Pyramid #3/106: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game II

[PK]

Corridors filled with
Hidden traps and ashen ghouls?
It must be Thursday.

— Pholora, Holy Warrior

One important focus of the Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game is "grab and go" -- the idea that you can pull out the materials, sit down, and start playing right away. In that vein, Pyramid #3/106: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game II aims to help by giving the players and GM simple, straightforward options for everything from equipping the heroes to trying to kill them later.

• Many groups out there will be mixing these stripped-down rules with those from full-fledged GURPS books. But it's not immediately obvious what's changed between the two systems. At least it isn't without Designer's Notes: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game. Line creator Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch walks you through the box's contents, with special attention to differences between the two systems and plenty of advice for porting one into the other.
  
  
• Character creation is only the first half of building a hero. Picking out all of your equipment can be just as detailed and lengthy of a process! Wouldn't it be nice if, after settling on weapons and armor, you could just choose from different Quick Equipment Kits for everything else? Peter Dell'Orto knows the answer (spoiler: it's "yes") and fills that need with ready-made loadouts covering everything from food to specialized professions. Grab the ones you need and start playing right away.
  
  
• If you enjoyed Dungeon Fantasy RPG: Traps (part of the upcoming Dungeon Fantasy RPG Compendium), you're probably already looking for more ways to make your players hate you. Fret not, for Traps co-author Christopher Rice has even more Deathtraps for you. Kill the heroes and reanimate their bodies to murder their friends! Use the power of magnetism to rip their weapons away! Strain their brains with inscrutable puzzles! Trust me, they'll enjoy the experience; it builds character.
  
  
• Of course, not everything can be pre-made. Eventually, every GM wants to sit down and design custom dungeons, and in this week's Eidetic Memory, David Pulver offers suggestions for creating Demi-Human Dungeons that were formerly occupied by dwarves, elves, halflings, and gnomes. What makes the architecture different? What threats are likely to exist? What sort of treasure might they have? The answers will keep the delvers on their toes and keep the adventure full of flavor.
  
  
• Hey, remember how much fun that solo adventure was? You know, the one from Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game. (If not, why are you still here? Go play it!) Well, Steven Marsh has expanded the Secrets of the Living Tomb into a full-fledged encounter capable of handling a full complement of adventurers. Learn the secrets behind the mysterious Cavalas, quest for a unique and powerful artifact, and fight through a variety of threats. (Note that Pyramid #3/104 is not required to use this article.)
  
  
• Speaking of threats, every party knows the pain of stumbling into a crypt and discovering Undead, Undead Everywhere. Dr. Kromm expands Dungeon Fantasy RPG: Monsters with six new and interesting necromantic horrors. Fight through the drowned to get to their pirate treasure. Break the icy sheathe of the frozen dead. Try to avoid the herd horror's sudden charge. Dodge the mummy's touch. Try not to breathe around the swamp wisp. And witness Nature gone wrong with the tomb tree.
  
  
• Just like last time, we cover The State of the Dungeon, with news and pictures straight out of GenCon. Glimpse Dr. Kromm running a game for our high-tier backers, along with an early look at our promotional "one-sheet encounter" in action.
  
  
• And after rolling on the treasure table, you discover this month's Random Thought Table, which looks at ways to make the game more accessible to newbies.

—

Store Link: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/SJG37-2706
Preview PDF: http://www.warehouse23.com/media/SJG37-2706_preview.pdf

[Christopher R. Rice]

So shineh. *_*


Edit: Damn it, Kromm, REALLY? GHOST COW? You're killing me. >_<


Edit Edit: And that picture of me is entirely unflattering.

[Pseudonym]

My eyes are burning out of my head... I got too much stuff to read... the DFRPG pdfs, the stuff I bought in the sale, this issue of pyramid... maybe I need to turn on that relaxing blue tint thing.

[Humabout]

Wait. Did Kromm make undead Gaur-dians? The ones that protect the ancient Ghalek artifact known as the Shee?

[b-dog]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

So shineh. *_*


Edit: Damn it, Kromm, REALLY? GHOST COW? You're killing me. >_<


Edit Edit: And that picture of me is entirely unflattering.

I was thinking I might buy this because I am interested in the nonhuman dungeon designs because I enjoy different styles of dungeons. If there was an Egyptian, Arabian or other non European style dungeon I would really like it. But the ghost cow kind of slapstick stuff reminds me what DF is really about so I will pass on this one.

[sjard]

Originally Posted by b-dog

I was thinking I might buy this because I am interested in the nonhuman dungeon designs because I enjoy different styles of dungeons. If there was an Egyptian, Arabian or other non European style dungeon I would really like it. But the ghost cow kind of slapstick stuff reminds me what DF is really about so I will pass on this one.

Would it help to know that the word Ghost shows up in this issue all of twice, and Cow only shows up as part of the word Cowardice?

[Bruno]

What is under discussion is not a "ghost cow" that goes moo and donkles a cow bell. It's also not called a "ghost cow" or "guar ghost" or anything else.

It's a vengeful spirit bison/aurochs/buffalo/etc, created when the animal is slain on sacred ground or when evil magic is used to slaughter whole herds.

I appreciate that you're sensitive to the topic of humour in your fantasy gaming bdog, but perhaps stop to ask questions before you write something off that you might otherwise like?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by b-dog

I was thinking I might buy this because I am interested in the nonhuman dungeon designs because I enjoy different styles of dungeons. If there was an Egyptian, Arabian or other non European style dungeon I would really like it. But the ghost cow kind of slapstick stuff reminds me what DF is really about so I will pass on this one.

So if you want the various things you've talked about over the years to ever come to fruition the only way to make that happen is to support the line. I've thought about doing cultural themed articles for DF before, but I can't do that if there is no DF. Something to think about.

Originally Posted by sjard

Would it help to know that the word Ghost shows up in this issue all of twice, and Cow only shows up as part of the word Cowardice?

Yup.

[b-dog]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

So if you want the various things you've talked about over the years to ever come to fruition the only way to make that happen is to support the line. I've thought about doing cultural themed articles for DF before, but I can't do that if there is no DF. Something to think about.

If you are thinking about making cultural themed dungeons I would be very interested. I am using GURPS Arabian Nights and Ars Magica books dealing with the Middle East now but I would be really interested in some dungeon designs for Indian and South East Asian style dungeons and hopefully include information on the towns too. I would be interested in things that can add flavor and authenticity to my games instead of jokes.

I am still interested in the nonhuman dungeons though. Maybe I can stomach the ghost cow.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by b-dog

If you are thinking about making cultural themed dungeons I would be very interested. I am using GURPS Arabian Nights and Ars Magica books dealing with the Middle East now but I would be really interested in some dungeon designs for Indian and South East Asian style dungeons and hopefully include information on the towns too. I would be interested in things that can add flavor and authenticity to my games instead of jokes.

I am still interested in the nonhuman dungeons though. Maybe I can stomach the ghost cow.

Buy the DF and DFRPG line materials. It's the only way you're going to be able to influence the line itself.