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Title: Gamma World Player's Handbook (Gamma World) by Bruce Baugh, Ian Eller, Mikko Rautalahti, Geoff Skellams, Lizard ISBN: 1-58846-069-X Publisher: White Wolf Publishing Inc. Pub. Date: September, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.42 (12 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Good and bad
Comment: I've always liked Gamma World. While I have not played it nearly as much as I would have liked, I always liked the game. That being said, when I saw the new d20 version, I picked it right up. How does it compare to the other versions?
The Good: The look and feel of it is still intriguing. More technological advances have been incorporated, such as Nanotech and gene manipulation. There are rules about influencing communities, which is an interesting addition.
The Bad: Too much space is taken up by rules which shouldn't be in the Players Handbook. The rules on building and influencing communities, monster stats, town stats, and world climate rules would have been better located in the Gamemasters Guide, which is supposed to be out soon. The designers could have taken a hint from D&D 3.5 and put more tables in the book, so that finding certain information was easier. You need the d20 Modern book to understand some of rules presented.
All in all, I would recommend the new Gamma World system. However, the rules are sparce enough that the system is geared more towards an experienced GM.
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent supplement (not standalone)
Comment: When viewed an a supplement to the D20 Modern Core Rules, this book provides all of the necessary information for creating and maintaining a character in that setting. Of course, this is not a standalone product and has not advertised itself as such. Additionally, I question the other reviews of this where price is a primary concern. I have been a player and GM in the 1st edition of Gamma World as well as the 2nd edition. When combined with the D20 Modern core rules, this book provides a complete GammaWorld rule base.
Rating: 2
Summary: Sketchy, Inadequate, Inspiring
Comment: I bought this book along with the Mutants & Machines book as an initiative for our D&D role playing group to try something new. The Gamma World setting was mostly my choice, but we believed trying something new and wild was needed and that Gamma World would deliver. I had played some of the old Gamma World setting, but it had been awhile, so my comments here are based on the quality of the writing and not "old vs. new."
First of all, the book states that you can use the GW Player Handbook with the D&D Player's Handbook. This is unfortunately a far cry from the truth. Although you might stretch it, there are just too many blanks. In the end, I had to purchase the D20 Modern book just to get enough of the correct information to make the game run smoothly.
The new d20 system now requires higher standards in rule details. If you buy this one book thinking you have all you need to play in Gamma World, you are out of luck.
Fortunately, Swords & Sorcery put a module called "Midnight in the Mystery Garden" that has premade characters and a small but eventful adventure. I highly recommend you check it out (http://www.swordsorcery.com/gammaworld/freeadventure.html). It got us past the potentially tedious character building process (where more questions arise) and into game play first. Later, I went back and reviewed the character building process with the given pre-made characters and could understand the details, but not typically before.
The Gamma World Player's Handbook should almost be called a 'World Setting Book'. It does repeat the same classes found in D20 Modern (note: it leaves out alot of details only found in D20 Modern), and goes on to explain world related feats and capabilities (FX). However, what I found the most annoying was what seemed to be a rather incomplete equipment section, sketchy details on the wealth system, and even more sketchy details on synthetics (robots). All in all, very disappointing and very frustrating when I was trying to setup an adventure before hand. I kept having simple questions with no answers.
However, our excitement was to try something new, and the book's world setting definitely does that. It got us excited to think about nanotechnology, mutations (which is the better listed part), and a variety of high-sci-fi questions (such as soultech). It definitely offers that. As a game master, I especially found the way they treat towns just like characters with feats and skills an EXCELLENT concept -- something I plan to take over to my other gaming systems. (Again, something in the player's handbook?)
So, to summarize, I would say the book is misnamed and is misleading. The world setting is powerful and interesting, but only if you have the stamina to figure it out and a desire to fill in the blanks. Game masters with the D20 Modern book and a very creative mind need only buy this book. The players should only put their money on getting a D20 Modern book -- if that at all.
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Title: Gamma World: Machines & Mutants (Gamma World) by David Bolack, Gareth Hanrahan, Patrick O'Duffy, Chuck Wendig, David Wendt, Bruce Baugh, Andrew Dates, Ellen P. Kiley, Charles Wendig ISBN: 1588460673 Publisher: White Wolf Publishing Inc. Pub. Date: November, 2003 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
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Title: Core Rulebook (d20 Modern Roleplaying Game) by Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman ISBN: 0786928360 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 06 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: Complete Warrior (Dungeons & Dragons Accessory) by Andy Collins, David Noonan, Ed Stark ISBN: 0786928808 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 03 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: Book of Exalted Deeds (Dungeons & Dragons Supplement) by James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins ISBN: 0786931361 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 29 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $32.95 |
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Title: d20 Menace Manual by J.D. Wiker, Eric Cagle, Matthew Sernett ISBN: 0786928999 Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Pub. Date: 24 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
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