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Blood and Blades: The Profiler's Guide to Slashers $7.95
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Blood and Blades: The Profiler\'s Guide to Slashers
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Blood and Blades: The Profiler's Guide to Slashers
Publisher: RPG Objects
by Chris G. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 09/25/2006 00:00:00

Slashers and serial killers are a big part of the horror movie and genre and can easily be placed into any modern game. There are plenty of movies and books that deal with these type of cold blooded killers and it was only a matter of time before someone brought them to d20 Modern. And it is just in time for Halloween.

Blood and Blades: Profilers Guide to Slashers is the latest d20 Modern book by RPOGObjects. RPGObjects is one of the companies that does not get talked about enough. They make really good books and PDF that always cover interesting topics that few other companies do. These guys have a great catalog of work and hopefully people will really take a good look at what they have been doing. From their great support of the d20 Modern line to Darwin?s World to my personal Favorite their historical fantasy books like Legends of the Dark Ages their books give the DM and the players great options for a different sort of game. This PDF is sixty five pages long and well book marked. The art is okay and the lay out is good.

The book starts off with a nice look of what slashers are and it sets the time period in the 1980?s when slasher movies were fairly popular. Moving the time period of the setting is not going to be hard and will have little effect on the mechanics aside from some equipment. One should be able to easily use this for slashers of many time periods though it is assuming one plays in modern times.

The book has victim classes for people to play. They are clich?s form the movies, the cheer leader, the jock, the nerd, the outcast, etc. The classes have some neat abilities and will allow the players to live the clich? so to speak. The classes are all small five level ones but that fits in very well with the idea that the characters are victims and probably will not be around long. But not all characters need to be so helpless as there is the Paranormal Assault Unit a government organization that tracks and hunts the slahers that kill the victims. There are two advanced classes for the organization one for hunting and the other for profiling.

There is a fine chapter on hunting the creatures. There are nice panic and horror or mechanics. There are plenty of rules for madness and insanity and while they take a nice approach to the mechanics part of it I would have liked to also see a bit of the role playing aspect of it all.

There is a nice bit of playing the slasher game even without a DM. This makes for a fun one shot for a bunch of people just looking for something different to do one night for gaming. There are variants for being an idiot or the hero and character can actually life and gain levels if the series of games are connected. The game uses a table that is percentage based so players can roll and figure out what bad things happen to them. The rules are simple and there is not a lot of space devoted to the game but it can easily be expanded on and looks like it might be a fun way to try something different.

The Field Guide has most of the possibilities for types of slashers a person could ask for. There are some advanced classes for the slashers with plenty of different and cool abilities players will not be expecting. There are ones like the Alter Ego and the Mad Genius. Then there are plenty of monster type slashers are written up with easy to use stats and descriptions.

This book offers a nice coll3ections of slashers for people to use. Many of the ideas here are familiar from popular slasher movies and the pictures are also reminiscing of that style. The book does have the advantage of being basically the only book that covers slashers. The closest I can think of is a PDF that covers serial killers specifically, but that is a write up of specific NPCs and not a how to kit like this is. The two books can really be used well together though.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
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Blood and Blades: The Profiler's Guide to Slashers
Publisher: RPG Objects
by Shane D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/03/2006 00:00:00

This pdf was worth the price. If you've ever thought about running a Modern Horror campaign and needed quick write ups for classic slasher flick baddies, get this book. You'll thank me later.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The write was clear and concise, while having a slight sense of humor about it. You should check out the author's website for more in-depth "fan" based material on some well known slasher flicks.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: I really can't say that I disliked anything about it.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Blood and Blades: The Profiler's Guide to Slashers
Publisher: RPG Objects
by Mark K. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/17/2005 00:00:00

Blood and Blades: The Profiler?s Guide is a 65 page PDF written by Michael Tresca for RPG Objects. The game is a supplement for d20 Modern.

I recently purchased this PDF looking for some good ideas for a horror game. Boy, did I get my wish. Have you ever wanted to turn your d20 Modern game into a 80s horror film? Want to go up against Freddy (Nightmare on Elm Street), Jason (Friday the 13th), Michael (Halloween), Chucky (Child?s Play), etc? Then this is the book for you.

You can play as either the tough agents of the PRU ? Paranormal Response Unit (enter the Bounty Hunter and Profiler advanced classes) or teenage victims (enter the Cheerleader, Jock, The Mundane, Nerd, Outcast, Scream Queen, Stoner, and Tough Guy). I?ve seen versions of the Bounty Hunter and Profiler classes before, but the teenager classes are new and really add that horror flick feel.

There are some really great new rule additions. The book includes one of the best horror check rules that I?ve seen in d20. It appears to be a blend of OGL Horror and the Sanity Rules in Unearthed Arcana that were adapted from Call of Cthulu d20. The book also includes new Flaws that add a little depth to your characters personality (Cowardly, Cruel, Envious, Greedy, Hot-Headed, etc). There are also Diplomacy skill rules on how to ?tempt? someone of the opposite sex and detailed rules on profiling.

And of course, there are lots of ?Slasher? info included in the book. There are various types of Slashers that can fit the archetype of various horror film icons. Advanced classes include the Alter Ego (Psycho), Arawnite Guardian (typical cult nut), Mad Genius (Hannibal), Psychogene (Firestarter, Carrie) and Stalker (Scream). Slasher feats include many familiar ones from d20 games (Diehard, Rage, etc), but a few new and very appropriate feats including Head Squish and Jaw Rip.

Monsters include the Warrior Breed, Pumpkin Demon, Slasher Demon, Demonic Slasher Template (very undead Jason Voorhees like), Dream Stalker (Nightmare on Elm Street), Evil Doll template (Child?s Play), Lurker (Jeepers Creepers), Sentinel Sphere (Phantasm), Shape (another Jason Voorhees type), Soul Sucker (Bubba Ho-Tep), Thin Stranger (Phantasm), and Vengeful Spirit (Candy Man).

So, as you can tell. This book has it all, when it comes to the horror genre that is. So, what are waiting for? Go get it?before it gets you. evil laughter FADE OUT<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Blood and Blades: The Profiler's Guide to Slashers
Publisher: RPG Objects
by Peter M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/31/2005 00:00:00

A pretty solid treatment of the slasher genre, whether you want to have scared people running for their lives or grim professionals tracking down a killer as the focal point of the game. The profiler class from the Game Mechanics' Modern Player's Companion makes another appearance here, but the bounty hunter advanced class is new. The book seems well-constructed and balanced, and has a decent number of slasher customisation tools. The one thing that bugged me a bit was that the bok didn't include an advanced class for the "murderous freight train" class of slashers like Jason Vorhees. There's a lot of skuling and thinking and subtly creepy stuff in here that would be absolutely FANTASTIC for an occult conspiracy game, but the hockey-masked killer on the cover really isn't covered too well. The toughest slasher class only has a d8 for hit dice, and it has a BAB of 1/2. Come on, RPG Objects? How about something with d12 hit dice, full BAB, and some nasty Strong/Tough qualities?<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
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Blood and Blades: The Profiler's Guide to Slashers
Publisher: RPG Objects
by Justin D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/15/2005 00:00:00

Confession time--I'm not an expert when it comes to the d20 System. Sure, I have a passing familiarity with the rules set and a few gaming sessions under my belt, but I don't feel qualified to comment on this product's "crunchiness," or its mechanical accuracy.

However...I am a connoisseur of fright flicks (the trashier the better) and creepy rpgs (Chill, It Came From the Late Late Late Show, and Dark*Matter rank amongst my faves), so I can say, quite immodestly, that I know superb spooky sleaze when I see it. And I have seen it in this product--oh, yes, this book has STYLE.

Michael Tresca, our esteemed author, obviously knows his stuff, and his knowledge, respect, enthusiasm, and unabashed affection for the slasher genre shines on every page. And such energy was contagious for this reader--I wanted to crack open my d20 books and play in some grindhouse-inspired gaming. <br><br><b>LIKED</b>: ) A refreshing lack of political correctness, which is appropriate--nay, mandatory--for the genre. Audiences watch slasher flicks for babes, butchers, and bloodshed, and the author runs with the concept.

) Genre-appropriate "Victim Classes" (that means the PCs) with inventive skills and abilities. The Cheerleader gets "Tight Shirt" (used to fascinate male targets), the Nerd has "Enforce Logic" (wherein the geek explains why a monstrous maniac can't possibly have supernatural powers...which causes said maniac to lose them), and the Stoner utilizes the Dude, Dude?, and DUDE! trio (which provides Skill Check and Save bonuses). I giggled plenty while reading the char-gen sections.

) Analogues of sanguinary celluloid psychos sent straight from the silver screen. Any Fangoria reader worth his salt will recognize beasties from the likes of Mimic, Pumpkinhead, Jeepers Creepers, Halloween VI, Phantasm, and more. That's right, I said Phantasm...which means the Tall Man and his trepan-o-spheres! <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: ) Not a darn thing. However, to avoid sounding like a complete fanboy, I'll mention a teensy, tiny, extremely petty nitpick, which is this...while the majority of the text was firmly of Scream caliber, it sometimes veered into Scream II and III territory. Translation: "Sometimes the material was too snarkily self-aware for its own good."

(Again, let me emphasize that I'm REALLY stretching to make this complaint.) <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Blood and Blades: The Profiler's Guide to Slashers
Publisher: RPG Objects
by alan d. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/05/2005 00:00:00

Blood and Blades: The Profiler's Guide to Slashers is the latest in the Blood & ____ line from RPGObjects. Blood and Blades, a 65 page d20 Modern supplement by Michael Tresca, presents new rules and campaign options for GMs and Players looking to play in the slasher horror movies made famous in the 80s.

I am normally not fond of FX in my modern games, but this book proves that there is always an exception.

Chapter 1 begins with an introduction to slashers, including some differences between serial killers and slashers, as well as the role of the heroes in a Blood and Blades game.

Chapter 1 also introduces a new variant of the ordinaries called "Victim Classes." Victim classes are 5 level classes that are somewhat in the middle of power level between ordinary classes and heroic classes. Victim classes use the default array, but are allowed action points and may take advanced classes after 5 levels. These classes include the stereotypical teenager in a horror flick such as Cheerleader, Jock, Scream Queen, Nerd, Outcast, Outsider, Tough Guy, and Mundane. Also included are the Bounty Hunter and Profiler advanced classes.

A few feats are presented, including the new Virgin feat (which gives you bonuses as long as you meet the prerequisites...and I'm sure you don't need that one explained). A new mechanic of flaws are presented which are basically negative feats that allow you to gain an additional feat for taking on the consequences of the flaws. This is an interesting mechanic, although I prefer Chuck Rice's version of flaws (which when taken increase the CR -- and therefore more XP -- of an encounter when your flaw comes into play).

Chapter 2 presents us with with information on profiling a slasher, as well as introducing another new mechanic in Fear, Panic, and Madness saves. Failing the fear or panic saves puts you at a state of condition (cowering, paniced, shaken, frightened) which imposes some simple defense, skill, or other penalties. The madness mechanic tracks your sanity (which become requirements for certain Slasher Advanced Classes later in the book) as you slip further and further into insanity. The mechanic is fairly simple: You start with a number of sanity points determined by Wisdom, and you lose sanity points as you fail saves. It works much like hit points, in that once you get below zero, you "continue to bleed your sanity" until you hit -10 and are then pretty much bonkers. Sanity points can be restored through some Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) or mental treatment.

B&B also includes rules on running a slasher game with or without a GM. The rules for running a GM-less game are very original and look to be tons of fun. It seems to be a cross between d20 Clue and d20 Survivor, where the one who gets voted off becomes the slasher and kills everyone else.

There are also a few FX items, powers, and spells...including "Create Evil Doll," if you need to make yourself a few quick Chucky style bad guys.

Chapter 3, the 'field guide' to slashers is the real GM meat of the product which presents new slasher classes, about 20 feats, and 10 monsters for the players to fight, including 4 templates for the GM to add to existing creatures or characters.

Conclusion: If you're a fan of horror genre, this is a fun addition to any horror based game. If you've had that itch to run Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street, this is an absolute must for your game. Accept no substitute. Since it is such a niche product it might not appeal to every gamer, but overall it's a well produced sourcebook for a really fun genre. Just remember, having sex means you're going to die! This is PERFECT for that one player in your group (you know you have one) that wants to seduce anything and everything. If you're wanting to get a little revenge on that guy, put him through this and make sure he has a pretty cheerleader to flirt with. <br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Typical of RPGObjects products, this book looks crisp and clean, and is well bookmarked. Many products from 3rd party publishers are coming with little or no bookmarks, so this is starting to stand out as good professional design.

Rules options for playing without a GM seem like a ton of fun for a one-night game with some of the regular players are not around.

The sanity rules are pretty nice as well. The OGL section 15 on this product is huge, so I'm not sure if this is OGL from another product or original, but the rules are pretty solid, and watching your sanity slowly slide down to zero will definately be fun.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: While the author provides a few agencies dedicated to hunting down supernatural (and non-supernatural for that matter) slashers, I still have problems trying to figure out how to keep a long term game going without annoying the players fighting the same bad guy over and over again. Mike did respond to my post on that question over on the EN World message boards, so hopefully this will not be a negative very long.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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