Lordkat played this game live on his stream, it looked pretty cool
Ironclaw
Written by Iron Liz Tuesday, 18 October 2011 20:05
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Comments (99)
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10.18.2011 - 20:50 | SublimeTech
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10.18.2011 - 21:09 | BillyPilgrimI am very happy to have someone who reviews pen and paper rpgs. Bring's attention to a great hobby!
So as a pen and paper RPG player/GM, thank you!
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10.18.2011 - 21:13 | ajrules1991Lolz at the elephant and the room and Furry dialogue. Nice cameo by Doug and great vid Liz!
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10.18.2011 - 22:33 | RedFox0008
Agreed. It was funny and well handled.
I've seen Ironclaw on the store shelf at my local game shop (because it was second hand), but now I might actually pick it up, as it looks pretty good from seeing the review. Thanks for not passing this one up because it's one of a few really outstanding furry RPG books.
Oh, I did run into Rafferty a few years ago at a con back in 2008. cool guy.
Also, Redwall is a great series of novels.
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10.20.2011 - 10:51 | ladydiskette
I love the Redwall book series!
Man, if I was a reviewer for this site and reviewed books, the Redwall series would definitely be the first on my list of books to read and review.
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10.19.2011 - 09:00 | Whisky Tango Foxtrot
Does the Elephant not realize that he himself is an anthropomorphic animal?
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10.19.2011 - 11:25 | RedFox0008That's the funniest part!
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10.20.2011 - 10:46 | ladydisketteJust once I would like to see Elephant make another cameo again in a different review where he just annoys someone so much that they either throw something at him or beat the crap out of him.
That would be funny.
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10.18.2011 - 21:23 | lonewolf23k
I love Ironclaw myself, although I've always found it's magic system rather limiting. It's one of those things I'd rather import GURPS' Spell system into, actually.
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10.18.2011 - 21:24 | ajrules1991BTW, you did your job phenomenally, after you introduced the content I am now feeling an urge to go out and grab this game :D
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10.18.2011 - 21:24 | sordcooper
hu, from anthropomorphic creatures to big awesome mech suits eh? im liking the direction this show is taking! and its great that you were able to shine a light on (what is apparently) a good game that no doubt gets overlooked because of a stigma against furries and some evil on the part of Diamond... if only teddy Roosevelt was around, he would bust them up in a flash then generate a talking grizzly bear paladin with a motto involving beating people with sticks!... wait what was i talking about again?... oh yah! good review, good review
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I remember picking up the first edition of Ironclaw 10+ years ago, and I liked it then, more for the novelty than anything else, but I don't remember a whole lot about that edition. This version looks like a REALLY solid game, and I'll probably get it. Thank you, Liz, the show is awesome!
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10.18.2011 - 21:27 | VtheHappyLurker
Fifth! ;D
This was a very good review and the depth gone into now actually makes me interested in picking up this game. It's also available as a pdf on Drive-Thru RPG for anyone who enjoy that format.
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10.19.2011 - 14:21 | The_Awesometeer
Made me want to look up some furry pics
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Someone brought this into the local gaming club one night a couple years ago. We all gave it a fair shake but I can't say I personally was impressed and those around me were "eh" to it. It's just another RPG lost in the tide and people only remember it because it has furries in it.
Then again, I'm a pure crunch man. I don't even bother reading the fluff in most RPG books. I'm firmly of the opinion that you can tell a story with any system. What you're buying the book for is the rules and in that regard Ironclaw is really nothing special.
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As someone who's heavy into crunch and mechanics, I've been playing Ironclaw pretty heavily, and it's surprising just how complex you can get with character configurations and otherwise from a pure match/mechanics standpoint.
You may not have found it interesting...but dismissing it on the basis of the 'furry' element being the only reason people remember it is rather unfair. I recommended this game to folks, Liz included, first and foremost due to how well designed it was mechanically.
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10.18.2011 - 21:44 | neoravencroft
Pretty good review. The "furry" thing does get rather redundant as a topic, but the game itself does look rather intriguing. Thanks Iron Liz for another awesome review.
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10.18.2011 - 21:47 | Flash Drive
Great job Liz.
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10.18.2011 - 21:48 | Gethenian
Ooooh... This very much intrigues me. I know you're well acquainted with my affinity for creating characters with animal abilities and appearances... which I managed to do in our WoD game even before knowing we were building up to integrating vampire, werewolf, and changeling identities... but it's mainly the depth and historic parallels in this game's world that has me really wanting to look into this game further and consider budgeting a purchase of that book somewhere along the line. If I continue to like what I see about it on the internet, I might ask for it for Christmas or something and possibly see about organizing a session at MAGFest. If the game's mechanics are as easy to work with as they seem from this review, it seems like this might be a good game to do that with. :)
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10.18.2011 - 21:54 | WesleyFoxx
Not super happy with your overall review of the fandom, but you do unintentionally sum-up the why during character creation:
Because its varied, creative, and fun!
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10.18.2011 - 21:56 | BlkSwampCheetahI actually hadn't heard of this before; I'll have to look into getting it.
You did a pretty good job of explaining furries, but I do have one small problem; "extremists that don't represent the bulk of participants". There's definitely that in the furry fandom, but I don't think the example you used really fits. (although I don't know if there's any examples you could have played of extremists that would have been appropriate) A couple fursuiters dancing to a comedy bit isn't really 'extremists', and I'm not sure how that clip was a perversion of anything.(have you seen the original?) Not to mention it was immediately compared to suggestive imagery of a zeppelin. It almost seems like there was supposed to be a different clip there before.
Other than that though, kudos for not just going 'lol furries', and instead addressing it maturely.
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10.18.2011 - 22:07 | lonewolf23k@BlkSwampCheetah: I'm just thankful she didn't just jump ahead to referring to more infamous examples of furry artwork. The fursuiters were just fine.
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10.18.2011 - 22:18 | BlkSwampCheetah@lonewolf23k: That's kind of my point. The fursuiters aren't the extremists, and it's kind of disingenuous to say they are. The suiters are only like one step removed from the people wearings ears/tails.
But yes, I'm also glad she didn't go any farther.
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10.18.2011 - 22:27 | Xav_kitsune
@cheetah and Wolf
Same here, when I first saw the Elephant I thought there was going to be a long winded rant on the furries due to the... more perverted, rule 34 oriented aspects, especially around either the sonic fans, the disney fans, or otherwise.
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10.18.2011 - 22:25 | Sonicrose
Very sweet review ^_^ ... I like anthros. I think they can be very interesting looking. Dude, how many cartoon characters have we grown up with who are 'furry? The elephant may now go back into the closet.
But more importantly, the WORLD in it seems like a lot of fun. :) Awesome review.
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10.18.2011 - 22:54 | cyber95
Do you know anything about Verne? I'm looking into it because Victorian Steampunk sounds like it'd be a fun pen and paper setting.
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10.18.2011 - 22:59 | BooRat
Great review! I might get the book just to read because I don't know anybody in my town that'd actually play it.
So a Skunk?
I like the use of the Wilham Scream!
I like the artwork you showed from it here I think I've seen that artist's work before!
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10.18.2011 - 23:01 | Aqua Fox
This seems interesting. I might try to hunt this one down along with World of Darkness when I have time and money to do so. Though I can always use either one as a gift ideas.
Good review.
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10.22.2011 - 16:33 | Shadowdancer21b
I personally prefer the old world of darkness. The new system is not to my liking.
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10.18.2011 - 23:02 | MikeKz
Zeppelin porn, is that The Cinema Snob's next review?
Hmm, I wouldn't have given the idea of "furries" a second thought, but it's good that you got that out of the way. Knowing the kind of people that post on TGWTG, there was bound to be at least 5 people upset that you didn't say anything.
This was a really good review. I never played, nor will I play pen and paper RPGs, but this review really held my interest.
A+
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10.18.2011 - 23:14 | QuetzaDrake
Yep, I wouldn't call the "extreme" example all that extreme, just looked like some suiters dancing at a convention's talent show sort of event (these sort of events are pretty common at the cons). I think you were going for how the "extreme" of anime fans are the hardcore cosplayers singing in Japanese, that sort of vibe, but the extreme that most people associate with furries is a little more... well, less family-oriented... which, oddly, you did seem to want to go for with the whole zeppelin thing, but whatever, it was more odd than anything.
Besides that, I'm surprised how good Ironclaw is apparently. Never really thought about it or looked at it, but that's pretty cool.
Also wonder if any other artists are gonna gain some fanart inspiration from Phil's title card there.
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10.18.2011 - 23:28 | DMasterI am definitely going to pick this one up when I have the time to play it. Nice review, Liz, easily my favorite to date.
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10.18.2011 - 23:33 | LeDuc89
looks fairly interesting. I will definitely have to look into it; maybe encourage my friends I game with to check it out.
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10.18.2011 - 23:35 | Robert the Kid
I love Redwall. I remember when I was in elementary school and watched Redwall.
"I am that is."
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I have the original in paper back before the made nice shiny hardcovers, used to be on the yahoo group for it, have most house books, and I also have Jadeclaw. The system is good base, and I well I was playing the fire ball happy Kitty with my umm light finger fellow fox... Yeah it was a bad slayers joke in so many ways.
But still great review of great game system.
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Interesting subject matter aside, this looks like a very interesting and well structured RPG. Would definitely like to check this out sometime.
Was wondering if you would consider a review of the Pathfinder system. I've seen it around a lot (even on your shelf there for a second), and wanted to know how it was before investing. I've gotten tired of 3.5 Edition D&D, and my group refuses to touch 4e. Maybe this would be a good alternative? I've heard it's similar to D&D, in a good way that is. Thanks.
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Trust me, the only good thing from Pathfinder is the campaign setting's story. Not only are the various mechanical changes made by Pathfinder not an improvement when comparing to 3.5, but some are actually changes for the WORSE. (Feats were weakened so Fighters got even weaker, Wizard HP and abilities were boosted so now they're even more overpowered, and those are only two of many examples)
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10.19.2011 - 08:56 | Filby
Seconding the interest in a Pathfinder review.
Personally, it's my favorite RPG. It's what 4E should have been - it fixes most of the problems inherent in 3.5 without feeling like a completely different game, and has a very interesting, detailed campaign world (which is sadly in a separate book from the core rules).
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...but these fixes that you talk about don't exist. I am not sure of what you think was fixed, but it would help me in proving my point if you gave me examples. Because really, I have consulted experts and made my own comparisons and Pathfinder isn't as much a move upwards as it is a strange turn to the left.
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10.19.2011 - 01:16 | Chwineka
I know it was a rather minor point in the review, but while Diamond/Alliance is the main distribution center, they're not the only one. ACD (the main distributor the store I work at uses) carries Ironclaw, as does Warpath Games. So don't despair! Not every game store uses Diamond!
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10.19.2011 - 01:29 | milesrose
*giggles( Wrong clip for that "extreme example" Liz? :3 There isn't anything wrong with being a suiter :D Hell, I'm in the market for one myself. A cute blue and white otter
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10.19.2011 - 01:33 | milesroseAlso, in my experience getting a P&P game with anthros can lead to awesome results, and usually does in my experience! Especially adresses correctly what advantages different specie'd anthros would have.
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