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Review of Dragon Age: Dark Fantasy Roleplaying Set 2
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RPG.net allows me to rate this game on the dual axis of style and substance; unfortunately, it does not allow me to rate the game separately for setting and system as the Dragon Age role-playing setting material would rate marginally higher than the system. This means the 2/2 rating listed is an average.
With that in mind, let's move into these two elements:
SETTING -- Style 3; Substance 2
SYSTEM -- Style 1; Substance 2
Those who have seen my review of Set 1 will see that not much has changed here. In this review, we will look at each of these elements in a bit more detail; after all, we have more of the setting, and more of the system to see.
Configuration
Set 1 is comprised of two books (Player's Guide, Game Master's Guide) each 64 pages. In addition, the box includes a map of Ferelden (the primary location for the computer game), and three dice (mine were two white dice and a red dragon die).
Set 2 is comprised of two books (also called Player's Guide and Game Master's Guide) each 80 pages. In addition, the box includes a map of a larger portion of Thedas (the world of which Ferelden is but one of many kingdoms and regions). The books, other than being a bit thicker than their Set 1 counterparts and having new artwork, have nothing on the covers to distinguish them from Set 1.
Setting
Set 1 includes a chapter within the Player's Guide called Welcome to Ferelden. It starts on page 8; it ends on page 16. Of these pages, three are dominated by artwork taking up half the page: one of these pieces is the map included in the Set; another is the map included in Set 2. Three pages have artwork creating a distracting layout. One page has a table of calendar months taking up a quarter of the page.
Overall, there is little to this chapter that could be considered truly useful to the player and virtually none of it is useful as far as the system goes -- perhaps this material should have been in the Game Master's Guide? Strangely, almost as much information is given to dogs in Ferelden as their is for elves. The character generation system offers more information on the setting (as the setting and the system are intertwined enough so as to make separating them a fruitless endeavor -- or one filled with long nights pulling ones hair out for little gain.
Set 2 includes a chapter within the Player's Guide called Lore of Thedas. It starts on page 4; it ends on page 24. This section provides details on the Grey Wardens, Orzammar (the dwarven kingdom), Dwarves (castes, religion, etc.), and Religion (including the Chantry, Dwarven Paragons, Elven Gods, and the Qunari). This is a vast improvement over the information in Set 1 in that it has enough meat here to be useful and perhaps even develop a character or an adventure around. It is not great, by any measure; but it is an improvement.
System
Set 1 has basic character creation rules. These rules are relatively odd. You are told, for example, to come up with a character concept first (good advice under most systems). However, the entire system is random and so, until you see what the dice-gods have given you for stats, there is no way to begin.
Set 2 has additional options for characters -- not only in terms of talents (e.g., skills) and the like, but in ways to make the character generation system a lot more controllable by the player. These improvements, however, cannot change the fact that the system is poorly designed. These improvements are incremental and cannot correct the misguided core of the system's design.
Due to the fact that the system is presented as it is -- levels 1 to 5 covers in Set 1; levels 6-10 covered in Set 2 -- a large chunk of the material in the second Set's character generation material is repeated material from Set 1. Although this is helpful (to a degree), it creates the feeling that you have just paid for the same information twice.
Game Master's Guide
The Game Master's Guide from Set 1 has little by way of setting material. Most of the book is Game Master's advice (not bad, just not very well presented), explanations of how the system works (again: not bad, just not very well organized), a Monster Manual of sorts, and a sample adventure (dealing with the elves; this is odd given how little information is provided about them in the setting material). For what it is, it is servicable.
The Game Master's Guide from Set 2 almost no setting material. It has some Game Master's advice (short enough one has to wonder why it was not included in Set 1), a few more monsters, and a longer adventure. Overall, the book is alright; it serves as a decent adventure module, and has some workable advice to new Game Masters.
Conclusions
I have offered my assessment of Set 1 (reviewed as a 2/2); I have offered my assessment of Set 2 (reviewed as a 2/2). I will not be purchasing Set 3 (if/when it is released), nor will I be purchasing any other materials for this pen-and-paper role playing system.
One might wonder, given my views on Set 1, why I purchased Set 2? The answer to that is simple, and two fold:
- I purchased them on the strength of the brand (Green Ronin) and my faith in the quality of the work done by the authors (Chris Pramas and Steve Kenson). In the end, I received a product unworthy to bear the name of the company or either author.
- I purchased both at the same time as a gift for a friend who introduced me to the computer games. I will not be sending this to him, however, as I think the two box sets are of poor quality -- a poor system; and a poor overview of the setting. I will get my friend something else instead.
If you want a new-user friendly system with an old-school feel, there are plenty of better choices out there (Basic Fantasy, Labyrinth Lord, etc.). Do not buy this; the game system is not worth it.
If you want a new setting to use your favorite game system in, go on-line and check out the Dragon Age Wiki; what you will find there is a lot more information in a more organized format, with more adventure seeds and ideas to mine than you will ever find in these two box sets. Do not buy this; the setting is much more accessible in other formats.
