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

Product- BareBones Fantasy

Producer- DwD Studios

Price- $10 Here as PDF

TL;DR- Rules lite, press your luck fun. 93%

Mechanics- BareBones Fantasy is a d100 extremely rules light RPG. Let's give this system a full run down.

Character Creation- Each player has four stats: strength, dexterity, wisdom, and logic that range from 35 to 100. Players also choose a primary and a secondary class that ranges from clerics, fighters, scouts, wizards, thief or others. Each class has an associated stat that is equal to the base stat divided by two. You add extra to your primary class and a little less to your secondary classes as this represents some additional training of your character. In addition, each player adds extra to one class that is chosen as their first rank or level. Even if a player doesn't choose fighter, scout, or thief, you calculate the scores for those classes as they serve as the default for several skills like attacking, perception, or stealth, respectively. Spell casters also get to choose spells. The system also has some built in role-playing mechanics with descriptors that provide opportunities for role-playing with experience benefits and moral code to help a player consider how their character would react in each different situation.

Dice Mechanics and Skills- This games dice mechanics is a mixture of push your luck and running a race by yourself. Each turn a player gets two free actions: a move and an action. The action ranges from looking for traps to attacking. To do any action, a player tries to roll under either the class skill or ability stat with a d100. While a character may get some penalties from attacking some enemies, the roll is largely dependent on the characters stats hence running a race against yourself. To move further than their normal movement, the character tried to roll under their dexterity score. To attack with a sword, a player rolls under their warrior-melee score. To defend against this attack, a character or monster would roll under their strength or dexterity score. The push your luck aspect comes from how many actions you want to perform each turn. After the first free action each turn, a character may perform as many actions as they want, but each action adds a -20% modifier to the characters score. Thus if a character had a warrior score of 70%, for first attack in the round, the player would need under a 70% to hit, the second, 50%, third, 30%, and fourth, 10%. This presents and interesting press your luck aspect of this RPG. Also, a factor to keep in mind, dodging is an action you talk off turn, so, if you want to dodge after that third attack from above, you would have a -60% to your skill since it would be your fourth action that turn! Does your character think they can kill that dragon this turn with that fourth attack, or, should that character just save up some actions to dodge? I love how this makes players think and choose! Additional, some other aspects cause penalties like cover or disadvantage conditions that halves the score you must roll under.

Damage and Armor- The system only uses D10's. Weapon damage is all d10 based. Short bow? 2d10 +1. Longbow? 2d10 +3. The interesting aspect of this game is all weapons are useable by all classes, but if your strength is too low, you lose one of the d10's with that weapon. For a longbow, if your strength is less than a 65, the longbow only does d10+3. On the other side of damage, armor doesn't add to your defense value, it subtracts from damage. Also, since the system is largely classless, every character can wear all the armor types. An elf wizard can wear full plate armor, however, if a character does not have a high enough strength score, then that character can't move as far and can't cast spells. Man do I love more choice and freedom!

Spells-It wouldn't be fantasy without spells. Clerics, wizards, and enchanters all get access to spells. A character gets to cast as many spells as they choose following the rules for attacks with increasing penalties for each spell cast after the first. Each rank in the spell casting class provides gives increasing penalties to defend against the spell.

My thoughts- I really like this system. It reminds me of old school DnD and Numenera. It's more rules heavy then Numenera but extremely rules light. It takes 10 minutes to build a character even for four completely new players who have never even heard of the system before. The push your luck aspect of the game is something new in an RPG. I really enjoy the breath of fresh air that brings even at low levels. It's not perfect as the class that does negotiations isn't a base classes so technically no one can do diplomacy until they have at least one rank in that class. But the system is easy to play and easy to DM, perfect for a rules light RPG. 4.5/5

Theme- Its fantasy. The base book is pretty easy to read, and has a bit of story and world. I wouldn't call it an epic setup for a world as its less than 10 pages, but I would put it above the Pathfinder base book. It gives you ideas how to play and set up your worlds. It does describe its own world, but that is a few pages. It's an interesting world that gets fully fleshed out in the setting book for the system. 4.5/5

Execution-Let's be honest, I bought this RPG for one reason-Its shaped like a comic book graphic novel. There, I said it. If you picked up the Rat Queens graphic novel and this book, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference. This system was designed to be rules light and weight light. Each book for this system is a quick, easy read that fits in standard comic book bag. I LOVE this. The outside of the book give this system an attraction that your standard Paizo/WotC books don't have any more. Paizo/DnD hardcovers are not bad, but, they are something that every system copies. DwD Studios went a completely different direction and that really drew me in. Inside the book is well written, easy to skim, and well designed. If you get the PDF's you get AWESOME character generation pages. You honestly DON'T need the book to make a standard character with the quick rules summaries you get. For a group starting out with one copy of the book, that's wonderful and will encourage the group to play a lot and get more books. 5/5

Summary-If you want a really simple, rules light RPG that comes out of left field, you can't go wrong with this one. As a GM, I loved running this. This system has few if any fiddly bits for an old school RPG. My players loved the quick nature of this game as well as pushing their luck to the very limit. In one game, I had a wizard try to cast a spell when she could only succeed on 9 or less. That is pure fun. The whole system's cheap, and I met with the people who created the game. They are great, local guys who are making an excellent product. If you are looking for a quick game this weekend and want a new product to fill a void, give this a whirl. I've liked what I've seen and I can't wait to see what's next. 93%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Taking the Narrative By the Tail: GM Intrusions and Special Effects

Originally post at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product- Taking the Narrative By the Tail: GM Intrusions and Special Effects System-Numenera Price- $0.99 TL; DR-Length hurts this short book 83%

Basics-This small, six-page guide give ideas and suggestions for how to better implement GM intrusions and new ways critical successes and failures can impact your game.

Crunch or Mechanics AND Fluff or Story-GM intrusions are a mixed bag. As the guide and main book point out, the GM doesn't roll dice. Therefore, this is HOW the GM rolls dice. Want a character to trip and make a scene? Offer an intrusion. Want an item to start beeping strangely? Offer an intrusion. This book honestly offers NO new mechanics, but it really explains mechanics that are already part of the system. And it explains the hardest to grasp of the Numenera core rules. For that, I really liked it. There is no story whatsoever, but this is all about how to tell the story. You're adding to the story through these intrusions since its part experience offer and story alteration. It's the same story as mechanics. Here is HOW to write a Numenera story, and, HOW to mess with the players/story on the fly. For that goal, it's done really well and taught me how to better execute that part of the rules and story. I would have liked more discussions on how often to do intrusions. I've never been in a game of Numenera, so I don't know how often other GMs add intrusion. Are they a major way to add experience points to a game? This guide should have addressed that. Special effects kind of get half a page. For an idea that gets top billing in the title, it really needed more! 8.5/10

Execution- This is an extremely short book, but it's also less than a buck. The product does have some new art, which is nice for such a short book. It reads quick and well, but there isn't a lot there to make it long. Its well done, but I would have liked a bit more. I'd suggest a few more suggestions for both the intrusions and especially the special effects. Also, if you publish a six page minibook, the seventh page should not be a giant advertisement! I've bought all those books, but for a dollar, I don't like 1/7th of my book to be an add or half a page is old art from the bestiary! 4/5

Summary- This is a short book that any Numenera GM should really read. There is nothing for players in this book. I can say from experience that the hardest part of GMing Numenera is intrusions. When/how should I do it is a major problem when I run my games. I do feel better equipped to add better thought out intrusions into my game more often. However, I do have some remaining problems. The addition of special effects was kind of a joke. It's got equal billing, but less than one half a pages. That should have been its own six page guide. All said, this is a decent guide to GM intrusions, but not much in the way of special effects and its extreme short length hurts the guide. 83%

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Story- Sail Away, Sweet Sister Author- Patrick Goodman TL;DR- Great Shadowrun story, but not a great introduction to Shadowrun story. 83%

Basics- Thomas McCallister is back! This is a direct sequel to "Another Rainy Night". In this story, a picture of Lenore, Thomas' vampiric sister, is found as she is running across the fractured America of Shadowrun. Can Thomas save his sister before she falls to the monster that lives insider her? Who else is manipulating things behind the scenes....

Story-The story is pretty good. It's an ensemble cast with the story being told from the sister, Thomas, his friends, and several other's points of view. Each character has a different, well defined view of things, and, that variety makes the story come off the page. Some of the story elements are kind of brushed over, but in a short fiction, that is a necessary evil. 4/5

Characters- The characters are also well defined. Each one has their own goals and motivations, and that comes through in the story. I felt the characters were real, not one dimensional caricatures. You won't get all the pieces as this is part of a trilogy, but where there were gaps, I felt that was mysteries for later, not poor writing. 4.5/5

Setting-Here things are interesting. If you know Shadowrun, the story is an good story in the Shadowrun World. Lots of locations and idea live and breathe as you know they should. However, if you don't know Shadowrun, you will be completely lost. Terms are thrown around that your average read off the street won't know. A little bit of introduction to the more Shadowrun-esque element of the story would make things a bit better for all the readers out there. 4/5

Summary-This is a good short story. It's pretty long for the price you pay as it's over 30 pages. AND, you get some Shadowrun 5e/4a stats for your games. That right there is worth the price alone for how starved for Shadowrun content I and most of the community are. I haven't read "Another Rainy Night", but if the same writer wrote that one as well, I feel that I would be in good hands for that one. Also, as soon as the sequel to this story comes out, I plan to buy it. I like how this story turned out and I can't wait for more! 83%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Run & Gun

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product- Run & Gun System-Shadowrun 5e Producer- Catalyst Price- PDF $25 TL;DR- What fans have been dying for! 93%

Basics- Time for the first hardcover expansion for Shadowrun 5e. This book focuses on physical combat. It starts off covering several new weapons ranging from swords to laser guns. Next, the book presents new armor and clothing options. From here, Run & Gun begins to focus on combat heavily starting with small squad tactics and new teamwork combat maneuvers. After team combat, the book spotlights called shot locations, special attacks with different ammo types, and more combat options. Following general combat, the book introduces martial arts with new combat maneuvers specific to each art. The last two sections of the book focus on environment hazards and demolition.

Fluff or Story- This book is full of stories. Catalyst takes great care to build story in across all the levels of the book. Each section of the book is introduced with a story building the world of Shadowrun. Every weapon is treated with some banter between different characters as they review the items as if they were talking about items in an internet forum. Even major rule sections get snark like summoning fire elementals underwater (spoiler-it's a bad idea!). Every inch of the book builds 2075 America into a living, breathing world. 5/5

Crunch or Mechanics- This book is also full of mechanics. The book introduces armor pieces, new armor/weapon types, martial arts forms, rules for all sorts of things from casting spells in a space suit to explosive decompression underwater. Even better, the book emphasizes and re-presents small rule sections that players and GMs may have forgotten. I really enjoyed quick rule summaries of these important, minor rules in sidebars. Building on this, the book provides examples of how to do the math that makes the game work. And as I said before, the book has lots of fun with its own rules and seriousness. A perfect example is explosive decompression. You fail a little, and it's bad. You fail a lot, and it's really bad. You completely screw-up, and you summon a kraken and die (most likely). It's an excellent way to meld rules, the world, and theme. 5/5

Execution- I'm reviewing a digital copy. What I saw, I liked. The text is nicely divided so you don't have solid pages of block text. The whitespace, side bars, tables, and pictures makes this a pleasure to read. The book has lots of pictures, but could use a bit more. In Gun H(e)aven 3, each gun got its own picture. This book doesn't have the space for that, but I think more pictures of the items would have helped me with my mental pictures of the game. Also, this is the first printing/release of the book, so there are a few errors that are being compiled to help with future releases of the book. Honestly, it's a fun read, but I felt like I wanted more to see and a bit fewer errors. The faults are by no grind them to a halt, but they are noticeable as you dig deeper into the book and system. 4/5

Summary- This isn't the book I thought it would be. That is not a bad thing, but I don't know if this was what I thought I was going to get. But, I am happy with the end product. I feel like I've learned a bit more about the world of Shadowrun. I love the new abilities that were carried over from forth edition or created for fifth. The last two section of the book are not as useful if you just play in the urban sprawls and want to gun down any go-gangers you see, but if you ever need to blow up a space station, there are well-done rules that will help you and your GM carry out whatever pyromaniac dreams you may have. Yes, plan B can be twice as much explosive as plan A. The Shadowrun community has been dying for some new Shadowrun 5e content, and this product delivers. While this product has a few flaws, if this is the quality of the next books, then I will happily buy each and every one. 93%

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of "Injecting the Weird"

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product- Injecting the Weird Producer- Monte Cook games Price- ~$5 at drivethroughrpg.com System- Numenera TL;DR- A Good product to make things fit into the ninth world. 90%

Basics- Let's get weird! Injecting the weird is a source book for Numenera that focuses on adding strangeness to your Numenera game. The book discusses what weird fiction is and how to add it to your game. Then the book has lots of tables to give some different weird aspects to locations, the wild, or the people you meet in the ninth world. The book even has some character options in its last few pages.

Story or Fluff- For a book that is mostly tables, this is a pretty fluff heavy book. The purpose of all the tables is to give more randomness and weirdness to your games. And at that it succeeds. The one line of strangeness in the tables really does give an impressive amount of options for what could be happening in your world. I was surprised that this book had character options too. 5/5

Mechanics or Crunch- For a book that is full of tables, this isn't a mechanics heavy book. Since the purpose of this book is setting building, mechanics take a back seat to the theme. There are sidebars for items which honestly surprised. The character options also provide some new mechanics too. But, going in to this, don't expect some new way to play the game. 4/5

Execution- I liked the layout and art as they enforced the ideas of weird and make it a pleasure to read. The price is ~ok. I think it's a bit high, but it's in line with most other current RPG products. Heck, there isn't even the standard practice of the glimmers of reusing one piece of art a bunch. This one is full of smaller art pictures. One thing I did notice is a strange gap in one of the pages, but other than that, I liked the physical aspects of this product. 4.5/5

Summary- This is a good product. It's not one that every player needs, but having one of these around the table will make the game that much better. I think helping GMs inject a bit more weird into their games will make things that much more numenera. And, that will make the games that much better. 90%

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday! Product-Dreams of the Red Wizards: Scourge of the Sword Coast Producer-Wizards of the Coast Price-~$18 (PDF) System-DnD Next TL;DR- Not bad, but the worst of the three Sundering Modules. 80%

Basics-Time to go back to the Sword Coast. Problems are brewing around Daggerford with goblin attacks, orc raids, and gnolls stalking the country side. The heroes arrive outside of Daggerford as the Duke has barred all non-citizens from entering the town. Can the heroes save the town and the people stuck outside from the horrors brewing in the Sword Coast? A DnD Next adventure for character level two to level four.

Story: This module doesn't seem to have as involved a story as the other two Sundering modules. It kind of feels like a holding pattern as the players get to find some interesting information, but the players will have to wait till next module to use it. You get to be a hero, but not completely the one you want to be. 4/5

Mechanics: This module uses new DnD Next mechanics, so that is fun and give more insight into the progress of DnD Next as rule system. I really missed the random encounter tables and other stuff that gave the last DnD encounters season it's amazing flare though. 4.5/5

Execution: This adventure come is in one source book, and I think that hurts the adventure. The players will not see it, but as a GM I felt things were too cluttered with important information being mixed with bits of encounters. I also miss the custom GM screen. I know I would have to print one out, since this product is a PDF. But, I missed those little extra bits. The random encounters really made the world come alive in the last season. I can do that as a GM, but now I need to do extra work! Furthermore, I felt like the story needed a diagram to really help me to organize my thoughts regarding the plot. I feel the story is a bit mixed up and won't help all the GMs across the world coordinate their efforts well. Also for $18, I felt like I didn't get enough. For $30 I got a printed option with the GM screen. What I got was nice, legible, and a fun play experience, but this should have been much cheaper for a PDF product. 3.5/5

Summary: I don't hate this adventure. I've been the roughest to this Sundering adventure path, but I don't hate it. This adventure has the unfortunate luck of coming out after the previous one, WHICH WAS AMAZING! This one feel like it's in a holding pattern for the next adventure. These facts make all the flaws that much more visible. I would have liked two books, a PDF of a printable GM screen, and some help keeping pace of the adventures, so all the encounters GMs can coordinate better. However, this one isn't bad, but I hope the next one lets the players get past level 4! 80%

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product: Artifacts and Oddities Collection 1 Producer: Monte Cook Games Price: ~$3 System: Numenera TL;DR- Want some more random items for Numenera? Here you go? 100%

Basics: Need a bunch more powerful, random items and random, strange items for your Numenera game? Here you go? This book give you 50 artifacts, powerful items that may not deplete after use, and 50 oddities, not powerful items that may give much smaller effects like on the scale of a flashlight.

Theme: Again, there is a suppressing amount of story in this item book. Much like all other Numenera books, the authors add side notes in the margin that add to the Numenera world. Also, the items have great descriptions to help you visualize the objects in question. 5/5

Mechanics: This is basically a mechanics book since it's dedicated to items. What's more, this book has TWICE as many items as the last one with both artifacts and oddities. The items are all fresh and interesting, so its value for money in my opinion. And RANDOM TABLES! FOR BOTH ARIFACTS AND ODDITIES! That is amazing! Why is that not in more item books?! 5/5

Art: I've only started writing these reviews, but in this book the authors look like the listened to my comments. This book has fewer reuses of pictures and less random pictures. There is a semi-random welding mask, but I like the art here. Much better! 5/5

Execution: This book follows the Cypher collection 1 book and follows a similar layout and text arrangement. I loved it there, and I love it here. And for $3, you get 100 things. That's a good value. 5/5

Summary: Again, a simple, well done item book that add to the world of Numenera. You will only need one at the table, but it's something that any Numenera table needs one of at their table. 100%

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product: Cypher Collection 1 Producer: Monte Cook Games Price: ~$3 System: Numenera TL;DR- Want some more cyphers? Here you go! 95%

Basics: Need some more one time use, random items from all across the previous eight worlds? This book is cholk full of them!

Theme: For a book of items, I didn't expect many. However, I was wrong. Monte Cook Games likes to put random little side things in the margins. That is amazing as it adds depth to each of the items they talk about. The items do get some nice descriptions even if they don't get text in the margins. 5/5

Mechanics: This book should almost solely be dedicated to mechanics since it's an item book. However, that would merely make the book passable. This book goes a step ahead and gives you a random item generator early in the book. That right there is why the book gets a 5. 5/5

Art: This book kind of suffers from the same art problem as all the other Numenera books. The art isn't bad, but it's reused a lot for a short book. Also some of the art is this book looks a bit out of place as some looks almost like clip art. Nothing bad and it does give some world building via pictures, but it's not my favorite. 4/5

Execution: In terms of text and layout, this is another well done book. It reads quick. It's entertaining, and it doesn't hurt my head to look over it. The 1st page is the random item generator because that the page I'm going to use the most from this book. And that right there shows that this was made by gamers for gamers. Heck, for 50 items for $3, I won't even complain about the price! 5/5

Summary: If you like Numenera, then you need this book. Now, everybody won't need a copy, but if the GM has a copy, then the table will benefit. This is a simple, well done book with lots of new random items, and you need a copy for your Numenera game. 95%

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product: In Strange Aeons: Lovecraftian Numenera Producer: Monte Cook Games Price: ~$3 System: Numenera TL;DR- If you love Numenera and Cthulhu, then it's a no brainer! 90%

Basics: Time to mix Cthulhu and Numenera like chocolate and peanut butter. This book gives the GM's ideas, mechanics, and monsters for Numenera. The book starts with a discussion of what Lovecraftian horror is then moves to mixing that in with Numenera. From there, the book dives right in to rules for the cosmic horror in the game system. To round out the short 13 pages, the book gives some new descriptors for the PCs and monsters as well as some classic Lovecraftian horrors for your game.

Theme: Knocked it right out of the park! The book uses its short run to really hammer home the ideas of cosmic horror and explain the basics of to the uninitiated. And this book comes with a short suggested reading list. That is necessary! What's there is a great way to get someone into the mythos quickly and efficiently. And the whole idea of Numenera really does work well with Lovecraft unlike some other games. 5/5

Mechanics: Again, this section is amazing. The use of the cypher system works well here to illustrate how different types of damage hurt the player in different ways. The added rules are not the bulky and really do bring home the Lovecraft with sanity damage. The book doesn't add a whole lot of extra in terms of player content, but what it does have is really focused Lovecraft content. The monsters that area added are also well done. One thing that really hurt the book though is the absence of a particular giant, tentacled horror that really should have been in this product! 4.5/5

Art: The book has new art that is atmospheric. I love what I see, but I think there should have been a bit more or varied the pictures more. I don't particularly like the blurry style that some of the smaller picture. Nothing is bad here, but a lot of the art is repeated in a small book. However, this book has one of the best pictures of a shoggoth you will ever see. 4/5

Execution: The book is well put together. The text reads well, and the flow leads your eye. I like the side comments in the margins. Those little tidbits really make the book come alive. It feels like a Lovecraft and Numenera book. The price isn't horrible. I don't like the $3 price for 13 pages, but it's comparable to other PDF only books by other publisher. 4.5/5

Summary: This is a great book to introduce a Numenera group to Lovecraft. The book is short, but does pack a punch. Anytime you add a new aspect to a game, I love a reading list and this one has one. This book isn't perfect, but it is amazing. If you want to add some Lovecraft flare to your game, this is your book and you need to buy it now. If you don't want to add that, then this isn't the book for you. 90%

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product: Sex and Love in the Ninth World Producer: Monte Cook Games Price: ~$3 System: Numenera TL;DR- An adult discussion of sex and love in the Numenera Game. 87.5%

Basics: This is the most controversial book released for Numenera. This book covers the hows and why of adding sex and love as factors in your Numenera game. While the book covers an adult subject, the book does not go into any graphic detail, making it relatively non-offensive. However it does mention some things that may offend some readers. Much like "In Strange Aeons: Lovecraftian Numenera" the book starts with how to introduce sex as a concept into Numenera games. This is accompanies by a large discussion of all the ways this may affect your game, both positively and negatively. Next the book describes different mechanics aspects of sex and love in Numenera covering grounds from amounts different gifts cost to different STD effects. The book finishes with different artifacts, cyphers, and oddities that may appear in your Numenera game if sex is an element of your campaign.

Theme: This book is an interesting one. Overall I think it was well done describing how sex and love can affect the world of Numenera. I have to save I disagree with the author as she maintains that most sexism will not be present in one billion years, but that view may be my low faith in humanity speaking. 5/5

Mechanics: Unlike " In Strange Aeons: Lovecraftian Numenera" this book doesn't has as much mechanics for the players. This is well done with the addition of several artifacts, oddities, and cypthers, but I felt there was not as much here as a lot of the book was warnings to GMs to seriously consider if sex is appropriate for your campaign. I felt that took away a little from the book. 4.5/5

Art: This book suffers from some of the original Numenera book problems as much of the same art is repeated through the short book The art is good, but in a 13 page book one pages is art and that picture is repeated on two other pages as a small pictures. 4/5

Execution: This is a well laid out book. Like all the other Numenera books I've reviewed, it's laid out in the same, well thought out style and is an easy read. However, the price is a bit high for a source book that mostly discusses problems in execution of the source material. Also, I felt that section of the book was a bit long and that impacted some of the available material. Nothing is horrible, but I felt that the book was a bit over-concerned with warning the GM. 4/5

Summary: This is a good book. It has its flaws, but mostly this book will help you add a new dimension to your Numenera game. The book is very conservative giving the subject matter compared to other books on the topic (looking right at you Book of Erotic Fantasy 3e!, then sheepishly looking away quickly) in both pictures and discussion. This is a one copy at the table book as only the GM will need this for both its advice and mechanics. If you want to add this to your Numenera game, then I think this is worth a read. 87.5%

Product- Coyotes Producer- Catalyst Game Labs Price- $8 TL;DR- Good add for GMs looking to add international tension to a game. 90%

Basics-You need a ride? Coyotes are specialist smugglers who get people across borders. This supplement covers what to expect when you cross different kinds of borders ranging from the simple guarded gate to countries at war. The book is mostly told through a web post by a professional Coyote near Seattle. Near the end of the book, different example Coyotes are presented. The last section of the book is a complete adventure any GM can run where the players are hired Coyotes.

Fluff/Story- Most of this book is fluff. The book focus on how different border crossings will occur as well as giving runners hints on how to cross these borders. The stories are well written and an interesting read. I enjoyed it. 5/5

Crunch/Mechanics- This is not a numbers book. Make no mistake, the book does give statistics, but this isn't a general spat book for everyone. The book outlines what to expect at different borders and give what defenses the guards will have on hand. I would have liked a few example drawings as some border crossings are referenced, but never shown. The inclusion of the adventure really makes this awesome. 4.5/5

Execution- The book is well laid out. It's a bit expensive for $8 bucks for 30 pages, but I didn't hate reading this. 4/5

Art- The art in this book is pretty good. Some art is recycled from previous stuff which I don't like but most of the referenced characters get their own picture. That makes me happy. I would have liked pictures/maps of a few things, but I do like what I see. 4.5/5

Summary- This is a good book. It's not something everyone at the tables needs, but if you want to be a coyote, this is the book for you. If you are a GM and you want either a quick adventure for the next game, or you want to add tension when most players assume their safe like on a highway between places/adventures, this is an excellent addition to your library. 90%

Ring Side Report-RPG Review of Gun H(e)aven 3

Originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Item-Gun H(e)aven 3

System-Shadowrun 20th Anniversary edition and 5e

Producer- Catalyst

Price- ~$7

TL;DR- An all around well done supplement for both systems. 93%

Basics-Oi, chummers! It’s time to log onto the shadownet and read about the latest batch of guns to hit the streets of the sixth world. Each of the over 30 guns in this book gets a full page treatment with a picture, stats for 4th and 5th edition, and some fluff from some of the more notable members of the Shadownet.

Mechanics or “Crunch”- I wouldn’t say this is a revolutionary book for mechanics, but its goal is to show off new guns. And, at that it succeeds quite well. The book shows off new guns like cap and ball guns and flamethrowers while giving stats for a lot of weapons. If you’re looking for a good collection of new guns for your game, this is a great addition for Shadowrun. 5/5

Theme/Story or “Fluff”-This part is well done also. Its pretty easy to lose the story of the world when you make a book primarily for numbers, but this book doesn’t do it. Each gun gets a picture which helps with your mental picture of the game. Also, I LOVE the fact that each gun gets a little debate by various players of the shadownet. It really makes me think like I was playing Shadowrun when I read this book. 5/5

Execution/Art- I liked the layout of this book. That was well done. I loved the art in this book. That was AMAZING! What I didn’t like was the price. The book is under 50 pages and it costs about ~7 bucks. I know art is expensive, but this was a bit too much for the book. 4/5

Summary- Honestly, this is a well done splat book for both SR4A and SR5. You might only need one copy per group since you only really need it when you buy your gun. I might complain about price, but I am glad I bought it. If you want to play the man with the gun and to know why your guy has that gun besides some metagame numbers, this is the book for you. 93%

Originally Posted at www.thratpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Ring Side Report- Review of Shadowrun-The Assassin's Primer

Module-The Assassin's Primer

Game System-Shadowrun

Producer-Catalyst Game Labs

Cost-~$5

Page Count-17

TL;DR- Good story with a few rules. A little pricey for the page count. 87%

Basics-The first player centered addition to the Shadowrun 5e RPG. This focuses on a webpost by an assassin who is about to die. He wants to help future assassins and give tips and tricks through this post. Along the way, various other Shadowrun characters pop in to give their two nuyen. At the end of the story, the book also gives stats for a new gun as well as few new qualities for your character.

Art- The book does have some art, but don't expect much. There are a few black and white pictures as well as a picture of the new gun with its stats and background story. It's all ok, but this is not an art heavy book. I liked what I saw, but there isn't much. 3/5

Story or “Fluff”- This is really a well done story. The whole story and they way you read it really put you in the world. I loved every minute of it. I felt like I was sitting drinking a soyacaff in a crappy rundown house reading this in AR. 2.5/2.5

Mechanics or “Crunch”- Don't go into this looking for crunch. The book does have some mechanics, but if you are a living game person like me, most of the new qualities are parts of codes of honor which you can't have in the living game. So, that is kind of a bummer. The story does give some good hints on how to play an assassin. All and all, it's an ok book for crunch, but I wanted more. 1.5/2.5

Execution- The way this ways laid out initially left me a little put off, but once I got into it I liked it. It's worth a read, as it does get you into the head space of Shadowrun and some of the major players in the universe. The rules part at the end was a bit short, but well executed. However, I was a little disappointed with the price. For a PDF that is mostly story, I felt the $5 price was a bit much as its pretty short and rules light. I would have liked this a bit more at the $3 price point. I'm quibbling over dollars, but this is Shadowrun! What good would a run be if we didn't negotiate the price? 4/5

Final Thoughts- All said and done, I'm pretty happy with this book. It's not up to the quality of the core book, but I'm glad I read this small part of the Shadowrun lore. I really enjoyed what I read. And think that for anyone out there who likes the Shadowrun world, it's worth it. Don't go into this thinking it's going to give you the metagame advantage you were hoping for as there are only two pages of real rules though! 87%

originally posted on www.throatpunchgames.com , a new idea everyday!

Ring Side Report- A review of Shadowrun Missions: Chasin' the Wind (5A-01)

Publisher-Catalyst Game Labs Price – ~$6

TL;DR- Good start to this season of Shadowrun Missions setting the stage for the rest of the season 90%

Art-This season actually has some amazing art. I think it's better than the last few seasons I've seen. Good player handouts as well. 5/5

Story-It's a short intro adventure that introduces the NPCs that the characters will interact with all season. It establishes the themes well of exploring the burned out history of Chicago as well as showing the set pieces that the players get to play with. The plot itself isn't the most extraordinary Mission I've played/ran, but the mission's main focus is to get the major contacts into the players mind as well introducing the character of Chicago. And, at this, the mission does this extremely well. 4/5

Execution- Standard mission writing style and adventure setup. Every portion of the mission has the same setup. I would prefer some italic text to help separate box reading text from gamemaster text, but that's my own hang-up. Once you get used to this style, it's a good way to organize a living game. Another problem is the way missions are reported. There isn't a web portal like some other Living games and the results are reported via a online forum. Again, it's not a major problem, but it's a minor annoyance. 4.5/5

Final Thoughts-Good intro game. It's a bit hung-up on needing some hardware expert skills, but otherwise every other character has a role to play. Go get this and play it with your home group. Looks to be a good season if this is the intro. Welcome to Chicago! 90%