Author: Davide Pignedoli

There’s a new edited version of City of Judas available today!

There’s a new edited version of City of Judas available today!

There’s a new edited version of City of Judas available today!

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product_info.php?products_id=150754

In a few words: no changes to mechanics but full editing by Jim Comer (tons of typos and mistakes fixed).

Format changed: from a Letter landscape page to a standard 6×9.

Yes, this means POD (but not now… in two or three months top, I’d say…).

Originally shared by Davide Pignedoli

There’s a new edited version of City of Judas available today!

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product_info.php?products_id=150754

In a few words: no changes to mechanics but full editing by Jim Comer (tons of typos and mistakes fixed). Format changed: from a Letter landscape page to a standard 6×9. Yes, this means POD (but not now… in two or three months top, I’d say…).

Below is the “official” update statement:

It has been a while since the last update, but this is a major one and calls for a couple of notes.

First of all: the text of City of Judas has been edited by the fantastic Jim Comer. This means that the file you have here is much better than the previous one.

There were no changes to rules or mechanics, but a few improvements to the setting and in the general a full review of the text and some serious cleanup for typos and mistakes.

If you spot anything wrong that we might have missed, please let us know and we will revise and fix again.

Second: the manual format has changed. From the previous landscape (screen friendly) to a classic 6×9.

We thought you can still make it screen friendly by viewing 2 pages at once, or even virtually printing it with the pages side by side to a new pdf.

Third: yes, the change to 6×9 of course is because we plan to make a print on demand version available soon.

The POD version will probably be softcover only, and not all of the images are of the best quality, but with POD it will be reasonably cheap, and handy at the table.

The plan is hopefully to make the POD available within two or three months (it will depend on the result of the proof printing).

Let us know what you think of the revised version, and again, if you spot any other typos or mistakes let us know, so we can fix them before printing.

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product_info.php?products_id=150754

Let me know if you might be interested in writing a playbook or two, and/or if a POD edition of this ‘final’ draft…

Let me know if you might be interested in writing a playbook or two, and/or if a POD edition of this ‘final’ draft…

Let me know if you might be interested in writing a playbook or two, and/or if a POD edition of this ‘final’ draft is something you might be willing to bring to your table…

Originally shared by Davide Pignedoli

So, this is far from a finished project, but since it has been on hiatus for a while and the closed-playtest was good enough, I thought to put it out, for free (PWYW).

It’s a beta, but playable.

It’s very crunchy, but rewarding.

In a few words, it is as close as I managed to get with AW to the style of ASOIAF.

I know this is enough to trigger the interest of many of you.

Then you’ll look at the files, and be like “Oh, there’s 6 batches of files to print and 150 pages to read for a beta… I’m out of here!”

So, yes, it’s 150+ pages to read.

Ok, with illustrations and all, not too dense… and you know a lot of it already, but still, 150 pages, for a beta.

Plus there’s a bunch of stuff to print.

And you need scissors and glue at the table, to literally put the pieces of the game together.

Oh, did I mention it has a rotating Game Master, so everyone must read the rules once?

Why do I have the feeling that I am not selling this right? 🙂

(Now, if you actually read the manual, rules are not too complex; the print material is a lot because there are many options, but comes into play in small amounts; there can be just one reading the rules and directing all the others while they take on the role of GM, like in most games with a rotating GM… so it’s technically not impossible to enjoy this beta. What did you say? Challenge accepted?)

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/202880/A-Land-of-Ice-and-Blades

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/202880/A-Land-of-Ice-and-Blades

Still a beta, but it might interest some of you.

Still a beta, but it might interest some of you.

Still a beta, but it might interest some of you.

Feedback is always welcome, of course!

Originally shared by Davide Pignedoli

So, this is far from a finished project, but since it has been on hiatus for a while and the closed-playtest was good enough, I thought to put it out, for free (PWYW).

It’s a beta, but playable.

It’s very crunchy, but rewarding.

In a few words, it is as close as I managed to get with AW to the style of ASOIAF.

I know this is enough to trigger the interest of many of you.

Then you’ll look at the files, and be like “Oh, there’s 6 batches of files to print and 150 pages to read for a beta… I’m out of here!”

So, yes, it’s 150+ pages to read.

Ok, with illustrations and all, not too dense… and you know a lot of it already, but still, 150 pages, for a beta.

Plus there’s a bunch of stuff to print.

And you need scissors and glue at the table, to literally put the pieces of the game together.

Oh, did I mention it has a rotating Game Master, so everyone must read the rules once?

Why do I have the feeling that I am not selling this right? 🙂

(Now, if you actually read the manual, rules are not too complex; the print material is a lot because there are many options, but comes into play in small amounts; there can be just one reading the rules and directing all the others while they take on the role of GM, like in most games with a rotating GM… so it’s technically not impossible to enjoy this beta. What did you say? Challenge accepted?)

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/202880/A-Land-of-Ice-and-Blades

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/202880/A-Land-of-Ice-and-Blades

Hello friends and fellow players of City of Judas!

Hello friends and fellow players of City of Judas!

Hello friends and fellow players of City of Judas!

I worked during the holidays to put together a beta of a new, powered by the Apocalypse, game.

It is another fantasy game, and was inspired by Vincent Baker’s AW:DarkAge. It aims to allow you to play stories mixing weird characters and fierce warriors, to impersonate nobles or adventurers, to seek glory or revenge in a remote northern land.

I am looking for beta-testers, so if you are interested, let me know and I will send you something by mail.

At this stage, I need the game to hit the table; I really need feedback from actual play.

It will take a few sessions (ideally at least three or four), and is a game designed for co-GMing (all players will GM at turn); there are plenty of components but I really hope they all fit together nicely and come into play one by one in orderly fashion, thus not burdening you with too many rules.

If you’re brave enough, then, and so are your companions, step forward and meet A Land Of Ice And Blades!

I drafted a QuickStart document for City of Judas, my AW fantasy hack of medieval mercenaries.

I drafted a QuickStart document for City of Judas, my AW fantasy hack of medieval mercenaries.

I drafted a QuickStart document for City of Judas, my AW fantasy hack of medieval mercenaries.

The document contains half-pre-gen characters (with some space for players’ customization) that should speed up the game start, and ideas for the GM to spring a first mission for the mercenaries.

It’s aimed to help new GMs and players to run one-shots for example at conventions.

Do you think it provides enough material? Would a more focused scenario work better in your opinion?

Originally shared by Davide Pignedoli

Hi everybody,

We updated the City of Judas package, adding a QuickStart document for one-shots and conventions.

It contains pre-gen characters (with just a little customization left to do for the players), and some GM material like maps and ideas for Iron Fist missions. It should help you to get your game started, especially if you’re planning to test it with a one-shot.

The document is linked already in the right upper corner, in the info about the community, and here:

http://www.daimongames.com/judas/download/5-TheCityOfJudas-QuickStarterForConventions.pdf

As always, your feedback and suggestions are welcome!

If there’s something you’d like to contribute to the QuickStart document (i.e. some adventure seeds or ideas from your own City Of Judas game), just let me know!

Hi everybody

Hi everybody

Hi everybody,

We updated the City of Judas package, adding a QuickStart document for one-shots and conventions.

It contains pre-gen characters (with just a little customization left to do for the players), and some GM material like maps and ideas for Iron Fist missions. It should help you to get your game started, especially if you’re planning to test it with a one-shot.

The document is linked already in the right upper corner, in the info about the community, and here:

http://www.daimongames.com/judas/download/5-TheCityOfJudas-QuickStarterForConventions.pdf

As always, your feedback and suggestions are welcome!

If there’s something you’d like to contribute to the QuickStart document (i.e. some adventure seeds or ideas from your own City Of Judas game), just let me know!

I had to improvise a custom move for a raid in a village.

I had to improvise a custom move for a raid in a village.

I had to improvise a custom move for a raid in a village. The Huscarl took the Child with him on the raid as a rite of passage. I gave them this custom move for the raid.

Roll + young, on 10+ take 2, on 7-9 take 1

Take the village (must take twice to conquer the village)

Distinguish yourself with honor

Protect the other from suffering terrible harm

Protect yourself from terrible harm

I asked them to roll and make their choice in private.

The Child chose Take the village.

The Huscarl chose Take the village and… Distinguish yourself.

We all expected he would protect the Child.

The Huscarl survived the suffered harm.

The Child died. Rolled a 3.

What do you say, was it a bad custom move?

Last week I played last week my first session of Sagas as MC – with 4 players: man, woman, hauscarl and child. The…

Last week I played last week my first session of Sagas as MC – with 4 players: man, woman, hauscarl and child. The…

Last week I played last week my first session of Sagas as MC – with 4 players: man, woman, hauscarl and child. The players loved it: they’re in love with the spirit and atmosphere of the game, and their characters.

And now we have a problem.

They liked it so much that they invited another two players for the next session, so I will have to juggle six of them.

And I didn’t want to say no, because both of the new players are relatively new to RPGs and sounded so excited to try this out, that I didn’t want to turn them down (the campaign might last several months and it would be a bummer for the potential new players to have to wait so long).

I explained to them that they will have to do with less time under the spotlight, since we’re going to be a little too many at the table, but they’re all fine with that.

In this regard, I have to say I am a lucky MC: my players, when someone is not present in a scene, they do not play with phones, do not chat, but just listen to the others’ players adventures with interest.

So I hope this is not going to be an issue.

So… Does anyone have any suggestions on running the game with six players?

(besides bringing a very large paper for the relationships map)

I had the chance to review some comments about the Advantage Die used in #cityofjudas  and I wanted to share some…

I had the chance to review some comments about the Advantage Die used in #cityofjudas  and I wanted to share some…

I had the chance to review some comments about the Advantage Die used in #cityofjudas  and I wanted to share some thoughts about this specific mechanic. Somehow, this is also connected with the Spirit counter mechanics.

In a few words: the Advantage Die is incremented during the game by some successful moves (usually on a 10+, sometimes on a 7-9), and the same happens to Spirit (increased by certain moves on 10+ or 7-9). Both are “good” for the characters when they have high values: the Advantage Die can be used to replace any die that rolled low, and Spirit can become problematic especially if getting to a negative score.

Both of them are somehow a measure of how well things are going for the given character.

Now, in terms of design, an epic RPG telling the story of a group of heroes, would reverse this mechanic.

If we’re aiming for powerful characters — with solid chances of defeating any type of opponent and with some sort of “balancing” power against unfavorable twists in the story — then I’d say give +1 to the Advantage Die on a 6-, and give +1 to Spirit when the character suffers some setback (bad outcomes) in certain moves.

This would basically create a mechanical counterbalance for failure.

The reward for success (let’s say 10+) would be the fictional result of the success itself, while the consolation prize for a 6- would be a +1 to the Advantage Die – that would allow the player perhaps later on to break out from a series of bad rolls by using indeed a high Advantage Die.

This is all nice and cool.

Actually, if anyone wants to give it a try, please do! and let us know how it went.

But City of Judas is something different. It aims to create a different fiction.

It gives certain rewards (i.e. the +1 to the Advantage Die or to Spirit) as additional prize for certain successes, inline with the spirit of each playbook. It does so to make certain actions, certain successes, to bear even more weight in fiction — so that we see the ripple-effect of these positive consequences even later on.

When players roll a 6-, on the other hand, City of Judas can be quite harsh. In combat, and in general when it comes to harm, City of Judas can be deadly. Should be deadly.

A single 6- won’t kill a character, but a few of them, against a powerful opponent, would do it. This is by design.

I think you can see now why — since I wanted to depict a harsh and dark-fantasy world — there is no “consolation prize” for  failure. The prize of failure has to paid by the character, and the rules offer no compensation for it.

In the design of City of Judas I had to deal with the subject of religion(s) – being the setting a sort of…

In the design of City of Judas I had to deal with the subject of religion(s) – being the setting a sort of…

In the design of City of Judas I had to deal with the subject of religion(s) – being the setting a sort of alternative history of medieval crusades and set in the ‘holy land’… 

How do you deal with religion in your games? 

Originally shared by Davide Pignedoli

How I wrote City of Judas (part six)

Again about the design process of City of Judas. I’d love to hear your opinions – as fellow game designers and as players as well.

First part (intro and inspiration): https://plus.google.com/+DavidePignedoli/posts/EzYVbYncPhT 

Second part (starting to design the game): https://plus.google.com/+DavidePignedoli/posts/iMSHo8Cjqat 

Third part (playbooks, counters, and moves): https://plus.google.com/+DavidePignedoli/posts/PDjiV3RU5Dp

Fourth part (about the number of moves, and about accepting good advice): https://plus.google.com/+DavidePignedoli/posts/5ZL2cUBMaoz

Fifth part (about the setting in general): https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DavidePignedoli/posts/BriT4AN3REj

Today we’re in for a sensitive subject.

Religion

The manual contains a clear disclaimer that warns the reader about how it deals with religion, and a sensitive pairing such as religion and violence. For some reason, there’s always someone that feels like it’s perfectly fine to crawl into a dungeon and kill goblins or kobolds to loot their treasures, but they grow uncomfortable if religion is also thrown into the game.

Armed robbery and murder are fine; but keep god (or God) out of the equation 🙂

Now, I believe the majority of the players don’t have any problem to deal with how City of Judas presents religion: as a piece of fiction that is used to give color to a certain type of gaming and adventures. It’s this kind of people that I guess would buy the game, so these are the people I’m addressing. If someone is offended by the game, I guess he just won’t buy it; there’s enough in the preview to drive off potential “offended” customers.

I feel like the entire setting is built with a decent balance: there’s an almost real Church of Christ, and a totally imaginary Cult of Judas. Actually, even though they appear as “religions”, the manual clearly presents them as “political” elements: the Church of Christ is a symbol of stability; the Cult of Judas is a revolutionary force (in a relative modern prospective).

The combination of a realistic Christian church, paired with an absolutely fictional Judaist cult, I think puts also the former into a different light. 

In other words, when playing City of Judas, the strong fictional charge of the cult of Judas makes also the Christian church somehow “less real”. If this happens in your game, that’s fine; City of Judas is about an alternative, fantasy history, not about the real history of the crusades. This fictional space is supposed to give you the freedom to explore these sensitive topics without feeling restrained: you’re not talking about a “real” religion, even for the Christians, but about something made of imagination (mostly…).

How did you feel dealing with them in your games? Did you feel uncomfortable to have perhaps to describe one (or both, more likely) as organizations with their own agendas, which often aim to something more than religious goals?

Did you have trouble when those cults were associated with violence, greed, betrayal? Or did they instead (as I hope)served as powerful leverage to push your stories forward?