Ratings for - RPGnet RPG Game Index

Statistics: Deadlands

Core Game Ratings

Rating: 7.31 / Ranking: 69

These ratings are based on 60 ratings with 1.72 average weight and 10 reviews.

This is compared to an index-wide 3.64 average ratings and 1.98 average weight.

This rating earns an average level of trust.

Ratings + Reviews:

15%

18%

19%

Index Ratings Only:

10%

11%

24%

19%

11%

18%

RPGnet Reviews Only:

20%

10%

20%

30%

20%

Core Game Comments

All User Comments

Rating	User	Comments
10 / 10	Martin	A mix of pulp, horror, steampunk, and wild west all mixed together in the Weird West setting of Deadlands. Uses dice, playing cards and poker chips for character generation, combat and magic to make it a fun game.
10 / 10	Mescalin	great game; fab game play, cards and poker chips - ace! Tons of support. Scenarios not so good - but mini-scenarios in splat books often ooze with flavour, as does text.
10 / 10	Madeline	One hell of a fun game. I started gaming with Amber, so unless randomizers are fun in-and-of themselves, I see no reason to have them...and Deadlands is my other favorite game. The exploding dicepool mechanic is completely entertaining, and you can often set things up so that you get to roll handfuls of your favorite die type. The random aspects of chargen are fun and make sure the rules get explained right up front. The card-draw initiative system is extremely clever and easy to keep track of during a fight. And the world has room in it for anything from whacky to creepy.
10 / 10	NYTFLYR	great mix of horror & westerns. the mechanics really give the game the right feel.
10 / 10	Tommy Brownell	With Marvel Saga and Angel, Deadlands is part of my Holy Trinity of RPGs. In fact, it is the only game in which I don't have to wonder if I can get players to show up when I decide to run it. An all-time classic at our table and the only game I've had equal fun with GMing and playing.
9 / 10	anarchangel	The first edition is a pretty standard traditional RPG, but with the excellent addition of cards and poker chips to evoke a saloon atmosphere. The removal of those elements in all subsequent editions was fatal. I would rate them a 6.
9 / 10	Doc Halloween	I LOVE the setting.
9 / 10	Yuri	A campy fun game. The rules are a bit dated by today's standards, but it is still a good universe.
8 / 10	g026r	From a playing standpoint, the system is fiddly, inconsistent, unbalanced, and overly complicated. (The first edition more so than the second, but the problems are still there to a lesser degree in the revised edition.) From a thematic standpoint though, it's probably one of the best mergers of system and setting I've ever encountered. Use the setting with another system? Despite its flaws, I wouldn't dream of it.
8 / 10	gschneider	You read it and you want to play it. The mechanics have fun twists and you get to use cards. It's fun.
8 / 10	LivingDeadGuy	Great Game - A completely new way to run a Western Game. Of course, the later editions fixed a lot of the system bugs...but all in all, a fantastic new game to keep people interested for years, especially with the proper supplements...
8 / 10	SJBenoist	Great setting ... Great Mechanics! Hooray! Love the use of chips & cards to get the "old west" feel. Zombie Johhny Reb? What's not to love?
8 / 10	TheLazyBlank	Very good game. System is crunchy, but very good at being realistic without being painfully realistic.
7 / 10	Gitrog	Decent enough with its imaginative setting and system of rewarding game play with poker chips.
7 / 10	JDCorley	The crazy system has a lot of burps and bumps in it, but that's a bit of the charm for this crazy setting. Rated one lower for Inevitable Confederate Apologia.
7 / 10	Tyrrell	I very much liked the poker mechanics, the use of poker chips for experience was very flavorful. A lot of fun. Exploding die pool - high die mechanic was workable but not my favorite.
6 / 10	TrippyHippy	Shifted trends to a degree at the time of it's original release by going against the grain of miinimalistic systems and brought in as many utilities into gameplay as could be found: cards, dice, pokerchips, miniatures, music CDs (and don't forget the T-Shirt!). Evocative illustrations capture the mood well (more 'wikki-wikki-Wild Wild West' than Fistful of Dollars, unfortunately...), but the setting detail is sparse. Nevertheless, the 'weird western' genre niche was pretty much nailed by this game, and it's been enjoyed by many since. An obvious influence on Savage Worlds!
6 / 10	Simple Man	Setting - 10; System - 2.
6 / 10	Tomahawk	Great setting and atmosphere that gets hampered by a system that can slow things to a crawl. Somewhat redeemed by the enthusiasm shown by the creator and writer.
0 / 10	Yokiboy	Great read, but I never played the game. It is very thematic, and does a good job of getting the game's theme pouring out of every mechanic in the game.

Core Game Reviews

All RPGnet Reviews

[ Link 10 Possible Reviews ]

Rating	User	Summary
4 + 3	Roger Taylor	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
3 + 4	Martin Ward	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
4 + 3	Mark Strecker	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
5 + 5	Dr.Scotty	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
4 + 5	SeanMike Whipkey	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
5 + 5	Joe Van Ginkel	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
4 + 4	Steve Darlington	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
4 + 5	James McPherson	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
4 + 5	Carl L. Congdon	Deadlands. [ Read Review ]
4 + 4	Lev Lafayette	Deadlands. With a very interesting setting, a good system with hat-tips to different playing styles, and solid production it is easy to see how Deadlands succeeded. [ Read Review ]

All Magazine Reviews

Year	Magazine	Synopsis
1997	Valkyrie #14	"excellent presentation and high production values doesn't really offset it gimmickry or its lack of depth"
1997	The Unspeakable Oath #14/15
1997	Pyramid V1, #23	"...it's a solid product that I would highly recommend."
1996	Dragon #236	Rating: 4/6.