Founded 2000 | Parent organization Frog God Games LLC | |
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Founders Clark A. Peterson, Bill Webb | ||
Necromancer Games was an American publisher of role-playing games. With offices in Seattle, Washington and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, the company specialized in material for the d20 System, with most of its products being released under the Open Game License of Wizards of the Coast.
Contents
The company's slogan, "Third Edition Rules, First Edition Feel," alluded to the fact that while its products use the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons rules system, they strive to mimic the flavor and style found in game's first edition; neither edition is supported by new products from the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, which publishes material only for the fifth edition of the game.
As of 2010, the company is on indefinite hiatus, the two founders having started two separate new game companies, Frog God Games and Legendary Games.
In June 2012, Necromancer Games was acquired by Frog God Games.
The Necromancer Games logo features a depiction of Orcus.
History
Necromancer Games was founded in 2000 by Clark Peterson and Bill Webb, the same year Wizards of the Coast released the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. The company has partnered with several other gaming companies to release various products, including Judges Guild, Kenzer & Company, Malhavoc Press, Reaper Miniatures, Troll Lord Games, and White Wolf Publishing.
In August 2000, Necromancer Games released the first OGL/d20 product of all time: The Wizard's Amulet. The adventure won an ENnie in 2001 for Best Free Product
In April 2007, it was announced that Paizo would be publishing Necromancer Games products, following the cessation of the deal with White Wolf Publishing.
As of 2010, Necromancer had yet to publish any new print products since the release of Fourth Edition Dungeons & Dragons in August 2007. According to company co-founder Clark Peterson, Necromancer Games is currently on indefinite hiatus.
Bill Webb has since cofounded Frog God Games focusing on adventures designed for both the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and Swords & Wizardry.
Clark Peterson has since co-created Legendary Games focusing on plug-in material for Pathfinder Roleplaying Game adventure paths and sourcebooks.
About the First Edition Feel
Here is an excerpt from an interview done by Role-Play News (website now closed) in 2000 with Clark Peterson and Bill Webb about their view on what is the First Edition Feel:
Clark Peterson : "First Edition is the cover of the old DMG (Dungeon Masters Guide) with the City of Brass; it is Judges Guild; it is Type IV demons not Tanaari and Baatezu; it is the Vault of the Drow not Drizzt Do'urden; it is the Tomb of Horrors not the Ruins of Myth Drannor; it is orcs not ogrillons; it is mind flayers not Ilithids (or however they spell it); it is Tolkien, Moorcock, Howard and Leiber, not Eddings, Hickman, Jordan and Salvatore; it is definitely Orcus and the demon-princes and not the Blood War; it is Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound not Elminster's Evasion; and it is Artifacts and Relics from the old DMG (with all the cool descriptions)."
"I always say we want to be the VW Bug of roleplaying companies, meaning that we want to have a modern style and appeal but an obvious link to the past. One of the ways we do that is how we design the modules. For example, we use full color covers (not that funky mono-color of the old modules). But our modules have the same basic format of the old modules—inset art, module number in the upper left corner, diagonal band in the upper left corner, logo placement, etc. I guarantee you, when you look at one of our modules you will flash back to the old ones—just like when you see a new VW bug. And hopefully you will say "Man, that is just like an old module except cooler."
Products
Necromancer Games has released a number of products, alone and in partnership with other companies :
Role Playing Games Awards
Necromancer Games was recognized several times via the popular Gen Con award show the ENnies. The most notable award was the Gold Award in the category Best Adventure for Lost City of Barakus in 2004.
Tome of Horrors III won the Gold Award in the Category Best Adversary/ Monster Product at the 2006 Awards.