RPG Books

If there was a way I could rate this book higher than 5, I definately would.

If you are a fan of incrediblely well written action, Christian themes, powerful topics, well-researched fighting techniques, and an all around good story... this is for you. Even if you dont' like action, you should get this.

One of the many reasons this book is so incredibly awesome is because on one character. Gage. He is the best of the best. The author researched every type of fighting to make this character. All the way from more-than-advanced knife techniques, to war tactics.

To state it simply: Get this book.

James Byron Huggins' thrillers are catered for the manly man. They are routinely explosive, tautly-paced, and laced with a supernatural element. The Reckoning lives up to his standards and, even though initially confusing, is a bonafide page-turner. His protagonist, Gage, is patentedly a superlative killing machine yet is spiritually conflicted. Even though The Reckoning is touted as a "Christian" thriller, it doesn't really get that preachy, which I appreciated.

Jonathan Gage is a man at odds with himself and with his murky past as a proficient, highly trained Delta Force operative. He's trying to change his ways, but it's proving to be a daunting task, as he is tasked by his friend Simon, a dying priest, to safeguard an ancient manuscript which foretells the advent and identity of the Anti-Christ. Shadowy forces stand in Gage's way, forces focused on bringing about the downfall of mankind. Gage, weary of violence but having no other recourse, must now muster all his old training and once again resume the ways of the killer. Because, ultimately, it falls on him and a few allies to keep darkness at bay and safeguard the future of humanity.

If that plot summary sounded overly dramatic, well, that's the vibe I got off reading The Reckoning. This book is one of James Byron Huggins's earlier works (published in 1994), and it shows. I found it initially hard to get into, which actually surprised me because I generally find his novels (Sorcerer, Cain, Hunter, Nightbringer) to be vastly entertaining stuff. But, in the Reckoning, I was thrown for a loop with the disconcertingly abrupt start, which throws the reader smack dab in the thick of the action. It left me with a lost feeling - as if I'd missed out on some key events which had gone on before page one. However, once I pressed on, the story rapidly became more involving and, in the end, proved to be an intense, adrenalin rush of a thriller. It is action-packed (believe me, brother!) to the max. The pace is hectic, as the protagonists seem to be assaulted or on the assault every few pages or so. The Reckoning is also colored with a supernatural Doomsday element. Anytime the Anti-Christ figures into the plot, you gotta think the stakes are raised just a tad more.

Gage is so daunting and self-sufficient a character that it's sometimes hard to empathize with him. Whenever he's in action, he simply becomes a killing automaton. It's a good thing Huggins infuses his hero with a conflicted persona, said conflict arising from his newly awakened moral compass, which goes at odds with his military-instilled, tightly honed instincts for mayhem. Also a good idea of Huggins is the introduction of a nemesis, Sato, who seems to be even more of a bad mo-fo than Gage. Their first encounter doesn't go well for our hero. But it does serve to humanize him more.

After Gage, the book has another intriguing character: the grizzled Nathaniel Kertzman, a civilian investigator assigned by Washington with unearthing a covert military faction steeped in illegal activities, of which investigation Gage is the prime suspect. Kertzman is uncompromising and honest to a fault, yet is comfortable with the greasy machinations and the double- and cross-dealings of Washington's upper-level power brokers. A fun character.

Then you have the baddies. There is a chain of command to these villains, with each elevated position of power seemingly providing a more callous and corrupt villain. The main Machiavellian mastermind is snaky cold and without scruples, while the deadly warrior Sato lives for the perfect kill.

At 473 pages, The Reckoning is a thick read. However, once you get into it, those pages'll fly by. I personally couldn't wait for Gage and Sato's final "dance." Huggins's research really shows thru as he ably engrosses the reader with a revealing depiction of the life and ways of an elite commando. Three and a half testosterone-filled stars.

Huggins does a masterful job of combining Christian truth with modern warfare. The hero realizes that in order to defeat evil, sometimes you must take up a "sword" and fight. I would highly recommend it.

This is probably my all-time favorite Christian novel. Huggins, who is now retired from law enforcement, is also an award-winning journalist. This is the story of a man who sought redemption and tried to leave his old life behind. This book is action-packed, gripping and spellbinding. It will pierce you to your very soul.

Gage, our hero, is an exile in his own land, abandoned on a military mission by his own country. He is rescued by a priest and an archeologist, who smuggle him back into the states and who helps him see a different way of life. Then a secret society kills the priest and Gage must take up the guns that he had forsworn, to protect those most dear and near to him.

Can Gage come out of retirement and take on some of the best assassins in the world? Can he save his friends? Can he stop a great evil from taking place? You will have to read The Reckoning to find out.

This is probably my all-time favorite Christian novel. Huggins, who is now retired from law enforcement, is also an award-winning journalist. This is the story of a man who sought redemption and tried to leave his old life behind. This book is action-packed, gripping and spellbinding. It will pierce you to your very soul.

Gage, our hero, is an exile in his own land, abandoned on a military mission by his own country. He is rescued by a priest and an archeologist, who smuggle him back into the states and who helps him see a different way of life. Then a secret society kills the priest and Gage must take up the guns that he had forsworn, to protect those most dear and near to him.

Can Gage come out of retirement and take on some of the best assassins in the world? Can he save his friends? Can he stop a great evil from taking place? You will have to read The Reckoning to find out.

It was in very good condition, came in a quick amount of time and Was very cheap about half off the retail price, while in the same condition you would find it, in any book store. I was very pleased with the order and if the seller has anything else in future, I would buy from him and suggest to others to buy from this seller.

BESM (Besm): How do I put this? This book is anything every GM, DM, Storyteller, or player could hope for. This book makes any storyline possible, any ability ever imagined can be done, this book is as limitless as the genre its about. Keep in mind this comes at a minor price. This is really not a beginners book into role-playing. Although it does give you a grasp of role playing if you are not used to complicated rolling procedures it shouldnt be used as a game book. If that is the case, it still makes a great resource book for comming up with stories. If you wish to put the time into it to make it your primary book it can be most worth it.

Big Eyes Small Mouth has gotten even better.

For those who enjoyed the tweaks made to the 2nd edition, these words may be hard to believe, but trust me, it's true. With the newest edition of their anime-inspired role-playing game system, Mark C. MacKinnon and David Pulver have created what is at once both an incredibly streamlined, simple, and fun game, and also a deeply complex, customizable, and rich gaming experience.

First, the TriStat system, what the original BESM was built on (using the three stats of Body, Mind, and Soul to build a character and make rolls) has been changed to a roll-high rather than roll-low system. Instead of trying to roll under a number, you're now trying roll above it, making the game more intuitive and accessable for afficionados of other games like D&D and GURPS. Most everything else will be similar however. You still get a set number of points with which to buy your stats, collect Attributes and Skills (which have now been more integrated, nixing the need to load up on 6 levels of Highly Skilled in order to have a competent character), and get bonus points with Defects.

The changes made to these standbys are mostly "more of everything." You start out with more points than ever before, so most things cost more. However, you also have a broader spectrum of powerful attributes from which to choose, with effects that you can either customize (creating anything from a powerful magic artifact to a highly-evolved AI in your spy gear) or can leave completely alone if you don't want to fuss with the rules. Constant notes (titled "Keep it Simple") are made throughout the book of ways to streamline the experience to make it less complicated, even allowing for near-diceless playing (by "taking 6" instead of actually rolling).

Combat has been expanded as well, with more Armour options (including expanded Shield mechanics for defense), more information on performing wild stunts (in or out of vehicles), and several tactical options like going all defensive (to gain a bonus by not attacking) or holding your action until triggered by your enemy (allowing you break their stride during an attack). Many elements that used to be seperated are now combined to allow for less confusion (Kensei and Gun Bunny are now all "Combat Techniques," so you Munchkins don't have to spend twice the points to be able to wield both two swords AND two guns), and features like "Targeted" abilities allow you to gain bonuses when facing certain foes with certain weapons.

Magic has also recived an overhaul, with powers being divided into Dynamic Powers or bought individually as abilites (Flight, Mind Control, etc.), or even created using customizable attributes with enhancements, defects, and even some spell and spellcaster templates (Want a targeted beam of holy destruction to smite your enemies? You got it, and if you don't like the example in the book, make up your own).

Additionally, there are more options than ever for items, character classes and races (more than 40 templates are provided for classes and races in 3rd Edition like Half-Orcs, cat-girl Nekojin, Mercenaries, Students, and Demon Hunters), and, most importantly, setting.

Skills now have even more genre options (new examples include Historical: Steampunk, Modern Day: Superhero, and Historical: Ancient Greece/Rome) leading to even more options for customizing the setting of your game. In addition, BESM now has an official setting - the Anime Multiverse, seven interconnected worlds linked by the Cosmic Web and joined by World Gates. Earth is joined by the demon world Bazaroth, the high-fantasy Ikaris, the space-operatic Cathedral, and several others. You could start as a highschool studen on earth and end up as a space pirate rebelling against the Galatic Trade Authority in the Interstellar Diaspora.

Game Masters and players can either absorb all of this information for vast and almost-endlessly complex world-hopping adventures using loosely-canonized plot elements, or can just roll up a few basic characters for a simple game, or literally anything in-between. With BESM 3e, the creators have literally placed all of the power to create as complex or as simple a game in your hands, all using the same intuitive and easy-to learn mechanics and loveable style that made BESM a hit years ago.

So what are you waiting for? There's whole worlds out there to discover.

I liked the book it makes it easy to create a rpg based of any kinda anime. The ruels are easy and simple. I've even started applying the weapon flaw rules to my D20 games

What can I say Big Eyes, Small mouth was like a gift from the gods. I was over at my brothers place for a weekend and he told me about this game. At that moment I made it my quest to get this book. You see I am a huge Otaku (Anime Fan). Well a roleplaying game that you get to roleplay an anime character well how could I not want to get it. I am also a very big person in RPGs as well I have been role playing for 12 years. Played Vampire, D&D 2ed & 3rd, Kindred of the east, Chtulhu, and others not going to name them all. But this RPG I now love more then all the others. The types of Genres and settings are limitless and the only limit you have is your own imagination. You can play anything from Big giant Mecha battles like you see in Robotech, Macross, and VOLTRON!! All the way to your supernatural horrors to even your fantasy worlds like D&D you could even have a game like Vampire. The Characters aren't limited to Races or classes like most games are. Its a very wonderful game. I recommend anyone who is creative and who loves anime to purchase this book. I even have people who hate anime interested in this game and they enjoy playing it. So buy a copy of this book you won't be disappointed.

Looks like FASA got their act together for this book and really gave what both players and GM's can use. The background information is clear and concise, the game effects are balanced and well-thought-out, and the new rules enhance the depth of the game. Clearly worth the money.

Shadowrun, despite being my all-time favorite gaming universe, was a complete money drainer, with an excessive amount of supplements to purchase in order to flesh out your campaign.
3rd edition and its updates however, seemed to consolidate and condense better, focusing on game mechanics and rules rather than pictures and colorful quotes from fictional characters.

Magic in the Shadows is no exception, as it compiles all three previous magic books, updates their mechanics, and also introduces new 3rd edition magic rules, skills, and abilities. Although the 3rd edition books are not as colorful or fun to read as previous books, they do a much better job of actually providing rules and mechanics to streamline your game.
This book is a must have for anyone with "awakened" characters, because it covers the rules for initiation, a process that makes a magical character uber-powerful.

Heh. I remember my troll mage. He kicked so much, well, you know. And to think, that wouldn't have been possible without this book. So wonderful. Magic becomes so much easier with the updated rules. And rules for making your own spells? Exquisite. Although some of the combinations are so powerful that my GM disallowed them. Dam. Ah well. Anyway, the point is that I can assure you that if you're playing a magic user in Shadowrun 3rd Edition, you'll want, nay, you'll NEED, this book. Get it. Now! Enjoy!

I remember when I first played Shadowrun how much of a pain using magic was. Fasa has finally come out with a much needed update for the magic system. This is an excellent source book that expands the system for magic and makes it very easy to use. No longer is magic confusing and hard to understand; now it is a breeze to play a magic using character in the Shadowrun world.

Magic in the Shadows, while long overdue, is most definitely worth the wait. It's a little dry in places, but anything with this much information and rules clarification is going to have that problem. Overall, the book is well worth cover price because of its excellent organization and clear writing. Shadowrun's magic system needed a major overhaul, and this does the trick beautifully. An absolute must-have for anyone, player or GM, who deals with magic in Shadowrun Third Edition.

Planet Nine strikes again! Bruno the Bandit is tall, dark, and luckless from a family of bandits. Even though he's in his thirties, Bruno is still living at home with his mother, father, companion/sidekick/will rat him out in 5 seconds micro-dragon Fiona and "Uncle". A firm grasp on pop-culture is necessary to get all the gags, jokes and jabs as Bruno seeks ancient books of forbidden knowledge, endures prison, his world's version of Peoples Court and daytime television and even marriage...to an another man. I'm not going to ruin any plotlines, so you'll just have to pick up a copy to find out the rest!

If you stumbled across Sluggy Freelance and liked it, give Bruno a try.

Bruno is really one of the better strips there is on the net. Its great he got a book out, too.

This is definetly one of the better comic strips out there. Bruno the Bandit is completely original, and fresh, the main character contiues to surprise me. Bruno is not only a dumb crook, murderer etc, but also greedy, selfish, and at times meaner than his enemies. It makes hime very interesting to read about, you'd think he would rather save the world than make a few gold sovergeins, but not Bruno. He kills baby unicorns, and clubs baby seals, all to further his own ends and this makes the book very refreshing from other strips, for he continues to save people, usually out of shear stupidity! I recommend you to purchase this book!!

Like many internet comics, I stumbled on this gem by accident. I read the strips abounding with weird wizards, sassy micro-dragons, clumsy rouges, goat-headed Goddesses, bartending demons, and various other oddities, laughed so hard my sides hurt, and got addicted. Unlike certain other reveiwers who have no basis for their mindless dislike, I think Bruno is one of the best internet comics out there, parodying everything from pop culture to classic fantasy stories. Ian McDonald has terrific insight, and I hope the strip continues to be successful for many years to come.

This is the "typical" story of your rogue that has it all done by brute force and not necessarily the smartest way. That would not have been anything special if we hadn't got Fiona, the always present Micro-dragon sideckick. With her inteligence, sarcasm, and great humour that turns this stupid/smart robbers pair in one of the funniest around.

Excellent book but leaves out info on ships like Imperial Frigate and Corvettes that the Imperials used also along with the ships in the book. They also could have put in a better rank insignias system in the book showing the ranks but otherwise Really Good.

It is very detailed but lacks several key points such as stats for TIE's and imperial walkers. Weapon ammo would be nice. Good starship section

Very detailed, but lacks: Walker info & stats; TIE info & stats; Sandtrooper info & stats; Timeline; Details of smaller Imperial ships; Costs for Imperial ships & equipment (sometimes useful).

This book is best used in conjunction with the Rebel Handbook and the Star Wars Sourcebook. Between the three of them most information is covered. (maybe this one DOESN'T cover TIE stats, but there's a nice chart in the Sourcebook that has all the different starcraft lined up.) Good flavor. Excellent illustrations, in words and in pictures. I recommend this book the the serious Star Wars fan.

This book is great. It was definetly mad efor the star wars fan. The problem is its out of print :( I got my copy ,after finding it listed here,in a large book store under roleplaying.It not just for roleplaying though.So go get it if you the avid fan or just the average day fan.If you like the Empire youll love this book.Statsd on TIES or not.

This is a very fun RPG game. Great for one shot sessions. Imagine Logans Run mixed with Monty Python. You play a Clone in Alpha complex. You have six clones. You will need them .The computer that runs the complex is insane. You go on troubleshooting missions for the computer and try to have traitors arrested or killed. You are a traitor, as is everyone else on your team. You just don't know it yet ! It pits the players against each other and the DM runs them through scenarios. Its really fun. And goofy.
The computer is your friend. Hail the computer. Remember happiness is mandatory. If your not happy report for termination.

This is the single most entertaining RPG book on my shelf. As far as reading the material goes, it's a perfect example of what you can do by turning normally frowned on RPG behavior into a drop dead riot of a game. The emphasis here is on the drop dead part.

While the text of the game goes to great lengths in instilling in the reader a sense of how the game is supposed to be played, in the end there are only two rules that need following.

1. The GM is always right.
2. Happiness is mandatory!

It's that simple, and it couldn't be more fun to read this book. Once you understand that every bit of it is cleverly written to convey the theme of Paranoia to the reader, you don't feel like you are being lectured yet again on the proper application of an attack roll. Rather you are learning what it is to be a GM/Player of this great game.

I only hold one complaint which is so minor that it didn't even effect me giving this game a perfect score.

Normally I don't find it necessary to print two seperate books for the core of a game. I actually prefer many games where GM and player information can be easily included together in one well laid out tome. Basically I don't think it's normally necessary to have to have two or more books to play and run a game. However in this case I think I would've preferred a division of the book into a distinct Player's guide and a distinct GM's manual. I think this is truly one of those games where the player's are better served to discover the ins and outs through regular play. In the case of Paranoia, the fun is in the failure.


ADVICE TO ASPIRING TROUBLESHOOTERS:

If you intend on playing this game, take the books advice and don't read the GM only section. Trust me when I say the tension caused by the unknown is the bread and butter of an enjoyable Paranoia session.

If you're the one buying the book for your group, gather the money together from fellow players and give this as a gift to your GM. He'll thank you, and any GM worth his weight will itch to run this game once he gets his hands on it. After all, what's the point of owning a book you are only supposed to read 48 pages of. PLAY THE GAME FIRST, AND THEN AFTER A WHILE BUY THE BOOK FOR YOURSELF. DON'T RUIN THE FUN BY READING TOO MUCH!

All in all, even if you do intend to ignore my advice and read it all, you'll have a blast doing so. I haven't had this much fun reading an RPG in a long time (with the possible exception of Godlike).

STAY ALERT! TRUST NO ONE! KEEP YOUR LASER HANDY!

Paranoia XP is the newest and in my opinion best version of the Paranoia game line. Here are people who need not apply (just to get you guys on to games better suited for your playstyle):

Gamers who like heavy combat tactics needn't look into Paranoia XP. Most of the weapons will kill a clone in one shot.

Gamers who like strategy in character generation or advancement needn't look into Paranoia XP.

Gamers who tend toward heavier systems (D&D, Rifts, HERO, GURPS) probably should tread with caution, as Paranoia XP's system is one die roll-under for everything. The rules are simple: roll a d20, get under Skill. Then if the GM decides you succeed, you succeed.

Gamers intent on character growth and development can find some support for such here, but under Classic rules, characters die often and hilariously.

If you like intra-party harmony, a good idea for nearly all RPGs, shouldn't look here. Paranoia is about backstabbing your fellow Troubleshooter.

If you enjoy having larger than life heroes, don't look into Paranoia XP. Paranoia XP characters are incompetant, ignorant, and insane.

Well, if you're still here, you either don't care about the above, or you're still interested to hear about the game itself, well, here goes:

By the way, you might have noticed I'm not bothering with any "HAPPINESS IS MANDATORY!" or "NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR SECURITY CLEARANCE!" stuff, because I know it can be quite offputting to those looking into the game. It's an "in" joke, and using it against people who aren't "in" yet is a bit mean and/or foolish.

The game is about a complex, an underground post-modern utopia called the Alpha Complex, which is run by an AI called The Computer. Or it would be a utopia, if The Computer wasn't insane and paranoid, looking for commie mutant traitors. The Computer has security cameras everywhere, and regulates everything in the complex: air, food, plumbing, industry, economy, etc. Everything. But that's not the worst of it.

The mass of population is heavily medicated, usually happy in their existence mowing about the complex and doing their assigned duties. But not the player's characters! They have gotten the honor of being moved up in security clearance, from a lowly INFRARED to the slightly less lowly RED. Their job has been reassigned to Troubleshooter, and they get a laser gun! They go on fantastic suicidal/impossible missions for The Computer to root out commie mutant traitors, secret society members, and other sabateurs of The Computer. There's only one problem...

All the characters are mutants, and all belong to a Secret Society (perhaps even Communists). All the characters are traitors. And it's not like players don't know that everyone is a traitor. Instant mayhem, just add water and stir.

If this sort of game doesn't interest you, Paranoia XP is not for you.

This is one of the best RPG's I've come along in a long time...it's extremely unique, fun, relevant to the times, and hillarious! Imagine a dark, dystopian, 1984-like future...except more comic, more insane, and more deadly. It's worth it to buy just to read the book, it's written very well with a dashing brand of twisted humor. My brother loved it too, and just *had* to borrow it once he had read through a bit.

The rules though, I have no idea about...whenever I GM an RPG, I just skip most of the rules and run things in a more story-based, freeform way. So that I can't vouch for...but even if they suck, the setting should make up for it :)

The new Paranoia XP (PXP) is a refreshing breeze for the game. Well written, obviously very thought out, without the problems of 5th edition. It's hard to give a review without comparing it to older editions, of course. Suffice to say that this might be the edition that brings Paranoia out of gaming limbo.

Everything is well thought out, from mutations to secret societies to the history and functioning of Alpha Complex. The increased use of personal computers, PDAs and the Internet is now reflected in PXP. The humor is present, but in measured doses, and there was (thank goodness) no attempt to go "over the top" with things. No acronyms simply to make funny acronyms, for instance. Character creation is notably different from previous editions (no stats for Strength, Intelligence, etc.), but now characters can improve themselves. With the addition of three play styles - Zap, Classic, and Straight - they may actually live long enough to do so! ("Straight" Paranoia, for instance, presumes a dark, gritty, realistic game, while Classic is 1st/2nd edition style, and Zap is simply "everyone shoots everything and each other".)

The downside? Well, the index isn't as helpful as you might think, and it's hard to find the chapter breaks. Several times when I wanted to look up a specific table or information, I ended up leafing through the book to find what I wanted.

Also, a mention on the artwork. Jim Holloway was the original Paranoia artist in 1984. He's been tapped again for PXP, and it appears his style has not evolved or improved in 20 years. Paranoia purists might enjoy it, but I was hoping for something a little more updated, more in keeping with the times. No, that doesn't mean I wanted a "manga" look, but there have been other Paranoia artists (Greg Guler, Valerie Valusek, Brian Schomburg, Sonya Obrochta, etc.) who might have been used. I've played Paranoia since 1st edition, and Holloway's artwork has not aged well. Unfortunately, the official word is that Holloway's art will continue to appear in PXP products.

Art and index issues aside, this is a good return to the series' roots. Old-school Paranoia fans should be pleased. I hope PXP will bring new fans into the fold as well.

Helps you find stuff quickly and easily. Read the other reviews, they explain the process well. But I had to take the time to recommend it, as you will not be disappointed.

The Roget's Thesaurus of the Bible is a wonderful tool for researching and locating scripture. It is much easier to use than a concordance because you search by topic instead of by a specific word. Hosea 6:3 says, "Oh that everyone would know the Lord. Let us press on to know Him and He will respond as surely as the coming of the dawn or the rain in early spring." So, let's "press on to know Him" and His word. He will respond!

Because most people stick to a favorite version of the Bible, they tend to limit their universe of study tools. That poses a problem for a reference book that aims to be a definitive work. Should the author use the Revised Standard, NIV or New American Standard version? Should he use something else?

Colin Day, who also writes computer books, found what a programmer would call an elegant solution: He chose "all of the above" and "none of the above." Using multiple English translations in addition to Greek and Hebrew texts, he paraphrases. Thus, he really opens up the market for the text.

What sets this apart from a concordance is the Roget's system: Instead of listing every appearance of a word, the focus here is on subjects. Thus, a broad category name like "vision" is broken out into 16 side-headings, such as "dreams," "God seeing," and "Oracles."

The value of this approach is that it suggests things at the edges of what you had in mind, and then slightly beyond. Thus, "Carefulness" includes "taking care," but also "watchmen," which you might not immediately have associated had you simply let your fingers do the walking through a concordance for every instance of, say, "care" and "heed."

All of this makes the book excellent for browsers (as does text that is agreeably readable), as well as a powerful complement to your favorite concordance. Make no mistake: this is not a substitute concordance, but a concordance enhancer.

What keeps the book 927 pages instead of 3,000 is Day's facility with paraphrasing. It obviates the need for an entire verse of context when a few words suffice to jog your memory. This lets you turn more quickly to the Bible.

Recommended for browsers who want to become power browsers.

The Roget's Thesaurus of the Bible is a very helpful tool for pastors and Sunday School teachers. Since I bought this book, it becomes a must when preparing my sermons. It helps me to look up biblical verses easily, to look at biblical verses thematically, and to look into biblical verses deeply. Incomparable!

If you vaguely remember a Bible passage, but can't recall the exact text or location, this is the one book that will find it for you. It goes way, way beyond that standard concordance in the back of your Bible. And of course, like any good thesaurus, you'll be fascinated at the connections that it makes between different verses by showing how they deal with similar concepts. Each entry includes a short phrase from the actual verse, so you can quickly zero in on exactly the concept you're seeking. I have used this reference extensively as a lay liturgist and in developing youth group curricula for teenagers, as well as for personal study.

This is the best guide for you if you need help with Super Mario RPG! Even if you don't need help it tells where all the secrets are so it's cool to have anyway. If you LOVE Mario RPG or just like to play it then get this book!!!!

I learned a ton, and I really enjoyed beating the game with the guide! I'm going to try to beat the game without the guide. =^P!

it has every thing you need to know about mario rpg!!!

About two or three years ago, I bought Mario RPG used without the manual. Then I got this Book. This book is the Bible of Mario RPG players' Guides. The strategies are excellent, The detailed descriptions of the areas and characters (although the Bestiary is a little off) in the game are as useful as they get, and it outshines even Nintendo's official player's guide in terms of usefulness. Although yes, it is in black and white as one fellow reviewer said, this small fault is nothing compared to the sheer volume of information contained in this book. If you only buy one player's guide for this game, let this be the one. It'll be the ONLY one you'll ever need.

This is such a cool guide. I love it so much. So good with boss strategies, all the strategies and helps you out a lot. I still play the SNES but this the best of the super mario RPG guides. Even if it is B&W the only thing that doesn't make sense is the Bestiary it isn't complete but anyways it don't matter, if you follow the walkthrough it gets you through the game more then Nintendo powers guide did for me.

Very detailed, artwork is solid, if not outstanding. Gives a fine format for exploring Martin's world.

There is only one thing you have to know: no Spellcraft skill because magic is a legend or it is a dead.

I redesign the character sheet (the one it came with sucked which is the only complaint I have about it) and it brought a tear to my eye not having to worry about spell slots or any of that sort of mess.

No magic, magic items, Power Word: Kills or some god coming down to smite you. It is just you, the enemy and the ground in-between. You make your own in this world, you forge your way through either might or wisdom, sword or diplomacy.

Like a great man, a Giant of a man some might say, once said, "It is not so much what we do as why we do it." When you could run away in fear for your life but you chose to stand and regain your honour, right your wrongs and possible make your world a better place to be even it it meant losing your own life, then you know you have struck gold when it comes to a roleplaying campaign.

Sure it has all the levels, skills points and the like but to be honest, I never cared about the levels in this game. I think whatever age or level we start off with is fine by me.

If you are a D20 vet and wanting to try this, take time to learn how Reputation and Influence works. It is a little different but it adds a lot to the world.

If for nothing else, my brother, "Mister Casual About All Things Gaming", can't stop talking about the game. That is for the first time in 15 years. That is the greatness of A Song of Ice and Fire.

I haven't gamed in more than 10 years, and don't really plan on starting again - but this book is worth buying for ANY fan of Song of Ice & Fire series.

Gorgeous artwork & fascinating bios of the characters of George R.R. Martin's books are the main highlights of the book for non-gamers - but the more you delve into the mechanics of the game, the more insights into the world it reveals.

And another pleasant surprise - an introduction including a very detailed & impressive overview of the history of fanstasy writing. Given me lots of new (to me) writers to check out.

This book is a remarkable achievement in d20. It offers several innovations, and also pares away some of the more ridiculous aspects of the system as we have known it. But even more impressively, this publication is distinguished in its tastefulness, outclassing any other d20 game with its maturity of style and imagination. This is gaming for grownups.
This 495 full-color hardback is a comprehensive rulebook and campaign setting. If you didn't already own the core rulebooks, you wouldn't need to get them, because it's all here--handbook, DMG, and bestiary rolled into one. The bestiary, of course, is very small, because this is a low-fantasy (almost historical) setting. You won't find a catalog of abberations, walking funguses and extraplanar half-whosywhatsits. You won't find dozens of ridiculous, superheroic, micro-niche prestige classes. And you won't find elves, or gnomes ... or any such breeds. Who needs them? Magic and mosters are gone . . . except for a few surprises here and there, which are really special.
What do you find? The heart of the game is human drama. You have Realpolitik, war, alliances and betrayals, intrigue, spying and struggle. In order to cultivate this kind of gaming experience, they draw on the work of one of the greatest living writers of science fiction and fantasy, George R. R. Martin. (Read the novels, if you haven't already.) But the game also contributes a promising innovation with the rules for Reputation and Influence. These mechanics are to the social and political what the Base Attack Bonus is to combat. Influence points are a way of measuring a character's power in the social sphere, and of adjudicating a character's efforts to get others to do what he wants.
In standard d20 games, a character with a high Diplomacy skill may be effective in getting people to have a friendly disposition towards him, but how do you determine what a friendly disposition actually gets you. Now there is a mechanic for determining that. An Influence check is used to call in a debt, command, persuade or otherwise coerce someone to actually do what you want (whether they like you or not).
Reputation is a way of defining how you are perceived by others, in terms of specific characteristics. For example, a character may get several reputation points as a Ruthless Brute, which will come in handy when he wants to Intimidate and hinder him when he wants to gain trust.
There will be combat, of course, though perhaps not as frequently. (Wounds take time to heal when you don't have potions and spells ready at hand.) In place of lightning bolts and acid arrows, they have added more options and possibilities in hand-to-hand combat. First of all, armor gives you DR rather than an AC bonus. (Shields are different). Armor classes will tend to be not quite as high as we are used to, but on the other hand damage will be smaller too. However, if you want to deal more damage, you can opt for one of several types of called shots, which allow you to customize your attack strategy based on your opponents defences. There are also some good rules for becoming fatigued due to the encumbrance of armor. Only playtesting can tell, but it seems to me that combat strategy may be more interesting in this game. More deadly? You'll have fewer hitpoints. On the other hand, there's the Shock Value feature, which makes it a lot more likely that you'll be temporarily incapacitated long before your hitpoints are gone. Characters at first level will have about the same number of hitpoints as comparable D&D characters, but as your character advances, you'll gain fewer hitpoints. I think the reason for this is that average damage dealt by a hit will not increase as much either. It might turn out that first-level is more survivable and higher levels are more dangerous than in D&D.
Perhaps my only complaint about this game is that it may be more difficult for the Gamemaster. The setting is not nearly as static as something like the Forgotten Realms. Things change in this world, and fast! So, if the GM has any intention of staying true to the novels, he will have to think carefully about the timeline and know what's going on in the story. And Martin hasn't finished writing novels yet! If the future is being determined in the imagination of George R. R. Martin, then there are some limitations on how much the players (or the GM) can change).
Another challenge for the GM will be that without monsters and abundant treasure, he will have to keep things interesting in the story arc, or the game will fall flat.
On the up side, players should be able to plug into the drama of politics and war fairly easily. There should be less of a problem coming up with motivations for your character to "go adventuring" (Ugh!) You won't need artificial motivations, because by the nature of the game your character will have loyalties and enemies, not to mention the task of keeping his corpse from being eaten by crows!

Absolutely awesome. Very true to the setting.

Some of the rules are a bit clunky and take a bit of effort to switch over from standard D20, but overall makes for a MUCH better experience.

Don't.

I have been playing roleplaying games since the 1970s and have played with dozens of systems. This one beats them all. It is good whether you want to play fantasy or sci-fi, superheroes or cyberpunk, horror or western.

The flexibility and elegance of this game is awesome. You don't randomly roll up a character like in other games - you have a set number of points to buy the skills and abilities you want - so you can play *exactly* the character you want. You don't even need to play a whole lot of adventures to "level" your character, after each game you get points which you can put right back into your character to and immeiately see an improvement.

All you need is this book, and a little imagination, and you can play any genre.

No need to buy a buch of seperate books for players, GMs, etc. No need to buy a bunch of odd shaped dice (all you need are the standard 6 sided dice you already have in your Monopoly set).

Highly recommended!

The HERO System Fifth Rules Edition (FREd for short) is the definitive edition of a game system with more than 20 years of history behind it.

(Some might know the HERO System as "Champions, the Superheroic Roleplaying Game!")

The HERO System is the king of point based Game Systems. Instead of a class + level structure like D&D and it's many imitators, in the HERO System a player has a certain number of points (varying by genre and power level) with which to buy characteristics, skills, special abilities, and so forth.

It's purpose is to allow a GM to run any genre, any point level, any time period with one set of consistent rules. It's very doable to take a normal fellah from a modern world campaign into a supers or space empire game and vice versa without missing a beat if you wanted to, but more importantly once the GM and players have learned the rules system, then rather than having to learn an entirely different rules system to play some other game, they can just adapt the good bits of the other game and run it in the HERO System instead.

It's point based open framework set up allows this to work. The key to any point based system is balancing abilities costs against their benefits so that one character's x points of y is equivalent in usefulness to another character's x points of z, and the HERO System does an excellent job of this essential internal balancing.

The strength of a point based system is greater flexibility in design; the weakness is that lacking GM oversight unscrupulous and ignorant players alike can come up with some pretty abusive characters. Thus the game takes a little bit of GM monitoring of character desing to work correctly.

Where the HERO System really excels however is that instead of having a lot of prepackaged abilities on a set list, it instead has a mechanic based upon the idea of reasoning from effects and then using a collection of base game mechanics modified to express that concept in game terms.

Thus rather than having umpteen abilities that all do the same general sort of damage the HERO System instead types damage into the broad groups of Energy, Physical, Mental, Flash, and Power damage, (Physical and Energy is also broken down further into "Normal" damage and "Killing" damage), and then provides a single base mechanic for each which is purchased in die amounts, and modified by various advantages and limitations to behave in ways appropriate to a desired effect.

So as an example a crusty mercenary in a gritty space campaign might have several types of guns, a wizard in a fantasy campaign might have several offensive spells, and a fire projector in a superhero game might have super powers all based on the same base power, "Ranged Killing Attack", just modified appropriately to model their respective game effects.

To continue the example the guns of the merc might have a variety of advantages like "Autofire", "Armor Piercing", and "Explosion" as good things, and limitations like "Charges", and "Obvious Accessible Focus: Gun" as downsides. The Wizard might have several attack spells with advantages similar to the merc and limitations like "Incantations", "Gestures", and "Extra Time". The Fire Blaster super might have advantages like "0 END", "Continuous", "Uncontrolled", and "Sticky" to indicate that they light things on fire, they continue to burn after the attack lands, and can light anything that touches them on fire too; it might take limitations like "Restrainable: Hands" and "Not In Space or Underwater" to indicate that if their hands are retrained or they are in a non flammable environment they cant use their power.


As you can see this kind of set up is extremely flexible and "inclusive", allowing the modeling of a lot of effects with the same basic mechanics. It can also get very wordy and complicated, and an oft cited complaint by detractors of the system is that the character generation is complex, and involves some basic math.


While it can take a bit of time to make an HERO System character, depending on how many points are available to a character and how outre a character concept is, but on the plus side once the initial build of the character is done, the character grows slowly over time rather than in repetitive stair stepped plateaus like happens in a class + level game.


The combat system itself is Turn based and breaks everything into 12 second Turns. Each second in a Turn is called a Segment. Every character has a Speed attribute measured from 1 to 12 which indicates how many segments they get actions each 12 seconds, broken down evenly across the Turn. Thus a character with a SPD 4 goes on the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th segments of each Turn. When a character takes an action it is called a Phase, and actions can take anything from a "0 Phase", "1/2 Phase", "Full Phase", or more. Most combat actions take a 1/2 Phase by default.

Characters can hold a 1/2 or Full Phase and act later than their initiative, and characters can "Abort" to defensive actions like blocking or dodging or jumping out of the way even if it's not their initiative. Attacking ends a character's Phase.

Because character's can react to opponents out of initiative order, HERO System combats involve a lot of give and take and have a lot of tactical flexibility.

In addition to using weapons and unusual powers where appropriate to the genre being modeled, there are numerous basic manuevers that any character can use at no cost in character points, and there are better manuevers that can be bought. There are also rules for knockback, and very specific rules for interacting with the environment so things like hurling opponents into walls or hitting them with telephone poles or ramming them with a vehicle are all common occurances in various genres.


Due to the almost limitless variety of effects possible, HERO System combats can be very wild and yet they are also meticulously tracked to the second. On the plus side the action is very clearly defined, cinematic, and makes for great RPG-tales later. On the downside combat can take a while if a GM doesnt take steps to streamline where appropriate.



From a gaming perspective, the HERO System is for those GM's that know what they want and arent afraid of a little extra work to get exactly that, rather than settling for whatever design decisions the developers of other games wrote into their systems. The ability to create precisely what you want in your settings and characters is also an enabler for roleplaying as it allows richly realized character concepts.

The HERO System allows for fun, unique games that are highly memorable even years later. It empowers GM's and Players alike to make the worlds and characters that they want to make rather than having to work with whatever X game company decided to provide in their supplements.



Ive been playing with the system for 14 years now, across a variety of genre and have never had cause to regret it. Two thumbs way way up.

There are some who hate it, and there are some who love it--I am one of those who fall on the "love it" side. The system does have its flaws (for example, having several different task resolution systems), but in my opinion, the system's strengths outweigh its weaknesses hands down.

The Hero System is a multi-genre roleplaying game engine written by Steven Long, based on an original design by Steve Peterson and George McDonald. This is the long-awaited Fifth Edition, and is the most definitive edition of this game yet. One of the criticisms of previous editions of the system (which was purportedly a "Universal" game system like GURPS) was that it looked and felt like a superhero game that was trying to be a universal game system. The Fifth Edition has some changes (mostly in the Skills and Talents sections) that make it more palatable for use in multi-genre gaming. It's now a major contender with GURPS for the Universal Game System title.

If you've spent your formative years (as I have) daydreaming about adventures featuring heroes of your own creation, then this is the game system for you.

Also, if you're the kind of gamer that likes to take a peek under the hood to see all the gears and gizmos inside a game system, and likes to tinker with the game system to see what it can do, then this is the game system for you. Unlike most systems that attempt to hide its game engine, the Hero System proudly shows off all of its gears and gizmos, like one of those model cars with the transparent hood to demonstrate how the engine inside works.

The system is based on a complex point-based system for character creation, and points can be spent for Characteristics, Skills, Perquisites (Perks), Talents, and, finally, Powers. This point-based system means that you can (within the point limits set by your GameMaster) create exactly the hero *you* want to play.

The system started as the superhero game Champions, so it is in the Powers systems that the game really shines, and is in fact the one area that the Hero System stands out from its competitors: nearly any effect can be created using the Power system with a little imagination. What sets it apart is the concept of "Special Effects"--the Powers listed in the book are only game effects; the player decides what the power looks and sounds like. For example, buy some levels in a Power called "Energy Blast," define that it looks and sounds like lightning, and voila! you have a lightning blast, ready to strike down evil in the name of JUSTICE!!! :)

However, this power-creation system is not limited to super-powers: it can be used to create the magic spells of a fantasy campaign; the gadgets, weapons, and weird alien abilities of a science fiction campaign; or even the ninja abilities of a chambara campaign--it really is only limited only by your own imagination.

Combat in the Hero System can be long and slow, but I've seen battles last for only a few minutes. Tweaking the defenses of a couple of minor villains to take them out of the running earlier in the game can usually solve this problem. The long battles should be reserved for the big baddies (think DC's Darkseid or Marvel's Doctor Doom).

One criticism that I've had of the Hero System is its lack of consistency in regards to task resolution. There are several task resolution systems here, and it could get confusing at times which one is used at any particular time. Combat is resolved in one way (essentially, a resisted roll), certain skills are resolved another (a difficulty-modified roll against a skill level), and other skills simply provide a bonus to other abilites. I wish the initial designers had picked one task resolution system and stuck with it. However, this is one very minor flaw, and is one that I can live with. Additionally, when compared to the system's strengths (Combat Resolution and Character Creation), this flaw becomes infinitesimal.

Hero Games has dedicated itself to supporting this line with a full line of support materials for various genres, including fantasy (Fantasy HERO), science fiction (Star HERO), and Superheroes (Champions, probably it's most famous line). It does an excellent job in each of these genres. It does take a little work since the Hero System is more of a game engine than a full game on its own, but with the support material, a lot of that work has already been done for you. So even if you don't particularly care for superheroes, this system can still be of a lot of use to you. I am currently in a Star HERO campaign, and I'm having a great time.

Overall, I don't think you'll find a better game system for your game, no matter what the genre you prefer. I think if you gave it a chance, you'll agree.

Hero System 5th Edition is the cumination of all the Hero supplements for the Champions system. Hero System is a point based system with levels and classes (though classes can be customized if needed). Any genre, time period, character type, or anything else can be done n Hero System.

The system is a bit complex for new role-players but with some reading and practice, new players will have a great time. Combat can be slow but the resolution of combat, damage, etc can really low it down if players aren't familiar with it. From my experience, an average combat scene lasts 30 minutes. Skills are resolved much faster but it does have realistic factors involved like rushing and distractions.

As said earlier, Hero can recreate anything: wizards from fantasy novels, weapons from SF films, or powers from comic books. Even original ideas can be done once a player knows what to look for in creating it.

The GM will have a hard time running a game if they have to create the game world from scratch but Hero Games does produce supplements that provide that material for use or even act as a guideline for creating your own worlds, magic systems, etc.

All in all, experienced players will like the generic system while new players may be intimidated but it can be learned.

A little history first. I started playing RPGs back in the early 80s with D&D (I'm am Old timer at 43). I stumbled on Champions (Hero System) by acciedent at a Flea Market with a friend. We bought both the copies they had that day.
I grew up reading comics. I still do. Supers have always clicked with me. This was a game I KNEW I would love. That I wanted to play/ GM, so I did. I GMed Champions(Hero System ) for over 8 years. I assisted on the playtest of Champions 4th edition (Hero System 4th) and know the game inside out.
The game went out of print for a while, still we played. Finally, Steve Long a BIG Hero Games fan) bought the game and produced Hero System 5th Edition. This baby is as big as a phone book, folks and not for the faint of heart. What Champions has become is a tool kit to run any genre.
This is a RPG you will either love or hate. There are those who say it is too complex. It really isn't. It simply puts the options at what you want to use in this game into your hands and tries not to limit them. The rules have many examples to assist in understanding them and gives sample character write ups.
The best way to learn ANY game is for someone who knows to show you how to play. If you are interested in playing this game, seek those who are already doing so. If you're a beginner and are looking for "The Game" to use for different genres (esp super heroes), then I suggest picking up Sidekick (also found here on Amazon) as it is more like the old Champions in ease of understanding.
Why four stars? Well, the writing. Steve, you're a great guy and I thank you for your hard work and keeping this system alive. However, the book reads like a medical book. VERY dry and Steve's writing, in general, is like this. Other RPGs don't come across this way (Mutants & Masterminds, for example), so I feel it's just the way he writes.
This book has been recently revised (Hero System 5th Edition Revised) and updated. Still a great system and one I would highly encourage you to try.