Phantasmagoria #2 Review

I recently picked up the second issue of Apollyon Press's Phantasmagoria from Exalted Funeral. You can read my review for the first issue here. Whereas issue 1 was mainly player material, issue 2 is definitely for the judged.

Spicing up ship combat we are given maneuvers to do. These are special actions that can be taken by ships if you meet the requirements. They really missed out though, because they didn't include one of the greatest starship maneuvers, listing lazily to the left.

There are several little item related entries that help flesh out your game. This includes d30 artifacts, alien poisons, and prosthetics (mundane and magical). I really like what they've done with the prothestics. There is a new spell that allows you to create the magical variety. The poisons are a nice touch too, because in solar assassin worth its ilk, is going to use them.

There are several pages of stellar system generation and monster generation. This ends with a brief chart on how folks get around in certain area and a bit of errata from the first issue.

The author did a great job with all of this material and its ready to go. While a part of me would like to see an established setting, that doesn't really fit the DCC model. When you combine this with with the first issue, you have everything you need to run a fun swords and planet game. You can roll up your star systems and sail the cosmic waves. These could also be used to expand something like Leopard Women of Venus (currently on Kickstarter).

Phantasmagoria #1 Review

Phantasmagoria #1 is the first issue of a new sword & planet zine for Dungeon Crawl Classics. It had a Kickstarter earlier this year, that I sadly missed out on. However, I picked up a copy at Gen Con this past weekend. There's quite a bit of info packed into 36 pages.

Nearly half of the book discusses new classes. They are:

• Automaton - discarded magi-tech robots that gain upgrades as they level up
• Captain - inspiring master swordsman
• Gremlins - race of mechanically inclined wizards
• Jovians - natives of a gas giant, that seek freedom away from their conquered home
• Star Prince - the final humanoid form of a star, this class starts at 5th level (note Stars and Suns are too distinctly different things in the Phantasmagoria setting)

This section is followed by five pages of advanced weaponry, armor, and equipment. My favorite among the things listed are stats for chainswords!

There is a new starting occupation list that includes the new races. The original demihuman core races are represented too, though each only has one entry on the list.

There are six pages discussing space ships. While I've yet to use these, I really like the design. Essentially the ship is treated as a character with stats, armor, engines, and weapons. I like this approach because it doesn't seem to complicate things.

If you're looking to take your DCC game to the stars, you need this zine. It lays wonderful groundwork for any space game. The one shortcoming of Phantasmagoria is the lack of setting. I assume that will be addressed in future issues, but right now, it's just a bunch of (really fantastic) space rules. If you want to flesh it out, I recommend getting a hold of some issues of Crawljammer, Star Crawl (which I picked up at Gen Con also and will review soon), and keep an eye out of Leopard Women of Venus. Honestly, Leopard Women was one of the main reasons I picked this one up. I thought they could compliment each other well.

You can snag Phantasmagoria #1 from the Goodman Games shop. There are two covers, but I prefer the Luka Rejic art picture seen above.

The Dread Pirate Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler seems like an obvious choice for my Marvel-inspired DCC Crawljammer posts. I still have Excalibur 16.

Kurt Wagner was born looking abnormal, but his true nature and powers didn't fully develop until his teen years. He was raised by sorceress and gypsy queen and served as an acrobat in the circus.

Charles Xavier recruited Kurt into his X-Men. Adopting the codename Nightcrawler, Kurt was the team's happy-go-lucky swashbuckler for many years. Because of his attitude and appearance, Wolverine even nicknamed him Elf. Later he would help form and eventually lead the UK based team, Excalibur.

During his time on the X-Men and Excalibur, Kurt has traveled to many different dimensions (and even the afterlife).

Nightcrawler: Init +5, Atk cutlas +4 melee (1d8) ; AC 16; HD 5d6; hp 30; MV 30', climb 30', teleport 30'; Act 1d20; SP two-weapon fighting (as halfling), infravision 60', stealthy, tail, teleport; SV Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +3; AL L

Nightcrawler is extremely agile and has tiny suction cups on his hands and feet that allow him to climb. He can use his move action to teleport to any unoccupied space within 30'. He can use his other action to transport weight  (living or not) equal to his own with him. In addition, he can teleport over greater distances (up to 50 miles away), however doing so may leave him fatigued. Nightcrawler must make a fortitude save (DC 15. 20 if encumbered) or be fatigued and unable to teleport again until he has rested for 1 hour.

Because of his dexterous nature he can fight with two weapons (much like a halfling). In addition he can make a weapon attack with his tail using a 1d14 action die. He can also Sneak Silently and Hide in Shadows  as Thief with a +8 Bonus.

I AM GROOT!

Here's the second of my DCC Crawljammer inspired Marvel posts. 

Groot, Monarch from Planet X

Groot is from an ancient and ennobled race of treants from the mysterious Planet X.  Once a more cold individual, he once sought to conquer Earth and use its people for experimentation. Were in not for a group of modified termites, he might have succeeded.

Years later, Groot would once again be found on Earth, captured and drafted into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s paranormal containment unit, the Howling Commandos.

At some point after his tenure with S.H.I.E.L.D. he would once again find his home among the stars. He joined Star-Lord's Guardians of the Galaxy and served admirably. It was during this time that he met his best friend, Rocket. No longer a verbose conqueror,  Groot is a true hero, who's only spoken words are "I am Groot." The noble warrior is seemingly invincible too, being able to grow back from even a twig of his body.

Groot: Init +0, Atk slam +5 melee (2d6) ; AC 18; HD 5d8; hp 35; MV 30'; Act 1d20/1d14; SP control trees, regenerate, resistant to fire, varying size SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +2; AL L

While he is intelligent and mobile, Groot is a plant. He is affected by spells and things as if he was a plant. He is immune to effects that only work on humanoids. Groot fire resistant sap allows him to reduce the fire damage he takes by 10.

Like terrestrial treants, Groot can control trees, causing them to attack others (and effectively use his slam attack at a range).

Groot's plant nature allows him to regrow and heal damage he's sustained. Groot heals to HP a turn. If reduced to 0 HP he splinters into many pieces and is essentially killed. However, as long as one sliver or Groot still exists he will regenerate.

Groot's size changes. Sapling Groot is tiny, however if he sustains no life-threatening damage he can grow to large (and potentially huge) size.

Blam! Murdered You! (Rocket Raccoon For Your Game)

As I mentioned a few days ago, I picked up the first issue of Crawljammer and I love it! It's inspired me to do a few write-ups of Marvel characters I could see making an appearance in a Crawljammer game with little explanation needed.

When it comes to Marvel comics, I tend to like their odd characters the best. My favorite Marvel characters are Doop, Quentin Quire, Squirrel Girl, and Rocket Raccoon. I don't normally like cosmic books, but Rocket's version of the Guardians of the Galaxy is fantastic. While they're intergalactic peacekeepers, the comics have a sort of "Dirty Dozen in space" feel to them. Rocket has been in at least two videos games, a few episodes from various Marvel cartoons, and will be appear in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie .

Expect to see Rocket's space treant friend making an appearance here soon, as well as the X-Men's bamf-ing swashbuckler (and his demonic father).

Rocket Raccoon
Rocket began his career as the "Guardian of the Keystone Quandrant." This was an area of outer space sealed off from the rest. It was essentially a giant insane asylum.

Years later he would resurface and be recruited by Star-Lord as a member of his Guardians of the Galaxy. During this time he has proven himself to be a master soldier and tactician, as well as best friend to the Groot, the Monarch of Planet X.

Post-Annihilation Rocket is a little darker...

Rocket is brave, fearless, and loyal to a fault. In addition, he has a very strong case of obsessive compulsive disorder.

Rocket Raccoon: Init +1, Atk claws +4 melee (1d4) or laser pistols (1d8+2 against living flesh); AC 14; HD 4d6; hp 20; MV 20'; Act 1d20; SP two-weapon fighting (as halfling), infravision 60', small size, master tactician; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +2; AL L

Rocket is a master tactician. He can sacrifice his movement action to allow an ally within 30' to take a movement action.

Rocket occasionally wears rocket skates, which give him a fly speed of 30'.

Crawling in Space!

In space, no one can hear you dungeon crawl.

Yesterday my copy of Crawljammer #1 arrived. Crawl is a bi-monthly zine "dedicated to fantastical space adventures using the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role-Playing Game system."  Giving this zine a shot was a no brainer. I love Dungeon Crawl Classics, Spelljammer, and gaming zines. 

The first issue has 31 pages chocked full of content. The issue has the foundations for a crawljammer game: rules for adventuring in outer space, ships, and cosmology. It also includes a new class, lizardman mercenary (with 0-level starting occupations). Finally the zine includes the 1st level adventure (pictured on the cover) "Cry Freedom and Let Slip the Bat-Men of Venus." 

All of the content is great and I definitely am going to keep my eye on this zine. If you don't want to run a crawljammer game, the material can still be used in typical DCC game.

I snagged the first issue for 3.95 (shipping included) and it was definitely well worth the price. Even if you don't play DCC, you should check this out.

If you want to mix swords, ray guns, and four-armed martians, then Crawljammer is the zine for you.