578:
rules, he still found that "while less confusing can't get over its love affair with charts and numbers." He did find several strong elements, including "a well-written text, an intriguing selection of skills, a clever use of cards." And he lauded the included card deck, which he found "inventive,
586:
There were two core rule books. One was included with the boxed sets and the other was sold separately. Apart from the cover, they were both identical. A Companion book also compiled rules from the boxed set world books. The world books were only available in their dedicated box sets. This may have
217:
cards (Disaster, Opportunity, Wild, and
Interloper) are Wild Cards that can provide special effects that the gamemaster can tailor to their needs. The remaining 4 were two blank cards and 2 blank Picture cards. The deck was sold separately from the standalone rule book, but a free deck was enclosed
716:
To clarify, Life Points are experience points that can be spent to increase
Attributes or Skills. One Life Point can be converted into 3 Skill Points. They can also be used to add a bonus to a skill roll before it's rolled, negate wounds, or shift a result on a
735:
As of
October 13, 2020 the MasterBook 2E rules are still in a Beta form. They are currently in an annotated Playtest version. This is available in a PDF bundle with the reprinted MasterBook 1E rules.
26:
264:(1994) - GM companion. Comes with 2 two-panel game-master screens and a campaign pack with NPCs, typical adventure locations with maps, and a gazetteer about the City-State of Albredura.
205:
It was designed for use with the MasterBook Deck (also designed by Ed Stark), which contained a 108-card deck of playing-card size. It came in three types of effects. The 83 black
579:
fun to use, and in contrast to the rest of the rulebook, blessedly succinct." He concluded by giving the book an average rating of 4 out of 6, saying, "even with its flaws, the
209:
cards are handed in by the player for random benefits, like a bonus on a character's task roll, temporarily allowing extra actions, or granting extra Life Points. The 17 red
194:, and Brian Schomburg, and cover art by Stephen Crane. It was published by WEG in 1994. A limited-edition 483-page hardbound version was made that also included the
498:
466:(1996) - Psionics rules and new equipment. Includes 15 psychic character templates and a MasterBook to D6 System conversion guide.
240:. Each softcover worldbook came in a box set with a copy of the MasterBook rules, a MasterBook deck, and a pair of 10-sided dice.
583:
system remains a solid, versatile game with strong characters and clever concepts. The designers just didn’t know when to quit."
167:
system utilizes two complementary forms of in-game conflict resolution: a unified dice mechanic, which is based on a roll of two
1048:
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Skill points are experience points that can be spent to increase skills. They can also be spent to reroll a failed skill roll
392:
1012:
360:
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that further details the espionage horror/thriller gameworld. It also contains new espionage skills and abilities.
913:
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276:(1995) - A mix of background essays, short fiction, and adventures dealing with the myths and legends of Marl.
1053:
992:
943:
658:
234:
system was used for several licensed properties. It was also used for their proprietary fantasy-noir setting
222:
cards, which are
Subplot cards that the players control that potentially could grant extra Skill Points.
888:
144:, which do not have a specific campaign setting, use rules from both WEG's multi-genre role-playing game
1038:
326:
933:
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777:
125:
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520:
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175:) that is used to influence random number generation, character actions, and the game's plot.
270:(1994) - Details the non-Human Unnatural races and contains rules for creating new Unnaturals.
213:
cards are used immediately by the Game Master to create a random event or encounter. The four
770:
424:(1996) - A rules companion that helps immerse the game master and players in the gameworld.
408:(1997) - Magic rules. Also has rules for the creation of PCs and NPCs with magical powers.
304:
set in the City-State of
Selastos. Also includes twelve new Human and Unnatural templates.
218:
with each worldbook box set. Expansions to the MasterDeck come with 12 blank cards and 24
8:
987:
983:
978:
418:
box set (1995) - Includes conversion notes from the MasterBook system to the D6 System.
829:
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566:
was not enthusiastic about the rules, which he found too derivative of the rules from
918:
697:
678:
647:
558:
414:
77:
370:(1995) - Details Europe, the Middle East, South America and the Orient in the 1930s.
898:
254:
171:, and a game-specific deck of cards (the MasterDeck, similar to the Drama Deck in
968:
928:
540:
168:
51:
Paul Daly, Jamie
Lombardo, Ron Hill, Karl Waller, Brian Schomburg, Stephen Crane
878:
819:
744:
As of
September 22, 2020 the MasterBook EZ rules are currently in Version 2.5 .
590:
There were several licensed properties released using the
Masterbook, but only
587:
had an effect on sales, due to the world books not being available separately.
482:
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59:
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963:
839:
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107:
36:
25:
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box set (1995) - A worldbook based on the horror fiction of Brian Lumley's
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258:(1994) - Details the City-State of Galitia, the largest city on Marl.
1017:
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490:
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523:. They are currently working on an improved second edition, called
455:
320:(1995) - Details the unexplored Wilderness outside the City-States.
187:
41:
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314:
and adds new spells. Also contains three new character templates.
574:. But while Swan found the rules less complex than the original
538:
3rd
Edition worldbook. It has conversion rules for use with the
1007:
1002:
873:
619:
948:
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357:(1995) - Details 1930s San Francisco. Includes the adventure
190:, with interior art by Paul Daly, Jamie Lombardo, Ron Hill,
938:
858:
146:
96:
698:"Pyramid: Pyramid Pick: MasterBook Games / Bloodshadows"
570:
that he had roundly criticized in a previous edition of
598:
found success. These two were both later rewritten for
527:, and have released a free simplified version, called
345:(1994) - Details 1930s Japan. Contains the adventure
150:(1990), and WEG's science fiction role-playing game
508:(1996) - New adventures for use with the worldbook.
186:is a 176-page softcover book that was designed by
605:, which had been adapted from their more popular
310:(1995) - Details and expands the magic rules for
1030:
792:
778:
376:(1995) - A collection of three adventures:
785:
771:
534:In 2016 Precis Intermedia printed the new
374:Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Templars
282:(1995) - Details the City-State of Padaar.
24:
406:Magic & Mysticism: The Dark Continent
668:
666:
368:Indiana Jones and the Lands of Adventure
514:
472:(1997) - A globe-spanning campaign for
225:
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519:In 2011, MasterBook was re-printed by
422:The World of Aden: Campaign Chronicles
178:
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676:(March 1995). "Roleplaying Reviews".
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355:Indiana Jones and the Golden Vampires
672:
444:(1995) - A gamemaster companion for
393:Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
454:(1996) - A guidebook detailing the
13:
14:
1065:
751:
499:The World of Tales from the Crypt
364:set in San Francisco's Chinatown.
288:(1995) - Collects the adventures
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343:Indiana Jones and the Rising Sun
607:Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game
30:Cover art by Stphen Crane, 1994
738:
729:
720:
710:
690:
652:
641:
463:The E-Branch Guide to Psionics
135:
1:
634:
556:In the March 1995 edition of
1049:Universal role-playing games
551:
7:
396:Sourcebook (1996 Hardcover)
10:
1070:
327:The World of Indiana Jones
202:material in one volume.
1044:Role-playing game systems
934:Powered by the Apocalypse
810:Advanced Fighting Fantasy
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794:Role-playing game systems
126:generic role-playing game
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91:
83:
73:
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758:The Masterbook Community
521:Precis Intermedia Gaming
386:The Tomb of the Templars
474:The World of Necroscope
446:The World of Necroscope
431:The World of Necroscope
400:Indiana Jones Artifacts
335:Raiders of the Lost Ark
596:World of Indiana Jones
491:The World of Tank Girl
382:The Sword in the Stone
359:Indiana Jones and the
347:Indiana Jones and the
200:World of Indiana Jones
128:that was published by
402:(1996) - Magic items.
308:Sorcerer's Crib Sheet
196:World of Bloodshadows
140:The generic rules of
1054:West End Games games
919:Megaversal/Palladium
515:MasterBook 2E (2011)
483:The World of Species
470:Operation: Nightside
226:MasterBook 1E (1994)
286:Shadows of Selastos
179:Publication history
20:
294:The Lady is a Vamp
18:
1039:Masterbook system
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623:#26 (April, 1996)
506:Cryptic Campaigns
442:Deadspeak Dossier
415:The World of Aden
378:The Druid's Curse
298:All That Glistens
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78:Role-playing game
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339:(1994 Hardcover)
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220:Plot Development
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541:Active Exploits
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502:box set (1996)
361:Golden Vampires
330:box set (1994)
302:Trail of Riches
280:Padaar Citybook
250:box set (1994)
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132:(WEG) in 1994.
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169:ten-sided dice
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48:Illustrators
15:
984:Storyteller
944:QuestWorlds
844:Cortex Plus
648:Pigames.net
576:Shatterzone
568:Shatterzone
207:Enhancement
192:Karl Waller
153:Shatterzone
136:Description
112:probability
110:, tactics,
66:Publication
1033:Categories
954:Rolemaster
909:Masterbook
825:Amber DRPG
674:Swan, Rick
635:References
581:Masterbook
436:Necroscope
337:Sourcebook
318:Wilderness
232:Masterbook
184:Masterbook
165:Masterbook
142:Masterbook
121:Masterbook
56:Publishers
19:Masterbook
1018:Unisystem
993:Traveller
899:Interlock
854:D6/OpenD6
815:Alternity
684:TSR, Inc.
603:D6 system
564:Rick Swan
552:Reception
156:(1993).
84:Languages
37:Designers
1013:Ubiquity
998:Tri-Stat
805:3D&T
686:: 83–84.
456:Wamphyri
452:Wamphyri
438:series.
188:Ed Stark
108:Strategy
99:rolling)
95:Medium (
42:Ed Stark
974:SilCORE
879:Gumshoe
682:(215).
659:RPG.net
628:Pyramid
548:rules.
215:Picture
211:Subplot
87:English
1008:TWERPS
1003:True20
874:Fuzion
840:Cortex
717:table.
679:Dragon
620:Shadis
572:Dragon
559:Dragon
384:, and
300:, and
163:, the
104:Skills
92:Chance
74:Genres
949:Risus
904:MURPG
884:GURPS
869:Fudge
458:race.
159:Like
124:is a
959:SAGA
939:QAGS
924:Omni
914:MEGS
894:Hero
889:HARP
864:Fate
859:EABA
835:CODA
594:and
544:and
230:The
198:and
173:Torg
161:Torg
147:Torg
97:dice
69:1994
979:SRS
849:d20
830:BRP
1035::
986:/
969:SF
842:/
665:^
609:.
531:.
380:,
296:,
292:,
786:e
779:t
772:v
700:.
476:.
388:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
