Review: Black Powder and Brimstone

 

It is not secret that the age of sail era is one of my favorite times to game in. I am always on a look out for games in that era. One of the best campaigns I have ever been was a Clockwork & Cthulhu game. Black Powder and Brimstone is one of the new games in this era and it is based off of Mork Borg core mechanics.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy for the purpose of review.

Presentation: The book clocks in at a 191 pages that includes mostly full color art with some black and white images, end pages, a index at the front of the book, the rules, the world, characters, a GM section, and a bestiary. The art style reminds me of Darkest Dungeon and Hellboy and the art as an intended tone for the game. The book is organized in a conventional manner as it starts with setting/location information first and moves to these sections in order: rules and playing the game, characters (making a character, etc). It is a good call to see the setting information presented first as it helps create the mindset before people dive into character creation. 

Character Creation: Character creation follows these steps:

1. Pick a character archetype if you wish. Character archetypes and their subclasses fall under Mercenary Deserter (Rifleman, Greatswordsman, Grenadier), Bounty Hunter (Pistolier, Master Trapper, Beats Hunter), Witch (Woods Witch, Herbalist, Hexen), Opportunist (Adventurer, Sneak Thief, Silver-Tongued Trickster), and Practitioner (Vow of War, Vow of Healing, Vow of Sustenance). The archetypes provide alternate methods of attribute calculation, toughness formulas, and starting coin. The subclasses provide some background information and special abilities. 

2. Roll your stats: There are four stats Strength (strike, lift, haul, grapple), Agility (dodge, balance, swim, climb), Presence (perceive, aim, persuade, use magic), and Toughness (resist, withstand, health). These are determined by rolling 3d6 and comparing the total to a table. The total has a corresponding bonus that ranges from -3 through +3. The total is ignored and only the bonuses are recorded. The different archetypes will provide alternate methods of rolling to determine some of the stats and health bonuses. If a player chooses not to use an archetype and a related subclass or the GM does not allow them then two of the stats can be determined by rolling 4d6 and dropping the lowest. 

3. Determine health by rolling a die (size determined by archetype or none) and then adding Toughness bonus.  

4. Pick a weapon or spells you can wield or afford. 

5. Name your character

6. Go forth 

There is some starting equipment that everyone starts with and some advice that states, "Do not trouble yourself with backstory, for your adventures at the beginning are your true backstory." Instead, ask yourself these questions;

• What does your character want?
• How are they going to get what they want?
• How are their flaws going to get in their way?
• How will they overcome these challenges?

In addition, there are some optional tables for character traits and a table that relates to how you know another character from a previous exploit. 

Resolution: I cannot believe I did not mention this before, but Black Powder and Brimstone is a Mork Borg hack. The core resolution mechanic revolves around tests where the GM sets a Difficulty Rating (DR) and the player rolls a d20 and adds (or subtracts) the stat/ability modifier. If the total meets or beats the DR, then the action is a success. Non-player characters do not use abilities, they just roll a d20 vs. the DR. Difficulty Ratings generally range from 6-18 where 12 is the average for most rolls. There are some other caveats that may affect the core resolution mechanic or provide something additional:

• Position and Impact: These situations do not add or subtract from the DR, but set the stakes in more if a story manner of the desired action/situation. 
• Negotiations: Set the initial standing of the NPC which affects the outcome of Positions and Impacts. 

As always, combat follows its own structure.

• Initiative: Whatever side (players or enemies) initiates combat is the side that goes first. Players roll d6 + Agility and enemies roll a flat d6 to determine round order.
• Rounds: Combat is divided up into rounds and during a round, a player may attack and move in a round. This is in addition to making a free action with is a non-combat action (dropping an item, shouting, or putting an item in a pocket). A potion can be drunk as a free action, but the character cannot be engaged in melee. 
• Movement and Distance: Distance is measured in range bands that consist of close quarters (within 5ft), near range (within 20 ft), and long range (beyond 20 ft). Characters can move 20 feet a round but can move 40 feet if they forgo their attack. Characters may still complete a free action during a double move. 
• Making an Attack:  Melee combat is determined by d20 + Strength vs DR12. Ranges combat is determined by d20 + Presence, Magic use is determined by d20 + Presence, and Defense rolls are solved by de20 + Agility vs. DR12. 
• Reckless Attack/Called Shot: -2 to hit, but double damage on success. 
• Throwing: Near is the maximum throwing distance. Throwing a weapon is DR14 to hit. Throwing a grenade/potion is DR10. 
• When Enemies Attack: When enemies attack, they do not roll with stats but instead the player or players react by rolling their defense to avoid the attack. 
• Armor: Armor reduces damage 

That is it for the standard combat, but there is a page that is titled "Advanced Combat" that has some additional rules or procedures for stealth, morale, fire, cover, attacks of opportunity, disengagement, prone, grappling or stunning, height advantage, mounted combat, and some chase rules. These are able to be added ad hoc if the GM chooses to do so. 

When a character is reduced to 0 or lower hit points make a Toughness check vs. DR12 and if the roll is successful, roll on the broken table. If the Toughness check fails, then the character is dead. 

Black Powder and Brimstone has a meta currency called Devil's Luck. All characters receive 3 at dawn and cannot have more than 3. One Devil's Luck can be spent to Reduce the DR on a roll by 2 before rolling. Players can also choose to activate a Dark Power to: 

• Deal maximum damage
• Neutralize a crit or fumble
• Re-roll any roll, yours or someone else's
• Ignore all damage dealt

Using a Dark Power risks mutation as it is required to roll a d6 after the use of a Dark Power and if a 1 is the result, roll a d20 on a mutation table. 

There are also procedures and rules for:

• Devils Bargain (a chance to return from the dead, but at what cost?)
• Crits and Fumbles
• Leveling up
• Feats
• Creating a Free Company
• Weapons (each one as a damage die and special ability) 
• Armor reduces damage
• Magic (characters that can use magic) start the day with Presence + d4 to determine how many spells that can be cast in day. The same spell can be cast multiple times and new spells are learn from elusive books of power. Casting a spell requires d 20 + Presence roll vs. DR 12. If it is successful, the spell is cast and subtract a spell usage. On a failure, the character becomes dizzy for 1d6 rounds and if another spell is attempting during this time, it fails in the worst way possible. Spells can only be cast by Witches, but potions and their effects can be used by any or who are offered them. It is important to remember; magic is dangerous and condemned by the general public as a whole in the setting. If magic is used in front of the wrong people, lots of trouble can be had. 
• Potions
• Travel
• Hunting
• GM Section
• Bestiary
• Notable NPCs 
• Sample Adventure 

Final Thoughts: Black Powder and Brimstone does an amazing job of capturing the "weird" age of sail setting that includes oppressive religious organizations, ongoing wars, monsters, exploration, disease, mutations, magic, devils, angels, and the list goes on. This is reinforced by the art, character archetypes/subclasses, mutation rules, devils' luck, bestiary, and the detailed write ups with the major NPCs.  All this is done while keeping whatever mechanics are involved streamlined and related to the core resolution mechanic. 

The book opens up with the setting information that consists of a quick overview of the realm, a map that has 24 keyed locations, and descriptions of some of the locations. Also included is information regarding the factions, the emperor, the different major religions, and information about the war. This all supports and increased the setting, flavor, and general vibe. Though, with that being said I do wish there was some more setting information and that each keyed location on the map had their own descriptions. This would go a long way to continue to reinforce the setting and provide more tools that the GM would have access to. 

So, another thing I do not generally nitpick is editing but this book has a lot of errors throughout the book, on a couple of spreads there were 12+ errors, and at times in can make comprehension difficult. I think this is one of those books that could have benefited greatly from an editor and I surprised there was not one.  

All in all, this is an amazing entry into the supernatural or "weird" age of settings that covers all of the bases. In addition, it runs using the Mork Borg system which tends to provide a smooth and functional mechanic framework that is no complicated. 

You can find Black Powder and Brimstone here: 

• Free League Publishing
• Drivethrurpg 
• Amazon
• The Completed Kickstarter 
  

 

 

 

Review: Epoch

 

I am sure that Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal altered my brain chemistry and since then I have had stone age and that era adjacent on my mind. My love for Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park, Land Before Time, and reading The Land That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs when I was too young notwithstanding. 

Olde House Rules claims inspiration from the legends of stop motion animation Ray Harryhausen (probably One Million Years B.C. being up at the top of the list) and Willis H. O'brien as well as the Aurora Prehistoric Scene Model Kits. This is in addition to the comics Tor and Turok, Son of Stone. 

Disclaimer: I was gifted a PDF copy of Epoch with no expectations. In addition, Olde House Rules and I have collaborated on various projects.  

 

Presentation: The PDF clocks in at 42 pages which includes the cover, legal pages, table of contents, and dedication. Epoch is presented in an old school type writer style of font with numerous full page black and white wood cut art pieces. The game opens up with an "official" letter from an archeologist to another colleague that talks about enclosed/collected material proving that history got a lot of things wrong and humans existed along side the dinosaurs and so on. Then the game pages follows and you start with an introduction on what is role playing and explanations on dice before getting into the game proper. 

 

 Character Creation: Character creation is straight forward and follows these steps:

1. Choose a Clan/Tribe from the two options. The BONE CHILDREN (homo neanderthalensis) are short stocky and have dense bone structures which provides them strength above and beyond normal means. The other Clan/Tribe The STONE PEOPLE (homo sapiens) are physically modern
   humans that lack the might of their counterparts but posses a unique relationship with luck that allows them to succeed automatically at times. 
2. Roll 3d6 in order to determine SKILL scores (and their modifiers) for the following: Animism, Crafting, Gathering, Hunting, Knowledge, and Stalking. Skill scores can range from 3-18 and the Skill modifiers range from -3 to +3. Players can then swap two skill of their choice. There is also a section that discusses different options if a player rolls badly...
3. Any character with a 9+ in Animism may choose to become a Shaman... 
4. Choose a Skill to Specialize in. 
5.  Start with 10 Hit Points.
6. Record Tribal Language (Bone or Stone) and the common trade language. Characters with high knowledge are able to speak all three languages.
7. Players receive 5 Barter points to equip their character at the beginning of the game. Barter points represent general trade goods or artifacts. For game purposes, characters may wear clothing and
   carry a single weapon of their choice, plus 10 additional artifacts provided these are small enough to fit in a sack or sling over one shoulder. 

Resolution: Resolution follows a strait forward system of rolling 2d6 + Skill Modifier vs. a Target Number to accomplish most tasks. The target numbers are split in sections of Easy, Moderate, Tough, and Formidable with a number range for each section. The bottom of the total range starts at 5 and ends at 13+.  If a character has a specialty in said skill, the player rolls 3d6 and adds all dice together to determine the total vs. the target number. 

Combat uses the same basic resolution but when combat happens, the game switches to rounds and follows this formula:

1. Determine Initiate by placing all combatants in order of their speed (which is determined by the type of furs/armor of the beast) that ranges from 0 (the fastest) to 3 (the slowest). If participants are tired on a tier, the adversaries go first unless the Player Characters have a clear advantage. 
2. Characters act in the established initiative order and attacks are made using the standard resolution rules vs. defense (which is determined by type of beast or furs worn). 
3. If an attack is successful, damage is rolled based on beast size or weapons used (1d6-3d6). The total on the damage roll is subtracted from the opponents HP table.
4. When HP reaches zero. death is the result.

There are some other subsystems that are important to note:

• An optional system for medicinal herbs
• Rest/recovery 
• Advancement 
• Environmental Hazards 
• Bone Tribe/Clan Strength is narrative based
• Stone Clan/Tribe possess an action pool that let them automatically succeed due to their natural adaptability and tenacity 
• Item Breakage 
• Rules on Rations (food and water)
• A full bestiary where each creature may have a hides and meat rating to determine food and raw supplies that can be farmed from the creature

Oh ya, how could I forgot Shamans? If a character has an Animism score of 9+ (as previous mentioned) the player may choose to be a Shaman. Shamans follow a different advancement table, acquire the power of a totem instantly, and have the ability to cast spells at level 2. 

When a Shaman reach level 2, they acquire a couple of spell points that are used to cast spells. The cost of the spell varies by strength and each spell as its own effect, duration, and range. There is a list of 10 thematic spells that match the setting. 

Final Thoughts: Epoch - A Game of Stone and Spell walks a line between the realms of ancient and modern game theory. You can see the influences from the original three brown books and other games from Olde House Rules offerings with new innovations. It is also important to note that it should be read in its entirety due to the flow and to make sure things are not missed. 

One of the things that I found pretty cool is that instead of just using the default six attributes, Olde House Rules turned them into skills and in doing so evoked a simpler yet very theatrical world that matches the flavor of the setting. 

Epoch captures the vibe of the "Stone Age" with prehistoric trappings perfectly and you can also see Olde House Rules inspirational sources shine through the writing. Reading through it sparks inspiration for the implied setting and it can lead to endless adventures. 

The game is toted as a survival game which is reinforced by the need to eat and drink at predetermined intervals or suffer consequences (this makes foraging and supplies important), basic but no nonsense encumbrance rules, large creatures are dangerous (require a plan and numbers to tackle successfully or characters are going to get chomped up!), and an initial idea that the group of characters acts as a hunting party. This creates a wild and deadly (while not overtly deadly) universe where survival comes first and adventures come second. 

Finally, the game is presented in way that the Referee can choose to run it without any weirdness/supernatural or decide to crank the weirdness/supernatural up to 11 (and everything in-between).

With that being said, I would have loved to see more setting information and hex/world map. Though, that is because I just love the era (setting, idea, etc) and I want more. 

You can find Epoch and other information here:

• Drivethrurpg 
• Character Sheet 
• Olde House Rules Website  
• The first Supplement by Etheral Games: Red Ochre & Ruins 

 

Review: Streamlined Superheroes

It is no secret that I have been a longtime fan of superheroes and have been a reader of comics since I was little. It was common sight to find me running around with a Batman action figure in one hand and a tattered comic book in the other hand. This love of superheroes eventually transferred over to my enjoyment of tabletop gaming and I have had some great experiences with Aberrant and other systems. Though, supers is one of the genres where the games are commonly complicated and stuffed full of rules. This has led me to search for supers games that are rules light but cover some of the important aspects of the genre. This has led to discovering Supercrew (which is an unknown game that deserves more recognition), leaning on  Triumphant, and writing Onedice Supers. 

I came across Streamlined Superheroes by John Fredericks when I should have been in bed and was mindlessly scrolling through youtube. 

Presentation: The PDF clocks in at a total of 17 pages that include the cover, an introduction page, an introduction adventure, a character sheet, and a rules summary. It is presented in a standard two column format with a font of something adjacent to Comic Sans. It is organized as overview/character creation/rules format.  

There is some full color art that ranges from 1/4 page to 3/4 page coverage. The art is a mix of public domain art and I believe some art that the author drew himself. The mix of the art brings a feel of the old school newspaper style four color comics from the 70s/90s as well as keeping the DIY vibe alive.

Character Creation: This section starts out with this paragraph to get you in the mood, "What kind of hero will you be? You might want to play your favorite comic book or movie hero, or one of your own creations. They’ll need a superhero name, and a “real-life/alter ego” name as well. A page of blank character cards is at the very end of this book, or just grab an index card and write down what you need." Then the section breaks down the various steps of getting your character down on paper that follows:

1. Place four predetermined values in the attributes of Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Charisma.
2. Choose a combination of four powers and skills/professions. There is some suggestions given about how it is common for characters to have three powers and one skill but this is not a hard rule and these choices vastly depend on character concept. Each of these four are called "Effects" and each is assigned an effect die out of a d12, d10, d8, and d6. A list of powers and skills are provided to assist the discerning player. 
3. Choosing a weakness is optional and characters can only have one. A weakness provides a negative effect that can be exploited to hinder the hero or represent items that can be broken/stolen/disarmed. A weakness provides an additional d6 effect option. 
4. Characters have a starting Hit Point rating of 20. 

Resolution: The core resolution is a simple two step process. The first step is to determine success by rolling 1d20 + Attribute vs a target number of 10+. If the roll is successful, then an effect dice is rolled to determined the amount of success. The effect is chosen by the player to determine how the hero is attempting to overcome an obstacle or solve the problem. The result on the effect dice subtracts from the Hit Points of the opponent or the Hurdle Points of a Stressful Situation (like disarming a device, etc.) There are some subsystems that affect the above core resolution or alter it:

• If there not a creative way a character can use an effect in a given situation, the effect die is a d4 that represents general skill/common sense/etc
• In a non-combat situation, an effect roll of 6+ is considered an exceptional success
• Advantage/Disadvantage is used instead of modifiers by rolling 2d20 and choosing the highest or lowest
• Group Checks
• Opposed Checks
• Assist Rolls
• Called Shots
• Ensnaring 
• Retreat
• Reaching Zero Hit Points

Combat utilizes the same core resolution but adds in a initiative system that provides three options. The first option is a narrative approach where an hero acts, then an opponent, then an hero, and so on until everyone involved in combat has acted and a new round starts. The order is chosen by whoever wants to go and whatever opponent the game master wants to use. The second option is acting in descending dexterity order where ties act simultaneously. The third and final option is to use side based initiative with a d6 (1-3 opponents go first, 4-6 heroes go first). Regardless of which method is chosen, initiative stays the same for the entirety of the combat.

• In true four color fashion, supers done die. When reduces to zero HP they are just knocked out until the next scene when all of the action is over. HP is full recovered when they become active again
• Vehicles are treated has an effect die, having their own

There is also advice for designing opponents that range from henchmen all the way up to major opponents, determining how to scale stressful situations and how to allocate Hurdle Points to those situations, and setting a timer for those stressful situations. 

Finally, there are rules for advancement. When the characters advance is determined by pure GM fiat and allows an increase of an attribute (to a maximum of 8) and to increase an effect die by one step (to a maximum of d12). 

 

Final Thoughts: Streamlined Superheroes lives up to its name and they mechanics do not get in the way of any four color action. What I enjoy about this game is that (like the other games I have mentioned earlier) is it encourages players (and by extension) the GM to become creative with effects and how to use them to handle situations in unconventional ways. The various sub systems all play off of or utilize the core resolution mechanic without adding any additional crunch outside of remembering how to do a group roll or an assist. The entire game does what it sets out to do to capture the four color comic vibe in an easy to play package. It was also refreshing to see that powers are considered to be "always" on or always usable and does not require a roll unless it is a combat situation, being used in a stressful situation, or chance of failure would be interesting. By extension, this same logic is applied to skills as well but skills are generally not meant to be singularly specific skills like woodworking (though they can be and some of the example characters have a more specific skill). They are more meant to cover professions or possible a cliche. So, instead of listing woodworking as an effect, a more appropriate effect would be carpenter or something similar.  

 

The game also provides examples for heroes, villains, stressful situations, and combat. 

 

I also enjoyed (and I found it a unique take that I have not seen before) how armor/toughness/rock skin/etc is handled. You basically have the maximum effect due to the supers HP but that effect cannot be used for anything else. 

 

Though, with that being said there are a few caveats and things that I would have liked to see or clarifications needed:

• More examples
• Explanations in some areas are vague (reading the rule summary helps), especially when it comes to Ensnaring. How I understand that specific circumstance may be different that what was intended but how I read is that Ensnaring Effects break the normal combat sequence in that instead of rolling an attack "to hit" the opponent makes a save to avoid the situation, and if the opponent fails then they are stuck and allows a test to break out every round. The HP of the bond is equal to the maximum result of the effect die (12/10/8/6). 
•  Examples of social situations 
• As a DIY guy myself and as someone who cannot afford an editor for their own work, I never begrudge anyone int he industry for typos or formatting errors. Though, there is some.  
• More of the authors Art!

You can find the game and other resources here:

• Drivethrurpg 
• Sharp Mountain Games Youtube Channel
• Review by Solospelunking Table Talk 
• A four part solo play by Magehammer's Game Table  
• A Quick Look by Tabletop Wanderer 

 

Review: Frontier Scum

 

This is a game that I have had my eye on for a long time but I missed the initial release and it sold out (the first printing was 500 copies). I had to wait around for the second printing. I have always been a fan of Westerns and that whole era as a soft spot in my heart as it is one one of the settings where the world still feels bug and unknown. Just like the age of sail. 

The Author states that the game was inspired in flavor by by movies such as Dead Man (1995), Ravenous (1999), Bone Tomahawk (2015), The Hateful Eight (2015), El Diablo (1990), Gallowwalkers (2012), The Quick and the Dead (1995), The Lighthouse (2019), The Witch (2015), and I Sell the Dead (2008).

As far as the term or setting Acid Western goes, I had to do some quick googling and have a few discussions with other people to understand it as it is a new term/style/setting for me. A consistent google result for the definition is this: 

"Acid westerns are a unique subgenre of Western that emerged during the 1960s and 1970s. Pauline Kael first coined the term in a 1971 issue of the New Yorker during her review of Alejandro Jodorowsky's 'El Topo.' Acid Westerns combine classical revisionist Western motifs with the cinematic excesses of Spaghetti Westerns, incorporating LSD-inspired countercultural narratives to create a provocative, drugged-up version of the American Frontier"

With that being said, the "big picture" view can be summarized as follows (it is easy to replace filmmaker with Gamer Master and so on):

• Acid Westerns are a unique subgenre that combines classical Western motifs with cinematic excess and countercultural narratives.
• These films use symbolism to explore themes of spirituality, masculinity, femininity, and the journey towards death.
• Acid Westerns provide filmmakers with a space to experiment with narrative and image, challenging the audience to think differently and explore deeper philosophical questions. 

 Disclaimer: I was provided a physical copy for review purposes from Games Omnivorous.

Presentation: Right off the bat this book is layed out and presented in a way that I have not seen before. The first thing that stood out to me is the cover - the cover feels like it is made out out of thick solid cardboard - but that is not the material. In addition, the book sports an open sewn spine that is sealed with glue but allows the book to lay completely flat. For all intents and purposes it is just has durable as a book with a closed spine. I have not had any personal issues with durability or have I heard of any complains about the books durability from any of my online sources. 

The other major thing that stands out to me is the page layout. The page layout is such that it feels like you are reading directly from a newspaper in the frontier. Handling and reading the book provides a unique immersive experience.

The book clocks in at 66 pages that include rule reference sheets and an adventure.  

Character Creation: Character creations follows a type of life path system where the player rolls or can choose results fro various tables that bring the character to life. 

Resolution: The core mechanic boils down to rolling a ability check, which is 1d20 + Ability Modifier versus a Difficulty Rating. The standard Difficulty Rating is 12 and unless otherwise listed, that is the Difficulty Rating for most things. There is a Difficulty Rating table that provided benchmarks to adjust the Difficulty Rating up or down. 

It is written in black and white, that successful or not, no roll of the dice should stop the action or the story. 

If a character has a skill that relates to the course of action and the GM agrees, the Player can make the check with advantage. A character can only have six skills and when a player rolls a natural 20 on a skill check they can opt to learn a new related skill instead of earning an Ace.

An interesting thing to note about the resolution system is that the system is player facing and NPC's do not roll 99.9% of the time. The characters react to what is going on around them.

Combat follows these steps:

1. Roll a d6 every round, one a 1-3 the enemies go first, and on a 4-6 the PC's go first.
2. On a turn you can move and take an action. The actions include melee attack, ranged attack (not a gun), shoot a gun (in melee), shoot a gun (tough shot), or do something else. If you are rolling multiple damage dice, you can assign one to different opponents within range. 
3. The Wrestling Clause: When players and NPC's are wrestling around or in a bar fight, instead of the players rolling twice for attack and defense, they just roll for attack and if the player succeeds they hit their opponent and if the player fails, the opponent hits them. If one side or the other is outnumbered, then +1/-1 DR depending on who is outnumbering who.
4. Rinse and Repeat as needed.

Death, Dying and Healing:

• After a Scuffle: Heal 1d4. +1 for each - smoke, drink, and nap. 
• Until  Morning: Heal 1 + 1 for each - entertainment, food, sleep. 
• Heal twice as much in comfort with good beds, company, food, and drink. 
• If reduced to below 0 or below HP by non-lethal means roll a Drop Check: d20 + Grit - any negative HP. 10 or less drop unconscious until you gain 1 hp. 11 or higher remain at your current HP. If you are reduced by lethal means, you make the same roll and it is considered a death check. Compare the die results to the table and the high the better it will be. 

Some other mechanic things to be considered or needs further explanation:

• Aces are a meta currency that each player start the session with one and they can spent on a re-roll. When a player rolls a natural 20, they can choose between gaining an Ace or a new skill. Though be warned, if any player rolls a natural 1, everyone loses their aces. 
• Skills as explained before (and if the GM agrees) allows the player to make an ability roll with advantage. Characters can only have a maximum of six skills and if the player wants a new skill, they have to forget an old one. 
• Advantage and Disadvantage is used. Advantage = rolling 2d20 and taking the higher result while Disadvantage = rolling 2d20 and taking the lower result. 
• Tough Shots are the way to adjust the target number by GM fiat or to take into consideration range, weather, if the target is small/moving/behind cover/etc., is the shooter distracted/moving/blind firing, and the gun - rifles are good at long range/shotguns are good at hitting moving targets/close range. The more unlikely the shot, the greater the DR of the Slick check to
  hit and the lower the DR of the Luck check to avoid being hit.
• Conditions fall into two categories. Miserable and Drunk. Miserable results from a character not meeting basic needs/being poisoned/Frostbit/Exhausted/Soggy Boots and so on. If a character is deprived they cannot heal HP until the condition is resulted. Drunk results from intoxication and the first time a character becomes drunk they swap to abilities and must make a note of which abilities were swapped as the same abilities will be swapped each time the character becomes drunk. 
• A small list of drugs, medical kits, and so on + what effect they have. 
• The Hat! Players can sacrifice their hat to avoid being hit as their hat is shot off instead. 
  

Final Thoughts: I have to say that Frontier Scum is dripping with flavor flavor from the layout, the character creation choices, the baked in setting, baked in locations, and some really great tidbits like determining the horse personality/looks/etc. One of my favorite things in the game is the ye old cowboy hat and how you can sacrifice the hat to avoid being hit. 

I think the setting it comes with along with the adventure in the back really go a long way to help the players and the GM understand the vibe of that game plus, the characters are wanted men and women. You are Scum and Scoundrels in a frontier that never was.

If I am being honest, this game was my first exposure to the theme of "Acid Western". I had to do some research on the genre. I still need to watch some of the recommended source material but at the moment I do not have a firm grasp on the genre except for the foundation of things are bad and will rarely get better. People are just trying to survive day by day and will generally mind their own business unless they are up to nefarious plots.

The game also has information and proves for equipment, services, hunting/fishing/foraging, city life, NPCs, and a great starting adventure. There is an overshadowing of the weird/grotesque so a GM could lean into those aspects for a more supernatural feel or stay away from them for more of a focus on the darkness of humanity and the harshness of frontier life. Or just anywhere in between.

Frontier Scum originally started out as a Mork Borg hack but grew into its own thing before release. Though you can still see Mork Borg's influence. There is also some influences from Death in Space. 

Now there are some caveats I would like to mention:

• There is a lack of explanation on the genre
• There is a lack of guidance on how the wanted PC's interact with towns and other people. This includes what actions will cause the PC's to be reported to the authorities and how well known the PCs are. 
• Low HP/Low possible stats can make the game lethal and the players will not have a chance to take advantage of the healing/rest rules.Though, with that being said, if the players are smart there character can end up being tougher then you think.
  
• Progression is not linear, characters can increase HP and abilities from death checks. This also includes gaining new skills (to a max of 6) and getting new gear and silver.
  
• The crime and wanted dead/alive/dead or alive determination tables can get a bit wonky as a character can end up being wanted dead or dead or alive for more minor crimes. 
  

You can find Frontier Scum at:

• Frontier Scum Website
• Discord 
• Reddit
• The Author's Deets 
• Scumslinger's Arsenal 
• Games Omnivorous 
• Drivethrurpg
• Itch.io 
• Exalted Funeral
   

 

Review: Swords and Six-Siders

 

This is a review that has been a long time coming and the game has an interesting history. I want to discuss some of the history of this game before I get into the review. 

In 2015 I discovered Sword and Six-Siders by happenstance and I do not have a date when the game was first made available. It was originally designed by a user known as Vanquishing Leviathan and the rules that turned into Swords and Six-Siders evolved from Vanquishing Leviathan's house rules for Tunnels and Trolls.

"Yes, what eventually became Swords & Six-Siders started out as my houserules for T&T. I'd say S&SS is one part T&T, one part BX, and one part modern innovations to my own taste." - Vanquishing Leviathan

The original author offered the game through his website (which does not exist anymore) where the author produced the books himself (print, art, cutting, stapling, etc). The original game was offered in a box set and included three booklets (players guide, DM's guide, and an adventure) and a small stack of yellow character sheets. What was great about the three booklet offering is that it had some fun nuances - one of my favorites was that the back cover on the DM's guide had a graveyard tracker where the GM could keep track of how and when the characters died. It was a fun way to honor the death of a character. I have had the chance to interact with the author during this time and it was refreshing to see an author that truly believed in the game.

"The box is a candy box with an adhesive label attached. The way I can afford to produce this game is by doing everything by hand. I did the design, writing, layout, art, all the folding, stapling, trimming. I think this is a great game, the best at what it does, so I invested my own time and money in it. This isn't a kickstarter, where you wonder when/if you'll ever receive your product. I figure if I believe in the game, why should I put the financial risk onto the customer?

I am so confident in the game, I made it available for free, the full rules, with art, as a pdf fully loaded with bookmarks. That way, you can try before you buy, and you don't even need to buy if you don't have the money." - Vanquishing Leviathan

The game is designed to operate with a single d6 (I will go into the system more during the review) and to allow the players and the DM to focus on the story over mechanics. The game itself also went through many revisions and adjustments before becoming the product that was offered.

"Earlier versions of Swords & Six-Siders were more T&Tish, where you advanced by increasing your stats. At one point, there weren't any classes, you could build your PC however you wanted by distributing your gained stat points, unlocking various abilities. The downside was that it is even harder to achieve balance that way, and it created an enormous amount of choices at every turn.

That is when I put in the class system. The classes in the basic game are really more archetypes: someone who is good in combat but not with spells: fighter, someone good with spells but not combat: wizard, someone who is sneaky and skilled: thief, someone who is a little of everything: myrmidon. That pretty much covers the basic archetypes in fantasy, and streamlines character creation.

Everything about this game is intended to speed things up, so you spend more time playing and having fun and less time wrestling with the rules. I've run convention games with strangers, people who have never played S&SS before, and in a 6 hour game, we spent maybe a total of 5-10 minutes looking at the rulebook (to check spell effects; spell descriptions are a single sentence). The comments I received were to the effect of "I can't believe you could do so much and have so much fun with such a simple game." - Vanquishing Leviathan

 

With that being said, we now fast forward to circa 2018. The rights of the game were sold to Precis Intermedia Games. This move spawned a (mostly combined reprint), a Companion book, and eventually a complete "expanded edition". This is in addition to play test science fiction offering called Lasers & Six-Siders. Precis Intermedia Games have given Swords & Six-Siders a lot of support including a Compatibility License, various adventures, and conversion guides. I tried to track down a press release of the acquisition but my google fu failed me and I could not find anything.

 

There was also a limited run adventure titled "The Circle of the Yawning Void" (I think only twenty five zines were produced) and I believe that this title was also sold (along with The Castle that Fell from the Sky) to Precis Intermedia Games and Scribes of Sparn who converted and expanded the adventure for 0e. Though, I have not seen any release or heard of any plans to release and update The Circle of the Yawning Void.

 

Alright, the history lesson over, it is now time to get into the actual review. As a disclaimer, I was provided a physical and digital copy of the Swords & Six-Siders Expanded Edition for purposes of review. This review is going to be with the Expanded Edition Hardback. 

Presentation: This book clocks in at 213 numbered pages that are wrapped in a full color hardback. There are also a few extra pages that include the character sheet and advertisements. The game uses an easy to read font in a single column format with black and white art. The pages have a black border as well. The page count approximately breaks down to the following:

• 17 Pages for Core Rules/Character Creation
• 11 Pages for Spells
• 7 Pages for Action and Conflict 
• 5 pages for traps
• 27 Pages for Monsters 
• 15 Pages for Treasure
• 11 pages for Optional Advanced Options 
• 93 Pages that include a sample adventure and setting
• 12 Pages of Appendix's
• Handful of pages for licensing information, character sheet, advertisements 

Character Creation: Character Creation may feel familiar to some and characters start at level 1. Players with guidance form the Game Master will follow these steps:

1. Choose a Race (Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Human): Note Attribute Modifiers.
2. Determine Ability Scores (Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma): Roll a d6 three times and on each result record the number that is showing and the number opposite from the number showing. This will give you six different scores that are placed wherever the player wants to place them. A score of 1 gives a -1 penalty to rolls involving the Attribute and an score of 6 grants a +1 involving rolls with the Attribute.
   
3. Choose a Class (Cleric, Fighter, Myrmidion Pathfinder, Thief, and Wizard). The Myrmidion is a hybrid between a Fighter and a Wizard where the Pathfinder is something akin to a Ranger.
4. Choose Alignment (Law, Chaos, Neutral) and note languages by race.
   
5. Determine Hit Points by rolling a d6. Anything result under 3 can be bumped up to 3 and starting HP can be modified by Race and/or class. 
6. Select Armor, Weapons, and Starting Equipment. 
7. Choose Spells for Myrmidions and Wizards. 
8. Calculate and record armor class and damage reduction, bonus and penalties to attack, damage, and saves per class and class. It is important to note that damage and attack modifiers are applied to both melee and ranged weapons unless a specific weapon is not available per class. 
9. Name your character something cool. 

As you go through the character creation process I find it important to note that Shields and Helmet increase armor class or the difficulty to be hit and "armor worn" provided damage reduction. Players are allowed to pick whatever equipment (including weapons and armor) that is within reason and makes sense for their character. No prices are listed for armor, weapons, and other adventuring gear. There is gold in the game, but that is more used for services and leveling. 

 

Resolution: All mechanical resolutions systems use a single d6! That is right, a single d6! The game states this at the beginning of the Action & Conflict section:

"Most of the game is handled through narration, whether by the gamemaster describing s scene or other players describing their characters actions. Dice rolls are appropriate for situations related to combat, accomplishing great feats, and resisting harmful effects and hazards."

These checks are broken down into the following ways:

• Ability Check: A catch all for any action as it relates to a single ability. 1d6 + Ability Modifier (if any) vs. a target number of 6. 
• Class Skills: This is something described in their class and it follows a 1d6 + Ability Modifier (if any) + 1/2 of class level - rounded up vs. a target number of 6.
• Saves: 1d6 + 1/2 level vs. target number of 6. 
• Death Save: When a character reaches zero HP, they are considered alive but unconscious and must make a Constitution save every round to stay alive. If one of the saves fail the character perishes. 

When characters enter combat, this formula is followed:

1. Determine Surprise for both sides of the conflict if necessary (1-2 on a d6)
2. Initiative is determined every round by rolling for the groups or individual on the PC side
3. Characters can move and attack in the round. Movement is determined by range bands (contact/reach/close/far/distant/yonder). Each of these have ft. measurements associated as well. To make at attack roll, toll 1d6 + to hit modifiers vs. Armor Class.
4. Determine Damage: If the attack hits, roll damage (most weapons deal 1d6, two handed weapons deal 1d6+1) and subtract damage reduction (if any) from the opponents armor. Regardless of damage reduction, a successful attack will always deal 1 point of damage.

Initiative is re-rolled every round and there are some additional modifiers/rules for things like cover, prone, etc.

There is one major caveat to the core resolution mechanic. This is something that is important to remember and may get forgotten when new people are playing this game. The caveat is that a natural result of a "1" is always a failure and a natural result of a "6" is always a success. 

The final thing to mention in this section is about Advancement. Character's level max out at level six and various bonuses are gained at certain levels. Characters acquire gold to count for XP but the gold only counts when the characters can transport it to town.

Final Thoughts: When I first read this game back in 2015 I thought there is no way that a game that uses a single d6 could have any legs but once I played a few games and ran a play by post game for over a year, I was proven wrong. This game proves that you can get a lot of mileage out of a single d6 and the auto fail "1" and auto pass on "6" rule can create some hilarious moments. This allow players to succeed at ridiculous odds or humble powerful characters, in addition to being a good balancer of the system as even obscenely armors foes (or characters) can be hit (and hits always result in at least 1 point of damage regardless of damage reduction). 

What Swords and Sic-Siders does well is creating a high immersion and high trust environment where the experience does not trip over the rules. The game does sport a lot of standards and habits from old school games. Though, with that being said, the Expanded Edition has a section of optional rules that effect action and conflict, spell points (alternate spell system), beyond levels (advancement after level 6), monster focus, abstract movements and ranges, a conflict action map, and paper minis. 

This game is also a great way to get a Tunnels & Trolls like experience without Tunnels and Trolls or the tongue and cheek aspects.

 

Since the Precis Intermedia Games acquisition, Swords and Six-Siders has spawned a conversion of The Misty Isles and an adventure called Smuggler's Bane. The adventure The Castle that Fell from the Sky is included in the Expanded Edition along with the setting Blackmarsh,

You can find it here:

• Precis Intermedia Games
• Drivethrurpg 
• Amazon
• Character Sheet 
• Compatibility License
• MeWe Group 
  

 Additional Discussions:

• Youtube Review of the Original Box Set
• Youtube Review (Expanded Edition) by Look at the Book Episode 30 
  

 

Review: Those Dark Places

 

Hot on the heels of the release of Free League's Alien RPG, my review of said Alien RPG, and my experience in Chariot of the Gods has created a lot of buzz online and personal discussions regarding space horror/Industrial Science games. One of the games that got a lot of buzz was Those Dark Places by Jonathan Hicks. I ended up buying a physical copy least year and it is on the top of my list of backlog games to review. 

The official description of this game is as follows:

A science fiction roleplaying game of exploration, isolation, and survival in a dark and dangerous universe.

Space is a hell of a thing but you need to be sure that this is what you want. Like, what you really want. The idea of space exploration to further the frontiers of mankind is noble, but let's not kid ourselves--it's really all about furthering the profit margins. There's money to be made and out there is the place to make it, but you hear all kinds of stories… equipment malfunctions, strange discoveries, crew members going insane... You'll be out there in the reaches, alone, for months or years, breathing recycled air and drinking recycled water, with nothing but a few feet of metal and shielding between you and certain death.

Are you sure this is what you want?

– From the Crew Orientation Briefing

****
Those Dark Places is a rules-light, story-focused roleplaying game about the darker side of space exploration and the people who travel the stars in claustrophobic, dangerous conditions. Starships, stations, and outposts aren't havens of safety with clean, brightly lit corridors--they're potential deathtraps, funded by budget-conscious corporate interests and running on stale, recycled air and water. The stars may be the future of humanity, but they are also home to horrors and terror the human mind cannot comprehend.

****

Presentation: The book comes tightly packed in 127 pages encased in a black, white, and red hardcover. Within the cover you will find single column formatted pages with headers, full page artwork, and some tables (with character sheets) in the back. The art is a thematic black and white style that has color splashed in on strategic areas to increase the impact and catch the eye. 

The book starts with an introduction where the author talks about how he saw Alien in 1982 and other movies/games that gave the author inspiration. This introduction then bleeds into advice directly from the author about being what the game is, being a Game Master, being a player, and the rule book.

After that, there are the Players Section that includes character creation, resolution systems, combat rules, hyper sleep information, and stat ship information. The players section is then followed by the General Monitor's section (the Game Master stuff) that includes all the how to run the game information, interpreting die rolls, conflict, using pressure, episodes, simulations, and linking episodes and lingering effects from those episodes together. Then there is an intro adventure, reference tables, and character sheets in the back. 

I am going to mention this again later in the review but the Players Section does something that I do not see very often (or at all). It is mostly written "in game". This means that the fiction is talking to the reader like the reader is signing up to work for some shady corporation to settle some debt and go on some possibly dangerous jobs in space.

Character Creation: Character creation is straight forward and opens with a discussion about how character concept is important and that should be the first thing a player focuses on. After that, the rest of character creation follows these steps:

1. Place the scores of 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the attributes Charisma, Agility, Strength, and Education. The higher number being better. 
2. Choose a primary and secondary Crew Position. The Crew Positions are Helm Officer, Navigation Officer, Science Officer, Security Officer, Liaison Officer, Engineering Officer, and Medical Officer. It is important to note that all crews are REQUIRED to have a Helm Officer and a Navigation Officer. 
3. All characters begin with an ID Chip and a Comm Unit that has surface to Orbit range. All other equipment are on the ship, in the settlement, or on the space station as need. This includes tools, limited access to weapons, food, water, clothes, and so on. 

There is also an explanation/rules about Synthetic Automation (The SAM series) that are functionally androids similar to what is found in the Alien Franchise and other science fiction movies. They do not need to eat, breathe, sleep, etc. In addition, they do not suffer the effects of Pressure (Stress) and players are able to play one if they so choose with the GM's permission. The only caveat to the SAM series is they make decisions out of reason and lack the human component - so of it means to seal of a part of the ship to save the rest of the ship even if their are other crew mates in it, the SAM series will do it.

Resolution: Those Dark Places possesses a straight forward resolution mechanic that is used for most things in the game. The player rolls a single d6 + Attribute + Crew Position (if applicable) + Tool Bonus (if applicable) vs. a target number of 7. The GM can make a task easier with a Target Number of 6 or make task harder with a Target Number of 8.

If the result is less then the target number, the task fails. If the result is higher then the target number, the task fails. If the result is equal to the target number the result becomes a fail forward - an "YES, BUT..." information from the GM.  

Then there are opposed rolls - both sides roll and whoever has the highest result wins. If there is a tie, no one wins or no progress is made.

A fact regarding Charisma rolls was discussed multiple times throughout the book that basically states a PC or NPC cannot take away player agency using a Charisma roll.

There are a couple of sub systems that are important to note. 

• Conflict: When major issues happen, initiative is settled by making a d6 + Agility roll and the highest goes first, then the second, and so on. If there is a tie - the two that tied roll off to see who goes first. Initiative stays the same for each round. Hand to Hand Combat is resolved by contested Strength rolls and Security Officer's get to add their crew bonus to these rolls as well. The winner deals the allotted damage. Ranged combat is handed by an Agility roll vs. a target number of 7 (again, Security Officers get to add their Crew bonus to this roll). If the target is within close range, the Target Number becomes 6 and if the target is far away, the target number becomes 8. The PC or NPC being shot at can declare a dodge which increased the Target Number by 1 but must be declared before the attack roll is made and the PC/NPC dodging sacrifices their opportunity to act for the rest of the round. A PC/NPC who has already acted in the round cannot Dodge. In ranged combat, once again damage is dealt it the attack is successful. Some weapons or modes deliver a set amount of damage while others deliver variable amounts of damage that is decided by a single d6 roll. 
• Damage/Healing: Damage is removed from the Targets Strength score, -1/-2 the target is unconscious and dying, and beyond -2 death is met. Medical attention restores 1 point of strength per hour and medical packs can restore 1 point of Strength - though is this gets the character to zero - the character is still unconscious and needs help. 
• Pressure: This is Those Dark Places Stress mechanic. All characters have a Pressure Bonus equal to the total of their Strength + Education score. When the GM calls for a pressure roll after something really stressful and messed up happens to you the player will roll a d6 + Pressure Bonus vs. a Target Number of 10. If the roll passes, the character is able to work through the stress without incident but if the roll fails, the pressure level increases by +1 (its on a scale of 0-6). At 1, there is a little stress but everyone gets stressed, right? Every time the characters pressure level goes up over 1, roll a d6 and if the result is lower then the pressure score the character suffers an episode - a mental break. These episodes effect the character mentally and psychically that come with in game penalties that is decided by a d6 roll and consulting s table - though it is important to note a character cannot suffer a result on the table that is higher then their pressure score. The only way to reduce stress is time in a non stressful environment - a few days back on Earth or sometime in a Long Sleep Chamber. 

Final Thoughts: The game does an amazing job with setting the tone, expectations, and explaining what life is like out there in there in the black. This is in addition to solidifying what Industrial Science Fiction is. A lot of this is done by having the book mostly written in universe and the players section reads like you are actually going through the interview process for some big corporation. The motivation is that the characters are essentially signing a 25 year contract and the contract pays enough where the characters can retire to a life a luxury after they fulfill their contract. This theme is reinforced by the process of the mission from take off, Long Sleep, etc.

This is in addition to how it described technology. Everything is basically dialog - buttons and levers and nobs. Other planets are not suitable for humans and require space suits. Everything is bulky, durable, and can be repaired or maintained by a skeleton crew if needed. For inspiration/theme/mood media listed includes Alien, Outland, and Blade Runner. Video games listed for the same purpose include Dead Space and Alien: Isolation. 

Those Dark Places also reinforce the theme by talking about in different locations is psychology effects of being out in the black as well as combat should be a last resort. Bullets flying around a space ship/station is dangerous in itself regardless of actually being hit with a projectile. This is reinforced by how each crew is issues two Dazers Mark III (tasers that fire an electrified dart) that can be carried by crew members but if the crew enters another station or ship this needs to be declared to the other crew leaders. Then, in a weapons locker the crew has access to two security pistols and a single shotgun. That is it. 

I am also impressed by smoothness of the mechanics - the rules do not get in the way of the story, the characters, and other personalities. This is especially true for the Pressure mechanic. This mechanic can cause extremely detrimental penalties for the characters and the GM's section of the book stresses about how to not use this mechanic arbitrary and only where it makes sense. If the characters are searching for a body and find it, that should not call for a pressure roll. The GM chapter goes on to explain that the GM should create or plan for one or two pressure points per story arc - not per mission. 

Now, with all of that being said the only issue I can see coming up is how Strength is basically a power stat. It governs health (and the death spiral - which makes the game even deadlier then it needs to be), hand to hand combat, brute strength, and the pressure bonus. To negate this and reduce other issues that come along with having a power stat would be to include either some type of meta currency or a separate health track. I am also surprised that the author did not list 2001: A Space Odyssey or The Black Hole (Fun fact, is technically a Disney Movie) as a point of inspiration.

My final "wish the game had x.,," would be more NPC's, maybe alien ideas, and other challenges. Though the system is simple enough that would not take much on the mechanical front - but I want to see these examples more for the story/them angle.

You can find Those Dark Places here:

• Osprey Publishing
• Drivethrurpg 
• If you want to throw daddy Bezos some schillings
• Barnes and Noble