Against the Darkmaster news

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Akrasia

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There are a number of cool Against the Darkmaster things in the works outlined here.

Of special note: a reprint of the core rules and a Player’s Handbook version of the rules. Given the overwhelming length (and weight!) of the core book, a volume with only the rules needed by players should be very helpful. Thankfully, the “VsD PHB” will be available in both PDF and print at DrivethruRPG (unlike the core rules, which only has the PDF at DTRPG).
 
For those who don't want to follow the link, here is the post:

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Well met again, heroes! Last Friday we had a wonderful time chatting with you in our Live Q&A on the official Against the Darkmaster Discord server. Thanks to everyone for participating and submitting your questions, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
And in case you missed it, here are the main announcements we made at the beginning of the event. We meant to record it and upload it to YouTube, but sadly there were some issues with the recording software, and part of the recording went lost.

Core Rules Reprint

We’re happy to announce that the reprint of the Against the Darkmaster Core Rules is proceeding well. The files are at the printer, and production should start pretty soon. This means that, unless another catastrophe hits us, the books will be back in stock in a few months. We’ll set up the store page for pre-orders, as soon as the books are ready to be shipped to our fulfillment centers.

POD

Speaking of printed products, we’re also working to get all previously published adventures as POD at DrivethruRPG. We’ve just received some proofs and we must say they look fantastic! Legacy of Blood is already available, and the others will follow soon. Keep an eye on our DTRPG publisher page to get your favorite scenario in print as soon as they’re ready.

Against the Darkmaster Player’s Handbook

Now, the first of the brand new products we have in store for this year is something our fans have been asking for a long time: a Player’s Handbook. Yes, we’ve listened to you and decided to collect all the player-facing rules and Spells contained in the Against the Darkmaster Core Rules to give you a book that would be easier to carry around and reference during play. A perfect companion to the Core Rules, the Player’s Handbook also includes a few extra notes and examples in areas we thought needed some clarification.
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Awesome cover art by Heraldo Mussolini

The Against the Darkmaster Player’s Handbook will be available both in print and PDF at DrivethruRPG.

Spell Cards

Together with the Player’s Handbook, we’re releasing another powerful tool for players and GMs alike: the Against the Darkmaster Spell Cards. With five different decks (one for each spellcasting Vocation, plus one covering Common and Kin Spell Lores), totaling over 500 cards, the Spell Cards cover every Spell from the Against the Darkmaster Core Rules (besides those reserved to the minions of the Darkmaster). Each card describes a single Spell, its effect, Parameters (such as Range, Area of Effect, Duration, and Save information), and Warping Options, making spellcasting easier than ever.
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A deck of Spell Cards in all its glory

Secrets of the Golden Throne Kickstarter

Finally, 2022 will also see the launch of our first major supplement: Secrets of the Golden Throne, coming to Kickstarter this fall. Keep watch for our future updates and stand ready, because Secrets of the Golden Throne will contain a veritable trove of new options for both the GM and the players, as well as an original mini-setting, and a truly epic campaign.
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Art by Heraldo Mussolini
That’s all for now! Did you, too, have a question you wanted to ask, but missed the live Q&A? Come and ask on the official Against the Darkmaster Discord server, we’ll be waiting for you!
 
Glad to see Akrasia Akrasia posting here and glad to read the news too! Looking forward to the Golden Throne book — hope there’s options for twisting the game into new directions. AtDM really is a gem of a game.

Love their art too!

Also is it just me or they have an artist named Mussolini.
 
What I've seen of the teasers for Secrets of the Golden Throne suggests to me that it may open up VsDM to include more Arthurian-style fantasy, with knights in shining armor, fairy folk, and the like. That may be wishful thinking on my part, though.
 
All this sits in pride of place in my bookcase. My Mythras books, my RQG books, my WFRP books, and now VsDM sits proudly next to all that.
Absolutley great to look at. I’ll definite grab the VsDM PHB for easier reference down the track
 
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I used to run MERP back in the day, and my mate was a huge RM fan, but Against The Darkmaster is the version of the ICE system I would run these days.
The print version of the corebook is great to have, it's such a magnificient tome in the bookcase.
If anyone want an upskill on it, these vids are great: Against The Darkmaster Part 1 and Against The Darkmaster Part 2
(It takes almost 2 hrs to watch those, but it's pretty comphrensive, well worth it)
 
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A player’s handbook at 288 pages. Wow.
The spells take up a lot of space. Almost like DCC.

The charts are the dice results of weapon type vs armor and the critical hits.

Otherwise not sure what takes up so many pages…
 
A player’s handbook at 288 pages. Wow.

Have you counted the number of pages in the D&D 5th Edition PHB?

Otherwise not sure what takes up so many pages…

Looking at the Core book contents page it seems that this PHB likely contains Books 1 (Character Creation), 2 (Rules), and 5 (Magic) from the Core. That would add up to approximately 288 pages.

Edit: Having looked at the DTRPG preview, that is exactly what it is.
 
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A companion GM's Handbook would be appreciated too. The core rulebook is just unwieldy.

I really hope they do this. Especially if they make it POD like the Player's Handbook. That would make it so much easier for people to get hold of physical copies of the game and increase it's popularity. It hasn't been the easiest to get hold of with the global shipping crisis, Brexit, the pandemic, etc.
 
A companion GM's Handbook would be appreciated too. The core rulebook is just unwieldy.
I’m accustomed to the weight. My first RPG was WFRP 1e.

If/when I run this system, I’ll print out some relevant pages for the players from the PDF (thank goodness for the Bits and Mortars program).
 
I really hope they do this. Especially if they make it POD like the Player's Handbook. That would make it so much easier for people to get hold of physical copies of the game and increase it's popularity. It hasn't been the easiest to get hold of with the global shipping crisis, Brexit, the pandemic, etc.
It WAS enormously hard to get a hardcopy.

The publisher announced a second print run in April, and then the delivery to Canadian distribution in June sometime. I had to refresh multiple online Canadian stores. Finally found one at Meeple Mart, but as soon as I bought it, they were already out of stock.

I really wanted this book, size and all, for its presentation and art (and ideas). I’m a recent convert to d100 (roll under or roll over, I don’t care).
 
I remember passing on this Kickstarter when it dropped. The name put me off for some reason (and I was already pretty heavily immersed in a Mythras deep-dive). I just saw the PWYW Quickstart rules, maybe it's time to give this a proper look?

Does anybody have any experience actually running a campaign or game of this? Does it do a good job of conveying the implied setting or its supposed source material through its magic system? Does it have a relatively flat power-curve like most BRP-derived games? I never played or read MERP or RM, so I don't have much of a frame of reference there.
 
I never heard of this; is it really closely similar to ICE's Rolemaster series of games, or is there something different about it?
 
I remember passing on this Kickstarter when it dropped. The name put me off for some reason (and I was already pretty heavily immersed in a Mythras deep-dive). I just saw the PWYW Quickstart rules, maybe it's time to give this a proper look?

Does anybody have any experience actually running a campaign or game of this? Does it do a good job of conveying the implied setting or its supposed source material through its magic system? Does it have a relatively flat power-curve like most BRP-derived games? I never played or read MERP or RM, so I don't have much of a frame of reference there.
Like you, I'm in a Mythras phase right now, but I was heavily curious about the d100 "roll high" concept.

I'm still reading and learning the rules, but the game definitely presents some interesting depth for combat. Just like Mythras, exactly what you accomplish on a successful hit only gets revealed afterwards (depending on your weapon category vs. the defender's armor category). Then if you score a solid hit the critical hit chart explains ongoing effects like stun, bleeding, hit location etc...

It is very interesting, and I would likely use it instead of D&D 5e for a Middle Earth campaign (my Adventures in Middle Earth books have tons of great reference material).

It also provides an alternative for a more "low magic" campaign, with a bonus class called the "Sage".

Sorry not to answer all of your questions, but I wanted to pitch in some of the things that I've liked so far (from a "Mythras is my favorite game right now" perspective).
 
I see this is a class and level game. How rigid are these classes, and do these levels result in the kind of power-scaling wherein a characters several levels higher have buckets of hit points and easily outclasses dozens of creatures/characters several levels lower?

I guess what I'd like to avoid before I bother with getting into it is knowing whether or not this replicates the things I hate most about D&D-derived mechanics and games in the same orbit; e.g. if a dozen peasants with crossbows have a "high-level" player-character lined up in their sights, does the player laugh it off because they know they can absorb the damage, or is it more of a "holy shit, I better mind my manners" situation where you're never really safe and being outnumbered always matters? I only ask, because that is one of things that BRP and/or Mythras models very well without having to get hand-wavy and suspend the game mechanics to model reality (in the same way that falling damage usually doesn't make any damned sense in D&D).
 
I see this is a class and level game. How rigid are these classes, and do these levels result in the kind of power-scaling wherein a characters several levels higher have buckets of hit points and easily outclasses dozens of creatures/characters several levels lower?

I guess what I'd like to avoid before I bother with getting into it is knowing whether or not this replicates the things I hate most about D&D-derived mechanics and games in the same orbit; e.g. if a dozen peasants with crossbows have a "high-level" player-character lined up in their sights, does the player laugh it off because they know they can absorb the damage, or is it more of a "holy shit, I better mind my manners" situation where you're never really safe and being outnumbered always matters? I only ask, because that is one of things that BRP and/or Mythras models very well without having to get hand-wavy and suspend the game mechanics to model reality (in the same way that falling damage usually doesn't make any damned sense in D&D).
So I had the same concerns as you.

VsDarkmaster is indeed Class-based, but there are no kewl powerz as in D&D. No Feats (save for special background abilities that you pick during character creation.

HP only goes up every level if you're a combat-focused character. Spellcasters never seem to get more HP.

More HP means you last longer in combat, yes, but regardless of your HP, critical hits are still nasty. A generic thug could aim a crossbow at your Level 10 Warrior and still do a tremendously bad effect on a lucky hit (combat rolls "explode", meaning that you can score a massive hit even if you're a mook). So regardless of your 70 HP, you can still get an arrow to your face and die a horrible death.

edit: for context, Nick J Nick J I've also been hugely disappointed by D&D lately, and I've moved away from it completely. Mythras is still my favorite RPG right now, although I've only DM'ed half a dozen sessions. While VsDarkmaster has a few things that vaguely remind me of D&D (Race, Class, Culture, Skills going up in "rank" per level etc...) it still feels distinctly like a different ideology than D&D.
 
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So I had the same concerns as you.

VsDarkmaster is indeed Class-based, but there are no kewl powerz as in D&D. No Feats (save for special background abilities that you pick during character creation.

HP only goes up every level if you're a combat-focused character. Spellcasters never seem to get more HP.

More HP means you last longer in combat, yes, but regardless of your HP, critical hits are still nasty. A generic thug could aim a crossbow at your Level 10 Warrior and still do a tremendously bad effect on a lucky hit (combat rolls "explode", meaning that you can score a massive hit even if you're a mook). So regardless of your 70 HP, you can still get an arrow to your face and die a horrible death.

edit: for context, Nick J Nick J I've also been hugely disappointed by D&D lately, and I've moved away from it completely. Mythras is still my favorite RPG right now, although I've only DM'ed half a dozen sessions. While VsDarkmaster has a few things that vaguely remind me of D&D (Race, Class, Culture, Skills going up in "rank" per level etc...) it still feels distinctly like a different ideology than D&D.
To be completely fair I've never played Fifth edition. I moved away from D&D during 4th ed. to stuff like Magic World, then Mythras more recently. (Although I can still appreciate stuff like DCC RPG because of its somewhat unique spin). So, while I'm not adamantly opposed to class-level based games, I was just trying to get a sense of things before I waste any time or money getting into it. I'll probably browse through the QuickStart, since it's effectively free.
 
I’ve mentioned it before, but I was disappointed that this game definitely follows the trope that humans are mechanically inferior to the other Kin (aka Races). I simply don’t understand why this is a thing in RPG design.

One of my first house rules will be to buff them up somehow.

Edit: or I’d use the random Kin and Culture table on page 46 for character creation.
 
I never heard of this; is it really closely similar to ICE's Rolemaster series of games, or is there something different about it?

It most closely resembles MERP. Like MERP, VsD only goes up to level 10 (and only has five "armour types", six "classes," etc.).

However, it introduces a number of important revisions (I would say improvements) to the core system. So it's not a "clone" of, but rather a system heavily "inspired by" MERP.

Nonetheless, despite making a number of improvements to the system, it should be easy to use MERP (or RM) material with VsD.
 
I remember passing on this Kickstarter when it dropped. The name put me off for some reason (and I was already pretty heavily immersed in a Mythras deep-dive). I just saw the PWYW Quickstart rules, maybe it's time to give this a proper look?

Does anybody have any experience actually running a campaign or game of this? Does it do a good job of conveying the implied setting or its supposed source material through its magic system? Does it have a relatively flat power-curve like most BRP-derived games? I never played or read MERP or RM, so I don't have much of a frame of reference there.
I ran a game of it recently. It works exactly as you expect it would if you've played MERP. While I didn't use it for the game I ran (just a one-off), there's an amazing section on creating your own Darkmaster (Sauron-alike), with a handful of pre-worked Darkmasters. You could easily port that into Age of Shadow (a Tolkien-esque BRP game) to good effect.

It is a class and level based game, but there is some flexibility. Generally, you pay two for one to get skills outside your class, so if you wanted a mage that could be a decent fighter, it's doable. However, they won't be able to stand toe to toe with a dedicated martial class. Each category of skills has class-dependant amount of development points to spend each level. You could take one point from two categories or two from one category to get one point for skills outside your ambit. That's how mages could get weapon skills, increased hit points, etc.

Combat can be brutal. Getting outnumbered is bad. If you're unwise and/or unlucky, one hit can do you in. That being said, the "Superficial" Critical level doesn't seem to have any lethal results. They will however, initiate a death spiral if you take more than one or maybe two, as your penalties will add up quickly.

Magic is not particularly high-powered, and casting magic instantly rather than preparing it is risky. Only high-level mages can do big blasty stuff, but lower level casters can certainly be handy. Fire Bolt is a level 6 spell, for example. There are 10 levels.

Number crunching can be slow of course, if you have to subtract your opponent's DEF of 37 from your CMB of 94 and add that to your d100 which then explodes so you add a d100 again... Don't get me wrong, totally worth it. But just be aware of what you're getting into.

Overall, I love the game. There are a few good actual play sessions on YouTube which give you an idea of how the game flows. I think in the hands of a skilled GM, this game will really sing. I had a blast running it, and would love to run it again.
 
Some cool VsD news!

The folks who created VsD are working on a campaign setting and set of adventures called Secrets of the Golden Throne. The setting is the island of “Awallon” (I personally would pronounce that “w” as a “v”) and looks like it can be inserted into most fantasy campaigns, or simply treated as a self-standing setting with little reference to the “outside world.”

Here's a brief description of the campaign’s premise:
The High King is dead, betrayed by one of his owns and murdered by the Maimed King, one of the Darkmaster’s most wicked and powerful servants, who now sits on the Golden Throne.
A strange Blight plagues the land, as hordes of marauding Wendals, led by the Maimed King’s lieutenants, ravage the countryside.
The Darkmaster’s triumph, however, isn’t complete. With her last strengths, Princess Morgawse hid the secret of the Golden Throne in the Dreamworld, out of the reach of the cruel Maimed King.
Fate brings our heroes together, and a strange dream sets them on a quest that will see them facing the machinations of the wicked Maimed King and his followers.

If you’re also interested, you can download a preview, including an initial adventure, “A Summernight Dream," here:

Included in the download are five pre-generated characters, including three that use some of the new kins (gnome, changeling) and options that will be available in the full book.
 
Among the things to be covered in the book:
  • Meet the mysterious Aes Sidhe, a mysterious group of Kins long thought lost! Ethereal Pixies, unseen Gnomes, enigmatic changelings, beguiling Asrai and voracious Ogres will join the heroes' side in the fight Against the Darkmaster.
  • Expand your character options with new unique Cultures and never seen before Backgrounds.
  • Explore the island of Awallon, an original setting inspired by fairy tales and Arthurian legends which can be used on its own, or easily dropped into an existing campaign setting.
  • Delve into the secrets of magic, with new magic options and 30 new Spells.
  • Prove your courage against a host of new monstrous adversaries.
  • Face an unprecedented threat, in an epic campaign that will decide the fate of Awallon and of the entire world.
I’m generally reluctant to support projects on Kickstarter these days, but I’ll happily make an exception for this one!
 
Ran my second session on Sunday night. This is fast becoming one of my favourite games. It scratches that Rolemaster itch better than MERP does for reasons I cannot articulate. The adventure in the core book (which is what I'm running) is pretty cool too. The pregen characters are also very useful. I'm running it as a solo campaign and the player is using Aethelstane as the main PC with Mornien as secondary. She's quite enjoying it.
 
Heroic Bundle shows up as $29.99 for me, so it's probably due to your prior purchase.
 
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