Slashers & Survivors Coming Soon To Kickstarter

 I am currently working on completing my game Slashers & Survivors. It is a stand alone rpg based on Bloat Games excellent Hack the RPG. You might remember that I released a "Slashcan Version" of it a few years ago. I've decided its time to polish and finish it. I'm going to launch a Kickstarter to fund print copies soon.

I've tapped my friend David Coppoletti of Dungeon Remixer for layout duties. He also wants to contribute art. I will also prominently feature the gruesome art of DCC staple  Bradley K. McDevitt. Brad's a great guy and his style is perfect. 

I am still working out logistics, but I have a great idea for potential stretch goals. I want my favorite indie rpg writers to create slashers to be added to the final product. Should stretch goals occur, the first writer has already agreed. 

Follow here and The Lone Bards Facebook page for updates.

G0-BBL3R aka Gobbler

I know Thanksgiving has very problematic origins, but it's still a holiday I celebrate with family. Today I'm ignoring that to post some fun Valor Knights content.

Source

G0-BBL3R aka Gobbler

Evade: 15
HD: 1
HP: 13

Armor Points: 2/3 (with shield)
Level: 1 

Class: Mini-Bot 

Alternate Form: Techtrillion Turkey

STR: +0 INT: +1 WIS: +2
DEX: +4  CON: +1 CHA: +1

Luck: 9
Attack Damage: 1d4

Abilities: 

• Hard Target - attacks made against Gobbler are made at Disadvantage
• Lucky - additional starting Luck, recovers 3 luck per gaming session, can give Luck points to teammates needing it, allowing them to get additional re-rolls.
• Generate Ion Shield - can generate ion shield that negates 1 point of damage and increases Armor Points by 1
  
  

Background 

G0-BBL3R (or Gobbler as he is known by his Valor Knight and Earth allies) is a mini-bot (some would say microbot) who's alternate form is a Techtrillion Turkey. He's an excellent scout and loyal soldier. He's quite fond of humans and has been known to go with Punluvin' on his bookmobile route.

----------------------------------------

Valor Knights is currently on sale for an amazing price because of Bloat Games Black Friday Sale. .

Character Creation Challenge - Day 31

This is a few days late because honestly wasn't sure what to do for the last few days. Since I've been showing Bloat Games love, I thought I'd do another character for Destination: Uncharted. I present you with Jimmy, a classic kid sidekick for your exploration needs. 

Jimmy Kyle

Evade: 

HD: 1

HP: 12

Armor Points: 3 (medium)

Level: 1 

Class: Street Rat 

STR: -2  INT: +1 WIS: +0 
DEX: +4  CON: -1 CHA: +2

Luck: 8

Attack Damage: 1d6-2

Abilities: 

Escapist - Advantage on escape checks

Thievery - classic thief skills with Advantage

Diamond in the Rough - can give Luck Points to other players in need, recover Luck Points at double normal rate.

Description: 

Jimmy looks like a normal kid, but looks can be deceiving. Jimmy is actually the son of  Sam O'Brian, world renowned thief. Wanting his son to be protected by good people, he placed him in the care of <insert player character>.

Character Creation Challenge - Day 27

He's late, but today's character is created for Bloat Games Destination: Uncharted.

Goat

Evade: 12

HD: 1

HP: 16

Armor Points: 4 (Heavy)

Level: 1 

Class: Mercenary

STR: +2 INT: +0 WIS: +1 
DEX: +1  CON:  +2 CHA: -1

Luck: 5

Attack Damage: 1d8

Abilities: 
Things that go BOOM- Advantage on all actions when attempting to set, detonate, and deactivate explosives
Hop in, I'm driving - once per session, Goat can lose a tail or pursuer, can be done on foot or in vehicle
I got this - once per session, can take on an enemy one on one and gain advantage for the duration of the fight, loses this and suffers disadvantage if gets help

Description: 

Little is known of the scarred warrior known as Goat. The former mercenary is mute, though he can communicate via ASL. He seemingly came out of retirement when the child of an old friend took to treasure hunting and exploring, feeling a need to protect his family.

Character Creation Challenge - Day 15

Decided to take one of my favorite characters and make him for The Monsters Are Our Heroes.

Source

Kyle Moonbeam Dunn

Evade: 12

HD: 1

HP: 17

Armor Points: 2 (hardened flesh)

Level: 1 

Class: Werewolf

STR: +2 INT: -1 WIS: -2 
DEX: +1  CON:  +3 CHA: +0

Luck: 6

Abilities: 

• Rage - 1d8 (see page 31)
• Move Swift - once per combat, Kyle can attack an enemy that would normally be a ranged attack with a melee attack by charging them

Weaknesses: 

• Silver - double damage from silver weapons
• Sunlight - suffer Disadvantage on all actions in direct sunlight  

Description: 

Kyle Moonbeam Dunn was a regular skateboarding kid before he was attacked by a werewolf one night. He adjusted well to the changes this brought, finding lycanthropy upped his adrenaline levels and thrill seeking desire. He has started protecting his schoolmates, though this led him to discover that his longtime friend and crush is a monster slayer, definitely complicating their relationship.

Character Creation Challenge - Day 7

Today's definitely not a Transformer was made for Valor Knights: The Electrocube War.

Mr. Plow

Evade: 9

HD: 1
HP: 12
Armor Points: 3/4 (with shield)
Level: 1 

Class: Support

Vehicle Form: Plow Truck

STR: +1 INT: +3 WIS: +0
DEX: +0  CON: +2 CHA: +2

Luck: 3
Attack Damage: 1d6

Abilities: 

• Repair - repair 1d6 HP once per combat
• Forcefield - can place a forcefield around teammate, forcefield has 10 HP, teammate takes no damage while forcefield is in effect, Mr. Plow can take no other action doing this, he can end it at any time
• Generate Ion Shield - increase armor and negates 1 damage from attack

Background 

Mr. Plow is a Valor Knight medic with a quirky sense of humor. He took his Earth name from an Earth animated series. His humorous and humble attitude, belies his intelligence. 

Character Creation Challenge - Day 14

Nulks is ready to die The Blackest of Deaths.

Nulks

Evade: 11
HD: 1
HP: 12
Armor Points: 3 (Leather, Small Shield)
Level: 1 

Race: Human

Class: Warrior

STR: +3 INT: +0 WIS: +1
DEX: +2  CON: +2 CHA: -1

Luck: 3

Attack Damage

Hand Axe +3 to hit, 1d6 +5 damage 

Shield +3 to hit, 1d6+4 damage

Abilities: 

• Keen Instincts - advantage on rolls when attempting to find concealed doors
• Ready for Battle - can't be surprised
• Savage Blows - +2 to all damage rolls with melee
• Shield as Weapon - can make an extra attack using shield, with disadvantage, doing 1d6+4 if successful 
• Resistance to Magic Effects - advantage to resist magical spell effects
• Wilderness Survival - can always find find and water in wilderness to sustain self

Equipment

Hand Axe, Small Shield, Leather Armor, Backpack, Cloak, Bone Dice, 50' hemp rope, waterskin,
141GP

Background 

Nulks origin isn't abnormal or unique. He's an angry barbarian who chaffed under village life. One day he picked up his axe and decided to wander the lands, seeking a worthy death. Thus far he's received many scars, but not the honorable death he seeks. 

The Monsters Are Our Heroes Review

The Monsters Are Our Heroes is a horror themed release from Bloat Games. Utilizing the  rules created for The Blackest of Deaths, the game lets you and your friends pay homage to classic Universal monster flicks and the underrated classic, The Monster Squad.  One thing I really like about this is that you play a classic monster and take on modern monsters (aka cryptids).

Players choose from one of the following monster classes:

• Creature 
• Invisible Person
• Monster
• Mummy
• Vampire
• Werewolf

Like other games based on The Blackest of Deaths, The Monsters Are Our Heroes uses a fun core mechanic:

Roll 1d20 & 1d6 Simultaneously.

Add any applicable modifiers to the d20 roll for a total vs a target Difficulty Check. If you meet or beat the target Difficulty Check you Succeed.

On the d6, ignore a roll of 2, 3, 4 or 5.

For a roll of 1, add a Hindrance.

For a roll of 6, add a Benefit. 

Hindrances and Benefits are hardships or conveniences that affect what you do. You can fail a task, but still gain some sort of tactical advantage from it. It's a fun collaborative mechanic.

You can and should grab the pdf here. Hopefully a print on demand version will be released at some point. If you do pick it up and want to add some foes to your game, my Slashers & Survivors posts include many foes that would be appropriate.

E is for Elizabeth Bathory

For the Blogging from A-Z April Challenge this year I’m going to be looking at slashers and other horror character and statting them out for my free rpg, Slashers & Survivors.

Source

I know the real countess Erzebet Bathory wasn’t vampire that bathed and drank the blood of virgins, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love the legend. Here is the bloody countess for your Slashers & Survivors or The Blackest of Deaths game.

Elizabeth Bathory

HP: 40

Evade: 16

Armor Points: 6 (Silver, Magic, Blessed Objects)

Bonus: +4 to Attack, +4 to Damage

Attack: Claw (1d6 Damage) or Bite (1d4)

Special Traits: Supernatural speed. Regenerates 1 HP on her turn. Any damage done by her bite attack heals her that many HP. Advantage on all social rolls.
Special Attack: Charm (CM + CHA vs DC 15) - Target obeys Bathory’s commands for 1d4 minutes. Any character that resists is immune to this ability for 24 hours.
M/O: Bathory lives for decadence and vanity. She must bathe and feed on the blood of virgins. She will attempt to Charm those with the Looker perk first. If she is unable to control them, then she will target them first for death.
Weakness: Bathory is effectively mortal during the daylight. Her armor points change to 0, she is vulnerable to regular attacks, and loses her ability to regenerate. 

Slashers & Survivors - Slashcan Edition

In honor of Friday the 13th, I released my pay-what-you-want stand-alone game, Slashers & Survivors. 

Slashers & Survivors: Slashcan Edition is an ashcan version of the our new slasher rpg. Based on The Blackest of Deaths by Bloat Games, the game allows you to create a nerd, jock, or other slasher staple and see if you can outwit and survive a homicidal maniac or deadly cult. This is not the final version of the game and the pdf will be updated periodically with feedback received. There will be a deluxe version of the game coming to Kickstarter later this year with more content.

I have big plans for the full version. It will include more slashers, a random slasher generator, and much more. Take a look at the pdf, share, and let me know what you think!

Valor Knights: The Electrocube War

Today I was able to sit down and read Valor Knights: The Electrocube War, by Bloat Games.  This Transformers inspired game was Eric's addition to Kickstarter's Zine Quest 2.

The game is built using The Blackest of Deaths system, which means it's a nice combination of old school and new. I love the core mechanic of these games (which is why I'm using it for Slashers & Survivors). I also like that the game doesn't have levels. It does have several classes though, which help make your transforming robot different from others. They are Leader, Warrior, Support, and Mini-Bot.

The zine ends with several npcs for your Valour Knights to face. There are several of these Chaos Lords, seven to be exact.

The book has an easy to read two column layout done by Phil Stone, who also did all of the artwork.

If you love Transformers and tabletop games, you NEED this. I'm not even that big of a Transformers fan, but I'm excited to give this one for a spin. The game isn't currently available to the public, but I'll make sure to update this link with purchase links when it is.

Slashers & Survivors

I'm working on my first standalone game for The Lone Bards, Slasher & Survivors. 

I've talked about the game a few times on Facebook, but for those unfamiliar, I'll give a brief synopsis/background. 

The game will be a totally revised version of our super rule-lite, Slashers and Victims. The original game was designed to be perfect for one-shots, which puts it totally in line with Slasher flicks. However, with the success of tv series like Scream Queens, Slasher, and American Horror Story: 1984, I've come to believe you could have a slasher themed on-going series. The new version will take all the flexibility of the original and expand it using Bloat Games The Blackest of Deaths rules as a base. 

The game rules will be completed soon, though I want to to make sure I spend plenty of time playtesting and making sure it's as awesome as I think it will be before taking it to Kickstarter.

Expect regular updates. If you have any questions or suggestions, send them our way.

Until then, make sure to abstain from drugs and alcohol, enjoy this JT Music video, and definitely don't have fuck in the woods anytime soon.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, we now have a webstore, so if you missed out on getting a print copy of Cade's Big Book O' Booze,  you can snag one there.

The Blackest Space Kickstarter

The Blackest Space is the newest Kickstarter from Bloat Games. Written by Bloat Games All-Star, Josh Palmer, the game takes The Blackest of Deaths into the future and into a science fiction setting. If you want to run a game of survival on alien planets, this is the game for your. 

The Head Hunter (2018)

Synopsis: A grim medieval warrior acts as a monster hunter, mounting the heads of slain creatures on his wall. The only monster to ever escape him is the one that killed his daughter. Will he find peace when he kills the beast, or does fate have something more sinister in mind?

The Good: This movie is absolutely fantastic and I feel confident with the following clickbait phrase: this is the best new horror flick that no one is talking about. It's easy to tell the film had an extremely small budget, but because of the masterful use of shots and darkness, that actually adds to the suspense and atmosphere. A majority of the shots involve the protagonist at his home doing his daily rituals which include talking to his daughter at her grave or recovering from his wounds. The shots that don't take place there often see him in nature. For the most part we only see the heads of the creatures he fights. Honestly the focus on the way vengeance has consumed the warrior and the toll it's taken on him is what really makes the film engaging and different.

The Bad: While I thought the film was damn near perfect, I'm sure some folks are not going to like the ending.

Final Thoughts: This movie is a horrific version of Skyrim with a dash of the Witcher. It's one of the best dark fantasy movies I've seen in a long time and the best period horror piece I've seen. If you're a gamer, you should definitely check this one out.

In Your Game: The protagonist is a Blackest of Deaths character with an axe to grind against the monsters of the world. However, instead of statting him as a pc, I'll give you "monster" stats for him that allow him to serve your players' party as an ally.

The Head Hunter

Driven to a life of vengeance by the death of his daughter, he hunts monsters for the king. His nickname was earned because of his gruesome habit of taking trophies.
HP: 25

Evade: 15

Armor Point:4

Bonus: +4 to Attack, +4 to Damage

Attack: Long Sword (1d6)

Special: Can use Smite as Monster Hunter, knowledge of alchemy (can create healing salve)

The Blackest of Deaths - Last Chance!

Only nine hours left on The Blackest of Deaths Kickstarter! Make sure to pledge before it's too late.

There's Still Time To Experience The Blackest of Deaths

Just a quick reminder that The Blackest of Deaths Kickstarter is still going on for another 12 days.  Three stretch goals have already be unlocked, including monsters statted by The Lone Bards. This is a unique OSR game that is both familiar and really refreshing. Personally I'm really looking forward to the Kickstarter exclusive boxed set.

To get a taste of the game and what kind of horrors Josh and I have in store for you, check out our first unofficial monster for it, The Unicorn Knight.

Art by Josh, download the stats here

The Blackest of Deaths Kickstarter

The Blackest of Deaths Kickstarter launched earlier today. This is the newest Kickstarter from Bloat Games and I'm really excited about it. Apparently other folks are too because it met its 1500 goal in two hours.

With this game Eric has taken classic rules, simplified, and put a nice twist on it. If you want to get a nice taste of what the game is like, check out the Sneak Peak. It's free and gives you everything you need to play the game. Of course it doesn't have all the content of the full release, but it has rules, 2 races, 2 classes, 2 monsters, and magic items.

If you want to expand the Sneak Peak a bit, you can borrow some from my The Blackest of Deaths posts. Here's content I've created for the game:

Beastmaster class
Deathstalker (NPC)
Voltan (NPC)
Pig Faced Orcs

Mark Craddock is also creating over at Cross Planes:
Dogman

Did I mention that The Lone Bards are writing the first stretch goal? Josh and I will be statting out 20 new monsters for the game! Check out this stretch goals list. It's a who's who of the best. Josh and I are honored to be among these gents.

Finally I created a monster in honor of National Unicorn Day. A link to the pdf can be found on The Lone Bards Facebook page.

Beastmaster - A New Class For The Blackest of Deaths

I watched one of my favorite swords & sorcery flicks earlier this weekend decided to turn the protagonist into a class for The Blackest of Death.... which is coming to Kickstarter next month.

Beastmaster

Beastmasters are primal warriors touched by the gods. Each bears a brand or birthmark that grants them a connection to the beasts of the earth and the fowl of the air. Sometimes, confused with Barbarians and Rangers, they are versatile warriors, aided by furred and feathered companions.

Class Bonus

+1 to WIS

Class Restriction

Despite elven ties to nature, the gods only grant true power over beasts to Humans.

Weapon/Armor Restrictions

Beastmasters can use one-handed Swords, Staves, and a thrown weapon known as a Caber. Seeking to emulate the beasts they command, they eschew the use of armor and shields.

Master of Beasts

No animal will attack a Beastmaster unless the Beast Master attacks it or it is under magical control. He can also sooth and calm beasts. To use this ability, the Game Master set a target Difficulty Challenge and the Beastmaster rolls with advantage.

Animal Speech

The Beastmaster can communicate telepathically with animals, including magical varieties.

Beast Bond

The Beastmaster can be bonded two one animal or pair of smaller animals (such as rodents) equal their WIS. As long as they are not treated poorly, they will follow the Beastmasters commands without the need of a Difficult Challenge. The Beastmaster may sever this bond at anytime, but it takes a day of close proximity to create a new bond.

The Eye of the Tiger

Beastmasters can enter a trance and see through the eyes of an animal he is bonded with up to a 5 mile radius. They may speak during this trance, but can do nothing else.

Weapon: Caber

Damage: 1d6

Rate of Fire: 1

Range: 40 ft.

Cost: -

Special: Unless the d6 rolled when throwing a caber is a 1, it will return to it's owners hand.

Deathstalker II (1987)

Synopsis: Deathstalker, now a charismatic rogue rather than a stoic barbarian, escorts a deposed Princess named Evie to her home. There they must confront the evil sorcerer/swordsman Jarek and his evil Evie clone.

The Good: This movie is self aware and has some fun humor. Like the first movie, there's plenty of cheese and cheesecake. Actually some of the cheesecake (the ladies in mud) is footage from the first flick. I liked Deathstalker in this one a lot. He's played by Ohio-born John Terlesky. He's cocky, cute, and has a punchable face... but that makes him the perfect snarky rogue. While it was ridiculous, I loved the bit with G.L.O.W.'s Matilda the Hun.

The Bad: This film is definitely going to be too self aware for some. This movie is another Conan/fantasy cash grab and this one even mentions Conan by name. It's also going to be too cheesy for some.  The film had a low budget and it's noticeable.

Final Thoughts: Despite anything negative I've said about it, I enjoyed the movie. It took me a little bit to get into it, but once I did, it was a fun and cheesy ride.

In Your Game: 

Deathstalker

Class: Street Rat

STR:2

INT: 3
WIS: 1
DEX: 3
CON: 3
CHA: 3

HP: 13

Luck: 8 (Regains 2 per session, can spend to let ally re-roll)

Evade: 14

Armor Points: 1 (Leather Armor)

Advantage on Escape rolls

Advantage on Thievery rolls

Advantage on when attempting to detect deception

Can give a short rallying cry to grant allies Advantage on their next action (1/session)

Attacks:

Dagger +2/+3 to hit (1d6-1, can be thrown)

Long Sword +2 to hit (1d6)

Equipment: Dagger, Long Sword, Leather Armor

Hawk the Slayer (1980)

Synopsis: When an abbess is kidnapped by the Dark One, Voltan, an ex soldier seeks out the aid of a hero of light, Hawk. Hawk gathers his eclectic band of friends (including an elf, a dwarf, and a giant), to save the abbess and defeat Voltan.

The Good: This is the perfect D&D movie, even if it's not related to D&D. It's a really good, classic swords and sorcery flick, one of the better I've seen. Gort (the giant) and Baldin (the dwarf) were definitely my favorite characters. Also, the depiction of the elf in the film makes me realize the classic thought that Vulcans are space elves is correct.

The Bad: This was made in the 1980's and the effects of the look rather cheesy. The dialogue is also very over the top and dramatic. Personally I think these things add to the charm of the film, but I could see how it would bother others.

Final Thoughts: I decided to watch this at the urging of Tim Knight from Hero Press. I'm glad I did, because it's a really good S&W flick. Honestly, it makes me want to play low magic game. It also makes me want to go back and watch some other 70's and 80's swords and sorcery flicks.

In Your Game: My good friend, Tim Knight, has written extensively about the film and has created gaming material based on the film. You can see his posts here. I'm going to go ahead and give direct links to the gaming material based on the film that I really like.

The Mindsword
Dwarven Crossbow of Speed

I wanted to make some content of my own too. Here are stats for the main villain using Eric Bloat's unreleased (outside of backers for his last DP&D Kickstarter) game, The Blackest of Deaths.

Voltan

Voltan is a wicked man without mercy, He killed his own father and sister-in-law (Hawk's wife), who burnt the left side of his face with a torch. This leaves him in constant pain and he must seek relief from the magic of an evil entity. 

HP: 25

Evade: 16

Armor Point: 2 (Armor)

Bonus: +3 to Attack, +2 to Damage

Attack: By Weapon

Special: Unhealing Wound*

*When an attack is made again Voltan with Benefit the character can choose to strike the wound, even if the attack is a failure and causes no damage. Because of the painful nature of the wound Voltan has Disadvantage on his next attack.