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Tharen the Damned (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Fiction Subscriber), Wed, Nov 11, 2009, 04:02 AM

This boxed set shows a cover on the Green Ronin Homepage, you might want to update it.

Mac Boyce, Wed, Nov 11, 2009, 04:17 AM

There's going to be a tabletop?!?!?!?!?!?!?

*swoon*

MerrikCale, Wed, Nov 11, 2009, 07:32 PM

the green ronin page says a fall release but that seems unlikely. Do we know when this is coming

Taliesin Hoyle (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Chronicles, Pathfinder Companion Subscriber), Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 01:00 AM

Oooh!

Tharen the Damned (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Fiction Subscriber), Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 02:11 AM

The game is in layout now, so it will take some time before it hits the stores.

I was playtester for thi, so I will offer some insights without invalidating my NDA.

The Dragon Age RPG is a fairly old-school game. It is, as Chris Pramas put it, the bastard Child of D&D basic and Warhammer FRP

- It is a boxed set.

- This set, like D&D basic, offers only rules for the first few levels. Later sets will cover higher Levels (like it was in BESM)

- The rules are easy to understand for newbees but complex enough to model most situations. This holds true for combat and non-combat. There are a few Twists in the Rules that are very cool new ideas.

- The Setting is Grim & Gritty like Warhammer. But where Warhammer has a "baroque" feeling, Dragon Age is more "early middle ages".

- No Cards for Powers needed or any other fancy equipment (like for WFRP 3). Dice, Pen & Paper and off you go.

MerrikCale, Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 07:07 AM

I know from what Green Ronin is saying that there will be a special "dragon dice" that tells how well you accomplish something. So if you succeed on your roll, a dragon dice of 1 means you just scraped by and 6 means you nailed it

There is also a special mechanic that allows a stunt to be added to combat depending on what you roll

There are also, I think, talents

Earthbeard, Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 07:21 AM

Tharen the Damned wrote:

The game is in layout now, so it will take some time before it hits the stores.

I was playtester for thi, so I will offer some insights without invalidating my NDA.

The Dragon Age RPG is a fairly old-school game. It is, as Chris Pramas put it, the bastard Child of D&D basic and Warhammer FRP

- It is a boxed set.

- This set, like D&D basic, offers only rules for the first few levels. Later sets will cover higher Levels (like it was in BESM)

- The rules are easy to understand for newbees but complex enough to model most situations. This holds true for combat and non-combat. There are a few Twists in the Rules that are very cool new ideas.

- The Setting is Grim & Gritty like Warhammer. But where Warhammer has a "baroque" feeling, Dragon Age is more "early middle ages".

- No Cards for Powers needed or any other fancy equipment (like for WFRP 3). Dice, Pen & Paper and off you go.

Can you reveal is it's a D20, d6 or % system or a hybrid of them?

Tharen the Damned (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Fiction Subscriber), Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 07:31 AM

MerrikCale wrote:

I know from what Green Ronin is saying that there will be a special "dragon dice" that tells how well you accomplish something. So if you succeed on your roll, a dragon dice of 1 means you just scraped by and 6 means you nailed it

Correct. But only the function of the dragon dice is special, not the dice themselves i.e. you can use the dice you already own. They are use for many purposes in the game.

MerrikCale wrote:

There is also a special mechanic that allows a stunt to be added to combat depending on what you roll

Think of it as the Dragon Age version of Paizos Critical Hits Deck. Without the randomness of the Deck. Dragon dice also feature in this mechanic.

MerrikCale wrote:

There are also, I think, talents

Think of them as the Dragon Age version of Feats.

Lenarior (Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Chronicles, Pathfinder Companion Subscriber), Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 07:39 AM

I read in an interview that the base box would have rules for levels 1-5, then they would work on upcomming product that would support 5-10, 11-15, and 16-20. I would never buy a game using this strategy so I would like to warn others who feel like I do.

Tharen the Damned (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Fiction Subscriber), Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 07:44 AM

Earthbeard wrote:

Can you reveal is it's a D20, d6 or % system or a hybrid of them?

No secret there, it is on the Dragon Age webpage: 3d6 are used. One of them the "Dragon Die".

Lenarior wrote:

I read in an interview that the base box would have rules for levels 1-5, then they would work on upcomming product that would support 5-10, 11-15, and 16-20. I would never buy a game using this strategy so I would like to warn others who feel like I do.

I think that this is a good approach to draw new gamers to the hobby. Compared to D&D 3.5, PFRPG and the New Warhammer 3rd edition or 4th edition, this RPG only needs to two 64 page books.

Most of the older gamers will still remember BESM boxes for D&D Basic. This is the same approach as back then.

EDIT: I have no financial stakes in this game, I just like the old school flavor of it.

Jer, Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 10:41 AM

Lenarior wrote:

I read in an interview that the base box would have rules for levels 1-5, then they would work on upcomming product that would support 5-10, 11-15, and 16-20. I would never buy a game using this strategy so I would like to warn others who feel like I do.

I think the final cost is the same as for three big hardcovers in the end ...

Vic Wertz (Technical Director), Thu, Nov 12, 2009, 01:53 PM

Tharen the Damned wrote:

This boxed set shows a cover on the Green Ronin Homepage, you might want to update it.

Thanks! I updated the description as well.

SirUrza (Paizo Charter Superscriber), Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 03:33 PM

So glad I read Livejournal sometimes.

http://freeport-pirate.livejournal.com/128066.html

I forgot this was coming out! :)

Robert Miller 55 (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Chronicles, GameMastery Maps Subscriber), Tue, Dec 22, 2009, 04:00 PM

SirUrza wrote:

So glad I read Livejournal sometimes.

http://freeport-pirate.livejournal.com/128066.html

I forgot this was coming out! :)

I pre ordered and already have the PDF.

Edit: I think you only get the PDF if you pre order from Green Ronin, I don't know if Paizo can do that as well. Meaning free PDF.

dm4hire, Wed, Dec 23, 2009, 12:49 AM

I preordered form GR also and already finished the PDFs. I have to say Pramas did a decent job of keeping the game simple, yet capable of doing so much with the little rules there are. I cannot wait until the next set releases; I just wish it wasn't every six months.

ChrisRevocateur, Wed, Dec 23, 2009, 06:59 AM

Sounds like something I'm interested in.

I really like the dark gritty stuff, and Early Middle Ages is perfect.

Though the old school feel (of the mechanics supposedly, haven't seen it obviously, but mainly the whole Basic/Expert/Master set thing) is probably my favorite part.

Vic Wertz (Technical Director), Wed, Dec 23, 2009, 02:44 PM

Robert Miller 55 wrote:

I think you only get the PDF if you pre order from Green Ronin, I don't know if Paizo can do that as well. Meaning free PDF.

Green Ronin's PDFs are not currently available through paizo.com.

Ravenmantle (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Fiction Subscriber), Wed, Dec 30, 2009, 08:54 AM

Does anyone know what the ISBN-13 is for this product? For some reason, I'm having a ridiculously difficult finding the code.

Pop'N'Fresh, Wed, Dec 30, 2009, 11:18 AM

Check here:

http://www.greenronin.com/store/product/grr2801.html

Ravenmantle (Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Fiction Subscriber), Wed, Dec 30, 2009, 12:40 PM

Sure, point out the obvious. ;) Thanks.

DeathQuaker (GameMastery Maps Subscriber), Wed, Dec 30, 2009, 01:57 PM

Tharen the Damned wrote:

Most of the older gamers will still remember BESM boxes for D&D Basic. This is the same approach as back then.

I think you mean BECMI. :)

("BESM" is Big Eyes, Small Mouth, the anime-based RPG. Didn't want anyone to be confused)

Zuxius (Paizo Superscriber), Tue, Feb 9, 2010, 01:29 AM

Wow!

Asgetrion, Tue, Feb 9, 2010, 03:42 AM

Ravenmantle wrote:

Sure, point out the obvious. ;) Thanks.

Actually, I don't think it's that obvious; many RPG publishers and stores don't include ISBNs in product descriptions. For example, it took a long time to find ISBN for Hero System 6th Edition (I eventually found it on Librarything, IIRC).

MerrikCale, Tue, Feb 9, 2010, 07:51 AM

anyone playing this?

Lord Vile, Tue, Feb 9, 2010, 10:25 AM

Interesting, haven't seen a box set in a looong time.

Pindar, Wed, Feb 17, 2010, 05:41 AM

MerrikCale wrote:

anyone playing this?

I ran the adventure that comes with it.

I like the system, it's similar to d20 is a number of ways.

It is a bit annoying though that character specialisation comes at higher level and you can't plan ahead for that with your character build as there is no information available on the specialisations.

I would like the book of adventures to come out soon as I am too busy to write my own adventures these days.