| Gothic Steam Phantastic > Information > Sorcery & Steam |
 Sorcery & Steam |
 |
| -*- Home -*- Daleth-*- I&I RPG -*- Information -*- Forum -*- Credits -*- Links -*- |
|
Sorcery and steam: A resource for steampunk fantasy adventure www.fantasyflightgames.com ISBN: 1-58994-115-2 In the D20 series Legends & Lairs, this is the steampunk resource book. To use it in a game as it is meant to, you will need the Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook (for the D20 system, and not the old one, of course). It contains a lot of information that might be useful to any steampunk adventure. Based on Dungeons & Dragons, S&S has the usual fantasy features: there are the standard fantasy races and classes, and magic with spells. Because pure D&D did not have a true steampunk setting, the first part of the first chapter is all about how to make your average fantasy setting into a steampunk setting. It is not a “do it like this” but a “here are some options how you can do it”. Very useful for those who want to start with what they already have from earlier campaigns. The second part of the first chapter is for those who start straight into the steampunk setting and don’t need adjusting. The second chapter is about how to fit in the classic classes into the new setting, and offers some new classes (based on the old ones). The classes are introduced with a short atmospheric sketch of a steampunk scene where such a new class fits in well. Some classes go into organisations, also presented in this chapter. The new classes and organisations have a lot from traditional steampunk or historic characters and organisations, so nothing is in the way to have your own “historic” setting.
Jinx: Mechanical devices tend to malfunction messily and more often in your presence. In the last two chapters, there are equipment, weapons and vehicles to be found. Unfortunately, most of these devices are made for battle, melee, war. They have one proper use. It’s not that there are any normal multipurpose devices described - which was, in a way, so cool about steam engines. When you had one, you could use it for many things. With this selection, the gaming attitude goes more towards hack’n’slash in a technically more advanced setting, than focussing on the wide range of possibilities in steampunk gaming. What is missed in this source book is a description of society, and the rules that come with it. There is no additional chapter for etiquette, for example. Some new classes have such skills, but in general: no, there is no set of rules on how to behave. Additional information, like the cost of the more sophisticated dress, are not in here either. I guess a game master has to adjust the general D&D rules himself for this new setting. The book looks nice and the information is easy to find and presented in a clear way. It’s easy to read, even if you don’t have the D&D Players Handbook. However, with a price of $24.95/ca. 28€ I’d had expected more of the artwork. The entire book, except for the cover, is in black-and-white. I really would have loved some full colour page filling pictures. Not just because I love pictures, but because it would add to the steampunk feeling of the book, and such pictures can explain things that are now kept vague. Many pictures in the book would have looked a lot better in colour; the black-and-white makes them faded and unsharp. Where you really miss pictures is in the last two chapters. All devices are described, not shown. It would be better to actually see the things. From the vehicles, maps are missed as well; it’s unclear where the operators, passengers or freight are put in the ships, the zeppelins and the other things. After all, it's not like any of us has seen a real zeppelin or iron clad to refer to. If you are already playing Dungeons & Dragons and you want to switch to a steampunk campaign, this is the right book to have. Those who need to be inspired for a steampunk setting can get a lot out of this book as well. Only those who want a cool steampunk book on their salon table will be disappointed - it’s information what they offer, not design. © Yaghish 2003 |
| Links |
| -*-© Steammasters 2003-*- |
| ^ Up |