Masterbook

[CosmicCowboy]

The LGS has a few copies squirreled away. Is it worth picking up for $10, and why?

[jdrakeh]

The LGS has a few copies squirreled away. Is it worth picking up for $10, and why?

Possibly worth picking up. The Master System itself is a less elegant, much more complex, rendition of the original TORG engine (also published by WEG). As a generic game system it isn't anything special (in fact, I really dislike it), but some of the setting supplements were really neat - World of Bloodshadows, World of Aden, World of Necroscope, World of Tank Girl, and Tales From the Crypt. If you have any interest in tracking down those settings, I'd grab a copy - because converting Masterbook material for use with other systems is a complete pain in the ass.

[Halloween Jack]

As someone who owned it...no, it isn't. All of the games written for Masterbook can easily be converted into D6, a much better system by West End.

To sum it all up: There are 8 attributes, with the human range going from about 5 up to 13, and a lot of skills. Points in a skill are called "adds" for some reason, and having 3 adds in a skill is considered a lot at character creation.

Rolls consist of Attribute + Skill Adds + 2d10. Except that you don't just add the 2d10...you look up a chart to see whether the number you rolled gives you a plus or a minus to your Attribute + Skill total. ( For example, say your Strength is 12, and you have 4 adds in lifting. That's a total of 16. But you roll a total of 7 on the 2d10. That has "-3" listed next to it on the chart, so you subtract 3 from your Attribute+Skill for a total of 13.)

Usually this is against a static target number set by the GM, but if it's combat or certain physical or social skills, you consult another chart, the "Success Chart." If, for example, you whack a guy with a club and beat his result by 12 points on the damage roll, you inflict 2 Wounds, a knockout, and 5 points of stun damage.

There are a few memorable unique bits in the system I can remember, although I wouldn't say they make it worth buying. Here are some:

-There were skills for ordinary physical tasks like running, climbing, lifting, and swimming. In addition to using these to see if you could complete a task, as in other games, you could use them to "push"-boosting your movement rate or normal lifting total in exchange for inflicting stun damage on yourself.

-There were certain status conditions, like "stymied," "untrained," and "setback," which could be inflicted on characters through combat maneuvers or the use of aggressive social skills like Taunt or Intimidation, that would negatively affect your skill rolls.

-Knockouts in combat worked on a system of "K" and "O." You had to inflict both on someone to knock them out. For instance, if I hit you and beat your Toughness roll by 3 points with an attack, you take an "O" and a point of stun damage. If, later, I hit you and get a result that reads "K," you're knocked out. I can inflict as many O's as I want; you're not knocked out until you take a "K" as well.

There was also the Masterdeck, which was essentially a deck of cards with effects that could help a character, hurt a character, or affect the plot. Each player got some, and the GM got some, too.

[CosmicCowboy]

*snip*

Cripes! I had thought that Masterbook was D6 based. I'll be sure to avoid it. Thanks.

[DigitalMage]

I actually like MasterBook, though it does have its faults. It was actually one influence that spurred me on to create LowDie.

[sunwolf]

I also liked Masterbook (was working on a Star Wars conversion). The best thing about it was the Special effects chapter that gave you a fairly well defined system to build any effect/spell/power you wanted.

[JamesG]

The LGS has a few copies squirreled away. Is it worth picking up for $10, and why?
Definately. It's probably the best generic system I've played. There are some quirks too it (a couple of the advantages and disadvantages are badly priced), but the basic system is solid, the Special Effects System is a very flexible toolkit, the Masterdeck cards are entertaining and it doesn't seem to hit any scaling problems (which I largely put down to the log based value system). The interaction system meant non-combat characters could still contribute during combat.

[Jade Bells Ringing]

well, basically, I loved the Bloodshadows game I played in, and some Indy Jones went pretty well. But, then, I was familiar with the basic system from TORG.

[Bailywolf]

Me, I think the system is pure poo.

I wouldn't buy the stright Masterbook rules, though I have bought several of the "World Of..." setting books cause they were generally good, even if the system was crapola.

Spend your money on some good PDF products from rpgnow.

-B

[copeab]

I also liked Masterbook (was working on a Star Wars conversion). The best thing about it was the Special effects chapter that gave you a fairly well defined system to build any effect/spell/power you wanted.

Heh. That was my least favorite part of the rules. The fact that there was only one worked out example didn't help, either.

[dalek repairman]

I would recommend buying the new d6 rule books instead. They took some of the cooler rules from the Masterbook system like the special effects, and advantages and disadvantages and combined them with the d6 system.
Having played both systems, I would give the edge to d6 because it's not as clunky as the Masterbook system and players pick it up very quickly.

[sunwolf]

Or you could wait until next year when TORG 2.0 comes out. :D

[CosmicCowboy]

I would recommend buying the new d6 rule books instead.

This is probably sound advice, especially since it looks like they're re-releasing some of the Masterbook settings as D6.

[Halloween Jack]

Cripes! I had thought that Masterbook was D6 based. I'll be sure to avoid it. Thanks.If you're interested in one of the Masterbook settings that isn't being rereleased (let me know if you find World of Tank Girl), it's pretty easy to convert Masterbook stats into D6. Just divide the attributes and skill adds by 3 for a number of dice, and add the remainder. (So a Masterbook Strength of 11 converts to 3D+2 in D6.)

[Trilobite]

There was also the Masterdeck, which was essentially a deck of cards with effects that could help a character, hurt a character, or affect the plot. Each player got some, and the GM got some, too.
We've used those cards to great effect in various GURPS games over the years. They're pretty damn cool.

The actual Masterbook system, on the other hand...well, it never really grabbed me. But these days I'd probably be willing to go in for $10 just to get a deck of those cards. ;)

--
it'd be pricey, but i figure there can't be that many of 'em left out there
ryan

[hellsreach]

We've used those cards to great effect in various GURPS games over the years. They're pretty damn cool.

The actual Masterbook system, on the other hand...well, it never really grabbed me. But these days I'd probably be willing to go in for $10 just to get a deck of those cards. ;)

--
it'd be pricey, but i figure there can't be that many of 'em left out there
ryan

Unfortunately, there are no Masterdecks left in the warehouse, but we do have Torg Drama Decks--which I think superior to the Masterdeck anyway--available for $5.00

[BPIJonathan]

Definately. It's probably the best generic system I've played.

I ran a Babylon 5 game using Masterbook for many years. We started playing when Season 2 was airing and I ran it until the Mongoose Babylon 5 came out (with one sidetrack into running The Babylon Project).

[DigitalMage]

I liked MasterBook because the die results were zero centred and so you could just use another character's stat as a Difficulty Number - you didn't need a separate AC, Defence or derived attribute.

And although combat damage required a chart, it did make damage more varied - e.g. you could be KOed without having to be wounded.

[uncle_wilf]

The Master System itself is a less elegant, much more complex, rendition of the original TORG engine (also published by WEG).
Personally, I prefer the Masterbook iteration to the TORG one. Then again, I played Masterbook first, had I played in an enjoyable TORG campaign first, I might agree with you.
As a generic game system it isn't anything special (in fact, I really dislike it), but some of the setting supplements were really neat
Having played some of the settings, it then bacame a system which our group used generically. I get the idea that the only way you'll know if you, personally, like Masterbook is if you play a game under a competant GM. Hardly the most useful advice, I know, but the best I can give.

cheers!

Gordon

[reedins]

Masterbook was like Torg with the fun sucked out; an attempt to make a more balanced system. I hope Hellsreach learns well the lessons of Masterbook while he's doing Torg 2.0. Having played (a shitload of) Torg, Shatterzone (which was really the first iteration of Masterbook) and Masterbook, I think Torg is the superior product. Masterbook lopped the whacky high end off of Torg, which is where a lot of the entertainment value was for me.

Now, if West End had combined Torg's fun with Masterbook's superior sourcebooks, they would have really had a winner.

[BPIJonathan]

Now, if West End had combined Torg's fun with Masterbook's superior sourcebooks, they would have really had a winner.

I keep hearing this from people, but I (and my group) really enjoyed playing the system. The only reason we are not playing Masterbook now is because the setting we were using it for now has an official setting published by Mongoose.

[reedins]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. My not liking it doesn't diminish that. :) However, as for me and the groups for which I've run; I've played Torg since it came out and I eagerly acquired each new West End games release. I gave each new game a seirous shot, and always tried to make the experience as fun as possible for my players and myself. Masterbook just came up short.

[JamesG]

Masterbook was like Torg with the fun sucked out; an attempt to make a more balanced system. I hope Hellsreach learns well the lessons of Masterbook while he's doing Torg 2.0. Having played (a shitload of) Torg, Shatterzone (which was really the first iteration of Masterbook) and Masterbook, I think Torg is the superior product. Masterbook lopped the whacky high end off of Torg, which is where a lot of the entertainment value was for me.
Having played Torg after Masterbook (in the same group as Uncle Wilf) the starting characters seemed much less competent and consistent in their abilities.