Deadlands Players' Guide [Englisch] [Broschiert]

This game is set in an alternative past, where ghosts and monsters have been loosed upon the wild west ... and magic as well. A posse of heroes tracks down horrors and deals with them, in an attempt to restore order to the west (or for the bounty).

Game mechanics offer you considerable variety in what sorts of heroes you may play, and clever use is made of cards in addition to dice during play. The background is rich -- and quirky -- exploring relatively new territory in fantasy environments.

On the downside, in order to get into this game, you pretty much need both this hardcover as well as the Marshal's Handbook... (And that doesn't count sourcebooks expanding upon the abilities of various special character types.)

You'll also need poker chips, a deck of playing cards, and a wide range of dice (d4s, d6s, d8s, d10s, d12s and d20s in multiples), in addition to typical RPG supplies. The line of gaming miniatures supporting this game are of fair to middling quality ... and given the unique nature of this game's setting, you'll probably be hard pressed to find alternative gunslinger miniatures from other game companies.

Overall, though, I've had a pretty good time playing this game so far. While there are certain character archetypes presented (law man; prospector; saloon gal; gunslinger; huckster; preacher; indian warrior; etc.), you are given a pretty good amount of freedom in what sort of hero you can play. The pseudo-historic setting gives the Marshal (referee) a chance to mine many sources for inspiration for adventures -- traditional westerns, historical literature, the works of Jules Verne, Wild Wild West, and horror stories, for instance. Played with a properly tongue-in-cheek attitude, this game can provide one mighty fun time. =)

From a reader's point of view, the books offer an entertaining look at what might have been, but thankfully did not come to pass in the years following the U.S. Civil War. The book is written in an evocative, cheerfully irreverent style that goes down easily, and the mixture of historical events and speculative fiction makes a compelling setting which interested gamers can explore and even expand upon.

For those unfamilliar with the genre, role-playing is a hobby not unlike amateur theatre or watching a movie, except that the players are active participants in the drama as it unfolds, each taking the part of one of the heroes of the piece, under the direction of an arbiter, or Marshal, a role which can itself be tremendously rewarding.

My only regret concerning the Deadlands line (of which this book is the flagship product) is that I didn't get into it sooner. It is cleverly designed, its mechanics wonderfully redolent of the frontier myths popularized by the likes of Clint Eastwood, yet eminently playable.

Parents, role-playing is a wonderful pastime for children, ages twelve and up. It encourages literacy, creative thinking, free expression and sociability. Furthermore, characters in a Deadlands saga are heroes, and are encouraged to act as such. Games like this are far more wholesome than the majority of the video games currently on the market, and teach valuable life skills without being obvious about it.

Fellow gamers, give Deadlans a try. I guarantee you won't regret it.

Finally, the people at Pinnacle Entertainment (publishers of this book) are very responsive to reader questions and comments, and go out of their way to make playing Deadlands a memorable experience. Their contact information is in the book, and I urge you to let them know what you think of their work.

Thus begins the introduction on the back over of the Player's Guide to a setting full of cowboys, indians, gamblers, preachers, and assorted other mysterious beings.

This game provides a rich setting that even the nongamers can enjoy simply by reading the text. I have rarely seen a book that is written in such a format. The background section takes the form of a newspaper titled "The Tombstone Epitaph," a paper of the period. The basic character types are clearly defined here and a rudimentary set of powers is given. In order to get more complete information other supplemental books will need to be purchased, but that is par for the RP industry.

All you need as a player is this book, possibly a deck of cards, and some dice. That's it. The Marshal (GM) will have other responsibilities but that's it for you pardner.

I would strongly recommend this game as it can be run like a Clint Eastwood or John Wayne movie or more like Brisco County Jr. The possibilities are limitless.

BTW, one vast improvement of this version over the 2nd edition books is that this book has an index. Believe me this makes a world of difference.