My 2012 Ennies Picks
Good day everyone. By now you’ve heard that the Ennies Nominees have been announced. Before voting begins, I would like to offer my personal picks that I will be voting for.
Best Adventure:
Madness at Gardmore Abbey (Wizards of the Coast)
While I don’t play much 4E these days, I really feel that Wizards really knocked it out of the park on this one. Having said that, I will be looking more at Pelgrane Press in the future considering that they got 3 nominations in this category.
Best Aid/Accessory
Mutants and Masterminds GM’s Kit (Green Ronin)
Mutants and Masterminds is the game my group plays when we’re missing enough players from our regular Pathfinder game. Our GM swears by the GM’s Kit. While I haven’t seen it myself, I am sure it is as good as that game’s GM says so I will be sure to vote for it.
Best Art, Cover
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box (Paizo)
Wayne Reynolds did a fantastic job on this cover as he always does.
Best Art, Interior
The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild (Cubicle 7)
This was one of the few books I preordered this past year. It was excited about this from minute one and the art inside really invokes the feel of Tolkien’s fantasy epic.
Best Blog
Sly Flourish
This one was tough since all the blogs that got nominated are excellent, but Sly Flourish is the one I read most regularly, so they get my vote.
Best Cartography
Harker Asylum – Virtual Boxed Set (0One Games)
If you haven’t picked up any of 0One’s books, you really do owe it to yourself to do so. They produce excellent products that are worthy of your time. Harker Asylum is a great example and a great place to start.
Best Electronic Book
Way of the Wicked Book One: Knot of Thorns (Fire Mountain Games)
Even if I wasn’t friends with Gary McBride, Publisher of Fire Mountain Games, I would still vote for this book. It is JUST. THAT. GOOD. (Well, EVIL). In my opinion, it deserved a nomination for Best Adventure. But that is just my opinion.
Best Free Product
Pathfinder Module: We Be Goblins! (Paizo)
We Be Goblins is probably the first Free RPG Day module from Paizo that did not lose its appeal a few months afterwards. In the adventure, you play a group of wacky goblins. It is almost as much fun as Kobolds Ate My Baby!
Best Game
Savage Worlds Deluxe (Pinnacle Entertainment Group)
I would probably vote for Do if I had a chance to play it. It is a good book and I really do hope that Evil Hat gets the Ennie. However, I have played Savage Worlds and I really like what they did the Deluxe book. So may the force be with Pinnacle.
Best Miniatures Product
Dungeons and Dragons Dragon Collector’s Set (Wizards of the Coast)
As a long time collector of D&D Minis, I have to give it to Wizards on this minis set. They did an excellent job.
Best Monster/Adversary
DC Adventures: Heroes & Villains, Vol. 1 (Green Ronin)
While I would have really like this to be Book of Beasts: Monsters of the Shadow Plane, it didn’t get the nomination so I will be happy to vote for DC Adventures Heroes and Villains. I got this just to read what GR did with my favorite comic book characters.
Best Podcast
Jennisodes
As I write this, I’m listening to the latest Jennisodes podcast. Her interviews are on point and she interviews some real movers and shakers of the RPG Industry and sometimes Geekdom at Large.
Best Production Values
The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild (Cubicle 7)
Beautiful Books, case, and custom dice. Awesome value!
Best RPG Related Product
Cthulhu Wrapping Paper (Gaming Paper)
I wrapped my girlfriend’s christmas presents in this. Nuf said.
Best Setting
Unfortunately, I haven’t ready anything in this category so I am not going to vote in it. Having said that, Pelgrane Press got another category with multiple nominations. I will be checking them out in the future.
Best Website
Pathfinder Wiki
While I enjoy multiple of these, my vote is going to the Pathfinder Wiki because this group of dedicated fans put up a quality website that I reference frequently, especially when I need to catch up on an area in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting quickly for it to be in my game by tomorrow. You guys rock.
Product of the Year
Madness at Gardmore Abbey (Wizards of the Coast)
Like I said earlier, I really think that Wizards knocked it out of the park with this one. Having said that, I would have sooner voted for Way of the Wicked or The One Ring RPG had they been nominated for Product of the Year.
I would like to congratulate all nominees on a job well done. Make sure you go vote for your favorites.
Dale C. McCoy Jr. is President on Jon Brazer Enterprises. Read Shadowsfall Legends: The Gem That Caught Fire – Kurdag’s Tale, the second story taking place in Shadowsfall, written by Ed Greenwood.
