| Game Type: RPG
Core or Supplement: Core (D20 System)
Publisher: Alderac Entertainment Group
Medium: Hardbound
Price: $34.95 If you are a fan of 007, Mission Impossible, The Saint or (more recently) Alias and other "super spy" movies, books, and television serials, then your day has come. If you're a role player and you've been thinking, "hey, I'd like to play a preternaturally cool master of intrigue", then be at ease. The espionage genre in the world of gaming is about to get a kick in the pants! Say hello to: Spycraft.
The cool kids at Alderac Entertainment Group have done an amazing job with Spycraft, on several levels. The mechanics, the character classes, and the production values blew me away. Let me explain.
First off lets talk about the mechanics for the game. As is stated above, this is a D20 System game, but Alderac has added some of the conventions from their D10 system (Legend of the Five Rings, Seventh Sea) that really make a difference. Action dice are one of these conventions.
Spycraft characters can also purchase "Backgrounds" with their skill points. This allows characters to start off with some history and get some return on their investment in dramatic ways. This is an idea that has been missing from the D20 System until this point. These backgrounds add depth to a character and gives the player a tangible goal and theme from the very beginning.
When a character does something dramatic or daring then he is awarded "Action Dice" these dice can be added to rolls for better chance of success, or they can be used to hinder your enemies. This is a fun mechanic that really makes a difference in a game.
The combat system has also been adjusted to be a bit more deadly. A good hit from an assault rifle can ruin a character's day and his future. Martial arts in Spycraft have been given a Feat based system that is both simple and descriptive but not over the top. Armor is handled more realistically as well. A flack jacket does not improve your Defense (your chance to be hit) it lowers damage you take. There, doesn't that make sense?
Now lets talk about characters. I like the D20 system but I have to admit that as soon as I create a character I start looking at the prestige classes that I hope to eventually take. The Spycraft rulebook does not have prestige classes. Guess what? You don't miss them. There isn't a single class that I wouldn't want to take all the way to 20th level. The classes are that good. Something else that I liked about the classes was how quick your character becomes competent. Usually around 6th and 8th level your character is rock solid, and in a balanced team there isn't much that players shouldn't be able to handle. Actually even at the levels 1-5 a well-balanced team can really amaze you. The point is that even at low level your character is still a super spy.
Finally I'd like to say a few things about production values. The book is lavish yet understated. Its art is black and white but good. The pages are illuminated in silver ink that is really appealing. The cover has a mat finish and sports charcoal art that is dramatic and gritty. The font is clear and easy to read. This really is a beautiful book.
The Spycraft rulebook gives players and game masters everything that they need to get going quickly and to stay spying for a long time to come. | |
