November's Reading Assignment

[fvcoulter]

Mongoose just got their first monthly payment from me: Traveller Companion Update 2024 and a bonus purchase, Far Trader #1. Planning ahead, I've got Central Supply Catalogue Update 2023, JotTAS 10, and World Builder's Handbook on my wish list. Which one should be my December reading list?

The campaign I'll be starting after the holidays won't give my players much of an opportunity to go to the store, at least for a while. However, if they continue on past the set adventures, they'll be wandering into terra incognita, so the World Builder's Handbook is probably essential. Sooner or later they'll need to buy something, so the Central Supply Catalogue gives me a lot more options. Finally, I'm going to attempt to build up a hand holding program for character development, so the Advanced Education article will complete my flowcharting options. (At least I think it will do so; are there other paths that character development can take?)

I already own the 2022 Core Rulebook, the Explorers Edition, and the Field Catalog, as well as adventures/campaigns Pirates of Drinax and Reach Adventures 1-5. (Plus some older stuff and free downloads.)

So the question is, which of these should be my December reading assignment? Or should I be looking elsewhere? (I'm not looking for an adventure or campaign setting at this time. Let's get my first one up and running before I even consider another one.)

 

[Vormaerin]

JTAS is always fun, but the advanced education is not a major contribution. It's just flight school and medical school for char gen options.

World Builder's Handbook is really useful if you want to deep dive into planets and solar systems in greater detail than the core rules. If you want to generate worlds and then figure out how they fit into the world, it is a great book. It is great if you want to keep your crazy sci fi worlds somewhat plausible.

But, honestly, I'd say that the Central Supply Catalogue is the way to go nine times out of ten. Even if your PCs aren't shopping, knowing the options gives you the opportunity to foreshadow gear they might want and just gives a ton of ideas about the kinds of situations you can create just from looking at gear and going "what situation would they need that in..."

 

[JustEastOfTheEdge]

It takes you a month to read a book? Buy them all, you only live once.