Supernatural Handbook Available Now!

[Shadowchaser]

I hope it also has some tips for a XCOM-type game (with a stronger focus on horror and paranoia). I am currently in the mood for something like that

There is a section breaking down the concepts of horror into a pyramid that I love. It explains what horror is, talks about not going too far for your players's comfort levels, and how to achieve that horror. I don't think I've ever seen as good an explanation for how to bring horror themes into your games in any horror supplement. So, for that little bit alone, I think this book is worth the price of admission.

The stats, plot hooks, and other great stuff? Icing on the cake, for me.

[Titan]

I just purchased the PDF. I really was not expecting the psychology textbook in the middle !

I am not sure how useful I will find it, as I am not as much into the horror side, but some of it may be useful. And what I have read so far is very well done.

[Jameson]

There is a section breaking down the concepts of horror into a pyramid that I love. It explains what horror is, talks about not going too far for your players's comfort levels, and how to achieve that horror. I don't think I've ever seen as good an explanation for how to bring horror themes into your games in any horror supplement. So, for that little bit alone, I think this book is worth the price of admission.

I've got about 20 more pages of reading before I can call my read through complete and finish my review, but I can totally second this already. The thing that impresses me most is how detailed the breakdown is. It really goes beyond just the horror genre/tone/mood/whatever and into the underpinnings of drama itself. Sure drama is even more expansive that what is here, but when it comes to the kind of stuff of gaming this covers a huge swath of it.

[Doresh]

There is a section breaking down the concepts of horror into a pyramid that I love. It explains what horror is, talks about not going too far for your players's comfort levels, and how to achieve that horror. I don't think I've ever seen as good an explanation for how to bring horror themes into your games in any horror supplement. So, for that little bit alone, I think this book is worth the price of admission.

Now I really feel bad for buying so many PDFs recently. Just a few more hours before I can read you, Supernatural Handbook...

[Dragonblade]

I haven't gotten the book yet, but I hate that faux "photograph" style of artwork. What happened to good old fashioned comic book style art?

If the book is full of "art" like this, my enthusiasm for it has gone down considerably.

[JonL]

I haven't gotten the book yet, but I hate that faux "photograph" style of artwork. What happened to good old fashioned comic book style art?

If the book is full of "art" like this, my enthusiasm for it has gone down considerably.

Only some of the archetypes are done by that artist. There is a variety of artists throughout.

Considering Hellboy is a big influence on the book, you'll see some pieces more in the comic book style. Have no fear.

[Dragonblade]

I haven't gotten the book yet, but I hate that faux "photograph" style of artwork. What happened to good old fashioned comic book style art?

If the book is full of "art" like this, my enthusiasm for it has gone down considerably.

Only some of the archetypes are done by that artist. There is a variety of artists throughout.

Considering Hellboy is a big influence on the book, you'll see some pieces more in the comic book style. Have no fear.

Thanks, Jon!

I mean the cover is awesome! And Hellboy inspired art is cool too! I just had never seen that style in an M&M book before and it just totally threw me for a loop.

[Saltcrow]

Being a fanboy of Hellboy and BPRD (and occasional Lobster Johnson!), the book scratches all my itchy spots.

[Jameson]

I haven't gotten the book yet, but I hate that faux "photograph" style of artwork. What happened to good old fashioned comic book style art?

If the book is full of "art" like this, my enthusiasm for it has gone down considerably.

I too hate the weird photograph/photoshop art style. I'd say that there is a mix in the book with maybe 50% if the art in that style (that number is off the cuff, I certainly didn't count) but the rest is more traditional style and very good.

As an aside:
I lost power during the storm yesterday and as of this morning still had none (at work ATM) so that might delay my review a little depending on if I can read or not.

[King Snarf]

I don't mind the "faux-tograph" style; when done right, it looks pretty awesome- see the Dark*Matter campaign setting from back in the day for good examples.

[Jameson]

My review of the Supernatural Handbook is now live. It's a long mother, but I think I cover all the bases.

[Dragonblade]

I don't mind the "faux-tograph" style; when done right, it looks pretty awesome- see the Dark*Matter campaign setting from back in the day for good examples.

I'm not a fan at all unless its Hollywood quality. Otherwise, it looks terrible like it does here. Like someone trolled Comic-Con and took some amateurish photos of cosplayers or LARPers in cheap costumes.

No thanks. I'd rather have no art, then ever see this stuff appear in any future M&M books. Sorry, if I sound like a jerk, but thats how much I hate it.

[Kreuzritter]

me, i'm just cursing how long i'll have to wait until I get my print copy

[iNSOMN14]

Just to throw in my two cents, I didn't care for the faux-photo art either (though I did several times start to think I'd seen that style elsewhere, and it might have been the Dark*Matter book King Snaurf brought up) but the rest of the content definitely overshadows any issues I have with a couple of pictures (Though probably my biggest one is with the picture of the WTF! villainous archetype. Awesome picture that I could have imagined using in game as reference, ruined by a funny sign. At least that arm will photoshop out.).

I fleshed out one of the Misadventures in Horror (the one involving "Deep Spawn" called "Sleeping Gods Lie") and used it in my regular game (one of my players is playing a Deep One Hybrid, another is a secret agent for a government agency fighting the occult, and another is essentially a Winchester from Supernatural so the content of this book is definitely going to get some mileage out of my group) and had a couple tell me that it was their favorite session in recent memory. It was also quite fun to flesh out and tone to my particular group.

The text seemed mostly free of typos and other errors, though the ones I did run into had me doing a double take (page 140, paragraph two, line five specifically).

All-in-all, this would probably be my favorite book released so far this year. (Though I am holding out for seeing the Emerald City Campaign Guide before the end of the year... just a thought.)

[BCDX97]

We don't have solid dates with the printer just yet, but we think it'll be sometime in December that the physical book is available.

So is the DC Universe book going to be after that?

I'm glad you are giving us new product so I can give you my money!