5 comments about Complete Adventurer: A Guide to Skillful Characters of All Classes (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement).

1. Been a player for almost three decades. Always seem to be a Dungeon Master and this book is helpful, though lately I tend to just sort of make up rules as I go along.
   
   For those role players who like to read, try The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. This book is about a teen who role plays, goes to another world and uses the skills learned through roleplaying to help him survive. It's an action packed book that's hard to put down. Role Players rejoice!



2. This book, besides new classes, and prestige classes, contain a lot of information about new spells for all classes and feats that may lead your new adventures. I rate it OK. a must have book.



3. I find this book very helpful in my D&D games. With the new prestige classes introduce, I have completed my characters and so have my fellow gamers. I would recommend that any serious gamer aquire this book for their collection. It could be a life saver.



4. As an ardent D&D DM, I collect all the generic source books when I can. Some are so-so, but this is one of my faves. Lots of general stuff for players and NPCs, and less "weird/nutty/overpowered or dumb" Prestige classes.
   -The prestige classes in the book are pretty good, more for folk who preffer "quest/Roleplaying" than "hack n' slash". The vigilante, dread pirate and street fighter fit in well with "rough and ready", city campaigns and the like.
   -Most of the feats are pretty good (though I don't like the one that lets you use a weapon in off hand as light, uh, no, too much potential for abuse)
   
   Over all, pretty good if you're more "adventure/rp" and less "munchkin with dice", but the things in it are good "crunch" as well as "fluff"...it's nice though to see more believeable stereotypes brought to life in the PrCs, and be useful, such as the streetfighter and bloodhound.
   -It also adds the "Ninja" as a full class, and the Scout. I dislike the scout's "skirmish" ability as it makes no sense (more damage while firing on the move, eh? Sorry, not believable), but many will like the Ninja, which is different enough from the rogue for them not to overlap too much, and still be cool to play.
   
   :)



5. Aplicable to all classes to one degree or another. Very fun content and totaly worth the price.

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 Player's Handbook: Core Rulebook I (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. I played RPGs for 20 years. I liked them, i liked the people I played with and then i stopped. Nothing interested me after a while until 3E. I thought this was going to turn it all around again. Boy was i wrong.

   The ideas behind this haphazard collection of material is sound. The problem is, the rules do not survive under scrutiny. Balance seems to have been thrown out the window in exchange for the 'cool' factor. If you want to make a cartoon charavter out of your imaginary alter ego, this is the game for you I think.

   The skill and feat system is broken so badly that you probably can't fix it without rewriting the rules. The skills are restrictive by class - making absolutely no sense at all. Afterall, you're character wasn't born this class or that. Class seemes to have become your defining trait more than your personality. Trying to make a character a certain way is actually tougher in 3E as you have numerous skill restrictions. In short, Fighters get paltry skills and Rogues get the mother load. everyone else gets to fill in in-between.
   Rangers are useless, becoming simply lightly armored fighters with a few useless special abilities, little opportunity for growth and a dazzlingly undazzling array of spells.
   Sorcerers are similiarly built, with a few extra spells to cast per day than wizards, but FAR fewer to pick from and absolutely no class abilities that the wizard gets to choose from.
   The old moronic +1 to this ability -1 to taht rules are still in place for non human characters, with the elf that lives 750 years somehow being more frail than you average human. By the same token, dawrves get a nice constitution bonus but are uncharismatic. Why? Well because they had to pick an ability and charisma looked like a good one......
   You get to multiclass more easily according to 3E lovers. You needn't split your XP between classes, you simply take a level of any class any time you earn enough experience points to go up a level. Wanna be a fighter/paladin? GO for it. The only probalem is, it is almost useless to multiclass as a spell caster. With a level limit of 20 (which is fine IMHO) you mayonly have a TOTAL of 20 levels all classes included. That's great, but if you take 15 levels of Wizard and 5 levels of Rogue, you are going to be one disappointed mage when you realize you missed out on the best spells in the game in exchange for some paltry lock picking ability. To be fair, multi classing any of the fighter classes works just fine.
   On the topic of levels, you should reach 20th after anout 35-45 game sessions if you follow their experience charts. WAY too much XP is awarded and in addition, all classes use the same experience point table. It seem that someone decided that a 20th level paladin and a 20th level bard were pretty evenly matched. I think we all know better.
   Finally, the comabt system - which most gamers agree is the most tedious and time consuming part of any game - has been dragged out with so many extra and optional rules, that it takes forever to resolve the simplist battle. Some may applaud the detail, but the game has taken a step back toward the old CHAINMAIL table top battle rule srather than advancing as a ROLEplaying game.
   With a chartr included for every detail in the game, this book has taken all of the imagination out of your hands, and given you a rule to cover it. 3E Roleplaying is actually more ROLLplaying, and after a while, that just gets tedious.
   Well aware that the game is a mess, WoTC is releasing 3.5 later this summer to suck a few hundred dollars more out of your wallets.
   I beg you consider what you might be getting before flushing your money down this over simplified, over hyped toilet of an RPG. Go play Vampire or Werewolf - at least they don;t charge you $... to insult your intelligence by including a chart for your eye color.




2. D&D 3E is a massive improvement over previous editions in a number of ways ... D&D has finally embraced skills, a big plus; a lot of the arbitrary and annoying restrictions of previous editions have been eliminated; the whole thing has been streamlined greatly at a fundamental level (there is still a lot of rules grit - attacks of opportunity anyone? - but this has always been the case, and by using a much cleaner and less arbitrary basic system, the game is now more intuitive).

   The problem with D&D 3e is that it requires a *lot* of work on the part of the gamemaster. This is not a ready-to-play game by any stretch, unlike WotC's Star Wars d20, say. You have to go to some lengths to create a campaign setting, and realistically you're going to have to throw some of those arbitrary restriction back in. Why? Because D&D 3e has some significant imbalances, and you're likely to be playing with one player who is going to be looking for rules loopholes to create an unbalanced character. A big culprit here is the multi-classing combined with the fact that many classes are front-loaded with a lot of cool abilities at first level, so it's not unusual to find characters with 3 or 4 classes so they can cherry-pick low-level abilities from each. This is not only aestetically displeasing and unbalancing, but makes it impossible to keep a coherent character vision. The prestige classes are a cool and interesting feature, but are for the most part egregiously broken and, in the words of a fellow-player, "pure munchkinism".

   Another complaint of mine about the system is that characters are simply too hard to make distinctive; the only real tool you have is this problematic multi-classing, and that is at best a blunt instrument. The Feats are a very cool concept, but not well-balanced with respect to each other so many will simply never show up (and characters who are not Fighters and Wizards acquire them far too slowly to be of much use in distinguishing characters). Characters of some classes (notably Paladins, Monks, Druids, and Barbarians) are going to be essentially indistuinguishable from each other - an 8th level Monk is pretty much an 8th level Monk, and the variance will be quite small. I find the list of which skills can be bought by which classes unduly restrictive and occasionally bordering on the nonsensical. The restrictiveness of the class sytem, and the stereotyped nature of the classes and lack of advancement choices, is to my mind the most significant failing of D&D 3e. Some classes are now almost acceptably flexible: the Fighter has a huge number of choices with all their bonus feats, even if the basic class concept of a heavily armed and armored fighting machine can't be fundamentally altered; Wizards of course have a massive spell list, and can specialise in various schools; Clerics now can pick from a dozen or so dieties, all of which serve to flavor the class; and Rogues have immense numbers of skill points and a wide variety of skills. But if you want somthing a little more specific or flavorful, you're stuck with cookie-cutter classes.

   Anyway, from a pure systems standpoint, the d20 system is fundamentally a good one, but from a pure gaming perspective it has been done better by other games. I actually like Wizard's Star Wars game better, as it addresses many of the problems I've mentioned here; but that doesn't help you much if you hanker for heroic fantasy. D&D 3e is cool, better than previous editions (often significantly), and is popular because it is so open-ended. It has rules for everthing, and a bazillion skills, feats, spells, monsters, magic items, etc. - everybody is going to find a cool idea in here somewhere that they're ready to run with. All those options don't always work together, though, and the choices are sometimes odd, so be aware that the gamemaster is going to have to do some work for D&D 3e to be truly robust.




3. This book for most people is the only book you will ever need for Dungeons & Dragons. While there are many more accesories expanding the game, This is the ancor, and the only book needed for a player. It includes all of the Races, Classes, Spells, Feats, and Items you need to make and run a Charactor.
   The best art of this book is that not only does it list all the things you need to know, it explains in full detail how all things are related to each other. If read like a book, (front to back not just paging for specifics) It spells out what you need, need to do, and how to. You start with the abilities, go into races, classes, and then skills, and items. Finsihing with spells, and feats.
   Over all, i would rae this 5, because of what it offers, and its necesity to the game it serves. i recomend you buy it, even if you dont buy it here.



4. Woc has done it again. They have released another editon, and it is supearior. Edition 3.5 is very like third (Hence the .5), but realy cleans up the classes and makes things more balanced. This book is good, but the new Players Handbook 3.5 Edition just blows it out of the water. They tweaked all that needed tweeking, and left the good stuff there. Toss your third Edition and go buy 3.5!



5. I wouldn't listen to anyone that claims the "new and improved" 3.5 is any bit "new and improved".

   3.0 is truly the right blend of D&D tradition and sound game mechanics. 3.5 is a pile of garbage house-rules for actual D&D crafted by a new batch of "limited" designer minds.

   This book is D&D 3rd edition, no other.

5 comments about Vampire: The Requiem.

1. To begin with, this is a review by a new player for new players. I like horror role-playing and picked this book up on a whim. I really love the system and the setting and have bought a lot of the White Wolf games since. But I've never played or read Masquerade, so I can't possibly talk about whether the changes have been better or worse. But I can relate to someone who is interested in trying this game for the first time and I'll try to make this review useful to you.
   
   To start at the very beginning, REQUIEM uses the Storytelling System, so you'll want to buy the WORLD OF DARKNESS corebook. This corebook runs through the basics of the system: each dramatic action has a number of 10 sided dice that you roll called your dicepool. Usually this number is the sum of an ability score and a skill, plus or minus situational modifiers. You get one success for each die that rolls 8 or above and you get to reroll 10's. Most actions succeed with a single "success", although many require a certain number of successes over time, or you compete against a target for the msot successes. This corebook explains how to make mortal characters, and other sourcebooks (like REQUIEM) have you start with a mortal character based on these rules and add "supernatural" elements to have a vampire, mage, or whatever. Some people are unhappy that more than one book is needed. I love it for 3 reasons: the corebook is awesome on its own and it allows you to play mortal horror games all by itself (which a great many people have discovered the joy of; I would now only run CALL OF CTHULHU using World of Darkness characters); if you buy more than one gameline, having character generation and the rulesystem repeated in every book seems a waste of time and money; and finally, REQUIEM is already a pretty big book and something would have to go in order to add the extra rules. It would be a shame to wedge in the extra rules since REQUIEM is so well developed its like a work of art.
   
   Speaking of art, I thought I'd note the high production quality of the book. Some people are embarassed that they like a book based on its cover. Not me - as a bibliophile, I like a book that looks nice on the shelf and holds up well in addition to being useful between the covers. REQUIEM is a gorgeous holographic red hardcover with tight binding that has held up well. The pages have a glossy finish to them that makes this tome really stand out in a crowd. I like how each of the game lines has a distinctive cover that draws your eye to which series a book belongs to. The interior art is all black-and-white; some is a little cartoonish, but for the most part it is good and gritty.
   
   So, what's so great about REQUIEM besides a pretty face? Well, the content is well laid out, is clear and orderly, and supports the theme of the game. Maybe the first quarter of the book is nothing but flavor text. This is important; a game designed around "storytelling" should itself tell a good story. Even if it isn't terribly narrative, the reader should feel immersed in the setting before breaking in with rules and numbers. REQUIEM does an excellent job of discussing what vampires are, what are the different biological and sociological groups, how they relate to each other and what they do. No rules-jargon is used at this point; everything is conversational (not that I mean that the wordcount is puffed up, but that you don't need special knowledge to understand everything that is going on). The section is concise, informative, interesting, and colorful, and it leads into character generation very smoothly. I never felt the need to flip forward or backward in order to understand something and I was very excited about the setting by the end of these chapters.
   
   The middle half of the book is devoted to character creation. You start by creating a "mortal" - you assign points as if you were a mortal, and then you add on the bonuses based on your vampiric clan and choose vampire powers. You get discount access to some abilities due to your clan but the others are harder to learn. Each ability is well explained and they all seem fairly well balanced. If you buy status in your covenant you can buy "magic" or get a discount on other merits. The covenant Ordo Dracul gets the most poweful abilities in that they can overcome vampiric curses by changing their physisology but the XP cost is extremely high. Again, everything in this chapter is well-ordered and easy to understand. I was able to make interesting characters right away (no need to buy additional supplements to do interesting things) . The Humanity system is explained, which introduces a tangible mechanic for acting in violence or cruelty; as you act like less of a decent person, humans see through your facade to the predator within. The character can't "pass" as human any more, with caps on dice pools when interacting with people. Feeding and loosing control of the monster within are also discussed. Rules for Blood Potency are given, which is a measure of the relative power of the vampire (the "super stat").
   
   The final section has is on using REQUIEM to play a game. This chapter is more high-level than I hoped for, in that it discusses how to make sample campaigns, how to break up the action into digestible scenes, how to make a coherent plot, etc. It would also have been useful to have some turn-by-turn play examples. This section also details "bloodlines", which is a way to introduce your own tailored kind of vampire with special powers and disadvantages. This is a very useful chapter if you are not experienced with the Storytelling System.
   
   There is also an Appendix which describes the signature city of New Orleans. It seems a little dated since Katrina, but it spells out (to the extent of usefulness) the movers and shakers, what there is in the city, and the vampire history of the city. It is very helpful to have a setting right out of the box, with no additional purchases demanded of you. There is some political intrigue to start a new story, or just to allow your characters to explore the town.
   
   Overall, this is a superb product. The production quality is outstanding, the layout and design shows maturity in the field, and the setting is exciting. Character generation is easy. There is sufficient explanation of every class and ability to make it immediately useful. And there is a setting to start play in right away, which also ties into the free demo for download from White Wolf's website.



2. Im new to this game and I think this game is the best one out there. Unlike Dungeons and Dragons this game offers more potential for roleplaying and is more mature in nature. You do need to buy the World of Darkness along with this book in order to play, but that is still cheaper than buying a Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual in order to play D&D.
   
   Plus this game allows alot more flexibility if you want to play with Werewolves, Mages and other supernatural creatures. It gives you the freedom to create almost any character concept from lord of the night to shapeshifting vampires.
   
   This game is absolutely amazing and I plan on buying the other supplements for it.



3. White Wolf ended the Original World of Darkness with grand fanfare. They promised after its discontinuation a new line, a new setting, and a new vision where fans of the original lines could tell a whole array of horror stories that had not been well supported by the original setting.
   
   Requiem was to be the first offering in fulfillment of that promise. It fails to deliver.
   
   In all fairness, I must offer three distinct ratings to the three distinct subsections of this game.
   
   Mechanics 4/5
   
   Presentation 4/5
   
   Setting content 1/5
   
   The mechanics are solid, and while some of the names seem a touch hokey (especially in comparison to their counterparts in Masquerade), the actual mechanics function well, and serve their purpose admirably.
   
   The presentation is beautiful, downright breathtaking in many places. The game tries hard to look good, and it shines for it (I find it somewhat amusing to note that the developer, Justin Achilli, actually stated in his live journal that a coworker had put a drop of blood into the ink vat used on the first print run.... very fitting for a game about vampires)
   
   The setting though... The setting is nothing new. It reuses three of the clans from Masquerade with almost no tweaking of their respective themes, and the two original clans have all the vibe of simply being composites of discarded clans. The advent of covenants, admittedly new, in many ways redraws the faction lines that they tried to eliminate by removing the Camarilla. The whole thing comes away feeling like a simplified iteration of Masquerade, with an alternate history founded on the same roots.
   
   The choice to eliminate Metaplot from the New WoD lines hits Requiem hard. Masquerade was arguably the most metaplot dependent of the original world of darkness, and while many felt that this constrained the game by writing material that the individual storytellers could have worked up themselves... it did create a sense of a dynamic, inhabited world. Requiem lacks this. Anyone intending to run this game will have a lot of work cut out for them, because material on individual cities is sparse, and examples to inspire are similarly hard to find.
   
   Overall, this feels like Masquerade with training wheels put on for the newcomers. It's not what the old guard was promised, it's insulting to the newcomers who should have been offered a game of at least equal complexity and quality to it's predecessor, and it just plain doesn't measure up to the high standards that White Wolf has set for itself.



4. The Vampire: Requiem is a nice offspring of the well-know storyteller game, Vampire: the Maquerade.
   
   Fortunatelly, all the vampire's history is built upon the new world view. The combinations of Clans, Covenants and Bloodlines gives a lot more options for the players and storytellers alike. The atmosphere of the game is still gothic horror.
   
   The system is revised and better than the old one. It's a bit more player-friendly in a way.
   
   I didn't like the idea of buying more books than one to start playing.
   
   Altogather, it's a nice book that's worth it's price!



5. My husband bought me this book as he knows I love getting new books from White Wolf, and plus we are trying to get enough people around to start up a LARP in our area, but I couldn't put this book down I read it from cover to cover, amazed by the content of it all.

5 comments about The Draconomicon (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. i am satisfied with the product and the delivery. Everything was good!



2. Let me start this review by saying that this book is beautiful. The full color images throughout almost make it a coffee table book, and it is hard to NOT give it five stars just for those images.
   
   But this book IS a roleplaying game supplement, so it has to be judged on more than just its pretty pictures.
   
   Content in this book can be divided into three primary areas: General dragon information, player information, and DM-specific information.
   
   - General Dragon Information. I truly have mixed feelings about this area. Dragon anatomy diagrams, descriptions of their senses, and the dragon language dictionary are all very interesting and worth an initial reading. Some of the other information, including history and religion, is disappointing - not only does it conflict with previously established sources, but it also doesn't fit with the "theories" that most people have about dragons (according to the Draconomicon, dragons die of old age, they worship strange gods, etc, etc..).
   
   - Player Information. The sections of the book featuring player information truly shine. There are new feats for those that often deal with dragons, a good selection of new spells, intriguing new prestige classes, and numerous new magical items. The section on dragons being player characters, however, is too short and not particularly useful.
   
   - DM Information. This is where the product once more falters. The new draconic monster section is all right, and the section on dragon feats / dragon prestige classes is also moderately interesting (though extremely limited in usefulness unless you are running a dragon-only campaign). The various additional rules and the sample NPC dragons weren't particularly captivating. The pantheon section and the dragon twilight section will not be accepted by many fans as those sections conflict with previously established content. Mongoose Publishing's "Slayer's Guide to Dragons" (written by Gary Gygax) contains better dragon rules and DM information, in my opinion, and should be considered if that is the only reason you are buying this book.
   
   In conclusion: rating this book is extremely difficult, and depends on the desires of the consumer. On content alone, I would only give it 3 stars; when the incredible artwork is also factored in, it gets 4 to 4.5. For those that don't particularly like dragons or don't think they'll deal with them beyond one or two in an entire campaign, this product is a bit of an overkill - use the Monster Manual instead.
   
   Side Note: Those interested in behind-the-scenes industry comments and barbs should check out the deity "Garyx" on page 33.



3. This is a great sourcebook for inspiring GMs with ideas of how dragons behave. It even offers an article on each of the "major" dragon types (the chromatic and metallic dragons.) That having been said, I was a little disappointed that it didn't mention (not even in passing) any of the other kinds of dragons in the D&D setting.



4. I dont belive until today i dont have the book in my hands, really Im scare because is the first time with this kind of articles, need an explication about this item, dont have notices about this problem, Im really hungry.....



5. Have been holding off buying into new 4.0 edition. But have been loathe to invest any more dollars or shelf space into 3.5 supplements. However, after paging through this one at the local book store I picked it up any way. Am a few readings in, and am glad I did.
   
   This book provides, as the name would suggest, a comprehensive delve into how dragons can be fit into your campaign world. And since dragons will be with the game as long as there is a game, I found it worth the coin. There are extended sections on the psychology of each species. Invaluable for roleplaying encounters that live up to the dragon's immense NPC potential. There's also a load of combat oriented mechanics to flesh out the dragon's terrifying natural abilities. Though rooted in 3.5 these could also be updated, and provide plenty of inspiration. The inclusion of a quick snapshot for every age category of every dragon is a little dense, but I found myself still enjoying the snapshots.
   
   All in all, a worthwhile purchase for any DM. Especially if you can pick-up a used copy at a discount.

5 comments about Changeling: the Lost.

1. DISCLAIMER: First off, this is MY PERSONAL OPINION and I know many people will not agree. It's important to remember however that we're all entitled to our opinions and we all have different preferences. My negative review doesn't mean I think the book should be pulled from the shelf or that people should not be permitted to play it, but rather that *I* personally did not find it enjoyable or pleasant. If you do, fantastic! It's just not MY cup of tea.
   
   Onto the review. I'm a long time fan of this book's predecessor, Changeling: The Dreaming. (Henceforth "C:tD") I collected all the books and I greatly enjoyed the theme, setting and style of the books. I never read any of the other lines (Vampire, Mage, etc.) but I did really enjoy what was created with C:tD. There was a brightness to C:tD; a sense of hope and promise. That despite things being bleak, Spring would always still return. Set in a darker version of our real, modern world, it was ultimately a game about hope, promise and Beauty. I appreciated that since far too often we only celebrate ugliness in our society.
   
   So when White Wolf ended the original World of Darkness for their New World of Darkness ("nWod"), I wasn't originally terribly interested. As I said, I never read any of the other lines so it didn't matter to me that they'd relaunched them in different forms. Until, that is, when I heard there was going to be a new Changeling edition.
   
   When I finally got it and started to read, I realized it was VASTLY different from the old C:tD. Gone was the sense of lightness, whimsy and beauty and in it's place was something MUCH darker, ugly and sinister. Changeling: The Lost ("C:tL") isn't so much a revised version of C:tD as it is an entirely different concept all together. Which is perhaps part of why I disliked it so much. I expected more of the same C:tD. What I found wasn't the same at all.
   
   In C:tL you play a human who was abused by the True Fae that has now escaped back into the mortal world. The book makes it VERY clear that every single person was tortured, abused, raped, hurt, beaten and/or any other combination of unimaginably cruel events. That the True Fae are utterly without hearts, morals or understanding and that they put your character through Hell - physically, emotionally, mentally, sexually and more. That you had to fight to get back, tearing yourself further into shreds only to find that when you returned, you were changed. You're now more like they are. Worse, your human life is utterly unreachable to you. You fought through all of it to find either you're now believed dead, too much time has past, or you've been replaced by an impostor who now IS you. All that and there's nothing waiting for you upon your return. Your family is lost to you. Your life is lost to you. Your spouse/partner is lost to you. Your job/career is lost to you. Everything you were before is gone.
   
   Pretty bleak, hu?
   
   Changeling: The Dreaming was, at it's core, about hope. That though things now weren't great, they were going to get better. Changeling: The Lost has no hope. All hope was ripped away from you prior to the game's beginning. You're now left broken utterly to fend for yourself. Oh yeah, and to live life looking over your shoulder to ensure you're not recaptured by the True Fae you escaped from who may or may not be actively hunting for you.
   
   This just isn't my cup of tea. You're forced to play a victim. And, you're constantly reminded how awful things were and how terrible your past was. I feel that the world is already too dark and too bleak and I rather not spend my free time encouraging MORE of that attitude.
   
   Now, I want to be clear that if you like it, more power to you. I make NO judgment calls on anyone who plays the game in ANY way. I'm just saying it's not for me. And I think for many people who may have been the victim of abuse, it may not be for you either. I can greatly see this book and this concept being triggering to people.
   
   So in summary...
   
   If you do not like horror situations, or dark settings, or concepts of abuse, kidnapping, torture and related are troubling to you, do yourself a favor and avoid this line. C:tL is NOT like C:tD at all. If you're expecting something airy and light like the original, you'll be sorely disappointed. When they say it has mature themes, they mean it for these reasons.



2. Changeling the lost is a game of coming home to a world that you no longer belong to. Taken from home by the dark fey (something straight out of grimms)an imposter left in your place. The man returns home months or years later to find he no longer has a home, a family a life. This game is wonderful. The dark tones the nod to classic conceptions of fey creatures this is no disney cartoon or happily ever after this is darkness and urban legends in all its glory. Of all the WOD supplements i find this one to be the most complete. It is a well thought out system of pacts and promises as well as containing insight into all you'll need to play a character it also gives the story teller almost all he needs (except for what is in the WOD book) it even contains a full account of a setting in miami and the main players there. overall i love the setting and the tones set by this book i read it from cover to cover over the course of a week and enjoyed every minute. If you love world of darkness or even just the darker aspects of happily ever after i reccomend this game to you.



3. I was a huge fan of the old WoD line, with the exception of this book's predecessor, Changeling the dreaming. it wasn't horrible, it just seemed to make you play a game with less substance than any of the other lines.
   so, when this limited run line was released for the new WoD line, it took alot of self convincing for me to actually purchase. and every time i open the book, i realize it was worth every penny. when the nWoD first came out, i jumped head first into VtR, and although fun, certain elements of the core book were simply underwhelming. that is simply not the case with changeling the lost. character creation allows so much creative freedom its almost hard to decide on a clear direction. almost. there is just so much detail in this book, i pick up something new every time i open it. and as though it weren't enough by itself, it seems somewhat easier to shoehorn into a crossover game than most other lines, due to the diversity of characters and things they have in common with the other supernaturals in the nwod. and to top it all off, C:tL seems to have become extremely popular when even compared to the non-limited run games in the nwod. if you're on the fence about this game and are a fan of any nwod games, or any Gothic or horror rpgs that allow for loads of creativity, give it a try, even without playing, it's a good read.



4. The second in White Wolf's limited run RPGs for their World of Darkness gameline, Changeling takes you into the world of the fae. Not your white-washed Victorian fairy tales for children, but the darker stories of trolls that lurk under bridges looking for mortal flesh, goblins who kidnap children, and dark things hiding under beds; creatures born of nightmare and madness. Like I said before kids, its the World of DARKNESS. It's all about Gothic horror!
   
   Whereas in it's predecessor, of sorts, 'Changeling: the Dreaming' you took on the role of a human with a fairy soul, Changeling: the Lost goes back to the original folklore. This time around, you take on the role of a human who was kidnapped and abused by the Lords of the Fae, warped by the very nature of Arcadia, yet somehow, through sheer force of will, escaped and made your way back through the Hedge to find your old life gone. Changeling is a very intense game, but thats part of what makes it so appealing. If thats not up your alley, though, you might want to consider looking for a different game. I've found that theres not necessarily any correlation between fans of Changeling: the Lost and Changeling: the Dreaming. Some fans of C:tD absolutely LOVE Changeling: the Lost, others hate it with a passion. For that matter, some people who hated the old C:tD love the new C:tL. Go figure.
   
   This book is the core of the gameline. Although it contains everything you need to run a Changeling, you still need the 'World of Darkness' corebook in order to play the game (for the basic rules). This book expands upon the life and society of the Changelings - it gives full details on the different Seemings and Kiths, the four Seasonal Courts of the Changelings, the basic Contracts (Changeling's 'magic'), rules for Oneiromancy, information on the Fae, Hobgoblins, Arcadia and the Hedge, sample Tokens and Pledges, systems for Wyrd and Clarity and even a number of sample Entitlements for more advanced characters. Of all the gamelines in the new World of Darknes, Changeling is perhaps the most rich, evocative and inspired. Almost every part of the book will give both Storytellers and Players new ideas. In addition to giving all the details necessary to run a Changeling game, it also includes the sample Freehold of Miami (Changeling's signature city) and several NPCs. This is great for ST's planning on running a game set in or around Miami.
   
   If you are a fan of White Wolf's World of Darkness, then you have to check out this gameline. Its a perfect fit for anyone who wants to incorporate the darker side of fairy tales into their games, or just add trolls, bogeymen, goblins and other creatures from folklore and nightmares. And the book has several supplements available as well: Autumn Nightmares (which expands on the True Fae), Winter Masques (a book for customizing Seeming and Kith to fit your favorite myths), Rites of Spring (all about Changeling magic) and Lords of Summer (covering the politics of Freehold, Court and Entitlements), all of which are brilliant, as well as the forthcoming Equinox Road. However, you can run Changeling with just this and the corebook. Either way, you'll definitely want to pick this book up.



5. This is the first White Wolf product to actually entice me into the World of Darkness. Accomplishing that was done by making the setting truer to the myths of changelings.
   
   If you're like me, and like to get a basic understanding of the whole book before you attempt to run or play, be warned: it's long, and it's heavy; armchair reading it ain't. Knowing that it was part of limited run series, I understand White Wolf had to cram a lot of information into only a few books.
   
   Although I understand why role playing books do it, I don't like seeing things I already understood re-explained ad infinitum. The largest problem with this book is that certain words are missing from sentences, and in one case, the whole first part of a paragraph is missing. Sure, I can tell what is intended, but it's more distracting than simple typos.
   
   Overall, a good buy, maybe they just need a better editor?

5 comments about Heroes of Horror (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement).

1. This book has some useful ideas but nothing really great in my opinion. I do have better Ravenloft material concerning horror campaigns.



2. I found this supplement to be one of the best released for D&D in the new millenium. Despite the fact that it's somewhat short, it's worth every penny. All the new base and prestige classes are excellent, but I instantly fell in love with the Dread Necromancer. A necromancer as a base class was long overdo, and the undead transformation is a very cool aspect of the class. If you love D&D and horror or thriller stories, this is a definite buy.



3. I happened to see this book at a local book store and as a DM/player I thought I would check it out. I am a huge fan of horror and other creepy-crawly things, so this book really helped out my campaigns. The sections that I enjoy the most are the storytelling elements and taint/corruption. I do not like mostly hack'n'slash campaigns, so to do side quests that require thought instead of an axe means I have to come up with new ideas. There are pages of scary situations to put characters in (i.e. your character wakes up for breakfast but is no longer hungry. There is a taste of blood in his mouth.) Taint and corruption are acquired when characters enter a particularly evil area. When a certain number of points of taint/corruption is reached, symptoms appear, such as boils, bleeding, deafness, etc.
   
   The PC classes are a nice touch, as the Necromancer is long overdue and the Archivist is a nice alternative to the cleric. Prestige classes, new spells, feats, and a couple of monsters round out the book. (I particularly like the Angel of Decay)
   
   Is it short compared to other titles? Yes. But as many reviewers point out, much of the new Wizards material is filler. Heroes of Horror is lean and mean and gets the job done. Enough of me. Go buy it. Now.



4. I added some of the ideas in this book to our campain, and the players love it.



5. I've been running various horror themed tabletop RPGs for over a decade. This book is decent, but lacked a lot of depth about the nature of horror and fear that would benefit people who have never played or written a horror campaign. If you want to learn how to write good horror adventures for a tabletop RPG - go read through the rulebooks for Call of Cthulhu, then read a couple of H.P. Lovecraft's short stories.
   This book gets 3 stars because it is above average quality for a D20 supplement book, and provides a base level of info for someone new to horror - just to get a basic idea. However, any long time veterans of horror rpgs will really only find value in the "specific to D&D" material (new classes, spells, items). To properly WRITE a horror adventure study Call of Cthulhu rulebook (virtually a how-to for writing horror adventures including a lot of the what's and why's) Think of Call of Cthulhu the "phonetics" of horror, while this supplement is more of a simple vocab lesson that becomes much more relevant when you understand WHY its scary, and WHAT can make it scarier - yet still be fun.
   Those new to horror will probably like it since writing for a horror campaign is rather different than the usual D&D style - so this supplement will seem quite informative, fresh, and often inspirational. Once you delve into Lovecraft's writings you will then see a bigger picture, and realise the limited scope of this book. It's really a matter of how good and intense you want your adventures to be.

5 comments about Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Setting).

1. just recently had a chance to use the forgotten realms campaign setting, i love this book it was so helpful with forgotten realms lore, and not to mention npcs to use thanks amazon for carrying so many fine products like this,



2. I was very unsettled when the old parent company TSR went under in 1997. I loved the lavish boxed set filled with maps and cards. The novels was what it was about for myself. I loved the Dragonlance Chronicles in the mid 1980s. Then I happened upon the old gray box called the Forgotten Realms. I thought it revolutionary as an open-ended adventure setting. I didnt have many friends interested in playing the game at the time, so I began reading and collecting the novels.
   
   The stories are not classical liturature, however, they are a lot of fun! I collected all that was published until 1997. It seemed all was lost for old TSR. I decided to stop reading these stories as well. I honestly liked the Birthright setting more, but its lifespan was short indeed, a year or so. It only spawned a few novels.
   
   In the short time of TSR's hiatus, the Forgotten Realms was uncovering its hidden past-Netheril, Cormanthyr, and others that seemed very enticing to me. I began playing the game itself upon my PC. Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale were very familiar to me. The action became real for once.
   
   The books gathered dust as did the endless supplements besieging my bookshelf. Yet, for sentimental reasons, I could not part with them. Lord of the Rings became a major revival for the genre. It is widely accepted that D&D is a tribute to Middle Earth. I feel it goes much deeper than this, as the architypes can be found all over popular culture. Harry Potter to Star Wars is a little of the magic of old TSR.
   
   That brings us to the present and my rediscovery of the fabulous Forgotten Realms. I approached it with much caution. What had they done to my baby? Absolutely the greatest honor. The entire world is here, with all the vivid details I remembered. It was a little expensive and short on maps but worth it! I have every map 10 time over on my fantasy shelf. Now, I would like to see Kara-Tur, Maztica and Zhakara updated in this format. It is very tidy and easier to carry around in a single book. Now back to the novels, there are about 20 I have to catch up on. Its that old cliche-so many books, so little time.
   
   Thank you, to all that have kept the dream alive! For it is fully developed and ready for the next generation of dreamers! Elminster, if you read this, thank you for your magical input.



3. First, it is a beautiful book. The art and overall presentation is superb. The level of detail that some reviewers find lacking is not necessary for a book that is supposed to be a platform to work from. The only annoying thing, as with everything else in D&D, is that if you are a purist, there is always something else you "should" have, like the Monsters Compendium, besides all the rules books, etc; in other words, a huge wallet. But But the book is more than absolutely usable, with plenty of material to play a lifetime, good maps and sideline pointers and helpful tables. Very satisfied....



4. I think this book is helpful and adds many new features into the game of Dungeons and Dragons. It adds in Gem specifics and Dracoliches and more



5. I must admit, I've only recently began getting back into D&D. I've always enjoyed playing it, but never really played (let alone ran) Forgotten Realms. Most people would tell me it's crap, or it's too much work to do. Needless to say, I'm finding it quite useful. The modifications for the general races are one twist to making new characters for players. New magics and specializations for classes give characters a little bit more of a reason to try new things. Plus, any free maps are very cool.
   
   My only dislike (although quite necessary to game in Faerun) is the background on the world (literally takes up 2/3 of the book).
   
   If you want to game in this world, this is the book you'll definitely want. But it can be useful for running different campaigns as well.

5 comments about d20 Modern Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook.

1. I've always been a fan of the Dungeons & Dragons type games, so when I saw the d20 Modern, I couldn't help myself. Overall, I'd say it's a good perchace, though it does leave some to be desired, and can be confusing if you don't have enough base knowlege in traditional D&D rules.
   
   It does a good job of keeping the weaponry balanced, and allowing tactics that are used modern-day (dropping prone, darting from cover to cover, et cetera) to be used with realistic efficiency, which I find satisfing.
   
   However, the fact that the Player's Handbook, DM's Guide, and Monster Manual are all compressed into one book means that naturaly some depth had to be sacrificed. Its combat section, while it covers most key points, has only breif mention of many rules. This came up once in a session, and I ended up having to make an ad hoc ruling because I couldn't find the rule. This was a combination of a confusing index which isn't as thorough as those in the traditional D&D books and the sometimes as short as two-line mentions of a rule that can be crucial in a firefight. The only other issue is that the GM's (Game Master, as opposed to Dungeon Master in the tradittional D&D game) guide doesn't specify what to do with characters over 20th level. This is an example of where you'd need a fair traditional D&D base to know what to do, and even then you still have to make a fair number of ad hoc rulings to keep the game balanced and going.
   
   However, these are perhaps the only shortcoming I can name. Its advanced class system (A quicker version of "presteige classes") is very fun, and its action point system (In wich you are allocated a set number of "action points" per level, and can one to increase the results of a d20 roll) adds something interesting to the mix. The modern skills temper all of the above by letting the players do things in as roundabout or direct of a way as they wish, which is something we all find entertaining.
   
   In short, I would say that while it leaves some to be desired, the d20 Modern Role Playing Game book is a good buy for a D&D fan who always wanted to roam around fighting crime or evil, stealing just for the heck of it, enganging in high-stakes industrial espianouge, or otherwise have a heck of a time doing things you could never get away with in real life.



2. Very well written and easy to understand, but the Ideas within are of the complexity needed to run a fully encompassing campaign. There are even pre-rolled baddies and other monsters to facilitate the GM in quick creation of quests and different areas in an already going quest.



3. I won't repeat anything others have said, instead I will just add my views that aren't similar. Overall I love d20 Modern. with my only real problem being that many (or even most) of the monsters are slightly or in some cases vastly different than their D&D counterparts. For example, in D&D a "natural" werewolf gets a +2 Wis in human form, then in their wolf and hybrid forms they get the stat bonuses of the wolf form, plus two claw attacks and a secondary bite attack, and pass on the curse of lycanthropy with their bite attack. They have low-light vision and scent in all forms. Finally, they have 10/silver damage reduction with magical weapons NOT bypassing unless they are silver. The 'afflicted" werewolf gets all of the above, except his damage reduction is only 5/silver and he does NOT pass on the curse via his bite. In the d20 Modern version, the werewolf gets +2 Wis and +4 Con in human form, then the rest of the stats are added in the wolf and hybrid form. They do NOT get the claw attacks, they only get a bite as a primary attack. The "Curse of Lycanthropy" is a feature of both natural and afflicted. Furthermore, instead of low-light vision they have darkvision 60 feet, and their scent ability is only in hybrid and wolf forms, damage reduction is 15/silver or magical. So, they end up more powerful in some ways, but less powerful in other ways, with the justification being that magic is rarer in d20 modern, therefore monsters must be less powerful, but honestly, I prefer the 3.5 D&D werewolf to the one in the d20 modern book. Another example is that in standard D&D a drow can cast darkness once per day, this ability is removed from d20 Modern drow.



4. Before I get to the review, here's a short description of my previous Pencil and Paper RPG experiences: I started out in 2001 with Dungeons and Dragons third edition, as well as RIFTS. I eventually continued onto Dungeons and Dragons edition 3.5 and Shadowrun.
   
   Now, onto d20 Modern itself:
   
   I had first learned of the book in late 2003, but I only glanced at it briefly and brushed it off as "inferior" to D&D.
   
   How wrong I was.
   
   After seeing the d20 Modern website in early 2005, and actually taking the time to examine what the system could handle and replicate, I re-read the Core Rulebook and was thoroughly pleased.
   
   ---
   
   For starters, Modern differs from it's predecessor enough that even veterans of D&D will have some new rules to learn.
   
   Character classes (a representation of experience in a variety of life paths) are not narrowly defined terms such as "Fighter" or "Rogue", but rather, they are based off of the six main attributes all characters have - Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
   
   The Strong Hero class represents physical training to exert more damage in melee combat, as well as training in athletic pursuits (climbing, jumping, swimming)
   
   The Fast Hero class represents physical training to become more agile and capable of avoiding incoming danger, as well as training in ranged combat and stealthy pursuits (hiding, moving silently, sleight of hand)
   
   The Tough Hero class represents physical training to withstand more punishment from the environment and recovering from injury quickly, as well as training to resist poisons, disease and keeping one's body focused (concentrating)
   
   The Smart Hero class represents mental training to pick up on a wide variety of academic and technical skills to be prepared for any situation that calls for book smarts, as well as training to outsmart one's enemy in combat (crafting, knowledge)
   
   The Dedicated Hero class represents mental training to be in tune with one's surroundings, aware of danger, able to ferret out deception, as well as training to be well versed in a wide variety of pursuits (listening, sensing motive, treating injuries)
   
   The Charismatic Hero class represents mental training to become likeable or frightening to others, and one that movies through social circles with ease, as well as training to command others in conflict (diplomacy, intimidation, gathering information, inspiration)
   
   In addition to the six basic classes above, there are twelve "Advanced Classes" that focus more on one aspect of a character, such as the Soldier class for general combat excellence, or the Field Medic, for the ability to work miracles and heal the mortally wounded.
   
   Each class has ten levels of progression, and each character can achieve up to twenty levels through their journey. Therefore, you will inevitably come to a point where you must take one or more levels in a variety of classes.
   
   For example, a boxer would typically be a Strong Hero / Tough Hero. Or, for one that is speedy and dodges well, they may be a Fast Hero / Strong Hero instead.
   
   Want a scout? A Fast Hero / Dedicated Hero is ideal.
   
   Or are you more of a highly intelligent smooth talker? Smart Hero / Charismatic Hero.
   
   Did your character serve in the Marines, but is now a Detective? Tough Hero / Dedicated Hero / Investigator.
   
   ---
   
   Asides from the classes, there are Occupations such as Academic, Law Enforcement and Technician - sets of permanent skills and a wealth increase, Feats - special abilities any character can eventually learn, and Skills - training anyone can pick up on. Most any character concept you can imagine, you can create.
   
   Equipment - Outfit your character with everything from Desert Eagles, to PSG-1 sniper rifles, to mesh vests, to electrical tool kits and even a BMW M3 to carry all that gear around.
   
   Admittedly there are some problem areas: non-lethal damage (knocking out opponents) is horribly ineffective and not worth it as-is. But with a house-rule (change to the rules as is) or two, you won't have any problems.
   
   Finally, the book itself is well made. The binding is solid, the cover is durable and the pages are of a high quality stock.
   
   All in all, d20 Modern is an extensive and engaging game sure to bring many hours worth of cinematic fun to you and your friends.



5. This d20 book, incrast to other books of the d20 persuasion is realy quite good, because it gives the user/GM an easy, bare-boned account on how to make a very interesting campaign for a modern setting. I disagree heartily with the idea that d20 modern is a way to imitate modern thrillers, movies and action adventures. The book is too goord for that. This a very well-put-together rpg system that seems, to me, an OK redating of the now historic Dungeons and Dragons game. Actually, the interface and mechanics of the game are so similar to DnD 2-3, that it is attractive to both old DnD players and new players of rpg's. As with other Wizard's books, this book is merely the tip of the iceburg and GM and his/her players may wish to buy up to $100 of more books to supplement this one. The saving factor f this game is its relative depth of content in just one book. If you like d20 systems, this is a good start for you. If you like, however, cyber-punk, space travel or even alien races, this gamessuffers a lack of those things. Unfortunately, I highly recommend this book for lovers of d20 systems, this book (and the entire d20 modern series) will be almost priceless. On the other hand, this game is not good for cyber-punk or traditional "SF" role-playing." The series (or just this book) just doesn't provide a systems that can be used for cyber-punk (Call of Cthulhu)), science fiction/fantasy. I just felt that the book, like all of the books in the series. Dn't get me wrong. The system is goiod, but the game seems to be written for White Anglo Saxon rich kids. In a way, I seriously wish that D20 modern had provided a way to role play characters who are not rich, white or human. That is why I write the one star.

5 comments about Monster Manual IV (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. In the beginning, after my original read of the MMIV, I had the same thoughts as many of the other reviews. The new stat blocks, being not like the old stat blocks, were a nusience to read. The extended information on ecology, encounters, knowledge, treasure, and whatnot, while kind of useful, sucked up space where more monsters could have been. And the endless inclusion of well-known monsters with class levels was just a waste of space. I mean, what DM worth their salt couldn't throw a few class levels on an orc or drow when they needed them?
   
   And then there I was, ten minutes to my next session with a burning need to have a pair of lizardfolk barbarians fight my players. Yeah, I could have added some attack bonuses and whatnot on the fly, but then I realized, "Wait! I have the MMIV! That has more lizardfolk types than I could possibly need! And they're statistically correct!" Thusly, my game was saved.
   
   Yes, any DM worth their salt can add a few class levels to monsters... if they have the time. For us more harried DMs, having pre-generated leveled monsters is a boon beyond reckoning. And the maps can be used over and over again. Certainly I've used a cavern map of mine at least four times with my current group. Each time it was the lair or corridor or ambush site of totally different creatures, and the group thought it cool each time. The geode caverns of the gnoll tribes could be used for any wilderness encounter, and etc.
   
   The various encounter suggestions are excellent as well, as they occasionally provide ideas and adventure seeds. As I also play in the Realms and Eberron, suggestions for how monsters tie in to both places works on multiple levels, or can give people ideas on how monsters can fit into their own worlds.
   
   As for the monsters themselves, I have to say I like 'em! I haven't had a chance to use a lot of them, because I have over a dozen monster books, and there's only so much death you can throw at your players in a single session. However, there were some excellent constructs, fey, and plants, always favorites of mine, in addition to some nasty oozes, elementals, and aberrations. I don't often use demons, devils, and various outsiders that often, so I can only say they look suitibly evil/good/neutral.
   
   The reason this book gets three stars instead of higher, is that there are less monsters for the buck, even though what is there is perhaps more useful. Also, switching the format for the stat blocks makes me sad, as I have to constantly search for the information I used to be able to find in a snap. Yes, perhaps I will eventually get used to the new format, but right now it just drives me up the wall.



2. Although it has some interesting critters, I found the inclusion of so many NPCs a waste of space. NPCs like those presented here should be doled out on the web. The book should be all about new monsters, not modifications of existing monsters. It's not the worst book I've seen from Wizards of the Coast, but it's definately one of the worst.



3. Of the additional MM supplements, this one is by far my favorite. As a DM who enjoys immersing my players into the eternal struggle between the evils of the dragon goddess Tiamat and those of the Good Dragon King Bahamut, the spawn of Tiamat are a frequently encountered enemy in my adventures. For those who are used to the format of previous editions, the monster statistics block had a slight change, but not to worry! Everything you need to know is still there. It took me some getting used to, but I think most DMs will find it convenient. Take advantage of the myriad creatures within, but be warned, there may be more monsters than your adventurers can cleave.



4. I've been a DM for about 15 years, and can see why many think that this book was not on par with previous editions. on the positive, for new dm's, or those without large amounts of time to plan can appreciate the monsters with class levels in the base 4 archtypes. i will admit, there have been plenty of times that i've had to do a shoddy mismatch of humanoid and class levels in a pinch. having it pre-planned gives a little more spark. weigh that against new monsters, its like apples and oranges. with the monsters in the other manuals, add to those from other publishers, it isn't going to kill the creature catalog to loose a few pages to the class levels, maps, and organizations within the book. Nit-pick for me was having the templates within the manual and not at the end of the book (my anal-retentiveness for remembering what books have what templates) Over all, liked the clockworks (more smaller ones needed, that's the jules vernian fascination in me tho), for me, the time saving beats the pages lost. Will i ever use half the monsters, no, but thats the same with most of the other books, i go theme based, over hit list any day of the game.
   
   my 2 copper



5. I purchased this book thinking I'd get a modest addition to the variety of monsters available to throw at my parties, perhaps spark some ideas.
   
   I was woefully disappointed when I received it. Dozens upon dozens of write-ups of leveled-up and templated creatures (Drow, etc.) from the Monster Manual and elsewhere.
   
   The new (?) creatures included were simply bizarre, and not in the good way. More the "Huh, that's.. strange... I can't ever imagine using that" sort of way.
   
   My suggestion - go to used bookstore, pick it up, peruse it. If you find a group of monsters that you are *already using* (or about to use) fleshed out nicely, go for it. Otherwise... well, up to you.