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RPGNow DEPOSIT
Publisher: Roll20
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/13/2004 00:00:00

I buy a lot of small products, so I decided to try this out.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: This allows me to make smaller purchases without the hassle of getting out my credit card or buying up to the minimum<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Unfortunately, the two things I like about this product are also the major ways I keep my spending on this service in check. Use wisely.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
RPGNow DEPOSIT
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Conflict, and A Person's Place In It
Publisher: Better Mousetrap Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/13/2004 00:00:00

Conflict, and A Person's Place In It, is a commentary on violence and how difficult it really is, compared to how it is normally portrayed in an RPG.

Part One On Killing in Roleplaying Games

  • This section repeatedly makes the point that the primary purpose of a weapon is to intimidate the enemy, not to kill the enemy. If the enemy breaks and runs, he is just as defeated for that battle as if you killed him face to face. Plus, it's easier to stab someone when they're running for their lives and not fighting back. At the end of this section, the GM-Player anecdote was amusing and illustrative.

'We're all animals!'

  • This section details the "fight or flight" response, and adds two more: posture and submit. At the end of the section he details a behavior present in humans that isn't in animals: "evasion" (not the d20 rogue ability). This section is a short and very basic overview of those behaviors.

"Really, sir, I'm just a bad shot"

  • This section deals with numbers and statistics of who fired how often in different wars, and how likely a soldier is to really kill another person in wartime activities.

"Can't fight, too busy!"

  • A section explaining the "evasion" behavior in a little more detail. This section is very short, but it doesn't need to be long to get the point across.

Bang! ?Leave us alone, you sods!?

  • This section details the intimidating power of guns. The example given deals with the Napoleanic military, and how they were used rather than longbows (which were more accurate than firearms at the time).

"Target to your front, fire!?

  • So soldiers generally don't fire at their fellow humans. This section gives a short history of how soldiers were trained to do just that, and makes relevant observations about modern problems.

"This is all very well, Kyle, but what?s it got to do with the game??

  • A house rule that can be adapted to pretty much any system to simulate the difficulty of murdering a fellow human being (or your sentient species of choice). Perhaps more useful for realistic games. It could be hard to adapt for d6 based systems, since it's based off a percentile. It isn't meant to be a ready rule, as far as I can tell, just a starting point for a GM to customize for his own game.

"Aw, geez, but that?s no fun??

  • A short commentary on the third aspect of killing (besides the technical "with what" and the legal "how am I going to be punished for this?"): the moral.

Part Two is a load of information. It starts out with the aspects of killing (technical, skill, purpose, psychological, social), and quickly explains the stages of grief. It goes into detail on how both of those relate to different acts of killing: suicide, homicide, serial/mass homicide, civil insurrection, guerilla conflict, state war and great war, atrocities, and peacekeeping..<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: The author obviously did a lot of research, as there are many studies that are referenced, and the anecdotes are amusing an informative. The familiar tone makes it easy to read and keeps it from being too dry.

The material flows well, and makes sense.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: The information in this product is sound, but the author doesn't have a bibliography for any of the statistics used, studies references, or anecdotes told.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Conflict, and A Person's Place In It
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Born on the 8th Day
Publisher: LPJ Design
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/04/2004 00:00:00

For me, this product isn't about using the information straight out of the "box" (since the names of the days, weeks, months, etc, don't fit at all with the campaign), but more as a set of initial guidelines for creating my own astrological system. I would have been better served if it included explicit suggestions or guidelines, but the product/example itself served well enough.

A niche product at best. Good as far as I can tell, but I haven't yet played with it, so I have little idea of the balance between the different options.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: It's a good starting point for creating your own system where your horoscope truly affects a character in the game rules. It does, however, make creating NPCs on the fly slightly more complex.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: The names were a bit silly, but that's a nitpick complaint more than anything.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Born on the 8th Day
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Wear II
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/22/2004 00:00:00

This PDF includes such gems as Spell-right Hats for the 8 schools of magic, 4 Elemental Robes, 5 elemenal damage gloves, class Cloaks (10, plus a Monk's Robe, which is called a Monk's Cloak in the main text), and an assortment of Quivers and Scabbars. The quivers and scabbards aren't so bad, as I've come to expect copy-and-paste items in these products.

I dislike how the class cloaks give +3 bonuses to charisma when deal with -class- of the same alignment, but then, I'm one of those who tends to automatically say no to odd stat bonuses. The other abilities of the class cloaks are appropriate, but I'm not sure how balanced with each other they are (clerics: +1 to the total of any healing spells; druid: +10 to hide in a forest [not any natural surroundings, just forest]; barbarian: AC penalty during rage negated; bard: one additional use of bardic knowledge per day; fighter: +2 to all saves; etc). The paladin's cloak also mentions that they get a +3 bonus to paladins of the same alignment. I suppose this is useful in campaigns with variant paladins, but it jars me as sloppy all the same.

I despise the Portable Store Backpack. I suppose that means I shouldn't include it in my game, but the statement stands. For twice the cost in the PHB, characters can buy whatever they need out of the backpack (paraphrasing). The DM can decide that the "store" is closed, and in that case, the backpack won't open, or will eat their money, like a vending machine.

I don't think the Spell-right Hats improve your writing skills, and as for the word "doff," I do not think that words means what they think it means. These items also give odd ability adjustments, this time in the form of a -1 penalty.

I wasn't impressed.

To end on a positive note, the Decoy Cloak, the Rope Belt and Sword Belt, and the Two-Way Pouch were fun ideas.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Wear II
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Armor II
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/22/2004 00:00:00

Ah. In the last product were the Dragonscale Shields (10 of them), in this product are the Dragonscale Armors (10 of them). Add the Hunter Armors (14 of them), and half the promised magic items are gone. I was expecting this. These products could be considerably shortened if the repeat items were compressed to one entry and a subtable followed the main item description.

Of the wall shields, the Ironwall shield could use some tightening up. It is a cookie-cutter shield, the issue being that the wall of iron spell has a duration of instantaneous, so the created wall will never vanish. This is not a pressing issue, but I wish the authors would check spell descriptions before they copy and paste.

Of the quick-destruct shields and armor (they destroy themselves upon contact with the specified thing--fire, water), I find myself wondering why they cost the same to make as a normal, permanent magical suit of armor or shield. As a side note, the warp-quick shield would become useless immediately upon its creation, unless the ambient moisture were to be at 0%. Just don't breathe on it.

On the positives, I like the idea of the Complete Shield (a great defense versus a hulking hurler or other damage beast, but only once). I also like the Traveler's Armor.

What I bought this last time around will likely be the last of these products I'll buy. The one or two neat items per product are not worth $1 to me. You may decide differently.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Armor II
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Armor I
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/22/2004 00:00:00

This PDF continues the trend of cookie-cutter magic items. 10 Dragonscale shields, 4 Elemental shields, 4 Dire -animal- hide armors, 4 alignment armors, etc. As another reviewer mentioned, it does seem cheap, but then, how much does the product cost?

The Acid Shield and Acid-burst Shields (along with their other elemental brethren) were fairly interesting in that they prevent, store, and then release the specified elemental energies on a shield bash, but the gem of the product for me was the Shield of Sorrow, which, after six battles, will cry you a healing potion. After six battles, I'd think you'd need more than a cure light wounds potion, but the idea is sound.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Armor I
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Wear I
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/21/2004 00:00:00

Hm. I like the cloak series, though i find myself wondering what "visible sound" looks like. I also don't quite understand the logic in having the different elemental cloaks have their powers at different caster levels than the others (and different from the caster level defined at the bottom of the description), as it lacks symmetry. For instance, the firey cloak has burning hands 3/day, caster level 3 and fireball 1/week, caster level 9. THe sonic cloak has enthrall 1/day, caster level 5, and shout 1/day, caster level 8. Perhaps it was done to make the costs more even, but even then the sonic cloak seems more powerful than the firey cloak.

I like the hat of blindness and devouring, that last is good to spring on players who are wary of bags of holding.

The Carry-light pouch and backpack cost exactly the same, even if the carrying capacity of the former is much less than the latter. Also, the Easy-tear pouch and backpack have different prerequisites (the pouch lacks "reverse gravity" and both have mending), and I wonder why a bag that falls apart uses a spell that fixes thing (magical law of antipathy, perhaps).

Still, great ideas, good value.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Wear I
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Items II
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/21/2004 00:00:00

Hm. A lot more brittle gems, 14 or so.

The Molten Coin gives no way in the rules that characters might "possibly losses [sic] a hand". I like the idea of the rest of the coins. The decanters are all right in general, but I absoutely hate the Decanter of Potion Purchasing, where you put in twice the potions market value for a dose of potion. That would have no place in my campaign, but it might work for others.

The search glasses from Magic Items I are mentioned here. That particular oversight seems to be a failure of editing. The Stone-view glasses seem more complicated than they need to be for distance and thickness to be seen through.

The Orbs are a good idea, but I'm not sure that permanently fusing it to the character is so great, but wishes, miracles, and divine intervention are rare enough in my campaigns that I change most magic items that require such things to be removed to require a remove curse with a varying caster level check.

The Sonic orb seems underpriced compared to the others (i.e. the same price) considering the very few creatures that have sonic resistance. The pricing of elements is by the book, it's just a personal preference.

This series is a very good value.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Items II
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Items I
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/21/2004 00:00:00

I'm a bit confused regarding the Brittle Gems. Their caster level is set at 5, but the item description states the spell is cast as a 14th level wizard. The description also states that they are easy to crush and care must be taken in transport, but it gives no idea how likely they are to break with casual handling. Flavor text, I suppose, but it could be clearer.

The screaming coin does not give any rules effets for its screaming (no listen DCs, no concentration DCs), despite the fact that it is described as "distracting" and it is mentioned that it ruins aim.

I especially like the treasure stealing coin, and the idea of the fuse-gems.

The Assessment Glasses give far too much information out too soon, and I'd prefer an action be given for each bit of information the wearer wants to know, or be updated on. The Paranoia Glasses seem too expensive for a character quirk to roleplay, and the "search glasses" referred to in the description aren't in the document (perhaps in the SRD?)

The Heart of the Sea could be clearer on precisely what aquatic dangers the non-water dweller using the item is immune to (certainly includes drowning, but what about pressure or cold?).

A lot of good interesting items.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Items I
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Weapons II
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/21/2004 00:00:00

I don't have too much to say on this one. I'm reviewing these in order, and the only items that jumped out at me in this PDF are the Greater and Lesser Elemental weapons. Weapon prices still aren't added in, and some weapons seem too specific to be very useful (for example, the Golem Shuriken, which are great if the party knows they will be facing golems, or if they are planted just before an encounter with a golem, but wasted otherwise).

Good value.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Weapons II
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Weapons I
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/21/2004 00:00:00

I enjoyed the Dragon Scale arrows, and many other ideas within. Wording was a bit awkward in places (Blade of Balance: "gains the Balance skill... at its fifth rank").

The Troll-Killer Blade doesn't seem to be worth 16,000 gp, since the fire and acid damage is only 1d4 each, the two kinds of damage cannot activate on the same round, there is no mention of an enhancement bonus to hit, and the bonuses are only active against trolls anyway. None of the items seem to have the weapon's base and masterwork costs built in, but I suppose that would make it easier to switch the qualities between the weapon types. Nor can I quite see a No Damage Dagger being worth 2,000 gp for what amounts to a parlor trick (this is more my preference). I don't feel inclined to check the pricing on each item, though.

Good ideas, execution and presentation could be better.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Weapons I
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Buck-A-Batch: Magic Rings II
Publisher: Creation&#039;s Edge Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/21/2004 00:00:00

I like the Dragon Slayer Rings, but am slightly disappointed that the Trap rings were reprinted from Magic Rings I without an expansion on the concept (whereas I don't mind that the Bark-Skin Armor ring was reprinted since more along a similar line were included).

I noticed fewer typos in this product, and the ideas were solid (but the Bullet Ring would seem to be uncomfortable for most PCs, considering the size of sling bullets, but magic is magic).

Recommended.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Buck-A-Batch: Magic Rings II
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Kaiser's Bazaar - Book A
Publisher: Mad Kaiser Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/14/2004 00:00:00

Absolutely amazing book. The information is presented in a clear and precise manner. As I am using it as a book of lists (campaign does not allow for the bazaar included in the product), I cannot comment on how easy the included bazaar integrates, but it seems generic enough to be easily worked in, and flavorful enough to be remembered.

The flavor information on several entries includes placenames that would need to be changed in a campaign; I've also found that real-world information and fantastic information are mixed rather thoroughly, though I cannot say whether it is a wholly good thing or a wholly bad thing (or even neighter).

Good product.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Kaiser's Bazaar - Book A
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Book of Templates - Deluxe Edition
Publisher: Silverthorne Games
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/10/2003 00:00:00

This is a 3.0 book, but hey, monster templates are easy to convert to 3.5. I'm not sure I'd want the job of converting all the templates, considering how many there are. Loads of value in this book, folks.

If you enjoy tinkering with monsters, this book is for you. And by that, I mean, "What are you waiting for, buy it this minute, you have no idea what you're missing."

For example: A Heightened (+2 to all attributes and some other stuff) Half-Medusa (stoning gaze) Nymph who is an Argent Servitor (servant of good)

A Woundmender (construct with fast healing) Skinrug (self-explanatory) made from the pelt of a Displacer Beast

A (well, not for long) Hypermitiotic (divides when struck) Hiveling (gets bonuses when around other creatures of its hive).... anything. How about stirges or kobolds?

Apocalyptic Tarrasque? Half-efreeti Centaur? The possibilities are about as endless as they come.

Highly recommended.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Book of Templates - Deluxe Edition
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A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe
Publisher: Expeditious Retreat Press
by Sarah P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/27/2003 00:00:00

Absolutely amazing. I've actually had this for a good long while, and decided to use it to build some societies before commenting. One magocracy and a simple monarchy later, I've again decided that this is the best money I've ever spent on an RPG supplement. The text density (I have been using the original version, but the revised has good layout with graphics breaking up the massive blocks of text) was daunting at first, and it took me about three in-depth readings to comprehend the tables before I started (I'm not the smartest of people), but... wow. I highly recommend it for novice and experienced DMs/GMs/setting designers.

This publisher is highest on my to-buy priority list.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe
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