Truth in advertising - I am NOT a huge Supers fan when it comes to RPGs. Love the movies and the series, enjoyed the comics back in the day. It's just that the Supers Bug in RPGs never quite bit me.
Well, this week there is a Supers Sales at DTRPG, (titles above are 80% off) and if you ARE bitten by the bug, I'm quite sure you'll find a title or three that is right up your alley.
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
A revised second printing of the core rules, the game’s first official sourcebook, and our premiere graphic novel, all in one bundle!
First things first. If you own the first printing of Ascendant, it is now out of print but it is fully compatible with Ascendant: Platinum Edition. You do not need the Platinum Edition. If you missed it the first time around, this is your opportunity to snag one of the better supers RPGs I've come across, if not the best. I love the genre, but I have high standards for RPGs in that genre
In the 496-page Ascendant core rulebook, you get the following:
Elegant game mechanics that simulate the physics of a comic-book world using easy-to-reference real-life benchmarks.
A color-coded challenge action resolution table (CHART) that resolves complex actions with super speed.
An infinitely scalable system that lets you play heroes of any power level, from streetfighters to living gods, and replicate virtually any character from your favorite anime, comic, manga, or movie settings.
Countless customizable powers using an easy-to-use modifier tag system that matches your powers specific to your character concept.
Comprehensive detective mechanics for investigating crimes, interviewing witnesses, and finding clues.
Detailed options for super-geniuses to create inventions, cure diseases, and even bring their outlandish devices into mass production.
Extensive rules for responding to emergencies such as asteroid strikes, avalanches, disease outbreaks, earthquakes, fires, nuclear disasters, tornados, tsunamis, and volcanoes.
A huge catalog of pre-built characters and objects, including major military vehicles like aircraft carriers, attack submarines, and ballistic missiles.
A dynamic mission generation system to help you create challenges for your heroes.
An optional campaign setting with ready-to-use heroes, villains, and organizations.
Spectacular full-color artwork by industry-leading pencilers, inkers, and colorists.
An interview with Alex Macris, author of Ascendant
The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links.
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
A PDF archive of almost everything released for Mutants & Masterminds first edition and second edition! That’s 56 PDF-format books for a bit over 50 cents each!
7 PDF books from Mutants & Masterminds first edition, including the core rulebook and the Freedom City setting, the books that launched it all 20 years ago!
These M&M 1e products, such as Noir and Gimmick’s Guide to Gadgets, have never before appeared in PDF format.
49 M&M second edition products, from the core rules to sourcebooks like Ultimate Power to PDF-only releases.
Just $29.99 for 56 PDF products comes to just a bit over fifty cents per PDF!
The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links.
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
My history with the various Palladium RPGs is a bit mixed. My first pick-up was Mechanoids - never played but full of inspirational ideas. Then Recon, which I could NEVER convince my group to play. Palladium Fantasy was huge for a while though, and we played Rifts for years. Heck, I even grabbed TMNT. Go figure, I know ;)
I think the only Palladium RPG we never tried, or at least read, back in the 80s and 90s was Heroes Unlimited.
The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links.
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
If memory serves me correctly, ICONS has been around in one form or another since 2010 or 2011. The revised, or "Assembled Edition" of ICONS came about in 2014. I've heard nothing but praise for ICONS, although I myself am not a huge fan of supers games. Love the genre in comic books and movies, less so in RPGs. Not sure why.
The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on YouTube. - Tenkar
In truth, I don't know much about Gallant Knight Games. I know they have an association with Barrel Rider Games, but beyond that, I know little of what they do, aside from the fact that much of it is OSR related.
Inspired by gritty Iron Age comics, FALLEN JUSTICE is a no-holds barred, bloody knuckled homage to powerless vigilante stories. Powered by the Venerable Knight Classics chassis, this classically inspired d20 RPG is heavily based on White Box roleplaying, but features some modern narrative mechanics.
Take on the role of a brutal vigilante out to clean the streets by force and get ready to sink your fists into the faces of low-life criminals everywhere. This book contains no setting and is designed to be a toolbox to tell your own stories, but it is otherwise a complete game.
The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.
You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on YouTube - Tenkar
Let me get a few things out of the way. I'd rather be upfront than hear whispers in the dark.
1) Ascendant is written and published by Alexander Macris. I know there is a segment of the gaming community that has a hard-on for Alex. If you are covered by the prior statement, you can bugger off right now. This post isn't for you.
2) I consider Alex a friend. More than an acquaintance, less than a bestie. Still, it may color some of my observations, so you should be informed. Also, see Number 1, above.
3) Although I am a fan of the superhero genre, I've yet to find a supers RPG that I've felt comfortable with. At best, they've been "blah".
4) I bought the Print plus PDF version of Ascendant. Currently, the Print version is not for sale as it is being updated with errata. This purchase was made possible with your money, the readers of this fine blog, as it was funded by affiliate monies. This is NOT a review copy. When I do a review (so many books, so little time) it will be without obligations.
5) Alex DID send me the first chapter of his upcomingAscendantgraphic novel in PDF. I have done little more than look at some pretty pictures at this point.
6) The fucker has gone Platinum at DTRPG in 2 1/2 months. Very impressive.
Until tomorrow morning at 11 AM Eastern, Ascendant is marked down to 10 bucks in PDF from its normal 20 bucks.
Here's the sales blurb:
Ascendant is the superpowered role-playing game of infinite possibilities. In this 496-page standalone rulebook, you get:
Elegant game mechanics that swiftly simulate the physics of a comic-book world using easy-to-reference real-life benchmarks
Color-coded challenge action resolution tables that resolve complex actions with superspeed
Infinitely scalable system lets you play heroes of any power level, from streetfighters to living gods – and replicate virtually any character from your favorite anime, comic, manga, or movie settings
Countless powers all customizable with an easy-to-use system of modifier tags that lets you match your power’s specifics to your character concept
Comprehensive detective mechanics for investigating crimes, interviewing witnesses, and finding clues
Detailed options for super-geniuses to create inventions, cure diseases, and even bring their outlandish devices into mass production
Extensive rules for responding to emergencies such as asteroid strikes, avalanches, disease outbreaks, earthquakes, fires, nuclear disasters, tornados, tsunamis, and volcanoes
A huge catalog of pre-built characters and objects including major military vehicles such as aircraft carriers, attack submarines, and ballistic missiles
A dynamic mission generation system to help you create challenges for your heroes
An optional campaign setting with ready-to-use heroes, villains, and organizations
Spectacular artwork by industry-leading pencilers, inkers, and colorists
The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.
You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar
Let me get a few things out of the way. I'd rather be upfront than hear whispers in the dark.
1) Ascendant is written and published by Alexander Macris. I know there is a segment of the gaming community that has a hard-on for Alex. If you are covered by the prior statement, you can bugger off right now. This post isn't for you.
2) I consider Alex a friend. More than an acquaintance, less than a bestie. Still, it may color some of my observations, so you should be informed. Also, see Number 1, above.
3) Although I am a fan of the superhero genre, I've yet to find a supers RPG that I've felt comfortable with. At best, they've been "blah".
4) I literally just spent 55 bucks plus shipping for the Print plus PDF version of Ascendant. This is your money, the readers of this fine blog, as it was funded by affiliate monies. This is NOT a review copy.
5) Alex DID send me the first chapter of his upcomingAscendantgraphic novel in PDF. I have done little more than look at some pretty pictures at this point. I'm impressed but need more Covid-free focus before actually reading it.
6) I wanted to let my readers know that Ascendant was on sale in PDF for the next 6 days, as part of the New Year, New Game Sale at DTRPG. There are many other fine RPGs for sale too. Your purchases will fund further reviews.
7) The fucker has gone Gold in less than a month. That's pretty impressive. It's also the #1 Bestseller as I type this.
K, enough of that. I'll need to read Ascendant before reviewing it (reviews return to The Tavern in 2022). Your money will be used to review books YOU may be interested in. No obligations to do a positive spin. No "reviewer's copy so no negative reviews" bullshit. Simply honest reactions.
Here's the sales blurb:
Ascendant is the superpowered role-playing game of infinite possibilities. In this 496-page standalone rulebook, you get:
Elegant game mechanics that swiftly simulate the physics of a comic-book world using easy-to-reference real-life benchmarks
Color-coded challenge action resolution tables that resolve complex actions with superspeed
Infinitely scalable system lets you play heroes of any power level, from streetfighters to living gods – and replicate virtually any character from your favorite anime, comic, manga, or movie settings
Countless powers all customizable with an easy-to-use system of modifier tags that lets you match your power’s specifics to your character concept
Comprehensive detective mechanics for investigating crimes, interviewing witnesses, and finding clues
Detailed options for super-geniuses to create inventions, cure diseases, and even bring their outlandish devices into mass production
Extensive rules for responding to emergencies such as asteroid strikes, avalanches, disease outbreaks, earthquakes, fires, nuclear disasters, tornados, tsunamis, and volcanoes
A huge catalog of pre-built characters and objects including major military vehicles such as aircraft carriers, attack submarines, and ballistic missiles
A dynamic mission generation system to help you create challenges for your heroes
An optional campaign setting with ready-to-use heroes, villains, and organizations
Spectacular artwork by industry-leading pencilers, inkers, and colorists
The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.
You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar
I'm a fan of the Tiny d6 system. It hits my sweet spot of easy to learn yet robust ruleset. I am not a huge fan of "supers" RPGs in general, but Tiny Supers is a game I would play and possibly run. It's simply that good.
Tiny Supersis currently the Deal of the Day at DTRPG. Normally 19.99 in PDF, until tomorrow morning you can snag Tiny Supers for a mere 4 bucks.
Tiny Supers is the newest iteration of the minimalist roleplaying system TinyD6!
Powered by the TinyD6 engine, with streamlined mechanics that utilize only one to three single six-sided dice on every action, characters that can be written on a 3x5 notecard, and easy to understand and teach rules, Tiny Supers is great for all groups, ages, and experience levels who want to enjoy fast and accessible superheroics! Characters are created quickly, with a simple power selection system designed to be fast, inuitive, and easy to understand.
A wide range of innovations on the TinyD6 ruleset allow you to craft nearly any superhero you can imagine. Versatile Power Traits model comic book style powers, utilizing a 3-tier format to show the increasing potency of superpowers. Subtle changes to the combat system allow for quick, cinematic comic book action, while still remaining easy to resolve and understand!
Featuring the near-future comic-inspired GallantVerse (Gallant Knight Games’ first default TinyD6 setting!), as well as standalone micro-verses, Tiny Supers provides you with a toolbox approach and framework to create exciting and easy to run superhero stories at your table!
So grab some dice, some pencils, some friends, and get ready for some minimalist, straight-forward, super-heroic roleplaying!
The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are the affiliate programs that support The Tavern.
I really like the Tiny d6 rules engine. I can wrap my head around it and it is simple - literally. Now, Gallant Knight Games is offering Tiny Supers at PWYW pricing - this includes print copies too.
Powered by the TinyD6 engine, with streamlined mechanics that utilize only one to three single six-sided dice on every action, characters that can be written on a 3x5 notecard, and easy to understand and teach rules, Tiny Supers is great for all groups, ages, and experience levels who want to enjoy fast and accessible superheroics! Characters are created quickly, with a simple power selection system designed to be fast, inuitive, and easy to understand.
A wide range of innovations on the TinyD6 ruleset allow you to craft nearly any superhero you can imagine. Versatile Power Traits model comic book style powers, utilizing a 3-tier format to show the increasing potency of superpowers. Subtle changes to the combat system allow for quick, cinematic comic book action, while still remaining easy to resolve and understand!
Featuring the near-future comic-inspired GallantVerse (Gallant Knight Games’ first default TinyD6 setting!), as well as standalone micro-verses, Tiny Supers provides you with a toolbox approach and framework to create exciting and easy to run superhero stories at your table!
So grab some dice, some pencils, some friends, and get ready for some minimalist, straight-forward, super-heroic roleplaying!
Yes, that is an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep the beer flowing and the heat on at The Tavern. I thank you in advance.
A new superpowered role-playing game of infinite possibilities.
I've always had mixed feelings about superhero RPGs. Usually, they were too many dice (Champions) or had random powers (V&V). TSR's Marvel Superheros probably hit the sweet spot, and as much as I thought I wouldn't like the color-coded charts, they grew on me and became second nature.
Yesterday, Autarch launched a superhero RPG Kickstarter - Ascendant - and it has its own color-coded chart. Heck, they forwarded me a PDF of the rules - when I'm healthy I'll delve into them - but at first glance, they look solid.
20 bucks for the PDF, 40 for POD w/ PDF, 60 for the limited HC w/PDF.
$8000 - NEW STRETCH GOAL!! Complete Adventure written b Ennie & Origin Award Winning Author: James M. Spahn!! LOCKED!! :(
More about James: James M. Spahn is a freelance roleplaying game author and owner/operator of Barrel Rider Games. He served as a contributing author on the ENnie and Origins Award Winning Adventures in Middle-Earth, published by Cubicle 7 Entertainment. His freelance contributions include work on Rocket Age (Why Not Games), The One Ring Roleplaying Game (Cubicle 7 Entertainment), Adventures in Middle-earth (Cubicle 7 Entertainment), The Star Wars Roleplaying Game (Fantasy Flight Games), Swords & Wizardry Continual Light (Triumvirate Tavern Publishing), Swords & Wizardry Light (Frog God Games), and the Lost Lands (Frog God Games) lines of products. Through Barrel Rider Games, he has published dozens of supplements for OSR games from Swords & Wizardry Complete, Swords & Wizardry White Box, Labyrinth Lord, Dungeon Crawl Classics, OSRIC, and Starships & Spacemen. He has also published several complete roleplaying games, including the Three Castles Award nominated The Hero's Journey Fantasy Roleplaying and White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying Games.
We here at Bloat Games are very excited to add James as a creative contributor to this campaign!
I'm happy for Bloat Games and I'm happy for James.
Currently at $7,664 with 11 days to go. Lets "stretch" James ;)
After this morning's podcast episode highlighting a small assortment of Kickstarter, it was suggested I look at the SURVIVE THIS!! Vigilante City Tabletop Roleplaying Game Kickstarter from Bloat Games. Bloat Games is pretty good at knowing the OSR feel of things and this Kickstarter doesn't look half bad. Actually, it looks pretty good.
You know my complaint where Kickstarter creators fail to leave any graphics for bloggers and such to use in their posts about said projects? That not an issue here. Instead, except for the Risks and Challenges section, the whole project is posted as a series of JPEGs, which makes it impossible to cut and paste anything, so I'm not going to try. Want to see the stretch goals or backer levels? Go to the project's page, because I'm not retyping it.
Now, this doesn't make it a bad Kickstarter. It just makes it one that is impossible to share effectively. I understand why they did it in certain places, trying to get the "comic book lettering feel", but it is overused in my opinion.
We were giving out MegaHeroes Priority Identification Cards at the Frog God Booth at Gary Con this past weekend and we had a few left, so I "liberated" them.
MegaHeroes is +Jim Wampler 's upcoming supers RPG that will be Kickstarted by Frog God Games this fall.
The cards are good for 20% off at the Frog God website. Don't ask me how, look at the pic above and it should be clear ;)
That being said, there are a limited number and they were only distributed at Gary Con. Here is your chance to have one mailed to you anywhere in the world. Well, you have 13 chances.
How do you get YOUR elite card?
Comment below with your thoughts on why you like supers RPGs, or if you don't like them, in what way do they fail for you. Comment by 6 PM Eastern, Monday March 19th, 2018 right here on this post. I'll pick thirteen recipients of this awesome honor that evening and will share the names with a new post that night.
I expected Swords & Wizardry Light to get hacked for other genres and its exciting to see it happening now.
What am I talking about? Linneman over at the Monstrous Matters blog has been releasing free SWL compatible PDFs with new Supers! classes for his yet to be released Light City setting - The Brawler and The Elemental.
I'll be the first to admit that I don't play much in the world of supers. I love my superheroes but most of the adventures I've seen are more of the same old same old.Now, having just interviewed +Jeff Dee last night at NTRPG Con for Roll For Initiative and getting to flip through the latest printing of Villains & Vigilantes, I've got my eyes on the superhero RPG scene.
So, peeking at Kickstarter, there'sMichael Satran's Journey to the Center of the Earth! for Champions (with conversions for Savage Worlds and Mutants & Masterminds). I'd come across it earlier but hadn't looked close enough until now. This is a supers adventure that isn't something that's been done time and time again.
Jules Verne. The Lost World of the Warlord. Doc Savage. The Challengers of the Unknown. The Fantastic Four! The Savage Land! As long as there have been stories about explorers and superbeings, there have been stories of strange underground lands and societies at Earth's Center. This campaign supplement for Champions by veteran game author Michael Satran fits easily into any campaign world - and in glorious full color! It addresses a variety of differing power levels, with many options for adjustment and expansion.
This softcover campaign supplement for Champions Complete using Hero System 6th Edition rules runs approximately 280 pages, including art and maps. All backers at the $20.00 or more level will also receive a zip file containing not only the PDF of the book, but additional PDFs character sheets and information for Savage Worlds and Mutants & Masterminds as well.
Sinister sorcerers, Reptile Men, underground supervillains, hidden temples, evil cultists, and awesome archmages! This one's got it all!
Meet the King of the Reptile Men, and find out why he wants to go to war with the surface world!
Face The Oligarch, guardian of the laws of magic, and learn his hidden agenda! To many on the surface world he is a sinister villain! To others, a bold leader!
Face cybernetic mole men, explore the underground, deal with earthquakes, lava, and hidden civilization.
Additional information about underground environments and combat.
Tons of ideas for your superhero game even if you don't play Champions, Savage Worlds, or Mutants & Masterminds!
Maps of the Center of the Earth, including a typical city, key areas of the Reptile Empire and the Oligarch's Dark Spire!
Learn secret objectives of the Cult of the Ebon Flame!
See how other criminal organizations and governments deal with the Center of the Earth!
Rules for how much knowledge the characters should have in different types of campaigns!
Unique flora, fauna, and cultures!
Over 30 new characters to bedevil, confront, and aid your heroes!
Hundreds of plot seeds, ideas, and ways to mix things up to make your game unique!
So yeah, this excites me. Enough that I got Michael to send me a piece of art that hasn't been shown yet for the Kickstarter.
Fuzzy Felt Fantasy
-
It is the Dungeon Era. A period of untrammelled capitalism and
capitalists—tycoons and robber barons—who have in the past few years
brought about a time ...
#RPGaDAY2026: Day 2 Stature
-
Stephanie Vale is 5'5" tall.
Not short, but not exactly physically imposing either.
Yet when Stephanie walks into a room, everyone notices. More import...
Murder mystery
-
The local adventurers guild named "fernleaf and associates" is basically a
sleuthing agency. The patron is an older elf named Flynn fernleaf. He
pays wel...
One (single magic item) to rule them all
-
I've been thinking for a while now about the excessive multiplication of
magic items in D&D.
Whether through random tables or official modules, players qu...
Lair of the Swamp Beast
-
By Peter JewiczMellow Golem Games"OSR"Level 5? This twelve page adventure
uses about three pages to describe four rooms in a hag lair. It sufferers
from th...
More Wee Planes
-
I've been 3d printing and painting some 1:144 WW1 aircraft, for playing *Canvas
Eagles*, a tabletop WW1 dogfight game.
I can't say that I've been excep...
The Common Store of Monsters
-
I am slowly grinding my way through the re-writes for Veins of the Earth.
As part of the re-write I have re-organised the ‘Pariahs of the Earth’
monsters ...
[BLOG] News on the March! Episode XVI.
-
This post continues the series of brief play reports I have been posting on
Discord. This does not cover every single session (sometimes, recon and
setup...
Card Game Update
-
I received a set of rules clarifications from a Kickstarter Backer. Here’s
an update about where things stand with the card game going live on
DriveThruCar...
Konkord - Peace Operations
-
*[A former Konkord Star Major, name since redacted, in response to an
audience question at the Windfall Orbital State of the Dragon Conference.
Recording...
Felltower Updates
-
I did a little blog maintenance today.
I updated the DF Campaign page with links to to last 5 sessions, and also a
link to the heavier crossbow rules we us...
The Living World Sandbox Campaign
-
So for a couple of years, I've been slowly putting together an explanation
of how I run tabletop roleplaying campaigns, and I finally got a good intro
an...
Young Washington and 1753
-
I saw Young Washington last weekend and absolutely loved it. If you know
me, you know the Revolutionary War era is my favorite time period. I have
always f...
Galloway vs. Gaming Gonzo...
-
Devotees of D&D in the early 1980s were lucky to encounter Bruce Galloway's
master treatise: The Highest Level of All Fantasy Wargaming. The title was
a ...
The Old School (Hyperborean) Renaissance
-
Are these poorly-masked adventure hooks? Yes, yes they are.
For the last century a peculiar fever has gripped the learned societies of
Marlinko, Kezmaro...
Micro-Adventure - #114 RATS!
-
Dungeon tropes are a thing to embrace, not to dismiss. It's simple to
handwave the storm the orc infested tower to save the princess, evil wizard
in a t...
Moldvay Basic D&D now Available in Print
-
Just a quick note that (finally) Moldvay Basic D&D is available in POD from
DTRPG – previously, only the Cook/Marsh …
Continue reading →
Abstraction in My Liege,
-
I think the aspect of *My Liege,* that could potentially put off the most
people is its lack of accounting granularity. It does not track Court
wealth in...
Consolidated AD&D Weapon Characteristics List
-
Having spent the last few days down a research rabbit hole, I ended up
compiling a chart of AD&D weapon characteristics, adding some "missing"
entries an...
Referee Sabotage
-
It is an old saw that players are bad at executing their plans. Imagine
this common scene: the party have some big job that requires planning;
perhaps robb...
The March 1636 Lantern is Published
-
Okay, The March Lantern is available. Those fast on the draw may have
noticed that I mistakenly published it as free access for 56 minutes. I
was just so ...
On a Happy New Year
-
We are about to experience the most social upheaval since industrialization.
What will that look like in sixty years?
Sinless is starting it's third yea...
Mutants and Wizards
-
Heya folks, long time no see.
I've just started working on something new called Mutants and Wizards. It's
going to be an OSE/OSR post-apocalyptic game t...
Rob Kuntz at Lucca Comics & Games 2025
-
If you are planning a trip to Europe (like right now) and wish to catch up
with me in person, make sure to book a detour via *Lucca Comics & Games*,
...
How do you do piracy… in SPACE!?
-
Interstellar space travel in Iridium Moons was always going to be a form of
hyperspace jump like in Star Wars or Traveller. Simply because it’s the one
for...
A long overdue hobby update!
-
Welcome back to the Vault everyone! 2025 is going by in a blur; I last
posted in February, almost started a post in March and now it's the end of
May. W...
Playing at the World 2E V2 Arrives
-
With the release of its second volume, the second edition of *Playing at
the World *is finally complete. The two books combined total well over
1,000 ...
Writing playlists for all occasions
-
Hello again! Going off the idea of inspiration elaborated on by the prior
post, I also have music playing while I write my various games and fiction
pieces...
The Tarot of Pips
-
Somewhere in your dice collection is a die like this one, the humblest of
dice. Although you don't know it, this small white die carries with it a
secr...
Pirates and Necromancers, a Play Report
-
Over the Thanksgiving weekend we did a lot of gaming ranging from
“off-table” domain level stuff to some solo adventures to spell and magic
item rese...
*'s in SpaaaaaAaaaace
-
A lot of SF (including a certain 2D6 RPG grandaddy) deal with ancient
aliens taking humans from Earth and dropping them, fleas and all, on one or
more w...
Last move - to self-hosting!
-
As my vote regarding Substack in the “marketplace of ideas”, I’m moving to
self-hosting.
I’m now at (and hopefully staying for a long time at)
Blog: ht...
Clean Your Room
-
Looking back at my little blog here. That last post… wow, I was having fun
playing WOW Classic! That was August of 1999 and I was having a blast… it
was ...
The Worm Ouroboros
-
The Worm Ouroboros is a proto-fantasy (the in the genre sense) novel by E.
R. Eddison, originally published in 1922. It is an amalgam of mythological
tradi...
Steve Jackson Interview
-
James Maliszewski recently did an interview with Steve Jackson over on his
Grognardia blog. Steve chats about the beginnings of The Fantasy Trip and
upcomi...
ToAD Monster of the Week: Crocoman
-
Now that I'm back doing the blog thing I thought I would use Tome of
Adventure Design to create monsters for The Black Hack.
Using the monster tables in th...
Strange, Dangerous, and Inhuman: The Fey and Fairie
-
When I was a boy I loved fairy tales. Jack and the Beanstalk, Puss in
Boots, Rumpelstiltskin - I devoured all of it. My fascination that there
was a strang...
Dungeons & Dragonmead Fall Schedule
-
*As you know, I run public classic Dungeons & Dragons games at **The Loaded
Die**/Metro Detroit Game Night's Board Game Nigh at **Dragonmead**, in
Warren...
Fiction in Airhde
-
On a whim this weekend, I picked up some fiction off the TLG store. *A
Houseless God & Other Tales* and *The Mirrored Soul & Other Tales*, both by
the T...
Ravensburg Reboot: Streamlined City Map
-
I mentioned in my last post how I was tweaking and reworking parts of my
Ravensburg setting. Today I streamlined the city map. The old map had lots
of redu...
The Withered Crag available now
-
I just enabled the sale of the PDF version of The Withered Crag at
DriveThruRPG a few minutes ago, and the custom print version will be
available startin...
Annihilation Rising Goes live
-
The latest in Fail Squad Games’ Quick Kick projects has gone live and needs
your support!! This project is only running 11 days and ends on 5/28/2019!
...
James's Celebration of Life
-
We could not have asked for a prettier day for James's service. It was a
bit chilly and windy but gorgeous. A heartfelt thank you to all that joined
us tod...
Trap Tuesday: A step back
-
I will get back to Tomb of Horrors soon. I found a topic that was
interesting enough to take a break. While interacting in a 5E group on
Facebook I talked ...
Let's Talk About Pacing!
-
The idea, I think, is that the RPG is ultimately about the long game. Even
rolling back to the early days of Basic & Expert, the goal of the player
was...
Profane and Profound Prep Part 2
-
This is part 2 of my work to edit my magic items for a DMsGuild release,
along with adding cursed items along the way. Here is part 1. Bone of a
Saint 8000...
Please, I don't do paid advertisements - don't ask.
-
A little note since people have asked me about this. My video channel's
*not* an advertising platform, so I'm not available for hire if you want to
promote...
New website!
-
Slowly but surely, all the content here will make its way — in updated
form! — to my new website: timbannock.com. For fairly obvious reasons, that
site wil...
Please Update Your Link!
-
If you're seeing this, it means your link to the Greyhawk Grognard blog is
out of date.
Please update your link to www.greyhawkgrognard.com (RSS feed is
h...
Total Sales for WB:FMAG
-
Hi Folks,
It's been a long time since I provided an update for the sales of White
Box: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game.
*LULU*
Print: 396
PDF: 433
*OBS*...
How can We Destroy this Campaign World?
-
d12
1. You must trick a bard into strumming the *Chords of Fate* on the *Lute
of Annihilation*
2. Legends tell of thermonuclear weapons beneath megadunge...
Mord Mar - Session 5
-
We had another successful delve into the dungeon yesterday. The delvers:
Moira, the Magic-User
Radovan - Human Cleric (of Odin?)
Khazgar Stonehand - Dwarf ...
Bundle of Fantasy Age
-
Bundle of Holding: Dragon Age/Fantasy Age: Available until March 12. PA
Presents: Fantasy AGE Freeport live play Green Ronin in 2018 The Fantasy
Age RPG ma...
New Free PDF Module: The Hyqueous Vaults
-
A new dungeon module—written in celebration of OSRIC's 10th Birthday—by
Rebecca Dettmann, Allan T. Grohe, Jr., Jimm Johnson, Matthew Riedel, Alex
Zisch, a...
Swords & Wizardry Light: Session # 6
-
Two months after our last session (thanks to things like 8th grade finals,
a 4 year-old's birthday and party, Father's Day, etc.), we finally had our
next ...
