes, the core of the gameplay experience is solving cases and dealing with tough moral decisions.

Book and Resources

The core rulebook contains everything players and game runners need to play Blade Runner. A starter set is available, containing a quick start guide, a starter adventure, pre-made characters, full-color handout materials that support the adventure, and dice. Dice with special symbols that fit the game mechanics can be bought separately, as can a high-quality game runner screen. There are also Virtual Tabletop assets for use on Roll20. The starter adventure, Electric Dreams, is the only published adventure for this setting currently, but more are said to be on the way.

The book is right around 230 pages and packed full of art and reference tables. About 80 pages scattered through the book are devoted to rules and mechanics. Only about 10 pages towards the end give guidelines for how to run the game. The rest of the book describes the world of Blade Runner, specifically the city of LA. 

Story

The game Blade Runner lets players experience the story and setting of the two Blade Runner movies. On an Earth devastated by years of mistreatment, corporations have taken over and made things worse. The elite and wealthy are able to move off-world but the rest of society suffers. Cybernetic humanoids called Replicants were created as a reliable workforce but soon rose up in rebellion against their masters. Thus began decades of fear-induced violence. Blade Runners are employed by the police force to hunt down and eliminate renegade replicants.

Of course, nothing in this neon- and noir-soaked world is as easy as it seems. Blade Runners are a necessary evil in this world and are treated as such. While their work is officially sanctioned, they are also executing replicants that are, for the most part, just trying to exist peacefully. The focus of Blade Runner is dealing with difficult moral choices. Action and combat plays a part, but the true story is found in how players and characters deal with the social and personal impact of their choices.

Mechanics

For as complex a story as Blade Runner provides to players, the mechanics are easy to grasp. Based on the Year Zero Engine, characters have 4 attributes and 13 skills, each rated with a die ranging from a d6 to a d12. After describing an action, players roll the dice from the applicable attribute and skill. A result of 6 or higher on either die is a success. A result of 10 or higher grants two successes. In general, only one success is needed to complete the action as described. Rolling multiple successes counts as a critical success and has a variety of benefits including dealing extra damage, inflicting critical injuries, or adding bonus effects.

There is an advantage and disadvantage mechanic, which either adds or removes a die from the roll. After rolling, players can decide to push their roll and re-roll one of their dice at the cost of their characters suffering damage from the extra exertion.

Character Creation and Gameplay

Building a Blade Runner is quick and easy. All attributes and skills start by default at a d8 and a d6 respectively. Players decide if their character is human or replicant (or a secret replicant), their role in the LAPD, and how long they’ve been serving. These decisions grant a varying number of improvements that can be applied to the dice values of each attribute and skill as the player wants. Players also define a Key Memory for their characters that can be used to provide mechanical benefits and role playing opportunities. All of these choices are provided on tables so players can roll randomly if they want.

A game here is generally referred to as a Case File. Playing the game starts with the relatively simple premise of RDU agents being assigned a case. Using all the resources of the LAPD and their personal contacts, agents investigate the case and deal with the consequences of chasing down and retiring replicants. Cases are organized by clues and NPCs that can be found at specific locations as well as a timeline of events that play out whether or not the PCs are present at the time.

The majority of gameplay is about finding clues and talking to the citizens of LA. There’s also navigating the political and corporate world of the city. When negotiations fail and things take a nasty turn, there are detailed mechanics for combat and chase scenes. Combat is deadly in Blade Runner and is definitely not the first choice that players should make.

Opinion

I don’t know if I’ve ever read a TTRPG based on a book or movie that absolutely nails the source material and themes as good as Blade Runner does. It is easily the most engaging game book I’ve ever read.

The book is absolutely gorgeous. The Blade Runner movies are all about style and this book is bleeding style from every page. Almost every page is full of art that perfectly depicts the vibe of a desperate city soaked in rain and neon. The actual content of the book is organized in small boxes set against a dark background. This actually makes it easier to find the needed section of rules, as each component is almost isolated and highlighted.

In most books, I want the focus to be on mechanics. I want to learn the unique aspects of the game through the way players interact with the game world. In this case, an overwhelming majority of the book is dedicated to describing the game setting and that’s just fine with me. The core of this game is style and that’s exactly what we get. As I mentioned before, this book is pretty much a campaign setting for the city of LA in 2037. While there are facts about the world, we are not given any details about setting a game anywhere other than LA. This is not necessarily a problem, in my opinion. The intent of this book is to deliver the experience of the movies and they happen in LA.

There are two small quibbles I have with this book. They are incredibly minor. First is the need for more examples. Second is the challenge of running this game without printed materials.

As to the examples, the book does provide clear examples. I just want more, specifically for how to create a Case File and run a game. The concepts presented here are nothing entirely new or unique in the gaming world, but it feels like not nailing the right formula here will negatively impact the tone and style of the game. I think after running a few games it will all make sense, but it is something I’m concerned about.

As to the other quibble, let’s take a look at Electric Dreams, the first and only currently printed Case File for the game. Included are full-color maps of key locations, magazine covers, newspapers, suspect profiles, crime scene photos, and evidence. Having all of this physically on the game table or shared in a digital game space makes the game experience vivid and engaging. The lack of these is not a problem, but it does present an extra degree of challenge. These resources help keep players focused and give them something real to inspect and search for clues instead of simply relying on skill checks and descriptive dialogue. That’s just cool. Playing without them is perfectly fine. Most games are played without things like these resources. But given the emphasis on style and tone of Blade Runner, having tools like this just makes the game all the better.

I absolutely love Blade Runner, the book, the movies, and the game. The book was clearly written as an act of love for the source material and had the intent of delivering a true-to-source experience. I love how the mechanics and structure support the themes of the story and how their focus is not on combat. I also love how the mechanics are easy to understand. Being able to quickly build a character and explain the rules allows players to experience more of the game.

If you want to play in the Blade Runner world, or just play a cyberpunk game with an emphasis on difficult choices instead of futuristic tech, this is the game for you.

Overall Rating: A

Head over to the Free League store and buy your copy of Blade Runner.

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

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Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor Project –