New DP&D Review and Stranger Games Sale

Professor Dungeonmaster of Dungeon Craft dropped his Dark Places & Demogorgons review today and I wanted to share it with y'all.

I feel this is also a great time to point out you can get the pdfs on sale during DriveThruRPG's Stranger Games Sale.

Thanus...

Ant-Man explains why he couldn’t go up Thanos’ ass in new clip from ‘Avengers: Quantum Encounter’ 😂 pic.twitter.com/H87I9b48vR

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) June 30, 2022

Overworld 3: The Adventure Continues Now On Kickstarter

Just wanted to let folks know the next installment of Bloat Games This-Is-Definitely-Not-Zelda Zine is funding on Kickstarter. Once again, the zine will be released with different rule sets. Every "world" video game zine Eric has released has been fantastic. Check out my reviews for the previous Overworld and the Nightworld zines. 

Once again, the phenomenal Phil Stone comes back to do the art.

You can back Overworld 3 here.

A Statement From Vought International (Spoilers)

The Boys social media presence continues to be top notch. In response to the (in-universe) social media bombshell at the end of last week’s episode, Herogasm,  Homelander and Vought International released a statement.

Lightning Man #1 Review

 

Lightning Man #1 is an indie superhero comic written by my friend Leighton Conner (one half of the duo behind the Leopard Women From Venus and the author of Sedgwick). Physically it's digest/zine proportions with a color cover and 30 page black and white interior.

Blake Robinson is a frustrated teen. The adults in his life talk about potential, but he sees no good future for himself. One day he's hit by a mysterious lightning bolt and gains electric powers. He teams up with a classmate that's into cosplay that helps him become a superhero (the titular Lightning Man). Issue #1 also introduces us to a mysterious four-armed being with robot servants. Of course, before the issue ends, Lightning Man defeats them.

This was a fun first issue. I love Leighton's art. Blake is a relatable young protagonist. I think we've all felt overwhelmed and like what we do doesn't really matter at some point in our loves. I love the hopeful ending. Can't wait see what fate (or rather Leighton) has in store for Lightning Man.

You can order your copy of Lighting Man #1 here.

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And because I like to include gaming material in my reviews, here are stats for Lightning Man that can be used in your 5e supers games.

Code Name: Lightning Man

Real Name: Blake Robinson

Team Affiliations: -

Medium Humanoid, Lawful Good

Armor Class: 13 (Dex, Static Field)

Hit Points: 30

Speed: 30 ft.

Challenge: 1 (200 XP)

Str 12 (+1) Dex 12 (+1) Con 10 (+1) Int 15 (+2) Wis 13 (+1) Cha 12 (+1)

Saving Throws: Con +3, Int +4

Skills: Insight +3, Perception +3, 

Damage Immunity: lightning

Senses: Perception 13

Languages: English

Traits

Regeneration: Lightning Man regains 5 hit points are the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point remaining.

Actions

Lightning Punch: Melee Attack. +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) lightning damage.

Kraka-Zap!: Ranged Weapon Attack. +3 to hit, range 50/150 ft., one target, Hit: 9 (2d8) lightning damage. 

Kraka-Boom! (Recharge 5-6): Ranged Weapon Attack. +3 to hit, range 50/100 ft., one target, Hit: 9 (3d8) lightning damage and adjacent creatures must make a DC 13 Constitution save. They take 4 (1d8) lightning damage, half of that on a successful save. 

Deleted Deadpool MCU Scene?!

Like the clickbait title? This was fun fan edit. Also if you haven’t seen Multiverse of Madness, it contains spoilers.

A True American... Kaiju?

I originally made this post for Independence Day, but I decided against posting it then. I'm not the patriotic sort in the best of times, but definitely not at the moment. 

That doesn't mean I can't appreciate the occasional stupid patriotic thing. Though to be fair, there's no way this character wasn't created as a parody/critique. American Kaiju, yes that's his real codename, is an actual Marvel character. While I don't have his technical debut, I do have have first full issue appearance. 

Code Name: American Kaiju

Real Name: Todd Ziller

Team Affiliations: US Government, S.H.I.E.L.D.

Gargantuan Monstrosity (Kaiju, Gamma) , Lawful Neutral

Armor Class: 22 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points: 300 

Speed: 60 ft.

Challenge: 17 (18,000 XP)

Str 30 (+10) Dex 10 (+0) Con 30 (+10) Int 8 (-1) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 4 (-3)

Saving Throws: Str +18, Con +18

Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Petrified, Stunned

Senses: Perception 10

Languages: English

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If American Kaiju fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Siege Monster: American Kaiju does double damage to objects and structures.

Regeneration: American Kaiju regains 10 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point remaining.

Reptilian Telepathy: American Kaiju can telepathically communicate with all reptilian life within a two mile distance.

Actions

Mutliattack: American Kaiju can use his Frightful Presence. He then makes four attacks: one with his bite, two with his claws, and one with his tail.

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack. +18 to hit, reach 10 ft, one target, Hit: 36 (4d12+10) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 20). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and American Kaiju can't bite another target.

Claw: Melee Weapon Attack. +18 to hit, reach 15 ft, one target, Hit: 28 (4d8+10) slashing damage.

Tail: Melee Weapon Attack. +18 to hit, reach 20 ft, one target, Hit: 24 (4d6+10) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Frightful Presence: Each creature of American Kaiju's choice within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeated the saving throw at the end of each of it turns, with disadvantage if American Kaiju is within line of sight, ending the effect on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to American Kaiju's frightful presence for the next 24  hours.

Swallow: American Kaiju makes one bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target takes the bite’s damage, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside American Kaiju, and it takes 56 (16d6) acid damage at the start of each of American Kaiju’s turns.

If American Kaiju takes 60 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, American Kaiju must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of American Kaiju. If American Kaiju dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 30 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Legendary Actions

American Kaiju can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from one of the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. American Kaiju regains spent actions at the start of each of its turn.

Attack: American Kaiju makes one claw attack or tail attack.

Move: American Kaiju moves up to half of his speed.

Chomp (Costs 2 Actions). American Kaiju makes one bite attack or uses its Swallow.

Background

Todd Ziller was a corporal in the US army and the subject of Project: Troubleshooter, an attempt to recreate Dr. Erskine's Super-Soldier Serum. Because the formula was mostly lost, the scientists took a kitchen sink approach and filled in the gaps with Gamma enhancements, Pym Particles, Mutant Growth Hormone, and the Connors Formula. This turned the loyal soldier into a giant Godzilla-like reptile. Given the code name American Kaiju, Ziller is now a patriotic force of destruction. He's used sparingly because of the all of the collateral damage he tends to cause.