This module is the only one for Star Frontiers that I own beyond Alpha Dawn, Kinght Hawks and Zebulon's Guide. Ran it in SW d6 at con and everyone had fun. Killed the whole party
Great review! I was looking for detail and not finding it - so am delaying the party from entering, finding more to do on the journey TO the mysterious place, while to add detail and possibly switch-out monsters.
We're half way through this and by far this is the best becmi campaign we've done to date. Plenty of XP in this dungeon. Not one of us has complained about it which is unusual lol. Bit worried about the dragon though! How do you subdue a dragon?
Subdue? Don't really know, lol, but I can say the dragon seems to always be a sticking point with DMs. I lean into 'knowing your party' and adjusting the creature accordingly. There is nothing that say you HAVE to use the stats given.
Interesting. I will be running the third session (fourth actually but the first ended with a TPK). They will be facing the hobgoblin king at level 1 and probably tumble down to level 2 when leaving (or fleeing). I too tried to make sense of the dungeon ecology... but I went a different route. They dragon will be young and infantile. I focused more on the leering toad demon all over the place and made it the former base of slaad renegades... later worship... and since these guys are from limbo... the chaotic emanations infected all... acting less coordinated on the one hand, but somehow with a common goal.. reopening a gate... that the dragon might be able to... given time... so the dragon is like most inhabitants like the beserker next to mad... the deeper you go and the more mundane you are.. the more it affects you.. in the dragons lair they will find some gemlike slaad eggs as the source of this... will be interesting to see how they handle it... if they recognize the nature at all.. and do not sell them for profit and xp... thus spreading the seeds
Dealing with all the IP nonsense is why I eventually just published my own material, my own game system, my own settings, etc. without having to beg and scrape for permission from someone else. It's a lot of work, but liberating. Torpedoing SF was one of WotC's many blunders, angering and alienating the consumer base. They deserve what they get, frankly.
I remember this module, but I didn't think the smugglers knew about the secret room with the skeletons. Also I think with a bit of modification this would be a good tie in some how to the Slave Pits of the Undercity. Although you would need some adventure in between to beef the the characters up
As nostalgic as T1 is, I think the encounters are in general too much. Even if you adhere to the idea that players should use cunning, it's a grind at worst and a TPK at best with the numbers of enemies that are encountered. This is really a problem I've noticed with almost all old-school modules, but it's more prevalent in the low level ones because while it says like level 1-3, you're specifically told this should be for brand new 1st level PCs, and then the difficulty is such that a standard group of 1st level will be decimated unless you're running with like 12 PCs or a boatload of hirelings. Seems like there was a real disconnect back in those days, or it was on purpose to convey that adventuring is deadly but didn't do a good job IMHO. I'm not a fan of the later "CR" system, but the old modules seem even worse.
Finding i like the gamma world ACT table better, Zeb was the foundation but I am finding Gamma was a more refined. Critical hits other concepts that built on Zeb.
I liked how easy it was to add critical hits and Gamma world content to it. I am looking to start up a campaign though it has been years since I have done this. So it was nice seeing others who enjoyed it as well. I really wish they would move this to something like DnD beyond / Roll20
I played Traveller, the original boxed set of three booklets, and I was totally lost, and overwhelmed, as the GM: no setting, no star systems map, I had to make everything up, on my own!!! It was impossible, even though I, and my players, loved the game system. Started watching Star Frontiers videos today... What a much better approach to Sci-Fi gaming, compared to Traveller! I love the maps, the counters, the simpler system. I also love the skills improvement system, over levels! To me, this is really a neat game system, better than Traveller, by leaps and bounds! I would love to run a Star Frontiers game -- I really would, but I can barely get friends together to play my 2e AD&D games (scheduling conflicts are extremely challenging, not that they lack desire to play). If I get into playing Sci-Fi, it will be Star Frontiers. Cheers!
I feel like that is the 'key' right now in gaming. People don''t have time or interest in learning new systems/mechanics, and thus EVERYTHING devolves right back into some edition of D&D. Sad, but I feel you, this is a great setting.
Scott, I have the first 3 black label folios. I was trying to pick up 4-10 in the physical copies and the black label hardcover orange spine. I went to the Art of the Genre website, and all that’s available is 7-9. I then went to the indigogo, but I’d have to buy the first three again to get the set. Is there going to be a way in the future to order specific black label modules or will it only be available in the full set for purchase from now on. Also will the black label orange spine be on sale again.
I think the cover of the X7 module looks really cool. The module wants to players to visit "Suthus, Colhador, and Kron" The module doesn't care which order you visit them in. The princess is not keyed to either Suthus, Colhador, and Kron. The module says the DM oughta place the princess in the last place the party goes looking.
That fight in the trees is kind of insane as written. Gamemaster intervention is a necessity. As a player I probably wouldn't climb those trees if I knew the mechanics involved. First, my skeinsuit is already in shreds from SF-0, if I'm lucky I've still got it. Second, anytime you climb or descend you need to make a dexterity check or fall. My character is a bit of a sharpshooter with a dex of 65. Still, I have a 35% of falling some distance and I would anticipate changing elevation at least 6 times. Third, falling damage is 1-5 plus 1 per meter distance fallen. Unless I stay on those lowest trees I'm looking at taking 20+ or 30+ damage when I eventually fall. Last is sighting. It's difficult to see in those trees, you can see enemies adjacent to you but can also sight anything further if there are no empty green squares between you and it...nearly the entire map is full of trees (green). There are a few "brown" spots you can see across. whew! I've never played the module but I've read it dozens of times over the last 40 years and recently read it again. I loved your synopsis and your GM tips for this.
I'm a little late to the party. But want to let ya know. I loved this game back in the day. And I would LOVE to see it get the attention it deserves, but I have little hope it will come from WOTC.
Love the Conan theme! You just cemented me running a one shot of it. I got the Conan minis from monolith I painted to use. I will use the 5e D&D and look at the FAST spells methods. Thanks!!! I actually play with David Zeb Cook that did the D&D Conan Against the Darkness module!
@@artofthegenre6087 saw the Atlanta hat! Are you in Georgia? Spent some time in Georgia. Live in austin TX now I’m retired. Come on and play or run a game anytime! Our group would love to have you
Wow! Awesome battle. Very cool adventure all the way. Love the selfless acts. Caranthir fating Tallesredd's crit and then the rescue vice-versa...great stuff. He's is still in a world of trouble though. That ring to summon a great eagle would be pretty handy about now. Very enjoyable campaign to watch.
Thanks, and yeah, that ring was a tough one to miss out on, but such is role-playing! These characters have been together for a LONG time now (considering they ran the entire Rhudaur campaign together before this one), so selfless acts should come naturally.
They have had MANY rough points, lol. I have several more sessions, but I haven't loaded them up yet, but since at least someone is watching, I'll be sure to do so.
Also, for some reason I can't reply to another comment you posted on another video, but I can here, so if you are looking to play FAST, you can find several instructional videos on my RU-vid, but they are under the 'Live' tab. If you have any other questions (which is likely), just send me a comment on any MERP video and I'll do whatever I can to help out.
Thanks a lot @@artofthegenre6087! I did find your character build video which was helpful. (is there a character sheet that matches the one you used? Downloadable one is a bit different.) Picked up the compendium too so that should help.
Write a good adventure. Be good at the story. You can do SciFi gaming WITHOUT the momentum being treasure or whatever. You just have to CREATE the incentive. Relying solely on 'treasure' to move your game forward is lazy even in the fantasy genre. Just because someone wrote variety into a book means you need to use it. I've been in fantasy games that only use the variety of the book and that 'murder hobo' garbage is what results...Write your own and I promise you, SciFi could be good too.
Good to know! I live across the Atlantic and have this feeling it'll make an outstanding addition to spice up the evenings of the group, so I'll definitely want an update on this!
well other than generated images being blatant theft, it sort of takes away a lot of the creative spirit. And I think RPG fans should appreciate creativity @@kamchatmonk
@@BPOOHEAD189 Every work of art is theft, we all operate with images and ideas we've seen somewhere at some point. The whole point of neural networks is mimicking human learning process. As for creativity, using tools helps. I once made a campaign entirely based off rolling on tables in DMG, I shit you not. After I finished all the polish and filled the gaps, it ended up being the best sandbox campaign we played. You don't have to invent the bicycle from scratch every time.
My favorite as well but you can easily make the argument for B1. The only real drawback for B4 is the DM needs to fill the inverted ziggurat if you want to continue to the actual Lost City. It will take a lot of fleshing out and for some DM's this is a boon and for others a bust.
@@swirvinbirds1971 Definitely a boon for me, I think that is part of what makes it great. B4 gives you a fantastic framework then lets you fill it in and figure it out yourself and personalize it. I also think by the time you get to that part of the adventure you know where you want to go with it. As for B1 that's really just a monster and treasure full in the blank, it doesn't require the same creativity. Though I have added a lot of cool things to B1 for example in room 24 I added a Mirror of life trapping(that only holds one person) with Melissa (Rogahns lover) trapped inside. She is helpful and can be released by smashing the mirror and she will join the party, you can also use her to tell where Rogahns and Zelligar went and perhaps connect it to a bigger campaign or another module.
@@swirvinbirds1971 I mean B2 is good and I do like it. However I unfortunately end up running it for every new group I start (which is also unfortunately a lot) and so I've gotten tired of it. Like I love it and it works so well to introduce people to the game especially old school but I want more exotic maybe pulp adventure but B2 is more classic medieval fantasy.Also people seem to be able to handle B2 better because most people aren't familiar with any fantasy other than Lord of The Ring, Game of Thrones or Harry Potter.
So many great Fantasy films from the 80s. Always loved The Neverending Story. I remember wishing I could ride on Falkor as a kid. Willow was another I loved. I fear we'll never see such Fantasy movies ever made again.
That is a REALLY great choice. I didn't include it because I have personal hatreds for it (I was forced to go with a friend and his girlfriend three times at the theater and by the third time, as the third wheel, I was seething with hate for the movie) AND it is a kids movie, so it falls a bit, but that takes nothing away from it being a classic.
Krull is one of my favorite movies ever, even if most people say it is terrible, and Legend is surprisingly good, but of all those in this list, as a role-player, I have to day Dragonslayer is an incredible flick.
@artofthegenre6087 I actually looked up the other 3 and The Sword and the Sorcerer has that crazy 3 bladed sword in it. I can't wait to watch these movies. They're on RU-vid