DragonMech

There are web enhancements for this book available on the Freebies page.

Medieval Fantasy Mechs

After an age of destruction, the Second Age of Walkers is now at hand. Explore the ruins of the surface world in sturdy iron mechs powered by steam, magic, or the labor of a thousand slaves!

A New Frontier for Fantasy d20

This hardcover core rulebook introduces not just a new world but the first comprehensive d20 treatment of fantasy mechs. Built on the foundation of a traditional fantasy campaign, DragonMech is easy to integrate into any ongoing game, or it can be used on its own. It features extensive rules for fantasy mechs powered by machinery, magic, and manual labor, fully integrated with a host of new classes, feats, skills, and items specially designed for a mech-based fantasy campaign.

For more on the overall DragonMech product line, see the DragonMech page. This page covers only the main DragonMech rulebook.

Awards:

• Runner-up, Best Supplement, 2005 Pen & Paper Fan Awards
• Runner-up, Best Graphic Design, 2005 Pen & Paper Fan Awards

Reviews:

• RPG.net fan review: 5 stars. "If you like reading RPGs, and if you'd given up on D&D supplements 'cause they mostly don't make good reading, definitely check this one out."
• EN World, fan review: 5 stars. "As you can see, I love and treasure my Dragonmech PDF book a lot... it is creative and is actually a mix of concepts... I heartily recommend this campaign if you like the idea of mixing fantasy with a large helping of 'science'!"
• Gaming Report: 4-1/2 stars. "It's worth it. If you're the type of gamer who loves an endlessly interesting world to play with; save your pennies and trek on down to your gaming shop. Especially if you're a GM. You'll have adventure ideas poring out within an hour."
• EN World, staff reviewer Teflon Billy: 4 stars. "Dragonmech succeeds in my eyes because it is a near perfect melding of creative elements and mechanical inventiveness."
• EN World, staff reviewer Joe G. Kushner: 4 stars. "Any way he handles it, the GM has a lot of options. There are numerous factions in the world and some of them are already up to their old tricks and adventure seeds are sown about for the GM to pick and choose."
• EN World, staff reviewer Psion: 4 stars. "I took in DragonMech with a mixture of bewilderment and awe. Some of the concepts are mind boggling, but appealing... The mechanics are overall an improvement over some other Steamtech materials I have seen. The classes are overall well done..."
• Mortality.net: 4 stars. "The world of Highpoint seems fairly distinct from other settings out there; an intriguing mix of technology and magic... The graphic design and layout are superb, and the illustrations are even better. They really capture the feel and give excellent visual aids to help depict this unique setting. If you want to add a gritty mechanical edge to your game, or play in a setting that's just different from everything else, check this one out."
• EN World, fan review: "This is such a monumentally unique book that I would encourage anyone interested in something new or interesting to give this a serious look. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the material on the mechs is so revolutionary that GMs and players alike can certainly mine a plethora of resources from this product."
• Silven Crossroads: "I thoroughly enjoyed reading the DragonMech campaign setting and believe that overall it was very well done and produced. If you are into dark steampunk fantasy, this is definitely a setting to try out. Even if you don't want to run the setting itself, there is still a lot of great stuff to glean from this book for your own games. The proliferation of new classes and mechanics are well worth the price."
• RPG United: 4 stars. "An all round solid setting, with lots of potential. Recommended."

Writer: Joseph Goodman
Art Director: Sean Glenn of Super Unicorn Design Studios
Artist: Niklas Janssen
Graphic Designer: Rick Achberger of Super Unicorn Design Studios
Cartography: Richard Lazzaretti
Produced in cooperation with Sword & Sorcery Studios, a division of White Wolf

WW17600, 240 pages, hardback, $34.99

Previews

• Introduction Chapter: Hope exists once more... and it's powered by steam! This download shows off DragonMech's introduction. Click here download. (1.5 MB PDF)
• Characters Chapter: Learn more about the coglayers, mech jockeys, and steamborgs! Click here download. (3 MB PDF)
• Mech Rules: This short excerpt gives you an overview of what mechs are like and the basics of constructing them. Click here to download. (1.5 MB PDF)
• Mech Gallery: See what the mechs of DragonMech are like! Click here to download. (2.5 MB PDF)

Preview of Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Characters
  • Character Motivations
  • Races in DragonMech
  • Adapting Classes to DragonMech
  • New Core Classes
    • Clockwork Ranger (variant ranger)
    • Coglayer
    • Constructor (variant wizard)
    • Mech Jockey
    • Stalker (variant rogue)
    • Steamborg
  • New Prestige Classes
    • Anklebiter
    • Assimilated
    • Gearwright
    • Mech Devil
    • Riftwalker
    • Steam Mage
    • Vessel of Dotrak
  • Skills
  • Feats
  • Spells
  • Steam Powers
  • Religion
• Chapter 2: Mechs
  • Origins
  • Society
  • Inside a Mech
  • Description and Construction
    • Power Source
    • Profile
    • Size
    • Maneuverability
    • Steam-powered Mechs
    • Man-powered Mechs
    • Clockwork mechs
    • Animated Mechs
    • Undead Mechs
    • Armor
    • Specialized Traits and Payloads
    • Construction and Pricing Guidelines
  • Mech Combat
    • Moving a Mech
    • Basic Mech Combat
    • Crew
    • Boarding a Mech
    • Tripping a Mech
    • Special Attacks
    • Riding a Mech
    • Ranging Shots
    • Indirect Attacks
    • Repairing Damaged Mechs
  • Mech Gallery and Technical Readouts
• Chapter 3: Equipment
• Chapter 4: The World of DragonMech
  • Highpoint
  • A Highpoint Gazetteer
  • The City-Mechs
  • Important Organizations
• Chapter 5: Creatures
• Chapter 6: The DragonMech Campaign
  • Adventure Themes
  • Adventures on City-Mechs
  • Integrating Mechs into Existing Campaigns
• Chapter 7: City-Mech Nedderpik

Attack! On the ruined surface world of Highpoint, only the most powerful mechs survive!


The heroes of DragonMech! From left to right, a mech jockey, coglayer, and steam mage (with clockwork familiar). A dwarven city-mech can be seen in the background.


The Barbagula, a one-man mech favored by the Irontooth Clans, designed to spear and trip enemy mechs.


A lunar dragon, the largest of the monsters brought to Highpoint by the lunar rain.


Lunar dragons face off against a barbagula mech. An ominous moon rises, portending lunar rain.


Life on Highpoint has adapted to the lunar rain in many ways. The city-mechs are at the top of the food chain. At the bottom are the worm farmers, who live in the warrens of the giant worms they herd. Of course, not all giant worms are domesticated...


Vermil, "the worm city," is the largest concentration of worm farmers. Vermil is challenging the dominance of the city-mechs by digging trench zones that trap unwary mechs.