The Inside Scoop on Gaming

What do you do for an encore after releasing what is perhaps the finest superhero rpg of it's day? You follow it up with the definitive sourcebook of comicdoms best known hero, obviously. And that is exactly what D6Legend (formerly West End Games) has done in support of it's excellent DCU rpg, with the release of the Gotham City sourcebook.

At 160 pages and graced with incredible art, it's an impressive book. The production quality is all first rate, from layout to choice of page and font, as would befit a license as valuable as the DC Universe. For any who might question whether D6Legend has regained the resources to necessary to return as a power in the rpg industry, the Gotham City Sourcebook makes an instant statement that dispels these notions.

Gotham City has a truly unique feel to it: mysterious; gritty; and dominated by gothic architecture. This is reflected in it's cast of characters, ranging from the vigilante heroes to it's sinister rogues gallery of villains. It is also reflected in the stories told, which are darker than those typically told in comics. Gotham City is the perfect setting for the "dark justice" campaign. Four-color heroes in spandex (and you know who you are!) need not apply.

The sourcebook begins with an overview of the city's history and a description of important locations and organizations. Much light is shed on topics such as Arkham Asylum, Wayne Enterprises, the GCPD, and organized criminal elements. You get a pretty good feeling for some of the elements that make the city unique. A glaring error, unfortunately, which unhinged much of the great work displayed in the chapter was the absence of a map.

The meat of the book is the dossier of over 100 heroes, villains, and citizens, most of which have more than a page of details devoted to their stats and backgrounds. They have been divided into 4 broad categories: Guardians of Gotham, Friends and Family, Neutral Parties, and the Many Faces of Evil.

Guardians of Gotham obviously covers Batman and his closest allies, including Robin, Nightwing and Huntress. In Friends and Family we meet both heroes (Black Canary, Spoiler, and others) and normal citizens of note (the Drake family, members of Gotham PD, etc) in the Batman mythos. Neutral Powers covers characters who sway between the light and dark, whose motivations are nebulous--- such as Catwoman and Deathstroke the Terminator.

Good villains are the basis of any strong plot, a tenet that applies even more so in comicbooks than any other form of storytelling. Batmans rogues gallery is among the strongest and most sinister in all of comics, and therefore The Many Faces of Evil had me salivating. There are over 56 villains detailed, from the infamous (Joker, Riddler, and Bane) to the more obscure (Trigger Twins, Lynx, and Lock Up). I have been reading Batman comics for over a decade and am something of a comic historian, yet I was hard pressed to find any notable absences from among the dozens of villains who have graced the pages of the various Batman books.

Tools of the Trade provides over 11 pages of equipment and vehicles, ranging from the unique (Batmobile) to the mundane (tasers, tracer devices, etc.). There is a great range of items useful for outfitting the villains in your campaign. There is also a five page look at the Batcave, including numerous maps, providing a level of detail I have not seen anywhere else.

The authors have compiled a chapter on Rules Options for use in vigilante campaigns. These include new advantages (Ally, Follower); new skills (Athletics, Escape Artist); the various uses of capes (hiding, intimidation, etc.); and new dramatic effect cards.

In the wake of the "No Mans Land" saga which saw Gotham ravaged by earthquakes and plague, it is perhaps appropriate that the Gotham City Sourcebook also include a chapter discussing the use of natural disaster in superhero rpg campaigns. There is some great advice for how to stage these events for maximum effect, as well as a comprehensive list of disasters and their impact.

My greatest beef with any sourcebook is that few provide sample adventures which detail the ideas contained within the book. D6Legend is one company which agrees with my view, apparently. Everyone of the sourcebooks published thus far has been graced with an excellent, and usually lengthy, adventure. The Gotham City Sourcebook continues this trend, with a 16 page adventure featuring The Scarecrow. "Fear Itself" is a great investigation adventure, dripping with atmosphere and with a chilling climax in Arkham Asylum.

While the Gotham City Sourcebook is an obvious must have for all DCU (or any other superhero rpg, for that matter) players, it should not be overlooked by those who do not run superhero campaigns. Gotham can be the template for a dark and gritty city in any "modern" rpg setting----Gurps Castle Falkenstein, Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun, etc.

Likewise, the characters presented, in particular the villains, can make excellent opponents in other games as well, with only minor modifications: Magpie has become a thief in my D+D campaign who steals items and leaves booby-trapped replicas; The martial arts assassin/criminal mastermind King Snake will soon be introduced in my Cliffhanger serial; and Deadshot might well become a bounty hunter with uncanny aim and a death wish in an upcoming Star Wars epic.

D6Legend has developed a superior superhero product in the Gotham City Sourcebook, one that doubles as an invaluable reference book for fans of the Dark Knight. It strikes a delicate balance between rpg rules and general information for the non-gaming public, allowing it to be used and enjoyed immensely in both capacities. The Gotham City Sourcebook rivals some of the work done by D6Legend in it's previous incarnation as West End Games on the Star Wars license. For those of you familiar with the WEG Star Wars line, this is truly high praise indeed!

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

Gotham City Sourcebook
Author: Various Category: game Company/Publisher: D6Legend Line: DC Universe Cost: $21.00 Page count: 160 ISBN: 1-930753-0407 Playtest Review by Andrew Hind on 11/17/00. Genre tags: Modern day Superhero	What do you do for an encore after releasing what is perhaps the finest superhero rpg of it's day? You follow it up with the definitive sourcebook of comicdoms best known hero, obviously. And that is exactly what D6Legend (formerly West End Games) has done in support of it's excellent DCU rpg, with the release of the Gotham City sourcebook. At 160 pages and graced with incredible art, it's an impressive book. The production quality is all first rate, from layout to choice of page and font, as would befit a license as valuable as the DC Universe. For any who might question whether D6Legend has regained the resources to necessary to return as a power in the rpg industry, the Gotham City Sourcebook makes an instant statement that dispels these notions. Gotham City has a truly unique feel to it: mysterious; gritty; and dominated by gothic architecture. This is reflected in it's cast of characters, ranging from the vigilante heroes to it's sinister rogues gallery of villains. It is also reflected in the stories told, which are darker than those typically told in comics. Gotham City is the perfect setting for the "dark justice" campaign. Four-color heroes in spandex (and you know who you are!) need not apply. The sourcebook begins with an overview of the city's history and a description of important locations and organizations. Much light is shed on topics such as Arkham Asylum, Wayne Enterprises, the GCPD, and organized criminal elements. You get a pretty good feeling for some of the elements that make the city unique. A glaring error, unfortunately, which unhinged much of the great work displayed in the chapter was the absence of a map. The meat of the book is the dossier of over 100 heroes, villains, and citizens, most of which have more than a page of details devoted to their stats and backgrounds. They have been divided into 4 broad categories: Guardians of Gotham, Friends and Family, Neutral Parties, and the Many Faces of Evil. Guardians of Gotham obviously covers Batman and his closest allies, including Robin, Nightwing and Huntress. In Friends and Family we meet both heroes (Black Canary, Spoiler, and others) and normal citizens of note (the Drake family, members of Gotham PD, etc) in the Batman mythos. Neutral Powers covers characters who sway between the light and dark, whose motivations are nebulous--- such as Catwoman and Deathstroke the Terminator. Good villains are the basis of any strong plot, a tenet that applies even more so in comicbooks than any other form of storytelling. Batmans rogues gallery is among the strongest and most sinister in all of comics, and therefore The Many Faces of Evil had me salivating. There are over 56 villains detailed, from the infamous (Joker, Riddler, and Bane) to the more obscure (Trigger Twins, Lynx, and Lock Up). I have been reading Batman comics for over a decade and am something of a comic historian, yet I was hard pressed to find any notable absences from among the dozens of villains who have graced the pages of the various Batman books. Tools of the Trade provides over 11 pages of equipment and vehicles, ranging from the unique (Batmobile) to the mundane (tasers, tracer devices, etc.). There is a great range of items useful for outfitting the villains in your campaign. There is also a five page look at the Batcave, including numerous maps, providing a level of detail I have not seen anywhere else. The authors have compiled a chapter on Rules Options for use in vigilante campaigns. These include new advantages (Ally, Follower); new skills (Athletics, Escape Artist); the various uses of capes (hiding, intimidation, etc.); and new dramatic effect cards. In the wake of the "No Mans Land" saga which saw Gotham ravaged by earthquakes and plague, it is perhaps appropriate that the Gotham City Sourcebook also include a chapter discussing the use of natural disaster in superhero rpg campaigns. There is some great advice for how to stage these events for maximum effect, as well as a comprehensive list of disasters and their impact. My greatest beef with any sourcebook is that few provide sample adventures which detail the ideas contained within the book. D6Legend is one company which agrees with my view, apparently. Everyone of the sourcebooks published thus far has been graced with an excellent, and usually lengthy, adventure. The Gotham City Sourcebook continues this trend, with a 16 page adventure featuring The Scarecrow. "Fear Itself" is a great investigation adventure, dripping with atmosphere and with a chilling climax in Arkham Asylum. While the Gotham City Sourcebook is an obvious must have for all DCU (or any other superhero rpg, for that matter) players, it should not be overlooked by those who do not run superhero campaigns. Gotham can be the template for a dark and gritty city in any "modern" rpg setting----Gurps Castle Falkenstein, Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun, etc. Likewise, the characters presented, in particular the villains, can make excellent opponents in other games as well, with only minor modifications: Magpie has become a thief in my D+D campaign who steals items and leaves booby-trapped replicas; The martial arts assassin/criminal mastermind King Snake will soon be introduced in my Cliffhanger serial; and Deadshot might well become a bounty hunter with uncanny aim and a death wish in an upcoming Star Wars epic. D6Legend has developed a superior superhero product in the Gotham City Sourcebook, one that doubles as an invaluable reference book for fans of the Dark Knight. It strikes a delicate balance between rpg rules and general information for the non-gaming public, allowing it to be used and enjoyed immensely in both capacities. The Gotham City Sourcebook rivals some of the work done by D6Legend in it's previous incarnation as West End Games on the Star Wars license. For those of you familiar with the WEG Star Wars line, this is truly high praise indeed! Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)