Vlad the Impaler finally out from Avalanche

[Desdichado]

No problem, enrious. [sarcasm] Since you quoted such an authoritative source, I guess I just have to bow out gracefully. [/sarcasm] Or maybe not, since I wasn't involved in any argument in the first place, so that "law" has no application to the current situation.

 

[King_Stannis]

Then you need to check out Bud Plant. I don't want to link directly to their site (there is some adult content), but the URL on the world wide web is the name I just gave. Bud Plant has been dealing in art and photography books and prints (focusing on comic art) for 30 years. They do have adult stuff, as I said, so be warned. The site is tasteful and professional, and I highly recommend getting their catalog (they have two - one is pretty much G-PG rated, while the other is the adult catalog. I prefer the tamer one, to be honest, cuz I like comics).

They also carry a lot of collectible genre stuff, like action figures and Marvel statuettes. I really like the scifi planetary surface diorama based on Vincent DiFate's work...

\

thanks, colonel. i will be checking him out when i get home tonight.

 

[RogueJK]

RogueJK

Thanks for the breakdown of the ESD.

Do you have the Avalanche one as well or are you just going from what they say on the site?

I don't have the Avalanche Press product, so I was just going by things I've read and heard. Feel free to correct me, but it seems to me that Avalance went for a more historical, medieval Transylvania, while the Masque of the Red Death product mainly deals with a fantasy/horror, gothic Transylvania.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Got the book!

Got my Avalanche book today!

VLAD THE IMPALER
Lots of great detail on medieval Romania/Transylvanian life, gender issues, economics, history, neighbor relations, the aristocracy (boyars), and Vlad himself, right down to preferred methods of impalement. Sidebar tips on how to play Vlad are included and prove helpful insights into his er, "unusual" personality.

Extremely graphic, gritty and nasty... and historically accurate medieval life in one of the worst places to live you can imagine. Exactly what I'd always wanted! The only problem is the maps are more poetic than functional game maps (images taken from actual maps of the time in museums).

d20 Mechanics:
There are four new feats---Amputate, Behead, Firearms Proficiency and Gunnery (cannon). None of these are very amazing. Amputate is only used in surgery, not combat, LOL. Behead gives you a chance to lop off your opponent's head. The other two are self-explanatory.

There are two new PrCs: The Boyar (gains income and taxation powers as well as bonus feats---the bonus feats are however, never described!) and the Hussar (a cavalryman).

There are two NPC classes: The Herbalist (makes poultices) and the Lautar (a bard variant with some interesting songs of power).

Strigoi is the Romanian word for vampire and that creature is provided as a template. It is a variant vampire modelled on the original Romanian version of the vampire.

Also provided are a couple new monsters: the Obru, an undead dung-eater (whose black heart is made of dung!), and the Vukodlak, a large undead flesh-eating raven.

Rules for gunpowder weapons are given, along with gangrene and grievous bodily harm.

The book includes an adventure in which the PCs get to meet Vlad the Impaler, which is actually pretty cool and involves intrigue and diplomacy moreso than hack-n-slash. Whether or not Vlad is a vampire is left up to the DM. Both ideas are supported in the adventure.

Overall, I would say the book is setting rich and crunchy/mechanics weak. Buy it if you want a dark, gritty, realistic medieval setting. I'm sure it stands head and shoulders on this point over Ravenloft's Transylvania supplement. Unfortunately, you will have to create your own game map from the drawings provided, and nothing is mapped for game use... not a typical village, boyar estate or Vlad's castle.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Edited out double post

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

I don't have the Avalanche Press product, so I was just going by things I've read and heard. Feel free to correct me, but it seems to me that Avalance went for a more historical, medieval Transylvania, while the Masque of the Red Death product mainly deals with a fantasy/horror, gothic Transylvania.

Ravenloft's Transylvania book is set in the 1890s (with Vlad being a vampire) and the Avalanche one is in the mid-1400s, when Vlad was alive and ruling as Prince of Wallachia. Avalanche does support the idea of Vlad being undead at this point at the DM's option, which is nice for flexibility. Alive or undead, Vlad is a real life monster and makes a consummate villain, more than enough to challenge any PCs. The moral conflict is also present: Without Vlad on the throne, the country cannot stave off the Turkish Horde, who threaten to overrun the region and press onward into more civilized areas of Christendom. Killing Vlad at this stage in history would be frowned upon by the Catholic Church, who see him as the frontline defense against the Islamic enemy.

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THE RAVENLOFT TRANSYLVANIA BOOK HAS A DECENT MAP OF TRANSYLVANIA (and surrounding areas) FOR GAME USE?

 

[ColonelHardisson]

In my opinion, no. The maps are not very detailed, and simply show where Transylvania is situated in Europe. They might be of some minimal use if you want to see where Transylvania is traditionally located, but you'd still want a real map. A decent product, but the lack of good maps really hobbles it.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Was it a box set, Colonel?

How does it compare to the Avalanche book I described?

 

[RogueJK]

Was it a box set, Colonel?

How does it compare to the Avalanche book I described?

Check my summary of the Guide to Transylvania ESD on the previous page. It's not a boxed set. It's a 96 page softcover supplement for Masque of the Red Death.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Thanks, Rogue.