Hermit Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 As said on another thread, I recently took advantage of the sale going on, and now possess the PDF file of Shades of Black. I have yet to run it, but I have finally finished reading (and rereading) it. I felt I had to comment on it. I'll try to keep this spoiler free, but do be forewarned there maybe some 'slips'. Allen Thomas can write. Sometimes, you have to open with the obvious. Perhaps I should say "Allen Thomas can write well." I state this, because some of you may not be familiar with his work. I wasn't particularly familiar or aware of it before. Man, am I ever now. I think I once told others that what I wanted most in my adventures that DoJ was selling was a good plot and story. I can, if I must, make villains. Maps and art are nice... but again, I can wing it. Plots and good storylines, those are a joy and a relief for the often brainfried GM. Others agreed with me on that. For those who did, you'll be pleased to know that "Shades" has a classic, beautiful plot of romance and rescue.... inverted and twisted with malign elegance to something sublimely dark that must be stopped by our heroes at all cost. What's more, Allen has tried to take almost everything (I say everything, because anyone who GMs knows you can't anticipate the players 100% all the time) into account. Your group hates investigations? There are suggestions for spicing it up, or getting around it somewhat. Your group loves the darn things? There are suggestions on how to let your dark detectives shine. Got one of those Telepathic/Precognitive/Mind Scanner sorts there? Well, Allen has some suggestions built in for those as well. The story drips mood and atmosphere in an almost tangible way. One particular setting had me almost expecting Vincent Price to come out of the shadows and smile at me. The art only furthers that. Can I praise the characterization enough? While some may think we don't need to know the very soul of a villain to tell a fine tale, I think it helps. The Black Paladin is not (thank goodness) totally retconned as one might see in comics now adays, but rather expanded and explored in depth. Talisman is also fleshed out even more. I found the insights into their interactions fascinating, and very revealing. Not to be outdone, and perhaps a living testament to the phrase "The female of the species is deadlier than the male" is a certain old flame of the knight of darkness. Oh, getting back to the Black Paladin here for a moment, while you'll need his write up in CKC (And Talisman's in the Champions genre book), you'll be pleased to find out there is a new weapon for him, and more than one new follower for him... including something every knight should have. There are two more villains, pretty creepy not for what they are, but what they were and NOW are. A GM could either continue to use them on his roster long after this adventure, or give the PCs a chance to save them from... well, that might be telling. Besides, there will be rescuing a plenty. What would a story with a knight in it be without a few damsels to save eh? Even if, in this case, it is FROM the knight. Lastly, let me praise the fact that The PCs' actions WILL matter. "Duh" you say, but I'm talking beyond the mere "Beat the bad guys, save the day" sort of thing you can get trapped into too easily. HOW the PCs act will have consequences in this story, for the NPCs about them particularly almost as much as what actions they take do. They can make a real difference, beyond merely trying to shove a guy in stronghold. I'll end this with a bit of a sum up on the artwork and maps. The art is great. There is a color cover that is very nice. I'm not qualified to really go into details, but somehow it manages to cram a lot of action into one area without being cluttered. It reminds me of a watercolor comic book cover. The interior art is in black and white, and very well done as well. The art chosen respects and enhances that atmosphere I was praising so heavily earlier on. The Maps have not been used yet by me, but I do plan to use them. Again and again if I can; and not always as the 'same place'. I don't know how smoothly a print out of them would go, but it looks promising. In my opinion, this is an excellent product with much potiential for the enterprising GM. This adventure is definitely a must have if you are a fan of the Black Paladin or enjoy mystic chivarly with a gothic twist. I'd give it an 8 out of 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monolith Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Nice review. You should post that to rpg.net too. That way more people will see the review there too and possibly be inspired to purchase it. SoB is a very fine adventure that I will also be running for my group very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Well, Monolith, I did just that. It should be up in a week if I understand things correctly, and I did make some adjustments to it, using their system instead of a scale of ten etc. Chief among them, I did add this caveat: The only flaw I can find in what's provided is the aforementioned requirement of "Conquerers, Killers, and Crooks" and "Champions" for Black Paladin and Talisman respectively. It is also meant for more traditional superheroes rather than 'Dark Champions' and other 'Judge/Jury/Executioner' types; I don't see that as a flaw, but others may. I felt it was only fair to mention that and other than that, did give it the praise I thought was it's due. Of course, now I'm paranoid folks will just accuse me of being a raving fanboy or something... (Hermits are naturally shy, insecure creatures and must be approached carefully in the wild) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 But hermit, You ARE a raving Fan-boy (then again I don't have room to talk) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechnoViking Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Great review, you just made Hero Games $9.60 . Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechnoViking Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Re: Shades of Black- A pre-play review Originally posted by Hermit Oh, getting back to the Black Paladin here for a moment, while you'll need his write up in CKC (And Talisman's in the Champions genre book), you'll be pleased to find out there is a new weapon for him, and more than one new follower for him... including something every knight should have. Well said, I hope Hero Games will consider including at least mini-stat blocks for all Characters in published adventures in the future. Hey, I'm lazy and Hero books are heavy:). Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by Mike Basinger Great review, you just made Hero Games $9.60 . Mike I did? Cool, perhaps Darren will give me a cookie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Re: Re: Shades of Black- A pre-play review Originally posted by Mike Basinger Well said, I hope Hero Games will consider including at least mini-stat blocks for all Characters in published adventures in the future. Hey, I'm lazy and Hero books are heavy:). Mike I would like that, or even the more realistic reveiw of characters so you can make them yourselves if you need to. HOWEVER, Steve Long disagrees with this and has said there is essentialy no way he will consider doing so (I might be stating his case to strongly, but that is the feel on it I have gotten) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by Hermit I did? Cool, perhaps Darren will give me a cookie. Well you know they don't make a lot of profit on the PDFs. And with the discount the margin is probably non-existant. So I'm not sure they can afford a cookie. But I imagine if you send a pre-stamped envelope Darren will send you a chocolate chip. Great review by the way. I'll probably be picking up SoB in the next day or two myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by Hermit I did? Cool, perhaps Darren will give me a cookie. Well, by hanging out on the boards, you get lots of cookies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tae Kwon Dan Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Thanks Hermit, the discount at the online store bumped a lot of iffy things onto my radar and I wasn't sure if Black Paladin would make a good villian for my fledgling group. However, your sterling review makes me think the PDF is worth it for ideas or a future campaign alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Thanx for the kind words, Hermit! Glad you're enjoying the product. Hopefully you'll find Allen's next adventure, Sharper Than A Serpent's Tooth, equally cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Just want to add my 2 cents here. Hermit.. you made hero 20.58 (I picked up a couple of HD data sets I hadn't yet). This is what Adventures need to be. I had read the playtest version and loved the writing and the scope and pace of the adventure. I was waiting until around christmas when I would have the excuse to do some rampant buying but the sale and Hermit's words spurred me to action. First of all. NATO's Black Paladin illo in the characters section is the bomb! Second the combat record form, reprint of the maps and other GM goodies are simply the coolest thing I have ever seen. If "Serpent's tooth" and "Battlegrounds" use this formula that is at least two more sales for you guys. I was really impressed by the layout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Originally posted by Tae Kwon Dan Thanks Hermit, the discount at the online store bumped a lot of iffy things onto my radar and I wasn't sure if Black Paladin would make a good villian for my fledgling group. However, your sterling review makes me think the PDF is worth it for ideas or a future campaign alone. IMO, It is. There is one map I plan on using for a map for a Hero or villain Base in the future. In addition to the full story already in there, Allen has thrown in a few additional plot seeds any GM can pursue. Even the "norms" your character will meet have more depth than I expected. There is potiential for PCs to make contacts, friendships, and even romances among them if they're so inclined and things work out that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Originally posted by Steve Long Thanx for the kind words, Hermit! Glad you're enjoying the product. Hopefully you'll find Allen's next adventure, Sharper Than A Serpent's Tooth, equally cool. You're welcome, and I am. I will be getting "...Tooth" , but it maybe awhile. This last year has me many months behind in the aquisition of some products. However, the quality of SoB has certianly forced me to bump STST from a "might get" to "It's a question of WHEN, not if..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom McCarthy Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Lethality I probably don't have to remind the 'old hands' about this, but Shades of Black is significantly more dangerous to PCs than the typical adventure in my campaign. There's enough penetrating HKAs and RKAs to nickel and dime and put pressure on heroes, but throw in a big HKA from the Paladin or one of the new villains (one of them has a big HKA, at least by my standards) and some heroes will definitely be in danger of death. I'm just in the middle of Champions Battlegrounds right now and the robot knights dealt a great deal of damage to my heroes because I neglected to tone them down sufficiently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tae Kwon Dan Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 Bought, downloaded, and printed. You gotta love free printers at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 Originally posted by Tae Kwon Dan Bought, downloaded, and printed. You gotta love free printers at work. Lucky. I wish I had a free printer Uhm, folks, if anyone has their own review on it to post, even if it disagrees with mine (You are, after all, allowed to be wrong *loftily* ) please, go ahead and post it here. Others who might not have gotten it yet might appreciate different people's views. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tae Kwon Dan Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 I'd give a review, but I'm still in the beginnings of my relationships with FREd. So everything he does is cute. Like that time FREd came home drunk with lipstick on his collar, I gave him a second chance. (Well that and I haven't finished reading it yet ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nato Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 I have to agree, Allen can write. I can't wait to see more of his adventures. I'm definitely using this one. And thanks for the kind words on my artwork -- always appeciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 NP, Nato. Oh, and the review is up at RPGnet. http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9855.phtml Pretty much the same thing as here though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 Hermit, have you played it yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 15, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 Originally posted by Enforcer84 Hermit, have you played it yet? No, sadly my gaming group's plans have been dashed this weekend by guests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 15, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 *Sighs* Apparently the only response I've gotten on RPG net was some guy handled "Xero" telling me "This isn't a review" . No more, no less. Gee, thanks guy, that was helpful. I suppose he could be fussing how I haven't even played it yet, but considering the speed at which some products are reviewed on RPG net, if that's a "requirement" it's not well enforced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 Elitist gaming Snobs! never fear, Hermit, it was a good review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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