The Inside Scoop on Gaming

This is yet another d20 system to emerge. Published by Moongoose the book is roughly the same size as D D 3rd edition PHB. Unlike somewhat previous poor offerings I found this one of the better d20 licences. Now to the main subject what Judge Dredd is all about.

Judge Dredd is a British comic strip character from 2000A.D created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra in the late 1970's. In the future there is an awful atomic war that destroys American society and from the ashes is built Mega-City One a bustling east coast city with millions and millons of crazed unemployed citizens living in it ( robots have replaced the bulk of the work force ). Crime has soared and normal policing methods are ineffective so enter the Judges a paramilitary cum detective police force whose officers have the power to be judge,jury and executioner by themselves! Instant on the spot sentences are dished out by the judges to those who break the law, from littering to armed robbery with violence and the more bizzare future crimes of Mega City 1 such as illeagle Boinging, you name the crime the judges have a sentence for it (hell even eating sugar is unlawful). The most famous of the judges is Joe Dredd who unlike other comic book characters ,say like superman, is a bit of a facist git who never smiles. As opposed to the rather feeble film the comics are darkly humerous and this book enables you to enter the world of Joe Dredd in full glory.

Now apart from being able to play the fearsome judges armed with their deadly law enforcement gear ( their gun the lawgiver MKII fires a deadly variety of bullets from standard executioner rounds to Hi-Ex ) this book also gives you information on how to play citizen and other assorted criminal classes for example there are rules on forgers,perp runners,city defence milita and bat flyers. The book recommends you either play a pure judge campaign or else a pure citizen campaign as for obvious reasons half the party would soon find themselves being sent to the iso-cubes (jail). The book also contains an extensive collection of back ground material on Mega-city 1 and the world J.D lives in, illustrated with excerpts from the Dredd cartoon strips. Equipement is detailed ranging from weaponry which can whipe out a dedicated judge in seconds, to what craze gear citizens can buy to allievate boredom (fuzz spray is amusing).

The game itself needs the ownership of the D D Player's HandBook to be fully useable. Judges are beefy characters they get d12 hit points and start off at third level!.There are some changes to the system. Skills are limited to a list given in the book and more importantly the role of armour is changed. Instead of the D D type which gives you a static bonus to your ac you instead have a defence Value. This is obtained by 10 total reflex save bonus size modifiers dex/feat bonuses. Taking cover is rewarded,eg getting behind your lawmaster bike gives you a 2. Unlike D D 3rd ed. armour reduces damage delt to you (damage reduction value or DR) however some weapons are so good at penetrating armour that all weapons are given an armour piercing value. If the AP is equal or higher than your DR oh dear! no damage reduction and probably time to call in the meat wagons. As with the d20 system you get exclusive feats for use by judges and criminals. Judges get feats like improved arrest, drive-by boot, criminals/citizens ( hey no citizen is innocent in Dredd's bionic eyes) get feats like resist arrest, fool birdie ( bluff a lie detector test). Also there are rules for pyschic powers for psi judges and perps. Unlike the D D magic slot system psi powers cost points. Personally I found the d20 system faster to use than the old edition of Judge Dredd rpg from the 1980's and I can't wait to unleash the game fully on my players ( I breifly played it at a convention ).

Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd Capsule Review by BW on 04/07/02 Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty) In closing everything about Judge Dredd is in this book. It's like a cop show except more violent and funny. The ability to play various types of judges is present from Tech to Med division, also as opposed to the older edition of the Judge Dredd game you get a chance to play criminals too. The games only weakness apart from the usual problems that tag along with the d20 system is that you must own the D D 3rd edition manuals to use it and if you do not like the Judge Dredd comic strip well there's not much point in buying it. But hey if you love Dredd then it's a must. Product: Judge Dredd Author: Matthew Sprange Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Moongoose publishing Line: d20 system Cost: $39.95 Page count: 260 Year published: 2002 ISBN: 1-903980-31-3 SKU: Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by BW on 04/07/02 Genre tags: Science Fiction	This is yet another d20 system to emerge. Published by Moongoose the book is roughly the same size as D D 3rd edition PHB. Unlike somewhat previous poor offerings I found this one of the better d20 licences. Now to the main subject what Judge Dredd is all about. Judge Dredd is a British comic strip character from 2000A.D created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra in the late 1970's. In the future there is an awful atomic war that destroys American society and from the ashes is built Mega-City One a bustling east coast city with millions and millons of crazed unemployed citizens living in it ( robots have replaced the bulk of the work force ). Crime has soared and normal policing methods are ineffective so enter the Judges a paramilitary cum detective police force whose officers have the power to be judge,jury and executioner by themselves! Instant on the spot sentences are dished out by the judges to those who break the law, from littering to armed robbery with violence and the more bizzare future crimes of Mega City 1 such as illeagle Boinging, you name the crime the judges have a sentence for it (hell even eating sugar is unlawful). The most famous of the judges is Joe Dredd who unlike other comic book characters ,say like superman, is a bit of a facist git who never smiles. As opposed to the rather feeble film the comics are darkly humerous and this book enables you to enter the world of Joe Dredd in full glory. Now apart from being able to play the fearsome judges armed with their deadly law enforcement gear ( their gun the lawgiver MKII fires a deadly variety of bullets from standard executioner rounds to Hi-Ex ) this book also gives you information on how to play citizen and other assorted criminal classes for example there are rules on forgers,perp runners,city defence milita and bat flyers. The book recommends you either play a pure judge campaign or else a pure citizen campaign as for obvious reasons half the party would soon find themselves being sent to the iso-cubes (jail). The book also contains an extensive collection of back ground material on Mega-city 1 and the world J.D lives in, illustrated with excerpts from the Dredd cartoon strips. Equipement is detailed ranging from weaponry which can whipe out a dedicated judge in seconds, to what craze gear citizens can buy to allievate boredom (fuzz spray is amusing). The game itself needs the ownership of the D D Player's HandBook to be fully useable. Judges are beefy characters they get d12 hit points and start off at third level!.There are some changes to the system. Skills are limited to a list given in the book and more importantly the role of armour is changed. Instead of the D D type which gives you a static bonus to your ac you instead have a defence Value. This is obtained by 10 total reflex save bonus size modifiers dex/feat bonuses. Taking cover is rewarded,eg getting behind your lawmaster bike gives you a 2. Unlike D D 3rd ed. armour reduces damage delt to you (damage reduction value or DR) however some weapons are so good at penetrating armour that all weapons are given an armour piercing value. If the AP is equal or higher than your DR oh dear! no damage reduction and probably time to call in the meat wagons. As with the d20 system you get exclusive feats for use by judges and criminals. Judges get feats like improved arrest, drive-by boot, criminals/citizens ( hey no citizen is innocent in Dredd's bionic eyes) get feats like resist arrest, fool birdie ( bluff a lie detector test). Also there are rules for pyschic powers for psi judges and perps. Unlike the D D magic slot system psi powers cost points. Personally I found the d20 system faster to use than the old edition of Judge Dredd rpg from the 1980's and I can't wait to unleash the game fully on my players ( I breifly played it at a convention ).