5 comments about Fane of the Forgotten Gods: Dungeon Tiles (D&D Accessory).

1. I was really looking forward to ripping open my two sets of Fane of the Forgotten Gods D&D Dungeon Tile sets. The Dire Tomb sets really re-invigorated my love for Dungeon Tiles after the disappointing Underdark set. Every time I built a dungeon using Dire Tombs I was able to use just about every single piece in the set. I built some multi-floor ziggurat-style dungeons that were large and expansive and a lot of fun.
   
   After opening up one of my two sets of Forgotten Gods, throwing them out on a table, and spending about an hour of trying to build a decent dungeon out of them, I have to say I am disappointed with Fane of the Forgotten Gods.
   
   First, there aren't nearly enough big room pieces. A good set, like Dire Tombs, included three double-sided 8x8 pieces. A good dungeon needs some nice big rooms. Instead, with Forgotten Gods, we only get two and two sides of them aren't rooms but overland buildings. One of them is a stable. A stable! What Forgotten God came from a stable?
   
   Because only two of the five sheets included large rooms, there is an abundance of smaller flavor pieces. I always have a hard time with the flavor pieces. I really don't want single square pieces. I much prefer larger 2x4 pieces with alters or 2x2 flaming cauldron pieces. There are a few nice 4x4 pieces in Forgotten Gods including some sort of sphere of soul catching. There's also some good statue pieces. Overall, however, there are way too many small pieces.
   
   Another complaint I have is the abundance of odd-shaped pieces. There are four corner pieces and a whole bunch of 45 degree aligned pieces. These are extremely difficult to place within a room or line up to any of the other hallways.
   
   I know the Dungeon Tile designers want to make these sets flexible but that flexibility comes at a high cost of usability. I'd much rather have a set with six to eight room pieces (four double sided rooms) and a smaller amount of flavor pieces. Dire Tombs really had the perfect mix of large rooms, good hallways, and nice usable smaller flavor pieces.
   
   I really can't get over that stable. I think I have a stable just like it with the overland dungeon tile set from a while back. Why not have a circular room or some other oddly shaped rooms?
   
   I hope future sets take the approach taken with Dire Tombs and less like Forgotten Gods and the Underdark sets. It shouldn't take a mix of multiple sets to make a good six-room dungeon.
   
   I really like the D&D Dungeon Tile sets now that I figured out the best way to use them. However, sets like Forgotten Gods are disappointing. I hope the designers go back to sets like Dire Tombs and avoid the abundance of smaller pieces over larger room pieces.
   
   Though disappointed with Fane of the Forgotten Gods, I look forward to the next release.



2. I have collected all of the Dungeon Tile sets that Wizards has put out. They are a great aid to the game since they help the DM lay out the adventure better and they greatly aid the players in getting true perspective on the areas. I have given these sets 5 stars in the past but have to give this one a 4. The reason is that after several sets they really should be trying for something different. With 4th Edition D & D at the printer, a wider variety of tiles would help round out the game before the big release in June. Aside from a few triangular rooms and odd shaped hallways, there is really nothing new here. Still very much worth the price but they should really endeavor to vary their products.



3. This was my first set of Dungeon Tiles, and will not be my last. The tiles themselves are very sturdy, so they should last a long time. Since the battle grid is pre-printed on each one, they are ready to play out of the pack. Using these tiles takes about the same amount of time as drawing a dungeon outline on a dry erase board, but they look much better. Plus, no messy erasing! Just pick up the tiles as the players move on, and reuse them for new rooms. The art on the tiles is cool, matching up with the theme of the set.
   
   For gamers that do not play D&D, these tiles are still useful for any game that uses a 1" grid.



4. Another useful tool in the DM's toolbox. These tiles are nice to have to populate your vanilla dungeon. That said, we've already had crypts and corridors. My next wish is to have more variety of outdoor tiles.



5. I'm happy with this product, though it's not quite as good as some of Wizards' other Dungeon Tiles releases. As always, the tiles themselves are sturdy and attractive, and I very much enjoyed the new temple-themed tiles in this set. "Fane of the Forgotten Gods" provides more 45-degree angle pieces than any previous set, so if you're trying to build odd-shaped rooms and corridors, "Fane" may give you just what you want. On the other hand, you will probably find it difficult to build an entire dungeon out of just "Fane" pieces, so you should consider this an add-on product rather than a stand-alone set of tiles.

5 comments about Munchkin.

1. I purchased the starter pack for Munchkin at a local gameshop after hearing about it online and from friends. My husband and I enjoy MMORPG's and he plays D&D & The Game of Thrones card game. I have never really gotten into the typical non computer role-playing games like D&D or card games like Magic. I decided to try this out so we could start gaming together at the game shop. We first tried it out this weekend and it was actually a lot of fun! With 2 people it's not as interesting as it would be with the recommended 3-6 players but even so, we had a lot of fun playing together! I am looking forward to playing with more people and I can't wait to get the other expansions! I would recommend this for ages 10 and up and adults. Some of the game play is confusing at first but after playing 2 rounds I got the hang of it. I am going to buy the next 2 expansions right now!



2. I never got into the D&D games. This game was a satire on that genre. If you aren't a fan of this world then this game is okay. With all the backstabbing which is part of the fun, this game can go on and on and on and on. Also, it really would not be fun to play with just two people. Need a larger crowd for it to be more enjoyable.



3. This is an easy, introduction to role-playing games. A game can be completed in a couple of hours, so it's not as completely time-consuming as true role-playing games. The monsters and weapons are hilarious.



4. A very fun game for a group who's willing to let their dork hair down.



5. I've never played Dungeons & Dragons (which this game is a satire on), but I am a huge fan of board games and card games. Munchkin is a great game for 3 or more people who don't mind being geeks for a few hours. The game combines a heavy dose of D&D satire, witty puns, pop culture, and mild adult humor. The object of the game is to outfit your character with an arsenal of unusual weapons, items, and abilities in order to slay monsters and gain levels. Your friends are doing the same, and you can benefit from both helping and hindering them. The rules can be a little daunting at first, but players pick it up quickly. Plus, all of the cards have explanations on them. With the exception of "The Need for Steed", the expansions add a great amount of variety to the cards without making the game longer or more complicated. "The Need for Steed" does add a small amount of complexity to the game, but does not make the game longer to play. Although playing with 2 players is technically possible, it is a very different experience and does not compare to playing with 3 or more players.

No comments about King of the Trollhaunt Warrens: Adventure P1 (D&D Adventure).

1 comments about Exalted Dreams of the First Age (Exalted).

1. Exalted is my favorite setting from White Wolf, and after years of waiting and wondering what the First Age truly had to offer its inhabitants, now we get a glimpse of the grandeur and power that existed before the Usurpation. The ideas this accessory spawned for my own games as innumerable and I can't wait to put some of these ideas in motion for my players! I highly recommend this boxed set to Exalted fans everywhere, it's got just what you've been looking for!

5 comments about Monster Manual: Core Rulebook III (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. This book is a work of art, and that's just looking at the text. The monsters are much easier to use, with details like their flatfooted AC and their grappling bonus included in their stats. The only thing bad I can say about this book is they removed the two pieces of Elmore art. Maybe they thought it made the other art look bad by comparison.



2. If you like D&D this book will be plain old nerdy fun. For the best monsters to fight and funtastic battles this is a good one.
   
   I bought this book for my boyfriend's 25th birthday. He wants to try his hand at DM-ing a game this summer and of course you'll need a monster manual. Ah, the memories.



3. Everything was here faster than all other orders and in great shape!!!



4. The Monster Manual provides hundreds of monsters, ranging from classic fantasy standbys such as orcs and goblins to downright bizarre creatures such as the digester and rust monster. For someone who plans on running a game of Dungeons & Dragons, it is an essential collection of some of the best monsters in the game.
   
   While the revision of the 3rd edition D&D rules was poorly received due to its release only a few years after the original 3rd edition core books, the Monster Manual is definitely an improvement over the original. That's not to say that the original was lacking, but the revision provides more monsters, more templates, and an overall better layout than its predecessor. More creatures equal more mayhem, which equals more fun in most D&D games. With so many monsters, one can play D&D for years without exhausting all of the options available in the core books alone.
   
   Like the other 3.5 core books, however, the Monster Manual does have its share of weaknesses. Specifically, the rules for improving and advancing monsters are not very well presented, making altering a monster more of a process of guesstimation than anything else. Also, unlike the excellent Monstrous Manual of 2nd edition, this volume contains very little on the way of ecology or personality for the monsters. We don't know how a beholder or a displacer beast acts when they are on their own without adventurers harassing them. Instead, each monster is essentially a piece of art with some combat statistics next to it. True, that's probably most of what you'll need in a D&D game, but it would be useful to have some information for gamers whose role-playing desires extend beyond combat.
   
   Overall, the Monster Manual is the essential tome of critters both malevolent and benign for your D&D game. Despite its warts, it is an improvement over the 3rd edition monster book, and provides enough information on its own to keep adventuring groups everywhere busy for quite a while.



5. As one of the core books for D&D 3.5 this a must for DM's and players. The only reason I don't give the book 5 stars is because there should have been a better index and the few typos should have been fixed after the 1st printing. But, to have the iconic monsters to use or study in you're 3.5 campaign you have to have this book. Buy it now! heh :)

1 comments about Lords of Summer (Changeling: the Lost).

1. The fourth book in White-Wolf's Changeling: the Lost gameline, Lords of Summer gives a look at the courtly intrigues of the Changelings. At long last, we get to see how freeholds operate (and come into conflict with one another) and, more importantly, the way that the Court structure comes up. Each of the four Seasonal Courts gets a write up in this book, giving background on their philosophies, lifestyles and recruitment, from the fear-mongering mystics of the Autumn Court to the wild revelry of the Spring Court to the hidden secrets of the Winter Court to the brutal warrior ways of the Summer Court, each one is examined. Not only that, we also learn more about the various rituals practiced by the different courts, the reasons behind their favored emotions and how that colors their perceptions, and perhaps most importantly, the various titles used by the Courts, and their roles.
   
   However, lest you go thinking this is just a book of politics, war and Changeling rites, it also has a fair amount of crunch. Each of the Courts gets a new, thematic Contract list, and a new Entitlement, and the whole second half of the book is full of them. The Contracts were actually fairly nice, especially Verdant Spring (which focuses on Spring's association with passion) and Spellbound Autumn (focusing on Autumn's role a Fae magicians). All in all theres about a dozen of them, ranging from the Lord Sages of the Unknown Reaches (who study other supernaturals) to the Magi of the Gilded Thorn (Autumn Courtiers who explore the Hedge) to the Eternal Echoes (who record the experiences of Changelings) to the Guild of the Goldspinners (literally money-makers) to the Lost Pantheon (who seek to become literal Gods) to the Barony of the Lesser Ones (who seek to dominate Hobgoblins). In addition to Court specific Entitlements, we also get two Seeming-specific ones (a messenger service for the Fairest, and an Ogre/Elemental masonic guild), and one that expends on the role of oneiromancy.
   
   Over all, this book is a very solid addition to anyone seeking to expand on the role of Freehold and Court in Changeling. While the Contracts were very nice, the Entitlements didn't jump out at me nearly as much as the ones in 'Winter Masques'. Still, no doubt some players (and STs) will find more use for these many Entitlements. Nor does it expand on the alternate Courts offered in 'Winter Masques' (the East Asian Directional Courts and the Slavic Sun/Moon Courts). Either way, it will certainly add a great deal of depth and dimension to any Changeling game. Well worth picking up. I'd recommend picking up both this and 'Winter Masques,' which expands not only on Seeming and Kith, but also adds more multi-cultural options for those seeking variation in their Changeling games. Players will appreciate having both present.

5 comments about Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebook Set (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Three Book Slipcased Set).

1. My 8 year old son found all of my old D&D stuff from 25 years ago. He really likes the game so I bought the 3.5 core rule set (I have the original AD&D books which are out of date). Buying the boxed set allows you to save a little money (as opposed to buying the three books individually). There have been a lot of changes to the core rules since I last played. The books are great. They contain lots of information, and they are very organized.



2. This is a really good set for those who enjoy Dungeons & Dragons game play.Although a little more involved than what I remeber from years ago when I played it last.Still very pleased with this set.All at a great price too.Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebook Set (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Three Book Slipcased Set)



3. I started D&D with this and it has helped me tremendously. Everyone I know-new and experienced refers to these three books all the time. They are the foundations of the D&D game. This 3 in 1 package is also a great deal, saving you money, and I also love the slipcase the books come in.



4. The boxed core set is great. You get the main books you need to get started and at a great price. Well worth it.



5. I'd give it more stars, as it does seem to have the best of 3.0 with some new (and older) ideas, but we really haven't started getting into it seriously with our game group quite yet to judge (we've been playing off and on with various groups on our own since the late 1970's, and remember the old 3 book core system...as in three little chapbooks and a set of LOW-impact dice. And yes, I AM a female gamer in real life...).
   
   From what I've seen so far, though, there's nothing too different to make me go, "HEY! That sucks!" and quite a lot that I like (the lack of Class-Only skills being among them. Part of the "older ideas" was in folding such things back into the class as part of its description). When 3.5 was first released, I was annoyed that Hasbro seemed to change "only" 30 pages here, 40 pages there, 20 pages some other place (with some of that just new art...whoop-dee-doo) within the core books, thus necessitating purchasing three new books at hardback prices, just for those changes. We would've more quickly coughed up half that price to obtain those 20-40 new pages here and there as Addenda, Corrections, whatevers in paperback book (or downloadable PDF) form and been happy.
   
   But with 4.0 coming out (and with all I've heard about that, I am in NO hurry to invest [literally] in that whatsoever; whatever that thing is, it is NOT D&D, AD&D, or anything resembling any permutation of it...maybe a video game, more likely), the 3.5 books are more reasonably priced now (as in, usually on sale everywhere), and were worth the cost. Not to mention, compatible with Paizo's excellent Pathfinder series!
   
   Plus, the slipcase is cool. Unwieldy in a backpack, but still cool. ;->

5 comments about Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. My 9-year-old grandson received the guide and the game for Christmas. He used the guide often and found it to be helpful and easy to use. It provides good definitions and directions. It helped him find treasure chest items that he otherwise would not have found. He found some information to be confusing, for example: at the end of the fire temple, it was hard to defeat the boss because the directions were not clear. In spite of this, he loved the guidebook.



2. I recieved The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for my DS lite on Christmas. After that, I searched for the matching Guidebook, since I like being 'complete' and guide books point out all the secrets & bonuses in a game that you'd probably never find otherwise. As a rule, I normally only purchase the Official Nintendo Power Strategy guides, but due to nintendo power's hiatus and changing the writers of nintendo power magazine, I soon found out that there was no official nintendo power guide for phantom hourglass .. and normally I don't like third party guides or third party merchandise. But since I needed a guide and this was basically the 'official' one, I bought it while I was in canada (it came to about CAD $27.) I have since beaten the game, with only 2 treasure maps and a bunch of ship parts to find. So, I bought prima's paper-back 'Premiere' Guide. (There was also the Hardcover guide which came with a bunch of stuff, but I liked this one more, plus, that one was more expensive.)
   
   However .. there are a few gripes about this guide, even though it is well laid out, for the most part, well written, well designed, comes with a poster and a checklist, etc .. and those are:
   
   a few spelling/grammar errors
   some things aren't as clear as they could be
   a checklist for the different kinds of fish would have been nice
   
   Now, for a established company that produces game guides, I would expect them to at least proof read or spell check their guides before actually printing and selling them. It doesn't feel too great when you purchase something for this amount and the company didn't even take the time to spell check for any errors.
   
   Other then that, the checklist was handy and the poster was nice. The guide is actually VERY thick and heavy, and it has a extensive part on battle mode.
   
   Imo, Nintendo Guides are usually the best.



3. Has everything you could possible think of or need to help you with the game. Very illustrative too, pictures for everything demonstrating their techniques.



4. This game is incredible. The clarity on the Nintendo DS and the gameplay is Awesome. Highly recommend this game if you are a Zelda fan. And purchasing from Amazon.com has always been a pleasure! I have not been let down yet.



5. Most of the info in the book seems to be accurate. There are a couple spots in the game that I had to look some manuevers up online because the book either wasn't clear or omitted certain instructions. Again, for the most part the book is a lifesaver! :-)

No comments about The Underworld (The Compass of Celestial Directions).

No comments about Dark Heresy: The Inquisitor's Handbook (Warhammer 40000 Roleplay: Dark Heresy).