The Top 6 RPG Books I SHOULD Have Reviewed in 2021

I didn't review these TTRPG books, but I can still share them with you now!
Support WASD20 on Patreon: / wasd20
🔽🔽 THE RPG BOOKS 🔽🔽
📕 The GM's Book of Random Encounters
Amazon - amzn.to/32jP3n8
Digital - www.drivethrurpg.com/product/...
📕 A Dead Man's Guide to Dragongrin
Digital - absolutetabletop.com/a-deadma...
Print - absolutetabletop.com/a-deadma...
DriveThruRPG - www.drivethrurpg.com/product/...
📕 Blades in the Dark
Amazon - amzn.to/33J1bP8
Digital - www.drivethrurpg.com/product/...
📕 Vaesen
Amazon - amzn.to/3FOWkJr
Digital - www.drivethrurpg.com/product/...
📕 Monster of the Week -
Amazon - amzn.to/33BUGhb
Digital - www.drivethrurpg.com/product/...
📕 Fizban's Treasury of Dragons -
amzn.to/3GRXepU
Check out the WASD20 Amazon Storefront: www.amazon.com/shop/wasd20
Check out my partners at Absolute Tabletop: absolutetabletop.com/?trackin...
Thanks for watching!
Come back for new RPG videos at least once a week on WASD20. D&D, fantasy maps, and more.
Join us on DISCORD! / discord
Supported locally by GrandCon Gaming Convention: www.grand-con.com/
0:00 - My 2021
1:24 - Game Master's Book of Random Encounters
5:02 - A Dead Man's Guide to Dragongrin
9:12 - Blades in the Dark
12:38 - Vaesen
16:18 - Monster of the Week
18:46 - Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
________________________________________
⏩FOLLOW ME ⏪
Instagram: / nate.wasd20
Twitter - / wasd20nate
Facebook - / wasd20net
Store - www.wasd20.spreadshirt.com
Website - www.wasd20.net
Maps & Commission requests - www.sellswordmaps.com
Business inquiries - email [e-mail]
SUBSCRIBE: goo.gl/qiwFFv
SUPPORT: www.wasd20.net/support-me/

[@DaveThaumavore]

Hey, I actually reviewed three of those! Super cool to see you covering non-D&D stuff, Nate!

[@WASD20]

Thanks, Dave! Definitely some more non-D&D reviews coming.

[@DaveThaumavore]

@@WASD20 That's very exciting to hear!

[@ljmiller96]

Your first book listed, the Random Encounters and maps book, was the best resource book I got this year. It's almost as useful as the Return of the Lazy DM, and that's saying a lot!

[@Galvamel]

I would LOVE a tutorial on how to convert older books to 5E. I really want to convert the 1E Spider Queen cycle or maybe the old Dragonlance campaign setting.

[@mgb360]

As someone who plays a lot of old school games, I'm not sure that's something you can really systematize. You could probably come up with a vague mathematical conversion (double the monster HP, increase damaging effects by 1.5x, things like that) but so much of the game just has different expectations. There are a lot more traps that will just kill you outright if you do something wrong, there are a lot more things you're supposed to find by examining different parts of the room or interacting with things without actually making any rolls, there are a lot of monsters that you shouldn't fight if you're smart, there are a lot of dungeon crawling elements that only require time to do and thus require the old school wandering monster rolls in order to serve as a soft time limit. There's just so much that's different I don't really think there's a way to do a conversion without just understanding both systems well and being comfortable with improvising and modifying things when necessary. As an alternative, it'd probably better to find an old-school compatible system you like, rather than using 5e for it. Knave is very simple and easy to learn. Five Torches Deep takes a lot of design concepts from 5e. Old School Essentials is basically exactly identical to the old editions. Worlds Without Number is very thematically strong and has a lot of good character building options (and is available free). There are many other OSR systems that are compatible, you can probably find one you like

[@awaytoanywhere699]

‘Vaesen’ means a creature or a sort of supernatural existence (often unknown) such as a ghost etc. in the Scandinavian languages.

[@meghan9096]

I picked up the Random Encounters books a few months ago and I absolutely love it. I'm a fairly new DM and the oneshots especially made it incredibly easy to get my game started and to give me a good feel for how dnd is more supposed to flow. I also really like Dragons and have been working on a dragon campaign for a few weeks with the help of Fizban's so I'm really enjoying that one too!

[@raphaelstocker9874]

Very intrigued by the "a dead man's guide to dragongrin" book. Thanks for this condensed video!

[@BobWorldBuilder]

The 5e book fatigue is real! In the last several months, Fizbans was what I was most pumped for… but still not excited enough to pick up a hard copy. 2022 will hopefully have some new and interesting material from WotC

[@WASD20]

Hopefully! I feel like it's going to take a lot to get my attention. MtG and Critical Role content won't cut it for me. It might be good, just not grabbing my attention.

[@hadeseye2297]

They should re-brand themselves to WokeC.

[@Tiyev]

I'm waiting for them to improve the base game, not release more niche/odd sub-classes and new races that stray far from the medieval fantasy core. I'd rather have an improved ranger, and maybe some reigning in on spells and magic and different power combos, revise the core books some. It's been how many years? And we can't get a fully official fix for even the ranger class. 'You'll get my money when you fix the damn ranger class.' I don't want to play a new 'sparkle moon echo whisper subclass or have a spectral bunny-ling race to play. I want the base game to play better, or have some official variant rules that do things like dial back hit-point leveling or healing, spice up things like give the dragonborn an extra trait/feature to their breath weapon that fits with the type of energy dealt, freezing sticks targets to the ground, Str check against the breath weapon's DC to move freely, stuff like that. Maybe limit the spells, or focus them more, maybe wizards have to pick which schools they have access to, maybe bundle them so you have each school of magic have a starting set you pick a cantrip and 1st level from, so it helps funnel new players into picking their spells instead of just, here's a list, go flip back and forth through the whole spell section. I don't know. Maybe make subclasses of sorcerors and clerics and maybe more have larger spell lists and or themed more, and shrink or drop the base class's spell list. No more firebreathing draconic bloodline sorceror casting frost spells. I don't know. Things like that. Things that I know I'm not likely to get, since some of things, perhaps most, are subjective. I don't know, I kind of don't like tier 3 DnD, maybe not even tier 2. The game changes too much, and I don't want to play Dr Strange, or his bodyguards. DnD is just too stuck with things like spells that are way more powerful than others at their level, and others that are duds, traps, for some players to make the wrong choice. I think I want a more down to earth game, sort of like lvl 2 to 4 DnD 5e, where characters have some different moves, but aren't mounds of HP, or slinging to many 'swingy' spells that radical alter/control the odds of an encounter. Spells just start to dominate too much, too often. Also, lessen the disparity between casters and non-casters. Maybe cannabilize and remix some of the subclasses into options to have, stop treating martial classes like they're training wheels for players who can't handle picking more than just a fighting style. I kind of want a different game, but not really. I want a game that does some things like DnD does, that I like, but do other things better and or differently. Heck, somethings could, and should be streamlined, but weren't. Why hide the rules on how many spells using a spell slot you can use in the sub-rules for casting as a bonus action. Maybe, instead of the rules for casting a spell as a bonus action saying if you cast a spell using as spell slot as a bonus action, you cannot also cast a spell that uses a spell slot as an action. That seems needlessly wordy, and hidden in a less common situation than just putting it in the main rules for casting. Also, why allow players to potentially cast to spells in a 6 second round if they get 2 actions? Is it meant to be a built in loophole for some power combos? And why allow players to cast a cantrip and a spell using a spell slot if they use different types of actions? Cantrips should be alternatives to using a spell slot. It should just be, you can only cast one spell per turn.

[@TheFearlessFew]

Good to see you back. Your content is always on my list.

[@helgaratbone1691]

Nice! I’m going to pull the trigger on at least one of these books because of your vid!!

[@mr.madness925]

Good video Nate! Very well done and it is nice have a new video from you ^^ But it is also good to here about your improved selfcare 👍 One little critique: maybe put some timestamps in with the name of the books in that would be rather nice.

[@WASD20]

Good suggestion! Meant to do it, and will add those tonight.

[@robbootyman3932]

Great coverage of all the books as usual Nate. Just ordered my version of Vaesen and my group are super hyped to get going with it!

[@WASD20]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@jubran7469]

I love this kind of multiple book reviews! The Book of Random Encounters looks amazing!

[@joshualichkay7047]

Cool stuff. I like the blade one and the vaesen one.

[@wernernel7223]

Nate this is EXACTLY the video I was hoping for.. Thanks!

[@WASD20]

Nice! Glad you enjoyed. :)

[@StarshipsSteel]

Vaesen is, hands down, the nicest RPG book I own, from the layout to the art to the paper quality to the cover quality. **LOVE IT** System is super easy as well.

[@piece1309]

When you pick it up it just feeeels good!

[@jasonmd2020]

Free Leaque puts out quality product. Dont have Vasen yet, but I got Alien, Coriolis, Forbidden Lands and their update of Twilight 2000. I have yet to be disapointed by them.

[@castingincommon1589]

These books look amazing Thanks for sharing!

[@74gould]

Great video!! Some of these really caught my eye -- I'm going to click on those links and check 'em out. :)

[@PQUdotCH]

The Erenoth Map! What a fun easter egg!

[@zedgathegreat9122]

One of my favorite 5e books released was Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy. I think this was one of the best official releases they've ever done. There's so much cool stuff in there that regardless of what you are playing in that system can be easily imported into any world. The cities are an amazing resource, the Guilds are amazingly well written and flushed out, there is story leaking out of every entry in the book. On top of that you get ton of statblocks for potential right-hands of the BBEG, and some really cool monsters (I seriously love the full page art for each individual monster. I really wish that was standard, but I understand that would make each monster manual two to three times as large, but it just adds so much...)

[@WASD20]

Nice! I'll have to look into this one.

[@kyrnsword72]

My favorite new RPG books are D100 Dungeon by Martin Knight. Rules similar to the best of all 4 of these: D&D, DCC, 4AD and Dungeon.

[@adamstephens8852]

Very late to this video but was a great view at what's out there definitely get the 5e fatigue it's only within the last couple of weeks I have managed to get back in. It's a shame you don't get review copies anymore. I enjoyed your reviews.

[@trioofone8911]

The Stygian Library! OMG that is the coolest!

[@jimmyjohnsrocks]

Have you seen Spectacular Settlements? Really cool book for building trading posts all the way up to metropolises.

[@brigitteerhardt8006]

I also just found out about Vaesen. It looks very interesting and will maybe find the way into my home. It seems to be the perfect mix of Beyond the Wall and Cthulhu. ❤️

[@leedunning1825]

Great reviews! I love getting a peek at items I haven't run across before. You're right, $50 for the WotC dragon book is a bit pricey. I hadn't looked at it, so I wasn't aware they were mugging folks for so much coin. Perhaps they have real dragons building their hoards working at Wizards.

[@WASD20]

Lol. Yep! To be fair Amazon usually has them for 30ish dollars.

[@CesarIsaacPerez]

I have Blades in the Dark; bought it a while back because it seemed really cool, but I also haven't gotten around to playing it yet. Would really like to get Vaesen but I bought the original art book version instead... might still buy the RPG though.

[@hoos-karl7807]

Nate - you have to get Vaesen to the table. It is so simple compared to 5e and that makes it nimbler and great fun!

[@piece1309]

Second that. Even if you just run the one shot that comes with the book.

[@WASD20]

I will now more strongly consider it. Thanks for the recommendation. :)

[@gordonfreeman6305]

Did you ever run it? I've just picked it up, love the theme

[@jamaisonmoore6268]

Monster of the Week reminds me of ‘Monster Squad’ from the late 80’s.

[@briancherry8088]

I just got my copy of the Random Encounters book and was really impressed about how the random tables were presented within context. So, you can use the adventure... or not, and just use the tables. I love the tavern tables. But I think they meant Maps AND tables AND hooks totalling more than 500. Not 500 maps. I've been getting D&D 5E book fatigue too.... but it has more to do with quality rather than quantity. They seem to be losing direction.

[@WASD20]

Good point. 500 maps didn't seem quite right.😆

[@dimitriid]

Kudos to you: It's been a while since I see people not only go off the D&D path but to a different genre and game system altogether. Don't get me wrong I'm glad there's in influx of new people discovering the hobby but if I had to guesstimate how many of the new player actually *ever* play anything other than 5E I would put em in the 10 to 20% range. The popularity of 5E is as much of a curse as it is a blessing. Nothing wrong with the edition mind you: it was ok at launch, it has naturally grown stale with time as it was to be expected. But it seems like the waning interest into other interesting games is just extra resilient this time around since the more tired I get of the edition, the more popular it becomes

[@piece1309]

I hear ya. It’s not only for the new though. I play with guys that have been playing D&D since the 80’s and still don’t wanna play a new system.

[@fantasticnoodl331]

Do you have any videos on creating characters that are Races that aren't the normal ones like goblins and other monsters? If not it'd be cool to see one!

[@jdennhardt8595]

Have you checked out studio agate’s Fateforge creatures book? They’ve got the many goblinoids as playable races with options that aren’t just blood thirsty.

[@TheFearlessFew]

Ordered monster of the week, hope it’s easy to run!

[@teeseeuu]

It is. It's fantastic. Some of the best GM advice around is in that book.

[@MoxOwl]

Great video....we more like this

[@johnnygreenface4195]

Vaesen is tons of fun. Easily my favorite year zero game. On an entirely unrelated topic, I really love Dungeon Crawl Classics. Easily my favorite "D&D Style" game

[@WASD20]

I have DCC on my shelf, and hope to get that into a future video at some point.

[@johnnygreenface4195]

@@WASD20 I hope so as well! That would be great. Awesome system, even if just for art and inspiration

[@tbone007]

Is their any chance you could review maps from Lord of Maps?

[@Ukyoprime]

Monster of the Week uses a system generally called "Powered by the Apocalypse" - from its origins in the games "Apocalypse World" and "Apocalypse Dungeon". The system has proven to be CRAZY versatile, and has some really neat and unique stuff going on. There are all kinds of games that have adapted the system to suit a different experience, from "Masks" - basically Young Justice, the RPG - to "Thirsty Sword Lesbians" - an inclusive romp with some of the snappiest writing to be found anywhere in games.

[@WASD20]

Yes! Should have noted this in the vid. Dungeon World is another. Also been thinking about picking up Ironsworn, which at least to some extent uses PbtA.

[@Ukyoprime]

@@WASD20 I've never played Ironsworn, but it leans into one of the most intriguing bits of PbtA - structuring the rules for the GM. In "standard" Apocalypse, I've always been charmed by how they treat the GM as just an asymmetrical player (playing "the world" as a character) with firm rules on their options. I hear Ironsworn goes farther, to the point that it's almost better when played GMless.

[@KarlBarbosa]

I've played Monster of the Week, Blades in the Dark, and Vaesen. While Monster of the Week is decent and fun, it's not wow material. On the other hand, both Blades in the Dark and Vaesen are among the very best RPGs I've ever played. Vaesen because the setting is great and it uses a particularly streamlined version of the already very efficient Year Zero engine, so gameplay is FAST. I'm a huge Free League fan because of their game design, and so far, all of their games have been amazing. Blades in the Dark is absolutely the best narrative game on the market right now and is an improvisational gold mine. Only 'drawback' is that it's highly dependent on a GM that can think of twists and turns on the fly. Very by the book scripted GMs would really struggle with Blades.

[@Liodegrance]

How would Dead Man's Guide play with Moldvey Basic?

[@WASD20]

Would be do-able if you just treat it as a setting guide for sure. I think it would work really well. In terms of cultural traits/abilities if you are really familiar with racial traits in your own system you could probably convert them in a way that would be comprable.

[@sam6231]

Ice wind dale was my favorite campain in recent memory

[@WASD20]

I really like it!

[@VerhoevenSimon]

Very nice video, albeit I'd love some timestamps!

[@WASD20]

I did put time stamps in last night. You don't see them? Should be visible on the progress bar

[@VerhoevenSimon]

@@WASD20 ah, after a refresh I see them. I opened the video as soon as I got the upload notification.

[@mccallosone4903]

Sold on that random encounters book

[@piece1309]

Vaesen was my favorite game in 2021. I love me a good Free League game.

[@WASD20]

Me too. They don't miss.

[@WillWildsOutdoorAdventures]

Monster Of The Week gets my vote, can't wait to play more

[@WASD20]

Definitely!

[@coal.sparks]

Nice shirt! :) I just got invited to play Blades in the Dark yesterday (by Nico J. who I know from AbTab). If you've got time in your schedule, you should hit him up! :)

[@colemanfrost2014]

have you checked out cyberpunk red?

[@WASD20]

No. I am somewhat interested, but generally not a fan of cyberpunk settings.

[@55kazerman]

A shame to hear you've been fatigued by these. I was hoping you'd check out Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. I've been enjoying it as a way to make more Strahd-like adventures.

[@epicunderworlds5693]

have you ever heard of PCGs, I think you would kinda like them.

[@WASD20]

Nope! What does it stand for?

[@epicworldspcg79]

@@WASD20 paper computer games they are fun

[@johncartwright3130]

Kind of like the tv show Grim.

[@Insipience1]

Pc specs??

[@iamcoolalot]

coulda shoulda woulda

[@fufu1405]

The way you hold the book, because you don’t push down the pages is so frustrating lmao

[@MassiveCarbonFootprint]

This is like a clickbanal title... seemed so prosaic I had to watch!😆

[@gojirajenkins8528]

Dear Nate, Do You resent WOTC and D&D now ? Over the years You seem to of lost Your passion for D&D due to the suits over at Hasbro and their blatant greed. Please hang in there Nate. More of us rely on You than You may realize. Godspeed Good Sir Knight. We await Your next post.