Spycraft is a d20 and OGL-based

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

dealing with superspies and modern action. Originally published by the

Alderac Entertainment Group Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) is a publisher of family board game products. AEG was formed by Jolly Blackburn in 1993. Blackburn left the company in 1995 and the majority of the company is now owned by President & CEO John Zinser. The comp ...

(AEG), it is currently published under licence by

Crafty Games Crafty Games is an American publisher of tabletop games based on espionage and fantasy themes, particularly ''Mistborn'' and Spycraft. The company was founded by the creative team behind the Classic Spycraft and Spycraft 2.0 role-playing game, R ...

History

Originally envisioned—and initially publicised—as a paranormal superspy game called ''Series Archer'', the game was split into 2 complementary product lines: ''Spycraft'' (silver trade dress) which devoted itself to a generic cinematic superspy/action setting, and '' Shadowforce Archer'' (black trade dress) which featured a setting focused on a global shadow conspiracy based on a wide variety of supernatural elements. After the release of the core book (subsequently referred to as the ''Spycraft Espionage Handbook''''Spycraft Espionage Handbook''
. Crafty Games product page. Retrieved 7 January 2008.) in 2002, multiple print supplements were released in the following years for both lines. Each of these books sported highly distinctive cover art by artist Veronica V. Jones. A new edition of the rules, ''Spycraft 2.0'', was released in August 2005. Shortly afterwards, economic issues forced AEG to cull Spycraft from its product range. As a result, early in 2006 the core authors of the 2nd edition – Alex Flagg, Scott Gearin and Patrick Kapera (who also co-authored ''Spycraft 1.0'')) – formed Crafty Games to continue the line under licence, predominantly through

PDF Portable document format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe Inc., Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, computer hardware, ...

file releases supported by strategic print releases. This model has changed over time, permitting a growing number of print releases including compilations of previous PDF releases. During this time Crafty Games began referring to Spycraft 1.0 as ''Classic Spycraft''.

Awards and nominations

Classic Spycraft

* ENnie (Nominee for Best d20 Game, 2002) * Outie (Best New RPG, 2002) * Pen & Paper (Best Graphic Design Runner-Up, 2002) * Pen & Paper (Best RPG Runner-Up, 2002) * Grog d'Or (Best RPG Nominee, 2003)

Spycraft 2.0

* Outie (Best Retread, 2005) * Diana Jones (Nominee for Excellence in Gaming, 2006) * ENnie (Nominee for Best d20 or OGL Product, 2006) * ENnie (Nominee for Best Game, 2006) * ENnie (Nominee for Best Product, 2006) * ENnie (Nominee for Best Rules, 2006)

System

Classic Spycraft

Classic Spycraft is a

d20 System The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast, originally developed for the Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, 3rd edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The system is named after ...

game, implementing a number of changes to the core mechanics in order to give a more contemporary feel: * The system used the Vitality/Wound Point system originated in the Star Wars d20 RPG. * Races were replaced by Departments. The mechanic would later evolve into the slightly more simulist meta-Departments before then being used to model non-humans. * Characters gained both a Defense and Initiative bonus which improved with their character levels, while armor instead adds damage resistance rather than add to defense (Armor Class). * Modern day skills like Computers and Electronics were added to the skill list. Characters in Spycraft can also critically succeed or critically fail at skill checks. * A system for resolving high-speed chases was included in the main rulebook (and expanded somewhat in later supplements). The system involves both sides of the chase picking maneuvers with specific game effects and then rolling a contest of skill to determine which takes effect. The system was later used by the d20 conversion of

White Wolf Publishing White Wolf Entertainment AB, formerly White Wolf Publishing, was an American roleplaying game and book publisher. The company was founded in 1991 as a merger between Lion Rampant (game publisher), Lion RampantAeonverse games. * Characters kept a certain amount of personal gear, but the gear would be replaced by the Agency the characters worked for when lost. Characters also received additional gear for each mission based on the threat level code of the mission (White, Yellow, Red, or Black). * Characters received a number of "Action Dice" based on their character level (and feat selection) for each play session. These Action Dice would be used during play to add to die rolls or to activate a critical success (or critical failure on the part of your opponents). The Game Control (Spycraft's term for a

Game Master A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, storyteller, or master of ceremonies) is a person who acts as a facilitator, organizer, officiant regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer r ...

) also received a number of Action Dice to use for his NPCs, and could award the players (and himself) additional Action Dice for particularly good play.

''Spycraft 2.0''

''Spycraft 2.0'' took these changes a step further and was released under the Open Game Licence (OGL), but not the d20 System Trademark License. There were also numerous changes from Classic Spycraft, such as: * New character options, including Wealth and Interests, help flesh out characters more effectively. * Plug-and-play modifications called Campaign Qualities that allow characters to advance in some skills and abilities faster at the expense of others that slow down by the same rate. Other Campaign Qualities have more general effects, such as defining the campaign as taking place in a specific time period, or making combat more of a danger. * Each character chooses an Origin at character creation. Unlike ''

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...

's ''Race mechanic and Classic Spycraft's Departments, Origins consist of two parts which allow players to choose an almost unending variety of character benefits and detriments. * The skills system has been reworked. The

skill list has been replaced by a new list. Each skill has a variety of codified checks that that skill can perform. The skills rules more rigorously detail matters that were often left to group contract in other

games. * A redesigned gear system that simplifies one of the more unwieldy parts of Classic Spycraft. Budget and Gear Points have been replaced with Common Items, and a number of Gear Picks based on a character's class and gadgets can now be designed freeform style. * Vehicular chases have been expanded into a new rules mechanic called Dramatic Conflicts. The one system covers chases, seduction, hacking and other dramatic events. * Mission and NPC creation have been redesigned, and are now crafted to give a set amount of XP based on their ability instead of using Challenge Ratings. This simplifies mission creation.

Campaign settings

Classic Spycraft

''Shadowforce Archer''

The first of all the Spycraft campaign settings. The world of Shadowforce Archer (SFA) is an Earth where

mystical Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight ...

and

psionic In American science fiction of the 1950s and '60s, psionics was a proposed discipline that applied principles of engineering (especially electronics) to the study (and employment) of paranormal or psychic phenomena, such as extrasensory percept ...

powers are real. A series of supplemental books that were released to support the SFA worldbook. Each book details one of the international Chambers of the world. Each book has a different theme and includes new rules and agent options appropriate to the theme. The setting was discontinued at the beginning of 2005. Spycraft 2.0 contains many classes and feats that first appeared in the SFA line. The Shadowforce Archer World Book has recently been re-released in

format by Crafty Games. The rest of the SFA line will also be made available in

format throughout the rest of the year (and possibly into the next). *''Archer Foundation'' Chamber Book EG1001'': Details the continent of Australia and the South Pacific region. The theme is super-espionage, conspiracy and paranoia and is an expansion and continuation of the plot and events in the main worldbook. *''Pan-Asian Collective'' Chamber Book EG1005'': Details the continent of Asia and the Pacific Rim. The themes are Martial Arts fighting, Anime-style high tech, and hard-boiled Hong Kong action. *''European Commonwealth'' Chamber Book EG1006'': Details the continent of Europe. The themes are techno-thriller, suspense, and double-crosses. *''African Alliance'' Chamber Book EG1007'': Details the continent of Africa. The themes are action, adventure, misdirection, and mystery.

''Dark Inheritance''

Released in 2004 by Mythic Dreams Studios, Dark Inheritance (DI) was originally a

d20 Modern ''d20 Modern'' is a modern fantasy role-playing game system designed by Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, and Charles Ryan. The system's core rulebook was published by Wizards of the Coast on November 1, 2002; by 2006, ten additional supp ...

campaign setting but converted across to the ''Powered by Spycraft'' banner using the Classic Spycraft rules. It describes an Earth that has been ravaged by ancient mystical powers, allowing Demons and other foul beasts access to this dimension. The setting book contains new rules that allow agents to play as Titans (powerful descendants of antediluvian demi-gods), worship the demonic forces and gain access to mystic powers (reprinted from the SFA world book). There are a number of supplements planned for DI, similar in fashion to those for SFA. There is no release date as yet for any of these supplements.

Spycraft 2.0

''World On Fire''

Released in December 2007, ''World On Fire'' is the title of the world book that covers the setting detailed in the Spycraft CCG. Agents are able to fight the forces of evil alongside such groups as the Shadow Patriots and Banshee.Net. The book features even more character options (in the form of new origins, base and expert classes, and new master classes for higher level characters). New classes include the Ace, the Centurion, the Edgemaster, the Fixer, the Forward, the Goliath, the High Roller, the Martial Artist, the Medic, the Menace, the Mole, the Ninja, the Provocateur, the Saboteur, the Spin Doctor, the Street Knight, and the Terrorist.

''Fantasy Craft''

Fantasy Craft was released in both hardcover and PDF formats in 2009 through the Flaming Cobra imprint of Mongoose Publishing. Following Crafty Games' parting with Mongoose, a soft-covered second printing incorporating the errata generated up to that point was released in 2010. Originally the game was intended for release as an expansion of the Spycraft 2.0 ruleset, following up the first two Origin of the Species electronic products that added character creation options for a variety of standard fantasy and classical Greek non-humans to the ruleset. During the development process, the decision was made by Crafty Games to instead take the opportunity to significantly streamline the game mechanics in response to user feedback and create the ruleset referred to as ''Mastercraft''. This permitted the release of Fantasy Craft as a standalone product under the Open Gaming Licence, including full rules for character generation, conversion mechanics for monsters found in the System Resource Document, and the tools for creating, populating and presenting user-generated campaign settings to players. Fantasy Craft was nominated in 2010 for an

Origins award The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the gaming industry. They are presented by the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for games released in the preceding year. For example, t ...

for best RPG and an ENnie for Best Writing; it also received an honorable mention at that year's ENnies for Product of the Year. 2010 also saw two further Fantasy Craft soft-covered print products, both of which reprinted previously electronically published material. The first was Time of High Adventure, which compiled the previously published "The Darkest Hour" and "Cleansing of Black Spur" and added a third original mission as well as a chapter expanding upon the implied setting of all three modules. This was followed up by the Adventure Companion, which contained 3 campaign settings originally intended for release as part of the core book before being cut for space, and a fourth chapter offering a number of new game mechanic options, including a compilation of the non-spellcasting "Call to Arms" character class releases, some additional classes and a small library of additional specialities, feats and tricks. A fourth print release titled Spellbound is currently slated for publication. In addition to compiling the spellcasting "Call to Arms" character class releases, its content is focused on greatly expanding the mechanical and narrative options for magic use in a Fantasy Craft game.

''Ten Thousand Bullets''

Long teased on the Spycraft forums under the name 'Project X', ''Ten Thousand Bullets'' is a gritty crime setting intended to bring Spycraft down to street level with new rules to allow players to become police, gangsters and everything in between. Originally intended for release at

Gen Con Gen Con is the largest tabletop game convention in North America by both attendance and number of events. It features traditional pen-and-paper, board, and card games, including role-playing games, miniatures wargames, live action role-playing ...

Indy 2007, the creative process behind Fantasy Craft has resulted in its being slated for release as a Mastercraft title.

Organized play

''Spycraft'' has a long history with organized play and living campaigns. For 5 years ''Spycraft'' could be played as part of the ''Living Spycraft'' campaign, which was a part of the

RPGA D&D Adventurers League (or simply Adventurers League for short) is the organized play association for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') roleplaying game which is officially administered by ''D&Ds publisher, Wizards of the Coast. It was rebr ...

(Role Playing Game Association) network of Living Campaign settings. The ''Living Spycraft'' campaign had been in the planning stages for a while before RPGA approval was provided on 29 August 2002 with the campaign starting properly in October 2002 utilising the, then current, Classic Spycraft rules. In 2005 the campaign converted to the Spycraft 2.0 rules but, at the end of 2007, ''Crafty Games'' ended the campaign although the original campaign scenarios are still available as free downloads. A number of volunteers who ran the ''Living Spycraft'' campaign restarted it independently as ''Spymaster'' but this campaign ceased in 2010. Likewise, in 2008 a UK-only campaign, called ''For Queen & Country'', started. This campaign utilises a version of Classic Spycraft that incorporates aspects of Spycraft 2.0.

Supplements

Classic Spycraft

* Modern Arms Guide (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * Gentleman's Agreement (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * Game Control Screen (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * Soldier/Wheelman Class Guide (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * Fixer/Pointman Class Guide (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * Faceman/Snoop Class Guide (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * The 1960s Decade Book (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * Most Wanted (

Paradigm Concepts Paradigm Concepts, Inc. is a small-press game publishing company located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They published the award-winning Arcanis campaign setting and managed the Living Arcanis campaign independent of the RPGA. Previously Arcan ...

(print)) * Agency (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * Mastermind (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * U.S. Militaries (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * World Militaries (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) * Battlegrounds (AEG (print), Crafty Games (PDF)) Crafty Games has re-released the first edition books in

format. The first two PDF releases, the ''Spycraft Espionage Handbook'' and ''Shadowforce Archer'' came with a Conversion Document that allows owners to use the material with Spycraft 2.0.

Spycraft 2.0

There are currently 28 supplements available for the new version of Spycraft (21 from Crafty Games and 6 licensed products). * Agent X: Firebrand (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Agent X: One Man Army (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Agent X: The Runner (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Back to Basics: Modern SRD Classes for Spycraft (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Bag Full of Guns: Dragon's Fury (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Bag Full of Guns: Red Heat (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Bag Full of Guns: This is My Gun (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Bag Full of Guns: This is My Rifle (Crafty Games (PDF)) * The Big Score (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Black Knight Casino ( Darkfuries (print)) * Combat Missions (Paradigm Concepts (print and PDF)) * Conspiracies (Paradigm Concepts (print and PDF)) * Fragile Minds (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Odd Jobs (Crafty Games (print)) * Operation: Nightfall (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Origin of the Species: Classic Fantasy (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Origin of the Species: Light of Olympus (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Origin of the Species: Transmechs (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Practice Makes Perfect (Crafty Games) (PDF) * Real American H.E.R.O.es (Crafty Games) (PDF) * Skyshark Stealth Helicopter (Fat Dragon Games) (PDF) * Shadow Play (Crafty Games (print)) * Spellbound: The Channeler (Revised) (Crafty Games) (PDF) * Spellbound: The Seer (Crafty Games (PDF)) * Spycraft 2.0 Game Control Screen (Crafty Games) (PDF) * Twilight 2013 Shooter's Guide: Alternate Arms ( 93 Games Studios (PDF)) * Twilight 2013 Shooter's Guide: Pistol-Caliber Carbines (93 Games Studios (PDF)) * World on Fire (Crafty Games (print and PDF))

Reviews

*'' Backstab'' #38 *''

Pyramid A pyramid () is a structure whose visible surfaces are triangular in broad outline and converge toward the top, making the appearance roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be of any polygon shape, such as trian ...

''https://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=2731

References

External links

Official Crafty Games website
{{d20 D20 System Espionage role-playing games Alderac Entertainment Group games Role-playing games introduced in 2002 Contemporary role-playing games Role-playing games about conspiracy theories

History

Awards and nominations

Classic Spycraft

Spycraft 2.0

System

Classic Spycraft

''Spycraft 2.0''

Campaign settings

Classic Spycraft

''Shadowforce Archer''

''Dark Inheritance''

Spycraft 2.0

''World On Fire''

''Fantasy Craft''

''Ten Thousand Bullets''

Organized play

Supplements

Classic Spycraft

Spycraft 2.0

See also

Reviews

References

External links