Showing posts with label dark fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dark fantasy. Show all posts

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay GM Toolkit Review

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay GM Toolkit
Average Reviews:

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This is my first Amazon review...I usually can't be bothered with commenting on these things, but I do rely on the reviews of others to help me decide when I'm on the fence about a certain purchase...so, since I was so impressed with this product, I thought I'd share.
First off, I wouldn't call myself an FFG fanboy. I do, however, find that the quality of their products is consistently top-notch. As far as durability is concerned, I disagree with the previous reviewer's opinion on this. I don't feel that the packaging should drop the the rating that much. If you have already purchased the Core box set, the contents of this kit will fit in that box nicely. The first adventure module published and sold for this RPG (A Gathering Storm) is packaged exactly the same way as the GM toolkit. Also, the GM screen is worth the price of this kit alone. The artwork on it is amazing, there are all the rules summaries as well as a rules index on the GM side, and its not made of flimsy card. I did dock them slightly on durability due to the book being in soft-cover format.
Second, I am fairly new to RPG's. I played Dungeons and Dragons when I was about 12 years old, about 20 years ago now. I was drawn to this game because of the publisher's (Fantasy Flight Games) reputation and because of the world setting (I play Warhammer Fantasy Battles table top miniatures game by Games Workshop).
The pros...
-Great advice on creating original story arcs using classic story telling themes.
-Advice on story "hooks" (getting the players to bite).
-New concepts of Nemisis NPCs and NPC party sheets.
-Full color high quality printing and inspiring artwork.
-Pages of "alternate rules" suggestions on how to change up some of the core mechanics slightly to suit your groups' play style.
-Advice on new and helpful ways to use the "progress tracks" to aid in story development and .
-More standups.
-Awesome GM screen....man FFG knocked it out of the park with this one.
The cons...
-The book is about the size of one of the 4 books in the Core set (actually it's a little thin, more like the size of the tome of mysteries, or tome of Blessings), which is suitable for the price (esp. here on Amazon) but it left me wanting more, especially as a new GM.
-The book is soft cover, so wont stand up to abuse as much as a hardcover...though, to be fair, all the books in the core set and the one expansion adventure I picked up are the same. I think this just keeps them more affordable.
-I feel like this could have been included with the core set, perhaps as part of the "Tome of Adventure" but FFG is trying to make the most of their GW license here, and "expansion sets" are a big part of their business model.
Even if you are a veteran GM, the advice in this book could inspire you to step out of your established comfort zone and try a new story telling technique/formula. I think it's a great buy at Amazon.com as I purchased it at retail plus CA sales tax at my local game store. Amazon had not yet discounted this product when I decided to get it. Ultimately, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars due to how thin the book was. I think FFG could have packed a little more content in there for their suggested retail price.
Looking forward to the "Winds of Magic" expansion, hopefully Amazon will offer some sort of discount off of it's $50 price tag.

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The Game Master's Toolkit is a valuable resource for both new and veteran Game Masters. The toolkit is filled with a number of helpful tools and adventure seeds for Game Masters to enhance their Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay games, as well as provides more advice and suggestions to help refine their GM skills.The Game Master's Toolkit includes punchboard with more NPC and creature standups and tokens, new location and item cards, and introduces organisation sheets to integrate into your game. The toolkit also includes a sturdy, full colour, double-sided GM screen, and a full colour 48-page book.The book features invaluable tips and guidelines to help a GM manage the game, engage his players, and create memorable adventures for his group. The book includes a number of detailed episode templates to help cut down on prep time, as well as introduces new rules for nemesis characters and organisations to challenge the heroes. Armed with the resources found in this toolkit, a GM will always be ready for action.

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Dark Heresy: Dead Stars Review

Dark Heresy: Dead Stars
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Excellent production standards and brilliant ending to an equally brilliant series. Will require a good deal of work from the GM before running, but that's fine. What's included is excellent and provides many options for exansion. Well done.

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The Haarlock's Legacy Trilogy is a series of epic adventures that will determine the fate of the Calixis Sector.Terrible threats stir amongst the worlds visited by the mysterious Rogue Trader line of Haarlock. What has been left behind threatens everything the Inquisition has worked for in the Calixis Sector. Will your Acolytes be able to discover the secret of the Haarlock's Legacy in time?

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Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Signs of Faith Review

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Signs of Faith
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I'll say it again - Go the support section of the fantasy flight games website and download the set list pdf for the Warhammer line if you want to know whats inside.
Nothing unusual here, folks - Two skinny books, an adventure in one, punchouts, and cards.
What I liked -
Papa Nurgle - Oh yeah. Diseases. These are less of a game ender than mutations, since they can be cured. But oh boy, they are not something you want. It can create some amazing tension, if used correctly. It can also be a tool to really screw over your players. So keep that in mind. If you're not going to use them responsibly to drive the story, and if your players aren't going to appreciate the role-playing aspect - Leave them out. If used poorly, you will only lose here.
Of course there are more dark magic spells and the marks of nurgle that every budding champion of chaos is looking for. Monsters to kill too. I don't think the game supports campaigns high to enough to actually kill a great unclean one, but I'm sure it will in the future.
Expanded religious orders - I like them. I can see someone playing all of them. Especially Ulric and Myrmidia. In fact, you can have a complete party if you so choose, with just priests. Which is interesting but horribly unlikely in the warhammer world.
Background - I had no clue what Myrmidia was about, or any of the other cults not involving Sigmar or Ulric. So it was a good read for me. I also like the holidays and calendar. Good tools to immerse your game.
What I didn't like -
Lack of effective minor blessings- So you want to be a priest. And heal, but not just heal? Sorry buddy. Its Shallya or nothing. If they had more minor blessings, you could wing it more with a non shallya priest who heals.
Balance of Taal/Rhya - I don't get what they tried to do here. Two blessings for the price of one? Not only are the reckless and conservative sides different, they are in effect different blessings. Which can create a priest whose versatility far outweighs the other cults. Also, why give Rhya Medicene? It is a very rare skill to see. Shallya I understand, but not Rhya.
Needs more priestly items - There are very few here. Again, no prices as we saw in winds of magic.
This is still nonetheless an excellent product. You're probably going to want it, even if there are no Priests in your party.

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The Old World is a place of unending war and strife. The legions of Chaos threaten to demolish all bastions of civilization while spreading their corruption and heresy across the land. The Four Ruinous Powers continue to gather worshippers among the nobles and commonfolk alike, allowing them to spread their dark designs from within the Empire. Amidst this gathering darkness burns a light of hope that slowly gains strength, lit by those who follow the signs of faith... This supplement for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay introduces valuable background information on the Cults of the Empire as well as insights on the Ruinous Power Nurgle, the Plaguefather. For players, Signs of Faith introduces new rules for priests, dozens of new blessings across all nine major Empire faiths, and suggestions on how to play priest characters. GMs will find new rules for disease and Nurgle's daemonic minions, and players have access to ten new careers. In addition, Signs of Faith includes a complete adventure for GMs to test their players' newfound faith!

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