Aneoth wrote:I recently obtained several Avalon Hill Books that are Fantasy related.Have not had a chance to read through them yet, but here are the basics.All six books are stapled, paper books with covers reminiscent of Judges Guild, though the artwork is (MIO) better, though it is all in B&W.The first two are titled "Perilous Lands"The Culture Book-Y-2267 (Date 2/85) (Another number: 8522001)The Site Book-Y-2268 (Date 2/85)The next four books are each titled "Powers and Perils":Book One-The Character Book Y-3294 (9/84)Book Two-The Combat and Magic Book Y-3205 (9/84)Book Three-The Creature Book Y-3296 (9/84)Book Four-The Book of Human Encounters and Treasure Y-3297 (9/84)Anyone know anything about these books?From first glance, they look to be a completely different world and game setting for fantasy RPG's with a different rules system unrelated to other similar fantasy game systems.
Aneoth wrote:Thanks very much for the information guys.I read through Book One of Powers and Perils (Characters) last night and it is VERY much detail oriented. Although races for PC's are limited to only four choices, Character creation is seemingly very time consuming. There are many steps to create any base character and each is detailed even to his kin and familiar contacts (Socially, professionally, politically, religeously, etc.). instead of 6 abilities to keep track of there are 10....StrengthStaminaDexterityAgilityIntellegenceWillEloquinceEmpathyConstitutionApperanceAny PC could also start with Special Atributes (Abilities) such as Supernatural Stamina, or Battle Fury (Sort of like Barbarian Rage).In addition, there are at least 10 more detailed steps to create a Magic User. Beginning with them being either innate magic-users or clasically trained. Then you must determine how much Mana he has to start with and which realm of magic he uses (Somtimes a PC will be allowed to use magic from more than one realm). It goes on from there.All that is from the first few pages of the book.Those guys at Avalon Hill sure did pack a lot into 44 pages of rules.....And thats just book one.................WOWSERS............
Badmike wrote:I think P&P had some good ideas. But you also have to remember this was a wargaming company trying to get their heads around a RPG. The result was an RPG with wargame like rules, making it far too complex for the market (who by this time were used to rolling 6 sided dice for abilities and taking maybe five mintues to get a character started). In retrospect they were probably a bit ahead of their time, they really made the process far too intensive and intimidating.....Mike B.
jamesmishler wrote:Well actually, Powers & Perils was designed ca. 1982/1983 by Richard Snider, Dave Arneson's co-designer on Adventures in Fantasy (designed ca. 1979/1980?). So Richard was not really a wargamer per se, he was an early "hard-core crunch" role-player; indeed, in that respect, he was way ahead of his time. He still contributes to and supports P&P today at http://www.powersandperils.orgWhat's really interesting is going back through Adventures in Fantasy and comparing things in there with Powers & Perils. The games have a LOT in common.
