Carnival Row Revised

If you’ve been watching the second season of Carnival Row like I have, you know what an awesome setting it is. The season finale just dropped last Wednesday and it seems like a good time to remind you that there’s actually an official Carnival Row RPG using the Cypher system! And it’s free! It came out with the show’s original first season in 2019 but it’s been a lifetime since then so it’s worth looking at what new Cypher System options you could use if you want to dust off your Carnival Row RPG pdf and head back into the Burgh.

First Responders Review

Today’s review is a detailed look at Monte Cook Game’s First Responders sourcebook, a setting/rules book for their Cypher System aimed at telling the stories of the frontline servicepeople stopping and mitigating disasters.

Repost: Predation Review

It’s summer time and there’s just too much going on in Mephitland! Today I’ve got a repost of something I originally reviewed five years ago (nearly to the day) but you might want to give it another look. Not only did Monte Cook Games just announce a revised third party license that makes it likely we’re about to see a lot more Cypher stuff, but the next Jurassic World movie is right on the horizon. Why not make Predation your summer fun game?

We Are All Mad Here Review

Though it came out in September, I’ve had limited time to look through We Are All Mad Here, the fairytale sourcebook for Monte Cook Game’s Cypher system. This isn’t because I wasn’t interested in it, but more because I wanted some time to give it the attention it deserved. Today, let me tell you what I think about this beautiful book by the amazing Shanna Germain.

Dark Horizon: Tac Character Type

I’m back with another addition to my long-running project of Dark Horizon, a hard sci-fi setting that I’ve been toying with for years. I’ve been releasing bits and pieces for people to use as they want and today I’m taking a look at how Character Type fits into the setting with the revised Cypher System Rulebook.

Updated List of Cypher Options

With the publishing of the revised Cypher System Rulebook, there are more options than ever for your Cypher characters out there. The types (the “noun” in your character’s sentence) might change from Numenera to The Strange to generic Cypher, but the descriptors and foci are usable everywhere. I’ve been psyched to see these options grow and so to start off the new year I’m bringing you a comprehensive list of descriptors and foci through the revised rulebook. Let me know if I missed anything!

Character DescriptorsDownload

Character FociDownload

Review of the Revised Cypher System Rulebook

A while ago Monte Cook Games came out with a revised version of the Cypher System Rulebook and I’ve been taking my time going through it. As always it’s a beautiful product, but does it actual improve the game! The answer is a qualified yes, but read on to see for yourself.

Shotguns & Sorcery Review, Part 1

Shotguns & Sorcery is an RPG of fantasy-noir using the Cypher System. This book has been delayed a bunch during its production so it’s not as groundbreaking as when it Kickstarted but now that we’ve got two editions of a generic Cypher System Rulebook it’s worth questioning what S&S offers.

What’s the Deal with Cypher Shorts?

So Monte Cook Games recently released a product called Cypher Shorts, a version of the Cypher System that means “You could be playing ten minutes from now!” as the tagline relentlessly says. The product is available for free so there isn’t really a question of whether you should get it, but really why would you want to consider Cypher Shorts?

Invisible Sun: Playing It

I was gifted a copy of Invisible Sun, the new and somewhat infamous game from Monte Cook Games. While it was published previously as a massive Black Cube they recently published it as a PDF version and a friend thought I’d enjoy pouring through it. While it’s just as intricate as the physical Black Cube, I think I’m finally getting a handle on this thing. That means you all get to take this journey with me!