GamingNews -- RPG News

Like role-playing? Take a look at our RPG blog: "d20 Addict" by GamingNews Editor T. Rob Brown.

Online (March 5, 2006)When crafting the new errata(s) for the Polymorph tree of spells and abilities (including the druid's wild shape and thousand faces abilities), Wizards of the Coast (WotC) reported this would be a substantial change. As such, they informed various campaign management teams that the errata is not a required usage.

After discussing the matter at Winter Fantasy, the Circle agreed Living Greyhawk will not use the Polymorph tree errata that began posting on Feb. 16, 2006. This will be finalized in a future Dispel Confusion, but given the uproar by players, the local triads have been asked to disseminate this information as soon as possible.

Paizo publishes Dragon Compendium
Magazine reprints updated, GameMastery series expands

By Editor T. Rob Brown
Bellevue, Wash. (Feb. 24, 2006) Ever wish you had every copy of Dragon magazine? Well, you still can't -- but you can get a lot closer to catching up and updating to Version 3.5 with the Dragon Compendium.

Thirty years in the making, the book released by Paizo Publishing is at retailers now for $39.95.

Since 1976, Dragon magazine has expanded and refined Dungeons & Dragons, allowing fans to place their own mark on the game they so love. Paizo Publishing celebrates three decades of innovation with the Dragon Compendium, a 256-page full-color compilation of classic articles updated to D&D 3.5. The selections were made with the input of current and former editors-in-chief and D&D fans across the world, according to Paizo's official website.

"Packed with new races, classes and prestige classes, equipment, and spells as well as popular feature articles from the past, the Dragon Compendium is a useful game aid as well as a living record of the world's premiere gaming magazine," reports Paizo.com.

Dragon and Dungeon magazines, formerly published by TSR then later by Wizards of the Coast (WotC), was sold to Paizo in recent years. All Paizo products bearing the Dungeons & Dragons logo are considered 100-percent official content.

In addition to the Dragon Compendium, Paizo has recently unleashed a revised and expanded reprint of the entire Shackled City campaign called The Shackled City Adventure Path. This product, which retails for $59.95, was originally published as 11 linked adventures in the award-winning Dungeon magazine, and has now been compiled into a deluxe 416-page full-color hardcover book including an eight-panel fully-detailed poster map of the City of Cauldron, a 24-page full-color map booklet, and a brand-new Shackled City adventure written by fan favorite author Christopher Perkins.

"Evil schemes are afoot in Cauldron, a metropolis of merchants built into the caldera of a long-dormant volcano," reads an introduction for the campaign book. "Driven by the dreams of an insane demon prince, bizarre cultists known as the Cagewrights scheme from ancient tunnels beneath the volcano, stoking it once more to terrible life. To prevent their agenda, your band of adventurers must brave haunted jungle ruins, slay mighty dragons, and bind themselves to a layer of the infinite Abyss. Will their swords and spells be enough to save the Shackled City?"

Other recent Paizo products include the GameMastery series in the form of Compleat Encounter sets and map packs.

The Compleat Encounter sets (there have been four released thus far) include an adventure, map cards for use with miniatures and three metal, unpainted miniatures. These products' game rules adhere to the Open Game License (OGL) version of Dungeons & Dragons 3.5. Their suggested retail price is $15.95. Samples were on display at GenCon Indy 2005 at the Paizo booth, where customers could pre-order the first of the series: Dark Elf Sanctum (PZO2001), which was later followed by The Vault of the Whispering Tyrant (PZO2002), Throne of the Gorilla King (PZO2003), and The Liberation of Prince Thorgrim (PZO2004).

The first three releases included two character miniatures and one miniature of an important object for the adventure, such as the portal in Dark Elf Sanctum. The newest release, The Liberation of Prince Thorgrim, includes three character miniatures.

Dark Elf Sanctum: Ninth-level adventure scaleable to all levels of play. Created by Wayne Reynolds, Mike Mearls, Neil McKenzie, and Christopher West. "In a darkened chamber deep below the sunlit world, a diabolical dark elf priestess weaves rhymes of magic over an ancient portal arch," reads the back of the package. "What foul entity answers her summons, and what will happen when it emerges into the world of man?" It includes three lead-free pewter miniatures, 10 double-sided full-color cards for a complete map of the Dark Elf Sanctum scaled for miniatures play, an adventure that uses the miniatures provided in the set, and complete statistics for the enemies and magic items encountered within.

The Vault of the Whispering Tyrant: Thirteenth-level adventure scaleable to all levels of play. Created by Ramon Perez, Sean K. Reynolds, Dennis Mize, and Christopher West. "Ages ago, he swore his rule would last forever, that the kingdom need never fear life without his protection," reads the back of the package. "Now he lives on as a lich, issuing terrible decrees in a hoarse whisper through rotting teeth." It includes three lead-free pewter miniatures, 10 double-sided full-color cards for a complete map of the Vault of the Whispering Tyrant scaled for miniatures play, an adventure that uses the miniatures provided in the set, and complete statistics for the enemies and magic items encountered within.

Throne of the Gorilla King: Fifth-level adventure scaleable to all levels of play. Created by Ramon Perez, James Jacobs, Dennis Mize, and Christopher West. "Delve deep into the fecund jungle, where the Silverback King rules with a wise majesty and an iron sword," reads the back of the package. "Some say his lair sparkles with the gems of fallen empires, but few can match his ferocity in battle." It includes three lead-free pewter miniatures, 10 double-sided full-color cards for a complete map of the Throne of the Gorilla King scaled for miniatures play, an adventure that uses the miniatures provided in the set, and complete statistics for the enemies and magic items encountered within.

The Liberation of Prince Thorgrim: Eighth-level adventure scaleable to all levels of play. Created by Andrew Hou, Jason Bulmahn, Dennis Mize, and Corey Macourek. "Prince Thorgrim rots in jail, wrongly-accused by the corrupt sheriff and his cruel gaoler," reads the back of the package. "Whispered rumors speak that those in his keep are tortured and sometimes murdered. Only the truly brave or fantastically-foolish would try to storm the jail and free the prince." It includes three lead-free pewter miniatures, 10 double-sided full-color cards for a complete map of Princ Thorgrim's jail scaled for miniatures play, an adventure that uses the miniatures provided in the set, and complete statistics for the enemies and magic items encountered within.

In addition to the above list, there are several others according to Paizo.com -- Death Shrine of the Ninja Cult, Fane of the Black Adept (Sept. 26, 2006, release), Grove of the Mad Druid (March 25, 2006, release), Stand & Deliver (Dec. 19, 2006, release), Terror in the Chamber of Pain (Feb. 28, 2006, release), and War Golem Factory (March 27, 2007, release).

Thus far, there have been two releases in the GameMastery map packs lines: Map Pack: Village (PZO4000) and Map Pack: Graveyard (PZO4001). Each retails for $9.95.

Map Pack: Village includes full-color gridded maps for use with both role-playing games (RPGs) and miniatures games. The map cards in this set combine to form a completely-customizable village featuring locales common to most fantasy campaigns, including: Tavern, General Store, Gallows, Magic Shop, Marketplace, and Shrine. Pack contains 18 full-color 8-inch by 5-inch map cards. Cartography by Corey Macourek.

Map Pack: Graveyard includes the same type of map cards which combine to form a completely-customizable graveyard feature common fantasy locales, including: Cemetery Gate, Church, Crypt, Gravedigger's Hut, Monument, Mausoleum, and Plenty of Open and Closed Graves. Pack contains 18 full-color 8-inch by 5-inch cards.

Other products include: GameMastery Campaign Workbook (April 12, 2006, release) retail $12.95, GameMastery Item Pack 1 (PZO5000) including 54 playing-card-sized cards for treasure tracking (weapons, armor, wondrous items, etc.) (March 8, 2006, release) retail $9.95, and GameMastery Item Pack 2: Hero's Hoard including 110 playing-card-sized cards for treasure tracking (2006, release) retail $3.95 per 10-card booster or $41.88 per 12 boosters in a display box (May 17, 2006, release).

For more information on Paizo Publishing and its line of products visit Paizo.com

New RPGA character sheet out for Living Greyhawk
Sheet available from WOTC

SEATTLE, Wash. (Feb. 22, 2006) Through its RPGA (Role-Playing Gamers Association) branch, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has released a new character sheet for its popular Living Greyhawk campaign.

RPGA fans will be most interested in catching up on the changes made to the character sheet, now in Version 5, so they can keep their own characters up to date with the newest rules of the campaign setting. The new character sheet can be found at: http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LGCS_v5-0.zip

WotC releases official D&D 3.5 errata
Newest errata update clarifies, repairs issues even in newest title

SEATTLE, Wash. (Feb. 16, 2006) Just as the U.S. Constitution is a living document that must be modified from time to time, so follows suit in the mythical world of Dungeons & Dragons.

Even with one of D&D's newest releases The Red Hand of Doom, a largescale 128-page adventure that retails for $29.95, the front and back covers report it to be an adventure for Levels 6-12, when it is, in fact, an adventure for Levels 5-9.

"An exciting super-adventure that pits heroes against an army bent on domination," reports the official Wizards of the Coast (WotC) website. "Rampaging hobgoblins and their allies threaten to destroy the realm and all who stand before them. Characters who dare confront the horde soon discover that these particular hobgoblins worship Tiamat, the evil queen of dragons, and eventually come face-to-face with her draconic minions."

The Red Hand of Doom also includes encounters designed for use with the D&D miniatures game.

[Edits for grammar, punctuation, artifacts, and syntax made by GamingNews Editor T. Rob Brown, http://t-rob.com]

[Editor's Note: Edits for grammar, punctuation, artifacts, and syntax made to press releases by GamingNews Editor T. Rob Brown, http://t-rob.com]

Have some GamingNews of your own? E-mail us!