The Batman Gotham City Chronicles RPG is a maximally focused d20 game - RPG Review

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 23 янв 2025

Комментарии • 93

  • @DaveThaumavore
    @DaveThaumavore  16 дней назад +14

    ERRATA: The miniature after Two Face is White Shark.
    Support the channel by joining my Patreon! www.patreon.com/thaumavore
    Sign up for my newsletter! bit.ly/ThaumavoreNewsletter

  • @aubreystewart3289
    @aubreystewart3289 16 дней назад +51

    This ttrpg existing at all definitely caught me off guard, but I think playing as normal people in Gotham could be really fun. Keep the Batfamily and Rogue's Gallery as more of set pieces. The Penguin show really highlights how the setting can be used in a somewhat grounded way.

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  16 дней назад +15

      @@aubreystewart3289 it gives the superheroes way more impact when they show up, IF they show up. What a dark Gotham one could paint when there’s a Batman out there saving people, but he’s never there to save YOU!

    • @dalriada7554
      @dalriada7554 10 дней назад +1

      You can play as the batfamily !
      Basically, there's three levels of power : streets (Typically, Renee Montoya or Harvey Bullock), shadows (non-powered heroes, like Robin) or prodigies (powered heroes, like Poison Ivy).
      It works quite well and you can mix the different levels.
      However, it can't do JLA, even with Batman, not without a lot of changes. It's not trying to do that, so it's fine.

  • @עומרשרייבר-ל4ר
    @עומרשרייבר-ל4ר 16 дней назад +73

    A batman ttrpg is not something I ever expected but I am intrigued

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  16 дней назад +23

      I think the most promising thing about the game is that you can play as regular people in Gotham.

    • @arcticcirclepit2008
      @arcticcirclepit2008 16 дней назад +3

      The original Batman RPG from the 1990's, which was basically DC Heroes-lite, was also an incredible Batman RPG.

    • @wylde_hunter
      @wylde_hunter 16 дней назад +3

      Me too.

    • @amelialonelyfart8848
      @amelialonelyfart8848 15 дней назад +2

      Aside from the Batman game in the '90s, there was also a line of DC games in the early 2010s that were based off Mutants and Masterminds, which were also based off 3e lol.

    • @krispalermo8133
      @krispalermo8133 13 дней назад

      @@DaveThaumavore Rifts/TMNT d% system, you could play as regular/ normal people. Even with WEG west end games you could play non heroic PC. Then WotC3e D&D/Star Wars more or less you could play normal people. Since a cross-class skill of Profession was introduced.
      It is all up to the gaming group you are with and level of maturity you have.
      2.) Twenty plus some years ago, take WotC3e D&D/Star Wars flip D&D arcane spells into Star Wars force power skill rank powers. Run Harry Potter style of magic for grade school & junior high school age children.
      a.) Grade school girls wanting to PC Zatanna & Bruce's daughters from alternate timeline realities. With cross dimensional multiple Wayne manors. Game balance is out the window dealing with children under 12years old.
      Wayne manor is on a super Para natural sea cave. Even if Bruce's parents didn't die, he will still become a detective with a bat totem guiding him.
      b.) Tv series M.A.S.H. Thomas Wayne worked as a medical E.R. and Alfred was camp guard.
      Then you have the tv series " The Nanny," spin off of Adam West Batman, Nanny is Catwoman, CC is Vicky Valle or Supergirl, whichever is funnier.
      3.) Side characters, .. the working staff using WotC3e Star Wars character classes.
      Wayne department office workers.
      a.) Noble or scoundrel with level in Soldier to function as bodyguards with Bluff or Preform ( acting ), office secretary that can go from paperwork item reporting to air head public date to get the senior staff to cover.
      Multiple guys could do impersonations and carry a laugh and sale pitch, they end up working as body doubles for Wayne tech senior staff members. One Bruce double came across the Joker during a dinner lunch and challenge the Joke to a ..
      " My Mama joke slap yourself after a shot of whiskey fight."
      The reverse of taking a drink, insult someone's mom, and slap them across the face to see what they will do next.
      If you spit up or vomit from the alcohol, you have to slap yourself twice.
      b.) Small mom & pops shop deliver drive on motor bike. Has friends in catering, landscaping, and cleaning. They try to catch Alfred Pennyworth when he is out shopping to compare cooking or gardening tips. After some time, they get a temp job working around Wayne manor doing odd jobs. Alfred builds his own spy network.
      Alfred doesn't like the whole Bat costume and Robin side kick thing, so he starts building his own spy guard force to deal with any blowback.
      Based on what point in the timeline, they go to school with Dick, Jason, or Tim at Gotham High academic scholarship.
      c.) Start game off as teenager, deal with some odd stuff like Buffy or Sabrina, do 6 or 12years in military, and come back to work in the GCPD or side job. Then discover the side military tech develop by your cousin is being used by Batman.
      Welcome to Batman & The Outsiders.
      Honestly from Adam West batman, those tape wheel computers in the cave Require dozens of on the site techs to maintain equipment daily use. As for the higher tech, three to four dozen is the requirement. For what Alfred has to manage he will need at least eight aids for the cave alone, let alone the manor.
      Not to mention a tow wreaker for pickup if the wheels of the bat car getting any real damage when out.

  • @michaeledmonds4849
    @michaeledmonds4849 16 дней назад +29

    We had a "comic book guy" in our Marvel Multiverse RPG campaign...GM had to boot them as apparently every other player complained about all the interruptions, and their character somehow had a backstory with every major comic character we encountered.

  • @blainetaggart6736
    @blainetaggart6736 12 дней назад +6

    The idea of playing a citizen trying to survive an encounter with a scarry Gotham villain is cool! Kind of adds a horror element. Thank you for making the video.and sharing. Another great review.

  • @mavfan21
    @mavfan21 16 дней назад +15

    Great review, you covered all the bases, that's why I subscribe! I will be buying this. I am a sucker for a good supers game.

  • @FoolsGil
    @FoolsGil 16 дней назад +29

    With something like this I would DM or play superheroes made as streets of Gotham characters, with Batman his allies and his rogues at Miracles of Gotham level.

    • @michaelblackett8195
      @michaelblackett8195 16 дней назад +1

      That is how I set it from the beginning. Setting early on at street level.

  • @joel3921
    @joel3921 16 дней назад +11

    Commenting due to algorithm and it's just a kewl review 🤗

  • @wylde_hunter
    @wylde_hunter 16 дней назад +10

    Holy smokes Batman - this boxed set looks great! The miniatures are top-notch, the battle maps cool, and the Gotham source material really in depth. I've checked out the rule system & it looks streamlined & very playable. All-in-all, every aspect of this set looks well-crafted & well-designed. It's definitely going on my "Must Buy" list.

    • @wylde_hunter
      @wylde_hunter 14 дней назад +2

      I sound like a shill but I promise I'm just a normal RPGamer! I just love the whole look & feel of this one.

  • @MarioReischer
    @MarioReischer 15 дней назад +5

    OMG!!! Why didn't I know about this??? Thank you ❤❤❤

  • @MezTZO
    @MezTZO 15 дней назад +6

    With this Batman rpg AND the current Kickstarter campaign for the re-release of DC Heroes (1st and 2nd edition), that means there TWO DC-based rpg lines out at roughly the same time period.

  • @Mark-sd4hv
    @Mark-sd4hv 16 дней назад +7

    I probably would never get to play this but I'm interested in reading the settings guide. I hope this leads to a developer making a Gotham or even a Watchmen style CRPG using its system. Those minis are really good looking. I could tell who every character was besides the few I didn't know of. This looks like a great box. You could play for many years with just what's in the box. Villain of the month type games

  • @samtheactualkenku6205
    @samtheactualkenku6205 16 дней назад +4

    honestly, I genuinely want this, not only is it a way to get my friends into characters I enjoy but it gets them into the setting, and I already hope that the publishers have rules and character expansions in mind (such as a Batman Beyond Guide, an Obscure Allies & Villains Guide, or even an expansion on Nightwing and Bludhaven Guide)

  • @vernonhampton5863
    @vernonhampton5863 13 дней назад +2

    This looks amazing. Thank you for this video. Highly informative

  • @admiraltiberius5231
    @admiraltiberius5231 15 дней назад +3

    Great review. I've been planning on getting this since I first heard about it a few years ago. Probably never find anyone to play but it'll at leasy be another set of books I'll enjoy reading!

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  15 дней назад +1

      @@admiraltiberius5231 Just reading RPG books is a distinct joy and a completely legitimate way to enjoy RPGs! ✊

  • @tremorstudio9766
    @tremorstudio9766 2 дня назад +1

    The intro in the core book made me happy - Batman Universe works much better by itself that with the others supers in DC universe

  • @ZeAshTonz
    @ZeAshTonz 16 дней назад +6

    23:08 Stroke of Luck seems to be weirdly unrelated to Way of Corporations. I feel like it could've been easily reflavored so that the difficulty is solved by your organization instead of raw luck.

  • @MelodicMethod
    @MelodicMethod 16 дней назад +2

    thank you for the in-depth overview

  • @stevenisonline
    @stevenisonline 16 дней назад +3

    While I love the idea, I didn't think I could ever GM a game like this until I watched your video. It actually looks really fun and playable, even for people like me who are only mildly familiar with Batman lore. Great video!

  • @speaklowww5747
    @speaklowww5747 12 часов назад +1

    can't belive i'm actually interested in this

  • @skullman-us7wn
    @skullman-us7wn 15 дней назад +3

    Imagine finishing off a one shot where all of the players are goons by playing the sound of glass breaking and shutting off the lights

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  15 дней назад

      @@skullman-us7wn I love that.

    • @krispalermo8133
      @krispalermo8133 13 дней назад +1

      Alfred Pennyworth drops a smoke flash bam, and walks though clearing the building with a Tomson gun with barrel mag full of rubber bullets.

  • @FatalKitsune
    @FatalKitsune 16 дней назад +3

    Man, I think I just want the setting book, to be honest.

  • @juauke
    @juauke 16 дней назад +2

    This is so freaking cool!

    • @juauke
      @juauke 16 дней назад +1

      If not only for that thorough setting book, I'm pledging all-in!

    • @juauke
      @juauke 16 дней назад +1

      I'm actually hesitating between French and English!
      I think I'll take French since it's their first language and I can lend it to my family (which I can't if it's in English)

    • @juauke
      @juauke 16 дней назад +1

      Love the cards!

    • @juauke
      @juauke 16 дней назад +1

      Love the different modes!
      This is actually making it sound so good to play several groups in different modes and play solo also!

  • @madarchmage1151
    @madarchmage1151 8 дней назад +1

    I like this. Thank you

  • @AAllen-br8it
    @AAllen-br8it 9 дней назад +1

    The tabletop gaming community/industry really needs to get their nomenclature together. I had no idea that this was a pen and paper RPG and avoided content about it because the board game didin't interest me. Kind of reminds me of the whole Chronicles / World of Darkness case that you, as the consumer, have to crack before you can navigate that rabbit hole of titles. It just seems like cases of bad labelling happen a lot in this space.

  • @Shiyaku93
    @Shiyaku93 15 дней назад +1

    Playing in an established setting like Gotham doesn't exactly appeal to me but I have a real soft spot for the pulpy-noir-50s era inspired version from the Bruce Timm animated series. Love the minis and I'm happy to see the inclusion of Professor Pyg as well as my personal favorite "Vault".

  • @beetlejuss
    @beetlejuss 10 дней назад +1

    Obviously, I imagine the bad guys campaign, where you have to defeat Batman (the GM), but it is not about killing him because A) He has plot armor B) The goal is to create and execute the most perfect plan even if it is inevitably going to fail.

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  10 дней назад

      You could get pretty creative with a “Death of Batman” arc. He could “die” unexpectedly early but that create all kinds of new problems for the PCs. And over the course of that campaign as those new problems blossom into insurmountable calamity that only a Batman could solve, the piece de resistance would be to have the PCs wishing and hoping for a Batman to return to Gotham.

  • @cgovey
    @cgovey 11 дней назад +1

    I wanna play now but my table definitely doesn’t.

  • @DoinItforNewCommTech
    @DoinItforNewCommTech 16 дней назад +2

    Soooo expensive, but man it looks good. I think it's a PDF copy for me though---330 Australian dollars is a bit outside my comfort zone!

  • @snootsalamander6522
    @snootsalamander6522 15 дней назад +3

    Everything here looks super cool, definitely something I'm going to be looking in to over the next few days and potentially buying!
    However, my inner comics nerd has to express something nitpicky that really bothers me about the box art... The artwork of Batman that they feature all over the box and slip cover isn't actually Bruce Wayne. It's Jace Fox (son of Lucius Fox) who was more or less briefly filling in as Batman during the 2-month-long Future State storyline from early 2021. You can tell because of the covered mouth and the black shoulders, which is a unique feature of Jace Fox's batsuit. At the end of the day, yes, that is Batman, but not the Batman everyone knows. Feels like a very odd choice to use *that* particular art piece as the *primary* artwork for this. I get the impression that it was probably an accidental blunder on their part, possibly someone didn't check the full context behind the image. It's definitely cool artwork, don't get me wrong, but very odd seeing it as the main box art.
    Not so upsetting that it would deter me from buying, though ;)

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  15 дней назад +2

      @@snootsalamander6522 that’s a deep cut. Nice catch.

    • @gillesplantin7350
      @gillesplantin7350 10 дней назад +2

      That's not an error (but glad you catched this!). It's actually part of an exclusive cover we commissionned Jorgee Jimenez and Tomeu for our board game. This full art is called Gotham City in Flames if you want to see it.
      The idea was "anyone can be Batman, anyone can be a superhero".

  • @shroomcraftgames
    @shroomcraftgames 16 дней назад +2

    Okay fine I'll start cooking up a Arkham Asylum prison escape campaign

  • @WinchesterxNL
    @WinchesterxNL 15 дней назад

    Maaaay I ask what the music is for the Minis section? I'm seriously loving it and would love to find it somewhere to use for my own. It's perfectly fitting for this board game as well!

  • @skullman-us7wn
    @skullman-us7wn 16 дней назад +1

    holy grognard Batman!
    i hope they release the pdf's for this game soon

    • @mrddueck
      @mrddueck 16 дней назад

      They are available at Monolith Edition's website!

  • @ratsquireofscrap6081
    @ratsquireofscrap6081 16 дней назад +4

    🎉

  • @twincast2005
    @twincast2005 15 дней назад +1

    I had heard of it when it was first announced but nothing since then (except for when WotC's OGL plans were threatening the RPG it's based on) until now. I had always been salivating over the board game's minis, and looking at the map's descriptions and all the characters in the table of contents, I'm positively thrilled with certain choices for the lore. But I feel like I have to push back hard against their advice to only choose one Way, which sounds to me like a total lack of build options after character creation. Obviously, you don't want a wide and shallow mess of a char, either, but mixing two or three Ways for a unique, well-rounded character appears to be ideal to me.

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  15 дней назад +3

      @@twincast2005 I may have presented it wrong. You always start with THREE Ways, and they advise not to pick more than 2 or 3 more over the course of a character’s arc. So 4-6 is the sweet spot in their estimate.

    • @twincast2005
      @twincast2005 2 дня назад +1

      @DaveThaumavore Oh, if that's the case, then it sounds great to me.

  • @NerdyPaperGames
    @NerdyPaperGames 14 дней назад +2

    Hmm… this was a great review, but I’m not very excited for another 3.5e-inspired system at this point. Wish there was more innovation on offer with this product.

  • @the_beast_among_sheep
    @the_beast_among_sheep 16 дней назад +1

    Is the Skyline Edition Campaign still ongoing on GameFound

    • @BakyBaky
      @BakyBaky 15 дней назад

      It started on January 7th

  • @LeeGutsy
    @LeeGutsy 16 дней назад

    Ive been looking at this game for my group since it was announced, Im just waiting on foundry support

  • @coryk2521
    @coryk2521 16 дней назад +2

    I want it

  • @NicholasClane
    @NicholasClane 8 дней назад +1

    This looks interesting. But still Mutants and Masterminds is the best ttrpg for super hero adventures imho.

  • @lugaruclone
    @lugaruclone 15 дней назад +1

    Was not that interested but stuff like the street to high powered characters, ethics and such kinda caught my eye. Also I'm assuming this was a review copy which dang... imagine it is mail day and this shows up. Must have been a nice surprise.

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  15 дней назад +1

      @@lugaruclone Yeah, Christmas came early last year.

  • @VengefulJarl
    @VengefulJarl 16 дней назад

    I really miss the DC adventures rpg by green ronin around 2009. I would be against trying this as long as it's not just a 5e game focused on batman.

  • @Bilaros93
    @Bilaros93 15 дней назад

    Watched this yesterday and am commenting today after having read the quick-start. The rules section is fine enough, but that sample adventure? Jesus Christ... it reads like a 3rd-grader's fanfiction and is written like the author's favorite hobby is railroading players through adventures. Let's hope the final product will include some more competently written stuff.

  • @BruddaJakka
    @BruddaJakka 16 дней назад +2

    ...Huh, just based on everything here, this is a really good deal for the price.

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  16 дней назад +1

      @@BruddaJakka I agree. They sent me the stuff to review and I didn’t know what they were going to charge. I figured it would be $350 or thereabouts, considering the quality and amount of stuff. I guess they have economies of scale that bring costs down, being a game board company.

  • @himurogentoku7117
    @himurogentoku7117 16 дней назад +3

    I am uncomfortable with Harley's face in the thumbnail.

    • @himurogentoku7117
      @himurogentoku7117 16 дней назад

      Not the Harley's face herself but perhaps the comment in the balloon box, Dave.
      Looks less cool for me personally.
      I'd rather have a picture of your place in the corner if you want the thumbnail to be more... you.

  • @somerandommorron7069
    @somerandommorron7069 15 дней назад

    i feel the need to join a goonion

  • @SomeGuyNamedRoy
    @SomeGuyNamedRoy 4 дня назад +1

    Looks like you have to be Bruce Wayne to afford this full set.

  • @Kanoo_stream
    @Kanoo_stream 15 дней назад

    Too bad there is no solo or gm-less game mode

  • @thelastchannelonyoutube
    @thelastchannelonyoutube 16 дней назад

    The thing that really makes me hesitant about this game is how character creation is supposed to work. Specifically, how creating original characters is supposed to work. Part of the appeal of ttrpgs for me (and I assume most people) is the wide amount of creative freedom you have over player characters and this game seems to be made with the expectation that people will pick pre-existing characters from the comics. While I can envision a villain campaign where everyone has a unique villain identity and gimmick, I can't imagine creating superhero characters that feel at home in the setting or aren't just "Bat Dude, Bruce Wayne's lost cousin".

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  16 дней назад

      @@thelastchannelonyoutube I may have worded it wrong. You don’t pick characters from the comics. You can choose an archetype. Or build your own.

  • @lechevalier6261
    @lechevalier6261 16 дней назад +11

    Nice setting, could have been great - but WHYYYY for havens sake had it to be a d20-system it is soooo lackluster - I am out....

    • @ravenstudioproductions3139
      @ravenstudioproductions3139 16 дней назад +3

      Same. Am tired of the 5e, Pathfinder, Shadowdark and other d20 systems to the point that if I ever get a whiff of d20 in a system I'm slightly interested in, I drop it immediately.

    • @wylde_hunter
      @wylde_hunter 16 дней назад +3

      It's not like D&D or other D20 games - it's cut-down and streamlined. Looks very playable
      Ps. You can download the kickstarter for free & judge for yourself

    • @urbaneblobfish
      @urbaneblobfish 16 дней назад +3

      Yeah, the setting guide and GM guide seem worth grabbing because of the advice and lore, but I’m really just not impressed by any of the mechanical side of things. Just a personal thing, I guess.

    • @InhabitantOfOddworld
      @InhabitantOfOddworld 16 дней назад +6

      This isn't an airport, you don't have to announce your departure

    • @urbaneblobfish
      @urbaneblobfish 16 дней назад +5

      @@InhabitantOfOddworld I think they’re just putting their own thoughts on the book, which this channel has always been welcoming of people doing in the comment. They aren’t being rude about it and are just saying it’s not for them, and since commenting helps engagement, it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. :)

  • @SatchmoJones-h1b
    @SatchmoJones-h1b 16 дней назад

    Opening that on a used crafting mat with dried paint and glue.....ehhhhhhhhh

    • @DaveThaumavore
      @DaveThaumavore  16 дней назад +1

      @@SatchmoJones-h1b so? I’ve been using that mat in my video for years. Relax.