2 comments about The Quintessential Half-Orc (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. Let me start off by saying that it's really hard for me to justify giving a gaming book 5 stars, no matter how good it is, or how much I like Roleplaying, it just doesn't seem right most of the time. That being said, this book is a definite exception. Right from the start, with the story that laces through the book at various points, I was hooked.
   The Character Concepts (a chapter I usually don't get to until my third or fourth read) had ideas that leapt from the page out at me; Adopted by a humanoid race that is neither human nor half-orc. The loving family unit, where the parents of the half-orc are actually a caring couple. These alone signalled a book that was far from the norm.
   From "Prestige Classes" to "Half-orc Variations", this book is chock full of love for the much-maligned Half-orc. Ritual Scars to augment your (...) and give him an even greater edge over his parent races. Ways to tap into the Inner Orc with "Heart of Violence" Rage abilities.
   Tools of the Trade, Feats, Blood Rituals... This book is almost pure crunch for a race left without a culture. With the tools available in this book, a Half-Orc may forge out his own niche.
   This is a book about inner conflict. Conquering the beast within, giving in to it (there's even a selection of "performance enhancers" and their side-effects), or trying to find the balance.
   This book is probably the most invaluable book for DMs or Players looking to play more than the "dumb brute."
   Oh, and those Half-orc Variants? Try Dwarf/Orc, Orc/Goblin, Orc-tainted humans, Human-tainted orcs, and the rare and nearly blasphemous Elf/Orc!
   This is a MUST HAVE book. I more than highly recommend it.



2. I bought this book at the same time as another D&D half-orc book. This one I prefer because it gives you options for playing half-orcs not as barbarians, but as fighters and magic-users as well. I feel this book covers areas for people wanting to play half-orcs with personalities beyond "Me Thor, Kill". Certainly a full orc might not go much beyond this, but this book seems to take into account that half-orcs are half human as well, and show enough dynamics for you to play the human side as well as the orc side.
   
   Beyond this, it allows for prestige classes that are largely missing from the regular (but huge!) list of prestige classes. For instance my half-orc fighter has an intelligence of 10, and is allowed 2 skill points per level. With an intelligence of 9, she would only be allowed 1 skill point per level. This makes it nearly impossible for her to become anything except an exotic weapon master, which is only a 3 level prestige class, and rather boring to boot. In order for her to become say, a gladiator, she would need to focus on only obtaining the skills necessary for this for about 12 levels with a 10 intelligence, and for 20 levels with a 9 intelligence.
   
   For someone with more intelligence (someone without a -2 intelligence to begin with for example!) these prerequirements make sense, for a half-orc fighter/barbarian they are unreasonable. I feel this book takes that into account, largely by requiring feats instead of an impossible number of skills.
   
   It is nice for there to be something beyond the "dumb jock", but some of us still want to play the dumb jock! My character is a good civilized half-orc fighting her barbaric tendencies. She does not worship Gruumish because she has raised by parents that taught her to worship Gods of good. The Quintessential half-orc addresses her issues. I will (with my DM's approval) be taking the prestige class "The Schizoid" in which her desire to be civilized combats with her barbaric blood to produce multiple personalities. It fits in perfectly with how I envisioned my half-orc.
   
   Beyond prestige classes the book also focuses on half-orc backgrounds that can change the stats of the character, and additional skills and magic just for half-orcs. I don't know how much my DM will allow, since it can become a source for metagaming, but the variation it provides is simply splendid, and certainly with trade-offs this book will be useful for any half-orc in any campaign.

No comments about Xcrawl Color Edition (Xcrawl).

No comments about Parlainth: The Forgotten City (EarthDawn Roleplaying, Book, 18 Treasure & Creature Cards, Fold-Out Map, 6104).

2 comments about Trinity Field Report Alien Races (Trinity).

1. I just got this book and I have to say that White Wolf just keeps making me happier with the Trinity game. This latest in the Field Report books tells you very important and informative information on the 3 main races in the game. This book is a must for any Trinity player or GM!



2. The information of the Three main Alien races in this book is astounding. It gives Gms and Players a like great ideas and settings, along with a few surprises,

No comments about Baron Munchausen.

No comments about WarCraft: Orcs & Humans Official Secrets & Solutions (Gamebuster Series).

3 comments about City State of the Invincible Overlord (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. Its great to have a city book like this. The maps are outstanding. If you're a gamer buy this today



2. This city source book is excellent. It details everything you need to run a city setting, lots of encounter tables, what buildings are where and what they are for, law enforcement and what happends when PCs have a brush with the law, and the maps are excellent. The city has a gritty realistic feel to it in that if you were to step into a city set in a heroic fantasy campign world this is the kind of stuff you would see. Its set in the wilderlands campaign setting but could be used in any setting with little modifcations.



3. Having read this book cover to cover, I must say that I was very impresed by the level of detail. (I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the prisoners in the Overlord's dungeon.) Of course, having used the older Judge's Guild products, I wasn't surprised. Anyone wanting to base a campaign in an urban setting should buy this book either to use as-is or as an inspiration for their own creation. Good stuff.

3 comments about Neither Man Nor Beast (Ravenloft Adventure).

1. This adventure is written as an excellent start for DMs wishing to place their PCs in the Ravenloft setting. Seems more like two adventures at times due to the shipwreck scene. Guest appearence of the Relentless helps set the mood.



2. The adventure has a nice flow to it. It seems at time to be like the iland of doctor Maro (spelling?), but enough surprises to keep players in line and not in front of you.



3. Neither Man nor Beast is an okay quest, but doesn't have anything scary enough to truly bother any player. This adventure is only good if the DM has players that are really starting their first adventure.

1 comments about *OP Tribebook: Fianna (Werewolf).

1. I've seen this book before (from a friend) and have used it once. My opinion on it is very positive- as most tribe or clan books, it helps develop the character with disiplins, rituals, and/or gifts. I highly recomend this and other books of it's type.

2 comments about Path of Shadow (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. This is a great source, it has 19 prestige classes with their respective organization that not only can be applied to the rogue class but also to the ranger and bard classes, their all well balanced, but most importantly you would want to play them all.

   It also has 13 legendary classes, this is a great concept, because it will give you more options for high level campaings, and because the tests you would have to take to achive them would give your DM more material for adventures (and this adventures will be very exiting).

   The art of the book is also great, some people won't like it because it's black & white, but I think it's perfect for a Book called Path of Shadow.

   If you are looking for a great source book with complete information (and that is better than the oficial one) this is it.




2. This little gem contains a number of cool ideas. My players aren't rule lawyers, so they trust me to pull together neat ideas for their characters. Path of Shadow has lots (I mean LOTS) of classes and abilities that you can either use as presented, or do what I do and merge them into existing classes. This is a 3.0 book, but I'm not having any trouble using it with 3.5.