It is not secret that the age of sail era is one of my favorite times to game in. I am always on a look out for games in that era. One of the best campaigns I have ever been was a Clockwork & Cthulhu game. Black Powder and Brimstone is one of the new games in this era and it is based off of Mork Borg core mechanics.
Disclaimer: I was provided a copy for the purpose of review.
Presentation: The book clocks in at a 191 pages that includes mostly full color art with some black and white images, end pages, a index at the front of the book, the rules, the world, characters, a GM section, and a bestiary. The art style reminds me of Darkest Dungeon and Hellboy and the art as an intended tone for the game. The book is organized in a conventional manner as it starts with setting/location information first and moves to these sections in order: rules and playing the game, characters (making a character, etc). It is a good call to see the setting information presented first as it helps create the mindset before people dive into character creation.
Character Creation: Character creation follows these steps:
1. Pick a character archetype if you wish. Character archetypes and their subclasses fall under Mercenary Deserter (Rifleman, Greatswordsman, Grenadier), Bounty Hunter (Pistolier, Master Trapper, Beats Hunter), Witch (Woods Witch, Herbalist, Hexen), Opportunist (Adventurer, Sneak Thief, Silver-Tongued Trickster), and Practitioner (Vow of War, Vow of Healing, Vow of Sustenance). The archetypes provide alternate methods of attribute calculation, toughness formulas, and starting coin. The subclasses provide some background information and special abilities.
2. Roll your stats: There are four stats Strength (strike, lift, haul, grapple), Agility (dodge, balance, swim, climb), Presence (perceive, aim, persuade, use magic), and Toughness (resist, withstand, health). These are determined by rolling 3d6 and comparing the total to a table. The total has a corresponding bonus that ranges from -3 through +3. The total is ignored and only the bonuses are recorded. The different archetypes will provide alternate methods of rolling to determine some of the stats and health bonuses. If a player chooses not to use an archetype and a related subclass or the GM does not allow them then two of the stats can be determined by rolling 4d6 and dropping the lowest.
3. Determine health by rolling a die (size determined by archetype or none) and then adding Toughness bonus.
4. Pick a weapon or spells you can wield or afford.
5. Name your character
6. Go forth
There is some starting equipment that everyone starts with and some advice that states, "Do not trouble yourself with backstory, for your adventures at the beginning are your true backstory." Instead, ask yourself these questions;
- What does your character want?
- How are they going to get what they want?
- How are their flaws going to get in their way?
- How will they overcome these challenges?
In addition, there are some optional tables for character traits and a table that relates to how you know another character from a previous exploit.
- Position and Impact: These situations do not add or subtract from the DR, but set the stakes in more if a story manner of the desired action/situation.
- Negotiations: Set the initial standing of the NPC which affects the outcome of Positions and Impacts.
As always, combat follows its own structure.
- Initiative: Whatever side (players or enemies) initiates combat is the side that goes first. Players roll d6 + Agility and enemies roll a flat d6 to determine round order.
- Rounds: Combat is divided up into rounds and during a round, a player may attack and move in a round. This is in addition to making a free action with is a non-combat action (dropping an item, shouting, or putting an item in a pocket). A potion can be drunk as a free action, but the character cannot be engaged in melee.
- Movement and Distance: Distance is measured in range bands that consist of close quarters (within 5ft), near range (within 20 ft), and long range (beyond 20 ft). Characters can move 20 feet a round but can move 40 feet if they forgo their attack. Characters may still complete a free action during a double move.
- Making an Attack: Melee combat is determined by d20 + Strength vs DR12. Ranges combat is determined by d20 + Presence, Magic use is determined by d20 + Presence, and Defense rolls are solved by de20 + Agility vs. DR12.
- Reckless Attack/Called Shot: -2 to hit, but double damage on success.
- Throwing: Near is the maximum throwing distance. Throwing a weapon is DR14 to hit. Throwing a grenade/potion is DR10.
- When Enemies Attack: When enemies attack, they do not roll with stats but instead the player or players react by rolling their defense to avoid the attack.
- Armor: Armor reduces damage
That is it for the standard combat, but there is a page that is titled "Advanced Combat" that has some additional rules or procedures for stealth, morale, fire, cover, attacks of opportunity, disengagement, prone, grappling or stunning, height advantage, mounted combat, and some chase rules. These are able to be added ad hoc if the GM chooses to do so.
When a character is reduced to 0 or lower hit points make a Toughness check vs. DR12 and if the roll is successful, roll on the broken table. If the Toughness check fails, then the character is dead.
Black Powder and Brimstone has a meta currency called Devil's Luck. All characters receive 3 at dawn and cannot have more than 3. One Devil's Luck can be spent to Reduce the DR on a roll by 2 before rolling. Players can also choose to activate a Dark Power to:
- Deal maximum damage
- Neutralize a crit or fumble
- Re-roll any roll, yours or someone else's
- Ignore all damage dealt
Using a Dark Power risks mutation as it is required to roll a d6 after the use of a Dark Power and if a 1 is the result, roll a d20 on a mutation table.
There are also procedures and rules for:
- Devils Bargain (a chance to return from the dead, but at what cost?)
- Crits and Fumbles
- Leveling up
- Feats
- Creating a Free Company
- Weapons (each one as a damage die and special ability)
- Armor reduces damage
- Magic (characters that can use magic) start the day with Presence + d4 to determine how many spells that can be cast in day. The same spell can be cast multiple times and new spells are learn from elusive books of power. Casting a spell requires d 20 + Presence roll vs. DR 12. If it is successful, the spell is cast and subtract a spell usage. On a failure, the character becomes dizzy for 1d6 rounds and if another spell is attempting during this time, it fails in the worst way possible. Spells can only be cast by Witches, but potions and their effects can be used by any or who are offered them. It is important to remember; magic is dangerous and condemned by the general public as a whole in the setting. If magic is used in front of the wrong people, lots of trouble can be had.
- Potions
- Travel
- Hunting
- GM Section
- Bestiary
- Notable NPCs
- Sample Adventure
Final Thoughts: Black Powder and Brimstone does an amazing job of capturing the "weird" age of sail setting that includes oppressive religious organizations, ongoing wars, monsters, exploration, disease, mutations, magic, devils, angels, and the list goes on. This is reinforced by the art, character archetypes/subclasses, mutation rules, devils' luck, bestiary, and the detailed write ups with the major NPCs. All this is done while keeping whatever mechanics are involved streamlined and related to the core resolution mechanic.
The book opens up with the setting information that consists of a quick overview of the realm, a map that has 24 keyed locations, and descriptions of some of the locations. Also included is information regarding the factions, the emperor, the different major religions, and information about the war. This all supports and increased the setting, flavor, and general vibe. Though, with that being said I do wish there was some more setting information and that each keyed location on the map had their own descriptions. This would go a long way to continue to reinforce the setting and provide more tools that the GM would have access to.
All in all, this is an amazing entry into the supernatural or "weird" age of settings that covers all of the bases. In addition, it runs using the Mork Borg system which tends to provide a smooth and functional mechanic framework that is no complicated.
You can find Black Powder and Brimstone here:
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