Serenity Role Playing Game (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Margaret Weis (Contributor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Here’s How It Is…

The Earth got used up, and we found a new solar system and used terraforming technology to create hundreds of new Earths. The central planets formed the Alliance and decided that all worlds should unite under their rule. There was some disagreement on that point. After the Unification War, many of the Independents who had fought and lost drifted to the edges of the system, far from Alliance control. Out here, people struggled to get by with the most basic technologies. A ship would bring you work, a gun would help you keep it. A captain’s goal was simple: find a crew, find a job, keep flying.

The Serenity Role Playing Game lets you re-create the action of the ‘Verse, the science-fiction setting created by writer/director Joss Whedon. Fly a ship out in the black, take jobs as they come, and always make sure you get paid. Everything you need to get started is right here! All you need is dice, friends, and your imagination.

• A self-contained role playing game. All the rules are provided for both players and Game Masters!
• Full character creation rules, plus fifteen sample characters—including the crew of Serenity.
• Complete details on spaceships, guns, and technology.
• Emphasis on story, action, and character development with easy-to-learn rules.
• Game details and descriptions of the characters and settings of the film!

From the Publisher

Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd. is a game publisher and book packaging company founded and managed by Margaret Weis, who has over two decades of experience best-selling novels and games. The company is based in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin -- the birthplace of the roleplaying game hobby.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Margaret Weis Productions (September 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931567506
• ISBN-13: 978-1931567503
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,892 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

97 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Role playin'- Browncoat style...., September 10, 2005

By	Fletcherfan (Douglasville, GA United States) - See all my reviews

I am not a role player but I bought this book on the strength of learning how to play. The book is covered with beautiful photographs and design layout of the various ships. It also has a geography for the known 'verse. The book has dossiers on all the crew members with their strengths and weaknesses if you choose to play as a crew member. For the more creative fan, the book walks you through creating a new character. Like all role playing games, the background history is given as well as rules to follow. If you are a gamer and loved Firefly this is right up your ally. IF you are a Firefly fan and do not game , this is right up your ally because of the history and insight to characters is wonderful, along with photos, diagrams, etc. For any fan of Firefly, this is a must have.

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book had two armies against its one bitty cannon..., January 2, 2006

By	Da Kai Sa Jeh - See all my reviews

Now, seeing as there's two parties that'll be looking at this, I'm going to address this to both of them individually; first to browncoats, and second to roleplayers. Go ahead and skip to the section that applies to you if you want, or you can read my little introduction.

Ok, I've been playing RPG's since I was nine or ten, and I also fair near recently became a big Firefly/Serenity fan, so when I first saw this book, two things immediately leapt to my mind. The browncoat in me said "Sweet! A Serenity RPG!" While the

roleplayer in me said "Oh no, not another cheap movie rip-off."

I'd been a roleplayer for a much longer time, so that side of me won out at first. I figured I had d20 Future, so I could make a campaign set in the 'Verse we all know and love if I wanted to. Eventually, though, I read some reviews, and decided to go ahead and get it. Worst case scenario, I ended up with a lot of interesting stuff about the movie. Now, if you haven't already guessed from the rating, it was a wee bit better than that.

And now on to the review!

To Browncoats:

When I first opened this book, it nearly blinded me, it was so shiny. In addition to all sorts of information about the ships, the stuff, and the 'Verse, it really does a great job of representing all the characters. The system is simple and easy to learn, but it's complex enough that it'll last you a while. It's easy to roleplay, and for all y'all that I'm sure will find yourselves as new gamemasters, it's easy to adjucate as well. Browncoats in general should have no problem with it, and a lot of fun.

To Roleplayers:

First off, I'm going to say this: powergamers need not apply. The leveling system is rather simple, combat is quick and deadly, and the game is mainly focused around roleplaying. If the roleplaying is what you like, though, there are few systems that combine roleplaying and mechanics better. Also, it introduces a couple of new mechanics that I find really interesting, such as:

Plot Points: You get these for doing stuff right. If you accurately roleplay a complication, if you do something the GM just happens to really like, if you achieve a character's goal, you get a/some plot points. Sure, there's the basic spend them to improve your checks, but you can also use them to affect the story in a limited way ("It turns out, the mayor used to be in my platoon in the war, and is willing let us off with a warning.").

Ability/Skill Dice: Rather than having a strength score of, say, 12, you have a strength score of d8, or d12+d2, or the like. Likewise, you have a d6 in Unarmed combat, and a d6(d10) in Guns (Pistols). So then, if you were making a check to shoot someone with your pistol, and you had an Agility of d4, you'd roll 1d4+1d10. Also, no particular skill is tied to a certain ability score; the GM decides based on what you're trying to do. Quirky, but all in all, I think it's neat.

In a nutshell, it's new, fresh, and I heartily recommend it.

To Everyone:

Now, there is a reason it didn't get 5 stars. It doesn't have an outrageous number of advancement options, but then, that's to be expected, and it doesn't have a small amount either. Also, it is distinctly lacking in the character sheet department. Personally, I don't use character sheets all too much, but I know I'm odd like that. Don't worry, though, as you can find a number of sheets online; just google "Serenity RPG character sheets".

All things considered, this book, against the odds, does an outstanding job, and you'd be making a good choice if you bought it.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick to Learn, Fast to Play, October 3, 2005

By	Nathaniel C. Rockwood "GarrettPLC" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having gotten my hands on a copy of this shiny rulebook, my standards for the RPGs I play jumped a few notches. The core rules are simple and efficient, and the primary mechanic---the use of Plot Points---allows for a lot of fun, drama, and good storytelling without removing the gritty, life-on-the-line feel of the series.
To put myself in perspective, I'm a long-time gamer and gamemaster, and actually contributed to the playtesting and design of the Serenity Roleplaying Game. Up until just now, I was refraining from posting a review, as I considered myself biased....however, the reaction to the game that I've recieved from my friends (who did not get to contribute or playtest) assures me that my views are far from unusual. After showing the book around briefly, I've got more than 20 people wanting to play, some gamers with no Firefly experience, some gamer Browncoats, and some Browncoats who never touched the funny dice before in their lives. And they all love it.
After doing character creation---unusually easily, compared to d20 or AD&D, or even White Wolf---and a few brief sessions, everyone is having fun with the game. The dice system (rating each attribute and skill as a die-type like 'd4' or 'd8', rather than an abstract number) made it easy to get the non-roleplayers into it, and my gamer-geek buddies love the atmosphere of the game and characters, the way they can control the story with Plot Points instead of just getting 'experience points'....the list goes on.
To draw this ramble to a close, everyone whom I've shown the book to has gotten something fun out of it---the setting, the rules, the chance to sail the black. The chance to spit in the eye of the Feds, or turn tail and run like a bitty little bug when the Reavers come callin'. That's what makes this game so worth it, whether you're just a fan of the show, a gamer who never heard of Serenity, or someone without experience in either.