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The Zorcerer of Zo $15.00
Average Rating:4.5 / 5
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The Zorcerer of Zo
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by John D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/16/2022 12:33:25

The Zantabulous Zorcerer of Zo is possibly the most useful, inspirational, and gratifying RPG I own. If this one isn't in your collection, you're missing out not just on a brilliant game design (I'm a big fan of the Prose Descriptive Qualities system), but on a book that provides that rarest of feelings: that the author is a charismatic friend sitting next to you and cheering you on as youy read.

Partly it comes from the fact that ZoZ was one of the first products I can think of (and given that we're talking RPGs here, I am sure it will be no more than a nanosecond before some irony-deprived pedant comes along to correct me) to include actual play documents and commentary as an integral part of the game. Indeed, as many reviewers have noted, a huge percentage of the page count is essentially liner notes and director's commentary.

You know what I absolutely love? Good liner notes and director's commentary. I was a pretty seasoned nerd by the time ZoZ came out, but if I hadn't been, this game would have been invaluable in showing me what a GM actually does. I realize that nowadays the answers are no more than a YouTube link away, and that streamers are legion, but in the early 2000s, those sources weren't nearly as thick on the ground.

What's more, Chad Underkoffler has a beautiful knack for communicating clearly, warmly, and engagingly. Finding a balance between those three writerly imperatives is brutally difficult, but Underkoffler is an avuncular master at walking you through his toy chest and showing you how all the cool dolls and puppets can come to life.

I pretty much never say things are not to be missed. But this is a game everyone should own and read, a true gem. If you haven't checked it out yet, you are in for an enviable treat.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Nicholas C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/24/2016 16:43:53

I have to start by saying I am very fond of the PDQ system. Its simplicity and flexibility is something that draws ne back to it tiem and time again.

In many respects Teh Zorcerer of Zo is simultaneously the simplest yet most sophisticated version of the rules, and is very well explained indeed. I would single out the magic rules for particular praise - pretty much anythign can be a magical ability, but every magical effect has both a cost (something that is consumed or damaged to power the magic, such as possessions, relationships, health etc) and a catch (an inherent way of dispelling the enchantment, such as time (it only lasts a day) place (it only affects the village), action (only against Talking Animals) etc).

Wilst not essential to the rules, one of the best parts of hte book is the 150 page campaign write up. It is simply boiling with advice, plot hooks and suggestions, as well as story hooks.

This is a book that really rewards multile readings, and I cant recommend it highly enough



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Michael J. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/01/2016 23:23:07

I really liked the simplicity and how flexible the PDQ system is. I also liked it that the characters aren't rewarded only for killing things and swiping the loot from their bodies, but are primarily rewarded for using their brains to come up with clever ways to use the system to get around problems. (I hate how politically correct that makes me sound. I shall have to slip a dragon into the Atomic Sock Money's bed for that, and also get Undercoffler for spelling his name Vndercoffler on the fron cover.)



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Anthony C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/05/2007 12:47:19

This game is simply beautiful, especially to a hopeful game designer. Be warned that the majority of the book deals with the author's campaign for this setting and it reads more like a fairy tale than a game text; however, that was an added feature to my tastes! The simplicity of the game allows for a quick start. One might not think of it as one, but it can just as easily be a beer and pretzel game as it can be a long-running campaign (though I'd recommend the later).



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Chris G. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 06/02/2007 00:00:00

Zorcerer of Zo

At first I wanted an opening paragraph filled with Z?s instead of S?s but I felt that was a bit too annoying. Instead I will dive in on the fun of Fairy Tale gaming. It is games set in those mythical worlds or ones heavily influenced by them. The Shrek movies give an okay example of how such things might work but all one needs is a little imagination and a What?s Next question. In most of the tales the characters got a Happily Ever After or at the very least some sort of conclusion. It would be easy to find some of the original stories that ended a little darker then the now more familiar Disney interpretations of them. Welcome to the Zanfabulous Zorcerer of Zo. The Zorcerer of Zo is a new RPG by Atomic Sock Monkey Press. They are the makers of a very good super heroes game called Truth and Justice. Zorcerer of Zo uses a simpler version of those rules. The book is over a hundred pages but much of it is campaign notes. The PDF is very well book marked. It has an interesting layout that presents two pages from the printed version on its of its pages. The printed book is half sized so the writing is not too small and it can be read. The art work is nicely done and the layout is over all very good. The system is nice and easy. It was useful that I have read and played Truth and Justice which uses a more complicated version of the PDQ rules. And anyone that knows those rules will find that it sounds odd to use the word complicated along with them. It uses 2d6 for a simple task resolution. Characters have qualities that can be anywhere from -2 to +6 with the higher being the better. It is interesting that damage makes the qualities get worse and once all of them are gone the character dies. It is a rather neat way of doing health. There are outside modifiers a GM can apply and the PC can use hero points to help himself. Once a concept is thought of it takes only about twenty minutes at the most to detail out the character and once one gets a few characters under their belt and or gets used to the game that will go even faster. It is a good system for the kind of games a fairy tale based RPG wants to create. The game starts with a great look at fairy tales. It really dissects them well and presents the different types and really does a great job of setting up a game based on them. This information will be great for anyone running a fairy tale based game be it Grimm or Zorcerer or another game. The rest of the book takes on into the land of Zo. One unique item the writer does in have his campaign notes and side bars from himself and his players. This can be seen as informative or a waste of space. Some people are going to be curious about this behind the scenes information and other obviously will not. I find it neat to read through. Most the book is on the descriptions of the world. The original information the campaign started with is in here. The book and PDF though also present a more expanded version that is more appropriate for a campaign setting. It is still not overly detailed allowing for a lot of places and items a GM will have to define himself. There are a few NPCs here and the focus is on the campaign the game was based on. It is a very creative place that draws on a lot of inspirational sources. It has the feeling of a typical fairy tale world. It has a few modern elements brought in in a sort of cross over like in Narnia and in Oz. I did find it interesting how the GM was at first really resistant to doing this and later realized that it was a mistake. That?s some of the behind the scenes information the book presents. The Zorcerer of Zo is a nice fairy tale game. It is more about this one setting them about creating one from scratch. The book takes a nice approach to the subject and has some truly creative ideas in it.

<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Great use of the PDQ system and very creative<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: A little too much on the campaign they ran<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Tim L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/16/2007 00:00:00

Fantastic descriptions of fairy tails and how to game them.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Things I knew but never made a strong connection, for example the size of armies in Fables and Fantasy.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Zo itself could use some more description. I felt the setting was a little too open at times.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Alex S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/08/2007 00:00:00

We started a campaign using this material, and we had lots of fun. This is probably going to be a big jump if you've played rules-heavy stuff like D&D, Rolemaster, etc. It's a lot like Subjective Fudge, if you've ever tried it.

Character generation is very easy if you're feeling inspired (about 20 seconds for Zorcerer of Zo compared to anything from 20 minutes to 2 hours in D&D). <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The small excursion into fairy tales at the beginning, and the campaign diary with comments by the GM and his two players. It really gives you a feel for how this game can be played, and if you're from a D&D background like I am, the rules alone would not have done it for me. I needed the inspiration this gave me.

The rules have a few elegant design elements. My favorite: In a contest, both parties pick the quality they're using (dragon uses his monster quality, princess uses her fencing quality), add a modified determined by a die roll, and the difference is your "damage". But instead of hit-points, you just reduce your qualities (your pick) by as many ranks as you took damage. If any drops below "poor", you faint. (The heroes don't die in a fairy tale.) The book also suggests that you generate story hooks based on the qualities players like to reduce first when they take damage. That was also an interesting idea. After a few moments of rest, everybody recovers fully from contests, so there's very little book-keeping involved. <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: I didn't care much for the simplified PDQ system using 2d6; we're using three Fudge dice instead. <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Andrew B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 02/28/2007 00:00:00

I admit that I was initially drawn to this product because of my past experience with the PDQ system. I've seen PDQ used in a game about ninja who deliver fast-food, and I've seen it used for a tongue-in-cheek fantasy adventure setting. It comes as no surprise then, that PDQ works so well in a game inspired by Fairy Tales.

In PDQ, every character is defined by a series of descriptive stats such as Brawling, Swordplay, and Cunning. As long as it can be described by a descriptive adjective, it can be a stat in this game. Dice are used to determine the success or failure of various actions, with a number being added or subtracted depending on the character's skill level. PDQ is versatile and easy to use, and it really shines in the story-driven environment of the Zorcerer of Zo.

The brunt of the book is devoted to describing the game's fairytale setting. The Zantabulous Zorcerer of Zo is a clever mishmash of fairytale archetypes. Rather than labor in the intensive details like a typical RPG campaign, ZoZ paints a broad picture and lets the players fill in the specifics as they go. Fairytales are built from simple but evocative pieces: the evil forest, the house of gingerbread, the wicked stepmother. So, to, is the land of Zo. The authors give lots of advice on creating the proper atmosphere, and the PDQ system grants the players the freedom to quickly and easily build whatever sort of characters they can imagine. The resulting blend is a perfect mix of freedom and inspiration that results in a great fairytale RPG experience.

This PDF grew out of a home campaign the author put together as a time-friendly way to enjoy some gaming with friends. The experience was so successful, his players insisted that he publish his notes. As a result, Zorcerer is a very different read compared to the average gaming book. There are plenty of sidebars with information from the original campaign. In addition, an entire chapter gives gamemastering advice mixed with notes on how and what occurred during the author's adventures. These examples are a great way to show the themes and ideas of ZoZ in action, and they are an interesting read as well.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: This is one of the most entertaining books I've read in a while. The author clearly did some homework, and his advice is very useful for running a fairytale-based game. PDQ was a perfect choice for game system, and here it is adapted perfectly to the setting. As a side note, I thought that the inclusion of tips for running the game with a group of children was a great touch. Zorcerer of Zo is another in a line of cool gaming products based on PDQ. Highly recommended.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: No gaming product is perfect, but Zorcerer of Zo doesn't have any major flaws to speak of. Less a dislike and more of a caveat is that, if fairy tales aren't your cup of tea, this book isn't something you'll find very useful. Also, ZoZ is very open and player-empowering. If your players aren't the type to become immersed in their campaigns, you won't get as much out of this game as you otherwise might.

Finally, I think the game is a bit overpriced. It is well written and nicely put together, but its just a wee bit expensive for my tastes.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Steve Z. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/17/2007 00:00:00

This is an absolutely wonderful game! The treatment of the genre is smack-dab on target, the game system lends itself perfectly to this type of play, and the narrative of the first Zo campaign is entertaining and gives a very good example of how a roleplaying campaign plays out. If you enjoy having a good time playing an RPG, then buy this game!<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Very well presented. Chad really knows his subject matter and has a passion for it that draws you in and gets you excited about it. Very cool!<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Not a big fan of the page layout of the PDF, but it doesn't detract from the overall goodness of it! I wish the map of Zo had a touch better resolution, but again, not a giant problem.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by John W. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/24/2007 00:00:00

I'd never been seduced by a product ANYTHING like this before. I've always taken my FRPG'ing very seriously and the concept of this game should have seemed childish, goofy, and "not really for serious RPG'ers" to me.

But something struck me about this one... Something in the product description that screamed "You know a whole group of players who are playing (that big d20 FRPG) who would really prefer the game to revolve around the story and be a little lighter hearted." So I bought this with them in mind.

Boy, did it teach me something... And with 20+ years of both playing and writing FRPG's under my belt, that's not easy to do. I found myself wishing all my gamers could relax their egos and take a Zo adventure with me... While that may not happen, I certainly now have a more suitable tool for enertaining all those "half gamers" in my group of friends and family.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Very complete in its efforts and extremely well written. Very much addressed my concerns of "how can I get (other FRPG) players excited about Zo?" and "In what way is Zo superior?"<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: It's a little bit pricey for the PDF, but that's a small complaint given the far above average quality of the product.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Andrew M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/24/2007 00:00:00

Damn this game is good!

There are a host of good "fairy/faerie tale" products on the market, but this is the first one that has grabbed me enough to want to begin an immediate campaign.

There are really three key elements to Zo -- the game system, the game advice on running (and playing) the fairy tale genre and the written history of the first Zo campaign.

Each element is excellent.

While I like the basic PDQ system, Zo accurately states that it just uses the "Good Parts" of PDQ. This makes for a fast paced, fun and flexible game system that suits the genre.

The advice on running fairy tales is spot on. While there are other good systems that address this topic, I like Zo's green eggs and ham approach the best so far.

Finally (and maybe I'm strange in this regard), I like reading other GMs' campaign histories. In this case, the history, play notes and player comments really provide a road map for running a successful Zo campaign. <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: I feel ready to run a campaign after just reading the game.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Us Old Guys need a bigger font.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Jarrod S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/16/2007 00:00:00

This is what roleplaying games should be. They should make players want to describe exactly what their characters are doing in as much detail as possible instead of just saying "I hit the giant with my sword." BORING! The PDQ system is fast and simple but still crunchy enough for those traditionalists. This is definitely a game for those who can think outside the box.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The ease of the PDQ system. <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: The pages are 12 x 9, which is going to make this diffcult to print.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Chris B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/15/2007 00:00:00

Stunningly simple role playing game that's perfect for anyone trying to wean non-gaming friends, family or loved ones in to RPG's.

After downloading it this weekend, a night out with the girlfriend and her girlsfriends led to each girl devising her own fairy tale character - it was so simple.

Praise to the lads at Atomic Sock Monkey for a great product at a cool price.

<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Simple, accessible, complete, cheap<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Organisation of campaign/setting content could have been better but overall the setting provided is far more detailed than you might expect. <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Nathan C. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 01/09/2007 00:00:00

The Zorcerer of Zo, by Atomic Sock Monkey Press, whisks readers off to a fabulous fairytale land where life is a tad bit simpler and stories elevate beyond the rudimentary elements in both story and game mechanically wise. Featuring the PDQ system, Prose Descriptive Qualities, a simple mechanical RPG system that places story and character development above heavy mechanical jargon, the Zorcerer of Zo embraces the fantasy elements of its world providing a fantastic setting for players and DMs to frolic in.

After a fairly easy to read synopsis on fairytales and fantasy by the writer, Zorcerer moves into the core of the product by describing the world of Zo and its various whimsical kingdoms. Humorously pulled, altered and twisted from various sources such as Narnia and Oz, the six kingdoms could be used in any system as it is funny good fluff.

The middle portion of the book summarizes the PDQ for those new to the system (you may download the entire rule set for free at Atomic Sock Monkey Press?s website) and how it is utilized in Zorcerer. The PDQ is an excellent system for running a game in a fairytale land because of the amount of room given to PCs for character creation. Players begin character creation with a story of their character and their qualities are derived from the prose. Then, using a point assignment system, they are assigned a rating in the qualities. The qualities are not ?listed? per say and are left up to the imagination of the player. If I want my character to have the quality ?Lovable?, its in the game. Zorcerer spices up the system a bit by also allowing characters to assign two special moves to one quality. The special moves add a bonus to the quality. The PDQ uses 2d6 for all conflict resolution.

The main focus of the system is story telling, which (hack and slashers should cover their ears), effects bonuses you receive on the dice. Imagine that. A role-playing system that provides bonuses for role playing. Considering that Zorcery is an original fairytale story, the setting embraces the prose element of the game allowing the players to weave their story?s into the gameplay.

The end of the PDF returns back to DM reference material such as NPCs, adventure hooks and a unique add on, session reviews from the writer. This is a very innovative feature I have yet to see in a PDF. It is very helpful and gives the reader a real insight in how the writer intended for sessions to run.

For the Player This is a role players system for those whom do not want to be too bogged down with rules lawyers. Players will enjoy the story telling elements and the magic system?s ease of use where players use hero points to power spells. More importantly, the land of Zo is a good place for those players whom want to create their own fairytales.

For the DM If your DM style lends more towards creating a narrative, the land of Zo is the best place to start. More involved than other PDQ systems, Zorcerer gives you a lot of material to produce your own adventures. With NPCs, story hooks and the writer?s own notes, you have a lot of material to weave your own tale.

The Iron Word Do not let rules-lite scare you. The PDQ is meaty enough to provide a good time for the average role player whom just wants a good evening to create an innovative story. The Zorcerer of Zo is the right setting to create such a tale as it is far off from traditional role playing fantasy to be called unique. <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: - the setting matches the rulesystem perfectly

  • enjoyed the land of lo and its off skew takes on novel fairytales
  • the addition of writers game sessions is nice, new and innovative
  • emphasis is on fun <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: - with a system this open, the players have a lot of power, could easily be abused by a rules lawyer<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>


Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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The Zorcerer of Zo
Publisher: Atomic Sock Monkey Press
by Sophie L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/06/2007 00:00:00

Excellent book, I can't recommend it enough. Can be played with all audiences young and old. Simple system that does the job and gets out of the way when not needed, but supports creative and adventurous play. Excellent support in the text on how to create and run a campaign from scratch. One of those games that truly fosters creativity and good, fun stories.

This is also the nicest-looking book published by ASMP so far, very nice presentation.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Great rules, easy to learn in a few minutes and fostering creative play; lovely presentation, excellent GM advice.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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