Which books do you use?

[Dilvish]

I know that lots of readers of the Amber series like the Corwin books alot but not so much the Merlin books.

Shadow Knight is a sourcebook developed from the Merlin books, with "broken pattern" and more information on the Courts and so on.

Do you use the material from Shadow Knight or not?

[serendipity]

dilvish said:

Do you use the material from Shadow Knight or not?

lol! Apparently we do, but I didn't know it until I read your post. I've only read the Corwin series, so I was unfamiliar with the concept of broken pattern. When my DM introduced broken pattern into our Amber Diceless game a few years ago, I had no idea it was from the actual books; I just thought it was a kewl twist on pattern, included in the game to allow for varying ability levels and psyche. Maybe you should tell me what other neat ideas are in that sourcebook....

[Arref]

Using both Shadow Knight and the orig rule book, but adding many things developed in web campaigns and from other GMs.

Also skipping Shadow Knight stuff like demon builds and construct builds.

[nihilisticmind]

I like Shadow Knight a ton. The GM section delves deeply into metaphysical possibilities in the Amberverse, and I really enjoyed Erick's view of the second series as an ADRPG campaign ran by Zelazny himself.

I know a lot of people have a problem with the second series, but I enjoyed it. The story doesn't move as neatly as in the first series, but it has lots of elements that a GM would want to include.

I've personally used the construct and demon rules in there, but only when the campaign allows for that kind of stuff...

[coffeenpizza]

In the games I've run I always say some Shadow Knight, if only to leave open the possiblity of the rules in there. The only power I think that has every been used in one of my games from Shadow Kight is high compelling, which did not return to the game the next year. takeing away another characters will just seamed so wrong.

Mostly I enjoyed the story telling ideas that came out of shadow knight, and the concept of Zelazny as game master. I've never had a problem running my game different from another gm, and considering Zelazny as another gm opened up worlds of possiblities for me.

[Finarvyn]

Corwin's chronicles remind me a little of the original Star Wars in that the universe seemed to be pretty well understood by the main characters (or so they thought) and it was pretty black-and-white in its style. A simple quest in mind (destroy death star; become king of Amber) and a pretty direct plan in order to achive that goal (battle the bad guys).

Merlin's chronicles remind me a little of the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi where some of those basic B&W ideas get challenged and lots of depth gets added. Some of the stuff I liked, others not so much. In the later SW movies you find out that Princess Leia isn't the top rebellion person but is just a cog in the machine that is the Rebellion, and in Merlin's books he finds out similar things about his place in the universe.

Obviously, I don't mean that Amber is a Star Wars rip-off or vice versa. I'm just thinking about the feel of the series at various times in the reading.

[yorlum]

Nice way to compare the two. I prefer the first series, and consider the second aprocryphal, at best, to my games, inasmuch as it alters the balance between swords and sorcery significantly. In the Corwin stories, even Brand chooses a Crossbow to hunt Corwin, not a wand, but in the Merlins, the kid takes on Mandor and Dara at the same time and comes out on top... It just doesn't feel right to me.

In my own games, I use a home-made partial powers system, which includes things like Broken pattern, but I do not use constructs. Biggest change of all for me is that I tend to use 5 stat systems, since I think WAR is too big a stat, I split it into the physical (Combat) and mental (tactical) elements.

[stormraven]

I mostly use the original, but have, occasionally, used Shadow Knight. More often, though, I use other systems entirely, and pick and choose from the Corwin Chronicles and the Merlin Chronicles as to what the universe is like.

[trevelyan]

I use some of Shadow Knight but far from all.

Broken Pattern is in, although it is more often the choice of shadow dwellers than PCs.

I'm ok with the idea of Constructs but don't bother with the detailed point based construction of them and treat them in a far more flexible manner than Erick suggests.

Demons, when they appear, are just other NPCs (or rarely PCs) in my games. I see no need for a separate and complex creation system for them so don't use that.

I do use some of the NPCs for Chaos centred games, they're just too convenient not to, but again, I ignore many of the detailed stats given.

[blinky55]

Since i really havent played even one session of Amber rpg to this day its hard to answer this one.

Why? Because a new supplement has come out, the Rebma sourebook. It may be fanmade but i see it as good enough of a NPc rooster and region guide to call it a very good sourcebook. Now only if we got some more books.

[thondor]

Wait, are you talking about the "old" Rebma sourcebook mentioned here? By Jason Durall? Or something else/new/revised?

I haven't ever dug up that unpublished book (though I hear it is lurking about the interweb) and may do so.

As for the topic, mostly use the Core Book, as that is the only physical book I have. But I do enjoy Shadow Knight, and the idea that the Merlin series was Zelazny's own campaign with some players. 

[blinky55]

Yes, i meant that book. It hasnt struck me as very inventive in the powers department but its till worth the read.