Welcome to System Split! Today, our very own Level One Wonk will examine two very similar systems to see what sets them apart. When the genre, complexity, and even rules system are exactly the same, what makes a game unique? Today’s System Split requires Clearance: RED, as we take a look at a couple editions of Paranoia! What has changed in over a decade since Mongoose started publishing this infamous piece of 80s RPG lore?
Monthly Archives: August 2017
Meet the Party: Ewoks
A beast master who tames great predators and rides them into battle. A warrior, honing his skill with a blade and his rage in equal measure. A veteran scout, adept at taking advantage of the terrain around her. A wise shaman, knowledgeable and well-spoken, talented in ancient magics. And . . . they’re all three foot tall teddy bears? Meet the Party strives to create ready-to-play characters for a variety of systems and settings, both for your use and to inspire you in making characters of your own. This time we’re heading to the Forest Moon of Endor, there to meet a band of Ewoks ready for adventure that may just take them to the stars!
Level One Wonk: Legacy: Life Among the Ruins
Are you a Butt-Kicker, a Specialist, or a Story-Teller? There is a huge world of games out there to satisfy every player’s and group’s style. And while there are academic discussions in every corner of the internet, sometimes it’s best to start at level one. Join the Level One Wonk in exploring the possibilities that RPGs have to offer, from Aberrant to Zorcerer of Zo. Today, we look at a game that not only had the audacity to be a PbtA post-apocalyptic game, but also provides a way to play a long-running campaign with a PbtA system. Legacy: Life Among the Ruins provides a great twist on the system and the genre, and is Kickstarting a second edition now! Check it out.
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Adventure Log: Living on Borrowed Time Part 19
Laser cannon fire lit up the darkness of space as Bolt Squadron and the Sleight of Hand dueled with most of a squadron of TIEs. A Raider-class corvette listed badly as the Borrowed Time came about for another attack run. The Last Ditch lurched from incoming turbolaser fire from the second Raider-class even as the MC-30 Kath Hound rushed to assist. Onboard the Interdictor cruiser Shadow’s Web a raiding party of Alliance Infantry, Alliance SpecOps, and Borrowed Time crewmembers fought to seize control of the ship. And in the distance an Imperial Star Destroyer began to bear down on the battle, dropping two squadrons of TIEs and an assault shuttle. The Rebels needed a plan, and it had better be a good one.
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Level One Wonk: Backstories
Are you a Butt-Kicker, a Specialist, or a Story-Teller? There is a huge world of games out there to satisfy every player’s and group’s style. And while there are academic discussions in every corner of the internet, sometimes it’s best to start at level one. Join the Level One Wonk in exploring the possibilities that RPGs have to offer, from Aberrant to Zorcerer of Zo. Today we look at how to get into character before the game. Let’s write a backstory!
Meet the Party: Do: Fate of the Flying Temple
An empath who sometimes struggles to contain the fire within their soul. A friend of wild creatures who can be as mischievous as the slyest of them. A master martial artist who nevertheless is devoted to peace, but has a little problem when it comes to risk assessment. Meet the Party strives to create ready-to-play characters for a variety of systems and settings, both for your use and to inspire you in making characters of your own. Savage Worlds might have won the Twitter poll a while back, but there was quite a bit of enthusiasm to see characters for Fate Accelerated Edition as well. To pay off that enthusiasm, why not revisit something from The Independents? Keep an eye on the dragon and get ready to fly as we meet Pilgrims from Do: Fate of the Flying Temple!
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Level One Wonk Reviews: Hobby Games: The 100 Best
Are you a Butt-Kicker, a Specialist, or a Story-Teller? There is a huge world of games out there to satisfy every player’s and group’s style. And while there are academic discussions in every corner of the internet, sometimes it’s best to start at level one. Join the Level One Wonk in exploring the possibilities that RPGs have to offer, from Aberrant to Zorcerer of Zo. Today we check out another history, though with a different twist than the others. It’s Green Ronin’s Hobby Games: The 100 Best!
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Unearthing the Three-Pillar Experience
The “Three Pillars” are a long-held ideal of what a Dungeons and Dragons campaign should be focusing on: Combat, Social Interaction, and Exploration. The ideal, more or less, states that each should have an equal share in the adventuring career of the party. That comes down to the personal tastes of the DM, the party as a whole, and even particular players, but it has definitely been true that when it comes to gaining experience points in 5th Edition D&D Combat has been the one bearing the most weight. Monsters have easily defined and consistent XP values, while the same cannot be said for Exploration or Social Interaction. Now, in the latest Unearthed Arcana, they’re presenting some options for changing that.
Level One Wonk: Spellbound Kingdoms
Are you a Butt-Kicker, a Specialist, or a Story-Teller? There is a huge world of games out there to satisfy every player’s and group’s style. And while there are academic discussions in every corner of the internet, sometimes it’s best to start at level one. Join the Level One Wonk in exploring the possibilities that RPGs have to offer, from Aberrant to Zorcerer of Zo. Today we look at a unique fantasy game. Originally overshadowed by D&D 4e, now there are signs of life in the form of a new supplement Kickstarter: Frank Brunner’s Spellbound Kingdoms!
Cannibal Halfling Gaming 