Published in 1995. Written by Colin McComb and Rich Baker with help from several other TSR employees. Birthright is one of my favorite settings. It has a lot of good ideas but the execution of those ideas does not always work well.
Birthright includes the rules and a setting for running characters as rulers of the realm. There are four types of holdings that correspond to each of the four major classes. One party can control one realm or each character can control his or her own realm. Also included are rules for warfare and the economic simulation to run such realms.
Rather than starting with rules such as BECMI's Companion Set or the D&D Rules Cyclopedia, new rules are made from scratch. The economics of running a realm are complicated and the rules are faced with avoiding the problems that the characters have too much or not enough money.
I wish that TSR had released a generic supplement first that had the core rules really solid with one sample realm with a only 2 or 3 neighbors. Then in the first supplement the sample realm and neighbors are located on the setting world which focuses on atmosphere. By combining the setting and rules into one boxed set, the end result is not enough detail for either one.
If a separate rulebook had been released first, the rules could have had the rules option for rich, average and stingy economies. This would have been nice because many of the sample realms in the TSR-designed world of Cerelia have hopelessly flawed economies that do not work the way that they are described. These countries lose money every turn and have no way to prevent such loss until bankruptcy and anarchy occur.
Conclusion: Birthright has lots of potential and I am sure that the market is still there for a successful kingdom simulator in D&D. Get Birthright but be prepared to have to adjust the rules to make it work.
2 out of 5 stars. Lots of great ideas hurt by terrible game mechanics that do not work.
Showing posts with label BECMI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BECMI. Show all posts
Friday, October 4, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Most useful information found in Mystara/Known D&D World Gazetteers
The most useful information that is found in some but not all gazetteers are the following:
1. Adventure ideas
2. Campaign ideas
3. Interesting character variations
4. Workable background information
5. Politics and Rivalries
Adventure ideas: Many DMs can come up with fairly good adventure ideas on his or her own. When purchasing a product like a gazetteer most DMs are interested in time-saving opportunities. Solid adventure ideas with a workable framework are very useful. These adventures should also be distinct as to setting. Adventures that are too generic are not as good.
Campaign ideas: Similarly ideas for how a gazetteer can be used for an extended series of adventures is very useful. It saves time and makes it easier to build a storyline. Again these campaigns should be distinct to the particular gazetteer. A campaign in "The Five Shires" should be different than one in "The Emirates of Ylaruam".
Interesting Character Variations: Optional rules for the players are almost always interesting. This most often is variations on character classes or new abilities or new spells.
Workable background information: Background information about the economy, history, and culture (etc) of the gazetteer should be broad enough to allow some tinkering. It should not be too broad so as to be too generic. In other words there should be good "out-of-the-box" functionality but it also should be options for "customization".
Politics and Rivalries: Well-done political intrigue always makes for better reading. Good politics and rivalries also make for interesting adventures as the characters work with or against various factions.
The best gazetteers offer adventures and campaigns based on both political intrigue and interesting locations within the gazetteer.
1. Adventure ideas
2. Campaign ideas
3. Interesting character variations
4. Workable background information
5. Politics and Rivalries
Adventure ideas: Many DMs can come up with fairly good adventure ideas on his or her own. When purchasing a product like a gazetteer most DMs are interested in time-saving opportunities. Solid adventure ideas with a workable framework are very useful. These adventures should also be distinct as to setting. Adventures that are too generic are not as good.
Campaign ideas: Similarly ideas for how a gazetteer can be used for an extended series of adventures is very useful. It saves time and makes it easier to build a storyline. Again these campaigns should be distinct to the particular gazetteer. A campaign in "The Five Shires" should be different than one in "The Emirates of Ylaruam".
Interesting Character Variations: Optional rules for the players are almost always interesting. This most often is variations on character classes or new abilities or new spells.
Workable background information: Background information about the economy, history, and culture (etc) of the gazetteer should be broad enough to allow some tinkering. It should not be too broad so as to be too generic. In other words there should be good "out-of-the-box" functionality but it also should be options for "customization".
Politics and Rivalries: Well-done political intrigue always makes for better reading. Good politics and rivalries also make for interesting adventures as the characters work with or against various factions.
The best gazetteers offer adventures and campaigns based on both political intrigue and interesting locations within the gazetteer.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Gaz. 6 The Dwarves of Rockhome. An excellent example of a dwarven kingdom
Review: The Dwarves of Rockhome by Aaron Allston published in 1988.
The Dwarves of Rockhome describes a land mostly inhabited by dwarves in the Known D&D World/Mystara setting. I think that if you are interested in playing a particular race, such as a dwarf in third edition, it is useful to have other supplements from earlier editions for inspiration. Similarly other supplements can provide inspiration for creating a kingdom of dwarves. Rockhome is highly recommended for players who like dwarven characters and DMs looking for ideas about dwarves. Of course it is also recommended for Mystara collectors.
Rockhome provides alternate rules for dwarven-clerics. These are very similar to the elven fighter/wizard model from BECMI except that it features clerical spells instead of wizard ones. There are also new rules for high level dwarves to craft magical armor and weapons.
Like the other excellent gazetteers, Rockhome provides a good outline of the history, geography, culture, politics, and general background for using Rockhome as an adventure setting. There is also a section on dwarven cities. It is similar to the treatment of dwarven cities in the Krynn modules based on the Chronicles trilogy. The section on cities is still a useful resource.
There is a discussion of dwarven technology and the DM is given the option of using it in a serious or comedic fashion.
Of course there are also sections on NPCs, monsters, campaigning in Rockhome, and adventure ideas.
All in all an excellent product. Highly recommended. 4 out of 5 stars.
The Dwarves of Rockhome describes a land mostly inhabited by dwarves in the Known D&D World/Mystara setting. I think that if you are interested in playing a particular race, such as a dwarf in third edition, it is useful to have other supplements from earlier editions for inspiration. Similarly other supplements can provide inspiration for creating a kingdom of dwarves. Rockhome is highly recommended for players who like dwarven characters and DMs looking for ideas about dwarves. Of course it is also recommended for Mystara collectors.
Rockhome provides alternate rules for dwarven-clerics. These are very similar to the elven fighter/wizard model from BECMI except that it features clerical spells instead of wizard ones. There are also new rules for high level dwarves to craft magical armor and weapons.
Like the other excellent gazetteers, Rockhome provides a good outline of the history, geography, culture, politics, and general background for using Rockhome as an adventure setting. There is also a section on dwarven cities. It is similar to the treatment of dwarven cities in the Krynn modules based on the Chronicles trilogy. The section on cities is still a useful resource.
There is a discussion of dwarven technology and the DM is given the option of using it in a serious or comedic fashion.
Of course there are also sections on NPCs, monsters, campaigning in Rockhome, and adventure ideas.
All in all an excellent product. Highly recommended. 4 out of 5 stars.
Gaz 8. The Five Shires. Gateway to the Halflings
Review. The Five Shires (Gaz 8) by Ed Greenwood. Published in 1988.
The Five Shires greatly expands on Halfling characters in Mystara. Normal D&D Halflings are a lot like hobbits from Tolkien's Middle Earth. Hobbits live in The Shire. (Not to be confused with The Five Shires)
BECMI Halflings are both a race and a class. Halflings are similar to thieves but have more hp (d6 instead of d4 per level) Halflings also have really good saving throws. Halflings have a favorable experience table. Halflings are level-limited to 8th level.
The player's booklet gives players an overview of life in the Five Shires. It provides new rules for a defensive special ability used only in the Five Shires to help others. It has a point system that rewards good deeds. Doing good deeds is necessary to advance in Five Shires society and government. It also expands on the story-telling rules from Gaz. 2 and provides rules for Halfling Masters who have druid spells starting at 8th level.
The DM's booklet details the history, geography, military, diplomacy, sacred relic, key NPCs, Halfling pirates, more about the geography, running adventures in the Five Shires, several adventure ideas, and new monsters.
The Five Shires greatly expands on the sacred relic rules for Halflings from the Companion Rules. The sacred Halfling relic is the "blackflame".
Ed Greenwood does a good job of making Halflings more interesting. The outline that he sketches of the Five Shires gives DMs looking to run a campaign in said location a lot to work with. Greenwood also does a good job of meshing the location with classic D&D plotlines and story ideas. He describes several interesting villages and works possible adventure ideas into the description. There are also several outlines of adventures for characters of various levels.
Places like Tolkien's Shire are a staple of many campaign settings. Those looking to create his or her own "shire" will find lots of inspiration and ideas in The Five Shires. Highly recommended for Halfling themed campaigns. 4 out of 5 stars.
The Five Shires greatly expands on Halfling characters in Mystara. Normal D&D Halflings are a lot like hobbits from Tolkien's Middle Earth. Hobbits live in The Shire. (Not to be confused with The Five Shires)
BECMI Halflings are both a race and a class. Halflings are similar to thieves but have more hp (d6 instead of d4 per level) Halflings also have really good saving throws. Halflings have a favorable experience table. Halflings are level-limited to 8th level.
The player's booklet gives players an overview of life in the Five Shires. It provides new rules for a defensive special ability used only in the Five Shires to help others. It has a point system that rewards good deeds. Doing good deeds is necessary to advance in Five Shires society and government. It also expands on the story-telling rules from Gaz. 2 and provides rules for Halfling Masters who have druid spells starting at 8th level.
The DM's booklet details the history, geography, military, diplomacy, sacred relic, key NPCs, Halfling pirates, more about the geography, running adventures in the Five Shires, several adventure ideas, and new monsters.
The Five Shires greatly expands on the sacred relic rules for Halflings from the Companion Rules. The sacred Halfling relic is the "blackflame".
Ed Greenwood does a good job of making Halflings more interesting. The outline that he sketches of the Five Shires gives DMs looking to run a campaign in said location a lot to work with. Greenwood also does a good job of meshing the location with classic D&D plotlines and story ideas. He describes several interesting villages and works possible adventure ideas into the description. There are also several outlines of adventures for characters of various levels.
Places like Tolkien's Shire are a staple of many campaign settings. Those looking to create his or her own "shire" will find lots of inspiration and ideas in The Five Shires. Highly recommended for Halfling themed campaigns. 4 out of 5 stars.
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