Many instances, when an RPG product line launches, it’s straightforward to plot the trajectory of product releases. The core rulebook could also be adopted by a extra in depth guide about sport facilitation. There could also be a guide highlighting extra adversaries in an motion oriented sport. But then, typically, there are surprises.

The first complement launched for the Sentinel Comics RPG is one such shock. If you haven’t heard of the Sentinel Comics line, it began with a cooperative card sport the place gamers have decks primarily based on completely different heroes, enjoying towards a villain deck. This has expanded into video video games, miniatures video games, and finally a roleplaying sport line.

Most of the Sentinel Comics RPG line maintains a extra Silver Age/Bronze Age sensibility, with all the hero and villain archetypes that include that assumption. Guise, then again, is that model of character that is aware of they’re in a comic book guide. In this case, most likely a bit extra Ambush Bug than Deadpool, with powers that went from Plastic Man, to the present period, which is extra Plastic Man with a splash of Firestorm.

The Guise Book is the primary main complement to the Sentinel Comics RPG (not counting some particular person journey points which have been launched), and it not solely focuses on Guise and characters which can be associated to the character, however the guide itself has a secondary theme of utilizing humor in superhero RPGs.

Disclaimer

I used to be not supplied a evaluate copy of this guide. I used to be a Kickstarter backer for the RPG, and I picked this product up alone. I’ve not had the chance to make use of the fabric on this guide, however I’ve run a brief marketing campaign of the Sentinel Comics RPG.

The Guise Book

Sentinel Comics The Roleplaying Game System Designers and Developers: Christopher Badell, Cam Banks, Dave Chalker, Philippe-Antoine Ménard
Creators of Sentinel Comics: Christopher Badell, Adam Rebottaro
Lead Rules Designer: Dave Chalker
Writers: Christopher Badell, Banana Chan, Laser Malena-Webber, Richard Malena-Webber
Copy Editors and Proofreaders: Christopher Badell, Jennifer Closson
IP Management: Christopher Badell
Creative Direction: Jennifer Closson
Graphic Design: Jennifer Closson

Collected Edition

The Guise Book is 120 pages lengthy, and in full, vivid, comedian guide coloration. There are plenty of illustrations all through the guide portraying the varied characters introduced. The guide itself accommodates endpapers on either side of the guide, a title web page, a credit web page, a single web page “index,” and 4 pages of clean pages designated for notes. The “index” is a gag in that Guise solely allowed the editors to checklist one phrase for every letter of the alphabet.

Each chapter begins with a two web page unfold of art work. There are just a few objects repeated, such because the stat blocks for 3 villains, as a result of they’re included in an journey, and repeated within the adversaries’ part.

Meta-Commentary

The guide opens with a bit discussing using humor in roleplaying video games, relating a number of methods that can be utilized to run a humorous sport. This features a dialogue on the “formula” of a comedic storytelling train, and training particular beats moderately than attempting to simply give you humorous materials.

There can also be a dialogue on including in characters with apparent persona traits which you could draw on and play off, in addition to tropes to keep away from for the protection and respect of marginalized folks. This features a concentrate on utilizing comedy to punch up, moderately than punching down and making enjoyable of these which can be already marginalized.

The Adventures

There are two adventures included on this product. While there are stats for Guise on this guide to be used as a participant character, each of the adventures in query are framed as utilizing Guise as an NPC, though the primary journey permits for the choice of enjoying Guise together with a celebration of different superheroes.

Between the 2 adventures, characters are launched to a number of of Guise’s commonplace villains. One is the cosmic entity often known as Wager Master (the Sentinel Comics model of Mxyzptlk or the Impossible Man), and the opposite three are extra right down to earth, comedically themed villains.

The first journey entails the heroes being thrown into an alternate actuality model of Camelot to show to Wager Master that he shouldn’t wipe out humanity, and along with bargaining with Morgana and combating Mordred on a dragon, it additionally entails attending an area medieval themed amusement attraction the place folks joust and promote souvenirs.

The second journey entails Guise imploring the PCs to assemble a number of objects of cosmic significance, and working into three of his villains. The PCs can simply find yourself wanting unhealthy within the public eye relying on how these resolve, and one of many encounters is extra about teaching a villain by means of a tense life occasion than combating.

Both of those adventures are enjoyable, however wow, would I not run these again to again, and even run these with out warning the gamers that these are some fairly heavy handed situations. Many of the Sentinel Comics RPG adventures assume that your characters are extra reactive than proactive, however between the disguised characters and false ending of the primary journey, and the arbitrary true nature of the mission Guise sends the PCs on within the second journey, you may find yourself with some irate gamers in the event you don’t talk the tone and magnificence of those adventures up entrance.

The Archives

This part of the guide presents Guise and different characters featured in his comedian sequence (the fictional one which he is aware of he’s in) in participant character format, in addition to presenting a choice of villains, lieutenants, and minions.

Guise himself seems within the guide in three completely different types. There is commonplace “official” model, a model themed for inclusion within the Camelot journey, the place he flavors all of his powers and skills in context of his environment, and the ultimate model of Guise is a model that’s mainly a meta-narrative of himself the place he’s far more nicely revered and accountable for every thing occurring round him.

The different heroes embody:

• Guise-Cat (actually Guise’s cat that’s written up in hero format)
• Pool Shark (a hustler working away from his previous, making a brand new begin as a hero)
• Postal (a postal employee that unintentionally ended up with a cosmically enhanced bag)
• Hedge Lord (a dimensionally displaced hero from a world the place vegetation are sentient tyrants)
• CasaNova (a cosmic entity exemplifying concord and rock and roll)

The main villains included on this part are:

• Wager Master
• Green Grosser (a plant hating human that has merged to change into half plant)
• Cueball (a villain with a pool themed excessive tech battle swimsuit)
• Judge Mental (an overzealous former barrister that may manifest executioners and management jurors)
• Power Creep (what if Carnage by no means bonded with anybody, simply ate folks and mutated?)
• Nega-Guise (a metallic skinned, very critical shapeshifter that hates Guise specifically)
• The She-Nanigans
  • Dinah-Dozen (who can cut up into completely different variations of herself, every themed on an emotion)
  • Concealin’ Carrie (who could make herself and different issues invisible)
  • Poly Hedron (who combines math, geometry, and magic)

In addition, there are minions representing Green Grosser’s fruit, Judge Mental’s jurors and executioners, remnants of Power Creep, the minor villain Major Twist (who, in a really meta method, can present up as a significant twist every time one is named for within the sport), and a lesser plant villain from Hedge Lord’s world who’s working with Green Grosser.

In addition to those characters, Guise’s Apartment is given stats as a location within the sport, that means there are advised main and minor twists themed for the condominium that can be utilized at completely different instances in an motion scene.

I’ll admit, I’ve a neater time utilizing comedic NPCs in a sport than making comedy a recurring theme. I like lots of these characters, they usually make for good “pressure valves” to point out up in the midst of extra critical points. Numerous the comically themed villains are about on par with characters like Flash’s Rogues Gallery, which makes them a very good “fight this villain while a bigger villain plot is unfolding” possibility.

Best Seller

This is an especially straightforward RPG guide to digest. Once the system, it makes lots of sense to see how scenes are structured and the way adventures progress. There are additionally some nice examples of how one can play with advancing risk counters or figuring out characters that get focused in a scene (I cherished the set off the place the canine concentrate on the perfect smelling character). The characters within the archives are nice drop in characters.

Delays

If the aim of the guide’s opening is to supply instruments not only for working comedic adventures, or including comedic components, however working comedy sequence, I’m undecided it offers fairly sufficient data. I like each of the adventures, however I might undoubtedly use them sparingly, as capstones to extra critical ongoing storylines which have simply been resolved.

Qualified Recommendation–A product with plenty of optimistic facets, however consumers might need to perceive the context of the product and what it accommodates earlier than transferring it forward of different purchases.

If you’re already a fan of the Sentinel Comics universe, I doubt you’ll be disillusioned with this buy, however in case you are nonetheless acclimating to the setting, chances are you’ll want some extra publicity to Guise earlier than this feels extra endearing.

The light-hearted villains are a very good addition to the repertoire of characters {that a} GM can draw from, however since that is the primary complement to the sport, you might have considered trying just a few extra “standard” threats to fill out that toolbox earlier than going for the much less critical silver age model enemies.