Oracular Vision
First Post
[Sarcasm/] So is this a reprint of the Epic Level Handbook? [/Sarcasm]
-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Who does Steve Jackson Think He's Kidding???
- Thread starter Michael Morris
- Start date
Blacksad
Explorer
Re: SJG
SJG didn't made In Nomine, they translated it from french
and, I don't know if comics exist in this format in the U.S. (A4, 48-72 pages, hardcover) but in Europe they do, and are priced around $12, so if it has a lot of illustration, and is more an humour book than anything else, the price doesn't seem too high.
Aust Diamondew said:SJG has made alot of great games: Gurps, In Nomine, Illuminati and so on. I know he'll pull through. He's proably a little pissed that d20 is kicking theout of gurps though.
SJG didn't made In Nomine, they translated it from french
and, I don't know if comics exist in this format in the U.S. (A4, 48-72 pages, hardcover) but in Europe they do, and are priced around $12, so if it has a lot of illustration, and is more an humour book than anything else, the price doesn't seem too high.
Last edited:
ColonelHardisson
What? Me Worry?
Oracular Vision said:
If the Epic Level Handbook is munchkin, I guess my idea of what constitutes munchkin differs from yours. The various epic spells and feats in the ELH have astoundingly tough prerequisites for use. Overall, I found the ELH rather sedate and conservative compared to some of the truly munchkin campaigns I played in the past.
Last edited:
Damon Griffin
First Post
d20 Munchkin: A somewhat biased review
Allow me:
d20 Munchkin PHB
This $14.95 hardcover book is only 48 pages long, but if it were much longer it might be dangerous. Wit is best taken in small doses. Here, it's all good, including the Introduction, the About the Authors sidebar, even the boxes labeling each chapter's content as Open Gaming or not. Racial information is given for Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Halflings and Orcs, and card text is provided for anyone who wants to introduce Gnomes to their Munchkin card game. Bards, Clerics, Monks, Thieves, Warriors and Wizards are covered, with info given for adding Bards and Monks to the card game.
Character advancement is, appropriately enough, extremely munchkin: all characters get a new Cheat...er, Feat...at EVERY odd-numbered level, and an ability score increase every third level. Wizards get bonus metamagic/item creation feats every fifth level. Warriors get bonus warrior-appropriate feats at 1st and 2nd level, and every even-numbered Warrior level after that (so a 20th level Human Warrior is going to have a total of 22 feats; then again I think a 20th level Human Warrior in D&D would have 19 feats, so maybe this isn't all that different...)
The BAB table is also accelerated, with Warriors starting at +2, getting an extra attack every four levels instead of every five, and ending up with +21/+17/+13/+9/+5/+1 at 20th level. 20th level Wizards get +10/+6/+2.
Skills include Carouse, Pose, Knowledge:Adventure Spoilers, and Whine. Cheats...er, Feats include Ammo Written in Pencil, Cuisinart Attack, Hidden Die Roll, Juggle the Numbers, Search for Treasure, Shagging the DM and many more. Spells include at least three pun variants on the cantrip: Can't Rip (protects cloth), Can Trip (might trip an opponent) and Kant Trip (makes target think he's an 18th Century German philosopher) plus Detect Best Treasure, Nun Detection, Pass Without Study (gives answers to exam questions), Invisibility to the Blind, Invisibility to the Blond, Halt Dead (affects only the dead, not undead) and lots of others.
Scattered throughout the book are one liners that help you determine whether or not you are a munchkin: If you get combat bonuses from your languages...you might be a munchkin. If "Flying Feet of Instant Annihilation" seems like a reasonable feat for 2nd level...you might be a munchkin. If Vecna wants the Hand of You...you might be a munchkin.
Is $14.95 a high price for a game book of this size? You bet it is! (Good thing I paid only 75% of retail, and even $11.25 is a lot to pay for 48 pages.) I thought it was worth it for the humorous entertainment value, but that's just me. The book will last a lot longer than a two-hour movie that I spend $15.00 to see (with ticket, popcorn and soda.)
This review may be considered somewhat biased since Andrew Hackard, SJGames Managing Editor and co-author of this book, is a founding member of my current gaming group. However, we live in different cities, haven't seen each other for a couple of years now, and I'm not on the SJGames payroll.
ColonelHardisson said:
Allow me:
d20 Munchkin PHB
This $14.95 hardcover book is only 48 pages long, but if it were much longer it might be dangerous. Wit is best taken in small doses. Here, it's all good, including the Introduction, the About the Authors sidebar, even the boxes labeling each chapter's content as Open Gaming or not. Racial information is given for Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Halflings and Orcs, and card text is provided for anyone who wants to introduce Gnomes to their Munchkin card game. Bards, Clerics, Monks, Thieves, Warriors and Wizards are covered, with info given for adding Bards and Monks to the card game.
Character advancement is, appropriately enough, extremely munchkin: all characters get a new Cheat...er, Feat...at EVERY odd-numbered level, and an ability score increase every third level. Wizards get bonus metamagic/item creation feats every fifth level. Warriors get bonus warrior-appropriate feats at 1st and 2nd level, and every even-numbered Warrior level after that (so a 20th level Human Warrior is going to have a total of 22 feats; then again I think a 20th level Human Warrior in D&D would have 19 feats, so maybe this isn't all that different...)
The BAB table is also accelerated, with Warriors starting at +2, getting an extra attack every four levels instead of every five, and ending up with +21/+17/+13/+9/+5/+1 at 20th level. 20th level Wizards get +10/+6/+2.
Skills include Carouse, Pose, Knowledge:Adventure Spoilers, and Whine. Cheats...er, Feats include Ammo Written in Pencil, Cuisinart Attack, Hidden Die Roll, Juggle the Numbers, Search for Treasure, Shagging the DM and many more. Spells include at least three pun variants on the cantrip: Can't Rip (protects cloth), Can Trip (might trip an opponent) and Kant Trip (makes target think he's an 18th Century German philosopher) plus Detect Best Treasure, Nun Detection, Pass Without Study (gives answers to exam questions), Invisibility to the Blind, Invisibility to the Blond, Halt Dead (affects only the dead, not undead) and lots of others.
Scattered throughout the book are one liners that help you determine whether or not you are a munchkin: If you get combat bonuses from your languages...you might be a munchkin. If "Flying Feet of Instant Annihilation" seems like a reasonable feat for 2nd level...you might be a munchkin. If Vecna wants the Hand of You...you might be a munchkin.
Is $14.95 a high price for a game book of this size? You bet it is! (Good thing I paid only 75% of retail, and even $11.25 is a lot to pay for 48 pages.) I thought it was worth it for the humorous entertainment value, but that's just me. The book will last a lot longer than a two-hour movie that I spend $15.00 to see (with ticket, popcorn and soda.)
This review may be considered somewhat biased since Andrew Hackard, SJGames Managing Editor and co-author of this book, is a founding member of my current gaming group. However, we live in different cities, haven't seen each other for a couple of years now, and I'm not on the SJGames payroll.
ColonelHardisson
What? Me Worry?
I saw the book in my local shop last night, and paged through it. Damon Griffin's review seems to confirm my impression. The book is much different than what I expected - it doesn't seem that bad. I stand corrected, and apologize to those involved in making it for my negative overreaction when I first heard about it. This actually sounds like a nice parody and satire of D&D and its players, along the lines of HackMaster. It looks like it'd be playable, and very useful for a more relaxed, change of pace campaign. I still think it's overpriced, though.
MerricB - I didn't see any character generation rules, like what you're in mind of, but I might have overlooked them in my skimming.
MerricB - I didn't see any character generation rules, like what you're in mind of, but I might have overlooked them in my skimming.
Utrecht
First Post
Fourecks said:
Actually, with the exception of the GURPS sourcebooks, I have found ALL SJG to be overpriced.
For Example:
Illuminati was 35$ And all you got was basically 2 decks of cards and 1 counter sheet of money. Its expansion was $15 for a grand total of about 50 cards.
AS mentioned above the Munckin games are expensive.
Car Wars retails for something over $30 for a slightly higher production valued game that could be put out by CheapAss games for $5.........
So given that sample, I would say that d20 Munkin is well within SJG pricing model.
I don't know anything about Steve Jackson Games or Munchkin d20, but you cannot judge value simply by page count. It's the quality and kind of content, art, and production value that is important. Also, spacing issues are another thing to consider.
Anyhow, what about Green Ronin's Shaman Handbook which is 72 pages for $17? I don't remember hearing anyone complain about that. In fact, it received four or five stars from everybody here on EN World.
Regardless, I've come to the realization that this a niche market business and when you only sell a few thousand copies at a time, prices are going to have to be high. Actually, I've noticed prices for all RPGs going UP more than DOWN lately.
Because of this I don't mind paying more for something if it is good quality, but again I know nothing of this particular product.
Anyhow, what about Green Ronin's Shaman Handbook which is 72 pages for $17? I don't remember hearing anyone complain about that. In fact, it received four or five stars from everybody here on EN World.
Regardless, I've come to the realization that this a niche market business and when you only sell a few thousand copies at a time, prices are going to have to be high. Actually, I've noticed prices for all RPGs going UP more than DOWN lately.
Because of this I don't mind paying more for something if it is good quality, but again I know nothing of this particular product.
sword-dancer
Explorer
I consider GURPS Products in the same category as Midgard Products.
The Question isn`t
Is it good, but is it your taste.
Then good they are, it`s only a question if they fit your taste.
Midgard is setting IMPOV(and I´m not alone on this I think) the standard on which are all other german FRPG are judged.
The Question isn`t
Is it good, but is it your taste.
Then good they are, it`s only a question if they fit your taste.
Midgard is setting IMPOV(and I´m not alone on this I think) the standard on which are all other german FRPG are judged.
Similar Threads
