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Condemned is a collection of assorted characters of importance to the Battlelords of the 23rd Century sci fi RPG, published by SSDC Inc.

It is a soft cover book with a 107 page count. The art is black and white of varying quality. Most are small portraits of characters being discussed in the text. There is an average of roughly one art piece per page.

This is most definitely a book aimed at the GM, as much of the information contained within can easily be used as a springboard to larger campaigns. Any one of the characters described within can be used as a catalyst to send the PC’s on a new adventure. The format is presented as following:

The first 20 pages of the book give complete examples of generic NPC’s that player characters are likely to run into. Everything from secret agent and corporate lackeys to engineers, troopers and medics. Each is given a complete rundown of stats, skills, a brief description of the NPC appearance, motivations and goals, and a list of equipment normally carried. This is especially appreciated, since Battlelords tends to be a gear intensive game, and the thought of going through the equipment lists, just to figure out what an average goon might have on him at any given time is a bit daunting. Also in this section is a simple, 2 page system for measuring the prestige that PC’s accrue as the game goes on. Certain deeds grant them “prestige points” which, as they increase, causes the PC’s to be respected and recognized. A small but useful addition.

The remainder of the book is dedicated to describing in detail, the big figures in the Battlelords universe. From the president of the Galactic Alliance, William A. Haws, to the famous lead singer of the ultrapopular band “Purple Ice Cream Has No Bones” Keth Kestrel. The book is filled with complete descriptions of dozens of important figures in the Alliance. Many of these write ups contain hints and clues concerning conspiracies and plot hooks for the game universe.

Each character is given roughly a page and a half of space, in which is described their game stats, equipment carried, description, the “official line” or what the public at large knows about the individual in question, and Malachai's’ take. Malachai is an Orion Rogue underground reporter who acts as a guide to the reader, giving his take on things and exposing the underbelly of a given figure in the setting. This often provides plot ideas that are ripe for a GM to exploit.

Condemned is by no means an absolute must. However, it does open up possibilities and sheds some light on the goings on in the Battlelords setting. I for one have found it to be a welcome addition to the game, and I do recommend it.

Condemned
Condemned Capsule Review by Alex Hanna on 30/09/02 Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 4 (Meaty) Makes a GM's life much easier. Product: Condemned Author: Ben Pierce Category: RPG Company/Publisher: SSDC Inc. Line: Battlelords Cost: $12.95 US Page count: 107 Year published: 1994 ISBN: SKU: ODS 701A Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Alex Hanna on 30/09/02 Genre tags: Science Fiction	Condemned is a collection of assorted characters of importance to the Battlelords of the 23rd Century sci fi RPG, published by SSDC Inc. It is a soft cover book with a 107 page count. The art is black and white of varying quality. Most are small portraits of characters being discussed in the text. There is an average of roughly one art piece per page. This is most definitely a book aimed at the GM, as much of the information contained within can easily be used as a springboard to larger campaigns. Any one of the characters described within can be used as a catalyst to send the PC’s on a new adventure. The format is presented as following: The first 20 pages of the book give complete examples of generic NPC’s that player characters are likely to run into. Everything from secret agent and corporate lackeys to engineers, troopers and medics. Each is given a complete rundown of stats, skills, a brief description of the NPC appearance, motivations and goals, and a list of equipment normally carried. This is especially appreciated, since Battlelords tends to be a gear intensive game, and the thought of going through the equipment lists, just to figure out what an average goon might have on him at any given time is a bit daunting. Also in this section is a simple, 2 page system for measuring the prestige that PC’s accrue as the game goes on. Certain deeds grant them “prestige points” which, as they increase, causes the PC’s to be respected and recognized. A small but useful addition. The remainder of the book is dedicated to describing in detail, the big figures in the Battlelords universe. From the president of the Galactic Alliance, William A. Haws, to the famous lead singer of the ultrapopular band “Purple Ice Cream Has No Bones” Keth Kestrel. The book is filled with complete descriptions of dozens of important figures in the Alliance. Many of these write ups contain hints and clues concerning conspiracies and plot hooks for the game universe. Each character is given roughly a page and a half of space, in which is described their game stats, equipment carried, description, the “official line” or what the public at large knows about the individual in question, and Malachai's’ take. Malachai is an Orion Rogue underground reporter who acts as a guide to the reader, giving his take on things and exposing the underbelly of a given figure in the setting. This often provides plot ideas that are ripe for a GM to exploit. Condemned is by no means an absolute must. However, it does open up possibilities and sheds some light on the goings on in the Battlelords setting. I for one have found it to be a welcome addition to the game, and I do recommend it.