kgauck
05-26-2003, 09:51 PM
Dynasties and Demagogues, by Chris Aylott
published by Atlas Games in March of 2003
Aylott is the proprioter of a game store, the Space-Crime Continuum in Northampton, Massachusetts. Check out their web site at http://www.spacecrime.com/ His book, _Dynasties and Demagogues_, is about politics in role-playing games. Its a d20 sourcebook and includes both advice for running political campaigns and the usual character focused tweaks for operating in a specifically political enviroment, namely feats, skills, and prestige classes.
One of my favorite sections was on magic and politics. My own games tend toward fighters and rogues with some clerical support, and have been caught off guard by wizard characters' actions. While I have come up with some of the ideas described mentioned in the text on my own, it was a pleasure to find a single source which dealt much more thoroughly with this subject than I have. Overall, the book is a good reference for both DM's familiar with politics mostly by providing good mechanics, and for DM's who wouldn't know where to start with such things. The explanation for what a political campaign is and how it would work are clear and complete, without being a rigourous tome.
The book lists for 28.95 $US, and merits some consideration for gamers who use politics as an element in their games. Such a sourcebook should be of particular interest to players of Birthright, since the setting also presumes a political game.
Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com
published by Atlas Games in March of 2003
Aylott is the proprioter of a game store, the Space-Crime Continuum in Northampton, Massachusetts. Check out their web site at http://www.spacecrime.com/ His book, _Dynasties and Demagogues_, is about politics in role-playing games. Its a d20 sourcebook and includes both advice for running political campaigns and the usual character focused tweaks for operating in a specifically political enviroment, namely feats, skills, and prestige classes.
One of my favorite sections was on magic and politics. My own games tend toward fighters and rogues with some clerical support, and have been caught off guard by wizard characters' actions. While I have come up with some of the ideas described mentioned in the text on my own, it was a pleasure to find a single source which dealt much more thoroughly with this subject than I have. Overall, the book is a good reference for both DM's familiar with politics mostly by providing good mechanics, and for DM's who wouldn't know where to start with such things. The explanation for what a political campaign is and how it would work are clear and complete, without being a rigourous tome.
The book lists for 28.95 $US, and merits some consideration for gamers who use politics as an element in their games. Such a sourcebook should be of particular interest to players of Birthright, since the setting also presumes a political game.
Kenneth Gauck
kgauck@mchsi.com