Many instances, when an RPG product line launches, it’s simple to plot the trajectory of product releases. The core rulebook could also be adopted by a extra in depth e-book about recreation facilitation. There could also be a e-book highlighting extra adversaries in an motion oriented recreation. However then, generally, there are surprises.
The primary complement launched for the Sentinel Comics RPG is one such shock. In the event you haven’t heard of the Sentinel Comics line, it began with a cooperative card recreation the place gamers have decks primarily based on completely different heroes, taking part in in opposition to a villain deck. This has expanded into video video games, miniatures video games, and finally a roleplaying recreation line.
Many of the Sentinel Comics RPG line maintains a extra Silver Age/Bronze Age sensibility, with all the hero and villain archetypes that include that assumption. Guise, however, is that fashion of character that is aware of they’re in a comic book e-book. On this case, in all probability a bit extra Ambush Bug than Deadpool, with powers that went from Plastic Man, to the present period, which is extra Plastic Man with a splash of Firestorm.
The Guise E-book is the primary main complement to the Sentinel Comics RPG (not counting some particular person journey points which were launched), and it not solely focuses on Guise and characters which might be associated to the character, however the e-book itself has a secondary theme of utilizing humor in superhero RPGs.
Disclaimer
I used to be not offered a evaluation copy of this e-book. I used to be a Kickstarter backer for the RPG, and I picked this product up by myself. I’ve not had the chance to make use of the fabric on this e-book, however I’ve run a brief marketing campaign of the Sentinel Comics RPG.
The Guise E-book
Sentinel Comics The Roleplaying Sport System Designers and Builders: Christopher Badell, Cam Banks, Dave Chalker, Philippe-Antoine Ménard
Creators of Sentinel Comics: Christopher Badell, Adam Rebottaro
Lead Guidelines Designer: Dave Chalker
Writers: Christopher Badell, Banana Chan, Laser Malena-Webber, Richard Malena-Webber
Copy Editors and Proofreaders: Christopher Badell, Jennifer Closson
IP Administration: Christopher Badell
Artistic Route: Jennifer Closson
Graphic Design: Jennifer Closson
Collected Version
The Guise E-book is 120 pages lengthy, and in full, vibrant, comedian e-book shade. There are many illustrations all through the e-book portraying the assorted characters introduced. The e-book itself comprises endpapers on each side of the e-book, a title web page, a credit web page, a single web page “index,” and 4 pages of clean pages designated for notes. The “index” is a gag in that Guise solely allowed the editors to record one phrase for every letter of the alphabet.
Every chapter begins with a two web page unfold of art work. There are just a few gadgets repeated, such because the stat blocks for 3 villains, as a result of they’re included in an journey, and repeated within the adversaries’ part.
Meta-Commentary
The e-book opens with a piece discussing using humor in roleplaying video games, pertaining to a number of strategies that can be utilized to run a humorous recreation. This features a dialogue on the “system” of a comedic storytelling train, and practising particular beats fairly than attempting to simply provide you with humorous materials.
There may be additionally a dialogue on including in characters with apparent character traits which you could draw on and play off, in addition to tropes to keep away from for the protection and respect of marginalized individuals. This features a concentrate on utilizing comedy to punch up, fairly than punching down and making enjoyable of these which might be already marginalized.
The Adventures
There are two adventures included on this product. Whereas there are stats for Guise on this e-book to be used as a participant character, each of the adventures in query are framed as utilizing Guise as an NPC, though the primary journey permits for the choice of taking part in Guise together with a celebration of different superheroes.
Between the 2 adventures, characters are launched to a number of of Guise’s commonplace villains. One is the cosmic entity often called Wager Grasp (the Sentinel Comics model of Mxyzptlk or the Unimaginable Man), and the opposite three are extra right down to earth, comedically themed villains.
The primary journey entails the heroes being thrown into an alternate actuality model of Camelot to show to Wager Grasp that he shouldn’t wipe out humanity, and along with bargaining with Morgana and combating Mordred on a dragon, it additionally entails attending a neighborhood medieval themed amusement attraction the place individuals joust and promote souvenirs.
The second journey entails Guise imploring the PCs to assemble a number of gadgets of cosmic significance, and operating into three of his villains. The PCs can simply find yourself trying dangerous within the public eye relying on how these resolve, and one of many encounters is extra about teaching a villain by way of a annoying life occasion than combating.
Each of those adventures are enjoyable, however wow, would I not run these again to again, and even run these with out warning the gamers that these are some fairly heavy handed situations. Lots of the Sentinel Comics RPG adventures assume that your characters are extra reactive than proactive, however between the disguised characters and false ending of the primary journey, and the arbitrary true nature of the mission Guise sends the PCs on within the second journey, you can find yourself with some irate gamers for those who don’t talk the tone and elegance of those adventures up entrance.
The Archives
This part of the e-book presents Guise and different characters featured in his comedian collection (the fictional one which he is aware of he’s in) in participant character format, in addition to presenting a collection of villains, lieutenants, and minions.
Guise himself seems within the e-book in three completely different types. There may be commonplace “official” model, a model themed for inclusion within the Camelot journey, the place he flavors all of his powers and skills in context of his environment, and the ultimate model of Guise is a model that’s mainly a meta-narrative of himself the place he’s far more effectively revered and answerable for every little thing happening round him.
The opposite heroes embrace:
- Guise-Cat (actually Guise’s cat that’s written up in hero format)
- Pool Shark (a hustler operating away from his previous, making a brand new begin as a hero)
- Postal (a postal employee that by chance ended up with a cosmically enhanced bag)
- Hedge Lord (a dimensionally displaced hero from a world the place vegetation are sentient tyrants)
- CasaNova (a cosmic entity exemplifying concord and rock and roll)
The first villains included on this part are:
- Wager Grasp
- Inexperienced Grosser (a plant hating human that has merged to turn out to be half plant)
- Cueball (a villain with a pool themed excessive tech battle go well with)
- Choose Psychological (an overzealous former barrister that may manifest executioners and management jurors)
- Energy Creep (what if Carnage by no means bonded with anybody, simply ate individuals and mutated?)
- Nega-Guise (a steel skinned, very severe shapeshifter that hates Guise particularly)
- The She-Nanigans
- Dinah-Dozen (who can cut up into completely different variations of herself, every themed on an emotion)
- Concealin’ Carrie (who could make herself and different issues invisible)
- Poly Hedron (who combines math, geometry, and magic)
As well as, there are minions representing Inexperienced Grosser’s fruit, Choose Psychological’s jurors and executioners, remnants of Energy Creep, the minor villain Main Twist (who, in a really meta manner, can present up as a significant twist at any time when one known as for within the recreation), and a lesser plant villain from Hedge Lord’s world who’s working with Inexperienced Grosser.
Along with these characters, Guise’s House is given stats as a location within the recreation, that means there are recommended main and minor twists themed for the condo that can be utilized at completely different instances in an motion scene.
I’ll admit, I’ve a better time utilizing comedic NPCs in a recreation than making comedy a recurring theme. I like a whole lot of these characters, and so they make for good “stress valves” to point out up in the course of extra severe points. A number of the comically themed villains are about on par with characters like Flash’s Rogues Gallery, which makes them a superb “struggle this villain whereas an even bigger villain plot is unfolding” choice.
Finest Vendor
That is a particularly simple RPG e-book to digest. As soon as you already know the system, it makes a whole lot of sense to see how scenes are structured and the way adventures progress. There are additionally some nice examples of how one can play with advancing menace counters or figuring out characters that get focused in a scene (I beloved the set off the place the canine concentrate on the very best smelling character). The characters within the archives are nice drop in characters.
Delays
If the aim of the e-book’s opening is to offer instruments not only for operating comedic adventures, or including comedic components, however operating comedy collection, I’m undecided it offers fairly sufficient data. I like each of the adventures, however I might undoubtedly use them sparingly, as capstones to extra severe ongoing storylines which have simply been resolved.
Certified Advice–A product with a lot of optimistic facets, however consumers could wish to perceive the context of the product and what it comprises earlier than transferring it forward of different purchases.
In case you are already a fan of the Sentinel Comics universe, I doubt you may be upset with this buy, however in case you are nonetheless acclimating to the setting, you might want some extra publicity to Guise earlier than this feels extra endearing.
The sunshine-hearted villains are a superb addition to the repertoire of characters {that a} GM can draw from, however since that is the primary complement to the sport, it’s your decision just a few extra “commonplace” threats to fill out that toolbox earlier than going for the much less severe silver age fashion enemies.
