Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Core Set Review

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Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Core Set ReviewI'm a fan of the Warhammer universe and though I own the 2nd edition of WHFRP, I haven't played it much. My mainstay game lately is D&D 4E, though I've played or run most of the major RPG systems from the last two decades.
I find WHFRP 3rd edition to be a splendid mix of some of my favorite aspects from other RPGs combined with a few new mechanics and unique game concepts. This game pushes the bar up for quality and design thinking and I hope it influences future RPGs.
I know the MSRP is a little high, but at Amazon prices, this is a steal! This box is HUGE and beautiful. Of course everything inside is high quality material and full color, as you'd expect from a company like Fantasy-Flight. The books are not hardcover, but they are full color with thick, glossy pages.
Certainly the books could have used another run at editing, there are lots of typos, but none so far that make the rules confusing. That's the only quality issue I've noticed so far.
The rules are simple but powerful. They offer a wealth of options for players and plenty of flexibility for the GM. I feel the rules sit somewhere between Savage Worlds and D&D 4E in complexity. The core of the rules is easy to remember: you create dice pools and roll them to determine results, the specifics and exceptions are noted on cards in front of the players. You rarely reference the books during play. Cards are used to great effect throughout the system.
Though there's a boardgame feel to the components, this is very much a true RPG. It's a nice mix between the freedom and danger offered in older RPGs and the tactical options and balance that a system like D&D 4e presents.
The system and components are tightly integrated. Everything fits together really well. The feel of the Warhammer world is definitely stitched into the rules but the GM can easily run any type of campaign he wants, not just dark and dangerous. There's plenty of room to take the system and suit it to your group's style of play.
For those of you who dislike grid combat, you're in luck. For those prefer D&D 4E style combat, it's not difficult to adjust the rules to accomodate a grid.
There's very little math involved in the game. You're not constantly rolling numbers and adding modifiers and comparing to other numbers. This is all accounted for in the construction of dice pools. The options players and GMs have in building dice pools really make the system shine.
I could say so much more. I could go on about the party system, the stance system, the way the game supports narrative play, or how fast it plays, but I'll stop here. The game does a much better job of explaining itself, and you owe it to yourself to at least check it out at your FLGS if you're on the fence.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Core Set Overview

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D&D Miniatures Game Starter (D&D Miniatures Product) Review

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D&D Miniatures Game Starter (D&D Miniatures Product) Review[Disclaimer: I purchased this at a local store and not Amazon]
The packaging is awesome. Being able to see everything that you get with no surprises is a deviation from the old starter sets. The molded case holds the figures well and my set had no bent weapons or disfigured forms. The d20 is nice - it helps that my favorite color is blue - but it seems a little lightweight. I'll have to get out some of my others and compare.
The Green Dragon is very nice. The pliable plastic gives the wings a realistic leathery feel. The detail is good. The Dwarf, Human, and Yuan-ti (a confusing inclusion) look really good; but the face of the Elf looks marred. The paint covers too much detail and seems to bleed into other parts of the figure.
So, the rules released on the Wizards of the Coast site indicated that the following miniatures would be included:
* Young Green Dragon
* Yuan-Ti Swiftscale
* Human Sellsword
* Elf Warlock
* Dwarf Battlemaster
Which is what I received in my package. Amazon, however, lists the following:
* Large Green Dragon
* Exiled Drow Fighter
* Human Sellsword
* Elf Warlock
* Dwarf Battlemaster
The Yuan-Ti seems to be a better thematic fit, but the idea of a Drow Fighter mini sounds cool. All in all, I am very happy with the set.D&D Miniatures Game Starter (D&D Miniatures Product) OverviewAn all-new D&D Miniatures Game starter set.This new starter features new packaging that showcases all five miniatures in the starter. The updated rulebook is written for novice and experienced players and presents terms, battle tactics, and other game elements in an easy-to-reference format. The game experience can be further enhanced with the purchase of Dungeons of Dread booster packs.Each starter contains: 5 exclusive, non-random, pre-painted plastic miniatures: Large Green Dragon, Human Sellsword, Elf Warlock, Dwarf Battlemaster, and Exiled Drow Fighter 5 stat cards 2 double-sided, illustrated battle grids 1 damage counter sheet 1 twenty-sided die (d20) Rulebook

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The Death Ray (Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Novel) Review

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The Death Ray (Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Novel) ReviewArgh!

Okay, before I dissolve into abject frustration, I'll begin with saying that this book was leagues above 'Return of the Damned.' The writing style returns to Lain's previous decent level, and the plot is a bit more involved. There is no mystery here - you are in on the bad guy's every thought and plan, but the villainy is quite well orchestrated: Bad Wizard uses Shield Golem to kill off young rivals to the soon-to-marry Duke's daughter.

But when the Duke's daughter decides that our intrepid Regdar is more to her liking than any other possible suitor, and the Duke grants a title to Regdar to make him a potential suitor (as he's currently a commoner without that title). Enter Naull, Regdar's girlfriend, and somewhat jealous of this unfolding situation, and huzzah - the set up for plot is complete.

Indeed, it unfolds quite well, with Lain's typical one-liners and cute humour all about. As usual, however, you can measure the half-life of a non-Iconic character with a pocket ruler. And the villain is a bit dim near the end in his choice of confrontations. But, this is D&D fiction, not grand literature, and it was enjoyable.

The ending, however, brings me back to that 'Argh!' I mentioned. Consider yourself warned that you'll likely find the ending extremely frustrating. Not in a badly-written way - oh no, it wasn't a cop-out ending, or a rushed ending. I'm quite sure Lain wrote this on purpose. But gosh, I could have screamed when I got there.

Very well done. And that 'Argh!' is also the sound of someone who is certainly going to buy the next one, just to see what happens next.

'NathanThe Death Ray (Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Novel) OverviewThis title chronicles the latest adventure of various iconic characters from the Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks. This series of novels is designed to bring readers closer to the feeling of actually playing a D&D adventure. This tenth title in the novel line features the iconic characters of the fighter and the wizards, both of whom appeared in the kickoff title for the line,The Savage Caves.

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Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Core Rulebook I Review

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Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Core Rulebook I ReviewThe new Player's Handbook (PH) D&D Design Team has created a marvelous product--filled with generally clear writing and excellent artwork--containing a major change in game mechanics. The PH nonetheless manages to retain the spirit of the D&D game created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in 1974.
The 3rd edition replaces the old movement system, denoted in confusing scale inches--which goes back even before D&D to Gygax's Chainmail rules for medieval combat--with a clear system of speed denoted in feet. Yet the 3rd edition includes familiar races and character classes. It retains the bard, cleric, druid, fighter, ranger, rogue, paladin, and wizard, and resurrects the barbarian, monk and half-orc.
Fans of clerics and druids will cheer the addition of 8th- and 9th-level spells. Clerics will love the 9th-level Miracle spell, similar to a Wish. Barbarian fans will rejoice that the 3rd edition removes the unplayable restrictions of the original barbarian, even at the cost of somewhat reduced physical prowess. Fans of the monk and druid will celebrate elimination of limited levels.
Each class now requires the same amount of experience to advance in level. Regardless of which class you choose, your character initially will advance rapidly because reaching the lower levels requires relatively small amounts of experience; earning a mere 1,000 experience points, for example, will gain your character second level. The 3rd edition grants each 1st level character full hit points. Combining easy advancement at lower levels with full hit points at 1st level will help keep characters alive through their fragile early days.
The 3rd edition introduces a sorcerer class. The sorcerer gains access to the same spells as the wizard, gets more per day, and needn't carry spell books or prepare spells, but can't learn as large a repertoire. The sorcerer can't specialize in schools of magic like the wizard, while the wizard specialist now has some control over the school from which she can't learn spells. All spellcasters except the ranger and paladin now have access to zero-level spells, the way Gygax intended in 1982 when he introduced cantrips in Dragon magazine issues 59-61.
The spellcaster will find that she's more effective because a touch spell no longer needs to penetrate an opponent's armor. She also gains the ability to counterspell an enemy's spell, which, when successful, negates the enemy's spell entirely. A rogue will find that his sneak attack comes into play more often than did the old backstab, making him more useful in combat. Your rogue or barbarian will learn to avoid a surprise attack which leaves the rest of the party flat-footed.
Your warrior continues to grow in power at higher levels by gaining up to 4 attacks per round, substantial bonuses to hit, and even more hit dice. Characters continue to gain hit dice right up through 20th level. All character classes also eventually get more than one melee attack per round, but the warriors get more and get them faster than anyone except monks.
Any character, regardless of race, can now belong to any class. You can play hafling paladins, dwarven rangers or anything else you choose. Any character, regardless of race, can belong to multiple classes. The 3rd edition removes limits on class combinations and maximum levels. It allows you to decide in which class your character will advance with each new level she gains. Best of all, your character gains all the skills and benefits of each level she gains in each class! You can decide, for instance, that when your 4th level wizard reaches 5th level she should take her new level as a fighter. She will remain a 4th level wizard and become 1st level fighter, adding the hit points, skill points, and combat bonus normally gained by a 1st-level fighter to her existing hit points, skill points and combat bonus. She can train as a wizard or fighter, or in another class, each time she earns a new level. Humans gain small advantages over non-humans when advancing in multiple classes.
Humans gain a small advantage in acquiring skills too. The 3rd edition divides the old non-weapon proficiencies into skills, which you can "buy" with points your character earns at each level, and feats, which your character acquires more slowly. Skills include more ordinary abilities like Climb, Swim, and Wilderness Lore. Feats include more extraordinary abilities like Alertness, Endurance, and Lightning Reflexes. The 3rd edition fully integrates skills and feats into play, making often-neglected ability scores more important. Your barbarian, for example, may find the Intimidate skill quite useful, but if he has a low charisma he'll find that it won't work as often as he might like.
The 3rd edition bases the results of virtually every attempted action on the roll of a 20-sided die (d20). You roll a d20 to determine initiative in combat, whether your attack hits an opponent, whether you successfully save against a spell, and whether you successfully use a skill or perform a feat. In the 3rd edition, the higher you roll on the d20, the better. A higher roll hits a higher armor class (which now sensibly rises as it improves), performs a tougher feat, gives you a faster initiative (which likewise rises as it improves), and saves against a more powerful spell. Unlike the old system, which varied between high and low rolls being better, the new system always makes high rolls better.
The 3rd edition simplifies combat by generally limiting the initiative roll to the start of each encounter and eliminating weapon speeds and numbered casting times; it complicates combat with rules on movement, surprise attacks, partial actions, attacks of opportunity and being caught flat-footed. I believe that players will tend to have the most trouble adjusting to the new combat system. After a cursory examination, however, I think they'll find the adjustment worthwhile...Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Core Rulebook I OverviewEach of the Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks has been revised and updated for clarity and content. Each revision integrates user feedback received since the original product release so as to address the specific wants and needs of the player and Dungeon Master audiences. The overall rules system remains intact, with changes targeted specifically at elements of game play that were considered under-powered or incomplete. These revised editions also contain bonus content, such as new feats, that are exclusive to these editions. In addition, the new and revised content instructs players on how to take full advantage of the tie-in D&D miniatures line planned to release in Fall 2003 from Wizards of the Coast, Inc.Overall changes to all the titles include making complex combat easier to understand and provide more information on interacting with and summoning monsters. Specific changes include the following: the Player's Handbook received revisions to character classes to make them more balanced, and there are revisions and additions to spell lists.

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Blades of the Tiger (Dragonlance: Taladas Trilogy, Vol. 1) Review

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Blades of the Tiger (Dragonlance: Taladas Trilogy, Vol. 1) ReviewAfter several years of sub-par story lines set in Ansalon, Wizards of the Coast seems to have realized they need to explore more of the world of Krynn. Along come Taladas, a new continent not yet explored - or even knew about in the world of Krynn.
It took me a little while to get used to some of the nuances of the continent such as the different names for the gods and the 'altered' races. Once you come to grips with the changes the novel moves on at a brisk pace. I was surprised the book was over 400 pages, typical Dragonlance books average 300-350. Good to see they are allowing a little more in terms of word count.
I hesitate to give this book a perfect 5, as that would mean it was perfect and there was nothing to improve on. I think Pierson, is one of the up and coming Dragonlance authors. Yet, I think some of his dialog in this book seemed forced - at times it felt like the same character was talking when in fact it was a completely different character.
I think this series has great promise and one that I will follow for sure.Blades of the Tiger (Dragonlance: Taladas Trilogy, Vol. 1) OverviewThe first book in a series that will explore uncharted land in the Dragonlance setting.Blades of the Tiger kicks off a series that will explore beyond the realms of Ansalon, the traditional setting for Dragonlance novels, and into the land of Taladas. No title has ever been set in this unexplored region on the other side of the world, allowing for an infinite variety of new characters and experiences within the context of the Dragonlance setting. AUTHOR BIO: Chris Pierson has written numerous short stories set in the world of Dragonlance, as well as the Dragonlance novels Spirit of the Wind, Dezra's Quest, Chosen of the Gods, Divine Hammer, and Sacred Fire.

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The Crimson Talisman (Eberron / War-Torn, Book 1) Review

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The Crimson Talisman (Eberron / War-Torn, Book 1) ReviewIt took me a while to finish this book, as another reviewer said, it is boring in many places. The book suffers from several over done cliches. At first everyone and everything is just too mysterious; you have a mysterious cleric leading a boy with a mysterious artifact on a mysterious journey where they meet a mysterious peddler and are chased by a mysterious evil knight.
Later, the book suffers from the "Show me, don't tell me" syndrome. The characters continually repeat the same thing over and over just to remind the reader of certain facts.
The book also fails as a Dungeons & Dragons tie in product. First, a D&D book needs to have reconizable aspects of the game within it. If I am halfway into the book and the Cleric has not cast a single spell, something is wrong here. Secondly, the author did not do his homework where Eberron is concerned. House Orien is a human house, a half elf would not have the Mark of Passage. The creator of Eberron, Keith Baker has pointed this out.
One thing more I would point out, while this book is part of a series of books; Thw War Torn series. They are all stand alone stories with the theme of recovery from the last war. Don't let this book stop you from looking at the other books in this series.The Crimson Talisman (Eberron / War-Torn, Book 1) OverviewThe first book in a series of high adventure novels set in the Eberron™ Campaign Setting.The Crimson Talisman is the first title in a new Eberron™ series that focuses onwar-torn souls that have known nothing but a world in chaos. Each book in thisseries will focus on the aftermath of The Last War, in which every realm ofthe Eberron setting fought a bitter and long-lasting battle.AUTHOR BIO: ADRIAN COLE is currently the Director of College Resources in a large secondary school in Bideford, England. He remains best known for his DreamLords trilogy as well as his young adult novels, Moorstones and The Sleep of Giants.

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Grasp of the Emerald Claw (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Setting Adventure) Review

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Grasp of the Emerald Claw (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Setting Adventure) ReviewBruce R. Cordell wrote this adventure. I've liked everything written by Bruce R. Cordell (In fairness, there are a few pieces that I don't rave about). This piece is no exception.
This is the conclusion of the story begun in The Forgotten Forge in the Eberron Campaign Setting and continued through Shadows of the Last War and Whispers of the Vampire's Blade. I haven't had the chance to read the last two adventures in this series (much less review them) so I'll review this as a stand-alone piece.
In this series, the characters, working for house Cannith, are trying to assemble four schemas which together compose a powerful artifact called the Creation Pattern, a left over from the Age of Giants. A group called the Emerald Claw is also searching for these schema. So what keeps this from being a standard "MacGuffin" plot?
The Creation Pattern is evil.
After the inciting incident of The Grasp of the Emerald Claw, the enemy possesses all three of the known schema and begins searching for the fourth. The character's must be the first to get to the last schema. It's their only hope to stop the Emerald Claw (and perhaps find the first three pieces). No one realizes that Creation Pattern has plans of its own.
The resulting adventure has the feel of the old pulp adventures. Picture King Solomon's Mines. More accurately, picture Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea meets The Heart of Darkness meets Congo (the novel, not that horrible Laura Linney movie). It is a fun, entertaining romp.
One of the strengths of any Cordell adventure is the level of thought he puts into realistic detail. Ancient traps run out of power over time, character motivations and twists are well drawn and and the ecology of the dungeon holds together. If there is a creature too big to escape the room where it lives (and there is), you know how it got there, why it got there, and what it eats.
My complaints with this module are minor. Some of the dialog or description clunk once in a while. An encounter or two feels forced., but this is nothing that should hamper anyone's enjoyment of the adventure, especially if the DM does his own descriptions instead of reading "boxed text."
My biggest complaint has to do with the climax. This takes place in a interesting looking room. In effect, this is the opposite of the "Steam Factories" you see at the end of so many movies. You know the place. The hero and the villain end up grappling in a factory with no workers that seems to produce nothing but steam. This adds delicious threat to the fight scene, as long as the viewer doesn't think too much about why the factory is there or what it is doing.
As I said, the climax of this adventure takes place in the opposite setting. The room has a purpose, it's filled with stuff, yet accept for the climactic fight, nothing here is dangerous. I think that Cordell had a wonderful opportunity for a rich and dangerous tactical environment and missed it. I would suggest to any DM running this adventure to make this room come to life, it shouldn't be hard to rationalize how. Your game will benefit from it greatly.
I'd recommend this adventure to anyone playing in the Eberron setting. It might not be Cordell's crowning achievement but it's a good, solid module and a step above many of the adventures one sees these days.
Grasp of the Emerald Claw (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Setting Adventure) OverviewThe third stand-alone adventure for the new Eberron campaign setting.This full-length adventure for the newest D&D® campaign setting showcases many of the most unique traits of the Eberron setting. It plays out across the Eberron world and is designed to either be a stand-alone adventure or an immediate follow-up to the first and second published Eberron adventures, Shadows of the Last War™ and Whispers of the Vampire's Blade™.AUTHOR BIO: Bruce R. Cordell, an Origins-award-winning author, has designed over 30 game titles, including the Expanded Psionics Handbook™. He also co-authored Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead™, the Planar Handbook™, the Epic Level Handbook™, and Underdark™.

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Explorer's Handbook (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Supplement) Review

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Explorer's Handbook (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Supplement) ReviewWell, another Eberron book, and another winner.
The artwork in this book is awesome, the cover art, the chapter beginning and pictures throughout are all of consistent high quality.
The content seems to be well laid out, however the lack of index in reference books is becoming frustrating.
The book contains the following Chapters (you will need the TOC as there is no index...)
Introduction
Intro and overview, how to read the stat block etc.
Chapter 1: Travel
Reasons for travel, motivations for travel, (I especially liked the section on travel vs. teleport, which gives a range of situations in which travel not teleport is appropriate.), how to travel, modes of transport, travel encounters
Chapter 2: Tools of the trade
Elemental vessels, everything you wanted to know, how to construct, controlling bound elementals, freeing them and so forth. Airships, attacking airships, elemental landcarts.
Lightning rail, movement of, battles on and a useful lightning railcar map.
Stormships and wind galleons and other vessels.
The chapter then goes on to boarders, forged papers, funded expeditions, organisations and then has...
3 Prestige classes
Cataclysm Mage
A seer like mage who's desire for forgotten knowledge and prophecy leads to great power and greater risk
Thunder Guide
A sort of scout/ranger adventurer
Windwright Captain
Most likely an NPC class as it revolves around piloting elemental vessels.
Chapter 3: Points of Origin
(Containing 4 Map Sites)
Where adventures start, a few adventure hooks, a map of the docking tower at stormhome, a lightning rail station etc.
The Crimson Ship deserves special mention as an inventive and potentially exciting role-play side adventure.
Chapter 4: Midpoints
(Containing 4 Map Sites)
The places along the way, along with many further adventure ideas to go with them
Chapter 5: Destinations
(Containing 9 Map sites)
The final destination of the adventure, described in the chapter are several fairly well detailed locales. The Khyber Dragonshard Cavern, the Shalquar Monastery and Tharkgun Dhak appeal particularly to me.
Appendix: Ancient Treasures
Giant and Dhakaani Antiquities
Magic items from past ages, some cool new items and a new special material (Eldritch whorlwood)
The book is packed with adventure hooks, detailed maps and ideas.
Looks like it will be a fantastic game aid and the artwork is fantastic.
4 stars, possible 4.5, however the lack of index prevents a 5 star rating.Explorer's Handbook (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Supplement) OverviewThe ultimate sourcebook for players wishing to explore the world of Eberron. The Explorer's Handbook showcases the multi-continental aspect of the Eberron setting. The chapter on travel discusses instantaneous and played out travel and provides deck plans for airships, the lightning rail, and galleons, plus other methods of conveyance. A chapter on Explorer's Essentials offers information on travel papers, preassembled equipment kits, how to join the Wayfarers' Foundation, and more.This handbook encourages players to explore the entire world rather thanremain fixed in one region.DAVID NOONAN is an RPG designer/developer at Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Recent credits include authoring Complete Divine™ and co-authoringRaces of Stone™ and Unearthed Arcana™.RICH BURLEW is a freelance writer whose previous design credits includeMonster Manual™ III. He was also one of the three finalists in Wizards of theCoast, Inc.'s new campaign setting search in 2002.FRANK BRUNNER has been working in the game industry for four years andhas written several articles for Dragon® Magazine and Dungeon® magazine.

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Unapproachable East (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) Review

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Unapproachable East (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) ReviewI decided to write this review because I think some of the other reviewers here at Amazon have given this title short shrift.
The Unapproachable East is a great place to set a Forgotten Realms adventure which is different than your typical "Medieval Western Europe" type fantasy world. Admittedly, the book is not as good as the Silver Marches supplement, but it's pretty close. One reviewer mentioned that the artwork was as good as some home-printing jobbie. I disagree. There is some artwork that is stylisticly different than that we have seen in other WotC FR supplements. Some pieces are outstanding such as the Simbul's Palace and some are quite memorable such as the Ring of Grey Flames. Overall, I liked the art.
Content is also good. Here is a list of the chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Prestige Classes
3. Regions and Feats
4. Magic and Spells
5. Magic Items
6. Monsters
7. Adventuring in the East
8. Aglarond
9. The Great Dale
10. Rashemen
11. Thay
12. Thesk
13. Border Areas
As you can see, the content is pretty well balanced between background campaign information and "guidebook" overviews of the various areas. There is a good amount of plot hooks and plenty of places for a DM to set up a FR adventure that is different from the norm. I paid full price for this book when I bought it at a brick and mortar, and feel that it is well worth the value. There is plenty of material to read and enjoy even if you never use a bit of it for gameplay. It is much better than the 1st edition D&D compilation "Dreams of the Red Wizards". I don't give it five stars because it is not as much value for the money as the FR campaign setting (more pages +map) or the Silver Marches supplement (lower price +map) which I consider the best two FR products so far.Unapproachable East (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) OverviewExplore a Mysterious Land of Might and Magic.Tales from beyond the Easting Reach are told with awed voices and hushed tones. Known to most of Faerun as the homeland of the Simbul, the hathrans, and the Red Wizards, the Unapproachable East is filled with dark secrets, insidious plots, and untold adventure. Discover the people, politics, cities, and societies of the region, along with the monsters, nefarious organizations, and other perils that await unwary travelers in this treacherous corner of the Forgotten Realms game setting.* 12 new prestige classes * 21 new spells * 19 new monsters To use this accessory, you also need the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual.

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Player's Guide to Faerun (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Accessory) Review

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Player's Guide to Faerun (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Accessory) ReviewSadly, Wizards of the Coast (or Hasbro, you decide) has become the bastion of corporate, "for-profit" literature at the expense of publishing quality and gaming innovation...
The trend of the 3.5 revision, admittedly largely unecessary and done primarily to renew a revenue stream from gamers willing to be duped into buying it (by some of its own authors!), continues with this weak text.
Short, with minimal additions and *many* only trivial revisions to 3.0 material, this book panders to the 'complete-ist' in many gamers, who will compulsively purchase any new material.
The only useful items (I won't go so far as to say novel) include the Initiate section (2 1/2 pages), the compiled spell list (made your own already?) and the magical item section (7 pages). Out of 191 pages, I will be using these 20 some odd pages.
Additionally, Wizards has failed to understand their own customers... Each new book excitedly proclaims how many new FEATS, PRESTIGE CLASSES and SPELLS that the book contains. At this point, with Dragon, d20 OGL products and WotC material, there are a mind-boggling number of each of these, with only minor and typically insignificant differences between many. While I like choices as much as the next RPG player, the novelty of splicing different class abilities together and calling them a prestige class has become tired.
What we're looking for, if I may be so bold to speak for my fellow gamers, is new contextual material. The "Campaign Journal" section of this book was billed as 'Current Events', but rather than breaking new ground, or exposing new information, it merely regurgitates the plotlines of recent FR novels.
So if you're one of the slavishly devoted purchasers of WotC products, a by-product of the previously quality material that the company *had* been putting out for years...
Stop.
You're encouraging them (with your hard-earned dollars) to publish respun garbage under the guise of NEW and IMPROVED.
Let's band together and vote with our dollars. Support the d20 labels putting out quality literature for discerning gamers (Malhavoc Press), not the tripe that's rolling out of what seems to be the nadir of WotC products.Player's Guide to Faerun (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Accessory) OverviewThe heroes of the Forgotten Realms are as diverse and varied as the regions from which they hail. This collection of Faerûnian lore and arcana allows you to create and equip an endless array of characters braced for the challenges they'll encounter. From races, feats, and spells to prestige classes, magic items, and more, Player's Guide to Faerûn provides a v.3.5 update to the Forgotten Realms setting, reintroduces some old favorites from 1st and 2nd Edition, and offers all-new character-building material.Includes* Over 60 feats * Over 30 prestige classes * Over 90 spells To use this supplement, you also need the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual.

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Heroes of Battle (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Rules Supplement) Review

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Heroes of Battle (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Rules Supplement) ReviewI have been running adventures for D&D for years that follow more the style of game represented herein, not delving into dungeons on a regular basis but rather encounters in the world. A battlefield campaign is a great idea and Wizards did an excellent job of giving guildlines and rules for running these. The section on victory and recognition points, as well as promotion and decorations is by far my favorite out of this book. While not terribly large for a hard-back this book is packed with information ranging from the 60-minute army to a few new prestige classes (all five-level and very useful) and some new magical items and weapon/armor properties.
If you want to run a game of D&D that doesn't focus on crawling around in ancient ruins or goblin-holes all the time, but instead focuses on the glory and frightfulnes of war and surface skirmshes then this will be an excellent adition to your gaming books.Heroes of Battle (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Rules Supplement) OverviewThe essential handbook integrating war and battlefield action into D&D® play.Heros of Battle™ provides everything one needs to know to play abattle-oriented D&D campaign. Players can build military characters with newfeats, spells, uses for traditional spells, and prestige classes. Information isgiven on tools specific to the battlefield, including siege engines, weapons,magic items, steeds, and other exotic mounts. Battlefield terrain aspects arediscussed with plenty of illustrative maps and new rules. Specific types ofbattlefield encounters are discussed in detail, and the book provides specificdetail on designing battlefields. DAVID NOONAN is an RPG designer/developer at Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Recent credits include authoring Complete Divine™ and co-authoringRaces of Stone™ and Unearthed Arcana™.WILL McDERMOTT, former editor-inchief of Duelist and TopDeck magazines,has written a number of articles for Dragon® Magazine, but is knownprimarily for his fiction in the Magic: The Gathering™ universe, includingthe novels Judgment and The Moons of Mirrodin.STEPHEN SCHUBERT is a freelance writer whose previous credits includearticles in Dragon Magazine.

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Champions of Ruin (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) Review

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Champions of Ruin (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) ReviewSome of the best AD&D campaigns I've run or played in have been 'evil' in nature and as a long time fan of the Forgotten Realms I was looking forward to reading this book. While I wasn't impressed by the content, neither was I disappointed.
After the introduction, where you are treated to a brief examination of the nature of evil (it's pretty simplistic, but sets the tone well), the book breaks down into seven chapters:
1: Races
2: Tools of Evil
3: Prestige Classes
4: Evil Organisations
5: Evil Places
6: Encounters with Evil
7: Champions of Evil
Chapter one details three evil races: Draegloth, Extaminaar and Krinth. Nothing too flash here. Personally I thought the Krinth were a silly idea and the Extaminaar only slightly less so. Draegloth were kinda cool. I'm not quite sure why the designers decided to use relatively new creatures for this section when you have 3 monster manuals (at the time of this book's publishing) literally packed with hundreds of evil creatures that could have fitted the bill nicely.
Chapter two examines the tools of evil (i.e. magic items, spells and feats). Some of the spells are interesting, but most are obviously reworked from existing spells. The best part about this chapter are the magic items - some very cool toys for evil boys (or girls) are contained here. The feats are...well feats. The game is sooo loaded with feats I really didn't think that additional evil specific feats were necessary.
Chapter three covers the new prestige classes, which with the exception of the Vengence Knight are all good classes and depending on the nature of the campaign all should find a role. My personal favourite (in concept if not game mechanics) was the Thayan Gladiator with the Nightmask Deathbringer running a close second. The Shade Hunter PC was bland and without inspiration (as a side note - the art accompanying the Vengenance Knight was awful). The remaining two - Black Blood Cultist & Justice of Weald & Woe - would be good for solo games, but I can't see them meshing well in a group setting.
Chapter four covers evil organisations and its inclusion is a complete mystery to me. There are several refernces in this book to another book called Lords of Darkness (another FR source book) - which covers in full detail the evil organisations of Faerûn! This chapter is merely a repeat of the information found in Lords of Darkness and a complete waste of space. The twenty pages devoted to this chapter could have been used for any number of other subjects, its not even like the material in CoR is updated from LoD - really disappointing (This alone caused me to downgrade the rating from 4 to 3 stars).
Chapter five examines evil places and delves into the concept of Evil Nodes, which were first covered in the Underdark Sourcebook. I haven't read the Underdark book, but being a fan of the old TSR 'Birthright' campaign world the concept of magical nodes is not new and something that I incorporate in all my campaigns - which I suspect is a default setting for most GM's. Anyway, the rules presented for determining these evil nodes are clear and easy to follow. The chapter then concludes with several evil locations and adventure seeds.
Chapter six is the smallest chapter and details very briefly some considerations that need to be taken into account when planning an evil game - especially how 'evil' you want to go. The chapeter then looks at some notable evil NPC's, giving full game stats and limited histories - there are a couple of really interesting ones such as Damien Krale and Daren Timbide, but the others are all a bit ho-hum.
Finally there is chapter seven: Champions of Evil - which seems to be a rehash of the previous chapter! Granted that the chapter seven baddies are really bad! The first is 32nd Level! Which is kind of silly. If I'm going to have someone that powerful in one of my campaigns, then I don't bother putting stats to him/her (especially since this particular baddie takes nearly two pages to cover all his stats!); then there's Dendar the Night Serpernt with his 1,193 HP! Why bother?
I can see it now - Thom the Unspeakably Violent (a powerful barbarian in one of my campaigns launches a series of furious attacks and inflicts his maximum damage of 88 HP. Cool. Only 1,105 to go. Like I said, silly.
But I digress. On the positive side, chapter seven does explain how these powerful baddies can be used in particular campaigns and what there agenda's and machinations are (reinforcing my point that there was no need to stat them out).
In conclusion, a useful book that is an excellent resource for a GM thinking about his first evil game or campaign and even the most jaded, cynical GM (much like me) will find the odd gem within it's pages.
Enjoy.
Champions of Ruin (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) OverviewEverything a player needs to know to play evil or morally ambiguouscharacters in the Forgotten Realms setting.Champions of Ruin™ is a comprehensive guide to playing evil characters inthe Forgotten Realms setting. Many aspects of play are covered: vengeance,ambition, evil vs. evil, corruption and moral failure, loyalty and betrayal.The book also discusses types of evil–lawful, chaotic, and neutral–as well as morally ambivalent characters such as anti-heroes and rogues. Elder evils of extreme power are discussed along with tools, feats, spells, evil places andplanar touchstones, and guilds and organizations that evil characters canjoin. Two new races are also introduced.JEFF CROOK has written novels for the Dragonlance® setting, includingDark Thane, The Rose and the Skull, and Conundrum.WIL UPCHURCH is a full-time game industry freelancer whose most recentwork with Wizards of the Coast, Inc. includes Star Wars: Ultimate Adversaries™. His articles can be found in Dragon® Magazine, Dungeon®magazine,and other major gaming magazines.ERIC L. BOYD is a software developer who has written extensively about theForgotten Realms for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. His most recent creditsinclude Lost Empires of Faerûn™, Faiths & Pantheons™, Races ofFaerûn™, and Serpent Kingdoms™.

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Lords of Darkness (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) Review

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Lords of Darkness (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) ReviewIf you play in the Realms and want to flesh out your villians, this book is wonderful. It's the same size and layout as Magic of Faerun, so that right there is a plus. Personally, i think the artwork is much better than Magic of Faerun, and some of the power groups detailed therein are quite intriguing. From the Daemonfey to the old Red Wizards, the book covers dozens and dozens of personalities, locales, and enemies to throw against your party.
If you don't play in the Realms, the book is not as useful, but it is still GRADE A gaming material that could have pieces used in other campaigns. It seems like WOTC is pumping all their best talent and money into the FR series, which is fine by me, but it means that some other lines end up lacking (like the class supplement books).
Yes, the book is very pricey, but for a DM who wants a whole slew of villians, monsters and plots, it's worth the money.Lords of Darkness (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting) OverviewEvil Powers Threaten FaerunSinister cabals plot in shadows, while merciless armies gather for war. Explore the inner workings of infamous factions such as the Red Wizards and the Zhentarim. Discover more recently unveiled enemies, including the shades and the People of the Black Blood. With detailed descriptions of key villains, secret headquarters, and more, this guide covers everything a Dungeon Master needs to conspire against the heroes of the Forgotten Realms game setting.28 villainous groups Maps of evil strongholds New spells, feats, and magic items To use this accessory, you also need the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, the Monster Manual, and the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.

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Lost Empires of Faerûn (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement) Review

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Lost Empires of Faerûn (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement) ReviewFinally it's here! This book was worth the wait. Lost Empires has it all. Well almost. Most of the magic items and artifacts ever published in previous editions for Forgotten Realms (Nether Scrolls anyone) and most of the spells (Sakkratar's Triple Strike maybe). There are 16 new feats most of which are pretty good and useful (Craft Scepter is nice (2 spells up to 7th lvl with 50 charges), Arcane Manipulation is even better (up to 3 higher lvl spell slots are devided to give you many more lower lvl spell slots). There are 5 prestige classes out of which I'd select Olin Gisir (an elven "keep the bad stuff hidden" arcane spellcaster - gets secrets similar to the Loremaster, but every 3 lvls). The best part regarding the spellcasting are 2 new epic seeds: Mythal Seed and Shadow Seed. And then a really detailed explanation on making mythals. Really nice. Some old (and dead) gods are presented and there are a few pages of info and tables on "what's in that ruin type of stuff." The information about various ancient and lost empires and how they impact modern Faerun is well presented. Every "empire" or "time period" (Crown Wars?) chapter starts of with a timeline, and then presents an overview of the most important features and historical information regarding the specific empire or time period. A number of present day sites are detailed and even some adventures or adventure sites are connected with each lost "empire". In short: If you liked AD&D 2nd Ed "Nethril: Empire of Magic", "How the Mighty are Fallen", "Cormathor: Empire of Elves" and "Fall of Myth Drannor" you're gonna like this book even more. Crown Wars, Nethril, Imaskari, Cormanthyr (Myth Drannor), Realms of the High Forest (Ammarindar, Delzoun, Eaerlann...), The Old North (Ardeep, Illusk...), The Impreial South (Tethir, Shoon Imperium...). Each "period" also has a very useful "Information table" that sets DCs for know (history) checks and explaines how detailed information should DM give to the players and there is also enough historical information that DM's won't have as many problems as they did in the past when players asked about certain "Lost Empires" after a good knowledge (history) check. In the end there is a monster chapter which gives some updated monsters and presents some new ones (Phaerimm, Helmed Horrors, Baneguards etc.). All in all worth the money spent.Lost Empires of Faerûn (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement) OverviewA sourcebook unearthing the ruins and secrets of the fallen empires of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.For the first time, the secrets of past empires of the Forgotten Realms world are chronicled in one comprehensive sourcebook. For players, this book contains new options for characters wishing to delve into ancient ruins, including new feats, prestige classes, magic, and equipment. For Dungeon Masters, this book contains new material associated with ruins, including rules for how to build and sustain a ruin-based campaign, more than a dozen detailed adventure sites with maps, and new monsters and artifacts.AUTHOR BIO: Edward Bonny is a freelance designer who has written numerous articles for Dragon® Magazine. His previous design credits include Monster Manual™ II.AUTHOR BIO: Travis Stout is a freelance designer who has written several articles for Dragon Magazine and whose previous design credits include Player's Guide to Faerûn™.

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Silver Marches (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Accessory) Review

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Silver Marches (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Accessory) ReviewThe Silver Marches is the first regional accessory to be published for the Forgotten Realms since the FRCS came out. It may also be the last to use this particular format, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Silver Marches is a 160-page softcover book, written by Ed greenwood and Jason Carl. The pages are high-quality as found in the FRCS hardcover, the cover art by Vance Kovacs is distinctive, and the interior art throughout the book is wonderfully done and fits with the content--this isn't always the case, sometimes an illustrator's work can be a detriment to the overall style. Doesn't sound like a big deal until you find out from marketers that the presentation (artwork, etc.) can make or break a sale before prospective buyers have a chance to delve deep into the contents. Overall, the presentation is decent.
This book is broken down into 8 chapters (barring the Introduction). The first, titled "The Lay of the Land," provides greater depth to the geography and monstrous threats of the area than found in the FRCS. Here you'll find notable bits on the Morueme clan of blue dragons, the orcish stronghold known as Dark Arrow Keep, and the Silverwood, just to name a few. It runs for 32 pages, and those fearing that they'll drown in a sea of too-much-info need not worry. The details on each area or personality are concise, they provide good ideas of what to expect in certain areas, as well as adventure ideas. You won't feel hemmed in by what's written, if anything one should get some good ideas from the material.
The second chapter, "Exploring the Wild," deals with flora and fauna, encounter tables, wyrms of the north (the names of whom you'll remember from the articles that Ed Greenwood used to write for Dragon magazine), and even weather tables. I don't recall something like this except, perhaps, in the old World of Greyhawk boxed set, and I consider it to be helpful. It has details on floods and fog, DC's when using skills in harsh weather, and so on. For those more interested in the encounter tables, they're lifted from the Forgotten Realms Dungeon Master's Screen accessory but have been updated to include new monster from Chapter 7. if you don't have the FR DM screen, it isn't necessary due to the pertinent tables' inclusion.
Chapters 3 and 4, "Cities of the Silver Marches" and "People of the Silver Marches," run for 43 pages and gives the reader a good overview of the confederation and its people without overwhelming you. Again, I find it worthwhile because the write-ups for various settlements make them more than just a place to kick up your muddy boots. Places like Everlund and Nesme, or (my favorite) Sundabar--now that's one gritty city, and the map in the back only reinforces the image. Brief histories are included, details on the various armies and human (and non-human) people are also provided, so if you're into wargaming that's another possibility to consider. In addition, stat blocks for characters like Helm Dwarf-friend and king Harbromm (leaders of Sundabar and Citadel Adbar, respectively) are sprinkled here and there for good measure. It's interesting to note that Bruenor Battlehammer and Wulfgar have been included but their histories are just a little behind the times (Bruenor's still listed as having lost an eye, with no mention of getting it healed--even the artwork depicts him as one-eyed). Also, Catti-Brie and Regis are missing. i don't think it's necessary to include the two, but fans of the Companions of the Hall may well be miffed by this little oversight.
Chapter 5, "Politics and power," deals with the articles of confederation, the league members, and how the council of the confederation works together (or argues, as the case may be). The main threats and enemies of the Silver Marches are also given space here, so nothing is left out (People of the Black blood, adherents of bane and Shar, the Daemonfey, and so on). Chapter 6, "Heroes of the North," is where it's at if you're looking for prestige classes to try out: The Giant-killer, Hordebreaker, Knight-errant of Silverymoon, Orc Scout, Peerless archer, and the Wild scout. Personally, I'm most drawn to the Peerless archer. It has a lot to offer, and seems to have been better designed than, say, the Arcane archer found in the DMG. Chapter 7, "Monsters of Faerun," is self-explanatory. It's okay, although more monsters aren't really necessary. Stats for giant ravens, rock wyrms, and snowcloaks are provided.
Chapter 8, "Adventures in the North," is 36 pages long and details three short adventures. I'm a little ambivilent about this, the adventures are okay and make use of the local well enough but the first two don't seem to have adventure levels listed (nothing saying flat-out, "This is for 4 PC's of X-level"). I find that irksome but mistakes and omissions can happen. Lastly, in addition to the fine illustrations of settlements found in the book itself, a fold-out map is included. It isn't glued-in, you just have to carefully separate it from the paper strip it's attached to. The fold-up map is comprised half of an overland view of the Silver Marches, whereas the lower portion shows maps of Sundabar, Silverymoon, Everlund, Citadel Adbar (nice crossview), Citadel Felbarr, and a smaller map showing the Adbarrim and distribution of Underdark settlements. Very well done, and I appreciate the effort.
Overall, I give this a 4 out of 5. I could've given it a straight 5 but there were a few minor errors in the book. Also, I'm ambivilent about the ratio of background material to game material (PrCs) and adventure matterial. It's good enough for me, it's a mix, but considering WotC is using the sales of Silver marches as a test of whether to keep producing FR books with some history or dump the background material in favor of game-pertinent material like more PrC's, monsters, spells, and...*shakes head*...This is a great book, it isn't all background material so it should satisfy Forgotten Realms fans who both want some utility and some history. Let's hope they stay the course, I can't see how they can go further in the other direction without losing the essence of the Realms.Silver Marches (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Accessory) OverviewA Vast Frontier Fraught with Endless PerilHaunted by malicious dragons, hordes of orcs, and other ferocious creatures, the relentless cold and unforgiving terrain of the Silver Marches promise undiscovered riches and unspeakable danger to those bold enough to venture there. Complete information on the towns and settlements of the burgeoning Silver Marches alliance and the many hazards that threaten it highlight this detailed survey of one of the most exciting regions in the Forgotten Realms game setting.* 6 new prestige classes * Indigenous monsters * Poster map of the region To use this accessory, you also need the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual.

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Races of Destiny (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) Review

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Races of Destiny (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) ReviewRaces of Destiny is the newest offering from WOC. It contains information on playing humans, half orcs and elves, a new race of humans the llumians and information on new feats,spells and prestige classes.
The first 30+ pages are on the humans. I was expecting more than a primer on humans, such things like that they play games and have a larger variety of troops than some of the other races. I was looking for more cultural things like some of the items from the old al qadim setting like not sitting in front of someone with your soles of your feet facing your host, or not eating with your left hand. There was none of that. The next 15 or so pages deals with the half orcs and half elves and their outlooks and physicology.
The Illumians are the next 70 or so pages and actually they look somewhat interesting. They are humans with more advantages. They have sigils which gives them more abilities or protections or something. If you are looking for something new for your campaign they might do the trick for you.
The feats that are listed are primarly focused to the races and some looked interesting like roof stride which allowed you to move along roofs at a higher rate of speed.
The spells looked interesting at first but didnt seem as well thought out after thinking about it. There are insignia spells which could be used for city guards or milita. The insignia spells are simple spells with the ability to be cast on multiple people at the same time. There is a spell that gives +1ac bonus plus a +1 fort save. The problem is that the spells only last minutes per level, not some that I would see would be particulary useful in a search pattern. Another spell creates a mazelike enviroment for some body invading the city to confuse and split them.
The prestige classes arent very exciting, of them the urban soul looked somewhat interesting and I might use it with several changes.
The most disappointing part was the city section at the end, again I was expecting more than was delivered. It was mostly a series of tables that could either be random or picked. I was again looking for more color that could be used in making each city more unique.
There is also a section on some of the other races such as assimars, teiflings, half-ogres.
This book in my opinion is very weak, the illumians are the most interesting part of the book. There are a couple of feats and some spells that I would use but for you folks take a long look before you buy thisRaces of Destiny (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) OverviewA new sourcebook detailing humans, half-breeds, and exotic almost-human races for the D&D game. Races of Destiny provides Dungeons & Dragons players with an in-depth look at humans, half-orcs, half-elves, and other "almost human" exotic races that populate the D&D world. Often more strange or bizarre than completely distinct races, these half-races showcase the unusual combinations of abilities and cultures possible in a fantasy setting. This sourcebook includes brand new races, new rules, feats, spells, and magic items attuned to each race. The book contains material for players and DMs alike, including new prestige classes, rules for interaction between races, and a wealth of cultural information.

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The Tomb of Horrors (Greyhawk Classics) Review

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The Tomb of Horrors (Greyhawk Classics) ReviewI have to admit that I don't read too much shared fiction, but there was a double hook with Tomb of Horrors--Keith is a friend, and I wrote a game product related to this title. Truth to tell, I wanted to write this book. So you see, Keith already had a few marks against him before I picked it up.
So I read through the first scene. Oh my god, can they publish this stuff? Apparently, they can. The author is a nice guy, but horror sleeps below his placid surface. If you've ever wanted to know what it felt like to be crucified, this book is for you. This scene sets the tone for the antagonist, and does so spectacularly well.
Then we meet the protagonist, Kaerion, in the next chapter. A down-on-his-luck swordsman washing away his sorrows in drink? Yes, but it turns out he has a lot to wash away. He was once a paladin, now fallen, whose holy sword continually torments him with the memory of what he once was. No matter how he tries to dispose of the holy blade, it always reappears. This is great stuff.
So, the book begins to shape up. Two groups have designs on the legendary Tomb of Horrors. One group evil, one good. Each has a fair way to go before they reach the doorstep of the ancient tomb. But that's where the horror truly begins. More importantly for me, it is also where we discover if Kaerion can finally achieve redemption.The Tomb of Horrors (Greyhawk Classics) OverviewKaerion Whitehart was once a mighty paladin, but sins of the past have cast him far from the light. Together with an elf mercenary, he now survives by the might of his sword alone.In exchange for a hefty purse, the two friends agree to accompany a band of patriots into a tomb haunted by fear and legend. They soon find the mission growing beyond their control. As warring factions vie for the ultimate prize of a long-dead wizard, Kaerion finds himself caught between death and redemption.The Tomb of Horrors is the latest title in the Greyhawk Classics series, a set of novels that revisits the most popular adventures of the original Dungeons & Dragons game.

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Races of Eberron (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement) Review

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Races of Eberron (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement) ReviewDespite being part of the "Races of" series, this is an Eberron book, but don't let that stop you from buying it because it does provide information on how to introduce these new races into other settings.
The new Eberron setting introduced several new concepts to D&D, including several new races and this book greatly expands upon them.
The Warforged are basically "fantasy robots", and as a living construct they are very different from the "normal" races of D&D. This chapter expands how this very young race lives day to day, their psychology, culture and rather short history.
Next we have Shifters, they are belived to be children of those infected with Lycanthropy (werewolves). As such, they inherit several bestial traits, and this book adds several new ones based on other types of lycanthropes.
The best chapter IMHO, is Changelings, the descendants of Dopplegangers that had infitrated Eberron in the past. There are three basic types of Changelings, Becomers: who maintain a bunch of alternate identites, Passers: Who try to live their life under one identity and Reality Seekers: Who live openly as a Changeling.
Lastly we have the Kalashtar, a psionic race who are actually two beings in one. If you are a fan of the Soul Knife class from the Expanded Psionic Handbook, you will love all the new feats and prestige classes introduced in this chapter.
My one and only complaint of these chapters is the lack of a "How to fight this race" sidebar. In the Eberron setting, you are not just going to be playing these races, you will be fighting them as well. How do you ID an Chageling in disguise?
The next chapter covers the basic races of D&D, but with as they exist in Eberron. If this book is truely considered part of the "Races of" series, it would have been nice if the new races in those books and the psionic races had been included here as well.
Next we have feats, prestige classes and racial substitution levels, and it does include Psionic & Tactical feats and Psionic substitution levels. The book ends with new spells, artificer infusions and psionic powers as well as magic items crafted for these races.
Overall, a very good book, even the matrerial that might not directly fit your world can be adapted to work quite easily.Races of Eberron (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement) OverviewA new D&D sourcebook detailing the major races of the Eberron™ world.Races of Eberron™ provides Dungeons & Dragons® players and Dungeon Masters with an in-depth look at the new races of the Eberron Campaign Setting, including changelings, the kalashtar, shifters, and the warforged. The book includes extensive information on each race, plus new race-related feats, prestige classes, spells, and equipment. In addition, this book highlights the other major races of the Eberron world, including elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, half-elves, half-orcs, and drow.AUTHOR BIO: Jesse Decker is a designer for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. whose recent roleplaying game design credits include Races of Stone™ and Unearthed Arcana™. Before joining the RPG R&D team as a designer, Jesse served as Editor-in-Chief of Dragon® Magazine.AUTHOR BIO: Matthew Sernett is the Editor-in-Chief of Dragon Magazine. He has written several roleplaying game books for Green Ronin and Wizards of the Coast, Inc. His recent credits include d20 Menace Manual™.AUTHOR BIO: Keith Baker is the creator and co-author of the Eberron Campaign Setting. A foremost expert on the world of Eberron, he wrote Shadows of the Last War™ and co-authored Sharn: City of Towers™.AUTHOR BIO: Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel is a managing editor for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. In addition to editing several D&D books, she has co-authored Underdark™ and Planar Handbook™, for Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

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Eberron Campaign Setting (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) Review

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Eberron Campaign Setting (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) ReviewI should start by saying that Eberron did not save D&D for me, but it rather breathed a new, healthy interest into the hobby for myself. I waited for months like many others, listening to the naysayers who were so convinced that it was going to bomb royally, and picked up the book without reading any reviews by others who bought it.
It was everything that I expected, and more. Ranking in at 320 pages, the book is not going to set any records, but the existing detail that was packed into the space is amazing.
The Introduction sets the tone of Eberron nicely, and gives a list of 'Ten Things That You Need To Know About Eberron'. It also gives a list of pulp and film-noir movies like the Maltese Falcon that fit the mood of Eberron nicely.
Chapter One deals with character races, introducing the Changeling (human with a doppelganger ancestor that has the ability to alter her appearence at will), Kalashtar (psionic race, long backgound that I'll have to skip here), Shifter (humans with lycanthrope ancestors, extremely well done), and the Warforged (constructs powered by magic that have souls and intelligence, they were built as elite units during the Last War). The chapter also gives descriptions of the existing races and how they fit into Eberron. Some, like the elves and gnomes, go through a major reenvisioning that I think is definetely for the better.
Chapter Two deals with Character Classes, introducing the Artificer (a type of mage who infuses items with magic, kind of like limited use staves or scrolls, and is very big with crafting items) and giving example characters and backgrounds for each of the other classes. The Artificer is very unique and well-thought out, and fits in well with a party that has a warforged 'tank'.
Chapter Three deals with Heroic Characteristics, describing Action Points (a similar system is found in the SW RPG with Force Points and d20 Modern) and the 70-odd new feats.
Chapter Four introduces us to 8 new prestige classes, actually 12, because one, the Eldeen Ranger is actually five-in-one (its' abilities are adjusted depending on which druidic sect you choose). My personal favorite is the Master Inquisitive, a 5 level prestige class perfectly suited for pulp detectives and some bounty hunters.
Chapter Five deals with Magic and the Planes of Eberron. The beginning of the chapter summarizes nicely what role the magewrights (a new working NPC class of mages, fulfill the low-level industrial uses of magic, like lighting continual flame lanterns in the streets) and the Dragonmarked houses fulfill in everyday life. It also introduces a new concept of 'manifest zones' for the planes. Every so often, one of the planes will stray close to Eberron (all of them are on an 'orbit', remiscent of the planets of our solar system around the sun) and in the area that is affected, certain spells may be extended or maximized for example, and others may be impeded. The chapter ends with numerous new domains and spells, many devoted to aiding or injuring constucts.
Chapter Six details Adventuring Equipment, mainly exotic weapons, weapon/armor materials, and identification documents that most of the upper-class uses while traveling.
Chapter Seven, Life in the World, in easily the longest section at 96 pages. It describes each of the nations of Khorvaire in detail, as well as Aerrnal and the other continents in Ebberon (Xen'Drik, Argonnessen, and Sarlona in case you were wondering). It ends with a timeline of the World, the first dated entry being a whopping 10,000,000 years ago!
Chapter Eight describes the various Organizations of Eberron, along with example characters. I can't say too much without giving some brilliant stuff away, but many of the evil forces in the world have their sticky hands in some high places, to say the least.
Chapter Nine gives you advice on how to Run an Eberron Campaign, ranging from how to get the party together to pulp-noir mission types.
Chapter Ten deals with Magic Items, the most notable being the three types of Dragonshards that make late 1800's-eque technology available in a pulp-fantasy setting. Two new concepts include elemental bound items (which are exactly what they sound like, items that have an elemental bound inside them, giving various bonuses) and warforged components, items that specifically take up slots meant only for the warforged. A mystery surrounds some, since some are tens of thousands of years old and function only on the warforged (who were first produced 30-odd years ago).
Chapter Eleven gives statistics and decriptions for new types of monsters in Eberron, as well as information on how to fit existing ones into your campaign.
The book ends with an example adventure meant for four 1st level characters in the city of Sharn. I don't plan on running it myself, but the overall tone of it looks quite suited for a pulp campaign.
The artwork in the book IMO is well-done, although not all may approve of the new comic book style of some pieces, mainly traditionalists. Some of the artwork, like the overview of the Aundairian countyside on page 140 is awe inspiring, while others like the warforged wizard on 112 I could live without.
I believe that this is best setting sourcebook that I have ever bought for D&D, and would recommend it to anyone that wants to try out a different style of campaign then the straight out genocide of the orcs and goblinoids.
My only drawback about the book is that there is no fold out map. Fortunately, some resourceful people online made one of their own, complete with towns and places of interest.
Keep an open mind while reading this friends, this is brilliance in a bound cover here.
Au revoirEberron Campaign Setting (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) OverviewAn entirely new campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons® roleplaying game.During the spring and summer of 2002, Wizards of the Coast, Inc., put out a request to the gaming community for proposals for a new D&D game setting. 11,000 proposals and two years of development later, the Eberron Campaign Setting is the result of that search. This brand-new setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game is an avenue for any D&D fan to experience swashbuckling adventure and explore mysterious new territories.Designed to introduce a new, fresh world with unlimited possibilities for exploration, the Eberron Campaign Setting includes everything needed to develop characters and run campaigns in this exciting new arena. It includes new character races, monsters, prestige classes, feats, organizations, and equipment unique to the world, and it introduces a new base class to the D&D game. It contains substantial information on new elements of magic, including spells, domains, items, artifacts, and more. Also included are historical and cultural details of the world, along with extensive illustrations and a wealth of maps that put the setting into vivid context. This title will also include both adventure hooks and a full adventure so that players and Dungeon Masters can immediately begin enjoying everything this rich new setting has to offer.

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Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne Review

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Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne ReviewWow. What a surprise.
This is a prequel novel to the upcoming video game Dragon Age: Origins, by Bioware. I was reading it more to `get in the mood' for the game than anything, and I had very low expectations, to be honest. And I was blown away.
I'm giving it 4 stars, and that is judging it against all fantasy, not against "pre-generated world" fantasy (novels based on games, movies, tv series, etc). Within that sub-genre it's a 5 star book, easily.
As the story begins, a cruel usurper sits on the throne of Ferelden, and the Rebel Queen has been betrayed and murdered. The only member left of the royal family is young Maric, a charming but slightly inept princeling, now on the run for his life. He soon teams up with a young commoner named Loghain, and the two set off to reunite with the rebel army, and begin the daunting challenge of trying to push the usurper from his ill-gained throne.
There's a bit of game-ness to the book here and there as character classes are mentioned, but it isn't very intrusive and if you didn't know it was a game-prequel novel, you might not even notice it.
The story has everything you could ask for in a fantasy. A noble, seemingly impossible quest, great battles, characters who feel very real, and who interact in ways that also feel very human. A smattering of magic and strange creatures. Joy and pain, victory and defeat. All written with genuine emotion.
A nice change of pace is the way elves are handled, and particularly elves, who are definitely second class citizens in this world, scraping by working as servants and living in squalid quarters of most cities.
All in all, a very, very enjoyable read, and a very 'self-contained' novel. You aren't left with a cliff-hanger ending that is going to require you to play the game or read another novel. You can download a sample chapter from http://dragonage.bioware.com/noveltst.ht...
I hope the author, David Gaider, focuses on more novel writing, and less game writing. I'd love to read more from him!Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne OverviewThe thrilling prequel to Dragon Age: Origins, the hit role-playing video game from award-winning developer BioWare!Dragon Age: The Stolen ThroneAfter his mother, the beloved Rebel Queen, is betrayed and murdered by her own faithless lords, young Maric becomes the leader of a rebel army attempting to free his nation from the control of a foreign tyrant.His countrymen live in fear; his commanders consider him untested; and his only allies are Loghain, a brash young outlaw who saved his life, and Rowan, the beautiful warrior maiden promised to him since birth. Surrounded by spies and traitors, Maric must find a way to not only survive but achieve his ultimate destiny: Ferelden's freedom and the return of his line to the stolen throne.

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