This history of role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons explains their evolution and gives complete definitions and descriptions for related game products. Arriving on the scene in 1973, such games caught on rapidly and spawned a thriving industry. These games are regularly played improvisations, with rules that allow for consistent resolution of action, in which heroic characters created by the players battle enemies or solve mysteries. Featuring essays by eighteen top industry designers, Heroic Worlds explains the evolution of role-playing games and their influence on other forms of entertainment. The art and jargon of game design, play, and collection are defined in detail.

A historical supplement for Mythras. Welcome the birth of the Roman Republic, and follow it through to its murderous end, on a tumultuous ride through some of its most turbulent history.Mythic Rome encapsulates the dark and gritty past, allowing players to take part in the founding of Rome: as a bandit on the Tiber; to overthrow the tyrannical Seven Kings; conquer the rival Etruscan city states; watch the city be sacked by Gauls; battle Hannibal during the Punic Wars; take part in the malevolent Bacchanalian conspiracy; fight alongside Spartacus or against him; or choose sides during the civil war between Caesar and Pompey.This invaluable book contains rules for everything from political standing to chariot racing, along with comprehensive Roman careers and guides for the weapons, armour and combat styles of Rome's legions and her enemies. Also included are obscure supernatural creatures and new magic systems to reflect the way magic works from the perspective of the Romans themselves.Continuing the quality and historical depth of the Design Mechanism's Mythic series, Mythic Rome stands as one of the best historical roleplaying supplements of all time, describing in intricate detail every aspect of everyday Roman life. Indeed, this book is packed with quotations written during the last days of the Republic, revealing shocking details of Rome the eternal city... a shining pinnacle of civilisation built upon a grisly foundation of crime, superstition, war and treachery.Mythic Rome is not a stand-alone game. You will need the Mythras rules to make full use of the content.

Will you escape the dangers of Azeroth? Will you escape the dangers of Azeroth? You have 60 minutes to break free of the chains that bind and the evils that threaten the World of Warcraft (R)! Play as honorable members of the Horde and the Alliance and overcome obstacles before time runs out! Stop the spread of Professor Putricide's plague of undeath in his bizarre laboratory, dodge devilsaurs in Un'Goro Crater, and restore order to Karazhan before the tower collapses! Featuring three different scenarios with three difficulty levels: easy, medium, and challenging. Will you be unshackled? Or will time seal your fate?

Set off with your adventuring party to gather 25 days' worth of gifts from the world of Dungeons & Dragons! Collect dozens of little treasures inspired by the Forgotten Realms in this official Dungeons & Dragons countdown calendar. Your party may have all the weapons they need, but this engaging gift calendar is filled with dozens of items you'd never think to bring on a quest. With mini books, stationery, buttons, tech accessories, and more, you can celebrate your love for the game with this countdown calendar featuring a monstrous assortment of presents!

There are many tales of the Frozen City, and not all of them tell of battles between rival wizards. Often, the greatest adventures are those that pit a wizard and his trusty warband against the myriad perils found amidst the ruins of Felstad. This new supplement for Frostgrave presents rules for playing solo and cooperative games in which the focus shifts from the feuds of wizards to exploring the city, unlocking its mysteries... and surviving what is discovered. With guidelines for scaling game difficulty, dungeon crawls, monster generation, and more, as well as ten scenarios demonstrating these options, this volume offers players everything they need to venture alone - or with allies - into Frostgrave. Why should wizards fight amongst themselves? There is plenty of treasure for all and the Frozen City is enemy enough!

HARDCOVER. The Robotic Age is a game where man lives long side machine. Sentient androids are trying to find their place among people that, at best, don't trust them and at worst want to destroy them. Weapon technology is spiraling out of control, killer drones can be built in a garage, and anyone on the street can have enough cybernetic enhancements to make them a killing machine. The world is changing rapidly and no one knows if the new age will be that of peace, or dominance. Build the android, transhuman, cyborg, or human character you always wanted and equip them with the weapon of your dreams, from plasma cannons, to grenade launchers, energy swords and more. Explore cyberspace, fight for android rights, travel to mars, or just help prevent the world from descending into chaos in The Robotic Age.

The Art of Ni no Kuni (TM)II: REVENANT KINGDOM is a lavish full-color book showcasing the best art from the highly anticipated roleplaying game. Developed by Level-5 and with collaboration from legendary Studio Ghibli animator Yoshiyuki Momose, Ni no Kuni (TM)II: REVENANT KINGDOM is a beautiful, characterful and exciting game. This book is the ultimate fan resource, showcasing the development of the amazing characters, monsters, vehicles and locations from initial concept sketches through to the finished artworks.

Welcome to Dungeon Academy, where monsters and creatures train for the dark world that awaits just beyond the Dungeon walls. Something BIG has come knocking on the gates of Dungeon Academy! The undefeated Waterdeep Dragons have arrived for the Tourney of Terror games, which happens every fifty years and features every monster's favourite sport: Goreball! The Dungeon Academy Flumphs are outnumbered, outsized, and outmonstered! But our hero, Zelli Stormclash (a forbidden human, secretly disguised as a minotaur), is no stranger to impossible odds. Just a few weeks ago, Zelli and her crew, the Danger Club, came face-to-face with a maniacal necromancer and his army of undead! If this wasn't enough to raise scales Zelli's reoccurring nightmare of a dark entity annihilating her world may be more than just a bad dream. Something sinister is lurking in the halls of the academy, and only Zelli seems to notice. But when Zelli uncovers a dark past hidden beneath Dungeon Academy, she unlocks something that will concern everyone at school, every dragon at Waterdeep, and everything within the Forgotten Realms. Get ready for humor, heart, magic, and adventure as middle graders and beyond learn to embrace who they are, accept others' differences, and discover the hidden secrets that dwell deep within themselves, and within Dungeon Academy!

As the wars of Napoleon ravage Europe, chaos and fear reign and the darkness that once clung to the shadows has been emboldened. Supernatural creatures - vampires, werewolves, ghouls, and worse take advantage of the havoc, striking out at isolated farms, villages, and even military units. Whether they are pursuing some master plan or simply revelling in their newfound freedom is unknown. Most people dismiss reports of these slaughters as the rantings of madmen or the lies of deserters, but a few know better... The Silver Bayonet is a skirmish wargame of gothic horror set during the Napoleonic Wars. Each player forms an elite band of monster hunters drawn from the ranks of one of the great powers. Riflemen, swordsmen, and engineers fight side-by-side with mystics, occultists, and even those few supernatural creatures that can be controlled or reasoned with enough to make common cause. The game can be played solo, co-operatively, or competitively, with players progressing through a series of interlinked adventures with their soldiers gaining experience and suffering grievous wounds, and their units triumphing... or falling in the face of the shadows. It is a game of action and adventure, where musket and sabre meet tooth and claw.

The critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning World War II deck-building game. June, 1944. Through the D-Day landings, the Allies have seized a foothold on the beaches of Normandy. Now you must lead your troops forward as you push deeper into France and drive the German forces back. You will face intense resistance, machine gun fire, and mortar bombardment, but a great commander can turn the situation to their advantage! Undaunted: Normandy is the best-selling World War II deck-building game, placing you and your opponent in command of American or German forces fighting through a series of missions critical to the outcome of the war. Use your cards to seize the initiative, bolster your forces, or control your troops on the battlefield. Strong leadership can turn the tide of battle in your favour, but reckless decisions could prove catastrophic, as every casualty you take removes a card from your deck. Take charge amidst the chaos of battle, hold fast in the face of opposition, and remain undaunted. Players: 2 Ages: 14+ Playing Time: 45-60 minutes Contents: 108 cards, 18 large map tiles, dice, tokens, campaign booklet

An expanded edition of the Origins Award-nominated Lion Rampant, featuring new rules, scenarios, and sample armies. Take to the battlefield as Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc or William Wallace - or forge your own legend - with Lion Rampant: Second Edition. From the Dark Ages to the Hundred Years' War, raids, skirmishes, and clashes between small retinues were a crucial part of warfare, and these dramatic small-scale battles are at the heart of this easy-to-learn but tactically rewarding wargame. Lion Rampant: Second Edition is a new, updated version of the hit Osprey Wargames series title, and retains the core gameplay while also incorporating a wealth of new rules and updates from several years' worth of player feedback and development. Whether they are looking to recreate historical encounters or tell their own stories, the varied scenarios, unit types, and sample retinue lists found in this volume provide everything players need to face each other in quick, exciting, and, above all, fun tabletop battles.

Key aliens and NPCs from Starfinder's Threefold Conspiracy Adventure Path come alive on your tabletop with The Threefold Conspiracy Pawn Collection, featuring more than 100 creature pawns for use with the Starfinder Roleplaying Game or any tabletop science-fantasy RPG! Printed on sturdy cardstock, each pawn presents a beautiful full-color image of an alien, NPC, or starship from The Threefold Conspiracy campaign, including agents of the mysterious Unseen, strange shapeshifters, uneasy allies, and dozens of unique creatures. The Threefold Conspiracy Pawn Collection, together with the creatures and characters from the Starfinder Alien Archive Pawn Box and Starfinder Core Rulebook Pawn Collection, provides pawns for nearly every Threefold Conspiracy encounter. Each cardstock pawn slots into a size-appropriate plastic base from the Alien Archive Pawn Box, making the pawns easy to mix with traditional metal or plastic miniatures. From devious masterminds to shape-shifting infiltrators, find all of the enemies and allies of The Threefold Conspiracy Adventure Path on these beautifull illustrated pawns! While creature pawns are broken out by base size, all starship pawns use medium bases, from the tiniest fighter to the largest warship. Starfinder The Threefold Conspiracy Pawn Collection includes: Small Creatures Aerial Devil Autofly Swarm (4) Bug Furry Friend Experimental Nanobot Mimic (4) Extiomi Fech "Sparkles" Goba Flying Viper Eel Swarm (4) Gray Abductor (3) Gray Bounder Gray Engineer (2) Gray Ooze Wrangler Gray Researcher (6) Gray Surgeon Keji Swarm (4) Memory Muck (2) Needlehawk Host (4) Oni, Spirit Overseer Gyru Pik Nath Proog Psydrake Robot, Gray Observer (2) Scouring Swarm (4) Spookfish Swarm (4) Troll Polyp (2) Zaxo Zernivian Medium Creatures Aanung-An Algiada Iom Arc Moray (2) Aykins Segrue Azer Spy (3) Barghest Cargo Creep Chop Cycle (3) Combat Clone (2) Diorama Guard (2) Docksmythe (3) Dormakhabu Eiyol Marrill Ephecta Erem Esra Fluerasik Enforcer (4) Gamut Bio IT Staff (2) Gamut Bio Janitor (4) Glacial Borer Gray Shell Guardian Rhino Hesper Veeldiz Jincheroga Jox Hird Kaniko Breez Kibotu Knight of Golarion (4) Knight of Golarion Squire Krelo Danesh Kriegakos (3) Laoe Araae Orderly (4) Lawless One Lozu Pahir Ludvya "Firespitter" Zyakama Lunabellox Debrie Marduq Char Melta-Man Mersadask Rycast Modified Swarm Corrovox Molu Umana Dylaska Narla Yalamis Night Hag Orgot Nalkus Orvir Pike Phryine Callajam Psychic Clone (2) Qub Rel Nodens Reptoid Host (6) Reptoid Steward (4) Rig Technician (2) Robot, Incapacitator (2) Sarzael Fallion Shadow Hopper Shez Daiasha Silverlight Construct Space Pirate, Human (4) Steward Rookie (2) Steward Constable (2) Steward Worker (3) Tavin Arill The Monitor Threshwolf Host (2) Thylas Starhammer Torv Graycrag Trostinek Vee Andano Vora Rinn Wem Wetzelt Xych Vorsen Yona Raito Yox Large Creatures Barathu Patient (4) Doctor Flo Elmeshra (2) Gamut Bio Management (2) Garaggakal Polymath Golem, Abysium Hrog Hungerer from the Dark Jesara Hy Nevintsi Jynma Kunnid Linyf Megalonyxa Obfuchsia Phixara Protean, Xiritix (2) Quanma Ge Uliyu Replicant Ooze Troll, Quantum Varigneous Verifier Ki Huge Creatures Barathu Bruiser Driftlure Lava Strider (2) Xanthos Starships Gray Collection Saucer Gray Monitor Capsule Gray Mothership Gray Research Vessel Gray Watcher Pod Reptoid Chameleon Reptoid Changeling Reptoid Instigator (2) Reptoid Nest Platform Roselight Oracle Sanjaval Palanquin Shimmering Blade Steward Banshee FA Frigate

Role-playing games seemed to appear of nowhere in the early 1970s and have been a quiet but steady presence in American culture ever since. This new look at the hobby searches for the historical origins of role-playing games deep in the imaginative worlds of Western culture. It looks at the earliest fantasy stories from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, at the fans--both readers and writers--who wanted to bring them to life, at the Midwestern landscape and the middle-class households that were the hobby's birthplace, and at the struggle to find meaning and identity amidst cultural conflicts that drove many people into these communities of play. This book also addresses race, religion, gender, fandom, and the place these games have within American capitalism. All the paths of this journey are connected by the very quality that has made fantasy role-playing so powerful: it binds the limitless imagination into a "strict" framework of rules. Far from being an accidental offshoot of marginalized fan communities, role-playing games' ability to hold contradictions in dynamic, creative tension made them a necessary and central product of the twentieth century.

In a galaxy torn apart by the Last War, vast pirate fleets roam from system to system, robbing, extorting, and enslaving. Amidst this chaos, thousands of independent operators - smugglers, relic hunters, freedom fighters, and mercenaries - roam the dead stars in small ships, scratching out a living any way they can. In Stargrave, players take on the role of one of these independent operators, choosing from a range of backgrounds each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and associated powers. Next, players must hire a crew for their ship, recruiting a lieutenant with a unique skill-set and a handful of soldiers, mechanics, hackers, and other specialists. Some captains may even recruit strange alien lifeforms with abilities no humanoid could ever possess. Once the players' crews are assembled, they are ready to dive into a campaign. Over a series of games, their crews will have the chance to carry out a variety of missions - recovering lost technology, stealing data, freeing slaves, and fighting back against the pirate fleets. In time, as the crews gain experience, they will become more powerful and hire more talented specialists. The more they grow, however, the more likely it is that a pirate fleet will take note of their activities and come after them!

This playful, inspirational book invites fantasy lovers and fans of Dungeons & Dragons to celebrate and incorporate different elements of this iconic tabletop game in their lives and help them live their best, geekiest life. Written by Kat Kruger, the Dungeon Master of the popular Dungeons & Dragons actual play podcast d20 Dames, you'll learn how to take the skills, knowledge, and sense of adventure from your D&D campaign to help you better understand everything from how you interact with the world around you to facing the random events that life sometimes throws at you. With advice from classic player classes-like the Fighter, Warlock, Bard, Monk, or Ranger-and ways to take your experiences as a player (or a Dungeon Master) and use them in your day-to-day life, How to Be More D&D also features interactive elements like "Building Your Character" and "Dungeon Master State of Mind," quizzes like "What is Your D&D Class," and paired with rich, full-color art from the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Whether it is building your real world "character," discovering your ideal class and strengths, harnessing the three pillars of play for everyday use, or using roleplaying techniques to your advantage, How to Be More D&D explores how to enjoy the campaign known as life and is a perfect gift for any tabletop gamer or D&D fan. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and the dragon ampersand, are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC. (c)2022 Wizards of the Coast. All rights reserved.