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GM Gems, Volume 1: A Collection of Game Master Inspiration by Goodman Games
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Domains of Dread: Ravenloft Campaign:
Steve Miller - 1997
Features new rules for creating heroes native to the domains, adapting magic to the demiplane, and dealing with fear and horror checks when the characters experience the true terror that dominates the Ravenloft "RM" campaign.Night is Falling. The Mists are RisingEmbrace the Darkness.Enter the dark and macabre world of Ravenloft.But beware -once you begin to walk among the mists and shadows,you can never leave.Domains of Dread is the core rulebook for the second edition of the award-winning RAVENLOFT campaign setting - the original fantasy horror role-playing game. Within the pages of this book, players and Dungeon Masters will discover the darkest secrets of the Land of the Mists, including many never-before-seen features:Detailed guidelines on designing anything from short-term horror adventures to long-running campaigns of twisted terror.Complete rules for generating player characters native to the Demiplane of Dread.Four new character classes specifically designed for use in RAVENLOFT campaigns - the avenger, the anchorite, the gypsy, and the arcanist!An all-new player character race - the half-Vistani!Updated and expanded descriptions of the Demiplane and the foul lords who rule its tortured domains!Revised fear, horror, and madness checks to enhance the terror.New rules for power checks, plus thirteen detailed steps that lead from grace to absolute corruption!Summary of content:1: The Demiplane of Dread: general description of Ravenloft, as well as a history and theories about the nature of the dark powers, and an overview of the technological levels in Ravenloft (from Stone Age to Renaissance)2: Domains of the Core3: Islands of Terror (Bluetspur, G´Henna, I´Cath, Kalidnay, Nosos, Odiare, Souragne and Vorostokov)4: Clusters (Amber Wastes (Har'Akir, Sebua and Pharazia), Zherisia (Paridon and Timor), the Burning Peaks (Vecna and Kas's domains) and Pockets (Davion, The House of Lament, The Nightmare Lands and Scaena)5: Secret Societies - short chapter on nine secret societies - Keepers of the Black Feather, Green Hand, Circle, Church of Ezra, Vistani, Carnival, Kargatane, Fraternity of Shadows, Unholy Order of the rave)6: Fear, Horror, and Madness rules7: Powers Checks rules8: The Path of the Priest - changes in the priest class9: The Way of the Wizard - changes for wizards.10: Mazes of the Mind - changes for psionics11: Forged of Darkness - changes for magical items12: The Whispered Evil - curses.13: Tenets of Terror - discussion about the general nature of Ravenloft adventures and campaignsAppendix: ability scores, character races, character classes (some new: Avengers (paladins), Arcanist (wizards), Anchorites (priest of Ezra), gypsy (bard)
GURPS Cyperpunk: High-Tech Low-Life Roleplaying
Lloyd Blankenship - 1990
-- The book that was confiscated by the Secret Service because they thought it contained hacking secrets (It doesn't)-- Nominated for the Origins Award for Best Roleplaying Supplement.
Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
Rodney Thompson - 2008
This campaign guide offers both players and Gamemasters a wide array of new options that can be used to craft a unique roleplaying game experience. As the galaxy plunges into one war after another, the forces of the Republic, along with their Jedi allies, struggle to protect themselves from hordes of invading Mandalorians, tyrannical Sith lords, and traitorous allies on every front. Featuring new game material drawn from a variety of sources, and including characters, weapons, vehicles, and droids, this book presents an entire campaign during the violent days of the Old Republic. This book also contains new Force powers, Force techniques, and Force secrets for Jedi and Sith characters, as well as new options for characters of all classes. Players can take advantage of new talents, feats, and other options to play a Mandalorian neo-crusader, a Republic soldier battling against the forces of Darth Revan and Darth Malak, or a Jedi in exile on the run from the Sith.
Kobold Guide to Plots & Campaigns (Kobold Guides Book 6)
Margaret WeisRobert J. Schwalb - 2016
Kobold Guide to Plots & Campaigns shows how to begin a new campaign, use published adventures or loot them for the best ideas, build toward cliffhangers, and design a game that can enthrall your players for month or even years. Want to run an evil campaign, or hurl the characters into unusual otherworldly settings? Want to ensure that you're creating memorable and effective NPCs and villains? We've got you covered. Complete with discussions on plotting, tone, branching storytelling, pacing, and crafting action scenes, you'll find all the tips and advice you need to take on the best role in roleplaying--and become an expert gamemaster, too! Featuring essays by Wolfgang Baur, Jeff Grubb, David "Zeb" Cook, Margaret Weis, Robert J. Schwalb, Steve Winter, and other game professionals.
Deadlands: The Weird West Roleplaying Game
Shane Lacy Hensley - 1996
The American Civil War rages on, neither side able to establish a clear advantage. Most of California has fallen into the sea. The Sioux Nations have reclaimed the Dakotas. And the dead walk among us. In Deadlands: The Weird West Roleplaying Game, players take on the roles of hexslinging hucksters, mad scientists armed with weird, steampunk gizmos, deadly gunfighters, fearless Indian braves, and wizened shamans. In 1863, a vengeful warband called the Last Sons unleashed the manitous upon humanity, and nothing has been the same since.
Ten Candles
Stephen Dewey - 2015
It is played by the light of ten tea light candles which provide atmosphere, act as a countdown timer for the game, and allow you to literally burn your character sheet away as you play. Ten Candles is described as a "tragic horror" game rather than survival horror for one main reason: in Ten Candles there are no survivors. In the final scene of the game, when only one candle remains, all of the characters will die. In this, Ten Candles is not a game about "winning" or beating the monsters. Instead, it is a game about what happens in the dark, and about those who try to survive within it. It is a game about being pushed to the brink of madness and despair, searching for hope in a hopeless world, and trying to do something meaningful with your final few hours left. Ten Candles may be played with any number of players and one gamemaster. It takes between 2-4 hours for an average session. While there are some components that need to be gathered to run a game (such as ten tea light candles), the game requires no addition preparation by the gamemaster. The setting of Ten Candles will change game to game as the gamemaster selects different "modules" to run for an ever-changing lineup of doomed characters and scenarios for them to play within. The antagonists of the game also change, leaving you to fight nightmares in one session only to fight sentient shadows, bloodthirsty clowns, or the gods themselves in the next. Every session of Ten Candles is unique and will present an entirely new tragic story for you to tell.The standard setting of Ten Candles is this: Ten days ago the world went dark. The sky betrayed you. The sun vanished. The fall into chaos was sudden and predictable. The world was filled with riots and fear. You were told that the sun was not gone, and that it was still out there beyond that black sky. Order returned. Five days ago, They came. Now the lights flicker low and the dark is where They hunt. Now you can hear the screams. Now They're coming for you. Keep moving. Don't lose hope. And stay in the light.
Star Wars: Force and Destiny Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook
Max Brooke - 2015
Whatever your path, the Force and Destiny Core Rulebook contains all the information players and Game Masters need to launch a roleplaying campaign set in the Star Wars® universe.The beautifully illustrated, 448-page Core Rulebook details everything from using the narrative dice system in combat and creating Force-sensitive characters to the mythology of the Jedi order and locations inside Sith space. It is the fundamental book and launching point for any Force and Destiny campaign.The Force and Destiny Core Rulebook features:An introduction to roleplaying in the Star Wars universeClear and concise rules for skill checks, combat, and using the ForceSix careers, eight species, and eighteen specializations for Force-sensitive charactersDetailed background information on galactic geography, politics, and the Jedi and Sith ordersDescriptions and data for numerous starships, vehicles, weapons and other gearA catalogue of NPC adversaries to thwart players during your campaignA complete introductory adventure, Lessons from the PastHelpful advice for GMs about running games of Force and Destiny
Traveller Core Rulebook: Science-Fiction Adventure in the Far Future
Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan - 2008
Mayday, Mayday... we are under attack... main drive is gone... turret number one not responding... Mayday...losing cabin pressure fast...calling anyone...please help... This is Free Trader Beowulf... Mayday... Traveller, the Science-Fiction adventure set in the far future returns in a new edition, updated and revised for the modern era.
Fading Suns
Bill Bridges - 1999
It's far-future setting allows stories from many genres: fantasy, horror, post-apocalypse, and more. Characters wield swords and blasters and fly starships to lost worlds, ancient ruins, verdant jungles or blasted wastelands. They encounter conniving nobles, vain priests, cunning merchants, bizarre alien creatures, evil occultists, and bodiless entitites from across gulfs of space and time. In other words, Fading Suns has everything a roleplaying game setting could possibly need. The Second Edition hardcover rulebook includes new rules adjustments based on the extensive playtesting and suggestions by players from all over the world, as well as new history, psychic powers and rites, and extensive equipment rules.
Adventurer's Vault
Logan Bonner - 2008
Whether you're a player looking for a new piece of equipment or a Dungeon Master stocking a dragon's hoard, this book has exactly what you need.The book features a mix of classic items updated to the 4th Edition rules and brand-new items never before seen in D&D.
Street Samurai Catalog
Tom Dowd - 1990
A predator-for-hire in the savage urban world of Shadowrun. You've devoted your life to honing your combat and martial skills. The tools of your trade are airfoil grenades, form-fitting body armor, and an Ares Crusader machine-pistol. An expansion for Shadowrun, the Street Samurai Catalog will let you outfit yourself with the latest equipment available on the black market: retractable hand razors, ultrasonic sights, enhanced reflexes, and maybe a rangefinder for your cybereyes. Whatever you need to get the job done, you can find it here, but it won't be cheap. And remember to watch your back before someone decides to make you yesterday's news.
Divine Power: A 4th Edition D&D Supplement
Rob Heinsoo - 2009
New options for clerics, paladins, and other divine characters.This tome focuses on the divine heroes: characters whose powers rely on their faith as much as their sword, providing new archetypal builds for the cleric, paladin, and other divine classes, including new character powers, feats, paragon paths, and epic destinies.
Clanbook: Lasombra
Richard Dansky - 1996
Unseen even by mirrors, these lords of darkness glide through the night they rule, orchestrating the rise and fall of Kindred and kine alike. From the Sahara Desert to the Spanish Main, from the monasteries of Seville to the mean streets of New York City, no other clan so embodies what it means to be a vampire.Clanbook: Lasombra includes:* The History of the clan and the foul diablerie of its progenitor;* Details on the clan's sinister rites and depraved games;* New Merits, Flaws and Obtenebration powers.
Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting
Mike McArtorJeff Grubb - 2008
The Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting provides classic adventuring style and cutting-edge game design perfectly suitable for the world’s most popular roleplaying game!Note: Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide has replaced this volume as the main Pathfinder campaign setting book. The newer volume has been expanded and updated, and is designed for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. And the PDF is cheaper, too!Cover art by Wayne Reynolds