2 comments about Vampire Carthians (Vampire).

1. I actually feel like I went through a really cool political science course with nifty vampire powers after reading this book. What VII is to the Sabbat, Carthians is to the Anarchs. I'm not going to sit down and tell you all the bloodlines, cool powers, and factions--of which there are plenty. What I will tell you is this book does an impressive job of covering complex political diversity in a game session that is very interesting and entertaining. It covers political evolution, and how societies (kindred and mortal)change over time. I really can't praise the covenent books enough.
   
   Hobbie



2. Carthians presents extended information on one of the five major political factions presented in Vampire: The Requiem. A lengthy discussion of what Carthians are like, how their diverse political experiments function, and what happens when those experiments fail is presented. New game mechanics including Bloodlines, Disciplines, Devotions, and a covenant specific ability called Carthian Law are all included as well.
   
   If you like the idea of the Carthian Movement, an idea focused around taking the best of human thought and applying it to vampiric life, but wanted more information then this is the product for you. This product provides a full description of the movement including subfactions, major beliefs, and interrelationships with the rest of the vampiric world. While many new mechanics are added to support this group the vast majority of the book is a flavorful presentation of the Carthians that creates an interesting, believable organization.

2 comments about Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds (Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Rules Supplements).

1. After a wait of several months, gamers finally have a new SWRPG sourcebook in the form of Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds. If you've read Coruscant and the Core Worlds then you know the pattern that this sourcebook follows as well. While there are some gaps, players and GM's will probably be slightly more interested in this sourcebook than its older sibling, because as we all know, most of the actual action in the Star Wars universe takes place in the Outer Rim!

   Let's cover the aesthetics first. As usual, the SWRPG team has given us another attractive book. The image of a Republic gunship blasting its way through the sky is pretty darn cool. Between the covers this book is full-color throughout with a large amount of quality original artwork. There are a handful of photos this time as well. In short, it just feels like a Star Wars sourcebook.

   On to the content. The book's main focus is on 29 Outer Rim worlds. Each planet receives an overview which includes vital statistics, a basic description, a short history, a description of its people (if any), and a selection of important locations. Each planet also has a GM-only section that includes a few adventure ideas, new NPCs, and any new races, creatures, or equipment. Note that there are no new feats or prestige classes at all. Minor worlds like Roon and Kintan receive an average of 5 pages of attention, while major worlds like Geonosis and Kamino receive 8-11 pages each. Again, keep in mind that each entry is a generous but broad overview, not an exhaustive description.

   Most worlds, like Bespin, Dathomir, and Ossus have appeared in the movies or novels at some point. Some worlds seem to be brand new. However, three notable worlds are missing entirely: Hoth, Naboo, and Tatooine. Sure, Hoth doesn't have a lot going on, but a page or two would have been nice for the sake of completeness. The authors also explain that Naboo and Tatooine were left out because they already have their own sourcebooks. And they do- but they were (in my opinion) mediocre sourcebooks that are now years out of print. I understand the logic, but it's not an omission I care for. On the other hand, the authors state in the foreward that they may produce a second volume on the Outer Rim if there is sufficient interest. I hope they do.

   I also found it interesting that the table of contents lists the NPC's, creatures, equipment, and other extras by page number, and not in alphabetical order. That's not a choice that I would have gone with, but everything is still listed by category as well, so locating an entry is still easy enough.

   As a player, the main thing I like about this sourcebook is how sharply the worlds contrast with each other. That makes for excellent character background material. As a GM, I really liked the adventure hooks. The authors have taken the hooks a step further by linking some of the worlds together for two-part adventure ideas. That was a nice touch.

   There are also 86 new NPCs (each with a personality and background, and most linked to a specific planet), 15 new species, 10 new pieces of equipment, 10 new vehicles, 1 new starship, 28 new creatures, and 1 new droid. The vast array of new NPCs and creatures in particular seem to provide a wealth of options for roleplaying, combat, or just as a spur for new ideas.

   And oh yes... there are many maps as well. Compared to previous books, map quality has really improved. The maps are bigger than they have been, and finally, every single one actually has a key! In fact, the map of the Great Temple on Yavin IV takes up a whole page and is perfect for anyone running a Rebellion or New Jedi Order campaign.

   Overall, despite a few flaws and ommissions, Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds is a good, solid reference. Players will like it for its wide array of background material, and GMs will also appreciate the ready-made worlds, adventure hooks, NPCs, and creatures. In short, this is fertile soil for any campaign that ventures into the Outer Rim.




2. Its a good book for any star wars rpger.

3 comments about The Manual of Exalted Power: Dragon-Blooded (Exalted Second Edition).

1. All in all, I'm enjoying the 'recasting' of Exalted, and this book is no exception. This book greatly expands on the first edition book, and with the Realm setting shunted off into a companion volume (Compass of Celestial Directions 1: the Blessed Isle), the extra room is well-used in presenting Dragon-Blooded society, along with great ideas on how to run a DB-based campaign, as well as how to leverage DB's in a Solar-based campaign.



2. Ok somehow the guys and girls at white wolf already know how to do excellent books and superb things. This is a great book. The first edition also was excellent but this second edition rulebook is AWESOME.
   
   Full of great charms, rules, animas even better, more things to do and have.
   The story is full of possibilties, every House is great and all trademark characters have been redefined. WOAW.
   
   A must have. Trust me.
   Worth every cent! [or pesos]



3. This is a great book
   
   Exalted dragon-Blooded 1ed wos great but 2ed just as good fire aspect so get this book if you wot a Dragon-blooded.

5 comments about Guide to the Technocracy (Mage: The Ascension).

1. Guide to the Technocracy is an excellent book, it tells pretty accurately MUCH things about Technocratic Union, something else than "Big, monolithic and faceless organisation". If you want to play Sci-Fi in Mage: The Ascension, this book is recommended.



2. I love this book. Any player for mage should at least browse through this book. It breaks down the 2nd major mage faction, and proves that at least two of the four sides aren't bad guys. The book infact makes one see the Traditions as the guys without the plan and who are wrong.

   The first Chapters talk about who the Technocracy is. They aren't the monolith that the Tradition mages make them seem like. They are orginized enough to seem like a monolith but they aren't. Neither is the Technocracy people, their are people higher up in the Pyramid who are evil but most people are what would pass as normal people.

   The next rules chapters are full of all types of treats. Tons of new backgrounds including Modifications (Cybernetics and Bioengineering), Patron and Requisitions. These all can lead to story ideas in themselves. Their are tons of technocratic rotes, that help a person to think of "magic" as anything but Magic. Tons of Devices, aka Talismans, are included with a wide variety of uses, and other odd "crunchy" statistical things. On the whole this book is very interesting and is almost as essential as the corebook if you want info on the other major faction of mages.




3. Probably one of the better WoD books ive read, it makes the technocracy very playable; taking away the stereotype of them being stoic, evil and always using Star-Trek speech. Good buy.



4. The Guide to the Technocracy presents the Ascension Wars from the Techs' perspective, making them defenders of reality from the horrors of egocentric and irresponsible Reality deviants. Welcome to the "Men in Black" vision of reality, to protect the masses of humanity from the hordes of crazies.

   The book is charged with much source material, history, perspectives and how to run interesting Technocracy players and games. The weaknesses are more in the game mechanisms, which do not truly give away a Technocracy feeling.

   Rotes and equipement are a weak part, but the greatest failure is that Technocrat 'mages' are still described in game mechanisms as typical mages fooling themselves in using technology. As such, techies are less powerful than other mages. Moreover, the usual White Wolf left-leaning anarchist worldview remains omnipresent, and the reader can't help getting the overall feeling Technocrats (except perhaps for Void Engineers) are the bad guys after all, however just their cause. This is something weak, more emphasis should have been given to portraying Tradition mages as terrorists and roving maniacs.




5. When I was first introduced to Mage:TA, I wondered why everyone thought the Technocratic Union were the antagonists. After reading a few of the first convention books I could see why. As much as I loved the group from the beginning, I had to admit they weren't suitable for play.

   With the release of Guide to the Technocracy, it seemed as though the whole Union had been reorganized. Not only are the Technocrats more human, their goals are geared more towards the protection of humanity from the horrors of the unknown. White Wolf did a really good job with this book. It succeeded in making a former faceless monolith into a living entity with a feel of humanity. The Technocracy tries to be the good-guys, but like with any group, there are always those who are in the gray areas. The Technocracy is not better or worse than the Traditions. They are just another group of mages who believe in science and reason.

   The history of the Union was a fascinating read and the art is alright. The book has all the information you need to create a Technocratic agent along with info on a handful of procedures, cybernetics, and devices. The information on the various conventions is detailed enough so that the previous guides are not really needed, though they can still be helpful.

   This book is a must for any fan of the Technocracy. It flows smoothly and really improves on the once monolithic and inhuman Union. It is perfect for players who want to play secret agents, cyborgs, deep space explorers, space marines, or any other modern or sci-fi character.

4 comments about GURPS Martial Arts.

1. Exhaustively researched and painstakingly compiled, this compendium is a must read for both gaming enthusiasts and also martial arts practitioners.



2. GURPS Martial Arts for 4th edition is a mature product that embodies the professionalism and attention to detail found in all GURPS products. This hardbound volume encompasses all previous editions of GURPS Martial Arts, and more than just updating them to 4th edition, matures them by keeping what has worked and cleaning up issues found from previous editions. This places GURPS Martial Arts among the most thoroughly play tested supplements on the market today. I consider this product to be one of the GURPS "core" books in my collection.



3. Well organized, clearly written, and chock full of information.
   
   This book contains a great deal of material any melee character will find useful, regardless of if their preferred kind of combat involves empty hands or a weapon. Unlike the 3rd Edition softcover, this book does not focus on hand-to-hand styles to the exclusion of all else.



4. I can't possibly do this book justice. I've barely skimmed the sections on martial-arts history, campaign ideas, or sample characters: all my time has been spent thinking about tactics with the new combat possibilities. New rules come mostly in the form of new combat techniques and options (Committed Attack, Defensive Grip, etc.) and are nicely modular so you can use only the ones that support the flavour your group is looking for (cinematic, chambara, unarmed, etc.) without an combinatoric increase in complexity. The new techniques are intended primarily as new combat options and only secondarily as something to spend points on--Jeet Kune Do specializes in feints and counterattacks, for instance, but it's made clear that that's as much a combat-roleplaying guideline as a rule for point-allocation (you may choose to just raise Karate instead of Karate/Counterattack technique, and that's fine). The section on Style Perks is really neat, and fixes some GURPS Basic annoyances (in Basic, buying Off-Hand-Weapon technique is crazy because it's always cheaper to buy ambidexterity; in GURPS: MA e.g. Off-Hand-Shortsword is a perk costing 1 point instead of a technique) as well as having some cool new perks (shtick: flicking blood off your sword as a free-action Intimidation attempt). In several cases, GURPS: MA supplies optional rules that let me throw out my house rules by providing the flavour I was looking for but couldn't create with GURPS: Campaigns rules (heroic D&D-style combat, for instance, with Chambara rules + Combinations + Counterattack + Targetted Attack + Multiple Blocks + Special Exercises for extra HP). At the same time, the principled approach toward new rules, such as favoring techniques over ad hoc special abilities for styles, avoids balance problems that plagued the old 3E approach toward martial arts while maintaining the "coolness" factor of super-skilled martial artists. (In 3E, for instance, Combinations were basically a too-cheap Extra Attack; in the new book Combinations are a variant of Rapid Strike which allows you to buy off the -6 penalty but are easier to defend against if used multiple times).
   
   The book is packed with content and even better than the old 3E Martial Arts book by at least a factor of 2. When I put it together with rules from GURPS GULLIVER I have practically everything I want in terms of combat verisimilitude. The best GURPS 4E book I have seen yet.
   
   -Max

5 comments about Ordo Dracul (Vampire: The Requiem).

1. The Ordo Dracul book was a great read all around. Gave you a look into those that search for the "Great Works" and life beyond vampirism.
   
   With the new Coils and secretive subsect "Sworns" and new bloodlines, it is a great book. Definately a good read for those just interested in the covenent or wanting to play a Dragon character.



2. I just recieved this book in the mail today and it is everything the other reviews have said. Just excellenct. The history, the bloodlines, the new coils, all of it.



3. Ordo Dracul provides a detailed presentation of the Covenant of the same name. The Ordo Dracul is similar to a cross between hermetic mages, philosophers, researchers, and Masons all rolled together into one large organization focused on understanding and mastering the vampiric condition. An overview of the history of the Covenant, its beliefs, traditions, factions, government, and other similar information is provided. New Bloodlines, Disciplines, Devotions, and Coils are logically connected to new and existing groups within the Covenant.
   
   The best thing this product has going for it is that the Ordo is interesting. The internal government is unique and fun, the actual ways Covenant members go about studying vampirism are clever (and at times unusual, embracing weird and ancient science), and the factions lurking on the periphery are such that many players will find something of interest. On the downside, the focus on the extremely inhuman deeds that Dragons regularly perform may turn some players off to the product and otherwise shift a campaign's focus away from Humanity and on to vampiric society and science. This isn't a bad thing necessarily, but the Covenant does tend towards murder (in order to engage in social science) and extreme self mutilation (in order to create a new mental state).



4. It was inspiring to read and gave me a better view of the Ordo Dracul. It had just enough history and enough about the current workings of the covernant. It really made me want to tell a story with the Ordo Dracul as a main covernant.



5. ORDO DRACUL is a sourcebook for the roleplaying game VAMPIRE: THE REQUIEM by White Wolf. It is meant for both players and storytellers, to provide information on the vampire covenant and occult society, the Ordo Dracul (or Order of the Dragon). The covenant is one of the most important groupings in VAMPIRE: THE REQUIEM, because membership reflects a philosophical choice by the characters rather than the vagaries of circumstance. The Ordo Dracul is probably the most secretive of the five major covenants, using its occult teachings to actually remake the vampiric physiology. Although this is a relatively small and recently-formed covenant, it has a lot of secrets. ORDO DRACUL reveals those secrets to both storytellers and players.
   
   ORDO DRACUL, like all White Wolf books, begins with introductory fiction to help set the mood. Like the other covenant books, the intro fiction is printed on distinctive paper, separate from the rest of the book. I wouldn't say that the intro fiction of ORDO DRACUL adds a lot to this book, but it is good in its own regard. The following chapters, like the other covenant books, describe the history of the covenant, night-to-night activity within the covenant, relations between covenant memebers, factions, bloodlines, disciplines, special abilities, and sample characters.
   
   The history of the covenant is short, as befits its relatively recent nature; although the reader picks up much more history in chapters on other subjects. This can be irritating when you need to find some critical bit of historical info but can't remember in which section it was related. There is some historical and fictional information on Vlad Dracul, and then some history of his three brides and their establishment of the covenant in the Victorian period as a real force. And above all, the overriding belief in the power of change.
   
   the chapter on night-to-night unlife is large, and deals with many different topics. The philosophy of the covenant is discussed: change, when it is useful and when it isn't, and the pursuit of the Great Work. Wyrm's nests are discussed, as well as the uses and identification methods used to catalog them. The idea of Coils of the Dragon is discussed, what they mean, how the covenant views them, and how to achieve them (or fake having them). There is a lot of information on the Ordo Dracul as a secret society; the positions, factions, competing lodges. There are titles, ranks, codes, and oaths as any good secret society should. There is also information on the dealings of the Ordo Dracul with other covenants and even other supernatural creatures.
   
   The chapter on relationships details the duties and privileges of the Ordo Dracul ranks (as indicated by Status and Coil dots). Probably the most interesting part of this chapter is exploring the prospective student's virtues and vices with Tarot cards. Each card represents a binary choice, and the choice differentiates between one virtue and another, or one vice or another. The Course of Darkness tests are quite interesting, because the choice is only between one vice or another.
   
   The chapter on factions and bloodlines is longer than that in LANCEA SANCTUM. The bloodlines have some unique aspects, like power over ghosts, but they stand out because of the amount of flavor text with each group. What I really like about the BLOODLINES books was not their direct applicability but the ability to serve as plot ideas, and the bloodlines in ORDO DRACUL serve that purpose well. There are also two factions of particular interest; the Sworn of the Locust and the Ladder (followers of Mara and Anoushka). One is based on the purging of morality, while the other seeks its greatest potential. Both are considered heresies to be stamped out. The bloodline disciplines are listed in the next chapter, along with the apocryphal coils of Anoushka's Ladder and the Way of the Locust. There are also many devotions based on a coil + a discipline, which can have unique results. Finally, there is a chapter on pre-generated characters, including "fake" Draculas.
   
   I thought that ORDO DRACUL is a great sourcebook, with information that is necessary for characters planning to be members of the Order. There is plenty of secret society stuff that will make roleplaying a dragon very interesting. It isn't as useful, though, as books on the Lancea Sanctum or the Invictus because the covenant is small and secretive, which means that it has less potential to be part of the background unless players want to actively investigate it.

5 comments about Scion: Demigod (Scion).

1. Ok... know i understand why they wanted to move the delivery of the books to Feb 2... the binding as has happened before with a few other WW books... simply sucks.... (considering my finances i was hoping it really appeared so far away) i got my copy today and when i simply opened it, the beautiful painting both in the back and the front ripped appart close to where the book closes... i was appaled... but i finished putting plastic over the covers to protect it... i used tape to stop further damage (not bein from USA makes it suck waiting for mail exchanges) and sat to enjoy the rest of the book... i have read close to nothing... but the art in general is awesome... i recomend it greatly... in 6 months or 1 year when they take out the 2nd edition with better binging.



2. The second installment of the Scion mini series. The children of the Gods are growing in Legend and Power...and graduating from saving the day to saving the world.
   
   Themes explored in this game is becoming more divine than human and the probelms that can cause...as well as the more power comes more responsibilty and graver consequences.
   
   This does need Scion:Hero to play, in case you are browsing...this is a continuation of the game that begins in Scion: Hero.



3. The successor to Scion:Hero and predecessor to Scion: God (comming out in a week). This game pits godlike heroes against titans and mythic antagonists in a modern/urban-fantasy milieu. The best roleplaying game for mythic heroes that are more powerful than your standard superhero. Think Neil Gaiman's American Gods.
   
   No wonder White Wolf wins gaming awards. Because of books with amazing production values like these.



4. While I like the concept behind the Scion game, I really can't recommend either Scion: Demigod or Scion: God to anyone but Storytellers. From a player's perspective these books are a very bad value. Scion: Demigod and Scion: God each contain about 50 pages of useful player information detailing Epic (and Ultimate) Attributes, Boons, and Knacks at the Demigod and God levels respectively. In a move to get players to buy these books before their characters reach those levels of power, White Wolf has also thrown in some Knacks that can be bought at any power level, even just starting out. Everything else in these two books is of no real use to anyone but a Storyteller. Given the high list price of these books thats a terrible value for your money.



5. This book should be purchased only after you or someone in your gaming group owns Scion: Hero also by White Wolf. Hopefully you'd have realized that before buying it.
   
   While this book was well done and delivered what it needed, I did have some problems.
   
   (Chapter by Chapter)
   
   As someone else suggested, it's not really for players. If the Storyteller/GM/DM is prepared to read it cover to cover (should be a requirement) the players will only really be concerned with the knacks/epic attribute boost/boons.
   
   The opening fiction in the beginning is a lot like that in hero: Inspired but not inspiring. It sets the mood for people who maybe didn't have the imagination to get the feeling from the rest of the book. They're an interesting read but awfully long.
   
   The next sectoin shows the story and updated character sheets to the 6 'setting' characters that are also used for the adventure in the end. I suppose it is useful to see any calculations for soak and things of that nature but generally I find myself wishing they'd been placed in the back or gone al-together.
   
   Epic Attributes and Knacks is the next chapter, and one I was most excited about. I'm a big white-wolf fan, but I was let down. The scions now have the ability to gain automatic successes like crazy (they are divine after all) but there aren't any great examples of seeing the highest epic strength in action. There is a lift/carry chart in the first book with some examples but it requires crafty playing. Some of the boons (esp. the physical ones) were a waste. They basically said "super duper" instead of "super" and then repeated the same formula- Scions can break things, throw things, and jump around really well. This would have been evident by having 22 automatic successes affiliated with the previous boons. Social and Mental abilities become more impressive, but some of them (especially appearance) could've been summed up by having 22 automatic successes with appearance rolls. I've also always enjoyed the interaction with humans in the White Wolf games, weather you were a vampire neonate or a walking god in Exalted. It seems like demigod just gave the finger to normal NPCs, because any sort of epic attributes will fix any problems.
   
   Boons: Great chapter. The boons become truly divine although a few of them leave something to be desired, but a vast improvement (entertainment and mechanics) over hero.
   
   Unknown Lands: 2 sections, Terra Incognitae and the Underworld. Terra seemed interesting, but it could have had more- which is an undertaking left to the storyteller to create more interesting other-worldly places. t
   
   The underworld section in unknown lands is AMAZING. Instant 5 star. It explorers in depth the mythology of the lands of the dead, locales, customes, and then ties it in well to the scion story line. I also really enjoyed the entry ways- architecture, natural features etc. REALLY well done.
   
   Heroic Saga: the next chapter is like 58 pages and is a pre-fabricated adventure for the 6 signature characters. I wasn't very impressed with the first books and this is alright but not somethingI would use in its entirety.
   
   Antagonists: The final chapter, well done but leaves something to be desired. I'd rather have half of the saga and opening story and double-triple this section.
   
   OVERALL-
   
   Good game and solid follow up but it leaves something to be desired. The immense power that is attainable in this book for the characters turns off a need for interaction with normal humans a lot (IMO) but at the same time- they're almost gods now. Like Exalted games there is a lot of work to be done by the storyteller to get things running smoothly but even with more amazing powers the game runs smoothly. The underworld development was AMAZINGLY done and very jaw dropping- one of the best gaming locals I've read. There is still some fluff (opening fic, signature characters, long un-necessary adventure) but they do help set the mood and for people that use them they could be very helpful. If I could I'd give it a 3.5 star or higher but the lack of originality under the knacks really kills me. Over all if you liked the first book this is a worthy sequel.

5 comments about Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (Dungeons & Drangons: Living Greyhawk Campaign).

1. In the long history of the Greyhawk canon there are many books that shine, and this is no exception. The writing duo of Mona and Holian is simply brilliant; they approach the matter of Greyhawk with the utmost care, detailing every aspect of change over the last twenty years and proving what a deeply engrossing world Greyhawk truly is. You'll spend many hours enjoying this book. Let's hope for another Greyhawk release soon.



2. This is an excellent sourcebook for a number of reasons. First of all, it focuses very strongly on the organizations, heroes, and villains that make the wheels in this dynamic campaign setting turn. For that alone, it is an excellent resource for Dungeon Masters. Second, while it centers on stories, it is light on rules, giving the Dungeon Master the uptmost flexibility for running his campaign when deciding what to allow and what not to allow. Finally, it is a quite compelling read. You'll find yourself immersed in the lore of the Ur-Flan, delving into the mysteries that keep the Silent Ones of Keoland so silent, amused by the bickering of the gods, and delighted by the heroic exploits of organizations like the Circle of the Eight and the Knights of the Holy Shielding. This is a must-have for any D&D fan. If you're a long-time fan of Greyhawk, you'll happily reminesce of days gone past while seeing what your favorite heroes and villains have been up to. If you're new to the setting, you'll find yourself in a world full of life, vigor, and rich history the likes of which will leave you thirsting for adventure.



3. A gentleman writes about his concern over Wizards of the West Coast decision to turn over Greyhawk to the RPGA. The major focus of his review was for the most part positive. He cited the authors devotion to detail for each of the countries and expressed his admiration over such detail concerns as Orc populations in a particular region.
   The Gazateer, to me, represents an ongoing creative impetus began by those wily Wizards of the West Coast, that has caught on so well that many, many, many volumes and texts now exist describing events in the Greyhawk setting. I like the adherance to what the game was all about, campaigning over vast expanses of territory and encountering diverse situations. I also like the idea that if this campaign setting were turned over to the RPGA, the possibilities and potential for growth and expansion in each of the character core classes would be limitless. Having a real world wide organization handle the duties of gathering information and bring in new and prospective players to the Greyhawk setting takes a great deal of the work out of the game for players and Dungeon Masters alike and puts the fun back into role playing.
   I enjoy reading the Gazette from my own home town. It keeps me in touch with others in the community, as well as informed about events that occur around the world. What a great way to chronicle events in an imaginary world where real individuals and groups participate to play out fictional characters, storylines, and events.
   Indeed it does happen to be refreshing that Greyhawk has remained true to its principles, even to the point of having minimal room for such classes as ninjas. Great work guys, keep it up! Patrick Driscoll, Admirer of the Greyhawk Lineage.



4. The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (LGG hereafter) is the latest incarnation of one of the very first published roleplaying campaign settings. Initially released in the early 1980s, Greyhawk had its start as the homebrew setting of Dungeons & Dragons co-creator E. Gary Gygax and was the primal stomping ground from which many of the game's most distinctive offbeat tropes emerged.
   
   How does this venerable setting hold up after more than twenty-five years? Remarkably well, all things considered.
   
   Before we proceed any further, however, into what the LGG is, I want to make it very clear what it is not:
   
   1. The LGG is not a "crunchy" book. This alone sets it apart from not only most other D&D products, but most other roleplaying books period. The LGG contains not one single new prestige class, spell, feat, magic item, or monster. In fact, it also doesn't include statistics for any of the various NPCs mentioned throughout the text. Not a one. The writers had only 192 pages to work with and apparently chose to forsake such things entirely in favor of packing the LGG to the gills with details on history, cultures, politics, theology, and geography. Whether this is a strength or a weakness is up to you. Personally, as someone who enjoys D&D-style games without D&D-style rules, I found this virtually systemless format to be ideal for use with other rulesets.
   
   2. The LGG is not a pretty book. Despite beautiful cover art, the LGG is far from pleasing to the eye overall. Moreover, it's softcover, a turn-off for some.
   
   3. While the LGG does present the framework of a great campaign, there is no attempt made to match the sheer level of minute detail present in settings like Forgotten Realms and Kingdoms of Kalamar. Rather, the LGG's focus is on the big picture: Gods, geography and broad national and ethnic divisions. If you want a setting that details every little rut in the backroads, Greyhawk is simply not it. As someone who specifically doesn't want a world with a "canon" answer to everthing and few real mysteries and spaces left to fill-in myself, this aspect appeals to me. In the end, there's no right answer. It all comes down to how much setting detail is not enough for you, how much is too much, and how much is just right.
   
   4. Greyhawk is not "fresh", "new", or "out there." As the original home of most of the classic Gygaxian D&D tropes, Greyhawk doesn't feature the clever (and often more than a little subversive) takes on them that defined such settings as Spelljammer and Planescape. If you still enjoy thoroughly "vanilla" D&D-style gaming, Greyhawk may be the world for you. If you don't, keep looking.
   
   Now that the disclaimers are out of the wat, there's a lot I like about the World of Greyhawk.
   
   Firstly, it has a nice feel to it. While not truly "dark fantasy" like, say, Ravenloft or Midnight, Greyhawk has a very gritty, dangerous tone about it. True strongholds of good are few and far between and there's a real sense that the only reason evil hasn't overwhelmed the entire continent yet is because its various factions don't work together too well.
   
   To borrow an old cliche, there's a lot of "gray" in Greyhawk. The city of Rel Astra is ruled by a reanimated corpse and his advisor, a two-headed demon. The people don't seem to mind, though, because while technically "evil", he's also a damn fine mayor. Greyhawk is just the kind of world where evil guys sometimes make better landlords.
   
   Another good example is the Theocracy of the Pale, a nation run by clerics of the Lawful Good god Pholtus. Sounds like a nice place, right? Wrong. Turns out that Pholtus is a great guy...as long as you happen to believe that his way is the One True Way. Disagree and you'll be handed over to the Inquisition before you know it. Bad times. In fact, the Pale would be much more likely to unite with a band of Lawful Evil Hextorians to wipe out some Chaotic Good elves than vice-versa, as disorder and lack of respect for Law are much more offensive to their stern god than Evil. Overall, only the Planescape setting does a better job supporting the oft-neglected Law-Neutrality-Chaos axis of the D&D alignment system.
   
   All this adds up to a lot of potenial angles a good GM can work. A group with a hankering for a straightforward Tolkien-style "stop the Big Bad Evil Guy" campaign can be pitted against Iuz. One that wants more politics and less "Good versus Evil" can choose beween a number of good or neutral nations that go to war all the time over the very same religious, ethnic, nationalistic, or economic pretenses that abound in our own history. One that just wants to ignore the big picture altogether in favor of rooting around in dungeons is well-provided for, as well.
   
   Furthermore, Greyhawk has virtually no major NPC heroes in its canon. Most of the good NPCs described in the book are rulers. As politicians, they can't just grab a sword and march off to slay orcs. The closest thing the setting has to "iconic NPCs" are the various mages of the Circle of Eight, but they're far from do-gooders. In fact, thier philosophy of militant neutrality makes them just as likely to oppose a PC group as help one on its way. This is bound to appeal to gamers disillusioned with settings like Forgotten Realms where dozens of esablished crusading superhero NPCs can sometimes make PC heroes feel unneeded. Overall, the abundance of evil and lack of super-competent NPC adventurers combines to paint Greyhawk as a world badly in need of heroes, and not just any heroes, but your PCs. I dig that.
   
   Finally, Greyhawk has a comfy "lived-in" feel that any old D&D veteran can appreciate. Vecna hails from here, as do Mordenkainen, Tenser, and a host of other famous names from the dawn of fantasy roleplaying. Not to mention places like the Temple of Elemental Evil, the Tomb of Horrors, and the Barrier Peaks and legendry artifacts like the Rod of Seven Parts and the Orbs of Dragonkind. More than any other setting I can think of, Greyhawk has a profound sense of glorious history.
   
   Overall, I heartily recommend the LGG. Despite a few nagging problems like poor interior art, the lack of an index, and little attention paid to nonhuman gods, the world itself is a compelling and believable one with a great deal of flexability and character. If "vanilla" D&D is your idea of a good time, this oldie is still a goodie.



5. This is one of the best DnD resource manuals I have found. Full of great info and written in a way that is enoyable to read!

5 comments about Serpent Kingdoms (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement).

1. Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, is the best-selling author of hundreds of stories, game products, novels, articles, and other material set in the world of Faerûn. His most recent titles for Wizards of the Coast, Inc., were Elminster in Hell and Hand of Fire. He is also the author of the Band of Four novels published by Tor Books.
   EricC. L. Boyd has written articles for both Dungeon® and Dragon® Magazines and is the author of Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark™.
   Darrin Drader has done design work for Asgard and d20 Weekly online magazines



2. Serpent Kingdoms is a Forgotten Realms release, which means it's going to be long on story and background and consequently a little short on feats, classes and other "crunchy" bits. This isn't a bad thing, it's just the way things are and you have to understand that any time you buy a book that's about a particular campaign setting it's going to have a lot more story and a lot less crunch than other books.
   As far as content goes, I found the backstory interesting and several of the creatures mentioned will be making an appearance in my game shortly. I'm not running FR, but I do have a vile reptilian dictator to play with and Serpent Kingdoms gave me some great stuff I can drop right in, some ideas I can use with a little work, and some inspirations for my own game. Not bad for a gamer whose bookshelf beats most game stores.



3. Serpent Kingdoms continues the recent tradition of better FR products, improving substantially on such below average fare such as Races of Faerun and the Player's Guide. However, the new power of the Sarrukh and the information on the Yuan-ti religion contradicts other sources and seems to be setting the stage for a revision of Set's relationship with the Yuan-Ti.
   
   I would recomend this book only to those looking to set a campaign outside of the usual areas or those who are very interested in the Yuan-Ti. The Sarrukh are too limited in number and location to be of much use in a gaming sense, though the information about them makes a great read.
   
   The background on the Lizard Kings, Nagas, and other reptilian species is specious at best.



4. Readers who buy these books should have an understanding that they can be great for inspiration purposes. People who get disappointed seem to do so because of some tidbit of reference material they were hoping would be there but wasn't. However it seems to me that there is still tons of other useful refernce material contained in these books to keep one occupied for a very long time. I agree they are pricey, but the material contained cannot just be scoffed at.



5. Good Background book if you plan to use any of the reptile type races in your adventures. Easy read, put together well, very usable.

5 comments about Race Series Collection (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, 3 Book Slipcased Set).

1. These books are just an awesome resource for players. They give a little more information on typical life for the races (even humans, go figure). They also have some new subraces and some new prestige classes as well as racial feats and a few more tactical feats. Just an all around good resource for tweaking characters.



2. This box set of books is good for any player who wan'ts to make more specialized characters.



3. This a good set of books for experienced played who want more information about how different races work. The addition of other races a player can use is also handy. They are really nice source books.



4. this was an excellent buy. It came in plastic and was unopend and undamaged.



5. Well with the arrival of the 4ed. you may think this is a dead supplement...well not at all. The mechanics and rules are really dead, but the flavor text dont. This three books provide a huge dose of informations about the major races of the DeD world. The social characteristics, the phisiology, and many other aspects of each race is very well explained. The artwork could be better, but the information is really precious. If u don't agreed with the new cosmology or the race changes of 4ed., this is a good book for you, if you loved what they did in 4ed., forget about this.