Entromancy: A Cyberpunk Fantasy RPG by M. S. Farzan, Nathan Haslé and Robert Lashley is a role playing game supplement published by Nightpath Publishing. This is the core rulebook for Entromancy, a cyberpunk fantasy game based on the Fifth Edition SRD. As a result, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result.
The supplement is available as a PDF from DriveThruRPG for $9.99, as a print on demand hardcover for $29.99 or as PDF and hardcover for $29.99. It is also available in printed form from sites such as Amazon. The PDF is the version reviewed, although it was purchased at a reduced price during a sale. The PDF has 126 pages with two being the front and rear covers, two the front matter, one the Kickstarter backers, two the Table of Contents and two the Open Game License.
The Introduction explains that this is a cyberpunk fantasy game set in San Francisco in the late 21st century. It explains what a role playing game is, what Entromancy itself is, the core gameplay experience and mechanic – d20 based rolling against a difficulty class, which will be familiar to D&D 5E players – other mechanics such as advantage, disadvantage and the natural 20, momentum, rounding numbers and playing the game.
Chapter 1: The World starts by explaining that it’s the late 21st century and magic coexists with technology. Human cities have grown upward whilst xenophobia against aurics has forced them downwards. The setting isn’t quite a dystopia, but the three factions of NIGHT, Aurichome and the Unaligned could plunge the world into war.
Ceridium is a naturally-occurring element, which can now be synthesized, that functions as a renewable energy source and also fuels the esoteric arts known as mancy. Ceridium, once it become common, revealed a genetic mutation in humans that caused some to become what are known as either aurics or underraces, and also unlocked magical potential. Most of the world is connected globally through the Network – basically, the internet – and anti-gravity vehicles now exist.
The multiplication of aurics and the other effects of ceridium led to civil unrest, there were a couple of wars, the Rage Plague amongst aurics which was partially alleviated by a new drug, augmented reality and sports. New organisations were created, such as the National Intelligence Guard of Human Technology, or NIGHT, and the creation of a new nation, Aurichome, in California. The VPen looks at a virtual reality prison which works by implanting chips in the prisoner and means they can be kept in smaller spaces. A number of important locations in the San Francisco area are given some details, and then the three factions are covered; Aurichome, which are those aurics under King Thog’run, NIGHT and the Unaligned. Each faction is given a brief overview and brief descriptions of various important NPCs in it.
Chapter 2: Characters explains how to use the character sheet, with examples. There are five races for the game, Dwarf, Gnome, High Auric, Human and Low Auric, each given a base speed, description and life expectancy. Though this is based on 5th Edition, abilities are a bit different. Characters are assigned ability bonuses to four categories, Strength, Agility, Will and Personality. Entromancy has 15 skills, which are covered in more detail in the next chapter with some having a bonus for each class, and each class has a collection of feats as well as talents or spells. Ceridium is an important substance, and characters start with an amount of it.
There are five base classes in Entromancy, which are now covered. Each class is covered the same way, and finished off with a character sheet. The classes are NIGHT Agent, members of a paramilitary force, Revolutionary, who look to undermine the status quo, Technomancer, skilled in hacking, robotics and manipulating machinery, Terramancer, who commune with nature, and Vanguard, a class that thrives in the shadows.
Finally, this chapter covers the end of a mission, when a character can either be exchanged for a new one or improved, and an advanced method of character creation, which uses the more common ability scores.
Chapter 3: Skills starts by explaining that each skill, of which there are 15, corresponds to one for the four core abilities, with a table showing how. Characters are proficient in different skills depending on their class; those who are not proficient can still use the skill, they just aren’t as good at it. Skills are used by performing a skill check in order to hit a target DC A d20 is rolled and the value of the skill bonus, or ability bonus if such is lacking, to see if there’s success. The different skills are then described, and some skills have different things that can be done when using them.
Chapter 4: Destinies explains that after five or more missions are completed by one character, they can unlock a destiny. These are basically advanced class options, and come in five types, each with different sets of skills. The Aurikar Elite is a hand-to-hand specialist for the Aurichome. The Entromancer is an entropic spell caster for the Unaligned. The Infiltrator is a subterfuge specialist. The Inquisitor is a manipulative spellcaster for NIGHT. The Weapon Master is skilled with weapons.
Chapter 5: Combat & Magic starts by looking at combat phases, initiative and movement. A round of combat, considered to be 6 seconds, is comprised of the turns of each character or creature, and the order these go in is determined by Initiative; Initiative is rolled on a d20 with the Agility bonus added. Rules are given for sorting out ties.
Characters, creatures and objects all have an armour class, or AC, comprised of various factors and bonuses. The higher AC is, the better. In combat, rolls are made to hit another’s AC, with success meaning damage is rolled. An example is given.
Some feats, spells and talents are instantaneous or passive abilities that are always active. Others have a duration, which may be a round, encounter or mission. Encounters are discrete phases, and are considered to end when a location where a dramatic event occurred is left. Some also have a range, which can be self, touch or a specific distance and/or shape. The range determines who can be affected.
In a firefight, cover can affect whether or not something hits a character who is using it, and if a character is sent to 0 hit points, they are incapacitated. They can be revived by a successful Healing check made by another, or some items. If a character is incapacitated three times in a mission, they have taken too many injures and have a -1 penalty on all rolls, increasing every time they become incapacitated again.
Magic covers spells and how they are presented, with the prerequisite, action, range, duration, ceridium cost and a description of the effects.
Chapter 6: Equipment starts by explaining that a character is considered to be equipped with certain items relevant to their class at the beginning of their first mission. Gaining access to other equipment depends on the number of missions a character has completed and their faction standing. Following this is a list of class equipment, then mission equipment. One piece of mission equipment from those available to a character is selected at the beginning of a mission. This comes in different categories, and not all of the equipment is available at the beginning of the game. This is divided into standard gear, standard faction gear with a friendly faction standing and standard cybernetics, then advanced gear, advanced faction gear with a friendly faction standing and advanced cybernetics.
Chapter 7: Factions explains that the game has three factions, covered earlier. When characters complete tasks for or interact with members of a faction they may earn, or lose, Faction Points with that faction. The more points they have with a particular faction, the higher their standing, ranging from hostile to allied. Once a faction becomes Friendly, characters gain a bonus to Personality based skill checks with that faction, increasing to +5 at Allied. Friendly and Allied also have other advantages, for equipment, cybernetics and destiny. Faction Points can be lost as well as won, and when a character’s standing with a faction decreases to a lower level, they no longer have access to the perks they previously had. Only one faction can be Allied, but two more can be Friendly, though neither can progress to Allied unless the current Allied status is lost.
Chapter 8: GMing Entromancy is the GameMaster chapter and it starts with three rules to keep in mind; the GM should empower the players, provide structure for them and co-create the world with them. It then looks at these concepts in some more detail. After the characters are created and their backstories defined, they can go on their first mission; the one in the next chapter is recommended. The GM will need to keep track of missions and objectives, as these are important for character progression and faction rewards. There are suggestions for the GM to make the world their own, followed by instructions on how to create NPCs, should the ones in Chapter 1 and Chapter 10 be insufficient. This is followed by advice on creating encounters, missions and campaigns, and on how to use content from the Fifth Edition SRD in the game, as Entromancy does have differences.
Chapter 9: The Presidio Heist is a starter adventure intended to teach GMs and players about the game. It involves breaking into a lab in the Presidio, and depending on which factions the players might think they are going to ally with, can have different goals as to what the characters are looking for in the mission.
Chapter 10: Monsters is a bestiary that’s divided into different categories; Ancient Beasts, Animal Companions, Aurichome, Walker Drones, Devious Prototypes, Drones, Entromancy, Mancers, NIGHT, Police, Ragers, Security Systems, Security Personnel and Unaligned. Each section has an opening piece of fluff – none of the individual monsters do – and stats for various monsters.
Entromancy: A Cyberpunk Fantasy RPG in Review
The PDF is bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. The Table of Contents is to a similar level of depth and is hyperlinked. Navigation is okay. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. There are a number of colour and black and white illustrations which appear to be custom, with some of the colour illustrations being two pages in size. Presentation is okay.
Though this is a setting book and rules book, the setting isn’t described in any great deal of depth. Only one location, San Francisco, is even covered, and what’s detailed are some brief locations, some brief NPC descriptions and some factions. The setting could really do with more description, as there is very little given.
The game itself is based on Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, so the fundamentals should be familiar. Overall, this feels like a simplified version of Fifth Edition; with it being science fantasy, it still has spells, even if they might be described differently. More effort has been put into covering the system than the setting; when the setting is an integral part of the game, it really needs to be covered in more detail. On the whole, this feels like it’s lacking in coverage. Entromancy: A Cyberpunk Fantasy RPG can be found by clicking here.
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