Product Review: Monster, Monster, Vampires by Nuelow Games

Product Review

Monster, Monster, Vampires

One of the best parts about the existence of the OGL is that it has allowed for a lot of independently produced products. While a lot of these "off bran" products can be hit or miss, I have never run across an indie product that didn't give me some ideas for a new character, a new campaign, building on an old one and other useful tidbits. For this reason I have been a big supporter of small press gaming publishers. One of the best parts about deciding to do the game design thing full time is it is giving me time to do a lot of things I have always wanted to do. One of those things is doing product reviews on small press releases.


I have been a fan of Nuelow Games for a while now and purchases several of their products. Their mix of pulp comic goodness and gaming material appeals to me on several levels. Their price point is beyond fair and I have never been disappointed by one of their offerings. This meant I was super excited to be offered a chance to review their latest product Monster, Monster, Vampires.

Overview:

Monster, Monster, Vampire is about doing more with a vampire than simply making them the high level boss at the end of a dungeon. It starts out with a very well done comic titled "The Vampyre" created by Ed Fedory & Pablo Marcos that features a vampire who falls victim to a hemophiliac. I won't give away more because you really should read it. The comic alone made this product worth the price, but it gets better.

After the first comic we are treated to some interesting OGL content that goes beyond "here are some vampires go kill them.  Andrew Pavlides and Steve Miller take the vampire and change it up to give enterprising GM's five different variant vampires to throw into the mix. Without revealing to much (again you really should read the book for yourself) the five vampires included in the book can easily fit into just about any campaign. Not only are these variants different monsters, but they can work to give a campaign its own feel and theme.

After the variant vampires are some adventure seeds titled Vampire tales. The three tales presented in the book give a GM some solid material to work the new vampire variants into an existing campaign. Just after the adventure seeds there is a table for unusual vampire weaknesses and immunities which is just screaming to be used. I think my favorite was Black Anne but all three were well done and I will likely use them in a horror campaign sometime in the near future.

Finally, Monster, Monster, Vampire wraps itself up with another comic. Again I don't want to reveal to much of the story but I have always wondered about how many vampires have human "canteens" (insert maniacal laughter). Overall Monster, Monster, Vampire is a worthwhile and entertaining read.

The Good:
The Art (4 out of 5) - One of the things I like about this book and the other offerings from Nuelow Games is the art. It has an awesome old school pulp vibe to it that takes me back in time. While the art does have a pulp vibe it is still modern and well done.

The Crunchy Bits (4 out of 5) - I feel like the mechanics of the new variants are well balanced. I also think that the way the variants are presented makes creating a new and interesting vampire encounter pretty easy. After reading them once I had a good idea of what each variant did and how to use it in an encounter.

Flavor (3.5 out of 5) - I am actually breaking the flavor rating into two parts. The art I would actually give a 4 out of 5 rating to as far as flavor and mood go. It might just be me, but I dig the whole pulp style it has going on and I think it really adds a unique element to Nuelow's products. However, when it comes to the overall flavor of the book I have to give it a 3 out of 5. I don't give it this rating because of anything wrong, I do it because vampires are vampires are vampires. While I think they did an excellent job at creating interesting variants, at the end of the day we are still talking vampires and vampires are far from new or cutting edge. With that said, Nuelow did an excellent job taking this subject on from a new perspective.

Value (5 out of 5) - While there are a lot of inexpensive products out there, I think Nuelow hits the perfect balance between quality and cost. Monster, Monster, Vampire is completely affordable and you get a lot out of it for your money. If every indy company worked as hard to provide this kind of quality for this kind of price the RPG market would be better for it.

The Bad:
Depth (2 out of 5) - The only real knock I have against Monster, Monster, Vampires is that I felt it could have been a bit deeper. While I think the idea of introducing a few variants was a good one and I think the execution was very well done, I would have liked to see more. However, Nuelow is about the quick hit and leaves the GM a lot of room to make their own stuff out of the book.

Final Verdict:
Overall I am giving Monster, Monster, Vampire a 4 out of 5 rating. The artwork is well done and something I want to see more of. The crunch of the book is easy to understand and use. The flavor is interesting enough to give some inspiration. Finally, I can't say enough about the value of the book. In the end this is a product I was happy to have some time to read and is something I will definitely use in my game sometime soon.

If you want to pick up a copy of Monster, Monster, Vampire (or any of the other Nuelow Games offerings) you can check it out at: RPG Now

If you would like me to review a product feel free to let me know.

Girls and Gaming: Part 1: Why We Need to have this Conversation in the First Place

Women in Gaming Part 1:
Why we need to have this conversation in the first place

When I had this concept suggested as an article to write I wasn't sure what I would do with it. I had some ideas on where to go and I had some ideas I thought would make a good article. All of those disappeared when I did a google image search on the term "Women in Gaming Memes". I don't know what I was expecting, but what I got was a bit of a slap in the face.

The above picture shows a small sampling of some of the memes I got. As I browsed through a random collection of outright objectification, dismissal of women's intelligence, poorly disguised revenge fantasies, and the occasional positive meme, I realized that I had a subject that I not only wanted to write about, but needed to. While I wish it wasn't the case, the gaming community needs to have a serious conversation about women and their place in gaming.

Before I get to deep in this conversation I am going to explain what this article (and the ones that follow it) won't be. These articles are not going to be some kind of anti-man rant. They won't be about how much men suck, how much women suck, how much anyone sucks. These articles won't be about how to pick up girls, make girls like you, or anything like that. Instead these articles are going to be an attempt to bring a serious issue into the light. I want people to start talking about this stuff. I want to make gaming tables all across the world a better place for women to be. I want this because those girl gamers people are objectifying and calling stupid happen to be my wife, my daughters, and my friends.

I will be honest, I feel a bit strange writing about this. I am not a woman, I will never be a woman unless you count playing a female character on occasion. I feel like this issue is something that a woman would be far better at articulating than me. However, part of the problem is that there are not enough women in the gaming community. Not only are there not enough women in the gaming community, there are even fewer who are willing to stand up and point this problem out. Yes, there are some, and those brave individuals have my utmost respect. Yet, I can't let them fight this battle alone. Some day my daughters are going to be at someones table and I want that table to be a good place to be.

I really don't know the best place to start this conversation. This issue is a lot bigger than I originally thought. In fact, this whole thing is a bit intimidating. Yet, even though I am a bit scared of the topic, I have to start somewhere and that somewhere is here on this blog. I really wish I didn't have to have this conversation, but the fact is I do.

The reason I need to have this WE need to have this conversation because there is a very real problem. Women are being emotionally (and sometimes physically) assaulted by men and women in the gaming community. Somehow gaming has become a vestige of male of anger towards women and this is not okay. Gaming has become a thinly disguised realm of female objectification and this is not okay either. If we keep ignoring these things or expecting someone else to fix it, this will continue to be a problem. I can't accept that, I won't accept that, finally you shouldn't accept it either.

Hook Line and Sinker: Short Adventure Hooks Number 1 A Twist on the Iconic Bandit Attack

A Twist on the Iconic Bandit Attack

Outside of the Inn, there may not be another iconic start to any adventure than being hired as guards for a caravan. When you look at the nature of most fantasy role playing games this actually makes a lot of sense. Caravans offer several things. One, they offer a chance for the characters to meet. Two they offer a great way to move the characters from location to another. Third, they offer a great way to add a couple of encounters in to either spice things up a bit or increase the party's wealth and experience. For these reasons guarding a caravan makes for a very useful tool in an Game Master's arsenal.

The problem with the entire "You get hired to guard a caravan" adventure hook is a lot of Game Master's overlook a prime opportunity to introduce encounters that are beyond the rather blase attacks by bandits or bands of humanoids. Don't get me wrong here, there is nothing wrong with the tried and true bandit attack. They offer a fairly challenging fight, tend to yield a bit of treasure, and can be a great way to build party identity. However, after about the tenth attack from a band of bandits even the most slaughter happy party is going to want something a little different.


The goal of this article is to give GM's a little help in creating interesting encounters that go beyond the standard bandit attack. The following hooks are designed to be used for a fairly general fantasy campaign and should be easy to adjust and modify how the GM sees fit.

1: Bandits within the caravan.

This encounter offers a slight twist on the standard bandit attack encounter. The number and power of bandits within the caravan should be roughly equal to the party. The number of bandits that will attack at the designated area should not exceed the number of party members and any other friendly combatants the DM wishes to include within the caravan. The bandits within the caravan should be of similar race to the party, but the bandits in wait can be of any race.

Along with the characters a group of would be bandits has hired on for guard duty as well. The bandits intend to slowly take out any other guards. At this point the bandits plan to have another part of their band attack the caravan and kill off all the merchants in the caravan. Once this is accomplished they are free to take over the caravan. It is up to the party to not only learn about the plan, but to find a way to foil it as well.

Hook: The party has been hired as guards for a caravan heading out the next day. When they arrive the caravan master introduces them to the other guards. The other guards are unfriendly and rebuff any attempt a character makes to get to know them.

Line: The GM should use some kind of roll or suggestion to give the players a clue that the other guards may not be all they seem to be. If the party becomes suspicious then allow them to take any kind of action they think will yield them information. Actions that can potentially lead to the characters gaining information could be spying, rifling through possessions, or attempting to befriend the bandits.

If the party decides on spying the GM should set up a situation where a group of the bandits are together at one time (such as at night when they cook their evening meal). Allow the characters to make the appropriate stealth, listen, and perception rolls and reward any success with bits of information. Bits of information can be learning about the plan, when the bandits intend to execute their plan, and other similar things.

If the party decides to rifle through the bandits' possession they they will need to find a way to distract the guards or sneak past the guards. This would actually be an ideal time to give the party a standard bandit attack. While this occurs one or more of the party members can use the opportunity to search the bandits belongings. If the party does manage to search the bandits possessions the GM should give them a couple of clues in the manner of notes, maps of a pre-arranged attack point, etc.

If the party attempts to befriend the bandits the GM should make this incredibly difficult but not impossible. The bandits are secretive and not very trusting but are always willing to take on new talent. If a character or two are adept at social maneuvering there is a chance that they can start to gain the trust of the bandits. However, before the bandits will let the character in on the plan they will likely require some kind of test of loyalty. This can range from committing a murder to stealing something.

If the character carries out this task they will include that character in on the plans. While this would allow for the character to know what is going on the GM should keep in mind that they bandits will be keeping an eye on the newest member. This means that the character might have a hard time relating the information to the rest of the party or even potentially try to get the rest of the party to join up with the bandits (which could make for another interesting situation)

Once the party is aware of the bandits plan it is time for them to decide what they will do about it and how they will do it. While there are a number of different ways a party can approach this, there are a few that are the most likely to occur.

1: The Party Attacks the Bandits Right Away
For combat heavy groups that like direct action this is probably the most appealing action. While there is nothing wrong with this and makes for a rather easy conclusion to the event, it does presents a couple of problems in the aftermath.

First, how does the caravan master feel about the sudden murder of guards in his caravan?

At first the caravan master is likely going to be angry about the death of guards he has paid for. In this situation the characters are going to need to both succeed in some social actions and likely provide some kind of proof. If they have already searched through the bandits possessions then this is an easy task, if they haven't then they will have to hope that there is some way to dig up proof (which depends entirely on how kind the GM is feeling)

Second, What does this mean for the rest of the band lying in wait further down the road?

It is unlikely that the remaining bandits will attack the caravan when it is actively guarded but an enterprising party may decide that tracking the bandits down to their layer is a good idea. This might create a bit of extra work for the GM but designing a bandit layers isn't very difficult. Use a nearby set of caves, an abandoned farm house, or something similar as the bandits base and go from there.

2: The Party informs the Caravan Master
If the party decides alerting the caravan master is the best idea then they are going to have to provide some kind of proof. The caravan master is a shrewd individual and does not believe things simply because one of his for hire guards tells it to him. If the characters have only overheard the plan at this point, then this will force them to find proof and that can be handled as mentioned above with searching the bandits possessions.

If the party doesn't provide proof the caravan master may decide to question the bandits. If this happens the bandits may decide that they have to act early. This could lead to an attack on the party, the bandits getting a message to the rest of their band, or midnight assassination attempts deciding on how the GM wants to deal with it.

If the party does provide proof (or in some other way convinces the caravan master) then the caravan master is likely to order the party to "deal with the problem". The party can approach this any number of ways ranging from direct assault to more subtle means. Whatever the party chooses the GM should make dealing with the problem challenging in some way.

3: The Party Sits on the Information Not Sure what to do
While most parties are likely to decide one of the above options there is always the possibility they feel a bit indecisive. If this happens the GM can move things along by having the bandits become the party knows of their plan in some way. A lot of how this is done depends on how the party found the information. If the party has been spying on the bandits there is always the chance they noticed and return the favor. If the party searched the bandits possessions, the bandits can easily discover their stuff has been messed with. If the party has attempted to befriend the bandits the bandits can decide they don't trust those "in the know" enough and attempt to get rid of them. Finally there is the option of simply allowing things to unfold naturally and having the party  navigate a much larger and deadlier battle when the bandits enact their plan.

4: The Party Decides to Join the Bandits
While this is the least likely thing to happen, it is not inconceivable that the party decides to join the bandits. If this happens the amount of challenge to the party is greatly reduced and the GM should adjust any rewards to reflect this fact. If the party does choose this way it can open up an interesting campaign where the party becomes part of a group of bandits. This offers a unique campaign where the party can jostle for a better position within the band of bandits, carry out various raids and robberies and more. While this most certainly would be a campaign for more evil characters, it doesn't mean it can't be fun.

Sinker: Once the party has dealt with the bandits in whatever way they choose the GM should give them some form of reward. It is probably wise to balance this reward with the difficulty of the encounters. It is unlikely that the caravan master will increase their pay, but if they slay or capture the bandits the caravan master is likely to allow them to keep some or all of the gear the bandits possess.

Along with the rewards the adventure can lead to another adventure involving tracking down the bandits hide out. It can also lead to the characters being hunted down by other members of the bandit gang. Finally, the characters should gain some kind of benefit by having done a job well (or by joining up with the bandits). This can include a favor owed by the caravan master, maybe their story being spread by the common folk, or something else entirely.

In the end this adventure should be fairly easy to drop into any ongoing campaign or even be used to launch a new campaign. Feel free to use it how you wish.

Going into Full Time Game Design as a Job

So this blog has kind of been sitting here waiting for the moment when I finally decide I want to do something with it. I have used it a few times when I had extra time and energy but for the most part it hasn't been what I wanted it to be. I blame myself for this because quite honestly if I didn't let myself get so damn distracted by life and everything else, it would be a lot further along. Well the good news is that is about to end. I am embarking on a journey I think I have waited far to long to commit to and I am pretty happy with the decision.

I have flirted with the idea of doing game design full time as a means of supporting myself every since I first started playing RPG's. I have actually written a few things and made some money off my hobby, but never really took the plunge so to speak. I am taking the plunge now. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment, which in reality is never going to come, I am just going to do it. I won't say that I am not a little worried about this decision but I feel confident that I will succeed.

I guess the reason I am choosing to do it now is that I am just tired of being stuck doing the same crap I have been doing for the last ten years or so. I got stuck in this system of writing for corporations, selling stuff I didn't want to, learning and writing about things I could care less about, and it slowly ate my soul. Sure I made money doing it. I got to set my own hours, got to work from home, got to focus on my kids and the like. While that was good, I wasn't feeling fulfilled, I wasn't feeling happy, in short I was creating my own misery.

I kept telling myself (and other people) that I was working on this project or another, and most of the time I was, but I never finished any of it. I would start telling myself I needed to focus on other things, more adult things, more "real" things. I would go online find a freelance job, underbid what I was worth, hate the work, hate the person I was doing the work for, and mostly hating myself. In that time I have gained way to much weight, closed off way to many friendships, stopped caring about how I looked, and really just stopped caring period. If I keep this up I will be in the grave far to early.

I don't want that to happen. I want to wake up with a feeling of excitement, a feeling of purpose, a feeling of living up to my potential. I love games, I love thinking about them, writing about them, love the people who play them and more. I have always wanted to do game design for a living and now is as good a time as any. I don't think I will get rich doing it, but I do believe I will earn just as much as I have been (maybe more) and more importantly I will be doing something I love.

So here it goes, taking that deep breath, looking down at the unknown waters below, my heart is pounding my palms are sweating, my brain is screaming at me that I can't, but I know I can so it is finally time to jump...

Campaign Design 101: What is Important?

Ever since I started playing role playing games one of my favorite things to do is campaign design. Something about planning a large scale series of adventures that tell an epic story has always appealed to me. I can't recall all the details of my first attempt at one, but I do remember it featured Asmodeus as the big bad ugly and the goal of the campaign was to slay him and stop his take over of the prime material plane. I do remember sitting at my desk spending hours mapping out elaborate dungeons and writing volumes of adventures. In the end the group I was part of made it about halfway before summer showed up and things like swimming in the lake and riding our bikes became more interesting. We always talked about getting back to it but we never did and by the time we were starting to game again our tastes had evolved to a different game and so again I was swept up in writing a brand new campaign.

Over the course of my life I have written dozens of fully detailed campaigns and have finished some of them. I have learned a lot about what makes a campaign work and what doesn't. For instance I have learned that campaigns designed to last over six months are not as likely to finish as those designed to last under six months. I have learned that players tend to prefer campaigns where they get to be the heroes instead of watch the heroes. I have learned that players like to make their own characters instead of have characters made for them. However, the most important thing I have learned is that for the Game Master the story is everything.

While players tend to look back at their characters and the cool things they did, the Game Master looks back and remembers how excited the players were when they found out the secret to opening the temple. While the players will regale people with stories of heroics, the Game Master remembers the look of fear on a players face as their character hovered on the brink of death. In the end, the players and their characters are important, but if the Game Master does not enjoy the story, the campaign never has a chance of really taking off.

I am sure there are Game Masters out there who will disagree, but for me as a Game Master there is no doubt that I need a story that gets me excited. I have to read an adventure and be transfixed by the story I see unfold. I have to have that same feeling I had when I was a kid reading through Keep on the Borderlands. I have to want to see the story play out in front of me, I have to want to show up to the table, I have to want to see the story begin and end. If I don't have that, well, I just don't have fun. While the players having fun is just as important, it is my belief they have a lot more fun when the Game Master is having fun as well.

Over the next couple of blog entries I will be laying out a story line for the campaign I am creating from the ground up. This is the first step of game design for me, and I think that is true of a lot of other Game Masters as well. I will start at a beginning and eventually end at an ending. When I am done with the story, I will move onto the next phase of campaign development and then the next. I hope you all enjoy the ride.

Dungeon Crawl: The Castle Levels 1,2, and Dungeon

Got all the mapping for the castle itself done. I am thinking I need to do an area map of the castle so I might work on that before detailing the rooms but I might just retrograde that. Overall I am happy with how things turned out but can see several areas where I could do better. For now though I think they are good enough to go forward with. Feel free to let me know what you think...

Dungeon Crawl, The Map: Castel Level 1

I finally got my Photo Shop up and running so spent some time making a map for the dungeon crawl. I have always felt that a dungeon map should be interesting to look at and be useful for generating ideas even before someone reads the info for what happens to be inside. While I have a good idea on what's going on on this level, I won't go to much into it and instead will leave what kind of bad guys inhabit this ancient ruin up to your imagination for now.

I should be posting up more maps in the next couple of days so make sure to check back often.