Customer Reviews

World Tree: A Role Playing Game of Species and Civilization

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"World Tree" is a thoroughly developed fantasy world. There are cities on branches miles wide and thousands of miles long, with people looking down into space and trading with flying ships. Magic is so common that even children use it, and you learn how it's used in ordinary life and not just adventuring. The races aren't just dog-men, otter-men, etc. -- they have unique customs, personalities, clothing, and architecture. Metal is rare, so wood and bone tools have become extremely advanced. Meddling gods look down from the sky.

The book's first hundred pages suck you in and make you want to play in this world, even before you see the rules and huge magic list. There are explanatory notes and one-page stories throughout the book written from the characters' perspective; these are useful and often funny. Even if you're not a gamer, it's worth reading. Writers can learn from this great example of world-building.

The rules are fairly simple, since most rolls are (Stat + Skill + d20) versus some number, though filling out a character sheet can take a long time due to the variety of spells and skills and the odd experience point system. The spells explore all combinations of the 7 magic Verbs and 12 Nouns (e.g. "Change" + "Flesh" = shapeshifting) and let you do many things in multiple ways. There are eight fully playable races with different specialties from the fast, shape-changing Orren with "species-wide ADD" to the physically puny but immortal and magically-gifted Zi Ri, to the armored insect Herethroy who use huge three-handed swords.

This is no generic medieval game with elves and dungeons; it's a complete world. Beware when reading, as I've seen people forget what time it is and where they are!

To be blunt, this is a game which is more then a game, for it is a deep, involved, and very, very beautiful world. This was not something that was slung together in a weekend for the sole purpose of making money. This is something that has taken the talents of many people from gamers to beautiful artists who have all left their touch in this game. Although at first the instructions seem simple, you realize how deep and well rounded they are. The old term 'A minute to learn, a lifetime to master' somes to mind.
On a side note, I have spoken to the creators of this, and they constantly ask for input and advice how to make it better. This shows how much they truly love this game. If you are a gamer, looking for a world to love, look no forther.

I've got a lot of Anthropomorphic RPG's, but most of them just plug the furry into the real world (or something very similar). This is the first one I've seen that actually made an effort to create an entire world -designed- with the fur in mind. The system is relatively easy to learn, and character generation is simple and straightforward. There's enough setting information in the book that you don't need to worry about lines like, "Please look for more information on 'X' in our upcoming book ... " The art is well-done, as well, complementing the text rather than distracting from it.

As a long time RPG'er, I was a little skeptical of World Tree and the whole anthro thing in general. Thank goodness I had a couple hours I needed to kill at a con. I was sucked into the setting, a very vivid, alive one. The people, the places! This isn't some quasi-medival clone game. The World Tree setting is refreshingly unique and original. If you enjoy role-playing - or are just looking for a really good read involving history, politics and an alien world - buy this book!

While there is entirely enough originality and detail in the book to satisfy any world-building enthusiast, and an excellent game system as well, it's worth pointhing out that the authors are (deliberately) very light on small-area specifics, and have only a brief bestiary. It's clear they've come up with a lot more than is documented here, and I'd be interested in seeing their other notes; particularly the Kazorm, who are mentioned in passing several times but never described in any detail, besides being sentient and vaguely peaceful.

As a person who switches between the player and Game Master roles, I know the value of having multiple copies of the basic rules. While my first copy of this book is in a binder with the pages in sheet protectors, two of the other three are in very good condition, and the third is only slightly less well off. I took advantage of Padwolf Publishing's 3 for the price of 2 deal because I wanted to garner local interest.

Took me a while to decide I actually wanted to purchase this game, I'd glanced through the only copy at a local hobby shop a few times, and after a couple of months decided to buy it. Like other reviewers, I was pulled into the world. Sure, I wanted to know the rules, but I also wanted to read the whole book.

One thing I get tired off RPGs doing is kissing human butt. I do play humans in RPGs, but I prefer not to, the whole reason I'm playing an RPG is to be something I'm not. So, that was a good selling point: NO HUMANS.

Aside from a few editing flaws, there's nothing really wrong with this book.

I also like that it doesn't suffer from "cookie-cutter character types" i.e. Classes, or other arbitrary RPG standbys like Alignment and power levels. Using experience points as skill points? Brilliant! I HATE "sitting" numbers in RPGs. Granted, sometimes, even in a system like this you'll have sitting numbers, but not ones that get arbitrarily large forever.

After looking through the system I can say it is a very good game. A unique setting and very good rules. It like many very ggod systems dont have a large following because the bigger games like dnd saturate the market. This system is simple enough to jump in right away and even be leanred along the way without the game suffering. Many gamers might ignore this game because of its furry setting, that would be a mistake. The magic system is very good and though not novel unique enough, the hand to hand combat is a little overdone, but works within the mechanics.

This world is one that actually feels alive. There are three real problems:

1. A+B=Result This is a nice idea if there weren't 30+ skills and 13 abilities, leaving way too many possibilities; enough to make my head hurt.

2. Creating anything takes hours. Even after getting the system under my belt, an undertaking like nobody's business, it still takes at least an hour to make something cold cut and generic. Something unique and dynamic can take anywhere from twelve to thirty-six hours.

3. Getting players is unimaginable for World Tree. One look at the system can make most reasonable people want to tear their eyes out.

On the upside the world IS a very alive thing.