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Tales and Tomes from the Forbidden Library
by Bob V. G. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 09/13/2021 18:41:38

Recently, I soloed my way through the adventure Tales and Tomes from the Forbidden Library (DriveThruRPG). It is a D&D 5E fantasy adventure (actually, three adventures), but the RPG system I used was Marvellous Magic A Magical School Roleplaying Game (at DriveThruRPG – free/pay what you want). I used Loner as the solo engine (same place and free). So, this RPG is like Harry Potter, so I used it in a fantasy medieval setting.

My four second year characters were given a quest from the assistant to the head of the magic school (Vernon Rachard). They are allowed to enter a section of the library which has been closed for years (two teachers died in there). My characters survived the adventure, and they were able to reveal the problem and the truth.

One year later, the characters attend the trial and are thrown into another adventure (time travel!) They had problems with this one. One of the problems was not being able to translate most of the books. They were “tested” and at one point failed. They were revived and when they went back to figure out the books, Chelsea was contacted by a dead druid through her crystal ball. He was a great help. The climax scene at the end had Bolt throwing his smoke bomb and Ben riding his broomstick. Great fun. A win! - -

  • -This document is 100 pages. It includes 3 adventures, 3 maps, 22 stat blocks, and individual book descriptions (too many to count). I give this product 10 out of 10 stars.


Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Tales and Tomes from the Forbidden Library
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Esper Genesis Jumpstart Bundle [BUNDLE]
by Joseph P. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 10/06/2020 18:13:24

I had the opportunity to play this game over the course of the TotalCon weekend this year, and I found myself returning for more each day. The game does a great job of taking all of 5e's class systems and blending it seamlessly with fun Science Fiction tropes. I also appreciate how quick and easy the mechanics are for ship to ship combat and scenarios.

The world the author's have created is also very engaging. It blurs the line of science-as-magic in many places, which is a very fun narrative tool that gives the GM leeway when describing the baddies and their powers. Great for retaining the mystery! Overall I think this bundle is an absolute must for those looking for a new Sci Fi experience.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Esper Genesis Jumpstart Bundle [BUNDLE]
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Esper Genesis Basic Rules
by Isidoros M. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 09/18/2020 08:34:53

Very well put and researched thoroughly! I didn't even know that fire is different in zero G!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Esper Genesis Basic Rules
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Esper Genesis 5E Threats Database
by Neil J. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 03/10/2020 13:00:07

Always have to give my support to the AAE folks on the Esper Genesis team. Art is top-notch. I have both the PDF and print book and the print quality (not RPGDriveThru's Print on Demand service) is amazing.

Some really inspiring stuff in here like the Xamaron or Shadow Technocracy.

The great thing about EG is that you can easily port this stuff over either as novel content for 5E settings of your own or as-is with the Esper Genesis system itself.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Esper Genesis 5E Threats Database
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EGCC 01-07 Sensations of Bliss (5e)
by Marcos M. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 12/14/2019 04:28:31

For the final encounter, adjusting for a very strong party sates to replace the Durasteel Mechanoid with a Titanium Mechanoid but the stats listed for the Titanium are significantly weaker, cr 1. Great mission overall but is there anyway we could get the stats for the Titanium Mechanoid updated? Thanks!



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
EGCC 01-07 Sensations of Bliss (5e)
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Esper Genesis 5E Threats Database
by Edward K. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 10/19/2019 20:09:12

Ring Side Report-Esper Genesis Threat Database

Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea every day!

Product- Esper Genesis Threat Database System-Dungeons and Dragons 5e Producer- Alligator Alley Entertainment Price- $ 24.95 https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/285863/Esper-Genesis-5E-Threats-Database?affiliate_id=658618 TL; DR-Solid world building in a monster manual! 95%

Basics-They have a multidimensional cave troll! Esper Genesis Threat Database is Esper Genesis’s Monster Manual, BUT it has so much more. Let’s dig into my thoughts on this.

Mechanics or Crunch-Ok, it’s a monster manual. You follow the basic rules put out by WotC and you get solid, well executed monsters. Alligator Alley Entertainment put in good effort and created good monsters to challenge your heroes. You will always have your favorites. I like Lovecraftian horrors and xenomorphs like the movie Alien. I have both those things, so I’m happy! You will find your own favorite monsters and organizations to throw at your players. The one thing I miss that this system needs to steal wholesale from Starfinder is the monster manual also being a second player guide by providing new races for players. Again, I’m asking for a solid thing to be more. However, since most of the bad guys are not horrible spider animals but humanoid-ish creatures, it fits that players could be them. It’s a small gripe on an otherwise well made crunch book. 4.5/5

Theme or Fluff- Honestly this is where things shine. One of my MAJOR complaints about the base book was who are the bad guys? This books delivers on that by not only having flushed out monsters but a WHOLE SECTION on alien threats and organization. Like all monster manuals you get a page per bad guy that has a picture, some crunch, and some words about the bad guy, but the cherry on top is the fact that this book adds universe to the universe not just by throwing all of that into the book, but also a section on organization that threaten the universe, making this a world building book as well. I love what’s here for the monster and world story! 5/5

Execution- PDF? Yep! Hyperlinked? Yep! Ok, all the things I want standard in a book! Aside from that its a well laid out easy to read monster manual. It’s got all the small issues I hate in a monster manual with the key one being when you have a monster group of things like a bunch of different robots, not all the robots get pictures. You know they exist and you get a picture of one or two of the five, but I need something to throw up on a tablet to show my players so they know what the heck is going on! That’s a pretty small thing in an otherwise amazing book. However, there is one thing this book does that really makes me happy and it’s honestly, quite literally the smallest thing. If there is a picture of the creature in the book, they took a small blue representation of it and set it next to a standard human for scale. That’s it. That right there fills me with with all the happy because if you show me a space cockroach and say this is the key threat to the galaxy I think that might be the size of a planet when you meant as a literal space cockroach and they just swarm their prey and are getting everywhere. I love that as its something again I can throw up on a tablet, show don’t tell my players, and have them get their heads into the fight! Fantastic work on the production of this book! 4.75/5

Summary-Esper Genesis is honestly a sleeper system with some real power in it. It’s got a new take on DnD 5e, and this book proves that Esper Genesis has a solid creative team in it. The Threat Database provides a ton of monsters to throw at your players, great world building, and an excellent example of how to build a book. My gripes are far and few with most of them being things this system needs based on other Sci-Fi systems and problems I see in all monster manuals. Overall, this is an amazing addition to the Esper Genesis universe. 95%



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Esper Genesis 5E Threats Database
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EGCC 01-07 Sensations of Bliss (5e)
by Jason D. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 10/15/2019 02:51:31

Another solid entry in the ongoing Esper Genesis plot line, this time focused on the technology rather than the pseudo-magic elements of the setting.

The adventure provides a good mix of combat, social interaction and role-play, and skill challenges. Character from all backgrounds are going to find something to do in this well balanced adventure.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
EGCC 01-07 Sensations of Bliss (5e)
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Esper Genesis: Fall of the Eos Keldor
by Andrew N. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 09/26/2019 19:12:24

I ran this as my first DMing experience and it was a ton of fun. The recommended 5 to 7 players is a lot but the adventure easily scales to lower party sizes. The Sci-Fi feel of Esper Genesis is really well represented in the Fall of Eos Keldor and it provides a great jumping off point for your own adventure path.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Esper Genesis: Fall of the Eos Keldor
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Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi - Core Manual
by Edward K. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 09/26/2019 12:51:15

Ring Side Report-Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi - Core Manual

Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea every day!

Product- Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi - Core Manual System-Dungeons and Dragons 5e Producer- Alligator Alley Entertainment Price- $ 24.95 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/240798/Esper-Genesis-5E-Scifi---Core-Manual?cPath=26435?affiliate_id=658618 TL; DR-5E IN SPACE! 92%

Basics-Want some DnD 5e but also want some spaceships and don’t want the less serious nature of Starjammer? Then Esper Genesis is the game for you. Hard space opera on the level of a Mass Effect with the crunch of the Forgotten Realms. Let’s go into the pieces first and then my thoughts on it.

Base Mechanic-Can you play DnD 5e? Then you know this system. That's it. That’s not a bad or a good, it's just the basic mechanics you know and you may love.

Classes-Like any system that bases itself on another base game there will be some reskins and some out of the box thinking taking the game in new directions. You have a not-fighter and a not-rogue, and the DnD 5e system needs those to work, but you also have whole new classes and a different magic system relying on new abilities, due to a new material found in moons across the galaxy. These new classes feel like combinations of clerics and wizards, and truly it's not bad. It breaks fun new ground on the mechanics of the system.

Spaceship Dogfights-DnD is NOT a crunch heavy system that requires a battle map to play, so the spaceship part of the game can’t use that either. Each player gets a role on the ship and can do different actions in a round from repairs to shields to killing people with lasers. However, this is all done quickly via theater of the mind.

Those are the basics. Let’s look at my thoughts.

Mechanics or Crunch-Honestly, this is the shining highlight of the book. You have the cloned classes that you know were going to be there from the not-fighter to the not-rogue, but the changes in mechanics really help the players see a new universe of potential to the system. I like what I see here. Now, this is a reskin and cut and paste of some DnD things from spells that have to be healing word and cure wounds, but it is different enough so you get new things for you to explore. Heck, you can’t even say this is just a combo of Starfinder and DnD5e, as the stuff feels fresh enough that it has its own feel distinct from either of those properties. This isn’t just a hack job of reworked DnD 5e material, this is its own thing that stands strongly on its own two feet. 5/5

Theme or Fluff- I like what I see here, but like any gourmet meal, I left wanting more. There is a whole universe here to explore, but I felt like not enough time was spent on the world itself. It's some amazing stuff, even if it does take some strong references from the Mass Effect series with elements like humans fighting then joining a galactic UN, a mystery element that gives powers. Now, this doesn’t make this game and its world derivative. The basic plot of "magic/science things give magic/science powers to people and now we deal with it" is a staple of the scifi and fantasy field, but what I don’t like is the limited amount of information on display. I wasn’t so much as left wanting more as I was left not getting enough. I wasn’t full waiting for my next book, but was more often than not given enough story to start strong. The world is fun, but not flushed out enough. I’m down to play and read more. What is here does draw you in, but I feel I need another 30 or so pages to really know the world or universe, from bad guys to who the main races are. That said, what is here is well done. I enjoy every piece of it, but just need more of it. 4.25/5

Execution- PDF? Yep! Hyperlinked? Yep! Ok, all the things I want standard in a book! The book is laid out well and typeset well, but the big issue I have is too many pages of double column text. Even the best world book or rule manual is simply a guide book or math textbook, and those NEED to be broken up to keep the reader involved. So I want more pictures to show me cool stuff of your world. Also, this is a third party product, so it has a limited budget. Many cool things are discussed like the monster manual in the back of the book, but I need pictures to see what you're showing me. I want to see what you got. Also, as a new world that is whole-cloth your own, you NEED a short adventure to tell me your pacing and story structure. I read this as standard action adventure scifi, but you might have meant this to be hard R space horror. Overall, it's well done, but it's missing a few pieces to make it excellent. 4.5/5

Summary- From my review, you might think I don’t like this, but this is an amazing rpg. It's got scifi using the nuts and bolts of the DnD 5e system while not just becoming spelljammer. It's full of new flavor that is all its own and not just a copy paste from Star Wars. It’s got solid layout in a format I BEG the major RPG producers to do. All these things mean it is a solid game! My issues are minor, such as wanting more story in the base book, even though the authors clearly indicate other books that have come out since this game was published to build out the world like trailers for coming attractions. The execution of the book is good, but needs more pictures. I just want more in the book, but for a whole RPG from a small press RPG company, this is an amazing product. However, the inevitable comparison comes forward-Is this just Starfinder with 5e? And the answer, I think, is no. This is more light scifi with no space wizardry and none of the more fantastical elements that make Starfinder science fantasy while this is science fiction. The systems stay very separate from one another, as Starfinder embraces the hard crunch of Pathfinder while Esper Genesis has its own mechanics from 5e and modified as needed to give this the speed that 5e is famous for. With this book and the base DnD 5e book, you could make your own Starfinder game, but honestly, I'd use this book by itself to play an awesome game among the stars. If you are looking for your fast, fun, 5e scifi, look no further than this game! 92%



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi -  Core Manual
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Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi - Core Manual
by Neil J. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/26/2019 16:16:53

A really great 5E sci-fi system. As somebody who's looked into almost every SF RPG system out there, this one strikes the best balance for me.

When I break down sci-fi RPGs, I think in terms of two key metrics: 1) How much do I like the ruleset? 2) How heavy does that ruleset weigh on the setting/creativity of the DM?

A common problem I found when I was trying to find a system I liked, was that advantages in one of these categories was always equally outweighed by negatives in the other category.

Hyperlanes for 5E uses the 5th Edition DnD ruleset, which for me and my group strike the right balance between tactical play and cinematic, rules-light play; however, Hyperlanes also creates an overly hard SF setting for what I'd like to play. To add some of the more fantastical elements I look for in an RPG, I'd find myself needing to homebrew entire classes and "spell" lists.

Stars Without Number (Revised Edition or Original, or even Traveler) has a better balance when it comes to giving the player control over how fantastical vs hard their setting feels, but the rulesets are too roguelike for my liking.

Starfinder, while offering some interesting rules dives too deeply into the 3rd-4th edition "Pit of Math" that characterizes the Pathfinder games and the rules provided force the idea of magic a bit too deeply into the settting (i.e. the word magic and spell will come up frequently and explicitly and there are literal dragons). This can be almost as much work to expunge as it is to create new classes from scratch.

If you're like me and have wanted a reasonable, middle-of-the-line science fiction setting that is neither strictly hard nor strictly fantastical (think Mass Effect) for using the 5th edition ruleset, this is exactly it.

While I might have done some things differently in terms of language usage to make it slightly more generic (i.e. Sorium, Esper, etc), I don't mind the basic language the game provides to you and I found once I had engaged with it for a bit in actual play, I was able to avoid having these setting elements feel at the forefront of the story.

Overall, it's a definite recommend for me, if only because I LOVE LOVE LOVE RPG books and this one is quite beautiful and nicely laid out. We've bought everything in PDF/book format so far that is available. My only regret is that there is not really any kind of convenient digital tool for esper power look-up/character creation available. I'd love to see a standalone app, an import file for 5th Edition Spellbook, etc. anything really. I had considered making an import file myself, but I haven't had the chance to look at what is OGL/OGC in Esper Genesis and what is not.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Esper Genesis 5E Threats Database
by Darren P. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/16/2019 15:23:36

Wow. This is a classic in the making. Fantastic artwork and intelligently created creatures. Excellent background information. Cannot praise it enough. We are loving the Esper Genesis adventures at moment and this caps it all. Well done



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Esper Genesis 5E Threats Database
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EGCC 01-01 Basilisk Rendezvous
by Marcos M. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 01/26/2019 16:10:10

I cant give this module 5 stars all on its own but if your willing to take some creative libertys and make this mission your own then it defenitley lays down some solid groundwork for a great session.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
EGCC 01-01 Basilisk Rendezvous
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Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi - Core Manual
by Mike R. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 12/05/2018 20:19:56

Beautiful pdf and the hardcover is even more so. I am not one to be able to provide a well written review, but just wanted to say that I love this game, well done on so many levels. GREAT JOB! Do yourself a favor and check it out.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi -  Core Manual
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Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi - Core Manual
by Anthony V. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 11/20/2018 10:08:49

I have watched Esper Genesis grow as I was a playtester and (late to the game) Backer. I have loved how they tweaked 5E to make it more well rounded and added a universe that begs to be explored. I have found that I love the classes and races in Esper more than I ever loved 5e D&D (bugbear aside) and I love running Crucible Corps and now that my players have eaten up all of that my own universe. I cannot rave more about this game, yes first edition had a lot of things to be fixed but they pushed out an update in lightning fast speed and updated the pdf accordingly. PLAY THIS GAME!!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Esper Genesis 5E Sci-fi - Core Manual
by Jeffrey F. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 09/17/2018 16:30:25

Esper Genesis is an excellent full of great story potential set in an interesting universe. The Species are varied an interesting and it uses the 5e D&D ruleset excellently. It is fun, fast, and easy to play.

The art is brilliant as well.

Great game.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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