Monday, May 9, 2011

May Giveaways @ DriveThruRPG.com

Thanks to everyone who visits our little corner of the time-crunched blogosphereDriveThruRPG was kind enough to give its reviewers discounts to pass along. This month, they offer a 20% off on the following products. Simply use the following coupon code at checkout: MayDaysAtTheDriveThru2011


If you want the complete set of games for free simply be the following three people all at once
  1. Have a DriveThruRPG.com account. It's easy and free.
  2. Be a follower of this blog using Google Friend Connect and add your picture to the list of beatific blog followers under "BECOME A FOLLOWER. WIN STUFF" section in the side bar to the right.
  3. Be one of the people leave a new comment on any post before May 21st, 2011. I'll randomly pick a winner from all the commenters. 




Weird War II Player's Guide [Pinnacle Entertainment]

In the horror of war, dark things rise, and World War II is history's greatest conflict. The Japanese stalk the jungles of Southeast Asia. Carriers battle in the South Pacific. Tanks trundle across North Africa. Planes duel over England. The Nazi blitzkrieg conquers most of Europe with a genocidal madman at the controls. Prepare to battle the evil of the Axis powers and the hideous things that rise in their wake. This isn't just war-this is Weird War!



Adventurer's Guide to Cthonia [Alea Publishing]


Time has come to lay your claim to the throne of Cthonia!  Take your first steps into Terra, the world of the Feudal Lords Campaign Setting
Adventurer's Guide to Cthonia features a variety of new rules to create a dark medieval fantasy setting where peasants toil under the watchful eye of feudal lords and all fear the Inquisition. 


This product provides Players and Game Masters with the following for thrilling play:
  • A full description of the Cthonia, including the roles races and classes play
  • Two multiclass characters: Noble and Possessed
  • New rules for acquiring noble titles from esquire to king and collecting taxes
  • Who will you pledge yourself to: rules for joining the Cthonian Royal Court, Inquisition, Marauders of Welhan, and the Veiled Coven
  • Issue commands and scribe writs
  • New equipment including armor, weapons, and magic items
  • Over 140 powers featuring new keywords (Wild Soul and Relic) as well as two sources (Bloodline and Infernal)
  • 55 feats with three new types: Fatigue, Lineage, and Regional 
  • Make an authentic Feudal Lords character with over 32 professions and a medieval caste system
  • 11 paragon paths including the Feudal Lord, Inquisitor General, Kingmaker, Knight-errant, Guildmaster, and much more
  • 2 epic destinies: Holy Soveriegn and Once and Future Monarch
Don't walk through the lands of Cthonia unprepared as you struggle against powerful feudal lords and inquisitive church overlords.


Although designed for the Feudal Lords Campaign SettingTM, this product easily adapts into your favorite campaign or adventures as a "drop-in" region ready for exploration.



ArcheTech Special Report: An Assortment of Armor [Cracked Mirror Publishing]

Originally produced under contract for the U.S. Government, this ArcheTech Special Report discusses the uses and capabilities of the many types of Powered Armor used throughout the world today, including in-depth coverage of battlesuits and powered armor from across the globe, and beyond!  Inside you'll find not only information on the basics of powered armor, but also descriptions of over 30 different suits, including:

  • The ACE, APE, and ARGO Suits from Steif Incorporated.
  • Flamabelle's Pyrokinetic Armor
  • Maban's Donoumaium Battlesuit
  • Professor Compressor's MEGO Exoframe
  • The sinister Science Squid's multi-limbed battlesuit

Written by the world's preeminent researcher of metahumans, Dr. Viktor Archeville, in collaboration with one of the world's foremost researchers into folklore and mysticism, Eirene von Mookenstein, this report is the most thoroughly researched of it's kind.



Wu Xing: The Ninja Crusade [Third Eye Games]


The War Has Begun
The Emperor has called for blood! All ninja of the Izou Empire face the crushing might of their own nation. Where once there was peace, now there is only destruction and death. The ninja are forced to fight back, wielding the ancient art of chi manipulation alongside their shuriken and katana. Empire soldiers pack their own secret weapons to combat ninja wushu... powerful firearms. 

The ninja of the realm have assembled into their own army, the Lotus Coalition. Together, they hope to take down the Empire and stop the reign of destruction upon the people of the land. That is if they can overcome centuries old feuds and rivalries that could destroy them from within!

This Book Includes:

- A guide to the Izou Empire and the machinations behind their Ninja Crusade.
- Information on all the Empire's major cities and landmarks
- Rules for playing any one of the 10 most influential Ninja Clans, like the Recoiling Serpents or the Virtuous Body Gardeners
- Easy-to-learn, flexible character creation rules.
- Fully immersive mechanics and 11 Fighting Styles make combat an intense experience.
- Complete rules for 20 Wushu paths, celestial animals and tips on crafting your own ninja stories."



Martial Cultures: the Daikort Pack [Chaotic Shiney Productions]


Want to know more about the baddest group of mercenaries out there? Learn about the pack's allies and rivals, missions they've gone on in the past, the places where they fight and how they survive them. There's tons of organizations, plot hooks, rumors and background material just waiting to be dropped into your world, whether the pack makes a direct appearance or not.

The Daikort Pack can be a righteous band of heroic warriors, a merciless group of bloody sellswords, or anything in between. They're ruthlessly good at what they do, and have that little extra edge that sets them apart from everyone else. Is it training, magic, or a mix of both? No matter the answer, having the Daikort edge on your side - or in your party - can tip the difference in a fight.

There's also more alternate class features, stats for the Daikort's magic armor, exotic terrain to add to your next combat, and tons more cool flavorful fluff.

The crunch is 4e D&D, but the fluff will fit any system, and there's a whole lot of it.



Legend of the Five Rings (4th Edition) [AEG]


Blood. Honor. Steel.

Welcome to the 4th Edition of the epic Role-Playing Game Legend of the Five Rings! Join us for the ultimate adventure of fantasy samurai, locked in perpetual battles of honor and glory within the bonds of the Code of Bushido.

The Emerald Empire of Rokugan demands much of its samurai: service to one's lord, service to one's Clan, and service to one's Emperor.

Bushido's staunch and unyielding code of conduct binds samurai to duty,  strengthening their character and defining their choices. While some samurai serve the greater good, others use the strictures of Bushido to manipulate the lower ranks and advance their own power. Will you follow honor or reject it? The choice is yours!

Eight Great Clans form the heart of Rokugan's culture. Each is defined by its own principles, values, and agendas. Each sees the Code of Bushido in its own way. Each seeks to serve the Emperor with its own unique talents. Take up the soul of your ancestors - the samurai's daisho - and fight for the glory and honor of your family and Clan. Now is the time for heroes, in a world where Honor is a force more powerful than Steel.

The Fourth Edition of L5R is the ultimate edition of the award-winning role-playing game. Inside this tome you will find:

A game unlike any you've played elsewhere. Honor and service are valued more than magic swords taken from wandering ogres. Prepare for the glorious life of the samurai!

A unique, comprehensive character sheet. Legend of the Five Rings rules have never been more easy to learn and to play. No more need to flip through pages of rules while fighting your enemies!

A toolbox approach to role-playing in Rokugan. Fourth Edition encourages gamemasters of Legend of the Five Rings to customize their game, adding or removing from their campaigns as they see fit.

A broad history of the Emerald Empire and the beliefs of all the Great Clans, with play options not only the major clans but also for outlying groups such as Imperials, Minor Clans, and the infamous Spider Clan.

DRAW YOUR BLADE AND JOIN THE FIGHT FOR ROKUGAN.


Fuzzy Heroes (2nd Edition) [Inner City Games]


Fuzzy Heroes 2nd Edition is a family fun game of combat and adventure for toys and stuffed animals.  It teaches basic miniatures, role playing, and tactics as well as providing wacky fun for even the most veteran gaming enthusiast.  Death and gore free, but with plenty of action, Fuzzy Heroes is a great gateway game for introducing new players to the hobby, while still providing enough depth, thrills, and laughs to provide even the veteran miniatures or role-playing game player with new worlds to conquer.

This second edition is packed with new characters, new rules, and new ideas, and has been expanded to cover virtually any toy we could find in a wide variety of toy boxes.  Fully compatible with all first edition supplementary books, this edition is also packed with ready to play scenarios and adventures to ensure that you'll spend most of your time playing, and far less time reading rules.

Reccommended for ages 7 and up, and for two or more players.




Ave Molech (2nd Edition) [Morbidgames]


The world of Ave Molech is a land that has passed through the fires of turmoil and destruction, being tempered and remade into a thriving plane of existence. For the past few hundred years the majority of the world’s population has been hiding below ground or floating high above the chaos engulfing the realm. Reestablishing life on the surface is a feat that has only started to take shape over the last two hundred years.

Originally a realm where the dark lusts and thoughts of man were manifested, nothing could sheath the sword of destruction the people of this world wielded. With kingdoms in constant ruin and the world a struggling war zone, just as many fought for survival as did for power. Little hope existed for any kingdom to take control and make the lands tranquil again, and it wasn’t long before the inventions of necessity for war would cause their undoing.

With an invading force of unstoppable power using advanced weaponry to raze many of the cities, enslaving the people or killing them, many of the world’s citizens had little choice but to hide underground or leave to the skies. Whatever culture or history they had was all lost, forgotten and twisted into simple fables over the last few hundred years. Because of this the world split into three distinct realms, each empowering themselves by their own means.

Now, a couple hundred years later, the invading forces have been curtailed and the dimensional doorways for the most part have been shut off; allowing the world to heal and rest from its weary travels. Thanks in part to the comprehension of high powered magic and working with advanced technology the world is quickly reforming and taking shape.

However, the greed and selfishness of the people in this world still exists, and for the most part will never diminish completely. Although governments are starting to form and people are working together, the dark desires of mankind are quickly becoming evident. And there is little anyone can do to stop it.

Includes information from the original Ave Molech Campaign Setting, Ave Molech Source and Journals Volume 1-4
Mechanics: 3.5 Edition Based Races & D20 Modern Stats, Classes and Rules.




Book of Alignment (OGL/Pathfinder) [Emerald Press]


There is more than what you believe...

Every day, Heroes and Villains live out their lives in pursuit of the ultimate goal. Saving innocent lives, conquering the world, gaining power, or spreading the word of a divine being - all of them are quintessential means to an end. They are defined by the alignments: Law, Good, Evil, Chaos, and Neutrality.

But there is more than personal beliefs in Life, more to the fundamental workings of the universe than the independent actions of trillions of creatures. Alignments are not just a series of guidelines for your character to follow. They control everything.

The Book of Alignment is your guide to translating one-and-a-half pages of rough text on the alignment system and expanding it like never before. Providing a theoretical viewpoint of alignments with alternate possibilities for incorporating and expanding the system in your game, this book provides options and topics for discussion within your campaign. Whether these ideas are original or obvious, they are designed to invoke thoughts and concepts to give your characters greater depth in how they interact with their world. Optional rules include true alignments, triple alignments, a non-alignment campaign, and personality archetypes.

In addition, The Book of Alignment introduces a worldly concept in the alignment system and introduces alignments as a universal force. Imagine a creature of pure Evil, its very being striving for nothing more than the absolute destruction of all Life and yet never sated. These pages contain epic options for any campaign, taking your characters on the ultimate quest: to discover the meaning of Life.

Recommended for players and GMs.

Chapter Breakdown:

Introduction: Along with beginning the path to enlightenment in the d20 game, the Introduction provides concepts on new alignment selections, such as triple alignments (adding an additional personal choice that can expand your options in the game), true alignments (creatures so attuned to their aspect, they are not swayed by any other), archetypes (additional personality profiles/quirks that can enhance or penalize your character), and the Balance (a belief that the five aspects of alignment - Good, Evil, Law, Neutrality, and Chaos - struggle to maintain equal dominance of the universe).

Chapter One: Good: There is more to being good than just fighting evil and helping others.  Providing options for good characters and means to make them villains or flawed characters, this first chapter provides a number of sidebars on new considerations for good characters and what it means to truly be good.

Chapter Two: Evil: What does it mean to be evil?  Is the heart of depravity so dark that it cannot be understood?  Is it a flaw or a personal choice to dominate others through will and strength?  These questions and more are dealt with and discussions on the true nature of being evil are detailed, including a list of unforgiveable sins that are guaranteed to make your character evil.

Chapter Three: Neutral: Neutrality is not a default - it is a conscious choice to maintain harmony in one's life.  For some, it is a quest of passive or aggressive neutrality.  As the leeway between the other aspects, Neutral is designed as the struggle between all forces, whether for personal reasons or on behalf of the greater benefit.

Chapter Four: Law: Not just a list of guidelines and mandatory procedures for mortalkind, Law is the adaptation and function of Life itself.  Discussing deep and provocative topics on the role of Law in society and the universe as a whole, characters can learn the choices between following the needs of others and the personal code that guides us all.

Chapter Five: Chaos: Perhaps the least understood and most dangerous aspect of all, Chaos is a whisper in the dark.  Is it the end of all Life or the inclusion of everything?  Is magic chaotic?  Chaotic characters are truly independent creatures, living for their own sake, but even they can take up a greater cause, as can be found in this chapter.

Chapter Six: Using Alignments: It's one thing to read about alignments, but it's another to actually use them in the game.  This chapter provides new material to incorporate in your campaign that will make alignments a force to be reckoned with.  Magical alignment changes, interventions, new spells, new creature templates, planar creatures that rise or fall to serve new masters, and true creatures (servants of the true alignments) are all found here in over 60+ pages of game-related material useful in any campaign.

Appendix I: The Collective of the Balance: Created as an example religion where alignment itself is worshipped, the Collective is a group of individuals from all walks of Life banded together to maintain the Balance amongst the planes.  Some NPCs are provided, as well as a detailed hierarchy for any character to become a part of.

Appendix II: Open Alignments/No-Alignments: Additional options for consideration in using an open-ended alignment system or eliminating them from your campaign altogether.  There's more to it than saying "No more alignments."



9 comments:

  1. That plan's just crazy enough to work.

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  2. LOL. Trolls are more used to sticks but we'll see how the carrots works.

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  3. Lots of goodness in this contest. Sign me up or give me a carrot. :)

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  4. Wow, lots of good stuff here. Your a good man to be giving it away!

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  5. Oh wow. I su0ppose I should comment. Oh yeah. I just did! Cool!

    - Ark

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  6. Hey, a two-for. I find an interesting new blog to read AND there's a contest going. Sign me up. :)

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  7. I'm always up for more RPG books. My wife thinks I have more than enough, but I say thee nay! Just like zombie badgers, you can never have too many.

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  8. I only commented to make sure Bryan doesnt get more games, otherwise he will just try to convince me to play them.

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  9. LOL. Sadly, you are too late to win, my friend. You would have had to post by the 21st.

    ReplyDelete