Dark Mistress
First Post
First I would like to say a few things about this product. One I got the PDF free for purposes of this review. Second I will honestly say I had no intention of buying this product at first.
This product is 22 pages long. Cover, credits(with a nice dedication to Gray Gygax for Against the Giants) and introduction, each 1 page long. There isn't any chapters but I am breaking it up by chapters so it is easier to review.
Chapter 1 – Jotunnar as a race (4 pages)
This deals with description, society, relations to others, religion, alignment, racial traits, height, weight, etc. There is a nice viking feel here and the society is well written and interesting. They have a choice between 2 sets of stat bonuses. Both are balanced with other races in PFRPG.
Chapter 2 – Racial Paragon Class (9 pages)
It starts off with a page that explain what a racial paragon class is and how they work. One of the things I think will disappoint some people is that. As a Jotunnar you have to choose at 1st level if you want to take a normal class or this racial class. Once you pick you are locked into the racial class forever or if you pick a class, then you can never take the Paragon class. It is done for balance reason but I still think that will disappoint some.
For those that opt not to take the paragon class they avg about 7ft tall and play like any other race. Those that take the paragon class slowly get larger as they level up. Some class information.
HD d8, 4 skills, All simple weapons(no armor or shields), Medium BaB.
At first level you have to choose a elemental power, Air (electricity), Earth(Acid), Fire(Fire), Water(Cold). This will effect what elemental powers you can pick as you level up, since you can only pick the general ones or the ones from your element. They get a power at 1st, 3rd and then ever 3rd level.(there are 40 to choose from). They also start with a natural armor of +4 which goes up every other level and finally Slam Attack which is a natural attack that goes up in damage as they level.
At 2nd level they gain a +2 to str and con stats and every 3rd level after that they can choose one of them to raise by +2 and every 6th level they raise them both again. They gain a few other powers like rock throwing as they level as well. As they increase in size they do not get stat bonuses those are already built in, but you do get mods to AC, CMB/CMD, fly, stealth and move. To allow them to fit in dungeons and such they can take a full round action to shrink down one size.
Chapter 3 – Feats (3 pages)
There are 18 new feats in this chapter. The feats are all for Jotunnar or giants, they seem well thought out and they fit.
Final pages OGL (1 page), ads (2 pages)
Closing thoughts. I mentioned this is not a product I would have normally bought, which is why I am even more glad Rite Publishing sent this to me, cause otherwise I would have missed out on this product. The artwork is very nice in this book and it is layout well, making for a very pretty book. I might not use this book a lot but it is still nice and something that I will use occasionally. If you have always wanted to play a giant or allow giants in your games and be balanced. Then this is the book for you.
I honestly only have one knock on this book, no ability to multi-class cause I know some people are going to want to do that. I wish they had been able to come up with a way to do and keep the balance. The best suggestion I have been able to come up with is, feats that replicate some of the class abilities open to those that opt to take regular classes.
I am giving this book a 4.5 star for what it is. It seems well done and balanced as far as I can tell with out play testing it. What keeps it from being a 5 star to me is no ability to multi-class honestly cause I know some people would have wanted that. I do hope they do more race books along this line honestly especially if they can do multi-class option for other small monster races. I will certainly be keeping a eye out from now on for such books. At 3.75 it is a good buy, so much so that even though I got the PDF free, that I plan to buy it at a later date to support the company.
This product is 22 pages long. Cover, credits(with a nice dedication to Gray Gygax for Against the Giants) and introduction, each 1 page long. There isn't any chapters but I am breaking it up by chapters so it is easier to review.
Chapter 1 – Jotunnar as a race (4 pages)
This deals with description, society, relations to others, religion, alignment, racial traits, height, weight, etc. There is a nice viking feel here and the society is well written and interesting. They have a choice between 2 sets of stat bonuses. Both are balanced with other races in PFRPG.
Chapter 2 – Racial Paragon Class (9 pages)
It starts off with a page that explain what a racial paragon class is and how they work. One of the things I think will disappoint some people is that. As a Jotunnar you have to choose at 1st level if you want to take a normal class or this racial class. Once you pick you are locked into the racial class forever or if you pick a class, then you can never take the Paragon class. It is done for balance reason but I still think that will disappoint some.
For those that opt not to take the paragon class they avg about 7ft tall and play like any other race. Those that take the paragon class slowly get larger as they level up. Some class information.
HD d8, 4 skills, All simple weapons(no armor or shields), Medium BaB.
At first level you have to choose a elemental power, Air (electricity), Earth(Acid), Fire(Fire), Water(Cold). This will effect what elemental powers you can pick as you level up, since you can only pick the general ones or the ones from your element. They get a power at 1st, 3rd and then ever 3rd level.(there are 40 to choose from). They also start with a natural armor of +4 which goes up every other level and finally Slam Attack which is a natural attack that goes up in damage as they level.
At 2nd level they gain a +2 to str and con stats and every 3rd level after that they can choose one of them to raise by +2 and every 6th level they raise them both again. They gain a few other powers like rock throwing as they level as well. As they increase in size they do not get stat bonuses those are already built in, but you do get mods to AC, CMB/CMD, fly, stealth and move. To allow them to fit in dungeons and such they can take a full round action to shrink down one size.
Chapter 3 – Feats (3 pages)
There are 18 new feats in this chapter. The feats are all for Jotunnar or giants, they seem well thought out and they fit.
Final pages OGL (1 page), ads (2 pages)
Closing thoughts. I mentioned this is not a product I would have normally bought, which is why I am even more glad Rite Publishing sent this to me, cause otherwise I would have missed out on this product. The artwork is very nice in this book and it is layout well, making for a very pretty book. I might not use this book a lot but it is still nice and something that I will use occasionally. If you have always wanted to play a giant or allow giants in your games and be balanced. Then this is the book for you.
I honestly only have one knock on this book, no ability to multi-class cause I know some people are going to want to do that. I wish they had been able to come up with a way to do and keep the balance. The best suggestion I have been able to come up with is, feats that replicate some of the class abilities open to those that opt to take regular classes.
I am giving this book a 4.5 star for what it is. It seems well done and balanced as far as I can tell with out play testing it. What keeps it from being a 5 star to me is no ability to multi-class honestly cause I know some people would have wanted that. I do hope they do more race books along this line honestly especially if they can do multi-class option for other small monster races. I will certainly be keeping a eye out from now on for such books. At 3.75 it is a good buy, so much so that even though I got the PDF free, that I plan to buy it at a later date to support the company.
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