Since there's been a desire for cross-posting and we're so close, I'll be adding random status updates in here over the next bit. Enjoy!
XP progression locked. Adventure Building on deck for the afternoon. Not long now...
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Objectives, Adversaries, and Experience written. Nice, clean, and compact. Adventures should be a breeze to build now (at least mechanically). On to (preparing) Complex Tasks!
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Traps complete, along with Cheating Death, Paths (for priests), Action Dice, Setting DCs, Trials, and most Campaign Qualities (50 at last count). On to mangling playe...I mean Running Fantasy Craft!
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Complex Tasks finished. I'm prouder of that section than almost anything else in the book. It's the distilled wisdom of seven years of building and running multi-check scenes. Now every game can feel like a blockbuster movie!
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Adventure Rewards completely done. I'm particularly happy you can stumble on a stuffed tarasque.
GM Action Dice/Hints edited. Lots more concrete advice than 2.0, which is very exciting.
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Running FC turned in. About 20k words of solid advice on everything from storytelling to props to managing players at the table. This section was well received in 2.0, and I think we've done it one better here.
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Narrative Control done! This is another Mastercraft upgrade. It's a little like action dice, Spycraft 2.0 events, and
Adventure!'s Dramatic Editing rules slipped out back for a quickie and a certain wrathful Star Trek villain souped up the kid's genes. Narrative Control covers an insane number of effects: lucky breaks in combat, "remembering" critical gear, fast forwarding past "the dull bits," weather, random encounters, and a thousand other things, all supported by with our particular brand of mechanical mayhem. My favorite effect was inspired by Order of the Stick - I'll leave you to find out what it is when the book hits the shelves. Alex, while reading the draft, commented that the GM must have screwed over Mary and Joseph with a 2-die complication (no rooms at the inn). Good times were had by all...
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Managing Skill Difficulty (what used to be Setting DCs) is done and includes full rules for both static and sliding DCs! Managing Downtime also done, including rules for overland travel and "random" encounters (they're random if you want them to be but GM-controlled Complications by default).
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With a spectacular assist by our friend Gentry, Subplots are done! This section saw a ground-up rebuild focused on making them useful to all and obtrusive to none. They come into play fluidly and involve everyone at the table. And yes, they still earn you XP - but only if you complete the objectives spawned by your story. (Gentry also caught an awesome FUBAR in objectives that's been fixed, so double thanks to him!)
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Now you too can Cheat Death like the greats in serialized fiction. With this section you never have to truly die - so long as you're willing to justify your continued survival, expand the world or game story a bit, and contend with the occasional setback. Despite how it might sound, this is a full mechanical system, with balanced rules and strong ramifications in play. Take charge of your destiny now!
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The World Building section is equal parts style, era, belief systems, Alignments, species, nations, organizations, way of life, trade, currency, gear, languages, Interests, calendar, crimes and punishment, history, geography, and climate, mixed with full command of magic and miracles! Add campaign qualities to taste and ladle over a healthy serving of adventure. Serves a full group for one campaign. Great with a garnish of narrative control or a generous desert of XP and artifacts!
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