Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery For Immediate Release

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cryptkeeper

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Jay Murphy, Vanishing Tower Press, jay@vanishingtowerpress.com


First Two Books in Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery RPG Series Deliver Rules-Light Classic Pulp-Fantasy

Aspen, CO - Vanishing Tower Press is pleased to announce the release of the first two books for the Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery roleplaying game in print-on-demand (POD) format on DriveThruRPG. Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery delivers classic pulp-fantasy using the Unbelievably Simple Roleplaying (USR) engine, a rules-lite system customized for adventurers who live—and often die—by the terrible swift sword.

USR Sword & Sorcery Deluxe Book One: Characters, Combat, and Carousing and Book Two: Mass Combat and Magic feature never-before-printed mass combat rules for the game, as well as carousing, an expanded magic section, and more.

"I grew up reading Sword & Sorcery by Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, Lyn Carter, and other writers who gave us heroes and anti-heroes that carved up their world one sword stroke at a time," said Jay Murphy, the game's designer. "This is a love letter to the genre and it utilizes a rules-light formula that stays out of the way and lets game masters (called Crypt Keepers in the game) and players get right into their own bold adventures."

The soft-cover POD format in a comfortable A5 size, just like they did in the old days. Book One: Characters, Combat, and Carousing is 50 pages B/W with a price of $12.25. Book Two: Mass Combat and Magic is 40 pages B/W, with a price of $12.06. The retro-styled game is written by adventure writer Jay Murphy and includes new art by Jeremy Hart, Daniel Hernandez, Gennifer Bone, Michael Gibbons, David Lewis Johnson, Earl Geier, Joyce Maureira, Luigi Castellani, and Miguel Santos.

"I believe the artists commissioned for this project delivered illustrations which match the fevered-pitch of combat prevalent in the wonderful books that inspired this game," said Murphy. "They really give the books the feel of the game's simple, but exhilarating, combat rules."

Murphy has previously published old-school adventures, including Purging Woth Nrld Oekwn’s Muddy Hole, a 40-page adventure that pits PCs against a well-organized tribe of troglodytes and alien slime, which 10 Foot Pole's Bryce Lynch said was, "full of evocative writing and interesting interactive encounters. And is non-standard as all get out."

Deluxe USR Sword & Sorcery Book Three: Worlds of Adventure, featuring the sinister and savage world of Xoth, will be released in the near future.

Vanishing Tower Press is happy to arrange interviews with the author and PDF copies for online reviews. Direct all inquires to jay@vanishingtowerpress.com.
 
Reason being, a PDF version distorts the layout and makes the book look like crap. I have standards.
If the person doing your layout can’t generate a good quality PDF that doesn’t distort things, you need either better software or a more skilled layout person.

I mean, it’s your book. But I would have bought this and no PDF means no sale (with no exceptions). And I know I’m not alone.
 
If the person doing your layout can’t generate a good quality PDF that doesn’t distort things, you need either better software or a more skilled layout person.

I mean, it’s your book. But I would have bought this and no PDF means no sale (with no exceptions). And I know I’m not alone.
This.
 
If the person doing your layout can’t generate a good quality PDF that doesn’t distort things, you need either better software or a more skilled layout person.

I mean, it’s your book. But I would have bought this and no PDF means no sale (with no exceptions). And I know I’m not alone.

Hate to pile on, as I'm always interested in more games and settings, but I agree. Gotta have a digital copy to go with any print copy these days.
 
If the person doing your layout can’t generate a good quality PDF that doesn’t distort things, you need either better software or a more skilled layout person.

I mean, it’s your book. But I would have bought this and no PDF means no sale (with no exceptions). And I know I’m not alone.
I do it all. Write it, lay it out. I am more interested in making the best product I am capable of than drive tens of sales.
 
Hate to pile on, as I'm always interested in more games and settings, but I agree. Gotta have a digital copy to go with any print copy these days.
Good thing I do this for myself as a hobby. This way I can enjoy, as a talentless hack, creating the best game product I can instead of sweating making those tens of dollars.
 
I do it all. Write it, lay it out. I am more interested in making the best product I am capable of than drive tens of sales.
Well, if you’re convinced for some weird reason that providing a PDF somehow messes up your layout (which, as someone with extensive graphic design experience, I know is not the case) then there’s nothing else I can do, and I’ll move on.

Congrats at least in creating something you’re proud of. That’s still an accomplishment.
 
What's the system like? I looked at the linked pages but it tells me nothing of the system. Does it use class and level? No classes? What kind of dice does it use? Is it diceless?
 
If the person doing your layout can’t generate a good quality PDF that doesn’t distort things, you need either better software or a more skilled layout person.

I mean, it’s your book. But I would have bought this and no PDF means no sale (with no exceptions). And I know I’m not alone.
UR NOT ALONE:devil:!

E2A: But if cryptkeeper cryptkeeper would like to explain more about the system, he just might score a sale in the thread.
 
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No pdf version? Just POD?


I do it all. Write it, lay it out. I am more interested in making the best product I am capable of than drive tens of sales.

Which makes the last line in first book's Drivethru product page somewhat confusing....

"Vanishing Tower Press is happy to arrange interviews with the author and PDF copies for online reviews"

If the pdf is so bad, why use this method to distribute your product for review purposes?
 
The generic system is here and available as a pdf.

There was a previous edition of USR Sword & Sorcery which was available as a pdf (I have a copy), but I don't know how close it is to the revised/deluxe edition.

I can tell you a bit about the system:

There are 4 basic stats - Action, Wits, Ego and Hit Points. Each Attribute is allocated a die type ( one each from d6, d8, d10). Hit points are the total of a roll of your Action and With die (re-rolling if you get 5 or less).

Then you get a randomly rolled background (which is mostly for colour/inspiration), followed by three Specialisms, each tied to a stat, and giving a +2 bonus to a relevant stat roll: There's no set list (though there is in the generic rulebook), but examples include things like hand to hand combat, drive chariot, leadership etc.

There is the obligatory equipment list, mostly dealing with armour, shields and weapons.

Tests are made with the relevant attribute - either against a difficulty set by the GM, or against an opposing roll (draws are re-rolled until there is a winner).

With a couple of variations, combat is simply a contested roll with he high roller inflicting the difference in damage (weapons add to the roll, armour reduces hits taken). Additional rules allow for hit locations, first strikes inflicted by long weapons like spears, critical hits and dramatic fumbles).

There is a short section on advancement and healing, and a nice flavourful section on carousing - a night's debauching helps you heal quicker, but loses you 25% of you wealth, but you also have to make an uncontested EGO roll - a failure results in a roll on the Carousing results table, which can cause you all sorts of potential complications, of the sort that fans of the Conan stories will be all too familiar with.

All magic uses an EGO roll (though learning it is dependent on WITS), and there are three types: Artefact Mastery, Sorcery and Mesmerism. Without going into too much detail, Artefact Mastery is using the remnants of bygone ages, created by elder beings; Sorcery is wresting power form nameless things from beyond (with all the perils that involves); Mesmerism is bending others to your will, usually requiring eye contact or potions, poisons etc.

Magical Research is important for magic users wanting to extend their abilities, and will itself require a roll for a random event that occurs as part of the research (all of which can be interesting plot hooks).

There are a couple of nice random encounter tables (wilderness and city) and my favourite - the City Fire Table. This is based on the predilection of PCs to start fires (deliberate or accidental) which could again result in PCs ... moving on...

There is then an introductory adventure which concludes the book.

It's only 38 pages long, and is certainly on the "light" side, but it does feel quite flavourful, and I have used the random tables (especially the Carousing table) in other games. I like it, and I aim tempter by the new edition though I would also prefer a pdf to be available as well
 
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What's the system like? I looked at the linked pages but it tells mea nothing of the system. Does it use class and level? No classes? What kind of dice does it use? Is it diceless?
It uses Scott Malthouse's USR system. Rules-lite, shades of Savage Worlds with different sized dice assigned to the three character attributes (hits are rolled for). Non-contested and Contested attribute rolls are the base mechanic. Specialisms (like skills) if they apply add +2 to your roll.
 
Which makes the last line in first book's Drivethru product page somewhat confusing....

"Vanishing Tower Press is happy to arrange interviews with the author and PDF copies for online reviews"

If the pdf is so bad, why use this method to distribute your product for review purposes?
Ahh, this I did not write. I will have to edit the press release. Thanks for pointing this out.
 
The generic system is here and available as a pdf.

There was a previous edition of USR Sword & Sorcery which was available as a pdf (I have a copy), but I don't know how close it is to the revised/deluxe edition.

I can tell you a bit about the system:

There are 4 basic stats - Action, Wits, Ego and Hit Points. Each Attribute is allocated a die type ( one each from d6, d8, d10). Hit points are the total of a roll of your Action and With die (re-rolling if you get 5 or less).

Then you get a randomly rolled background (which is mostly for colour/inspiration), followed by three Specialisms, each tied to a stat, and giving a +2 bonus to a relevant stat roll: There's no set list (though there is in the generic rulebook), but examples include things like hand to hand combat, drive chariot, leadership etc.

There is the obligatory equipment list, mostly dealing with armour, shields and weapons.

Tests are made with the relevant attribute - either against a difficulty set by the GM, or against an opposing roll (draws are re-rolled until there is a winner).

With a couple of variations, combat is simply a contested roll with he high roller inflicting the difference in damage (weapons add to the roll, armour reduces hits taken). Additional rules allow for hit locations, first strikes inflicted by long weapons like spears, critical hits and dramatic fumbles).

There is a short section on advancement and healing, and a nice flavourful section on carousing - a night's debauching helps you heal quicker, but loses you 25% of you wealth, but you also have to make an uncontested EGO roll - a failure results in a roll on the Carousing results table, which can cause you all sorts of potential complications, of the sort that fans of the Conan stories will be all too familiar with.

All magic uses an EGO roll (though learning it is dependent on WITS), and there are three types: Artefact Mastery, Sorcery and Mesmerism. Without going into too much detail, Artefact Mastery is using the remnants of bygone ages, created by elder beings; Sorcery is wresting power form nameless things from beyond (with all the perils that involves); Mesmerism is bending others to your will, usually requiring eye contact or potions, poisons etc.

Magical Research is important for magic users wanting to extend their abilities, and will itself require a roll for a random event that occurs as part of the research (all of which can be interesting plot hooks).

There are a couple of nice random encounter tables (wilderness and city) and my favourite - the City Fire Table. This is based on the predilection of PCs to start fires (deliberate or accidental) which could again result in PCs ... moving on...

There is then an introductory adventure which concludes the book.

It's only 38 pages long, and is certainly on the "light" side, but it does feel quite flavourful, and I have used the random tables (especially the Carousing table) in other games. I like it, and I aim tempter by the new edition though I would also prefer a pdf to be available as well
There is not much difference in the deluxe version as far as the rules you have currently. These base rules are all found in book one, Characters, Combat and Carousing. The second book is Mass Combat & Magic. The Mass Combat rules are a new edition and the magic section includes everything from Horror Material & Magic Malignant in this book. More magic can be had with the purchase of The Black Book of Sorcery. Besides like over 70 spells and such the Black Book of Sorcery has random tables for creating sorcery rituals on the fly. Paperback of this is available at Lulu, PDF at Drivethru. Finally, Book Three Worlds of Adventure is being finished up. This is the official setting book, the World of Xoth (created by Thulsa, he can be found at xoth.net). Description of the various nations, npc roster and bestiary and several adventures. Shrine of the Keepers of course, but Race of Sorrows and Palace of the Punished Kings are new editions.

Another nice add to these books is commissioned art. Some really nice pieces make the book look great!
 
Okay, a PDF version is available on drivethru.
Awesome! Can’t wait to read it.

However, I just went to buy it, and only Book Two has a PDF (and print+PDF) option.

Book One still only lists softcover as the sole option.

Perhaps it didn’t save properly when you enabled the PDF option. I’ve had that issue with DriveThru once or twice when adding new product options.
 
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