Rebuilding a collection - What to get?

[Wheeljack]

I was a huge TORG fan back when it first came out, though I could never tempt my gaming group into playing it for more than a one-shot. Still, I collected the majority, if not all of the books... all the worldbooks, adventures, supplements, novels... The box with most of it in it was stolen in a move in the mid-90s though. The line had finished though, and I was playing other things, so I didn't give it much thought beyond "Sigh."

A recent RPG.net thread and a link to a (hopefully) starting online game have fired me up again, so I did a little survey.

I'm left with the original box set, Terra, Tharkold, Tokyo City Sourcebook, Infiniverse Update III, the High Lord's Guide to the Possibility Wars.

I went to the big used bookstore and found a LOT of copies of the Living Land and the Space Gods, but no other worldbooks. It was mostly adventures after that. I picked up the LL as the game may start in Core Earth America, and the Character Collection, since I like characters.

What would you say are the "essential" Torg books... what should I buy again, and what has come out since the original line ended? I'm already hunting down the Nile Empire... that was the setting that made me fall in love with the game. I adore pulp action.

[skeloric]

Though you passed on it originally, I recommend going after the Space Gods book.
Adventures are worth picking up if only for NPCs and Maps.
Plus, adventures had a habit of offering a look at the setting that no other book offered.
The Temple of Rek Stalek for one offers a look into a new possible addition to the "Pantheon" (As there is only Lanala standing in as a sort of "Earth Mother", the term is incorrectly used without others) of Takta Ker, or at least a "Duality" with them representing polarized opposites.
And it was only in an adventure where this could be found.
Its like that often enough.

[Catstacker]

Space Gods is a good sourcebook to buy if it costs you no more than a dollar, and it's one of the few that isn't falling apart from the bindings. If you want it to complete your collection, it looks nice on the shelf. But as a sourcebook it doesn't have much useful information. The setting is bare, the Akashans are confusing, and the Psionics rules are broken. WEG used the information in almost none of their published material, and basically ignored the situation in South America except for occasional FYIs in the Infiniverse newsletter.

Temple of Rec Stalek isn't highly regarded as an adventure by folks who've played it, YMMV.

I recommend the Revised and Expanded Rulebook if you actually want to play Torg. It fills in the holes in the original ruleset, puts all the skills and abilities together, expands the equipment list, and is a quicker reference than going through the various sourcebooks. It also refers to those sourcebooks when their expanded rules are needed, so if you had the R&E you would have a better idea of what else you'd want to have for your game. You should get one too, Skeloric!

[skeloric]

You should get one too, Skeloric!
I keep watching eBay.
One was almost mine but shot right out of my budget nearly at the last hour -- the other person ended up paying more than retail to get it too, due to some other late sale bidder.
Some people are strange.

[skeloric]

I'll admit Space Gods is a deeply flawed book but it can still be nice to have.
Getting one that isn't collapsing back into its constituent parts would be nice as well.
Mine is in a 3-ring binder.

[Wheeljack]

I'll admit Space Gods is a deeply flawed book but it can still be nice to have.
Getting one that isn't collapsing back into its constituent parts would be nice as well.
Mine is in a 3-ring binder.

The copies of Space Gods I saw at the store looked to be in good shape and weren't more than $5. I could buy one and ship it to you if you like... postage should only be a few dollars.

I had Space Gods myself back then, but it didn't do too much for me back then.

What's the R&E like, compared with the original rule set?

[skeloric]

The copies of Space Gods I saw at the store looked to be in good shape and weren't more than $5. I could buy one and ship it to you if you like... postage should only be a few dollars.

Its Ok, I got the book already.



I had Space Gods myself back then, but it didn't do too much for me back then.

It is really unfortunate.
A lot of the Space Gods book was pure undiluted POWER TRIP.
But I still like the idea of just having you get it for completeness sake - if such is important to you.




What's the R&E like, compared with the original rule set?
It is -- in all truth -- only 1/3 of the Box Set.
If you have the Box Set, the book works great, otherwise its as if you are missing something.
Neither the original "World Book" (which contains vital rules/info never repeated in any follow-up Cosm sourcebook) nor the Adventure Book (which offers the definitive understanding of much of how the adventures are presented and card play operates in certain situations) are part of the R&E book.

[hellsreach]

It is really unfortunate.
A lot of the Space Gods book was pure undiluted POWER TRIP.
But I still like the idea of just having you get it for completeness sake - if such is important to you.


Oh nonsense! Aren't all guns 30 damage? Don't all armor provide Tough +15/35?

[hellsreach]

It is -- in all truth -- only 1/3 of the Box Set.
If you have the Box Set, the book works great, otherwise its as if you are missing something.
Neither the original "World Book" (which contains vital rules/info never repeated in any follow-up Cosm sourcebook) nor the Adventure Book (which offers the definitive understanding of much of how the adventures are presented and card play operates in certain situations) are part of the R&E book.

The Torg Accessory Pack is available, which provides the Adventure Book, the Worldbook, and a Drama Deck.

[skeloric]

The Torg Accessory Pack is available, which provides the Adventure Book, the Worldbook, and a Drama Deck.
Good deal.
By my understanding, that was the intent when they commissioned the R&E in the first place back in the mid-late 90s.

[The Game Guy]

Good deal.
By my understanding, that was the intent when they commissioned the R&E in the first place back in the mid-late 90s.

I think that there should have been a pack like this in the game stores right next to the R&E book, that way someone could pick up R&E and the pack and have everything they need to get going playing Torg R&E.

[Whill]

I think that there should have been a pack like this in the game stores right next to the R&E book, that way someone could pick up R&E and the pack and have everything they need to get going playing Torg R&E.

I think there should be TORG in game stores, period! I haven't seen TORG in retail in almost a decade.