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Starfarer's Codex: Horrifically Overpowered Feats
Publisher: Rogue Genius Games
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/18/2022 20:28:31

I stumbled upon this by accident, read a few of the Feats, and absolutely loved them. I might be the wrong audience though, because I don't see them as that horrific or that overpowered - I'm allowing my players to each be allowed one (and to potentially pick up others if they're thematic). All that being said, these are awesome, in the kind of way you might look at Exalted charms, and go 'wow'.

I'm really hoping to see more. In fact, I'm really hoping to see more for 1e Pathfinder too, I picked up all four PDFs not too long ago, and I'm using them in my Pathfinder campaign. Just, Rogue Genius Games makes some top-notch stuff, and I would really like to throw money at them.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Starfarer's Codex: Horrifically Overpowered Feats
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Astulae
Publisher: Sequestered Industries
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/29/2019 04:14:42

Astulae is a very different sort of sourcebook, dealing with a very different sort of setting. Worlds crashing into each other, blending and twisting, with a very simplified game engine to tie it all together. Honestly, it's weird, and I love it.

If you're running games using the ADRPG system (Amber, Lords of Gossamer and Shadow), this book is a must. It provides a plethora of worlds, and a puzzle for the characters to try to solve. Is this a natural phenomenon? Is this a problem that needs to be fixed? What caused it, what does it mean for the countless worlds untouched by it - when it is only a matter of time before it swallows everything? You can build multiple campaigns on this book!

As a stand-alone? I think it's solid. It provides the means for making your own worlds, it provides means for hooking them all together, and it gives you a straightforward system for making characters which you can use if you don't have another game engine you're already using. It can stand on its own strengths, or be used to enhance any other game.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Astulae
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Godbound: A Game of Divine Heroes (Deluxe Edition)
Publisher: Sine Nomine Publishing
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/29/2019 04:10:39

This game is great fun. I'm running a Godbound campaign set in the current age, with the PCs as teenagers coming to terms with who they are in a normal, public highschool. The rules are flexible, adaptable, and the players are having a blast with it. The expansions that have been released have simply added to the game, and I'm looking forward to so much more for this line.

This is definitely an OSR game to add to your collection. The mechanics are suitable for pretty much any OSR game - and I'm certain it could easily be adapted to the 3rd edition of the popular RPG, and even the PF version as well. The mechanics are only slightly different from your typical OSR game, tailored to playing demigods - so you could easily let the demigods use these mechanics, while mortals use the normal OSR mechanics, and it would work out fine!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Godbound: A Game of Divine Heroes (Deluxe Edition)
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New World of Darkness Rulebook (1st Edition)
Publisher: White Wolf
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/29/2019 04:03:57

For me, the first edition of the new World of Darkness was perfect. The setting, the mechanics, the feel of it. From the main rulebook through V:tR, and on, everything about this edition breathed fresh life into the WoD.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
New World of Darkness Rulebook (1st Edition)
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Mysteries of the Yokai
Publisher: Warding Circle
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/10/2018 01:23:34

So, I got my copy of Mysteries of the Yokai in (softcover) a few days ago, and I've been flipping through it. I've taken the time to build a character, and touch on the setting itself and how the game has been designed. So far, I'm quite happy with everything I've seen. The game engine is flexible, the character creation is open, and the game offers a lot of variety for the type of campaigns to run. Character creation is point driven, rather than random, and a normal PC has a lot of movement for what you want to build - from samurai period drama to supernatural to anime, it provides the tools - all that's needed is a GM's guidance.

The game engine, 3d6+stat+skill+mods, is simple and intuitive, and I like that you assign your attribute to your skill - how does your character use their skills? Well, this determines the attribute used. I find that refreshing - are you a strength-based fighter, or an agility-based fighter? It provides flavour.

Looking forward to more for this game!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Mysteries of the Yokai
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Marvel Heroic Roleplaying: Civil War Event Book (Essentials Edition)
Publisher: Margaret Weis Productions
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/24/2012 00:12:48

Civil War (Essentials) A Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Game Supplement by Margaret Weis Productions

Civil War is the first supplement for the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Game. It details the events and characters involved in the crossover event that occurred across a number of comic lines within the Marvel Universe. The Essentials version covers only the Civil War, and does not have the rules presented in the MHRG rulebook.

Disclosure: I was given a review copy of the game by Margaret Weis Productions.

Civil War is a campaign, supplement, covering the entire Civil War story arc, and is expected to run for months or more. The book for the most part is a game master resource and is not for player use. The first section discusses the event itself, and breaks it down into three acts. Each act covers a section of the Civil War, from the leadup to the Superhuman Registration act, to the enforcement of the act itself, to the aftermath itself. This is a major campaign, and the aftermath of the Civil War can lead to major changes if you are using it as part of a more personal campaign. The status quo of the setting can be shifted significantly.

New rules are introduced to the game. Advanced Troupe Play is used to provide players with the ability to have an arsenal of characters under their control. Rather than having XP given to each character, each player gathers Experience Points, which can be used on any characters he controls. This allows the player the freedom to switch characters between events or sessions, without having any character hindered because of it. This is also useful if you want to explore both sides of the Civil War - some heroes can be on the side of the registration act, while others may be against it, and players can use characters on either side of the act over the course of the campaign.

More depth is provided on Scene Distinctions and Complications. The game master can set a number of Distinctions on a scene, allowing them to be used either by the heroes or their enemies. These act as normal Distinctions, and the game master is allowed to add new ones to a scene by spending a d8 or better from the Doom Pool, increasing the ante in the scene to hinder the characters. In addition, the game master is reminded that villains can use effect dice to do things other than target heroes. These dice can create Complications, forcing a hero to make tough decisions during a scene. Characters can act to reduce the Complications or remove a Distinction from a scene. Suggestions are also made on how to make such things interactive, allowing heroes and NPCs to spend PP to gain new tricks.

Next, the chapter discusses what happens when heroes battle one another. This can get very personal, and the rules discuss how the game master should arbitrate such conflicts. There are suggestions on defeating opponents without inflicting stress or trauma, allowing the player characters to battle one another witching having to cripple potential allies and friends.

NPCs and 'Specialty Characters' are discussed next. In the Civil War, there are a number of forces at play, and the game suggests that players should be allowed to play specialty NPCs who are allied with their characters. If you have a PC who is a member of SHIELD, then it can be expected that the player can also handle the SHIELD Agents that are working under him. These can be used as normal NPCs, or can act as a persistent Asset (providing a die bonus to the character they are supporting).

Personal Opinion: These rules are helpful, but not essential, to running the Civil War. Some of these are just reminders of rules which may be easily overlooked from the main rules, while others are just solid ideas for making the game run more smoothly.

--

The next Chapter discusses how some mechanics interact with the Civil War. The first thing discussed is the Super Human Registration Act, and why someone would be on one side of the Act or another. It discusses what is at stake, and how things may play out if the Act passes or fails. It is not a given that the Act would pass or fail, the option is placed in the hands of the game master and the players, depending on what kind of story you want to tell.

This chapter has a number of milestones - 12 are prevented right at the opening, detailing different aspects of the Civil War, and provides options for the players, to help them invest their characters in the campaign. A few of these milestones are presented as either pro- or con- SHRA, but there are a number of milestones which can be used by either side.

Next, the supplement discusses the factions that are involved in the Civil War. Atlantis, SHIELD, Hydra, A.I.M., Wakanda, and the Illuminati are all detailed, with NPCs, milestones, and unlockables that the players can invest in to gain an advantage with one faction or another. On top of these factions, there are other forces in play - the media. Characters can ally with the media (the Daily Bugle and the Alternative are provided as examples), and can gain allies, unlockables, and milestones related to the media to help further their cause.

Locations are provided, with Distinctions associated with them. These are useful for helping to flesh out a scene, and provide the heroes and their opponents with opportunities within the scene. A number of key locations are listed, as well as alternate suggestions that can be used in the game for those who are unfamiliar with New York and Washington DC.

Personal Opinion: There is a lot of crunch here, providing the game master with the many forces that are at play during the Civil War. The write-ups look good, and providing the players with unlockables and milestones gives the players an investment in the campaign. A very solid chapter.

--

The next three chapters detail the campaign. They discuss important scenes and how these scenes are broken down, along with important hooks for these scenes. Important NPCs and enemies are presented, and options are given for alternatives in how the scenes can play out or how you can tailor the scene for specific characters or events.

Personal Opinion: The way that the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Game plays out is different than many other roleplaying games. The breakdown between action scenes and transition scenes flows differently than many other games. Action scenes are where a lot of the conflicts and dice rolls are used, while transition scenes act as links where characters can roleplay and players can catch their breath. While these breakdowns may seem artificial, the point is to give the players the feel of a comic book, where every scene has a point, helping to further the story, rather than providing a more natural flow. I can't judge whether this is good or bad, just that it is significantly different. As a new game master to MHRG, I need to find my own rhythm, and I have not had the experience to run in this fashion.

--

The next chapter deals with NPCs, covering those who would be encountered by the players over the course of the event. Many of these may be allies or enemies - it really depends on the characters and what side they are on. These NPCs are minor characters, but can be used as PCs to provide greater challenge, or could be possibly unlocked as allies for the players during the course of the campaign.

The following chapter deals with the core heroes, the big players in the game. Two are unlockable -- Namor the Sub Mariner and the Black Panther. These two characters are rulers of nations in their own right, and thus are unavailable as PCs 'out of the box'. Everyone else, however, are potential PCs, and are designed in that fashion. Of course, players don't need to play these individuals, they can make their own characters if they wish, but there are an enormous number of characters fleshed out for player use.

Personal Opinion: I kind of wish the Hulk had been listed here, but he wasn't around in the Civil War (having been launched into space...). Still, there are a number of characters, including some I've never heard of before. Combine this with the heroes and villains presented in the actual Civil War chapters (such as Doctor Doom), and you find yourself with more than enough characters to handle the Event and more to come later.

--

Final Opinion: This is a solid sourcebook. Not only is it a campaign, it is also a hero guide. One thing I have to say about this is that writing up supplement books in this fashion is a good idea. The NPCs and heroes presented are listed as they were in the Event, and if another Event is done, the NPCs and heroes can be presented with altered traits to match the Event as well, showing how characters shift and evolve over time. This also means that, while you may have redundant character sheets, you also do not need to worry about any specific character being 'dated' by changes in canon continuity. Pick the version you are most comfortable with, and enjoy yourselves. The sourcebook overall impresses me, and I think it has been laid out in a logical fashion. I recommend this book as an excellent example of how to set up a long-term campaign using the Heroic Roleplaying System, and provides enough PCs and NPCs for the game master to use in other Events or in their own campaigns.

Base: 10 Layout: 8/10 Good use of space, well organized, good text size. Art: 8/10 Recycled from comics, but good choice of artwork. Coolness: 9/10 Cool concept, excellent ideas. Readability: 8/10 Easy to read, well organized, flows nicely.

Base: 10 Content: 9/10 Almost completely a GM's book, but filled with useful information and tips, NPCs, suggestions, and aids to make for an excellent campaign. Text: 9/10 Good font size, easy to follow, useful charts and margin notes. Fun: 9/10 A very good adventure, and an excellent introduction to Marvel. Workmanship: 9/10 It is quite obvious that thought was put into this game, with an eye on the players. System: 9/10 A very solid system, able to handle quite a lot.

Total: 89%



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Marvel Heroic Roleplaying: Civil War Event Book (Essentials Edition)
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Marvel Heroic Roleplaying: Basic Game
Publisher: Margaret Weis Productions
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/12/2012 23:03:32

Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Game by Margaret Weis Productions The Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Game is a new roleplaying game that departs significantly from the more typical style of games that have been released over the years. It uses a modification of the Cortex system designed by Margaret Weis Productions, but with some significant differences. The Cortex system is used with a number of other games, including Supernatural, Smallville, and Leverage. To play you need dice from d4 to d12, – preferably three to four of each. It would also help to have tokens or counters to keep track of plot points, and a notepad or post-its to keep track of advantages (assets) and disadvantages (complications) over the course of a session.

Disclosure: I was given a review copy of the game by Margaret Weis Productions. MHRG is a flexible, open game system. Crafting a character is more about making the character you want to play, rather than being limited by a random creation system or a point-generated system. The game also does away with attributes and detailed skill lists, and removes a lot of the complication which would normally go into creating a hero. Instead of fixating on the more mundane aspects of a character sheet – things you would add to a character “just in case” or that would make sense but never be used – the game emphasizes only what stands out about your character. The first step in creating a character involves knowing how well the hero interacts with others. Is she a team player, does she work best with a partner or sidekick, or does she prefer to act by herself? These three traits are assigned a die value, which indicates where her strengths lie. Even if you choose solo as her greatest strength, she can still work with a team – it just means that from time to time you’ll want her to do her own things, separate from the group, but still helping the group overall. Teams do split up from time to time, and it is during these times your character will shine. The second step is to decide her distinctions. You must choose three traits which define who your character is. Distinctions are used to separate your character from other heroes, and act as a reminder about who she is. When you play to your character’s distinctions, you gain a die bonus when you roll. If you ignore your distinction, you don’t get the die – and you are also missing out on generating Plot Points which can be spent to help your character later. These distinctions may be a theme (with great power comes great responsibility), or an occupation (news reporter), or it may be a characteristic (stunning good looks, billionaire philanthropist playboy). It can even be a catch phrase that the character uses (It’s clobberin’ time!). The third step involves filling out one or two power sets. Each power set helps define a theme for your hero’s powers, and you can choose whether or not to use one or two sets. Each set is then filled with the powers that you think helps define that aspect of your hero’s abilities. For example, you may have a hero that has gone through a secret government program that has injected something into your system. The training provided, the powers provided by the serum, and any equipment which came with being an agent are all one “set”. If the hero also happened to be a mutant, this can provide a second “set”, defining her mutant abilities. The major difference between this game and other roleplaying games is that you can choose as many powers as it takes to make your “set”, and you can choose what level to have these powers at. There is no costs associated with your powers, and the only limit is what the game master sets. If the game master thinks your character is viable, then you’re good to go. This means that MHRG allows you to make characters from any level, from the street-tough hero who has no true powers and a handful of gadgets, to cosmic level heroes who surf between the stars. The power list is not too extensive, and you can theoretically adapt anything that is there into making the character you want to play. Once your powers are set, you should select some SFX for your hero. SFX are “mini powers” or adjustments to your existing powers. SFX can represent smaller powers or sub-abilities which are not significant enough to warrant being a full power, or can provide advantages or represent aspects of your powers which are not normally used. For example, your shield-bearing hero can normally deflect attacks with the shield, but might also throw it to take out people. Normally, only one person might be hit at a time, but as an SFX you can take down a group of opponents, and the SFX will provide the tools needed to make this possible. “Group Attack” is not enough to warrant being a power, but as an SFX it fits perfectly. Alternatively, going into a “Berserker Rage” is not really a power, but as an SFX it can provide bonuses to the hero’s attacks, making it a good SFX as well. With the SFX out of the way, the character should have two limits. Limits are flaws, but they work somewhat differently than in other games. Limits provide the character with Plot Points which allow her bonuses to use later on, or which can add something to the game, helping to set up for the big finish at a later point. For example, a character who’s powers “shut down” from exposure to a specific substance will get a Plot Point when this happens – and it is most likely that you will do this voluntarily, rather than waiting for the game master to do it – because being hampered makes the game interesting, and provides you with the edge later on. Limits can be triggered by the game master as well, and if he does it, you still get the benefits that the Limit supplies. The fourth step in character creation is choosing one or more specialties. These are similar to a skill list, but much more restricted. Instead of a huge list of skills, this provides a smaller list of things your hero may excel in. You are not expected to put a value to every specialty in the game – instead you’re expected to pick a handful that represents your hero’s greatest talents – the things she’s awesome at. When your specialty applies to your actions, you get to use the value of your specialty as a die. Finally, you need to create one or two milestones. A milestone represents a mini story arc that you feel is an important part of the hero’s identity. This is something she’s invested in as part of the game, and that you want to introduce to the story as a whole. Each milestone is divided into three steps – and milestones are what is used to get XP in the game. The game master does not hand out XP for the adventure – the milestones in the game are what is used to get you XP – the adventure is used to give you opportunities to spend it. This means, if you want XP, you need to try to get your milestones into the game. In addition, each adventure has one or two milestones as well, and you can adopt these adventure-specific milestones for XP as well. The lowest tier of a milestone is something pretty simple and straightforward. It almost acts as an introduction to who the character is, and the theme that you wish to pursue. If your hero is an android, and this is not immediately apparent, having someone find out you’re an android for the first time could be the trigger for this milestone. This trigger grants 1 XP each time it comes up, and can come up multiple times in a single scene. The second tier can be a point of contention with the character, something which adds a touch of drama or that can complicate either the hero’s life, or the life of those around her. For example, if there comes a huge debate about the rights of androids, and whether they should count as “people” or “property”, this can trigger the milestone. This trigger grants 3 XP, and can only come up once per scene. The third tier is the finisher of the milestone, and represents the outcome of the story arc. This is where the life of the hero changes, whether for better or worse, or changes the lives of those around her. The android may embrace her android nature, forsaking all that is human, or she may utterly deny what she is, and embrace humanity instead. This is worth 10 XP, and ends the milestone. Once a milestone has been concluded (whether in one adventure or over multiple adventures), it is removed from the character sheet, and another can take its place. If this was an adventure-specific milestone, it doesn’t carry over to other adventures normally – so if you want the 10 XP, you need to really push to get the conclusion of the milestone before the adventure is finished. A character can find herself in a whirlwind of drama and chaos, but walk out of the adventure with more than 40 XP under her belt from excellent roleplaying, while someone who isn’t invested in his hero or the adventure may walk out with a small handful of XP. An interesting thing about MHRG is that experience points are used in a different way than other games. Yes, you can use XP to improve your character, but that isn’t the point to XP. After all, as you just saw, you can build the character you want to play – if you wanted your character stronger, you’d probably have built them stronger in the first place. Of course, you may have wished your character to start weaker – or the game master may have asked for the players to make the characters at the start of their careers, in which case your XP can be used to advance over time. The more important aspect of XP is how it is used during a session. XP can be spent for Plot Points, which are then used to modify dice rolls and power SFX, but it is also used to invest in an adventure. XP is spent to create Events, which are dramatic outcomes which can be built into a scene by the heroes. Did the hero just defeat a villain during a scene? For 5 XP, that villain can be convinced by the hero to change his ways, allowing you to use the villain as a hero in a later adventure. The villain is “unlocked” as an additional character, usable by the players as a PC. For 10 XP, in a later scene in the same adventure, the villain can be called to aid the heroes in a time of need. The villain comes in, saves the heroes or provides assistance (played by the game master), and then leaves shortly afterwards. A hero may have a hidden base, and for 5 XP, just happens to have a gadget from the base which can be used right now. This provides a quick advantage (asset) that the hero can use – a die bonus for the next little while, so nothing that will break the game. XP can also be used to remove powers and replace them, buy new power sets, or make adjustments to your character as she evolves over time.

So, how does MHR play? Admittedly, I’ve only ran two sessions. I’ve made a cheat sheet for the players, to help them get used to the game engine, but as a whole I’ll have to say, “very well”. It will take a little getting used to, but overall, I’m satisfied with how the game runs. Your heroes are just that ... heroes... and the game allows for any level of play. You have the means to evolve over time, refine your abilities, and grow as much as you feel is proper, but you also have the means to do other things, to add personal touches to the game. The system overall is very flexible, though it requires a little more work on the game master’s part than I am used to. I don’t tend to plan things ahead very far, but a good game master will need to set the milestones and distinctions for each adventure ahead of time, so that the players can make use of these. The other thing I am not used to is how open the game is. The game master is expected to roll openly, and the plot of each adventure is also expected to be open. The game master tells the players what the milestones are (which will provide some spoilers, most likely), and also is expected to describe openly what the outcome of any action done by the NPCs will be, so the players can decide whether to oppose it or not.

“Health” is also a foreign concept in this game. You have stress and trauma, which is divided into physical, mental, and emotional levels. The stress meter builds up, and when it hits maximum, the character is incapacitated, and anything overflowing moves into trauma – which is long term damage. A hero can shift stress from one trait to another, thus allowing for a “buffer” to be in place before the character is knocked out. Stress can heal relatively quickly, while trauma is a long-term thing. The general goal of a hero is to “stress out” an opponent, to quickly rack up stress of one sort or another, specifically to incapacitate the enemy. The system is well designed to allow for heroes and villains to battle each other in a dramatic fashion, choosing different avenues to attack. And both you and your opponent can use your own stress and each other’s stress as modifiers to help improve your odds. Are you stressed? You can use your stress die as a bonus for your roll – but the stress die escalates when you do. Is your opponent stressed? Well, this gives you a bonus die to use against them! Health is not an “all or nothing” thing in this game, and is just another tool that can be used to help make the adventure exciting.

Negatives While I do recommend this game, there are some flaws. First and foremost, the chapter divisions are awkward. The beginning chapter discussing how the game works was using terminology from later in the book – so it would address things I have not heard of. I had no idea what these terms are, or how the mechanics of them worked, and this proved to be a lesson in frustration. I had to jump back and forth between chapters as I worked through the opening section, so I could follow what was being said. This is a very strong negative for such a good game, because it will very likely frustrate new players and prevent them from ever playing. For someone new to roleplaying games, this is a fatal flaw, because they will have no idea what to do, and will not understand what is being presented to them.

I do recommend making a cheat sheet and going over the rules a few times. There are some concepts which take a bit of getting used to, and making a flowchart for how the dice system, plot point system, and XP system work will help everyone immensely. The cheat sheet I made took only one page, but covered everything I thought the players should know for any roll of the dice. Broken down this way, the system is fairly elegant, and its strengths are much more obvious. The system is good, you just need to be patient until you get the hang of it – and that was something I did with only two sessions. My second complaint is the lack of villains for the game master to use. There is a single adventure, with only a small handful of villains. Most of the villains are second-stringers, but there are a few specific first-line villains to be used. The number of heroes to draw upon is also limited, and it is somewhat expected that the players will use these pre-generated characters for the adventure in the back. My group is more inclined to making our own characters, however, and the small selection of heroes made it a little more difficult to draw examples from for making our milestones, SFX, and distinctions. A larger sample pool would have been great, for villains and for heroes. All in all, MHRG is a good game. The concepts behind it are strong, and the engine itself is also something I am particularly pleased with. The layout and lack of heroes and villains are a significant detraction from the game, but I think the game itself makes up for it.

Base: 10 Layout: 7/10 Good use of space, good text size. Art: 7/10 Recycled from comics, but good choice of artwork. Coolness: 9/10 Cool concept, excellent ideas. Readability: 3/10 Problematic. Had to read two or three chapters at the same time to understand concepts.

Base: 10 Content: 4/10 Everything needed for the players, not as much for the game master. Text: 6/10 Good font size, difficult to follow early in. Use of charts and examples were very helpful. Fun: 8/10 The game itself is very fun to play, but takes a little bit to get used to. Workmanship: 8/10 It is quite obvious that thought was put into this game, with an eye on the players. System: 9/10 A very solid system, able to handle quite a lot.

Total: 81%



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Marvel Heroic Roleplaying: Basic Game
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Eidolons Unbound
Publisher: Skortched Urf' Studios
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/01/2011 09:27:18

I'm very uncomfortable writing negative reviews - I know that a lot of work can go into getting something done, and it bothers me to write something bad about another person's hard work, but this seems to warrant it.

Eidolons Unbound is an interesting idea - there's a lot of work that's gone into this, and it provides some unique concepts for the summoner class. Unfortunately, it fails to mould these ideas to the Pathfinder ruleset very well. There are evolutions provided which the eidolon already has naturally, there are eidolon types which do not fit the established rules for eidolon creation, and there are feats which mimic summoner archetypes. There are some creative ideas in here, and with some rule-fixing (perhaps a version 2?), this would be a good, solid product.

If you don't mind sifting through the product and correcting it to fit with the Pathfinder rules, it is still worth the current price, but if it were to be fixed with an errata and re-released, it would be much better, and more than worth the price to get. As it is, I can't recommend this product in its current state.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
Eidolons Unbound
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Living Toys and Harem Mages
Publisher: Skortched Urf' Studios
by Christopher L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/31/2011 00:35:27

I've only done a first pass, and the concept intrigues me a lot. For a prestige class, I have to say the harem mage is quite creative, and a very interesting idea to add to a Pathfinder campaign. The only thing that I disapprove of is the XP cost presented in the first ability - Pathfinder has removed XP costs from everything in the game, and if this is prestige class to be used in Pathfinder, I believe it should follow the example. As a replacement for the XP cost listed under "Daydream Girl", I would suggest a Negative Level. This would impose a number of penalties on the mage, representing the effort of imbuing the figure for another day's existence, but could be removed with a restoration spell. This would fall in line with the Shadow Dancer prestige class, who suffers a negative level with the loss of his Shadow (familiar). I think this would be much more appropriate and would keep in line with the Pathfinder rules set. In fact, I would impose the same penalty for the loss of the Girlish Familiar to make it more uniform. There's very little in Pathfinder which inflicts a permanent loss on a character, Negative Levels seem to be the best bet here, too.

I'm looking forward to reading more about this.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Living Toys and Harem Mages
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