Halloween Horror Sales!

Greetings my fellow citizens of the Tabletop Multiverse.

For those who haven't noticed yet, there are tabletop Halloween sales going on all around the place online at the moment. I thought I would link you to a couple of them to get you started, in case you wanted to go see if you could find a good game for Halloween. If you haven't seen my earlier post on 11 tabletop horror games for Halloween then you can take a look at that as well for some gaming suggestions. :)

Here's a quick list of links to a couple of places that are currently (at the time of writing this) holding halloween sales for tabletop RPGs, and the like.

DriveThruRPG

RPGnow

To most avid tabletop gamers out there, both of those websites will probably be familiar, but for any who haven't found their way to them yet, they are good places to find tabletop rpgs.

I would also recommend visiting the websites of various publishers to see if they have a sale on any of their products. Again, you can find link to some of them in my 11 tabletop horror games for Halloween post. :)

Until next time!

The Atlas of Rokugan supplement from Fantasy Flight Games

Greetings!

A few days ago, Fantasy Flight Games announced that The Atlas of Rokugan for the Legend of the Five Rings tabletop rpg is now availiable for purchase.

I've always enjoyed the look of Legend of the Five Rings, even though for some reason I can't seem to get more than about half-way into making a character before I am bored with it and have to take a break to return later. None of my friends seem to have that issue though, so I guess it is just on my end. I can't understand why though, because looking at it I really shouldn't have an issue with it. The system itself is ok though, and I would recommend it to anyone interested.

The book itself contains maps of the lands, castles and cities, as well as comprehensive descriptions of the settlements and provinces found in the land of Rokugan. It also contains detailed explorations of the imperial capitols of Otosan Uchi and Toshi Ranbo, as well as the city of Ryoko Owari - three major cities. According to DriveThruRPG the book contains 20 full-colour maps.

The book contains one chapter for each of the Great Clans, as well as for the Minor Clans and the Imperial Holdings. There are also chapters regarding the Shadowlands as well as the forest of Shinomen Mori.

I for one can definately see this book being a helpful tool for any GM wanting to run a game of Legend of the Five Rings. Or for any player who wants to learn more about the world their characters inhabit.

If you are interested in reading more about it, the link to Fantasy Flight Game's article on it is right here.

And if you are interested in buying it you can do that at DriveThruRPG.

See you all later!

Review Time: Let's take a look at the Symbaroum tabletop RPG

Greetings fellow travellers on the twisting roads of the tabletop multiverse!

Today, I though I would give my thoughts on one of the latest tabletop RPGs to come out of Sweden. As a Swedish person myself, who grew up playing a lot of other Swedish tabletop games back in the day, it is good to see the resurgence that swedish tabletop RPG's have had in the last few years, and continue to have. Symbaroum is a product of Swedish company Järnringen. While Symbaroum isn't a new version of an old game, like a lot of the others are, it instead is a brand new game which has had some remarkable success since it came out. It quickly got an english translation and it has just kept on going since then.

Let's start off by taking a look at the game itself.

So, what's the game like?

Symbaroum is a dark fantasy game set in a rather dark, grim, and deadly world. The world itself is well-defined as it takes place in and around the vast and mysterious Davokar forest. Symbaroum is the name of the region, or rather - as the book explains - it is the name of the civilization which dominated the region up to about 1000 years prior to when the game is set.

The Symbaroum core rulebook is broken down into three sections, or 'books': The World of Symbaroum, Player's Guide and Game Master's Guide. At the end of the book there is a 20-page adventure which can also be downloaded from the company Järnringen's website.

The first book is all about the fluff. Here you can find information about the world, the setting, and the history, etc of the region. It also takes a look at the various factions that exist in the world - for example the noble houses of Ambria, the settlers of the land, the barbarian clans, the church of Prios, Ordo Magica (a magical order), the elves of the Iron Pact, etc. It is also worth pointing out that the elves of the Iron Pact are not the friendly, exotic and pointy-eared humanoids that we are accustomed to from a lot of other fantasy games and worlds. These elves protect the deeper parts of Davokar against intrusion, and won't hesitate to kill intruders on sight. 

There is also Thistle Hold, the last bastion of civilization just before the edge of the forest. It is a well fortified town, and a center of activity, both opportunity and crime. It is not, however, the capital of Ambria, that honor goes to Yndaros instead. And there is a chapter describing it as well. Finally we have Karvosti, a plateau next to a lake on the western side of Davokar. It is the place where the barbarian folk hold their Thingstead twice a year

All in all, the first book does a really good job of setting the tone.

Book two deals with the rules, without the fluff. The system is an amalgam of crunchy, dice-based systems and more narrative storytelling based ones. It feels solid and is good for putting the characters in the spotlight. Each character belongs to one of three Archetypes, which are essentially generic classes. They are the Warrior, the Mystic and the Rogue. These in turn split into several occupations. For example, a Warrior can be a Berserker, a Captain, a Duelist, a Knight or a Sellsword.

There are eight Attributes in the game: Accurate, Cunning, Discreet, Persuasive, Quick, Resolute, Strong and Vigilant. You don't roll dice in character creation. Instead you can either divide 80 points between the eight Attributes, giving hem numbers ranging between 5 and 15, or you can use eight preset values, the sum-total of which add up to 80, and divide them between the Attributes as you see fit.

The system uses a d20 dice, and you roll either equal to or below your Attribute value to succeed. Also, it is the players who make ALL the rolls. The GM never rolls. Instead the GM is meant to focus on the storytelling. The game uses Abilities to personalize and differentiate the characters. The Abilities are ranked Novice, Adept and Master, signifying the level of power or skill the character has in each individual Ability. 

There are four races that players can choose between when making their characters. They are: Humans (diversified by the choice of Ambrian or Barbarian), Changelings (basically humans with elven characteristics), Ogres and Goblins. I like this as it helps describe the setting as well. There isn't the plethora of standard fantasy races (though some more might be introduced later), which helps describe the setting really well.

The last chapter of the second book deals with Combat and what a player is supposed to know rules-wise. One thing is that the world of Symbaroum is deadly, and so combat is also deadly. 

Book three is the Game Master's Guide, and as you would expect it contains information about rewards, advice, special rules and how to enforce them, etc. It also contains rules on Corruption (one of the basic premises of the game), the Shadow that each living being has and the changes that Corruption brings to it, etc. There is advice on how to build an adventure or a campaign set in the world of Symbaroum, as well as a beastiary.

Before I move on to the next part, I just want to mention the art. It is amazing, and really fits the mood they have been trying to go for in the game. It is dark, grim and mysterious and helps to set the tone as you read through the book. The art masterfully reflects the world they are depicting.

My thoughts

These days, there is a plethora of fantasy tabletop roleplaying games out there. Most of which draw inspiration from Tolkien and/or giants in the genre such as, for example, Dungeons & Dragons. Symbaroum however, feels fresh and different, with its dark fantasy setting. That might be part of the reason why it has done so incredibly well, not just in Sweden but internationally as well. 

As for playing the game, it is a very good and solid game to play, and I have had a lot of fun with it. If you want to play a dark fantasy game, where your character can actually die, but which also rewards you with a well-designed system where the players roll ALL the dice, and which also has good storytelling aspects to it, then Symbaroum might be right up your alley. The rules are fairly easy to get the hang of, and combined with the atmosphere of the setting, it is something different and something I think a lot of you people out there will enjoy if you give it a try.

So, where can I find Symbaroum if I want to give it a try?

You can find information about it on Järnringen's website. 

If you want to buy it, you can find it on Järnringen's online store or over at drivethrurpg.com.

My current games

Greetings!

Due to feeling unwell - something I have discussed more in my other blog - I probably won't have the energy or mental capacity to write any in-depth or long posts until my head starts clearing up again. Though I will try to write something at least, for you all to enjoy.

So today I am going to write a short list of what game systems I am currently playing in with my friends. Right now it isn't really an extensive list, but then again I unfortunatelly can only fit so many games into my schedule.

Currently we are playing:

• Star Wars Saga Edition
• Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition - Published by Wizards of the Coast, D&D is one of, if not the most well-known tabletop RPG out there at the moment. Especially after the launch of the 5th edition rules, and online attention from shows such as Critical Role and Dice, Camera, Action!. We, however, are still running our old campaign using 4th edition rules, a campaign which has been running for... 3 or 4 years now? Head is a bit too cloudy to remember right now, but we are still running it because we all love the campaign.
• Ryuutama - A Japanese tabletop rpg which has got an English translation via a Kickstarter. We only just started this, so I am still new to the system.
• Iron Kingdoms - A steampunk fantasy tabletop roleplaying game by Privateer Press, which is based off of their wargame Warmachine. We were running a straight up Iron Kingdoms game previously, but now that that has ended we are currently running a new Iron Kingdoms game which also includes elements of a supplement/expansion called Unleashed.

There is a lot of interesting lore in both Iron Kingdoms and Warmachine which I highly recommend reading if you enjoy that sort of thing.

I am planning to go more indepth on various tabletop roleplaying games & systems, and my thoughts on them, in future posts. So stay tuned for that.

I think that will have to do from me for now. Time to go lie down and rest a bit.

Why play tabletop roleplaying games?

Greetings!

Now, I know that tabletop roleplaying has had a major upswing in popularity recently, and I think that is great! Especially for one such as myself who remember playing tabletop RPGs 'back in the day' (read: mainly 90's). As a Swede it is also good seeing some of the old Swedish games coming back with new editions, such as 'Kult: Divinity lost' (Helmgast), 'Mutant Chronicles' (currently published by UK-based Modiphius), Eon (Helmgast), Mutant Year Zero (Fria Ligan / Free League Publishing), etc.

Now, I figured I would take this opportunity to discuss a bit about WHY I think everyone should play tabletop roleplaying games, or at least try it out. Some people might say "well, if I want to play an RPG I can just play it on my computer, X-Box or Playstation.", which I suppose is true. Believe me, I enjoy playing video- and computer games as well, but there is still something special about playing tabletop RPGs because it allows you to tap into your own creativity in a way that a videogame doesn't.

Let me explain: When you are playing a video game or a computer game, you see the world on the screen before you, you mash a few buttons and the monster is dead, you select one of a few options for conversation, etc, etc.

When you are playing a tabletop RPG, you are part of the story. You decide what your character says in a conversation. You decide on your character's personality and manners, and sometimes the backstory you write for your character can help influence parts of the world as well, depending on the DM (Dungeon Master) or GM (Game Master) - the person running the game session that the players' characters are in. You get to use your own creativity to paint a picture in your mind of what the world around your character looks like.
And if you are the GM / DM / whatever-it-is-called-in-your-prefered-gamesystem (I'll just stick to GM from now on in this post, for simplicity's sake), you get to use your creativity to create the world, and to describe it to your players as you guide them on their adventures.

I should probably point out that if you as a GM is willing to do it, allowing your players to take part in creating the world they are in, through their characters' backstories for example, can be really rewarding, both for you and your players. Though for first-time players it might be easier if the GM creates the world him- or herself.

Playing tabletop RPGs are a fun way to do something creative together with your friends, or even your kids. It doesn't have to be about slaying demons or dragons. There are plenty of roleplaying games out there that are aimed at kids - for example: "The Princess Kingdom", "No Thank You, Evil!" or the swedish RPG "Tassar & Morrhår" - and even if you don't use one of those, you as the GM decide what happens in the world, and can homebrew the rules of whichever system you want to use to fit younger players. Never feel tied down by a specific setting or system. Instead I would encourage you to adapt the world you create to the players you have availiable and what kind of game you all like to play together.

Remember, playing a tabletop RPG should be a fun experience that you share with your friends or family members. All ages can join in, and enjoy it. :) It is a fun, social experience which, at least in my experience, can serve up dramatic moments, tense moments, and laughter, all in one game session.

Playing tabletop roleplaying games helps you train your creative thinking, thinking on your feet, imagination, problem solving, storytelling ability, team-play, improvisational skills, and many other skills. It can even help people combat their shyness. They get go play a character, which effectively acts as a mask, which allows them to feel less vulnerable when they face various social situations in the game. They are also surrounded by friends and/or family around the same table, so they also have that comfort while they play and deal with the social situations in-game.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with being shy. I have been shy on occasion as well. But tabletop roleplaying can offer some help if you want to try and get a bit less shy in social situations.

If no one in the group has played a game before, discuss what kind of game you would all like to play for your first try, and then do some research into what games exist in that genre. It does help, of course, if at least one member of the group is a bit more experienced - preferably taking on the role of the GM. But if not, then keep it simple for the first attempt. Just make a short, simple adventure for the players to go on, and then build from there.

I might return to this subject at some point in a later post, but for now I think this will do.

A short introductory post

Greetings!

This is my first post in this blog, of hopefully many to come. I am planning on using this blog for anything I want to write regarding tabletop games, tabletop roleplaying, and other things relating to that.

So, why do I want to write about tabletop roleplaying and other such things? I guess the short answer is because I love it. I love the creative process that goes into creating worlds, characters and stories. I love interacting with other PC's (Player Characters) and NPCs (Non-Player Characters). I love reading about the mechanics of various game systems - though I do not claim to be an expert really. Anyway, this will be my forum for talking about all this and more. Hopefully others will enjoy it as well. :)

This will only be a short, introductory post, but hopefully I will have something better soon. See you all then!