Frequently Answered Questions
General Qs & As
At this time, our vendor of choice is RPGnow.com. As we discover new electronic vendors for our Rêve products we'll add links to them to our .
True enough - - however, we find that we are able to provide better service to our customers by utilizing web sites such as RPGnow.com to sell & distribute our products.
With the release of Journeyers 1.5 we made the decision to publish the three books in a single volume as they were originally intended. Every bit of the three books is contained within the newly released Rêve: the Dream Ouroboros Complete Rules.
Thanks, we love the look of Rolland's work, too. It's a welcome departure, in our minds, from the 'spikes and fangs' look of most other contemporary fantasy art. We didn't color the files for several reasons: the original artwork was in black and white and looks great as-is, full-color PDFs would be significantly larger to download, and those players wanting to print the rules would go through a lot of color toner to print the rules.
Rêve de Dragon (literally, "dream of the dragon") is the name of the French oneiric ("of or pertaining to dream") fantasy role-playing game which we've translated somewhat more loosely and poetically as "the Dream Ouroboros".
We liked the imagery of the wyrm biting its tail both as a symbol of the reincarnation system inherent to the game and of the endless and open-ended nature of role-playing games in general. But among ourselves we've been referring to the game as Rêve (pronounced "rev") for over a decade. It seemed odd to suddenly call it something different, so we used the long version as the game's full name, Rêve: the Dream Ouroboros, and abbreviate it as just Rêve, acknowledging the game's idiosyncratic French origins.
We decided that as this game was being introduced to the English-speaking world, the most effective way to get the word out was via the Internet. Publishing the game online has several advantages. It allows a fledgling game company (that would be us) to avoid the complications (and costs) of printing and distribution, thus keeping the game cost to players as low as possible.
With the online format of the rules and free adventures we provide, it's pretty easy to introduce the game to your gaming circle. we hope to be be adding an online player registry as the game spreads, so you can find other players in your area.
Whenever we are looking for players - whether in a new town, or for a new game, we rely on AccessDenied.net to find contacts.
Rêve uses traditional FRPG dice: 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12- and 20-sided dice, as well as percentile dice and the mysterious dragon die (a d8 used as an open-ended d7). As for miniatures, naturally the game can be played with tabletop miniatures (although you might have a hard time finding a turntooth or oracle bird figurine), and can benefit from their use. We've even provided metric-scaled hex sheets for your downloading pleasure, as well as a sheet intended to be printed on transparency stock for determining spell areas.
Not a chance. No elves or dwarves, either, although you are welcome to make up your own if you like.
No, nor do we have any plans to make it so. Rêve de Dragon has been around in France since 1985, obviously predating the d20 System by quite a while. While we are delighted that d20 has revived the gaming public's interest in paper FRPG's in spite of the behemoth CRPG industry, Rêve: the Dream Ouroboros has a flavor and mood all its own.
The action resolution system is elegant and robust, magic is unique, and there aren't countless volumes of rules — nor do there need to be. This is a game that emphasizes roleplaying over stats, and while the d20 System certainly has its place, we feel Rêve is its own beast and should remain that way. Idiosyncratic, wonderful, and with no plans to be assimilated anytime yet.
Malcontent Games was founded to publish the English-language version of this great game in partnership. We are under contract with Multisim to distribute this translation as an e-book only. Denis Gerfaud has personally approved the translation, and Rolland Barthélémy was kind enough to offer us the use of his fabulous artwork.
In short, we have the full knowledge and cooperation of the French game publisher, the game's French author, and its artist.
That's right, there aren't; if you die, you die. Except for that reincarnation thing, which is automatic, but not without its price. See Chapter 7 of Journeyers: it's all there. Rêve very deliberately has no spells for healing wounds, and it is strongly recommended that the Dream Keeper not add any, nor allow players (or non-player characters) to devise any. The damage system is intentionally designed to make receiving wounds not only a mechanism for sustaining injury, but also degrades a character's performance significantly. As you take damage or grow fatigued or get drunk, you fight, cast spells, pick pockets, etc. much more poorly.
Combat is meant to be serious business, and not undertaken lightly. However it is possible for even beginning Narcomancers and Alchemists to enchant potions made from healing herbs which will heal a character of spectacular damage rather quickly, but such healing draughts produce a deep sleep and are not appropriate to the heat of battle. This, too, is deliberate. The game makes it impossible for one character to be magically healing others in the midst of combat, on demand. Just in time hit points? Not in Rêve...
Nice try. First, keep in mind that being ambidextrous in Rêve only allows you to use either hand for primary weapons (so you can fight effectively with, say, a sword and shield in either hand, assuming you have those skills). It does not allow you to attack with two weapons or gain extra attacks in a round.
The Rêve game system does allow extra attacks under certain circumstances (as in the case of speed particulars, see Journeyers, Chapter 6), but tends to limit combat maneuvers to within plausible limits. With respect to the specific question, any eligible attack may either be parried or dodged. If you elect one defense, and it fails, you cannot then attempt a second defense; just suck it up and take the damage.
Which raises an important tactical point. If a defender uses all of his or her actions defensively (i.e., a first parry with one weapon, then another parry with a main gauche or shield, and a dodge), four assailants will defeat a lone defender, as the fourth attacker will essentially get a free shot. A very skilled combatant may fairly frequently roll enough particular successes to get extra defenses by claiming speed particulars (again, see Chapter 6 in Journeyers) but statistically these will not generally be enough to save him. In short, an unruly gang of common thugs can bring your glorious character down. Four on one odds are not good, no matter how great a swordsman you are.