Attack of the Toy Box: Thirteen Parsecs Edition

For me, Thirteen Parsecs is an homage to a time when I was really into everything SciFi. Star Wars, Star Trek, Buck Rogers on TV, Battlestar Galactica, and of course all the toys of the time.  

After 1977, when Star Wars had hit the scene, toy companies rushed to get anything out for a Science fiction-hungry audience. Some of these toys are fondly remembered by Gen X still today.

Ever since I took out my Star Wars figures and tried to figure out D&D rules for them (one of the reasons I still hold the d20 Star Wars so fondly in my heart), the idea of mixing toys with my RPGs has been a quest in its own right. 

Big Trak

A toy you could program? What sci-fi-loving kid growing up at the dawn of the home computer era wouldn't want this? 

Big Trak is a multi-purpose planetside vehicle capable of operating in a variety of environments. 

Vehicle: Big Trak
Agi 10 (0)
Str 18 (+3)
Tou 18 (+3)
Int 16 (+2) Mission programmable AI
Wit - (-)
Per - (-)

Max 640 k/h (400 mph)
Crs 320 k/h (200 mph)
Acc 23 (20)

DR 3
DV 1-2*
Vit 80-90*

* Some are fitted with extra armor and regenerative systems. 

Weapons: Forward-mounted plasma laser cannons. 1d8 x2.

ROM the Spaceknight

Not to be outdone, Parker Bros. gave us ROM the Spaceknight, who also got his own tie-in comic from Marvel.

For Thirteen Parsecs, he could easily be part of an elite force of peacekeepers, like the Green Lantern Corps. 

ROM, the Space Knight

Level 10 Mystic Warrior

STR 16 +2 N
AGI 19 +3 A
TOU 14 +1
INT 15 +1
WIT 15 +1 
PER 17 +2 N

Fate 1d10
ViD d6
Vitality 65

DV 2

Checks 5/3/2
Melee +9
Ranged +11

Favored Weapon: Disruptor (+2 to hit, additional damage) 2d8

Agile, Melee and Ranged bonus, Free Running, Instant Kill (feature), Iron Will, +1 to damage, Mind over body, Survival skills at level 8.

Powers
Danger Sense, Enhanced Senses x2, Supernatural Attacks, Psychic Power (Telepathy - used to translate)

Space Sword

Maybe not as famous as the others, but the Toy Box Inc. glow-in-the-dark "Space Sword" came out a year before the Kenner Light Saber did, and was cheaper. Now they go for ridiculous prices on eBay. 

Weapon: Space Sword
Medium Weapon
Class: 2 
Reach: 1.25 meters (5ft)
Damage: 1d8+2 Slash
Cost: 50C
Features: Energy weapon

Star Bird

Man, was this the coolest spaceship ever? It was not Star Wars, certainly not Star Trek, and that made it perfect. Not a knock-off, but its own awesome thing. Also from MB Electronics.

Light Two-seat Space Fighter (Pilot and Weapons/Sensor operator)

Age: 2 (1 Quirk)
Structure: 10
DV: 4
Size: Small

Communications: 2
Computers: 1
Construction: 1
Defensive Systems: 3
Engineering Systems: 0
Engines (Speed): 3
Life Support: 1
Maneuverability: 3
Navigation: 2
Sensors: 2
Weapons Systems: 3, 2x Front cannon (1d6); Micro-missile rack (2d6).
Quirks: Bypass the Primary Buffer

Tobor 

"Tobor is robot spelled backwards."

Tobor was great.

My younger brother had one. We found this metal lid you could bend to make a click that Tobor responded to, like the included remote.

TOBOR

No. Appearing: 1-6
DV: 1-4
Move: 12 meters (40ft)
Vitality Dice: 6d8
Special Attack: units can be fitted with energy weapons (1d8)
XP Value: By ViD

Mindless: TOBOR robots have simple programming and AIs. They are immune to any sort of emotional control or fear. 

Nightsighted: TOBORs can see into the deep electromagnetic waves, they can see clearly even in complete darkness.

Technical Expertise: TOBORs are generally programmed for expertise in one area. As such, they may choose any one non-mystical class ability or any one skill, at which they gain a 85% base proficiency. This skill does not improve via performance, only by programming. 

Most TOBORs are used as labor in hazardous conditions or areas. They perform one task very well but can respond to verbal commands. 

Hope you all had/have a great Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Solstice, and Festivus!

Mail Call Tuesday: Queen Iggwilv

 Quick one today. I am not what I consider to be a FunkoPop collector. I have a couple I really like, mostly little witches and Red Sonja. But I saw this new one out and decided to treat myself to an early birthday present.

She looks great next my Funko Pop Larina.

And they share the shelf with my books on witchcraft and demonology appropriately enough.

Like I said, I am not a huge collector, but I think one of The Simbul might be fun.

Lego Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon's Tale

 A bit of a break before I get into Sci-Fi month proper.

My oldest kid and I went in on the new Lego: Dungeons & Dragons set.

3745 Pieces. It's not the biggest Lego set he has built, but it's one of them for sure.

It is also really cool.

The scale is about right. Good enough really.

Sinéad and Larina confront Cinderhowl

The best part? It comes with a D&D 5e Adventure, "Red Dragon's Tale."

Four PCs are included; A Dwarf Cleric, Elf Wizard, Gnome Fighter, and Orc Rogue. All level 5.  Why no humans? I guess you can get humans all the time with other Lego sets.

The adventure is included in the set, and my son plans on running it soon. Yeah, four 5th-level characters vs. an owlbear, a displacer beast ("Pouncy"), a beholder, a bunch of skeletons, a 13th-level evil sorcerer ("Ervan Soulfallen"), and an adult Red Dragon ("Cinderhowl"). It sounds like a TPK waiting to happen. 

There is even a book on how to use this as a game without the D&D rules.

Still, he had a blast building it. I was going to help, but he stayed up until 7:00 a.m. working on it over the week. He is young and works nights, so he can still do that kind of stuff. He wants to take his Sunday group through it this weekend.

Can't wait to hear how it goes!

Mail Call Tuesday: ReAction D&D Figures

A little over 3.5 months later, I finally received my ReAction D&D Figures in the mail, just in time for Father's Day.

They are pretty cool. As you can see, these are the ones from Super 7.

Of the three the Sorceress (as she is properly known) is my favorite.

She is roughly the same size/scale as the classic Kenner Star Wars figures (this is by design of course). She even has holes in the bottom of her feet to put into action scenes.

She is a little taller than the other D&D Figures out last year. 

Maybe Skylla has a bit of elf in her.

She does not come with the green fireball though.

All the figures look pretty cool to be honest.

The font on the cards is closer to the Mentzer Basic books than the AD&D or Moldvay books. 

Yes, I took them off of their cards. 

Now the Efreeti actually will see some use in games I am sure. He is a good size to be an efreeti amir or pasha or something similar.

Compared to the mini from the Classic Monster Manual line maybe he is the long-lost "Greater" Efreeti.

All three of these figures have also, in one form or another, have had premium statues made of them. The Efreeti and the Githyanki from Wizkids and the Sorceress, in her modern guise of Seoni, from Dynamite.

The figures are fun, and I am glad I grabbed them.

I do have another Sorceress on the way that I am hoping to do a little modding on. 

Not Yet a Mail Call Tuesday: ReAction D&D Figures

 Well...not exactly a Mail Call Tuesday today. Though it will be sometime in June/July.  But I had to mention these.

ReAction, the company that makes action figures for various properties in the style of the old Kenner Star Wars figures (3.75" scale), has a new series coming out.

Wave 1 of their Dungeons & Dragons line has some very familiar faces.

There is the Sorceress (D&D Moldvay Basic), the Efreeti (DMG), and the Githyanki (Fiend Folio) in the first wave for preorder now.

Damn it. Just when I was in a good place NOT to give WotC any money out of protest for the OGL shenanigans. 

Anyway. As someone who really went hardcore with D&D with the Moldvay Basic (my first proper D&D) and writes so much about witches, I am morally obligated to buy the Sorceress.  I owe it to that 11-year-old I once was. Besides, she is certainly popular.

The other figures also look great.

The Efreeti also has another advantage. At 3.75", that translates to 18.75' in D&D 3/4/5 scale.  So I could use it as the Efreeti Pasha. It would have a certain level of "street cred" to use the same figure as the front of the DMG for it.  Everyone in my current gaming groups knows all about 1st Ed AD&D, so to them, pulling this guy would have the same effect as pulling out Tiamat or Orcus.

All three of these figures have also, in one form or another, have had premium statues made of them. The Efreeti and the Githyanki from Wizkids and the Sorceress, in her modern guise of Seoni, from Dynamite. These figures are a lot cheaper.

You should be able to preorder these anywhere.

I am getting mine from Super7, which has better shipping. But I have seen them at Entertainment Earth as well. They will likely be on Amazon soon.  Of course you could order them from your FLGS or FLCS.

These are not the same scale as the new D&D Cartoon figures, but they are close to last year's NECA Skyla and Kelek figures. Come back around in June/July, and we will see.

Mail Call: Dungeons & Dragons The Lost Wave Figures (2022 SDCC Exclusives)

Nice little treat in the mail today.  A while back I had arranged to get some of the new "Lost Wave" Dungeons & Dragons figures produced by NECA and sold exclusively at the 2022 SDCC.  The set included a full version of Skylla and a "new" version of Kelek.  So you know I could not say no.

Well, today they came!

Full unboxing.

No real desire to keep Pulvereye or Valkeer, but I'll put them in with the other D&D toys for my kids to sell to pay for my medical bills in 30 years. 

I am pleased with the Skylla and Kelek figures. 

Kelek also looks good. Wish I had kept my original one from the 80s.

Right now my youngest is 3D printing my Kelek on Warg. But it was not ready at the time of this posting so maybe next time.

New D&D Minis and Figures

So the universe has decided I need to spend more money on little plastic people. 

Up first, and very near and dear to my heart are new NECA, LJN-style D&D action figures. 

They look great, but I am mostly interested in the Skylla and Kelek figures.  I am quite excited for the Skylla one since she never had a 4" figure release.

I had a Kelek back in the day, this one looks a lot like that older one save that this newer Kelek looks like he has a mohawk.  

So a while back I picked up the Kelek and Skylla D&D Miniatures from WizKids, well their next round is coming out and I am very excited about this one too. And it should be a lot cheaper.

It looks like there will be five characters. Diana, Hank, Eric, Presto, and an unnamed cleric.

Here is our unnamed cleric.

Given the tabard, the mace, and the design I am making the guess that this is Aleena.

Missing are Shelia and Bobby, which kinda sucks really, but not a problem. Thanks to HeroForge.

Click on the images for the HeroForge site.

Of course, WizKids might have another wave. 

My HeroForge Skylla and Kelek compare well to the new WizKids versions.

In any case, these are likely to suck up a lot of my gaming budget.