SUMMER 2004

TRADE NEWS FROM STEVE JACKSON

revised and updated for Fourth Edition, this full-color, 256-page hardcover com- bines the spells from the Third Edition GURPS Magic and GURPS Grimoire, plus dozens of all-new spells, for the ulti- mate tome of magic! GURPS Magic gives roleplayers the core magic system for GURPS, expand- ing on the introduction in the Basic Set – Fourth Edition Starts Big, Gets Bigger rules for learning magic, casting spells, The new Fourth Edition of GURPS is of supernatural forces, and discusses the enchanting magic items, and more! It building on its buzz as the most-talked- impact of wizards, monsters, and gods. also includes complete alchemy rules, about at Origins. Everyone who And, of course, it looks at the many dif- alternatives to the core magic system, saw the “preview” in GURPS Dragons is ferent ways that magic and users of including complete, updated rules for waiting for the Gen Con release of the magic can work in a world. improvised magic and rune magic . . . Basic Set. And new books will keep and, of course, guidelines for the GM coming. who wants magic to work different ways in different places or worlds. “Getting the Basic Set out was a big lift for everybody,” SJ Multi-world campaigning – mixing Games Managing Editor and matching genres and characters – Andrew Hackard said. “We’ve has always been one of the biggest never done books this big or strengths of GURPS, and we prove it this beautiful. The whole staff with the December 2004 release of is on the edge of their seats GURPS Infinite Worlds. This is the core waiting for them to come back setting of GURPS Fourth Edition, written from the printer. And for Sean by the master of alternate histories and Punch and David Pulver, it’s the illuminated weirdness, Ken Hite. This is culmination of over two years a 256-page, full-color hardback . . . the of intense work. They deserve complete genre book on both alternative- tremendous credit.” world gaming and time travel. It offers GURPS Fantasy is detailed advice on the unique challenges But nobody is resting on his not an update of the of running this kind of campaign, and on laurels! After the two-volume GURPS Yrth setting presented in the old GURPS designing and playing characters who Basic Set and the GURPS GM’s Screen Fantasy. (We’re going to give that world regularly cross between settings. It also come three more books that will finish its own book, GURPS Banestorm, in provides a wide variety of exciting threats off 2004 in style. 2005.) Instead, it advises GMs and play- and hazards – from evil cross-time Nazis ers alike on the kinds of characters and cosmic conspiracies to “ordinary” GURPS Fantasy (October 2004) is the appropriate to fantasy, including ordi- monsters and disasters. And it gives ultimate sourcebook for creating any nary folks, people with fantastic powers, guidelines for building alternate worlds fantasy roleplaying campaign you can and nonhumans. “This book will equip from the perspectives of the setting, the possibly imagine. The 256-page, hard- you for any fantasy campaign . . . as clas- story, and the rules. bound, full-color tome has detailed, con- sic as Tolkien, as mythic as Zelazny, or crete advice for assembling fantasy set- your own creation,” Steve Jackson said. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. tings – from the basics of the landscape GURPS Fourth Edition will keep rolling itself, through its inhabitants and cul- The heart of all fantasy roleplaying is into 2005 and beyond. We’re now tures, to the details of believable histories magic, and the next book will be GURPS contracting writers for 2007 and 2008 and politics. It also examines the nature Magic (November 2004). Completely projects . . . TM Munchkin 3 – Clerical Errors The third set of Munchkin cards adds Gnomes, Bards, and new foes like the Tequila Mockingbird. Illustrated by John Kovalic, of course. #1416, $16.95. Go down in the dungeon. Kill every- Munchkin Fu thing you meet. Backstab your friends The Munchkins are back, but this time it’s chop-socky and steal their stuff. Grab the treas- Hong Kong action. It’s Samurai, Ninja, Yakuza, and ure and run. Admit it. You love it. Monks against mooks, demons, and tons of poorly This award-winning card game, dubbed bad guys. Munchkin Fu is a stand-alone designed by Steve Jackson and game, but it can be mixed with any other Munchkin illustrated by John Kovalic, captures product for even more wackiness! Illustrated by the essence of the dungeon experi- Greg Hyland. #1412, $24.95. ence . . . with none of the stupid roleplaying stuff. Munchkin is a Star Munchkin gaming phenomenon, a monster hit for the past three Munchkins in space! Mutants, Androids, and Cat years, with no signs of a let-up. #1408, $24.95. People try to avoid sci-fi death at the hands of Fanged Fuzzballs, Bionic Bimbos, and the fearsome Brain In A COMING SOON! Munchkin Bites Jar. Star Munchkin can be played by itself, or combined Now the Munchkins are vampires . . . and with any other Munchkin game or supplement. Illustrated werewolves . . . and changelings. by John Kovalic. #1411, $24.95. It’s the World of Dorkness! Bash through the haunted house and Star Munchkin 2 – The Clown Wars slay the monsters. The OTHER The Munchkins take to the monsters. You can’t slay your stars – again! Star Munchkin fellow munchkins, but you can 2 takes the epic saga of The curse them, send foes at Clown Wars to life, except them, and take their with better acting. Illustrated stuff. For a true by John Kovalic, Star Munchkin, it’s Munchkin 2 is a supplement, business as usual . . . requiring one of the stand- with TEETH. alone Munchkin games to play. #1418, $16.95. This is a stand- alone game, which Munchkin T-Shirts (of course) can be Each shirt includes special combined with rules to give the wearer a other Munchkin munchkinly bonus in play! games. And it’s Unnatural Axe T-Shirt – A high-quality beige T-shirt with the illustrated by John Kovalic. OF COURSE. See Igor, Gilly, fearsome Munchkin Babe from the Unnatural Axe cover. #9121, and all the other Dork Tower characters in their $18.00. munchkin-vampire finery . . . So bring along your Coffin Star Munchkin T-Shirt – A high-quality blue T-shirt with the (+3!) and wield The Sword Of Beheading People Just space-armored munchkin from the Star Munchkin cover. #9125, Like In That Movie. Face foes like the Banshee, the Heck $18.00. Hounds, and the dreaded Were-Muskrat. Coming in October 2004. #1419, $24.95. Munchkin Fu T-Shirt – A high-quality white T-shirt with the Fu’d out munchkin from the Munchkin Fu cover. #9129, $18.00. Munchkin 2 – Unnatural Axe The Munchkin’s Guide to Power Gaming 112 more cards for the hit Munchkin . . . designed by In this outrageous satire, an experienced munchkin gleefully Steve Jackson, illustrated by John Kovalic. #1410, reveals the tricks of the trade: everything from re-rolling an unfa- $16.95. vorable result to bribing the GM. This won the Origins Award! #3003, $19.95.

2 These are the latest releases from Steve Jackson Games. • Dragon-specific combat maneuvers They’re all available now in a store near you – make sure you’re •Templates for Firedrakes, Naga, Chinese Dragons, not missing out! Sea Serpents, and others • Ideas for dragon-centric campaigns, including two campaign Munchkin Blender backgrounds! It’s the ultimate party kit for Munchkin fans! Munchkin play- A special Appendix converts the game material to the GURPS ers really like to combine their sets . . . Munchkin, Star Fourth Edition rules! #6540, $29.95. Munchkin, Munchkin Fu, all in one game. The stupider things get, the better. GURPS Traveller: Nobles Munchkin Blender is a From the Imperial family to new set of Munchkin cards the lowest knight, from the to enhance the anything- fantastically wealthy duchess goes games where every on her private estate world to deck is in play and no the impoverished baronet who combo is too strange. Why barely has a Free Trader’s be a Super Munchkin bunk to call his own, from the when you can be an Ultra archduke who governs hun- Munchkin? If a Half- dreds of worlds to the knight Breed isn’t enough, you with no formal duties – in can be a 1/3-Breed. And if Traveller, the aristocracy a single Cheat card plays a major role in society, doesn’t do it for you, you in government, and in the can Cheat With Both military. Hands! Illustrated by John Kovalic, this is a supplement, not a stand- Would you like to serve be GURPS alone game. It is meant one of the Imperium’s nobles . . . or one? Traveller: Nobles to be combined with details the lifestyle, fortunes, duties, and at least one full responsibilities of the nobility in the Third Imperium, the Vilani Ziru Sirka Munchkin game – and preferably two or ruling class at the height of the , and the Darrian and #6624, $26.95. more, with or without other supplements. #1424, $16.95. Zhodani systems. GURPS Dragons Star Munchkin Roleplaying Game Star Munchkin Roleplaying Game Dragons! The most fabulous The takes Munchkin of all fabulous beasts. the experience to Throughout history, around the a final frontier a long time world, tales of fire-breathing ago in a galaxy far, far away monsters have stirred awe and where no one can hear you terror. Now . . . play a dragon. scream. But everyone will Take to the air with prodigious hear you laugh. wingbeats, soaring effortless- Now you can play your ly for hundreds of miles. favorite races and classes from Terrify your foes with fire, the Star Munchkin card game, claws, and teeth. Gather your including Mutants, Cyborgs, and hoard. Study ancient lore and Cat People . . . taking on Fanged magic . . . and take human Fuzzballs, Bionic Bimbos, and form to walk in the world of the dreaded Clowntroopers, mas- men! ters of the Farce. Use the latest in GURPS Dragons is a exotic and rules-abusive SF full-color hardback. It includes: weapons, like the Vibrosword, Nova Grenade, and the ultra-pow- • Origins of the dragon, through myth and legend and even true history erful Laser-Maser-Bobaser- Bananafanafofaser. • How dragons fly • How to hunt dragons . . . and survive It’s a big universe, full of exotic alien monsters to kill and loot • Creating dragon characters in GURPS to grab – conquer it with Star Munchkin! #3404, $19.95.

3 Chez Goth Cardboard Heroes Castles: The Keep They’re back. In Put a castle in your backpack! black. Cardboard Heroes Castles are great-looking 3-D structures It’s a new spin that fold up for play, and fold down again for travel and storage! on the award- They’re heavy cardstock, but they’re die-cut and pre-scored to winning Chez make them easy to build, and they’re designed to fold and unfold Geek. You’re still without damage. living with all your annoying This set can roommates . . . be used by but you’ve gone itself to create Goth! either a castle with enclosed Work at courtyard or a your dreary job. massive tow- Spend your hard-earned ered keep. Or money and precious time to accumulate Slack points . . . or col- use it as an lect Gloom when life turns against you. You can Cough, expansion to Complain, or even Faint Dramatically, especially if you have an our Walls audience. And if you get very lucky, there might be some and Towers Graveyard Nookie in your future. set. The more It’s a stand-alone game, but you can combine it with Chez sets you add, the bigger your castle gets Geek and have a house full of Goths AND slackers. Go ahead. ... Cardboard Heroes Castles are full-color (of course), gor- We dare you.#1354, $26.95. geous, and totally portable. When the game’s over, just fold ‘em up and go! #2151, $24.95.

Steve Jackson Games has reduced the price of two recent operations like bordellos, bookies, and loan sharks. The police boxed games, Illuminati: Crime Lords and Dork Tower. Both of and the Feds are after them, but the biggest threats are the fellow these games will now list at $29.95. “We gave ourselves a stan- mob bosses. Scheme, negotiate, and backstab. dard markup on these games,” Steve Jackson said, “and the feed- back from the people who bought them was that they’d gotten Dork Tower is a boardgame based on John Kovalic’s famous their money’s worth. But the retailers told us that a lot of people comic of geeks and gaming. Dork just couldn’t afford to try them. So we’re cutting Crime Lords Tower is set in the land of Aurora, by $5, and Dork Tower by $10. That where John Kovalic’s beloved shoots the profit margin, but having characters take their own charac- more people playing them is better ters for adventure. Play the role of than leaving them on the shelf. This Lumpin Lightfingers, Brother also tells us ‘No more boardgames Zark, or one of the other four over $29.95 until the economy gets Dork Tower characters’ characters better, no matter how much stuff we as they journey through the put in them.’ ” forests, dungeons, and cities of this magical land. Illuminati: Crime Lords is a stand-alone game using the award- Dork Tower is a fast-moving winning Illuminati system. game for 3 to 6 players. It fea- Crime Lords players are rival tures a full-color game map with mobs battling for control of the city. Taking over a 3D central tower, over 100 monster and character disks, pretty the rackets, raking in the dough, and rubbing out the opposition Chessex dice, spell cards, rules, and character sheets . . . all is the name of the game. illustrated, of course, by John Kovalic!

Players start with a few gangsters and some cash. They must The new $29.95 price on Crime Lords and Dork Tower goes recruit more crooks and take control of income-producing into effect immediately. 4 • Easy to build. No tiny scissors at impossible angles – More and Cardboard Heroes Castles are die-cut, more players are eliminating cutting entirely! using scenery and Folding is easy, too, because buildings in their the scoring lines are already miniatures and roleplaying on the pieces. games. But buildings have a lot of drawbacks – for a lot of gamers, they’re too big, • Truly portable. Miniature too heavy, and too expensive. buildings made of resin or plastic share the twin problems of weight If there’s anyone who understands this, it’s Steve and bulk. All Castles components Jackson. More than 20 years ago, Steve introduced are cunningly designed by John Cardboard Heroes, a low-cost, portable alternative to Hollis to fold flat for storage, even after they’ve been metal figures. Cardboard Heroes have been a gamer glued together (patent pending). favorite for two decades because they’re not only inexpensive and • Great value. easy to carry, but The pictures on this they look great, too. page show some of the great setups you The new line of can build with Cardboard Heroes Cardboard Heroes Castles continues Castles – some of that tradition. The them with just a sin- first two sets, Walls and Towers and The Keep, are gle set! And every gorgeous buildings scaled for industry-standard 25- nook and cranny of each sheet is crammed full of extras 28mm figures. These sets bring to miniature castles to give you the most for your money – pennants, banners, the same great features gamers have come to expect decorative gates, bas-reliefs, arrow slits, ladders, ramps, from Cardboard Heroes: and much, much more.

Walls and Towers gives you four towers and four walls (plus assorted castle goodies) – set them up as a full castle or two smaller strongpoints. The Keep can be used by itself to create either a castle with enclosed courtyard or a massive towered keep. Or use it as an expansion to Walls and Towers. The more sets you add, the bigger your castle gets . . . and when the game’s over, just fold ‘em up and go.

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