You Need this GM Guide!

[@GeekGamers01]

Enjoying this content? You can support the channel by donating on PayPal: paypal.me/geekgamersDeborah get SOLO GAME MASTER'S GUIDE: US customers: tinyurl.com/yckpsrxe UK customers: tinyurl.com/ykarakda get WANDERINGS: tinyurl.com/5cj3d4jc

[@randraug]

This edition was our game of choice from 2002 to 2008. My brother, friends, and I lived and breathed these books. Character creation was very elaborate (about 50 rolls, irc) but every character was unique. The class options were great and there were rules for everything imaginable. As a DM, the tracking maintained on each character was extensive but ultimately necessary for the game to work. The alignment charts were my favorite.

[@GeekGamers01]

Wow. Sounds like not a game for me but as a resource... incredible. I will be looking up other of the books now too.

[@JamesJohnson-tj9pv]

Oops I should also mention the Hackmaster game master screen. You've never seen anything like it haha. If you're patient you can actually find the books and screen on ebay for a good price, but may take a while. Last but not least, Hackmasters - Lord Flateroy's Guide To Fortifications is awesome. PS Hackmaster 4th edition is also a bit of a joke, there was no 1st through 3rd edition. There is a 5th edition but a completely different game.

[@GeekGamers01]

Well thanks for the rec! I’m sorry it’s hard to remember who recommends what. And now you are sending me toward lots of other goodies I’m sure I will enjoy! Much appreciated.

[@NormanHarman]

I believe the missing cardstock is joke "coupons". Things playing into the humor of hackmaster, "get out of GM's trap" kind of thing

[@GeekGamers01]

Thanks for letting me know.

[@charlessmith5465]

yeah, at a glance they look like Chance cards from Monopoly, in a mechanic sense. I found them in a review on another channel.

[@randraug]

Oh yeah. We used them. Even bought extra copies of the Player Handbook and Dungeon Master Guide to get more. The DMs coupons were for the DM to counteract the Players' coupons and also to introduce or inactive things when they wanted instead of when the system allowed for it. Instant Alignment Infraction Audit, here we go.

[@NormanHarman]

The hacklopedia of beasts, 5 vols so a struggle to collect, is good for detail on creatures. What their parts (skin, organs) are good for, ecology, etc.

[@GeekGamers01]

Five volumes, huh? Wow. And does anyone regularly play this game?

[@NormanHarman]

I misremembered, it's 8 volumes + field guide! index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=7176 That is the old edition matching the DMG in your vid. The 5ed one is a very nice hardcover. Example entry www.kenzerco.com/hackmaster/pdf/bugbear_preview.pdf [please excuse presumption] I don't believe either would have high "return on investment" for the types of games you play in videos. I've played both versions for few sessions. I'm sure people play, but not very many. I've rarely find anyone who even knows about it.

[@randraug]

You're talking about the current edition. The edition her book is from, the hacklopedia is 8 books with one being a monster matrix for monster generation. Otherwise, the content is similar. The fifth edition Monster Manual is awesome as well.

[@benmoeller2590]

This might be a big ask but could you put together the "Quintessential solo dungeon/adventure kit" perhaps limited to 5 or 6 books/sources. I love watching your vids but I want to assemble one small set to use in creating a solo fantasy adventure that is compelling but not complicated. Thanks for all the great work you've done and for your dedication. P.S. I know you like Dungeon Degenerates but you correctly observed that it is not for everyone. I am definitely in the "not for everyone" category.

[@GeekGamers01]

@Ben Moeller You are right that's a big ask; you are also right that's a great idea. Officially on my "to do" list.... thanks for the suggestion!

[@benmoeller2590]

@@GeekGamers01 GG: Thanks so much. I think many of your fans would like to see this information.

[@GeekGamers01]

@@benmoeller2590 It is a really good suggestion and I'm already thinking about how I'd present it! Thank you so much for the suggestion.

[@JamesJohnson-tj9pv]

If you get the players handbook you'll be set - with Hackmaster you take out what you want and just utilize it as inspiration. I havent found anything as comprehensive as Hackmaster. I use this as a supplemnt for 1st edition DMG and The Rules Cyclopedia and 5th edition d&d - Excellent review glad you found the book interesting. ; )

[@alandeesa3322]

Kenzer has the 5th edition books in softcover for $39.95 available, just purchased one, after watching this great video.

[@JamesJohnson-tj9pv]

Wow! I just discovered that you followed through on my suggestion haha!

[@TheDungeonDive]

Looks like a cool book! Love all the charts.

[@bizzy5439]

Mind boggling is right.. Great review! Though this is almost like too much for someone like me, it's be overwhelming in play. I think I'd do better with something more condensed or at least not hyper-detailed. Kudos to the author(s) for even putting out something as intense and comprehensive as this

[@GeekGamers01]

I couldn't imagine playing the actual RPG either--which is why I wonder if everyone does. I didn't even show the crazy RPG rules in my vid! But as a random table resource, it's great (though also still overwhelming in its own way).

[@mistergoats4380]

amazing book

[@roberthaight1198]

GG - Thanks for this review. I am wondering how you feel this Hackmaster DMG compares to the Pathfinder DMG you reviewed a few months back.

[@GeekGamers01]

It really depends on what you are looking for. The Pathfinder guide is harder to use outside of the Pathfinder system. There are definitely sections of it that are great for any systems such as the subsystems and NPC gallery. These are the things I highlighted on that video. But overall in terms of the wealth of material and just sheer amount, the HackMaster guide offers more. Both have a place on my shelf, and will remain there, just use for different things. On the one hand though this HackMaster Guide is so overwhelmingly large that it takes so much for your time commitment.

[@vickyfereza7385]

Do some of these books explain how the percentages work. I ask cus i am starting out an only played the first book of Four against darkness, an now trying basic fantasy. It says that u have to roll 30%, ( depending on the character ) how do u roll that. Do u have to roll a 30 or above or 30 an below? I am sure i am not the only one that is trying to understand the way percent works for ur characters. I am not sure if some books explain it clearly .

[@GeekGamers01]

If it is a 30% chance of success you would need to roll between 1 and 30 on a d100 roll. That is, the second die would need to roll 1,2, or 3 on a d10 (or 10, 20, or 30 on a decimal die). You can see how that is harder to do than if the chance of success was, say, 60% where you could roll a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 on the d10 or 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60 on a decimal die. Hope that explains it a bit more intuitively. The larger the % chance of success is related to more chances of making the roll.

[@vickyfereza7385]

@@GeekGamers01 rhank you, that does help explain it better. I don't think some books explain it that way. I might not have got to the area that might explains it yet. I am still reading the book, i had got to where it was kinda introducing you to what the dice do , but not at the area that it might explains more.

[@vickyfereza7385]

Ih the Basic Fantasy rpg , what does initiative do ?, i know it has something to do with the characters dexterity bonus.

[@frenzykitty]

Not sure if I understand the question, but initiative is the turn order of characters and enemies in combat. Often resolved with a roll plus dex bonus.

[@vickyfereza7385]

@@frenzykitty oh ok, i guess i am not understanding what the dex bonus does for the characters, is it a strangh. I mean how does it help them or hurt them in the game. Reading in thr book i wasn't understanding how it works

[@frenzykitty]

@@vickyfereza7385 dexterity is the characters speed, athleticism and agility

[@vickyfereza7385]

@@frenzykitty oh ok, thx. Those answers helped

[@danacoleman4007]

I'm getting ads about every 3 minutes. Yikes. I think I would have enjoyed the video but I'm out of here.