Avatar Legends GM Screen
review by Kaleb
The Avatar Legends GM Screen is packed with rules and reminders for any game master running the Avatar Legends roleplaying game. The outer part that faces the players at the table features art of Avatar Aang and Avatar Korra in the avatar state, with each element symbol represented on a panel of the GM screen. Like many other GM screens, it folds up nicely to fit easily into a backpack or tote bag for transport.
On the left most inner panel for the game master’s eyes, there are quick references for creating and playing as non-playable characters (NPCs). The game master plays as the NPCs for the players to interact with in the world - they can be friendly or rude, a bender or a non-bender, among many different options.
The panel directly to the right has references for Basic Moves, Balance Moves, Conditions, and Growth. Basic Moves are those that happen frequently, but use different stats for each player character. Balance Moves have to do with each character’s principles. Each Playbook (similar to D&D’s character class) has their own set of principles that can be balanced or unbalanced based on a character’s choices throughout the game. The game master can quickly see each playbook’s set of principles and which Balance Moves need to be made for each playbook. Conditions are something your character receives under certain circumstances, such as being fatigued or troubled. Growth is something that each player assesses about their character after each session. When a player marks four Growth on their character sheet, they get a Growth advancement.
The next panel to the right describes Combat Exchanges, Statuses, and Basic Techniques. Combat Exchanges are the order of operations when players and/or NPCs enter combat. The steps play out and effects are resolved at the end. Statuses can be positive or negative and are given to characters based on something that happens during a Combat Exchange, such as becoming Stunned or Inspired. The Basic Techniques are what you’re able to do during a Combat Exchange: Defend & Maneuver, Advance & Attack, or Evade & Observe. Each Basic Technique has a specific stat or stats tied to it.
And finally the right-most inner panel contains a GM Reference, Training Moves, and a table on when to inflict conditions onto characters. The GM Reference is a guide for GMs for when they get stuck on how to move the story forward and keep things interesting for the players. Training Moves go over what happens when a player takes time to learn from a teacher or mentor, learning new techniques or mastering known techniques.
The Avatar Legends GM Screen is quite easy to understand and contains a lot of information as a quick-reference for game masters. I read the GM Screen before reading the quickstart rules booklet from the Avatar Legends Starter Set, and I feel like it helped me better understand what was going on in the booklet after reading, essentially, an outline of the rules. The Avatar Legends GM Screen and the Avatar Legends Starter Set are a great combination for any game master wanting to dive into the Avatar Legends RPG universe.
The Avatar Legends GM Screen, Starter Set, and other Avatar Legends items are available now from our webstore.
