A Look Inside The Servant Of The Gods Edition Of Blackbirds

Games A Look Inside The Servant Of The Gods Edition Of Blackbirds Rob Wieland Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I am an author and game designer writing about tabletop RPGs. Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories.

Got it! Oct 26, 2022, 02:39pm EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin This gorgeous cover by Dave Rapoza graces the front of the latest powered by Zweihander game . . .

[+] Blackbirds. Andrews McMeel Publishers When you’ve got unlimited resources and worldly power, what’s next? For the rich and powerful of the world of Erebos, they looked to conquer the heavens. .

. and succeeded. Now, as the inhuman beings called the Oligarchs, they will soon return and change the world into their new, horrifying images unless your players take action.

This epic setup comes from Blackbirds , the latest dark fantasy role playing game powered by Zweihander from designer Ryan Verniere. Blackbirds raised over $150,000 USD last year and delivered the game just in time for Halloween this year. Andrews McMeel sent a copy of the massive Servant Of The Gods edition for review and what I found inside was a game of crushing darkness and surprising hope.

What Is Blackbirds RPG? This dark fantasy RPG puts players in the role of Blackbirds, mortals chosen by the dead gods of Fate to fight against the Oligarchs. They’ve been given special abilities to take the fight to the mortal followers and strange beasts the Oligarchs command. Even though their world is consumed in darkness, the Blackbirds have a chance to save Erebos.

. . even if that means killing it.

The setting and system are detailed in a massive tome weighing in at nearly 700 pages. The book details a world embroiled in change, the strange magic that awaits just outside the edge of reality and the abilities Blackbirds can access to accomplish their impossible mission. Fans who have played Warhammer Fantasy Role Play Second Edition or Zweihander will already have a grasp of how Blackbirds plays.

How Is Blackbirds Powered By Zweihander? The basis of Blackbirds comes from Zweihander, the first dark fantasy RPG from Andrews McMeel. It’s a percenile based system that features random haracter creation, gritty combat and powerful magic. I played it with my livestreaming crew during the pandemic for those who want to see it played.

MORE FOR YOU Meet The Unknown Immigrant Billionaire Betting Her Fortune To Take On Musk In Space Could Rishi Sunak’s Education Pick Signal A Change Of Direction? Fetterman Attacks Oz Over Abortion Remarks In Post-Debate Ad Blackbirds streamlines many elements of play. It focuses on six paths with multiple options that players can customize between games. These tricks and techniques let players focus on one element of a character or become more of a generalist without costing efficiency during the game.

How Is Blackbirds Different From Dungeons & Dragons? Each technique includes an Extinguish action that puts a pwerful narrative shift in the hands of the players at the cost of shutting the technique down for a while. These actions include combat enders such as flurry of blows from a master swordsman to a magic character calling in an imp to eat the remaining bad guy. Non-combat actions are also available here such as being able to sneak the group into a location unnoticed or extracting a juicy secret from a lover.

The game includes non-human character options that offer unique spins on classic fantasy archetypes. Aes, for example, are immortal elf-like heroes bound to phases of the moon, while Daimn are dwarf-like characters bound to different elements. These ancestries also include Nephilim, half-demon haracter created through merging humans and the strange Outsiders looking to make their own play on Erebos.

The Outsiders are the main source of magic for the Blackbirds. Rather than spell levels and memorization, magic users establish relationships with these Outsiders for their spells. In exchange, they must do favors for the creatures spawned by unknowable intrigues that can range from the innocuous to the downright bloody.

The setting comes down on the side of dark fantasy with elements of surreal scenes driven by the artwork. As players grow in power they recieve guidance on their destiny through strange dreams and visions given by the Game Master. Defeating the Oligarchs seems possible, though it’s left up to the Blackbirds if they are willing to pay the cost, What Is Included In The Servants Of The Gods Edition Of Blackbirds? There are three canvas maps included: one for Erebos and it’s two major cities Corbel and Highsalt.

Dwarven Forge dice give the game a high production valune along with a limited edition copy of the book that enhances a cursed artifact feel. The box also included metal Fortune coins and a Fate talisman that can be flipped to see if a character can defy death. My favorite extra from the boxed set are the Talent and Technique cards.

Each one contains all the information about their abilities on one side with evocative art on the other. I hope the publishers release a second set detailing the Outsider techniques available from making unpleasent deals with the things awash in Odic magic. Blackbirds is available through Amazon, internet vendors and friendly local game stores right now.

The creators sent along a copy of the Servants of the Gods edition which was primarily available through the Kickstarter. It’s a deluxe boxed set that stands along side anything I’ve seen these past few years, including Beadle & Grimm boxed sets. Rob Wieland Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.