Never Unprepared: The Complete Game Master's Guide to Session Prep


Phil Vecchione - 2012
    To our knowledge, this is the first book entirely devoted to the process of prepping for tabletop RPGs.Never Unprepared breaks game prep down into its component phases—Brainstorming, Selection, Conceptualization, Documentation, and Review—and provides the tools you need to make the most of each phase. If you hate prep, you’ll find ways to make it more enjoyable. If you already have a great system for doing your prep, you’ll learn how to make it even better. Ten years in the making, Never Unprepared is award-winning author Phil Vecchione’s epic rock ballad to game prep.

Legend of the Five Rings RPG


Shawn Carman - 2010
    Bushido’s staunch and unyielding code of conduct binds samurai to duty, strengthening their character and defining their choices. While some samurai serve the greater good, others use the strictures of Bushido to manipulate the lower ranks and advance their own power.Eight Great Clans form the heart of Rokugan’s culture. Each is defined by its own principles, values, and agendas. Each sees the Code of Bushido in its own way. Each seeks to serve the Emperor with its own unique talents. Take up the soul of your ancestors — the samurai’s daisho — and fight for the glory and honor of your family and Clan. Now is the time for heroes, in a world where Honor is a force more powerful than Steel.The Fourth Edition of L5R is the ultimate edition of the award-winning role-playing game. Inside this tome, you will find:• A game unlike any you’ve played elsewhere. Honor and service are valued more than magic swords taken from wandering ogres. Prepare for the glorious life of the samurai!• A unique Character Sheet. Legend of the Five Rings rules have never been more easy to learn and to play. No more need to flip through pages of rules while fighting your enemies!• A toolbox approach to role-playing in Rokugan. Fourth Edition encourages gamemasters of Legend of the Five Rings to customize their game, adding or removing from their campaigns as they see fit, customizing the game to fit their story lines and players.• A broad history of the Emerald Empire and the beliefs of all the Great Clans, with play options not only the major clans but also for outlying groups such as Imperials, Minor Clans, and the infamous Spider Clan.Draw your blade and join the fight for Rokugan.

Aberrant


Glenn Fabry - 1999
    We are the celebrities, the heroes, the villains, the legends, the shining icons of our times. We are novas, and we will bring about a new golden Age... and you will like it.Golden age -- or Hell on Earth? To the residents of the Trinity Universe, the 21st century was a monstrous era when mad gods ran rampant across the world. But is this truth -- or OpNet propaganda? What was the Age of Aberrants really like? Find out the truth. It's not what you expect.Aberrant is a core rulebook and prequel to the Trinity science-fiction game. Set in the early 21st century, before the devastating war against humanity, this new complete roleplaying game allows you to be one of these doomed beings of vast power, and to experience their struggles to avoid the coming cataclysm.

Changeling: The Dreaming


Ian Lemke - 1997
    Only the world of humanity remains. Without any awareness of our true nature, humankind crushes us beneath its banal heel. Joy and laughter are gone; only the Dreaming remains.We are changelings, the forgotten ones, neither fully fae nor wholly mortal. The last of our kind on Earth, we have built ourselves an invisible kingdom. We are everywhere, yet you have never seen us. We hide, not behind some fragile Masquerade, but in plain sight with the power of our Glamour. We exist within a real world of make-believe where "imaginary" things can kill and" "pretend" monsters are real.The storytelling game of modern fantasy. The Kithain are heirs to Earth's secret kingdom of faerie. And yet they are only part fae; they are forced to adopt mortal guises to survive disbelief in magic. The fae must strive to forestall the coming Winter and bring about an endless Spring lest Banality consume all and the Dreaming be lost.Changeling Second Edition features a clarified and expanded setting and cosmology, as well as completely new and revised rules. Yet it's fully compatible with first edition and the rest of the Storyteller games. A full-color, hardcover book with art and graphics like you've never seen before.

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.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Rulebook


Green Ronin Publishing - 2005
    Inside this Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay rulebook you'll find a quick system for character creation, a simple yet robust set of rules, a unique career-based system of character advancement and over 100 careers, details on the Empire and the Old World, a complete introductory adventure and a new short story by Dan Abnett.

Clanbook: Malkavian


Daniel Greenberg - 1995
    No they don't. Madness is often only a step away from enlightenment and, for some, is a step beyond. No it isn't. Now learn how the Malkavians twist the world for their benefit. You won't learn a thing. Discover the truth of their madness. It's too late for that. Clanbook: Malkavian includes: * The history of the clan and the true depth of its member's insanities;* 10 sample characters suitable for players and Storytellers; and* ιφ ψου χαν ρεαδ τηισ, ψου αρε οφφιχιαλλψ τραγιχαλλψ ηιπ.

The Ultimate RPG Gameplay Guide: Role-Play the Best Campaign Ever—No Matter the Game!


James D’Amato - 2019
    Whatever RPG game you play, from D&D to Call of Cthulu to licensed games like Star Wars, every detail is important. From setting the scene to choosing the right music or even adjusting the lighting to create the right atmosphere, every choice helps maximize your gaming experience. The Ultimate RPG Gameplay Guide provides practical advice for everything from pre-game preparations and in-game improvisation to working out a plan of attack with your teammates to learning how to lean into the setting of your game. Including instructions, prompts, and activities, it offers everything you need for successful, fun role-playing with your friends every time you play. Create hours of narrative and make the most out of your storytelling skills by setting the perfect scene for your adventure. Whether you need advice on your character or working better with your gaming group, James D’Amato includes everything you’ll need to take your game to the next level.

Strongholds & Followers


Matthew Colville - 2018
    Raise armies! Research spells! Spy on your enemies! More than just a set of rules and charts, this book also describes a style of play that assumes your character becomes more interested in influencing the world around them. You’ll still adventure and fight monsters, but this supplement gives you tons of fun things to do during your downtime. It only takes one character building a stronghold to radically change the nature of a campaign and introduce new narrative opportunities for GM and players alike! Huge new story opportunities arise! This book includes tons of examples for GMs to inspire them.

Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It


David M. Ewalt - 2013
    Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: The game has had a profound influence on our culture. Released in 1974—decades before the Internet and social media—Dungeons & Dragons is one of the original ultimate nerd subcultures, and is still revered by more than thirty million fans. Now, the authoritative history and magic of the game is revealed by an award-winning journalist and life-long dungeon master.From its origins on the battlefields of ancient Europe, through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides, and to its apotheosis as father of the modern video game industry, Of Dice and Men recounts the development of a game played by some of the most fascinating people in the world. Chronicling the surprising history of D&D’s origins (one largely unknown even to hardcore players) while examining the game’s profound impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences. An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on America’s most popular (and widely misunderstood) form of collaborative entertainment.

Wraith: The Oblivion


Richard Dansky - 1996
    This isn't heaven. This isn't hell. This isn't anything you could have imagined. Death wasn't the end. Death wasn't the answer. Death was just the beginning. So what do you do? Do you listen to the voice inside your head telling you just to let go? Or do you still fight, still love, still feel the passion that won't let you rest? Oblivion's the easy way out. Life after death is hard. Choose. You have eternity to weigh the consquences.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Mythic Adventures


Jason BulmahnTracy Hurley - 2013
    Many adventurers pick up swords or call upon strange powers in times of trouble, yet only a few are chosen by fate or the gods to change the course of history. These are mythic heroes—legendary figures whose every footstep shakes the heavens. With Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Mythic Adventures, it's your turn to change the world. Choose a mythic path and take on unbelievable powers by completing mythic trials tied to your character's story. Each mythic path works in parallel with your character class, allowing you to continue advancing in your chosen calling even as you seek a greater destiny. Best of all, you can start playing a mythic character at any point—even as early as 1st level!Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Mythic Adventures is a must-have companion volume to the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. This imaginative tabletop game builds on more than 10 years of system development and open playtests featuring more than 50,000 gamers to create a cutting-edge RPG experience that brings the all-time best-selling set of fantasy rules into a new era.Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Mythic Adventures is a 256-page hardcover book that includes:- Complete rules for playing mythic characters of six different paths: archmage, champion, guardian, hierophant, marshal, and trickster.- New mythic feats for every class, such as Powerful Shape, which allows druids to transform into enormous animals, or Deadly Stroke, which lets a mythic character dispatch even a formidable enemy with a single blow.- A whole grimoire of new and supercharged spells. Bring down a castle with a mythic meteor swarm, transform the landscape with terraform, or make every memory and record of someone disappear with mythic modify memory!- Tons of monsters enhanced with mythic abilities and ready to challenge your heroes, from dragons to vampires!- A hoard of new mythic magic items and artifacts. Brandish the sword of inner fire, capable of burning even elemental creatures, or turn your enemies to stone with the medusa-headed shield aegis!- A complete mythic adventure for 7th-level characters.- Advice on running a mythic game and forging your own legends.... and much, much more!Cover art by Wayne Reynolds

Edge of the Empire Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook


Jay Little - 2013
    The Empire struggles to maintain its grip on the galaxy in the midst of civil war. On the edge of the Empire, scoundrels and smugglers, bounty hunters and bandits, explorers and exiles all scramble for a living.Embark on your own adventures in the Star Wars galaxy with the Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Roleplaying Game. This complete tabletop roleplaying game explores the lawless fringes of the Empire. Flee from Imperial entanglements, double-deal with Hutts and gangsters, and jump to lightspeed in the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.This core rulebook includes:• A dynamic dice mechanic that goes beyond success and failure to enhancenarrative gameplay.• Full playable rules for six careers, nineteen specializations, and eightspecies, enabling flexible character creation and development.• Obligation rules to invest player characters in the story of Edge of the Empire.• Starship combat, customizable equipment. Force powers, dangerousadversaries, and much, much more!

GURPS Illuminati: The World is Stranger Than You Think


Nigel Findley - 1995
    -- Ties in with current Hollywood hits...aliens and conspiracy -- Illustrated by award-winning cartoonist and satirist Alexis Gilliland.

Dragon Age RPG Set 1


Chris Pramas - 2010
    Based on the smash hit Dragon Age: Origins computer game, the Dragon Age RPG brings the excitement of BioWare's rich fantasy world to the tabletop. Make your own heroes and control your own destiny in the lands of Ferelden and beyond. Designed by award-winning author Chris Pramas (Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Freeport), Dragon Age features an all-new game system that's both easy to learn and exciting to play, the perfect portal to tabletop roleplaying. This classic style boxed set includes a Player's Guide, Game Master's Guide, poster map, and dice: everything you need to get started, from character creation and rules of play to GM advice and an introductory adventure. So gather your friends, grab some dice, and get ready to enter a world of heroes and villains, of knights and darkspawn, of gods and demons...the world of Dragon Age