The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Scimitar Review

What is Scimitar?

Scimitar is a new fantasy roleplaying game recently released in a commercial edition by L&C Games of Scotland. Produced only on CDROM it is published in Adobes PDF file format making it accessible to most people with a PC. Acrobat Reader is required to read these files but the reader comes on the CDROM. Aimed at keeping overheads and publishing costs down further supplements will be in PDF format as well. If purchased together all the supplements and rules are placed on one CD. Scimitar retails for 6GBP ($9 approx) plus shipping. Supplements have been priced at 3GBP ($5 approx).

The Setting

Scimitar is set in a small fantasy continent called Thayathorn. The world has a vast mixture of races and cultures ranging from the Silash, an elven-like race of primitive tribes, to the Kingdom of Trunia, a pseudo-Victorian kingdom with some technology meshed with a scientific use of magic. What is refreshing about Scimitar as I first read through it is the tone of originality placed on the races. Although many may well seem familiar the designer has added fresh ideas to them. For instance, the Silash although elven like, are as faraway from Tolkiens High Elves as you will ever find. Primitive savages their method of gaining greater magic is to mutilate their bodies and sacrifice body parts. Their view of the world is not altruistic but savage and uncompromising. The Randeshi, a race of small shape-changing humans are not underground dwellers but a broken race of wanderers who one held the secret of technology.

The cultures are quite wide in type, on the west coast a mixture of Roman and Grecian inspired city states and to the south a large oriental empire called Greater Kell. On the east coast lie the "European" states of Trunia and the City States and in Central Thayathorn lie the Silash Kingdoms and a smattering of backward Celtic like cultures. To the north lie the tundra wastes occupied by tribes and the former Randeshi homelands. All this in one continent I think allows for almost any type of campaign and isn't too expansive a setting.

The one complaint I have with this though is more in-depth information on the kingdoms. Although these will be dealt with in future supplements I feel the core rulebook could have had more information. Racial and country information is separated in 2 areas and the layout and production makes it a bit hard to find the relevant information. An index could have been useful and perhaps a chapter numbering system as used in Harnmaster products (Columbia games). With the fact the rulebook is on CD ROM a few more pages could have been added at little cost.

Scimitar tries to relay the fact that is aimed at roleplaying and having played a few games the races do open up possibilities. The Silash barbarism mixed with the Victorian/feudal values of the Trunians seems to work well. All the races seem to have their own mystique and nature. Getting to grips with Randeshi refugees as they try to settle into a new way of life poses challenges. The mixture of technology (muskets, trains and ironclads) with the frequent use of magic is unfamiliar at first and takes a bit of getting used to. In one game I was faced with attacking a Adept Mage of Trunia expecting to be attacked by spells and spirits. Instead he drew a pistol and shot me!!.

The System

Scimitar uses the most common dice available, the d6. The dicing conventions are new but after a few games easily mastered. The game uses the "roll against target number" approach which in this game works.

To determine a skill roll, you roll two six sided dice. Either you may add the level of your skill or the gm will give you a number to add or subtract from this. This number however is added to both dice. The player reroll's all sixes and again adds his skill to each dice. He may keep rerolling sixes indefinitely, though after 6 sixes the matter is academic as he will achieve any required target number.

Characters are made up 12 attributes, 4 primary and 8 secondary, the primary rolls having a direct effect on the secondary scores. Each attributes generates a dice modifier used for skill rolls and attribute checks.

The skill system is defined by characters choosing skill clusters, groups of skills directly rated to their occupation or social standing. 5 skill clusters are chosen in matter of priority and depending on the priority skills are cheaper to buy and expand in different clusters. The more important the cluster the cheaper it is to gain experience in later games.

Skill points are defined by the characters and these are spent on skills chosen. e.g. a character who is 18 years old and playing a normal campaign would receive three times his age or 36 skill points to spend in initial generation. The amount given can be changed if you wish to play more heroic campaigns up to a maximum of 5x the PC's age.

Career templates are available to help the initial player choose the right skill clusters. I liked this idea of almost complete freedom to build your own character but with the option of careers to steer the PC in the right direction. The rules provide templates for all the races and generalized ones as well.

The combat system is fairly easy to get to grips with but PC's have the option of using "swing points" to influence attacks, speed of attack, damage or defense. The swing point system was a little hard to get used to and a few combat examples would have been suitable. Fans of hit locations and descriptive wounds will like the system. Although initial damage is in number it is given a description such as critical or moderate wound and with a creative GM greatly enhances the feeling of "being there" and "being hit". There are more than enough weapons given and as with each race the cultural weapons are described. Some interesting ideas such as the Randeshi Axe - Battle Ka which is weighted inside the haft to provide extra punch in the swing or the witch wood weapons of the Silash which poison on contact and if broken can be pushed into the earth and regrown overnight. Guns are also prevalent with matchlocks and flintlocks. Just don't try and reload in front of a charging Norker as I found out to my detriment.

Magic is in the forms of Hermetic (Spells, Sorcery), Devotional (Religious), Runic (Symbols and engravings) and Spiritual (Shamanism) and others. I like the magic in this game. It isn't all powerful and has a naturalistic feel to it but there's not enough!!!!!. Spell descriptions are in the game but I would have wanted more. Depending on what career you take the power can be limited. The Talents section is unique I think. The designer seems to have taken the Cantrip spell in AD&D and expanded it. If PC's have a high magical attribute (Aura) they can inherit natural Talents. None of these are powerful but are useful...

e.g. The ability of Drewifus - This ability allows the user to momentarily remove all feelings of pain. The pain will return again quickly (1 or 2 minutes), though in that time the user may perform tasks unable to perform under pain.

There are 36 in total and I wish the rest of the magic contained as much.

Overall the system lends itself to limited dice rolling except in combat and this only for wound resolution and location. Skill rolls are only needed in "stressful or difficult situations". A more streamlined layout would help things immensely but perhaps this will be fixed in future editions.

Conclusion

Good Points

Simple system with scope to add more

Original Background with that familiar feeling

Cheap to buy and expand - Entire rules and 2 sourcebooks for $25

Bad Points

More Magic please

Only available on CDROM for Windows 95/98/3.1, no hard copy available

No Index and a slightly confusing layout helped at least by the search facility on Acrobat Reader

Contact info: L & C Games website, www.madasafish.com/lance/. Scimitar RPG, www.madasafish.com/lance/scim.htm

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Scimitar RPG
Author: Ewan Murray Category: game Company/Publisher: L & C Games Line: Scimitar RPG Cost: 9.00USD (6.00GBP) Page count: 184 SKU: Scim1 Playtest Review by Richard Talbot on 02/24/00. Genre tags: Fantasy	Scimitar Review What is Scimitar? Scimitar is a new fantasy roleplaying game recently released in a commercial edition by L&C Games of Scotland. Produced only on CDROM it is published in Adobes PDF file format making it accessible to most people with a PC. Acrobat Reader is required to read these files but the reader comes on the CDROM. Aimed at keeping overheads and publishing costs down further supplements will be in PDF format as well. If purchased together all the supplements and rules are placed on one CD. Scimitar retails for 6GBP ($9 approx) plus shipping. Supplements have been priced at 3GBP ($5 approx). The Setting Scimitar is set in a small fantasy continent called Thayathorn. The world has a vast mixture of races and cultures ranging from the Silash, an elven-like race of primitive tribes, to the Kingdom of Trunia, a pseudo-Victorian kingdom with some technology meshed with a scientific use of magic. What is refreshing about Scimitar as I first read through it is the tone of originality placed on the races. Although many may well seem familiar the designer has added fresh ideas to them. For instance, the Silash although elven like, are as faraway from Tolkiens High Elves as you will ever find. Primitive savages their method of gaining greater magic is to mutilate their bodies and sacrifice body parts. Their view of the world is not altruistic but savage and uncompromising. The Randeshi, a race of small shape-changing humans are not underground dwellers but a broken race of wanderers who one held the secret of technology. The cultures are quite wide in type, on the west coast a mixture of Roman and Grecian inspired city states and to the south a large oriental empire called Greater Kell. On the east coast lie the "European" states of Trunia and the City States and in Central Thayathorn lie the Silash Kingdoms and a smattering of backward Celtic like cultures. To the north lie the tundra wastes occupied by tribes and the former Randeshi homelands. All this in one continent I think allows for almost any type of campaign and isn't too expansive a setting. The one complaint I have with this though is more in-depth information on the kingdoms. Although these will be dealt with in future supplements I feel the core rulebook could have had more information. Racial and country information is separated in 2 areas and the layout and production makes it a bit hard to find the relevant information. An index could have been useful and perhaps a chapter numbering system as used in Harnmaster products (Columbia games). With the fact the rulebook is on CD ROM a few more pages could have been added at little cost. Scimitar tries to relay the fact that is aimed at roleplaying and having played a few games the races do open up possibilities. The Silash barbarism mixed with the Victorian/feudal values of the Trunians seems to work well. All the races seem to have their own mystique and nature. Getting to grips with Randeshi refugees as they try to settle into a new way of life poses challenges. The mixture of technology (muskets, trains and ironclads) with the frequent use of magic is unfamiliar at first and takes a bit of getting used to. In one game I was faced with attacking a Adept Mage of Trunia expecting to be attacked by spells and spirits. Instead he drew a pistol and shot me!!. The System Scimitar uses the most common dice available, the d6. The dicing conventions are new but after a few games easily mastered. The game uses the "roll against target number" approach which in this game works. To determine a skill roll, you roll two six sided dice. Either you may add the level of your skill or the gm will give you a number to add or subtract from this. This number however is added to both dice. The player reroll's all sixes and again adds his skill to each dice. He may keep rerolling sixes indefinitely, though after 6 sixes the matter is academic as he will achieve any required target number. Characters are made up 12 attributes, 4 primary and 8 secondary, the primary rolls having a direct effect on the secondary scores. Each attributes generates a dice modifier used for skill rolls and attribute checks. The skill system is defined by characters choosing skill clusters, groups of skills directly rated to their occupation or social standing. 5 skill clusters are chosen in matter of priority and depending on the priority skills are cheaper to buy and expand in different clusters. The more important the cluster the cheaper it is to gain experience in later games. Skill points are defined by the characters and these are spent on skills chosen. e.g. a character who is 18 years old and playing a normal campaign would receive three times his age or 36 skill points to spend in initial generation. The amount given can be changed if you wish to play more heroic campaigns up to a maximum of 5x the PC's age. Career templates are available to help the initial player choose the right skill clusters. I liked this idea of almost complete freedom to build your own character but with the option of careers to steer the PC in the right direction. The rules provide templates for all the races and generalized ones as well. The combat system is fairly easy to get to grips with but PC's have the option of using "swing points" to influence attacks, speed of attack, damage or defense. The swing point system was a little hard to get used to and a few combat examples would have been suitable. Fans of hit locations and descriptive wounds will like the system. Although initial damage is in number it is given a description such as critical or moderate wound and with a creative GM greatly enhances the feeling of "being there" and "being hit". There are more than enough weapons given and as with each race the cultural weapons are described. Some interesting ideas such as the Randeshi Axe - Battle Ka which is weighted inside the haft to provide extra punch in the swing or the witch wood weapons of the Silash which poison on contact and if broken can be pushed into the earth and regrown overnight. Guns are also prevalent with matchlocks and flintlocks. Just don't try and reload in front of a charging Norker as I found out to my detriment. Magic is in the forms of Hermetic (Spells, Sorcery), Devotional (Religious), Runic (Symbols and engravings) and Spiritual (Shamanism) and others. I like the magic in this game. It isn't all powerful and has a naturalistic feel to it but there's not enough!!!!!. Spell descriptions are in the game but I would have wanted more. Depending on what career you take the power can be limited. The Talents section is unique I think. The designer seems to have taken the Cantrip spell in AD&D and expanded it. If PC's have a high magical attribute (Aura) they can inherit natural Talents. None of these are powerful but are useful... e.g. The ability of Drewifus - This ability allows the user to momentarily remove all feelings of pain. The pain will return again quickly (1 or 2 minutes), though in that time the user may perform tasks unable to perform under pain. There are 36 in total and I wish the rest of the magic contained as much. Overall the system lends itself to limited dice rolling except in combat and this only for wound resolution and location. Skill rolls are only needed in "stressful or difficult situations". A more streamlined layout would help things immensely but perhaps this will be fixed in future editions. Conclusion Good Points Simple system with scope to add more Original Background with that familiar feeling Cheap to buy and expand - Entire rules and 2 sourcebooks for $25 Bad Points More Magic please Only available on CDROM for Windows 95/98/3.1, no hard copy available No Index and a slightly confusing layout helped at least by the search facility on Acrobat Reader Contact info: L & C Games website, www.madasafish.com/lance/. Scimitar RPG, www.madasafish.com/lance/scim.htm Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 4 (Meaty)