Oh my God, BESM 3rd edition has actually come out

[grysar]

http://www.white-wolf.com/besm/

Who would have believed it. Apparently they're honoring the Guardian of Order pre-orders so good on them. It's also available in PDF form, but that's like $27 so since the physical copy was actually out I just bought the thing. Supposedly it'll be in stores soon.

Ironically, I'm not sure I'll ever actually play a BESM 3 game. But what the hell, I've thrown enough time into this system, I want to see what they did with it.

Comments

[chamelaeon.livejournal.com]

RDM actually bought the only copy they had at the game store where they hold Weekend in Rokugan this weekend. That they had it at all was kind of amazing.

[grysar.livejournal.com]

My game stores are just far enough away that I can't easily run out to them. I would if I thought they'd definitely have it but as you say I'm not betting on that.

I must say, I like the buzz I'm seeing on the forums. Item creation rules, PMVs reworked so that they're non-mandatory and just a way of further defining powers, substantially upped energy costs, etc.

Did you guys look at the book? Any first impressions?

[laechim.livejournal.com]

I looked at it pretty thoroughly. I think I like it better than Tristat, _except that it's still 2d6_. However, it's not quite the same, as you set TNs now, as opposed to just 'beat the stat', and they give some actual guidance on HOW to set the TNs (as opposed to the complete lack of guidance as to how to do +/-s on rolls.) The PMV thing is a definite plus. Item creation's a plus. They changed how damage was calculated slightly (and how massive damage works)... really, it reminds me a bit more of M&M now in many ways. A lot of things, in my mind, were just a bit more solid.

Two of the weird things they did, which are very consistent for GOO but that they'd not done before in the main BESM book, were background information on some major Japanese cities (much like they did in HRGB) and sort of setting up a 'multiverse' universe to play the game in. They also ported the d20 class type junk they made into BESM 'templates', for a more quickstarty feel.

Don't own it myself yet, though!

-Mecha

[grysar.livejournal.com]

Ooh, there's a GOO LJ that describes a lot of things they did.

Hmm.. they're handling size roughly the way Zeg and I worked it out. If you're small you take extra damage per hit rather than percentage of hitpoints.

Err.. I should probably be focusing more on my job. :P

[grysar.livejournal.com]

http://guardiansorder.livejournal.com/ for those interested.

Apparently all the big posts have been in the last week or so.

[korgmeister.livejournal.com]

White Wolf publishing BESM. Yep, there's an irony-induced head explosion, right there.

[grysar.livejournal.com]

Heh. Well, I never really have played much White Wolf. I think a one time Werewolf game is the only experience I've had. Not really looking to change it either. But I give props to a company that's willing to pick up somebody elses nigh complete effort and see it through. It sounds like BESM 3 was done, but that there were too many outstanding debts to be able to publish it without help.

[amalthya.livejournal.com]

We played a BESM campaign on Saturday, pre-d20 modifications, and I have to say that the game mechanics were easy and fun.

People meowing at the table? Notsomuch. But I liked the simplicity of combat and stats.

[grysar.livejournal.com]

::snerks:: The BESM crowd a play with aren't big meowers, but I can't say I'm surprised it attracted people that do.

Also, the d20 makeover is actually an offshoot and not the main BESM path. From what I've heard it's an offshoot to be avoided.

Anyways, supposedly BESM 3 is not much more complex than BESM 2. It's also less complex than Tristat DX is the prior latest available update to the general BESM family. BESM 1 was supposedly the simplest of all, but I never played it so can't say.