OSR Commentary On Autarch's Ascendant Rpg & Some Thoughts on The Rpg's Supernatural Factions

 Let's pick up on the Ascendant Rpg from where we left off on the blog. And look at  the Ascendant rpg system  & dive into some of the ins and outs what makes game work. For me it's the combination of classic Marvel Super Heroes & DC Heroes rpg system goodness with an Autarch spin work. 

Lurking below the surface of Ascendant is the setting conceit of the 'Gods & Champions of Old Returning' to the modern world. Make no mistake that this isn't 'the world's most popular rpg' even though Ascendant can do fantasy with little issue. Where Ascendant actually shines is in it's handling of squad level action. For those who own Ascendant notice how the militaries are protrayed in the game. This isn't a mistake on the writer's part. Ascendant is meant to handle small squad actions with super humans. Mercenary units, rogue nations, militaries, and even corporations are going to be very interested in super humans. And this is especially going to be true of PC's. Ascendant PC's are also going to be able to bring military assets of thier own this is especially true of mercenary units. 

A band of  Ascendant characters could well be able to handle both civilan and long term military contractors. The balance of power has shifted in the world of Ascendant. And I don't think that even the world of the supernatural is going to be ready for such a shift. 

Ascendant has a very advanced form of necromancy and several other powers that mimic the rise of the supernatural within the world of Ascendant. And Autarch has indicated that there will be more supernatural supplements coming up.
The supernatural factions within Ascendant have not been quiet at all. And in point of fact have been making waves in pop culture and the media.  This puts the spot light deeply on to these factions in certain areas. And it's the Ascendant factions that Alexander Marcis dive into in this interview from 2022. 

 

If we're looking deeper into the game the factional play is as complex & varied as Autarch's ACK's but we're comparing apples & oranges here. The bottom line is how Ascendant handles it's world & itself. But we'll get into more of that next time. 

OSR Commentary On Autarch's Ascendant Rpg & Some Thoughts on The Rpg

 So over the weekend I had a chance on Sunday to take another look at  the Ascendant Rpg.  Now I'd swear everytime someone takes on an rpg someone else has to suddenly pick it up in the hobby zietgeist on social media or the internet. 

So over the weekend I started rereading the Ascendant rule book. And it's a pretty clear & concise rules set up. I really love the mechanics of this game. If we look at the Drivethrurpg review of D.M. from 09/29/2022 he's got a pretty solid break down of the of the internal mechanic of the Ascendant system; "It looked complicated at first, but actually it's not a hard game to learn. The core mechanic is simple enough: AV + Hero Points vs DV + Hero Points = RV. Check that RV on the CHART, and roll a d100 to see what color result you get. Once we had that down it was very fast to use in play--by the end of the night a round of combat was going as fast as D&D, and we've spent years using d20 systems." 
And what this brings up is the fact that Ascendant is excellent for running squad level super hero rpg adventures. The secret too this is the way that the game handles it's mechanics and does it with a sly bit of maths & moving things right over into the hands of the DM. (Sorry I'm a dungeon master & not a game master. It's a bit of the OSR grognard in me folks). All of this goes deeply into the PC creation mechanics of the Ascendant rpg again referencing back into D.M.'s review here; "I liked that the system has both a simple and complex method of character creation. Half my group just sent me a concept and wanted me to make their PC for them since it was a new system, and the other two are the kind who enjoy the process of chargen as much as they do playing the game. (One of them is a recovering D&D 3.5 minmaxer.) I found character creation a bit complicated but was able to knock it out reasonably quickly with the simple method. The two players I mentioned said they had a good time diving through all the powers and perks and planning out their character designs--they liked the variety of powers and different ways to tweak them. Also important to me as the GM was that the complex method of chargen didn't mean that their characters were out of place in the same campaign as the ones I built with the simple method."  So why are  not doing more Ascendant rpg content Eric?! I'm glad you asked disembodied voice in my head. The real factor for me has been time. These days I have little of it. But after watching this actual play through with Alexand Marius I need to get back into Ascendant. 

The real factor is that as a DM I wanna create my own super heroes and universe coming up. There's a ton of idea that are roiling through my head after watching this play through. 

Ascendant Rpg System & Campaign Commentary

 So Autarch LLC & I go back a long way now. And most of the time myself & my players have been dealing with the Adventurer, Conqueror, King rpg. And it's been enjoyable run. With that being said there's been a nagging on me to run the Ascendant rpg. And over the last week and a half there's a new Kickstarter going for a Ascendant: Platinum Edition.The truth is that I've gotta wait till pay day and that's fine with me which means over the weekend or the early part of next week. 

So when it comes to Ascendant one can't be afraid of crunch because this supers game has crunch for miles & miles. This is fine with me because I'm a systems & crunch monster. Besides this Ascendant is a step up from both the TSR Marvel Superheroes & DC Heroes rpg because Ascendant's system has aspects of both. The rpg balance however is completely different. And so is the Ascendant universe. 

The real heart of Ascendant is the mathmatics behind the system. And they cover a huge range of material within this monster of a rulebook. Powers, PC creation, etc are all based around these mathmatics & systems. This isn't a bad thing but the game requires a bit of a learning curve.

According to D.M. review on Drivethrurpg:"Just gave this a spin with my group for our final session of 2021, and we REALLY liked it.

It looked complicated at first, but actually it's not a hard game to learn. The core mechanic is simple enough: AV + Hero Points vs DV + Hero Points = RV. Check that RV on the CHART, and roll a d100 to see what color result you get. Once we had that down it was very fast to use in play--by the end of the night a round of combat was going as fast as D&D, and we've spent years using d20 systems.

We thought the SPs lining up with real-world numbers was cool. I like to run more simulationist-style campaigns in general, and my players like the idea of being able to see what the heroes they made would actually be capable of rather than just me riffing the results. The section on non-combat challenges looks like a very usable and thorough reference for me as the GM, though I haven't used it much yet (the first session was mostly combat to get the hang of the system)." 
So Why I'm I quoting this review here?! Because said review covers the hang up for a group of dedicated Marvel Super Heroes rpg players. Moving them into another system that emulates and yet is very different from both TSR Marvel Superheroes & DC Heroes rpg. Ascendant is a totally cool and yet very different beast from either of the former rpg's. 

So it doesn't take a genius to see that an ACK's campaign could theoritically be ported over to the 2023 world of Ascendant. And this is something that we're currently investigating right now within our group. 
And no I don't want to come onto a Discord to say how awesome Ascendant is. My group knows this but currently what we're trying too figure out is work  scheduling with players. 

Then there's the metric ton of Marvel and DC Heroes sourcebooks that I've got that are going to get a work out. We're looking to have our four or five DM's that I'm a part of doing a workshop to get our world ironed out. That's coming up. 

Review & Commentary On Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer By Mark Charters, & Alexander Macris For The Ascendant Rpg

 "A heatwave has been scorching America’s East Coast and cities up and down the coast have seen mass protests and riots. None has fared as badly as Capital City, Delaware where rising tempers, rising temperatures, and rising crime rates have made life hellish all summer long. Now things are about to get a lot worse. This morning, five police officers making a routine drug bust died at the hands of ascended criminals. The CCPD has called on every superhero in the city to hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice. But while the heroes investigate the shady side of Capital City, the perpetrators have other plans, plans that will bring the city to its knees…"

"Capital City Casefiles is a series of scenarios for Ascendant, the superpowered role-playing game of infinite possibilities. Each Casefile offers a single Issue of exciting play for a group of metropolitan metahumans with Power Levels ranging from 18 to 22 and a collective challenge rating of between 100 and 150 points."

"These scenarios can be played in any order and are designed to be easy to run with any type of heroes, be they super-powered police, costumed crimefighters, or underground antiheroes. The Casefiles are set in Capital City, Delaware, a fictional city first introduced in the Ascendant rulebook and detailed in the Capital City Gazetteer and Map Set (available separately from Autarch). But don’t worry – if you’re not interested in playing in Capital City, you can easily adapt the scenarios to your city of choice. Capital City can be Chicago, Detroit, or New York. It can be your hometown with a fresh coat of graffiti and a layer of rust and grime."

Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer By Mark Charters, & Alexander Macris is one of those touch stone & campaign kick off adventures. Clocking in at only twenty seven pages. Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer comes off like a smoking hot adventure scenario anthology reminding me of both DC Heroes RPG & classic TSR Marvel Superheroes. But belong to neither came as it plugs into it's own universe. The Ascendant Rpg is a complicated beast of a role playing game and it's one that deserves far more attention that it's getting. What Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer does is add far more attention to the core aspects of Ascendant by bring us a chain of adventures that can be connected to your own Ascendant campaign. These can be modified & scaled to your campaign as you see it within the 100 to 150 point range. 

Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer reminds me of those Eighties Marvel interconnected comic book Summer special events. The classics like Atlantis Attacks or the Daredevil saga which could be read straight through or piece meal as you got them. Here the Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer  can be played as the sessions dictate. These sessions  generate the campaign through actual play & this is really important. 
There are adventures found within Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer that take this formula & add the role playing element because your PC capes & heroes are front and center within it. As it should be within The Ascendant Rpg & this is a solid collection of adventures that take full advantage of the The Ascendant Rpg system. As it should be for a super hero adventure anthology that rides the rails between full on beat down & thinking man's adventure. Is Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer good?! Yes because this is an essential book for  The Ascendant Rpg system building solid universe foundation adventures for your own campaigns. 

The Capital City Casefiles #1: High Summer By Mark Charters, & Alexander Macris For The Ascendant Rpg Is Available Right Here 

OSR Commentary On ' By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization' By Autarch LLC Kickstarter For ACK's & Other OSR Rpg's

 Today Alexander Marcus has threw the By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization By Autarch LLC For OSR Rpg's Kickstarter with  our way that is making it very hard to keep our pocketbooks closed. By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization is two hundred pages of full on OSR Dwarven lore! The By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization book is abosolutely loaded for the Dwarven oriented DM's & players! 

 By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization is the end all book of all things Dwarven for the Adventurer, Conqueror, King rpg! How do I know this because of the way that By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization is writen & the point of view is from a Sage of the Tower of Knowledge; "All of the lore in By This Axe is presented by a point of view character, a sage from the Tower of Knowledge of the Auran Empire named Sürcaneus. Sürcaneus is the self-proclaimed inventor of Dwarrology, the study of dwarves. All of Chapter 2 is presented in character, and any backstory or setting material in the later chapters is from his point of view, too. Using Sürcaneus as our point of view narrator offered several benefits:

• Since Sürcaneus is a human writing about dwarves for a human audience, adopting his viewpoint allows us to focus on what makes dwarves different and gloss over all those areas where dwarves are just like humans.
• Since Sürcaneus is a sage in the world, rather than an omniscient worldbuilder outside of it, his knowledge is incomplete. This allows us to leave some facets of the dwarves open for interpretation or customization. It also means he can be wrong. The possibility of error allows Judges to simply ignore anything they disagree with.
• Since Sürcaneus’s writing exists in the world, it makes it possible for his writings to be discovered in the campaign, or given to players as in-character background information.
• Since Sürcaneus is a cross between a Greek natural philosopher and a Victorian anthropologist, it allows us to bring some humor to the writing. As a sage, he’s very smart but also very parochial; he tries to be magnanimous, but often comes off as smug. And the dwarves are, in many cases, messing with him. He was fun to write, and we hope you’ll enjoy his point of view, warts and all.

While written with our own Auran Empire campaign setting in mind, the dwarven lore is applicable to any other setting that includes traditional fantasy dwarves. Here are some samples from Sürcaneus's Dwarrology. " And all of the classic Dwarven elements from popculture, fantasy literature, movies, and more has been woven into this book. And this includes the Bitter War between the Dwarves & Elves. 

And this sort of a mythology & legendary status has been written into the very DNA of By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization. This is something we've seen in other ACK's kickstarters. By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization  has the advantage over other ACK's books because it takes it's que's from other OSR systems being fully compatible with even BCEMI D&D & other OSR systems. By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization  represents a very interesting direction for Auran Empire campaign setting. By the end of the week my bid for this kickstarter will be in! 

You can back the By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization By Autarch LLC Kickstarter For Adventurer, Conqueror, King  & Other OSR Rpg's Here