by Brant Guillory
Fantasy game system/campaign setting
BaDGe Publications , $10
This complete game and campaign background of high fantasy is the first product of this new small press company. The game comes in a large file pocket, decorated on the front with a color map and on the back with the standard summary of marketing points. Inside are 4 staple bound booklets, 8.5"x7", all black-and-white but very well-formatted text with art and sidebars. Also inside are four regional maps, 8.5x11, color-printed, with location info for cities and peoples on the backs. Although the binding and size are reminiscent of old Ragnarok Enterprises (Ysgarth) material, the production quality and layout surpass most small press efforts and even some professional publications.
The text is set with rules in side bars and campaign material in the main text. At first sight I thought I might find this something to complain about. However, I found it surprisingly easy to read, and finding specific subjects was a snap. The rules are divided by subject (characters, combat & procedures, and magic & creatures) between the first 3 booklets. All necessary charts and rules summary are located on the inside back and back cover of the corresponding booklet. The campaign material is similarly divided (countries, cities, people, and equipment and NPCs) between the same 3 booklets and the additional 4th. The rules read quickly and clearly, while the campaign material provided has details of interest on every page.
The rules are elegantly simple; only d6 are needed. Characters are defined by 3 attributes, which are Strength, Skill and Intelligence. They are determined by rolling 1d6+3 and comparing the results to a chart which provides the amount future rolls will be modified by when compared against that attribute. For example, a Skill attribute generating roll of 4+3=7, which nets a +1 to all Skill rolls for that character during play. The standard fantasy races are available, with fairies and giants being the two extremes.
Also fairly common are the character types (i.e. classes), each with available subclasses, all familiar yet not trite as the spin on each is different from the standards provided by more popular games. Character "progression" is achieved through successful completion of adventures, use of skills (which advance themselves with usage), and the completion of 5 of 6 "character achievements". The achievements are bravery, ingenuity, heroism, personal goal, time of study, and victory. These requirements are nothing like the normal XPs for killing creatures and promote some excellent role-playing.
Combat is resolved by adding the attacker's weapon's combat value, his strength and his level, then dividing by 3. That sum is added to 2d6 plus any modifiers. The defender totals his armor value and level, dividing by 2, plus 2d6 and modifiers. If the attacker's result is higher, a hit is scored, ties go to the defender. Damage is rolled by weapon, minus what armor absorbs. Missile combat is modified by range. As with everything else here, it's all very simple and cohesive.
"Save dice" are a unique part of these rules. They are awarded for successful adventures completed and are used to get PCs out of tight spots like luck or hero points might in other games. There are provisions for massive success and catastrophic failure when using save dice though, and that adds excitement.
The creatures and non-human races that populate the campaign world are the usual high fantasy types. The one stand out is a race of goblins who, from their island kingdom, have become infamous pirates. They raid shipping in search of foodstuffs and dump the crews at sea to feed the sharks. They're also among the planet's best woodworkers.
Magic receives a detailed and logical explanation. Magic involves the bending of one of the six laws of physics in order to achieve the desired unnatural affect. The six laws are: gravity, spirit, thought, light, noise, and magic (the force that binds them all). Spells are provided but the system lends itself to player spell creation better than any I've witnessed before. Characters apply spell points to achieve success. Beware though, the higher the points applied the greater the chance of success, but also the larger the consequences. Every use of magic causes an equal and opposite reaction of equal magnitude. Spell points can be used to lessen the affects of this reaction, but that takes away from your pool available to guarantee success. Players are forced to minimize their effort to avoid and/or control the resulting backlash from their use of magic. This is innovative and extremely balancing. The magic system is probably the single best feature of this game and itself worth the low price.
Speaking of the $10 price, even if you already have a favorite fantasy gaming system, the price is well worth the campaign background provided. Cultures, politics, cities, locales and personalities all receive loving detail. Maps are provided wherever appropriate and nice little details like coinage differences are provided to create an air of reality. Future products for this game promise to be equally low-priced. Adventures are to be formatted like brochures, called Adven-chures, consisting of a tri-fold sheet, map and 2-4 character cards. Supplements are also planned, with BaDGe Publications pledging to keep all products below $10. Interested parties can check out their web page (http://members.aol.com/badgepubs/index.htm) or contact them by email (badgepubs@aol.com). I myself am glad to have been one of the first to discover Brant's work and look forward to receiving future releases for my own use and review.
(review (c) 1999 / Nick (Papyrus) Parenti )