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Transformers Deck Building Game Card by Card #1: Start Cards

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I've previously written about the Transformers Deck Building Game, produced by Renegade Games. I personally own multiple sets and expansions of the game, and its become one of my favourite deck builders to pull off the shelf – it helps that my wife enjoys the game too, so we can play together. As deck builders go its only modestly complex, an asset in the end for teaching the game to guests to sit and play a round together. I thought it would be fun to go through the various sets and write about each card, discussing the card name and theme, its artwork, utility in the game, and where I can referencing the episode / issue that the card is based on. We will start with the core set of the Deck Builder, and slowly move to various expansion and core sets over time. Naturally this means this is going to be a long series of blog posts, so expect this to take at least a few years to properly discuss all cards. Each post we will cover a type of cards and one character card. For this first ...
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New traits for DC Heroes RPG

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DC Heroes RPG 2nd edition I love the DC Heroes RPG from Mayfair Games. In fact, I'd probably put it as my favourite RPG of all time, warts and all. Is it a perfect system? Heck no, there are some rough edges here and there (I still think the Gadgetry rules are a bit clunky), but overall the game flows the way I want to and I find the APs so useful in making GM decisions in the game. Especially if other players learn and internalize the rules! This is a game I've been playing since the 90s, even though I discovered it in its twilight years (the game went out of print not too long after I discovered it). We went on to play more of it in the Blood of Heroes RPG, but I find BoH added unrequired mechanical complexity to DC and (obviously) couldn't use the DC Universe characters, which is part of the fun of the DC Heroes RPG. There are a few small system related house rules that my group came up with over time. With some of these I can remember which specific player suggested the...
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The Transformers Deck-Building Game (review)

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I grew up with the Transformers. In fact, Transformers and GI-Joe became the two toy brands that seemed to dominate our household as a child, with myself collecting Transformers while my younger brothers collected GI-Joes and other things respectively. I had toys, I read the Marvel comics, and of course watched the syndicated cartoon. But there were no games. No board games that I came across, no role-playing games, and in the heyday of Transformers no video games. It always felt strange that such a popular property never found its way onto Nintendo or Hasbro board games, but I guess part of this is just living in North America: Japan got a lot more content than us when it came to Transformers - see this James Rolfe AVGN video for a glimpse into some of the Transformers content we didn't get (and naturally, content warning for any AVGN videos). Fast forward to the modern day. We have dozens of good Transformers games, and now at last both an RPG and some board games. The game I wa...
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Star Trek: The Original Series Tier List (Episodes 4-6)

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 Well, what I intended to be a weekly post got interrupted by life. I know some people say that casually, but between a friend going into hospital for brain surgery (and me looking after the house in their absence), a major project at work, and a killer cold working it's way through the household, time and focus to sit down and work on a blog post never happened. So, better late than never, right? Right? *cricket sounds* Okay, sorry about the delay folks. Here's the next trio of episodes! 100% spoilers, these episodes are around 60 years old. Go watch them if you haven't! #4: The Naked Time After beaming down to an outpost where the crew all seemed to let themselves die out of lack of care or interest in their own safety, a startling lack of basic contamination control leaves the Enterprise suffering from a rapidly spreading contagion that causes the crew to behave as if they're obnoxiously drunk.  Tier Rating:  D Before I ever saw this episode of Star Trek,  I saw w...
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Star Trek: The Original Series Tier List (Episodes 1-3)

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What better way to launch a new blog than with a low effort tier list? You're right, of course - tier list is cheap, easy content if your goal is to churn out data rapidly and "engage with your audience". I of course have no audience, so I will use that excuse to state that I'm doing this for the fun of it instead. The ranking structure I will use is A to F, with A being the best of the best, F being the absolute worst, and C being middle tier. I have been watching the remastered versions on Netflix, but have already committed to purchasing the blue ray set as I've heard it contains the option to watch the original versions without the new special effects. I don't mind the cleaned up FX at all, but it would be charming to be able to watch some of the original very limited  FX, especially since I plan on doing a tier list for some of the classic Doctor Who serials as well. I'm not going to place the pilot, The Cage. I've seen and enjoy The Cage, but it ...
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