OSR Christmas - Day 9 - 'Tis Nearly the New Year!

Yeah, this post was supposed to have been posted yesterday. Ah well, it is here, today, so let's get to it  - Tenkar

PS - I'll be diving into outstanding emails from the last few days of OSR Christmas tonight and tomorrow - Tenkar

The following gifts will be gifted on Tuesday, January 2, at some point after 7 PM Eastern, so make sure you comment before the cut-off and check back here on the blog side to see if you are receiving a gift from OSR Christmas Day 9.

If you want to be considered for an OSR Christmas Day 9 gift, simply comment below before 7 PM, Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024. PLEASE include if you are in the US. 

From DiceBro:

• PDF Bundle of issues1-3 of Wizard Funk, an OSR zine

• OSR Stickers and Barrowmaze patches to give away (1 US)

From The Knotty Works:

• Bundle of BX Game Options Volume I-XII in PDF

From On the Tabletop:

•     PDF copy of Holmes & Clark, along with digital goodies

From James Mishler Games:

• Set of 12 PDFs (by my count) of James Mishler releases for Shadowdark as well as the Isle of Eldisor for Labyrinth Lord in PDF

From Tenkar's Tavern:

$10 DTRPG Gift Certificate

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar   

Humble Bundle - 2023 Cinematic Adventures RPG from Evil Genius Games

I remember this system and this series of supplements recently being Kickstarted. I know literally nothing about the Everyday Heroes RPG (ah, Modern 20 5e-ified) or its rules system, but the sourcebooks are damn tempting.

Not sure? One buck gets you the Everyday Heroes core rules and the Escape From New York adventure. Surely that's worth a buck :)

For 18 bucks, you get the full Everyday Heroes Bundle - core rules, Escape From New York, Universal Soldier, Rambo, Total Recall, Highlander, Pacific Rim, Kong: Skull Island, and The Crow. That's one hell of a line-up.

Don’t forget to pack the popcorn for your next RPG night, because it’s time to bring the movies to your table! This bundle from Evil Genius is packed with games inspired by some of the silver screen's most exciting names. Get ready to walk in the shoes of elite special forces fighters and take on larger-than-life missions in Rambo, based on the beloved films and fully compatible with 5e! Hop into your Jaeger and protect mankind from vicious kaiju in the 5e-compatible Pacific Rim! And more! Get games based on The Crow, Kong Island, Highlander, and other great films, and help support Gameheads with your purchase!

 

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar    

OSR Christmas - Gifting the Gifts for "Christmas Day is for Arduin and Monkey Blood!" - Day 7

Welcome to Day 7 of OSR Christmas for 2023, awarding of the gifts. Note that Day 8 of OSR Christmas was on the Talking Crit Livestream, on Wednesday Night @ 8 PM Eastern, December 27th, 2023. Day 9 will be here, on the blog, tomorrow, December 29th, 2023.

If your name is found below one of the following gifts, you are receiving that gift. Email me at tenkarsDOTtavern at that gmail thing. PLEASE include "OSR Christmas Day 7" in the subject, and please mention the gift you are receiving in the body of the email. This makes it easier for me to match up everything.

Note - if you are awaiting a gift from Day 6 of OSR Christmas or earlier, email me, with "OSR Christmas Day X", where X= the day in question, and mention the gift you are waiting on in the body of the email.

From MonkeyBlood: 

juboke

1x The Cartomancer 2 Bundle (physical boxed set containing all three HandyMaps content) delivered anywhere in the world for free. https://monkeyblooddesign.co.uk/product/bundle-handymaps-the-cartomancer-2/

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

From Emperors' Choice:

RhinoDino1973

• An Arduin Bundle with the hardcover trilogy 1-3, all the grimoires 4 - 9, and Vaults of the Weaver, which has 7 Dungeons in It. All printed material worth $155.00 bundle for Christmas Day! (Note - US Only)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

From DiceBro:

Pen, Dice & Paper

• PDF Bundle of issues1-3 of Wizard Funk, an OSR zine

Thraxis & AEIOU

• OSR Stickers and Barrowmaze patches to give away (1 US/1 Int)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

From On the Tabletop:

Jonathan

•     Softcover copy of Holmes & Clark (OSR Ruleset) (US Only)

Major E

•     PDF copy of Holmes & Clark, along with digital goodies

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

From James Mishler Games:

AronBC

• Set of 12 PDFs (by my count) of James Mishler releases for Shadowdark as well as the Isle of Eldisor for Labyrinth Lord in PDF

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

From Tenkar's Tavern:

Lando_The_Archmagi

$10 DTRPG Gift Certificate

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar    

OSR Christmas - Gifting the Gifts from Day 5

Welcome to Day 5 of OSR Christmas for 2023, awarding of the gifts. Note that Day 8 of OSR Christmas will be on the Talking Crit Livestream, on Wednesday Night @ 8 PM Eastern, December 27th, 2023. The gifts will be given around 9 pm Eastern. Drop in and comment!

If your name is found below one of the following gifts, you are receiving that gift. Email me at tenkarsDOTtavern at that gmail thing. PLEASE include "OSR Christmas Day 5" in the subject, and please mention the gift you are receiving. This makes it easier for me to match up everything.

From The Knotty Works:

Bundle of BX Game Options Volume I-XII in PDF

Connwulf

From DiceBro:

1 PDF Bundles of issues1-3 of Wizard Funk, an OSR zine

MGSherm 

1 Set of OSR Stickers and Barrowmaze patches - International Shipping!

Kevin N 

From On the Tabletop:

  1 PDF copies of Holmes & Clark, along with digital goodies

ch\/\/olfgang

From James Mishler Games:

1 Set of 12 PDFs (by my count) of James Mishler releases for Shadowdark as well as the Isle of Eldisor for Labyrinth Lord in PDF

Mark Goetzinger

From Tenkar's Tavern:

1 - $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate

Ryan—Aqualith Media

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar    

Sorry for the Interruption...

but today went a little pear-shaped at the end. Fires are put out, and everything is fixed (for now - heh), but I am emotionally drained and physically worn out..

OSR Christmas emails? The first thing to address after Rach's appointment in the morning.

OSR Christmas in general? More tomorrow.

Now, some well-deserved rest :)

OSR Christmas - Christmas Day is for Arduin and Monkey Blood! - Day 7

I know, I haven't distributed gifts yet for OSR Christmas Days 4, 5, and 6! I know, this weekend was a time crunch, and I'll be tackling that gift-giving TOMORROW, December 26th.

The following gifts will be gifted on Thursday, December 28th, at some point after 7 PM Eastern, so make sure you comment before the cut-off and check back here to see if you are receiving a gift from OSR Christmas Day 7.

If you want to be considered for an OSR Christmas Day 7 gift, simply comment below before 7 PM, Thursday, December 28th. PLEASE include if you are in the US. ONLY US ADDRESSES WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR THE ARDUIN BUNDLE.

From MonkeyBlood: 

• 1x The Cartomancer 2 Bundle (physical boxed set containing all three HandyMaps content) delivered anywhere in the world for free. https://monkeyblooddesign.co.uk/product/bundle-handymaps-the-cartomancer-2/

From Emperors' Choice:

• An Arduin Bundle with the hardcover trilogy 1-3, all the grimoires 4 - 9, and Vaults of the Weaver, which has 7 Dungeons in It. All printed material worth $155.00 bundle for Christmas Day! (Note - US Only)

From DiceBro:

• PDF Bundle of issues1-3 of Wizard Funk, an OSR zine

• OSR Stickers and Barrowmaze patches to give away (1 US/1 Int)

From On the Tabletop:

•     Softcover copy of Holmes & Clark (OSR Ruleset) (US Only)

•     PDF copy of Holmes & Clark, along with digital goodies

From James Mishler Games:

• 12 Sets of 12 PDFs (by my count) of James Mishler releases for Shadowdark as well as the Isle of Eldisor for Labyrinth Lord in PDF

From Tenkar's Tavern:

$10 DTRPG Gift Certificate

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar    

Finally Got to Look at the D&D Terrain Case

I'm enjoying Christmas at the family farm, which is a long (almost exactly 12 hours) drive from where I live & work. That's too long of a drive for me so I tend to break it down into two 6 hour drive times. On my way up I managed to stop by an Ollies and pick up a copy of the D&D terrain case and the creature case. I had actually seen these for sale a a game store for $65, online for a bit under $20, and I paid $2.75....

I mention the prices not as a humble-brag, which would be applicable since I am a Midwesterner and it's common for us to say what price we paid for something as a casual part of conversation. I mention it know because I wanted to see how much value I felt there was in this product.

I'm going to only cover the Terrain Case because that's what I have in-hand and I'm not putting on pants, going outside, and digging through the truck to find the other case amongst the Christmas presents I have to unload later. Yes, I'm lazy....deal with it.

I'm probably going to be a bit petty about this "review" because if Hasbro (and that one game store) wanted me to pay $65, it better be a damned fine product.

The box has a hefty weight to it and my first issue was trying to actually open the thing. The outer wrap is glued pretty well and I had to flip it a few times to find a weakness I could rip off. While I had a knife I was loathe to use it because I didn't want to scratch the case.

Case is pretty enough, but I really don't care for the thick rope handle. It seems out of place aesthetically and the case isn't so heavy it has to have a handle. Now if I had a small issue opening the outer wrap I'm damned if I can get this actual case opened easily. Seriously? Do I need to look up a effing unboxing video to figure it out? 

Ok, now I feel stupid, but it actually opened easily, just not the way I was trying to open it. The sides of the case have a small V cutout at the top/front and between these cutouts and the stupid rope handle make sit seem obvious that the internal box slides out of an external box. No....the top of the case is magnetic and it flips open, revealing a forest path scene on the inside of the lid and a removable tray set on top of a larger tray/open-sided box. The inside box has two paper-wrapped tile sets and the smaller removable tray has a big red ribbon sticking out of it. Pulling up the ribbon lets you remove the folded map board and an actual folder containing five pages of static clings.

Ok the clings are pretty cool and the maps/tiles are both wet & dry erasable marker capable.  There are really only two map designs: generic grassland & generic stone. That's it.

Honestly I'm not impressed. Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty case, but $65.....no. Now if I paid $65 to Hasbro I'd get a digital DMG, but I don't want/need a digital DMG. Not knocking the game, but if I played it and was looking for terrain that means I'm the DM and I would already have the fricken DMG. Even if I didn't have a digital copy if that had value to me then I'd have already bought the thing. Adding something I don't want/need that costs the company nothing does not magically add $30 of value to a physical product.

Now I like the clings. I will use the clings, BUT.....I really wish they had provided a handful (five maybe) of empty cling backing sheets because once I remove a cling from the sheet, it's not going back on perfectly. Trying to fiddle with this in-game will prove to be an exercise in frustration. Now going ahead and peeling off all of the on-item cling and throwing it away gives me a lot more wiggle-room to replace items. Instead of spending money on producing a rope handle or and art insert I'll not use, give me something useful.

Speaking of useful, only two map designs? Really? Between the tiles and the foldable map that's four surfaces. If they had switched out the designs on the tiles then I could have used them with the foldable. A marsh map, rubble, rocky/hilly, cart path, creek, river, generic water......anything would have greatly increased the value of this terrain product.

IMNSHO the D&D Terrain Case is not worth the MSR of $65. It is too much style over substance and I think it isn't worth $20. Actually it is worth $20, but probably not to one person. I think any GM can get good use out of the clings and as far as the maps or tiles....pick one. I think I'd prefer the folding map, but I could totally see assembling the tiles and pre-drawing my map on it and then number & break it back up. As you play you only have to lay down the tiles as you need them. It really depends on your particular style. If I was running a con game I might like the tiles, already loaded with clings (obviously where appropriate) that lets me save time trying to draw things out during the limited convention game time.

Pro (ok personal experience) tip: If you're running multiple games (I'm specifically thinking multiple games at once as a head GM), but this will work for one game at a time as well, you can go to a fabric store and purchase clear vinyl "fabric" of various thickness/gauge material. It's normally 3-6' wide and sold by running foot. You can cut that up into smaller bits and draw your map out as individual rooms/halls, essentially creating your own clings! When you have multiple tables going at once you can easily lay one piece of vinyl over another and trace out a copy so all the table GMs have the same map layout all prepped in advanced.

Lastly....Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you all get to enjoy the holiday with friends and loved ones.