Review: Demon Hunters Role Playing Game Part 2

Demon Hunters Review Part 2: GO!
Chapter four focuses on the actual system of the game. It uses the Cortex system, which isn't anything mind blowing, but it works well. You get a little more detail than Storyteller, but not so much the game bogs down whenever combat starts. What I really like about this game's system are things called plot points. A character starts the play with a few plot points, and can gain more with good roleplaying, by accomplishing goals, or just by being flat out awesome. You keep track of them with poker chips, or tokens, or more likely spare dice, and then use them to add extra dice to a roll, or give you a bonus to a failed roll. Several other systems have tried this sort of thing, but I like the way it's been implemented here.
Chapter five is the equipment chapter, and it's something of a disappointment. You get basic statistics for assorted weapons and things, and a little blurb about each piece of equipment. That's fairly standard in this business, if anyone wants more detail they can do their own research. My problem is that the much of the information in the weapons section is inaccurate. I take particular offense at the description of the longsword as a "weapon of brute force." Anyone who has watched a serious student of the Lichtenauer tradition can attest to the elegance and efficiency found in European sword forms. Likewise the statement that the rapier is "much thinner and lighter than any weapon seen on the continent" is also not wholly accurate. The blades of most rapiers, while narrow, were over a foot longer than most single handed swords of older forms, and were ofter just as heavy, if not heavier, than their predecessors. I could go on, but I'll surmise by saying do your own research on weapons, rather than taking the color text at face value.
Chapter six has for some reason been omitted from this book. This could prove to be a problem, as the table of contents list it as "How Not to Die."
Chater seven is the general chapter on how to run and play a game that you find in most RPGs. Some good work, but nothing to really get excited about.
Chapter eight is an appendix of useful characters and antagonists. It's also chock full to bursting with references to various Dead Gentleman films. Its a great addition to the book.
Chapter five's desperate need for a fact checker aside, I like Demon Hunters. It's got a good beat, and I can dance to it. The campaign world is original, and the book is genuinely fun to read, which is unusual in this genre of literature. If you're a fan of the DG, or you're looking for a heavily ironic slant on the urban fantasy genre, I heartily recommend the Demon Hunters Role Playing Game.

Review: Demon Hunters Role Playing Game Part 1

Remember when I promised to post something for the more experienced gamers? Today's the day. It's time to walk you through a game called Demon Hunters from the wonderful people at Dead Gentlemen Productions .
Remember The Gamers? Those people made a game. For those of you not familiar, this is the type of people we're dealing with.

In Demon Hunters you play an agent of the Brotherhood of the Celestial Torch, an organization charged by God with protecting humanity from supernatural entities, especial the forces of Hell.
The book comes with an intro DVD, done by the Dead Gentlemen and featuring characters from their Demon Hunters movie series, now available on DVD. This DVD is full of the morbid, ironic humor that is the DG's MO, and is in all honesty probably worth half the purchase price right there. If you weren't excited about this game before, you will be after watching this DVD.
The first chapter of the book to the in game world and it's version of history, which is just close enough to the biblical accounts for it to be sacrilegious. Within the first few pages you can tell that the DG's had a blast writing this game. There's an inherent sense of playfulness that you don't find in many games anymore. I'm happy to report this continues through the rest of the book.
Chapter two deals with character creation. This game is built in the Cortex system, which uses a point buy system broken into attributes (strength, agility, toughness, intelligence, alertness, and willpower), skills, and traits, and three levels of starting experience (recruit, veteran, and grizzled veteran).
Chapter three is about attributes and skills, which are fairly standard for the game, though the prose still contains the old DG charm. It also contains the big list of traits. This is one of the places where the game really shines. Traits are all the little abilities and problems that make your character unique, things like contacts, addictions, reputation, enemies, charming good looks, and the ability to produce an explosive on demand. Oh, and vampirism. That's there too.
Next post I'll talk a little more about the system, as well as the last four chapters of the book.