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Elven Lords Deluxe Edition T&T solo
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/20/2020 14:07:23

Based in Gull, the city of Terrors, this is nothing like the other mega adventure. Differently, this is an incredible adventure through many twists and turns resulting in amusing, strange, inspirational or just plain weird situations, powers, rewards and encounters for your character.

There is immense replayability here and could be used to flesh out a city of terrors campaign if you wanted to make one. It is almost a crime that it has been out of print for so long and I wish I had the chance to enter it years ago.

The paths are a true wonder and it is rare to see storylines and plots like this in any adventure game system. I have thoroughly enjoyed this adventure and am considering unleashing it on my players as a add on to my campaign.

Truely a gem. Get it, enjoy it, pass it on.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Elven Lords Deluxe Edition T&T solo
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TrollsZine 7
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/04/2020 07:30:01

Thank you for this. Still read it and appreciate all the work that went into making it.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
TrollsZine 7
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TrollsZine 6
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/04/2020 07:29:14

evolving and changing with the times and its contributors. Still a high standard and would have been a magazine that I would have payed money for.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
TrollsZine 6
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TrollsZine 2
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/04/2020 07:27:58

a great follow up to a great first edition. Am glad to have read this.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
TrollsZine 2
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TrollsZine 1
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/04/2020 07:26:39

A superb add on to any T&T player. Full of interesting tid bits. add 5 to your IQ



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
TrollsZine 1
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TrollsZine 3
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/04/2020 07:13:18

As with the rest of the series, a great resource, read and inspiriation



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
TrollsZine 3
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TrollsZine 4
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/04/2020 07:11:08

As per the other issues, this is a great magazine. Worthwhile for any T&T member



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
TrollsZine 4
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TrollsZine 8
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/04/2020 07:10:00

Another good magazine in the resource category. Enjoyed



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
TrollsZine 8
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TrollsZine 5
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 08/04/2020 07:08:09

These were, and are, a great resource. Pity they did not last that long. Well done



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[4 of 5 Stars!]
TrollsZine 5
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Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls 2015 edition
by Timothy B. [Featured Reviewer] Date Added: 07/29/2020 13:11:13

Original and Full review here: http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2020/07/review-tunnels-trolls-troll-week.html

I have owned many different versions of T&T over the years. I have loaned some out, another is just gone (it is with my original AD&D books I think) and still at least one I resold in a game auction when I needed the cash. I miss each and every one. Thankfully I now have the PDF of Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls the most recent version and the one that is easiest to get. I will be focusing my review on this version, with recollections of previous editions when and where I can.

Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls. 2015 Ken St. Andre, published by Flying Buffalo. 348 pages, color covers, black & white interior art (mostly) and a full color section. Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls (dT&T) is a massive volume at 348 pages.
The PDF is divided into Chapter sections, but more importantly, it is split into five larger sections; The Basic or Core Game, Elaboration, Trollworld Atlas, Adventures, and End Matter.

The Basic or Core Game

This covers the first 11 chapters and 160+ pages. This most resembles the T&T game I remember playing sparingly in the 80s. This covers the basics of the game such as rolling up characters, equipping them, combat and magic. T&T uses all six-sided dice for everything, so getting started is as easy as getting the rules and raiding your board games for dice. Because we NEVER did that in the 80s. Character creation is a bit like D&D and other RPGs from the time (or more accurately other RPGs are like D&D and T&T). There are a few quirks that make T&T stand out. Exploding Triples allow for some extraordinary characters. When rolling your 3d6 for stats (like D&D) if you get three of the same number, all "1s" or all "6s" for example, you re-roll and ADD the previous total. In D&D rolling three "1s" is a disaster, but in T&T you then reroll and add that 3 (1+1+1) to your new roll. Roll three "6s"? Reroll and add 18! T&T has eight abilities, Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Speed, Intelligence (IQ), Wizardry, Luck, and Charisma. They all map pretty close to D&D with the others Speed, Wizardry and Luck doing what they sound like. Kindreds, not Race. With all the discussion of the word "race" in D&D (yes, it is old and problematic and yes it should be replaced) T&T "solved" this issue by going with Kindred (and long before Vampire the Masquerade did). This also leaves character creation open to all sorts of Kindreds. Personal Adds. For every point in a physical ability over 12 (the upper end of average), characters get +1 to their personal adds. Physical stats are Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, and Speed. These adds are combined and then used in combat. Saving Rolls. All skills and nearly everything else use a saving throw like mechanic for resolution. The most common is a Luck roll, but others can be used.

There are three basic and one extra character classes. Warriors, Wizards, Rogues and the Specialist. Kindreds include Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Fairies, Hobbs (Halflings), and Leprechauns. Each kindred then gets an ability multiplier. So if you are a dwarf and you rolled an 11 for Strength your multiplier is 2 for a 22 strength! But your Luck multiplier is .75 so if your rolled a 12 it is now a 9. Other attributes effected are height and weight. Fairies have multiples here of 0.1 and 0.01 respectively.

The equipment list is what you would expect with some odd improvised weapons (rocks) and even guns (gunnes) but these are still rather primitive in nature.

Saving Rolls are covered in Chapter 5 and gave us what is essentially a dynamic Target Number mechanic YEARS before anyone else did. You determine the level of the Saving Throw (difficulty) times that by 5 to get your target number. Players roll a 2d6 and yes doubles are re-rolled and added. It's a simple mechanic that works well.

Chapter 6 gives us some talents. Or things you can do other than wack monsters. Chapter 7 cover enemies and monsters and is a whopping 3 pages! But that is nature of T&T monsters can be abstracted from just a few simple numbers. Chapter 8 covers combat. If I remember correctly combat in T&T was a fast affair. The rules support this idea.

Chapter 9 is of course my favorite, Magic. There have been more than a few times I have wanted to adopt ideas from here for my D&D games. In the end though I have kept them separate. Spell levels go to 18 though you need some superhuman Intelligence and Dexterity scores to cast them (60 and 44 respectively). Spells have a Wiz (Wizardry cost) so it works on a spell-point like system. The spell names are something of a bit of contention with some people and my litmus test for whether or not someone will be a good player in T&T. If they don't like the names, then I think they will not be good for the game. Among the spell names are "Hocus Focus", "Oh Go Away", "Boom Bomb", "Freeze Please" and more. I like them I would rather have a fun name than a boring one, but I am also the guy who made spells called "You Can't Sit With Us", "Live, Laugh, Love", "Oh My God, Becky!" and "Tripping the Light Fantastic".

Chapter 10 is Putting it All Together with general GM advice. Chapter 11 covers the Appendices. This constitutes the bulk of what makes up the T&T game.

Elaborations

This section consists of rules additions and other topics. Of interest here is Chapter 13, Other Playable Kindreds. This likely grew out of T&Ts sister game, Monsters! Monsters! In dT&T these stats for playing have been brought more inline with the M!M! book for more compatibility. The attribute multipliers from character creation are repeated here for the main kindreds, and then expanded out for others of the Familiar (or most similar to the Good Kindred, like goblins, gnomes, and pixies) to the Less Common like lizard people, ratlings and trolls! To the Extraordinary like ghouls and dragons. The means in which this is done is so simple and so elegant that other games should be shamed for not doing the same. Later on languages, more talents and accessories (minis, battle mats, virtual tabletops) are covered.

Trollworld Atlas

This section covers the campaign world of Trollworld. A history is provided and the major continents are covered as well as a few of the cities. This covers about 70 pages, but it is all well spent. This section also features some full-color interior art including some great maps.

Adventures

Pretty much what is says on the tin. This covers the two types of adventures one can have with T&T; a solo adventure and a GM run adventure.
Everyone reading this has experienced a GM run adventure. But where T&T really sets itself apart are the solo adventures. This is a reason enough to grab this game just to see how this is done.

End Matter

This section contains the last bits. Credits. Afterwords. Acknowledgments. A full index. Character sheets and a Post Card for the City of Khazan!

I am going to put this bluntly.

Every D&D player, no matter what edition, needs to play Tunnels & Trolls at least once. They should also read over the rules. I don't care if you walk away saying "I don't like it" that is fine, but so many of the things I see so-called seasoned D&D players and game masters complain about has a fix or has been addressed already in T&T.

Like I mentioned with Trollpak who solved D&D's "evil race" problem back in 1982, Tunnels & Trolls fixed it in 1975.

Beyond all that T&T is an easily playable game with decades of material and support and thousands of fans online. If you don't want to buy a copy to try out then find a game at a Con.

Is T&T perfect? No. It lacks the epic that is D&D. If D&D is Wagner then T&T is Motzart. Easier to approach, but no less brilliant.

For under $20 (currently) you get a complete game with enough material to keep you going for years. Plus there is such a wealth (45 years now) of material out there that you will never run out of things to do.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls 2015 edition
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Tunnels & Trolls Rules 5th Editon
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/25/2020 06:29:59

The legendary classic version. So many of the current players grew up on this, as did I. Although now superceeded by Delux, my version is a mix of 5th and Delux. So many years this was the standard, so many adventures and solos based on this. As a game system it is great, though improved in Delux. Always worth having this one.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Tunnels & Trolls Rules 5th Editon
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Alice in Weirdworld T&T solo w/mini rules
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/24/2020 15:14:17

What a great marriage of fantasy and classic literature. This takes the original story and makes it live and breathe. Can you help Alice? There are hidden easter eggs here and plenty to explore and enjoy.

Well written, great illustrations, many branches to explore and rewards enough. Will you survive?



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Alice in Weirdworld T&T solo w/mini rules
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Vaults of K'Horror gm/solo adv
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/24/2020 15:08:28

Opening up a little known part of trollworld and also a well documented background, placing, situation and local inhabitants. This is a challenging adventure for any party and is a vast improvement on its predecessor. A great product and setting and challenge. Glad my characters are not decending into the valuts



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Vaults of K'Horror gm/solo adv
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Grimtooth's Tomb of the Warhammer T&T GM Adv
by Paul W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/24/2020 14:54:29

Ouch, this one is tough. Prepare to die, but if you do survive, wow. This is a great test to experienced players, hope they do not mind losing their characters.

Beyond this it has a great setting and you meet one of the legendary figures of not just Trollworld or T&T but to maybe all gaming systems who use Grimtooth traps, (and who would not).

Again, this is a setting that can be expanded apon or even made into a campaign, especially combined with the K'hoor Vaults, or however you spell it.

A great adventure, thank you



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Grimtooth's Tomb of the Warhammer T&T GM Adv
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Tunnels & Trolls Rules 5th Editon
by Jerry N. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/24/2020 14:24:21

First off, let me say that I love love LOVE this game. I have multiple copies of this edition. Tunnels & Trolls is a game that was designed to be easy and inexpensive, with a minimum of extra cost & material needed to play. It's fast, fun and flexible. It's loaded with tropes, but not weighted down with lore. Easy to learn, easy to teach and fun to play. Combat is deadly and often unbalanced. Character mortality can be very high. None of this has ever kept me from having an absolute BLAST playing T&T.

T&T uses either a variant of 2d6 vs. target number that is very scaleable, or a simple both sides compare and highest roll wins mechanic. It's simple and intuitive. It works well, and is easily dialed if/as needed.

Some might find T&T a little threadbare, but I find its simplicity refreshing. Easy to play, easy to run, it's a great game whose genius is often overlooked.

If you're looking for a lot of class options, or tactical depth, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a deadly earnest game that takes itself seriously, look elsewhere. If you're looking for old school fun and adventure with a healthy lashing of humor, look no further.

T&T can be played with a group or solo (don't get attached to the characters if you play solo, though lol), and is a hoot either way. There are many great modules for it, so many (including third party) that I doubt anyone could play them all.

T&T is more Lieber than Tolkien (though ot does have some of the latter's elements), and that suits me fine.

Now for the bad: There is one, and only one, spell that has a horribly racist name. I know it costs money to do so, But I'd really like to see Flying Buffalo take the initiative to rename that spell, as they did in later editions. They obviously know it's unacceptable, or they wouldn't have changed it. I know you want to do the right thing, as evidenced by your alteration of art from the City of Terrors module.So, please, FBI, go back and alter this appropriately. It's overdue. This ruleset was ahead of its time (and ahead of its peers) in certain ways, such as not making sex-based distinctions in stats, height or weight, but that spell name has got to go. Slavery isn't funny. I say this as a Massive T&T fan. Do that, and I can happily alter my review.

Bottom Line: one of the best games ever, with one glaring, jarring bit of racism spoiling everyone's fun.

UPDATE: The publisher, FLying Buffalo, Inc., has taken swift and decisive action to remove the offending spell name from previous editions of the PDF! This took less than 3 weeks. Other publishers: there is a lesson here. Also, FBI took care to match the fonts up to the existing books, so the transition is seamless! I love this game, and this publisher!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Tunnels & Trolls Rules 5th Editon
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Creator Reply:
Jerry, I think we had forgotten that was even in there! T&T was published in 1978 and a lot of things have changed since then. I just wanted to let you know that as soon as I read your review I got back to the original file and have changed the name of that spell to Obey Me! which is the standard thing that wizards and mystics would call out when trying to control or hypnotize someone. So we have taken your advice and the spell name has indeed been changed. We apologize to anyone who was offended by that. Like I said the book was published in 1978. Anyway its fixed now - thanks for spotting it!
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