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Pendragon is the game of epic role play in legendary Britain. So it say on the cover - and unlike many games that make use of words like epic and legendary, Pendragon actually is worthy of it.

The Book

Pendragon 4th edition is a huge book - at over 350 very dense pages it is packed with information. It is so packed in fact that it really is the only book you will ever need to play a Pendragon campaign. Softcover and well bound the copy I've had for years now has put up with considerable punishment without falling apart. It is one of those good heavy books that is a kick to hold for some reason - the primal nerd in me calling out in triumph at having bagged such a heavy work.

The Art.

I'll be frank - I hate a lot of the art in modern RPGs. I love abstractionist art in theory - but it does very little to help me picture an RPG world in my minds eye. I hate Imageesque buff guys with swords and tough chicks with anatomically impossible figures. SO that maybe why I love the art in this book. Clean, sharp, and very much done with an eye towards letting you visualize the medieval world of Pendragon the art of this book is a joy to behold.

The Game

Pendragon is different than many other RPGs in several ways, all of which make it unique and suited to the genre - however, not all of them are everyone's cup of tea. The biggest difference between Pendragon and most RPG's is the flow of time. If you have an adventure a year passes - which means your characters age. This lets you set the game up dynastically, so that eventually your main character grows to a man, (hopefully) does the near impossible task of rising through the feudal ranks, gains wealth, power, and fame - and then dies, retires, disappears so that his sons and daughters can take up his place. This feature takes serious getting used to - however if done properly it does lend a scope and feel to the games that is much like Malory. Time does pass and things do change - if Arthur hadn't grown old and been replaced in battle by Gawain and Lancelot, and then Gawain by Gaheris the legend just wouldn't be the same.

The second big difference is that Pendragon does not attempt to make the medieval world our world. It lets it stand as it was in Malory (not in reality - just in the real literature of the time). The nobility is a complicated knot with lots of challenges, the customs are strange at times, and people follow the rules of the day. The final big difference is that there are few character 'classes' as such. There are no thieves, bards, warriors, etc. In a typical game all the PC's will be knights. This can be good and bad. It obviously limits the PC's rolls (though there are optional rules for making magician characters and ladies they are rather problematic for using in the published scenario types). The good of it however is that it forces players to make their characters their own by their personality and play - not by their class and generic abilities. It also is appropriate to the setting - how many knights were there in Malory? How many thieves?

The Good

The best things about this game are the epic layout and the attention to detail. There are huge sections about Medieval religion, politics, travel, and lifestyle that let you play the age rather than playing at the age.

Another positive good about the game is that it is set up to allow flexibility within the Arthurian mythos. Malory's Arthur and Bradley's Mists of Avalon Arthur are two very different people. However, the game is set up in 'historical' periods that allow you to focus attention on the aspect you want. If you want a Celtic battle chief Arthur than you use the rules for the early phases, if you want the full plate clad goons of Exacalibur then you use the rules for the later phases. The only problem with this system is that you really need The Boy King to make it work.

Finally, I just have to say I love to see a game in which culture, religion, and history are all taken seriously. In many ways the tone and feel of this game is much closer to Ars Magica than to most other games.

The Bad.

There honestly is little bad about this game. The system is a bit loose - and those who like hard rules for every situation will have problems with it. And there are some real problems with fights becoming unending battles of unending dice rolls between powerful and heavily armed knights. In general though this book is solid as a brick crap house.

The Rest

Just as a warning - though I personally like it I know of several people who dislike the fact that Pendragon uses a system to quantify certain personality traits of the knights. It has traits set up as opposing pairs - such as Chaste/Lustful, and the higher one is the lower the other is. The part that creates the controversy is that players are expected to abide by the stats - and in certain situations their traits will be rolled against. This can sometimes force the player to run the character a certain way (You make your lustful roll and you sleep with Morgan Le Fey - it doesn't matter how bad an idea you as the player think it is).

Conclusion

Pendragon is the game, the one, the only game for playing Arthur. If you are a fan of the genre get this game, do not stop, do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Pendragon 4th Edition
Author: Greg Stafford with Sam Shirley Category: game Company/Publisher: Green Knight (Formerly Chaosium) Cost: $26.95 Page count: 351 ISBN: 1-56882-006-2 Capsule Review by Brand (Ambros) Robins on 02/10/99. Genre tags: Fantasy Historical	Pendragon is the game of epic role play in legendary Britain. So it say on the cover - and unlike many games that make use of words like epic and legendary, Pendragon actually is worthy of it. *The Book* Pendragon 4th edition is a huge book - at over 350 very dense pages it is packed with information. It is so packed in fact that it really is the only book you will ever need to play a Pendragon campaign. Softcover and well bound the copy I've had for years now has put up with considerable punishment without falling apart. It is one of those good heavy books that is a kick to hold for some reason - the primal nerd in me calling out in triumph at having bagged such a heavy work. *The Art.* I'll be frank - I hate a lot of the art in modern RPGs. I love abstractionist art in theory - but it does very little to help me picture an RPG world in my minds eye. I hate Imageesque buff guys with swords and tough chicks with anatomically impossible figures. SO that maybe why I love the art in this book. Clean, sharp, and very much done with an eye towards letting you visualize the medieval world of Pendragon the art of this book is a joy to behold. *The Game* Pendragon is different than many other RPGs in several ways, all of which make it unique and suited to the genre - however, not all of them are everyone's cup of tea. The biggest difference between Pendragon and most RPG's is the flow of time. If you have an adventure a year passes - which means your characters age. This lets you set the game up dynastically, so that eventually your main character grows to a man, (hopefully) does the near impossible task of rising through the feudal ranks, gains wealth, power, and fame - and then dies, retires, disappears so that his sons and daughters can take up his place. This feature takes serious getting used to - however if done properly it does lend a scope and feel to the games that is much like Malory. Time does pass and things do change - if Arthur hadn't grown old and been replaced in battle by Gawain and Lancelot, and then Gawain by Gaheris the legend just wouldn't be the same. The second big difference is that Pendragon does not attempt to make the medieval world our world. It lets it stand as it was in Malory (not in reality - just in the real literature of the time). The nobility is a complicated knot with lots of challenges, the customs are strange at times, and people follow the rules of the day. The final big difference is that there are few character 'classes' as such. There are no thieves, bards, warriors, etc. In a typical game all the PC's will be knights. This can be good and bad. It obviously limits the PC's rolls (though there are optional rules for making magician characters and ladies they are rather problematic for using in the published scenario types). The good of it however is that it forces players to make their characters their own by their personality and play - not by their class and generic abilities. It also is appropriate to the setting - how many knights were there in Malory? How many thieves? *The Good* The best things about this game are the epic layout and the attention to detail. There are huge sections about Medieval religion, politics, travel, and lifestyle that let you play the age rather than playing at the age. Another positive good about the game is that it is set up to allow flexibility within the Arthurian mythos. Malory's Arthur and Bradley's Mists of Avalon Arthur are two very different people. However, the game is set up in 'historical' periods that allow you to focus attention on the aspect you want. If you want a Celtic battle chief Arthur than you use the rules for the early phases, if you want the full plate clad goons of Exacalibur then you use the rules for the later phases. The only problem with this system is that you really need The Boy King to make it work. Finally, I just have to say I love to see a game in which culture, religion, and history are all taken seriously. In many ways the tone and feel of this game is much closer to Ars Magica than to most other games. *The Bad.* There honestly is little bad about this game. The system is a bit loose - and those who like hard rules for every situation will have problems with it. And there are some real problems with fights becoming unending battles of unending dice rolls between powerful and heavily armed knights. In general though this book is solid as a brick crap house. *The Rest* Just as a warning - though I personally like it I know of several people who dislike the fact that Pendragon uses a system to quantify certain personality traits of the knights. It has traits set up as opposing pairs - such as Chaste/Lustful, and the higher one is the lower the other is. The part that creates the controversy is that players are expected to abide by the stats - and in certain situations their traits will be rolled against. This can sometimes force the player to run the character a certain way (You make your lustful roll and you sleep with Morgan Le Fey - it doesn't matter how bad an idea you as the player think it is). Conclusion Pendragon is the game, the one, the only game for playing Arthur. If you are a fan of the genre get this game, do not stop, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Pendragon 4th Edition