Wednesday, September 27, 2017

RPG of the Week No Thank You Evil

No Thank You Evil is a RPG system from Monte Cook Games targeted at beginning players. As the cover says "Ages 5 to Infinity" . The system is quite simple and relies on die rolls and tokens. As in almost RPGs, the gamemaster guides the game and creates the adventure. Whenever the players have want to attempt something, the GM sets a "goal" from 0 to 8. A goal of 0 is something the players can easily accomplish, such as walking or talking. Higher goals are set for more difficult activities. The players can spend tokens from their characters to make accomplishing the goals easier.

I had the opportunity to play No Thank You Evil a few weeks ago. It plays well, comes with lots of components and bits and a session can finish in about 30 minutes or extended longer if the players remain interested. If you are a parent looking to introduce your kids to RPGs but think D&D is a bit too complex, No Thank You Evil is a great alternative.

Monday, September 25, 2017

Force Friday Followup

This week's Rolling for Initiative column recaps my conversation with Brendan Bell of Asmodee NA over Force Friday

Friday, September 22, 2017

RPG of the Week

Since we stock a whole lot of role playing games (RPGs) and sell very few of them (we sell 5 times as much D&D 5th edition per month as we do all other RPGs combines) we decided to start talking about one of them once a week in the hope of calling your (yes you) attention to some of the fine ones out there. We will also be doing this with some of the less popular boardgames we stock as well.

This week, we feature Castles & Crusades. This RPG dates back to the 3.0 D&D boom when dozens of companies brought out all sorts of RPG supplements for D&D under the OGL. Castles & Crusades is one of the very few companies (Paizo's Pathfinder RPG is another) to still survive from that era, the tagline being "Third edition rules, 1st edition feel." Troll Lord Games has always focused on recreating the style of adventures from the early days of D&D and AD&D, before there was a heavy emphasis on plot and campaign and adventures stood on their own, rather than linking together.

While characters have skills, character class is a major focus of C&C, much as it was in early AD&D and your character class defines what your character can do. If you like D&D 3.0 (or 3.5) or the play of Pathfinder, but Pathfinder has gotten too complex and materials for D&D 3.0 and 3.5 too hard to find (it is out of print after all), take a look at Castles and Crusades.

Monday, September 18, 2017

Three Books

In this week's Rolling for Initiative column, if you are interested in opening a game or comic store, or running a store in general, I would recommend reading these three.

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Preferred Customer Benefits

Figured it might be helpful to post a list up of the benefits you get here by earning a Preferred Customer Card. Remember, you earn one of these once you turn in 10 filled out Castle Cards. You do not need to turn in the Castle Cards all at once but will received Preferred Customer status once you give us your 10th card. Here are the current benefits:

15% off all purchases, excluding snacks and tournament entry fees
1 extra free item on Free Comic Book Day, Free RPG Day, Batman Day and Halloween Comicfest
1 extra ticket during our Halloween, Christmas and anniversary drawings
1 free game rental per month
Waiver of a deposit on all game rentals. However, you are still responsible for late fees and failure to pay those will result in loss of Preferred Customer status.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Teachers Rent Free

If you are a teacher at any of the local schools, you may rent any of the games in our game library for a week for free and will not need to leave a deposit. This includes games such as Munchkin, Settlers of Catan, Tapple or anything else, with the exception of certain rare games such as Conquest of the Empire. Just show us a faculty ID and we will take care of the rest.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Talisman Returning

Games Workshop has reclaimed the rights to the Talisman board game from Fantasy Flight Games so we can expect to see most of the expansions back in stock by Halloween:

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TM-02 Talisman
$59.95 SRP
SDI 

Talisman the much loved Magical Quest Game first published in 1983 and never out of print since! Talisman takes you on a journey through magical lands, as you endeavor to reclaim the Crown of Command. Each turn will see your hero advancing, battling, gaining knowledge and power necessary to defeat the guardians lurking between the Portal of Power and the Valley of Fire.

2-6 players
1-2+ hour play time

Contents:

  • 14 Character Sheets 
  • 14 Matching Character Plastic Figures
  • Over 160 cards 
  • 6 x Six Sided Die 
  • Comprehensive Rule Book
  • More than 190 Tokens 
  • 30 x Gold Coins 
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TM-03 Talisman: The Reaper
$24.95 SRP
SDI 

An unearthly chill creeps through the air. The Wizard stops reading his ancient tome and gazes cautiously over his shoulder. The Warrior feels an unfamiliar fear as he draws his mighty sword. 

A shadow has fallen across the countryside. Death himself wanders the land. Can the heroes fulfill their epic quests with the spectre of the Grim Reaper hounding their every move?

The race to the Crown of Command has never been deadlier!

Contents:

  • 4 new character cards and plastic figures
  • 90 new Adventure Cards
  • 26 new Spell Cards
  • 12 Warlock Quest Cards
  • The Grim Reaper, a dark figure that players manipulate against each other 
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TM-08 Talisman: The Dragon
$39.95 SRP
SDI 

Three new Draconic Lords vie for ruler-ship of the Firelands–Varthrax, Cadorus, and Grilipus. Talisman grows more dangerous as they struggle to claim dominance over their territory and the Crown of Command.

The Dragon expansion offers players even more choices and strategic challenges, including a new, dual-sided Inner Region for their heroes to conquer. The alternate sides allow you to face familiar terrain along a path that requires all new tactics, or to venture into the Dragon Tower, where a hero's every step meets opposition by the Dragon King's minions and leads him ever closer to an ultimate confrontation with the Dragon King, himself.

Talisman: The Dragon brings the Draconic Lords and their legions of dragons to life. Any hero who dares confront the Dragon King must be prepared for an epic battle!

Contents:

  • 300 new cards and tokens
  • 6 new characters are introduced with dynamic miniatures 
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TM-09 Talisman: The Blood Moon
$24.95 SRP
SDI
 

Once in a generation, the Blood Moon begins its fell cycle, bathing the realm in a pallid light. Compelled by its sinister presence, the restless dead rise from their graves, vampires hunt for unwary prey, and witches engage in nocturnal rituals. Worse yet, the horrifying Werewolf prowls the night, seeking heroes with whom to share his curse.

The Blood Moon is an exciting expansion for the classic board game Talisman! With over 100 Adventure Cards, plus new spells, characters, and alternative endings, The Blood Moon adds a gripping layer of gothic horror to your quest for the Crown of Command. In addition to a host of new challenges, The Blood Moon introduces two engaging mechanics: time alternates between "Day" and "Night," and a bloodthirsty Werewolf prowls the land. The new Time Card flips between its Day and Night sides to indicate the inexorable passage of time, introducing a range of engaging new game effects depending on its status. Meanwhile, a horrifying Werewolf preys on Adventurers who wander into his hunting grounds.

Contents:

  • 111 Adventure Cards
  • 10 Spell Cards
  • Time Card
  • 6 Lycanthrope Cards
  • 3 new Alternative Ending cards
  • 3 new character cards and plastic figures
  • Werewolf card and plastic figure
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TM-10 Talisman: The City
$39.95 SRP
SDI
 

The City provides those who live within it a chance to pursue their lives with a modicum of safety and comfort. However, though the outside world is kept outside, any alert adventurer strolling through the City Gate will feel the tension humming in the air.

The City, a Region expansion board for Talisman, provides players with three alternative endings, its own deck, a host of shops for all your questing needs, and six new characters. Collect bounties listed on the Wanted Posters at the City Gate and fill your pockets with gold before doing some serious spending. Secure a steed from the Stables, pick up Pets or Potions, or head to the Armoury and the Magic Emporium. Visit The City in Talisman as you compete for the Crown of Command!

Contents:

  • Rulebook
  • 1 City Board
  • 82 City Cards and 89 Other Cards
  • 6 Character Cards and Plastic Figures
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TM-12 Talisman: The Woodland
$39.95 SRP
SDI
 

Journey to the realm of the fae in The Woodland, an expansion for Talisman Revised 4th Edition! In this expansion, you can walk your own path through the Woodland corner board, encountering strange new creatures, events, and dangers. At the end of your path, a meeting with destiny awaits, transforming your character's future and developing your story further.

Even more waits beneath the boughs of the Woodland, however. Redesigned rules for fate tokens allow you to either help yourself or interfere with others, and your fate will shape many of your interactions within the groves and glades of the Woodland. Prepare yourself for a world different than anything yet seen in Talisman, and enter the Woodland!

Contents:

  • A new corner board, depicting the wilds of the Woodland
  • 5 new characters to join your adventures
  • 3 new alternative endings
  • Over twenty brand new tokens
  • Nearly 150 new cards to bring the Woodland alive
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TM-15 Talisman: The Harbringer
$24.95 SRP
SDI
 

The end of the world is nigh in Talisman: The Harbinger. This expansion introduces the Harbinger, a mysterious figure of prophecy and doom who wanders the realm, with destruction following everywhere he walks. As the demons and plagues of the new Harbinger deck wreak havoc throughout Talisman, three new powerful characters seek the Crown of Command. That quest becomes more dangerous than ever before: cursed followers lie in wait for fresh prey, flames descend from the darkened skies, and the dead crawl from their tombs. 

Four new Omen decks reveal the changing and dire effects of impending doom, counting down to its arrival. Terrain cards abruptly transform the ground beneath characters' feet, changing deserts into bogs, or farmland into ruins. You'll have to navigate these obstacles and numerous others if you want to seize victory before time runs out for the entire realm – and the true apocalypse begins.

Contents:

  • Harbinger figure, sheet, and accompanying Harbinger deck
  • 3 more characters seek the Crown of Command
  • 4 Omen decks each unleash a unique scenario of doom
  • Terrain cards transform the landscape of the realm
  • 2 apocalypse-themed alternate endings

Monday, September 11, 2017

Alliance Open House

The major gaming distributors hold "open houses" each year for their retailer customers. I went to the Alliance one this past weekend and this week's Rolling for Initiative column looks at four things I took away from it.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Preferred Customer Benefit Addition

We have added a couple of new benefits to the Preferred Customer Card.

1) You receive 1 FREE rental per month of any rentable game in the game library.

2) Although you still have to pay the rental fee, we will not ask for a cash or credit card deposit when you rent a game. Just show us your Preferred Customer card and we will note that on the sheet. You will still be charged late fees for bringing the game back late and refusing to pay those will cause you to lose Preferred Customer status.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Force Friday Followup

For those interested in the business side of the gaming industry, this week's Rolling for Initiative column looks at some suggestions for improving the retail side of Force Friday

Monday, September 4, 2017

FireSide Games Tour

In case you would like to play games with the designers of Castle Panic and Here Kitty Kitty, FireSide Games will stop by on their Smash and Burn Tour on October 7th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (or later depending on interest. Come play Kaiju Crush and Hotshots and bring your favorite Fireside Games (or buy a couple) and have them signed.