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100 Conspiracies
Publisher: Postmortem Studios
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/30/2010 19:51:14

Like the rest of Postmortem Studios' "100" series of systemless adventure/plot hook compendiums, there's ideas by the metric pantload here. This one focuses on Paranoid Conspiracy Theories, distinguished from regular conspiracies like insider trading and price-fixing by the level of sheer Bond-Villain theatricality and spectacle. For each of the 100 entries within, you get a one-page write-up with the following specifics:

  • A number and an easy-to-remember title, usually one with a splash of PS's traditional dry British humour and weapons-grade puns.
  • A description of the Bad Men's Mad Plan, ranging from mad-science weapons causing tsunamis in the Indan Ocean to getting the Anti-Christ elected President, with stopovers along to way at famous Conspiracy landmarks like Area 51, Atlantis, Hangar 18, Dallas in 1963, Bohemian Grove, the HAARP Project, and Vatican City, just to name a few. There are Conspiratorial causes proposed for real-world events like the the death of John Lennon, flouride in the water, 9/11, and the congressionally-mandated switchover to HDTV. Many of these are intended to be low-FX so as fit into straightforward modern games without requiring the existence of aliens and demons as much as possible, but some paranormal explainations are possible as well.
  • A how-to on putting the Mad Plan into action, and the kind of obstacles that would have to be overcome.
  • A list of the possible Bad Men behind the Mad Plan, to be detailed further in PS's 100 Conspirators.
  • 3 potential adventure hooks to get the GM started.

On the whole, I'm satisfied with this product. If you're a GM looking to run Dark*Matter D20 like I am, then this, along with 100 Horror Adventure Seeds and 100 Dark Places also from Postmortem Studios, is one the books you simply must have in your arsenal. There are only a few areas of dissatisfaction:

  • I only found about 30+/- adventure ideas suitable for use in an ongoing campaign, as many of the rest require players to be part of a specific group (cops, park rangers, of agents of one of the Conspiracies themselves) or at a specific date (the Phildephia Navy Yards when the USS Eldridge disappars back during WWII, Dallas in 1963, the morning after the New World Order declares martial law.) that may be better suited for one-night-stand or Convention games with pre-generated characters. Still, between the 3 hooks for each conspiracy, I can bump that number up to over 50, which is about what I got out of the two books mentioned above,
  • The list of possible culprits seems a bit vague if you don't have the 100 Conspirators book as well (which I don't). I mean, I'm as up on Conspiracy lore as the average X-Files fan, but a lot of the names put forward (like the Council of Nine and the Phoebus Cartel) leave me scratching my head. Still, you wouldn't be playing a modern Conspiracy game in the first place if you didn't know who Majestic-12, the Knights Templar, and David Ickes' Invisible Space Lizards were, so there's more than enough familiar suspects to be the Bad Man to blame the Mad Plans on,
  • There's a disappointing sameness to many of the adventure seeds. For nearly every Conspiracy here, there's always one seed that is a variation on "Reporter discovers the Truth/Conspirator has attack of conscience and wants to expose the Mad Plan. The Bad Men want the reporter/whistleblower silenced. Add players and stir." Again, this could aslo be an undocumented feature rather than a bug, as it allows some of the thematically repetitive plots to be mixed together as complications, red herrings, or both.

None of those complaints outweigh the positive elements, though. Get yourself a copy of this, 100 Conspirators, 100 Dark Places, and 100 Horror Adventure seeds, dim the lights, put Mark Snow's X-Files theme on your laptop's mp3 player, and send your players into the Shadows in search of some Truths that are way Out There.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
100 Conspiracies
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Darcassians II set
Publisher: Arion Games
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

As with Darcassians I, I'm not quite the target audience, but this is a quality product nonetheless. While the Darcassians are a just a hair too cartoony for straight-faced space opera or modern UFO hunting campaigns, they are tailor made for humorous campaigns like Men in Black or a Pulpy 1950's Atomic Horror setting as the classic bug-eyed little green men with deely-bobbers on.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Darcassians II set
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Darcassian Set
Publisher: Arion Games
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

These little guys are a bit of a niche product, depending on the flavor of your campaigns. I find them just a little too comical too use in my serious sci-fi space opera or modern X-Files-type UFO game, but they'd be perfect for a tongue-in-cheek Men in Black campagn, or for use with the Pulp Sci-Fi set also from Arion Games. I may not be the target audience, but this is till a well-done set.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Darcassian Set
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Crusaders Set
Publisher: Arion Games
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

Another lovely set from the best paper miniatures company around. Crusaders gives you a nice assortment of armored knights, both on foot and on horseback, in a variety of colorful livery.

This set is not only useful for tradition Fantasy settings like D&D, but I could very easily find a place for the Templars and Hospitaller Knights in a modern DaVinci-Code inspired conspiracy horror/setting like Blood and Relics from RPG Objects or Dark*Matter for D20 Modern, either as ghosts or cultists in period garb.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Crusaders Set
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Covert Ops Feats 2 (D20 Modern)
Publisher: LPJ Design
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

As advertised, this pdf gives you a pantload of feats. Feats for close combat, feats for ranged combat, feats to improve defense, to improve skills... and some feats whose purposes kind of bewilder me.

This pdf focuses on martial arts to a much greater extent than the previous Covert Ops Feats, with various styles from capoeira (mispelled in this pdf, unfortunately) through Jujitsu to Krav Maga represented. The Atemi style presented in this volume is a much more balanced progression to the ability to coup de grace with a touch than the feats with the same purpose from the previous volume.

And then there are those feats that bewilder me. Covert Ops feats 2 has no small number of decidedly adult feats, such as Comforting Fetish, Gifts of Ecstacy, Tantric Wisdom, and Yakuza Pearl Sheath, which are not for kids.

There's also a number of feats like Disrespect, Dress to Impress, Freestyle, and Gold & Platinum to aid characters in the rap business. Not my bag, but I'm sure somebody will use them.

All in all, it's a worthwhile pdf. If you're running an action-oriented D20 Modern campaign of any setting, I guarantee there's more than a few feats heare to catch your interest. <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Covert Ops Feats 2 (D20 Modern)
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Covert Ops Feats (D20 Modern)
Publisher: LPJ Design
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

As advertised, this pdf gives you a pantload of feats. Feats for close combat, feats for ranged combat, feats to improve defense, to improve skills... and some feats whose purposes kind of bewilder me.

Cases in point: The Bottoms Up and Chug It feats for speed drinking, which I suppose are nice for downing potions in combat, but much less useful in a low- or non-magical setting. Also, there are feats like Armed to the Teeth and Guns Akimbo which seem kind of redundant when one has Improved and Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting already on the official books.

Apart from that, there are a couple spots of sloppy editing (the Anything Goes Long Feat refers to a feat called Anything Goes which is not present in this pdf, and the Icy Calm feat has its flavor text copy/pasted directly from a Fantasy product, White Wolf's Hollowfaust: City of Necromancers if I'm not mistaken), but it's worthwhile overall. If you're running an action-oriented D20 Modern campaign of any setting, I guarantee there's more than a few feats heare to catch your interest.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Covert Ops Feats (D20 Modern)
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Counter Set 1: Cars & Furniture
Publisher: Monkey House Games
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

A handy little supplement, with uses not just in a Super-Hero RPG, but pretty much any Modern camapign setting. In fact, you could probably use the car counters in HeroClix as Heavy (or Superheavy) objects, as flinging cars at one another is an element of superheroic combat that system is missing.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Counter Set 1: Cars & Furniture
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Come for the Reaping
Publisher: The Game Mechanics
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

A decent adventure, and one to satisfy the Resident Evil fans among your players. Settings and NPCs are given very detailed descriptions (even down to the nature of the fatal injuries suffered by the zombies), and the maps by Christopher West are smashing, as are all his work. It introduces the sinister Ogdoad Research company, whose machinations feature heavily in the Bronze Head campaign, also from The Game Mechanics, so it wil serve well as an introductory adventure if you plan to run that series as well.

While it's suggested as being geared for 1st-level characters, I'd use it for those a level or two higher, as the zombies keep getting back up until the fiend that spawned them is dealt with, and I wouldn't throw an infinite wave of zombies at a 1st-level party.

While the cover says it's for Urban Arcana, and I'm sure you could use it in that setting, there isn't a lot of overt magic to prevent it from fitting seamlessly into a Dark*Matter or Shadow Chasers campaign, as I plan to do.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Come for the Reaping
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Basic Classes: Apprentice
Publisher: 93 Games Studio
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

While I've enjoyed everything I've read thus far from 93 Games Studios, this is their first (and so far only) misstep. I agree that the idea of a basic class with limited spellcasting ability is a good idea, the exectution of that idea in Basic Classes: Apprentice comes just short of succeeding.

The general flavor text is more fantasy-oriented than modern, and leads me to believe that it is better suited for those seeking to play tradtional D&D fantasy settings with the D20 Modern rules set, rather than the contemporary occult/horror setting presupposed by the rest of 93 Games Swing conversion line.

The real problem is the talent tress, two of which sem over powered and one underpowered. The Arcane and Divine Talent trees allow a character with an 18 Wisdom to cast 4 o-level spells, 4 1st-level spells, 4 2nd-level spells, and a 3rd-level spell-like ability each day as early as 7th level, or more if you choose to take both Arcane and Divine Talents, which you are explicitly permitted to do (and given that your other talent ree options at that stage are limited to a bonus to Reflex saves or a bonus to one craft skill, who wouldn't?). My 7th-Level Wizard in D&D didn't have it so good. After this, taking a level of Acolyte or Mage seems like a step backwards. The idea is good, but I'd much rather limit a player to 1st-level spells until they take a level in a specialized spellcasting advanced class, as does the Modern Kyuujinjouhoushi: The Mystic Hero from Alternate Realities Publications (flawed as that one may be, but that's another review).

Also, the typographical errors seem more noticeable in this one.

Still, 93 Games Studios does decent work, and if you're running a D20 Modern campaign in the Dark*Matter, Shadow Chasers/Shadow Stalkers, or Urban Arcana settings, you'll find a lot of good material from them<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Disappointing<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Disappointed<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Basic Classes: Apprentice
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Arcane Classes: Wicca
Publisher: 93 Games Studio
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

As with all of the Arcane Classes series from 93 Games Studios, you get a fair amount of information packed into a compact pdf package, beginning with a brief introduction of Wiccan precepts, practices, and terminology. The Wiccan advanced class is, as has been pointed out in other reviews, not one that is designed fro frontline combat, having only the most minimal offensive ability (Glyph of Warding is the most dangerous spell on their list). However, they make up for it with a plethora of defensive, healing, and divination magic and class features, designed to assist and protect their fellows. The Wiccan High Priestess prestige class furthers these abilities and emphasizes bonding with allies. While not every player will be intrigued by playing such a support character, GMs will likely find such a support NPC extremely useful.

Also incuded are 10 new spells Levels 0 to 5, many of which may also be used by the Hermetic Mage and Shaman advanced classes from the same publisher, (I particularly like the Binding spell, which prevents a foe from taking any aggressive actions, although the mechanics of Book Blessing are a little vague, as it seems to be cut and pasted from Glyph of Warding without the specifics changed), a new incantation, 3 nifty new feats, and 5 flavorful new FX items that fit into a modern setting better than straight imports of D20 Fantasy magic items.

93 Games Studios does decent work, and if you're running a D20 Modern campaign in the Dark*Matter, Shadow Chasers/Shadow Stalkers, or Urban Arcana settings, you'll find a lot of good material from them.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Arcane Classes: Wicca
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Arcane Classes: Shaman
Publisher: 93 Games Studio
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/10/2007 00:00:00

I found this take on the Shaman for D20 Modern to be superior to the "official" Shaman advanced class presented in D20 Past, as this version incorporates more authentic shamanic traditions and practices into its class features, such as spirit journeys and vision quests, as opposed to the "D20 Fantasy Druid sqeezed into 10 levels" presented in D20 Past.

Other good points include a much more realistic list of Power animal choices for a modern setting (a Shaman in a modern horror campaign can investigate the paranormal in an urban environment much easier with a dog, cat, or owl following him around than with a dinosaur or dire animal), and splitting the Wild Shape abilities off into a separate Shapeshifter prestige class rather than making them core abilities of the Shaman.

In addition, the pdf presents an introductory briefing on shamanic concepts, handy stats for every animal on the list of potential totems and several medicines used in spirit journeys, and a couple of new spells.

93 Games Studios does decent work, and if you're running a D20 Modern campaign in the Dark*Matter, Shadow Chasers/Shadow Stalkers, or Urban Arcana settings, you'll find a lot of good material from them.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: A much more "realistic" Shaman for lower-magic modern settings, and a new prestige class, of which there are only a handful for D20 Modern.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: A few typos, but nothing glaring.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Arcane Classes: Shaman
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Bloody Hooks
Publisher: Big Finger Games
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/28/2007 00:00:00

As is expected with the better adventure hook compilations, I found about half of the scenarios on offer here to my liking, and the rest may be useful with a little alteration. For example, "The Projectionist" (a captive audience at a horror film festival suffers the deaths depicted onscreen) does little for me on its own, but it would be great as an escalation to the menace in "The Collector" (Monsters vanish from old horror film posters along with their collector). I'll have to do the work of fleshing out specific stats and encounters, but I have plenty of books and PDFs full of those without much in the way of suggested adventures, so this should be quite useful.

I especially like the sidebar called "The Devil is in the Details" which is filled with delightfully creepy little events to drop into an existing adventure just to get everybody unsettled, which may or may not have bearing on the horror at hand (but your players won't know that... bwah-hah-hah...).<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Bloody Hooks
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Arcane Classes: Hermetic Magic
Publisher: 93 Games Studio
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/28/2007 00:00:00

At first glance, the Hermetic Mage comes across as a hybrid of the Mage and Occultist classes from the D20 Modern SRD, able to both cast spells and obtain magic items when advancing in level. However, they also have a great deal of skill with Incantations which also increases as they advance. Their spell list seems a bit narrow, which is odd given that they are followers of the tradition of Hermes Trismegistos, greatest arcane mage of all human history, yet upon closer examination you will notice that they have access to a number of divine spells in addition to the expected arcane ones, which I suppose makes up for the stricter list. I would have made a bigger deal of that, but that's just me.

One thing that puzzles me is this: Why doesn't the Hermetic Mage have the Spellcraft skill, yet the Diviner class from the same author does when they don't cast actual spells?

Also, it says that Hermetic Mages make Research checks at a vastly-reduced DC to discover incantations at 1st level. Is there a limit to how many they can Research per level, or do they simply keep rolling until they fail or learn every incantation in the Urban Arcana book, whichever comes first?

Still, 93 Games Studios does decent work, and if you're running a D20 Modern campaign in the Dark*Matter, Shadow Chasers/Shadow Stalkers, or Urban Arcana settings, you'll find a lot of good material from them.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Arcane Classes: Hermetic Magic
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Arcane Classes: Diviner
Publisher: 93 Games Studio
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/28/2007 00:00:00

Not a bad little Advanced Class. As Diviners increase in level, they gain spell-like abilities granting them the effects of the Augury, Divination, Commune, and similar spells, tied to the use of their chosen Divining tools. A brief introduction to Tarot cards, casting runes, and Ouija boards is included with a very brief explanation of their uses as divinging tools is included, but if your character wishes to specialize in one of these divination methods, I would recommend doing additional research.

One thing that puzzles me is this: Why does the Diviner have the Spellcraft skill when they don't cast actual spells, yet the spellcasting Hermetic Mage class from the same author does not receive that skill?

Also, a minor quibble, but while I understand the decision to rule that the various methods of divination are identical for the purposes of the class's game effects, it might have been nice to treat the different types of divination tools like familiars: Identical in terms of their basic function, but diferent types granting a distinctive little side bonus; for example being an astrologer might grant a +2 bonus to Navigate checks, or a user of runes might get a +2 to Decipher Script checks. That sort of thing.

Still, 93 Games Studios does decent work, and if you're running a D20 Modern campaign in the Dark*Matter, Shadow Chasers/Shadow Stalkers, or Urban Arcana settings, you'll find a lot of good material from them.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Arcane Classes: Diviner
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Arcane Adventures: The Senseless
Publisher: 93 Games Studio
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/28/2007 00:00:00

A nicely creepy little adventure, with a refereshingly original antagonist, plenty of unsettling imagery, and a focus on investigation rather than direct combat. I would recommend it to anyone running Dark*Matter with D20 Modern or a similar X-Files flavored game. Admittedly, there are some references to game mechanics unique to the Swing system that have not been converted, but they are not insurmountable. I like the idea of the Senseless as monsters because they aren't the traditional demons, undead, or even aliens that tend to proliferate in a modern horror game, but something new and unique. I also like the fact they aren't mustache-twirling villains, but eerily uncommunicative and unfathomable, seeming to honestly beleive that they're doing humanity a favor.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



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[4 of 5 Stars!]
Arcane Adventures: The Senseless
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