Imperial Planetologist
SOC-12
Anyone read 760 Patrons yet? Any good? Compatable with other editions?
Got 760 Patrons?
- Thread starter Imperial Planetologist
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Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
Perfectly compatible with all other editions, it is effectively system free. A lot less detail compared to 76 Patrons but don't let that fool you. This is a very good product (I still think of it as 760 NPCs).
Worth getting.
Worth getting.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Elaborate, please.
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
Ok.
Now this is all-my-own-work™ and is purely as an example of what to expect from the book.
761. Washed Up Athlete. This once famous grav ball player can be found around the taverns of Startown crimping drinks in exchange for anecdotes and autographs. He will happily engage in robust debate about the state of the current subsector league.
1. The athlete takes a shine to a female party member (or attached to the party) and engages in pestering her for dinner.
2. The athlete sees potential in one of the party and wishes to be his agent.
3-4. The athlete tries to provoke a fight with the weakest member of the party by insults, spilt drinks and outright physical abuse. If any party member steps up they will face up to 2D6 local patrons who will defend the athlete.
5. As above but if a fight breaks no one else will step in.
6. The athlete has been recruited by a local minor league team and needs protection keeping the local loan shark off his back until his contract money comes through.
So that's about it. I'm not saying this is the quality you can expect (it is much better in the book) but it is about all you'll get for each patron. Some nice seeds but not a patch on 76 patrons. It is bloody useful though.
You also get all the random tables with it too - divided into sections pertaining to different careers (Military/Spacer/Upper-Class/Middle-Class/Lower-Class/Mercenary/Wild-Card), and split into antagonist/protaganist types.
That is, you can integrate it into the chargen process, with regards to Enemies, Allies and Contacts, and also have it as a random adventure generator. The lack of stats isn't really a problem, because you could just adapt the pregens in the Corebook, or design a creature as usual.
I thought some of the Wild-Card entrees were interesting, particularly the supernatural beings.
That is, you can integrate it into the chargen process, with regards to Enemies, Allies and Contacts, and also have it as a random adventure generator. The lack of stats isn't really a problem, because you could just adapt the pregens in the Corebook, or design a creature as usual.
I thought some of the Wild-Card entrees were interesting, particularly the supernatural beings.
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
Yup, it's all good but as I've said, it is a bit of a misnomer; the "Patrons" bit. If you're coming to MongTrav with no prior exposure to 76 Patrons then it won't be an issue but if you are expecting the lush detail of the original then you might have to shift your goalposts a little.
I do think it is one of the most useful Traveller supplements I've come across. I'll certainly be using it a lot.
I do think it is one of the most useful Traveller supplements I've come across. I'll certainly be using it a lot.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Wow! People are raving about a whole book like that?
Amazing.
I mean, that stuff came in CT adventures. Remember the chapter in The Traveller Adventure devoted to just such a thing?
How much is this book? If it's over $5 bucks, it's a rip off.
I honestly can't believe people are excited about a book like that...I mean, aren't Traveller GMs creative anymore?
I'll say it again. Wow.
Imperial Planetologist
SOC-12
Thanks for replies. Sounds more like a book of encounters, not a book of patrons.
I definitely won't be ordering this without seeing it first-hand.
I definitely won't be ordering this without seeing it first-hand.
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
It IS a book of encounters and a very good one at that. Like I say it isn't patrons. It bears no resemblance to the the Patron Encounters chapter of The Traveller Adventure, those were more like 76 Patrons in their level of detail.
This is a really good book and my poor attempt to illustrate an example belies its usefulness. The brief character portraits are very good and the random motivations/adventure seeds are none too shabby. I will admit my first reaction was WTF until I started seeing the possibilities.
This is a really good book and my poor attempt to illustrate an example belies its usefulness. The brief character portraits are very good and the random motivations/adventure seeds are none too shabby. I will admit my first reaction was WTF until I started seeing the possibilities.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Border, I trust your opinon, but I'm really missing it. What you posted looks exactly like Patron Encounters from the Traveller Adventure and the Traveller Book and other sources.
So, help me see why this book is "great". I'm really trying. It looks simply awful from where I'm sitting right now.
What am I missing?
It appears that the book is what I expect it to be . . . a series of useful descriptions along with possible ways to play them out.
Then you had to come along and introduce overt sarcasm.
If what Border said didn't impress you, couldn't you have just moved on without the snide comments?
This thread was moving along just fine in a nice, friendly fashion.Supplement Four said:
Then you had to come along and introduce overt sarcasm.
If what Border said didn't impress you, couldn't you have just moved on without the snide comments?
scout_harris
SOC-9
Heaven knows sometimes I need to kickstart my creativity. <Shrug>
Imperial Planetologist
SOC-12
You did a fine job showing its usefulness as a book of encounters.
What I'm looking for is a book of patrons.
At the very least, the title is disingenuous. This was the one title from Mongoose that piqued my interest, but whatever its merits as a book of encounters, it is not what I'd hoped to see.
Anyone in Toronto can potentially get them free, as Mongoose sent me a wack of them for prizes for a couple of Convention Games that I will be running for FanExpo.
I agree there is very high quality in this product. It is not quite Traveller that we are used to...and they got rather desparate toward the end...however, I can as a Referee understand that feeling and have done the same thing in the many years that I have Refereed Traveller.
I agree there is very high quality in this product. It is not quite Traveller that we are used to...and they got rather desparate toward the end...however, I can as a Referee understand that feeling and have done the same thing in the many years that I have Refereed Traveller.
Imperial Planetologist
SOC-12
Pot . . . meet kettle.
Exactly how do you define my post as being arrogant? Annoyed and even angry, yes. Frustrated, yes. But I have gone OUT OF MY WAY not to personally insult people when believe me, I could have done so.
All I said in that post was that people should stop bringing the kind of negative, nasty stuff that Supplement Four engages in (and specifically HE should) into every thread I see about MGT. THAT is why I felt there was an effort going on to minimize the success of MGT.
The funny thing is...I was deleting that post that you just quoted while you were getting nasty with me.
Allen
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