The Inside Scoop on Gaming

"This is a place of high fantasy where the Authurian legacy of grand chivalry is mixed, like a potent elixir, with the steel of super-heroes."

So describes the World of Providence... I guess. You see, contrary to the opening flavor text, the "Introductory Primer", that's not really what this book is about. The Providence Main Rule Book, is just that, a book of rules. Basically a generic system wrapped in the cloak of the Providence line. We are led to believe that this is THE Providence rules system, yet we are assualted throughout the book with generic terminology and references that just don't seem to mesh with the look and feel the authors are trying to convey.

Physically, the book is presented very well. It consists of 271 (the page count indicates 264, but the numbering starts on 3 about 10 pages in) perfect bound glossy pages, styled to look like ragged edged paper,with about a 1/2" margin throughout. There is a color insert, the primer, at the front that diverges from the style of the rest of the book, but it is clearly a separate piece. The typeface is consistent and readable, and the pages laid out fairly well. The artwork is fairliy plentiful (an avg of about 1/2 pg per 2 page spread), and consists mostly of average to above average line art.

Each chapter is clearly delineated by a piece of full page of artwork coupled with an appropriate piece of the continuing story that runs throughout. The story is fairly straightforward, and does a respectable job of presenting the appropriate concepts.

Overall, it gets a 4 for style

It's the Substance, however, where this book begins to lose some of its charm. Regardless of whether one judges the substance on personal opinion or on what the writers were trying to do, this book fails to deliver for the same reasons, the system and the writing.

The system fails because it feels generic and arbitrary. It is not nearly epic enough to convey the feel of the mighty superheroic characters it is trying to model.

A character consists of 10 characteristics that cover the range of Body, Mind, and Soul. With values that from -3 to +3. Add to that, a handful of moderately specific skills (sword, dagger) that range from 0-6.

There are also powers, "Shards", which a character is born with. As well as spells, "Wird Powers", that characters can learn if properly trained to manipulate Wird (mana). Both of which are based on the four elements. Toss in traits for merits and flaws, Troupials for different races, and castes for societal differentiation, and you have a complete character.

The resolution is unique, but seems it would have a tendency to average out. 2d10 is always rolled, regardless of the situation. Tasks are resolved by adding your skill+characteristic to get a # of dice. If the total is greater than 2, then each additional die gives you +2 to your 2d10 roll. If the total is less than 2, you get a -2/die modifier to your 2d10 roll. You then roll, apply modifiers, and compare to a target number.

Combat is basically a complicated skill check. However, there is an additional step to determine the target number. You figure the die total for each opponent, with the difference between the two added as a modifier to the base combat target number of 7. Combat rounds are divided into 1 sec. segments. Tbe segments you act on is determined by your (initiative roll+your coordination)-10. Damage is determined on a damage table, and applied to your body stat. It's not a bad system, and has some unique ideas, but the using generic examples throughout, it doesn't feel as unique as it could.

The writing really holds it back in several spots. An example of the generic nature of the rules can be found in the description of the athletics skill:

..."Any sport uses Athletics as its Skill and, as such, characters may choose to specialize in a specific athletic pursuit, such as basketball, hockey, or gymnastics."

Hockey? Basketball? It just seems to me that if the writers really wished this to be "THE" Providence system, there are likely to be more world-specific examples they could use. I doubt that you'd find a mention of hockey anywhere in a system like Deadlands which is very integrated to its setting.

The other area that the writing complicates things is with its lack of detail. For example, in the magic chapter, we are told in one sentence that a character can't have both Wird Powers and Shards. Why? No explanation is given. Additionally, we are told that there are many ideas on how Wird works, and how it is manipulated. It is then left at that. There is no supplementary information given the GM to help him arbitrate such issues. We are later informed that there are six "distinctions" among the magic users,with each manipulating Wird differently. There is a brief introduction to each, but not enough information to really flesh each individually.

In the back of the book, we are actually presented with 17 pages of background material, but it's not really enough to even scratch the surface. In addition, it suffers from the same lack of detail that pervades other parts of the book.

Overall, this book suffers from a kind of schizophrenia, with so many authors credited, it's not hard to see why. It's almost as if XID couldn't decide exaclty what they wanted to print. If they wanted a generic system, that's fine, but they should publish it as that. If they want THE Providence system, then they should attempt to tie it more closely to the background, and probably combine it with the "Main World Book" so that everything is in one. I understand that the goal is to allow you to purchase the pieces separately if you wish, but this book seems a bit pricey for what it includes.

It gets a 2 for substance, not because of what is there, but because of what isn't.

If the world of Providence interests you, I would pick up the "Main World Book", and probably bypass this one, then pick your favorite system, and throw it in.

This isn't a terrible book by any means, I just feel that it is a bit misguided, and confused.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 2 (Sparse)

The Providence Main Rule Book
Author: Richard Binek, Nicolas Jequier, Jeff Mackintosh, Michael Scott, and Lucien Soulban. Category: game Company/Publisher: XID Creative Line: Providence Cost: $29.95 Page count: 271 ISBN: 0-9682942-0-0 Capsule Review by Michael on 05/18/99. Genre tags: none	"This is a place of high fantasy where the Authurian legacy of grand chivalry is mixed, like a potent elixir, with the steel of super-heroes." So describes the World of Providence... I guess. You see, contrary to the opening flavor text, the "Introductory Primer", that's not really what this book is about. The Providence Main Rule Book, is just that, a book of rules. Basically a generic system wrapped in the cloak of the Providence line. We are led to believe that this is THE Providence rules system, yet we are assualted throughout the book with generic terminology and references that just don't seem to mesh with the look and feel the authors are trying to convey. Physically, the book is presented very well. It consists of 271 (the page count indicates 264, but the numbering starts on 3 about 10 pages in) perfect bound glossy pages, styled to look like ragged edged paper,with about a 1/2" margin throughout. There is a color insert, the primer, at the front that diverges from the style of the rest of the book, but it is clearly a separate piece. The typeface is consistent and readable, and the pages laid out fairly well. The artwork is fairliy plentiful (an avg of about 1/2 pg per 2 page spread), and consists mostly of average to above average line art. Each chapter is clearly delineated by a piece of full page of artwork coupled with an appropriate piece of the continuing story that runs throughout. The story is fairly straightforward, and does a respectable job of presenting the appropriate concepts. Overall, it gets a 4 for style It's the Substance, however, where this book begins to lose some of its charm. Regardless of whether one judges the substance on personal opinion or on what the writers were trying to do, this book fails to deliver for the same reasons, the system and the writing. The system fails because it feels generic and arbitrary. It is not nearly epic enough to convey the feel of the mighty superheroic characters it is trying to model. A character consists of 10 characteristics that cover the range of Body, Mind, and Soul. With values that from -3 to +3. Add to that, a handful of moderately specific skills (sword, dagger) that range from 0-6. There are also powers, "Shards", which a character is born with. As well as spells, "Wird Powers", that characters can learn if properly trained to manipulate Wird (mana). Both of which are based on the four elements. Toss in traits for merits and flaws, Troupials for different races, and castes for societal differentiation, and you have a complete character. The resolution is unique, but seems it would have a tendency to average out. 2d10 is always rolled, regardless of the situation. Tasks are resolved by adding your skill+characteristic to get a # of dice. If the total is greater than 2, then each additional die gives you +2 to your 2d10 roll. If the total is less than 2, you get a -2/die modifier to your 2d10 roll. You then roll, apply modifiers, and compare to a target number. Combat is basically a complicated skill check. However, there is an additional step to determine the target number. You figure the die total for each opponent, with the difference between the two added as a modifier to the base combat target number of 7. Combat rounds are divided into 1 sec. segments. Tbe segments you act on is determined by your (initiative roll+your coordination)-10. Damage is determined on a damage table, and applied to your body stat. It's not a bad system, and has some unique ideas, but the using generic examples throughout, it doesn't feel as unique as it could. The writing really holds it back in several spots. An example of the generic nature of the rules can be found in the description of the athletics skill: ..."Any sport uses Athletics as its Skill and, as such, characters may choose to specialize in a specific athletic pursuit, such as basketball, hockey, or gymnastics." Hockey? Basketball? It just seems to me that if the writers really wished this to be "THE" Providence system, there are likely to be more world-specific examples they could use. I doubt that you'd find a mention of hockey anywhere in a system like Deadlands which is very integrated to its setting. The other area that the writing complicates things is with its lack of detail. For example, in the magic chapter, we are told in one sentence that a character can't have both Wird Powers and Shards. Why? No explanation is given. Additionally, we are told that there are many ideas on how Wird works, and how it is manipulated. It is then left at that. There is no supplementary information given the GM to help him arbitrate such issues. We are later informed that there are six "distinctions" among the magic users,with each manipulating Wird differently. There is a brief introduction to each, but not enough information to really flesh each individually. In the back of the book, we are actually presented with 17 pages of background material, but it's not really enough to even scratch the surface. In addition, it suffers from the same lack of detail that pervades other parts of the book. Overall, this book suffers from a kind of schizophrenia, with so many authors credited, it's not hard to see why. It's almost as if XID couldn't decide exaclty what they wanted to print. If they wanted a generic system, that's fine, but they should publish it as that. If they want THE Providence system, then they should attempt to tie it more closely to the background, and probably combine it with the "Main World Book" so that everything is in one. I understand that the goal is to allow you to purchase the pieces separately if you wish, but this book seems a bit pricey for what it includes. It gets a 2 for substance, not because of what is there, but because of what isn't. If the world of Providence interests you, I would pick up the "Main World Book", and probably bypass this one, then pick your favorite system, and throw it in. This isn't a terrible book by any means, I just feel that it is a bit misguided, and confused. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 2 (Sparse)