Monster Coliseum

Last updated
Monster Coliseum
Arena Combat & Chariot Racing
Monster Compendium Runequest 1985.png
Cover illustration by Lisa Free, 1985.
Designers
Publishers
Publication
  • 1985 box
  • 2010 book
GenresFantasy
Systems RuneQuest

Monster Coliseum is a tabletop role-playing game supplement for RuneQuest published by Avalon Hill in 1985. Monster Coliseum adapted gladiatorial types and coliseum combat procedures to the RuneQuest rules. Although published by Avalon Hill, the contents are copyrighted by Chaosium, while RuneQuest was a trademark of Avalon Hill. Written by Steve Perrin, Dan Nolte, and Sandy Petersen, with a cover by Lisa Free, and art by Kevin Ramos. [1]

Contents

Publication history

The first of Avalon Hill's boxed supplements for their third edition of RuneQuest. An updated version was published in 2010 by Mongoose Publishing for RuneQuest II .

Contents

Derived from Roman examples, Monster Coliseum uses the Colosseum as the model for gladiatorial combat, combat versus various beasts, and chariot races for RuneQuest campaigns. [1] This information is divided into three books:

The 2010 book The 186-page hardcover book was written by Lawrence Whitaker, with artwork by Nick Egberts, Olivier Frot, Danilo Ariel Guida, Kiriko Moth, John Kohlepp, Alejandro Lizaur Gutiérrez, Esther 'Sanz' Muñoz, Pedro Potier, Jean-Michel Ringuet, Sean Thornton, and Robin Wallin. [2] It also contained additional suggestions for integration with the Elric of Melniboné , and Hawkmoon fantasy settings. [2]

Reception

Oliver Dickinson reviewed Monster Coliseum for White Dwarf #67, giving it an overall rating of 6 out of 10, and stated that "Unlike a scenario, coliseum combats and chariot races can be staged many times, but despite this, the potential interest of the chariot racing, and the individual features of general use, I cannot see that the high price is fully justified by the contents particularly when so much of the Monsters Book essentially repeats what is already available to GM's." [3]

Other recognition

A copy of Monster Coliseum is held in the collection of the Strong National Museum of Play (object 110.24960). [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glorantha</span> Fantasy world created by Greg Stafford

Glorantha is a fantasy world created by Greg Stafford. It was first introduced in the board game White Bear and Red Moon (1975) by Chaosium and then in a number of other board, roleplaying and computer games, including RuneQuest and HeroQuest, as well as several works of fiction and the computer strategy game King of Dragon Pass. The Gloranthan world is characterised by its complex use of mythology, heavily influenced by the universalist approaches of Joseph Campbell and Mircea Eliade, its sword and sorcery ethos, its long and distinctive history as a setting for role-playing games, its community development and expansion, and its relative lack of Tolkienesque influence, which is uncommon among early American fantasy role-playing games.

<i>RuneQuest</i> Fantasy tabletop role-playing game

RuneQuest is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game originally designed by Steve Perrin, Ray Turney, Steve Henderson, and Warren James, and set in Greg Stafford's mythical world of Glorantha. It was first published in 1978 by The Chaosium. Beginning in 1984, publication passed between a number of companies, including Avalon Hill, Mongoose Publishing, and The Design Mechanism, before finally returning to Chaosium in 2016. RuneQuest is notable for its system, designed around percentile dice and an early implementation of skill rules, which became the basis for numerous other games. There have been several editions of the game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gateway Bestiary</span> Role-playing game supplement

The Gateway Bestiary is a 1980 role-playing game supplement written by Sandy Petersen for RuneQuest, published by Chaosium.

<i>Cults of Terror</i> 1981 Tabletop role-playing game supplement for RuneQuest

Cults of Terror is a tabletop role-playing game supplement for RuneQuest, originally published by Chaosium in 1981. The sourcebook details nine evil deities and the cults that worship them, for use in Greg Stafford's fantasy world of Glorantha.

<i>Griffin Mountain</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game supplement

Griffin Mountain is a tabletop role-playing game supplement for RuneQuest, written by Rudy Kraft, Jennell Jaquays, and Greg Stafford, and published by Chaosium in 1981. Griffin Mountain is a wilderness campaign setting for the RuneQuest system, focussed on the land of Balazar and the Elder Wilds. It contains role-playing material to help gamemasters design adventures in the setting. It received positive reviews in game periodicals including Ares, White Dwarf, The Space Gamer, and Dragon.

<i>Trollpak</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game supplement

Trollpak, Troll Facts, Secrets, and Adventures is a boxed fantasy tabletop role-playing supplement, written by Greg Stafford, and Sandy Petersen, with art by Lisa A. Free, and published by Chaosium in 1982. Trollpak is a detailed and extensive background packet for use with RuneQuest, an examination of trolls in Glorantha. A second edition was published in 1988 by Avalon Hill. Both editions received positive reviews in game periodicals including Different Worlds, Dragon, White Dwarf, The Space Gamer, and Games International.

<i>SoloQuest 2: Scorpion Hall</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game supplement

SoloQuest 2: Scorpion Hall is a tabletop role-playing game adventure for RuneQuest. Originally published by Chaosium in 1982, it was republished in 2018 in PDF format as part of Chaosium's RuneQuest: Classic Edition Kickstarter. The republished edition, titled SoloQuest Collection contained the original adventure, plus SoloQuest and SoloQuest 3: The Snow King's Bride.

<i>Griffin Island</i> (RuneQuest) Fantasy tabletop role-playing game supplement

Griffin Island is a boxed tabletop role-playing game supplement for RuneQuest. Originally published by Chaosium in 1981 as Griffin Mountain, a set of adventures set in the world of Glorantha, this edition was published in 1986 by The Avalon Hill Game Company as part of its third edition RuneQuest rules set. It was written by Rudy Kraft, Jennell Jaquays, Greg Stafford, and Sandy Petersen. Griffin Island contained role-playing material to help gamemasters design adventures in the setting. It received positive reviews in game periodicals including Casus Belli, White Dwarf, Dragon, Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer, The Games Machine, and Games International.

<i>Big Rubble: The Deadly City</i> Boxed tabletop role-playing game supplement

Big Rubble: The Deadly City is a boxed tabletop role-playing game supplement for RuneQuest. Originally published by Chaosium in 1983. It was republished in 1999 by Moon Design Publications in a single volume with Pavis: Threshold to Danger as Gloranthan Classics Volume I – Pavis & Big Rubble. The 1983 edition was republished in 2019 in PDF format as part of Chaosium's RuneQuest: Classic Edition Kickstarter.

<i>Dorastor: Land of Doom</i> Fantasy tabletop role-playing game supplement

Dorastor: Land of Doom is a 1993 tabletop role-playing game supplement, written by Greg Stafford, Sandy Petersen, and Ken Rolston, with a cover by Linda Michaels for RuneQuest, and published by Avalon Hill.

<i>Gods of Glorantha</i> Fantasy tabletop role-playing game supplement

Gods of Glorantha, subtitled "60 Religions for RuneQuest", is a boxed supplement published under license by Avalon Hill in 1985 for Chaosium's fantasy role-playing game RuneQuest. The fifth of their boxed supplements for RuneQuest, it provides information and game rules related to sixty fictional cults, and was the first to feature the world of Glorantha instead of the default setting of "Dark Ages of fantasy Europe". The supplement was designed by Chaosium staff writers Sandy Petersen, Greg Stafford, Steve Perrin and Charlie Krank. It received positive reviews in game periodicals including Casus Belli, Different Worlds, Dragon, and The Games Machine.

<i>Questworld</i> (RuneQuest) Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Questworld is a boxed supplement published by Chaosium in 1982 for the fantasy tabletop role-playing game RuneQuest.

<i>Pavis: Threshold to Danger</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Pavis: Threshold to Danger is a boxed tabletop role-playing game supplement for RuneQuest, originally published by Chaosium in 1983. This boxed set detailed the fictional city of New Pavis for use in role-playing adventures. It received positive reviews in game periodicals including White Dwarf, Dragon, Different Worlds, and Fantasy Gamer. The set was republished in 1999 by Moon Design Publications in a single volume with Big Rubble: The Deadly City as Gloranthan Classics Volume I – Pavis & Big Rubble. The 1983 edition was republished in 2019 in PDF format as part of Chaosium's RuneQuest: Classic Edition Kickstarter.

<i>RuneQuest Companion</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game supplement

RuneQuest Companion is a tabletop role-playing game supplement for RuneQuest. Originally published by Chaosium in 1983, it consisted of reprints of Wyrm's Footnotes magazine articles as well as new material to expand the game rules and setting. It received positive reviews in game periodicals including Dragon, White Dwarf, Fantasy Gamer, and Different Worlds. It was republished in 2019 in PDF format as part of Chaosium's RuneQuest: Classic Edition Kickstarter.

<i>Vikings</i> (RuneQuest) 1985 Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Vikings, Nordic Roleplaying for RuneQuest is a boxed tabletop role playing game supplement, written by Greg Stafford and Sandy Petersen, with a cover by Steve Purcell. Published under license by Avalon Hill in 1985 for Chaosium's fantasy role-playing game RuneQuest.

<i>RuneQuest Monsters</i> Role-playing game supplement

RuneQuest Monsters is a game supplement published by Games Workshop in 1987 for the fantasy role-playing game RuneQuest.

<i>Into the Troll Realms</i> Fantasy tabletop role-playing game supplement

Into the Troll Realms, subtitled "Troll Adventures and Encounters for RuneQuest" is a supplement that includes adventures and material that involve interactions with trolls, published under license by Avalon Hill in 1988 for Chaosium's fantasy role-playing game RuneQuest

<i>Land of Ninja</i> Fantasy tabletop role-playing game supplement

Land of Ninja is a supplement published under license by Avalon Hill in 1987 for Chaosium's fantasy role-playing game RuneQuest.

<i>Snakepipe Hollow</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game supplement

Snakepipe Hollow is an adventure published by Chaosium in 1979 for the fantasy role-playing game RuneQuest, then revised and republished in various editions.

References

  1. 1 2 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 212. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  2. 1 2 "Monster Coliseum". Guide du Rôliste Galactique (in French). 2010-08-09. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  3. ↑ Dickinson, Oliver (July 1985). "Open Box". White Dwarf . No. 67. Games Workshop. p. 13.
  4. ↑ "Game:Monster Coliseum: Arena Combat & Chariot Racing - Supplement for RuneQuest". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.