10 Sourcebooks: Which Ones Should I Get?

[Knightfall]

Neat idea, not easily used in the game. I guess if you really want to start using different guilds and have them have a small mechanical benefit then it would be useful.

Well, I have Cityscape; however, it doesn't really grab me, so I'm looking for something else that will fill the "guild benefits" niche.

I know about the FFG guild book, but I don't think that's what I want. I haven't looked into the Bastion Press guild book.

 

[Crothian]

Well, I had Cityscape at one point; however, it didn't really grab me, so I'm looking for something else that will fill the "guild benefits" niche. I know about the FFG guild book, but I don't think that's what I want.

Here's the review I did on it. It was written shortly after the release of the book and I haven't done anything with it since. Maybe it will help.


[sblock]Guildcraft by Bastion Press

Guildcraft is a good addition offering a new option to all characters. The book is full color soft cover which is rare bread in the role playing game market. The book is ninety six pages long and at $24.95 is a little on the pricey side. The art in the book I did not find that exceptional. I do like that it is all color though, that adds a good amount to the book though. The table of contents is small, but effective. The layout and design is very good and it makes reading this book very easy.

This book is actually fairly simple to determine if someone will like it. The book is based on the rules mechanic of spending experience for different abilities. There are many people who do not like that type of mechanic. I, however, like this mechanic and that is why this is a favorable review.

Guildcraft has a series of guilds in it. There are guilds specific to classes, skills, and relationships. All the guilds are very well described. Each guild starts with a good description of the guild and nice overview. It then goes into the purpose of the guild and the membership details. Each guild has information on how to join them and what qualifications a person needs along with other criteria. The detail on the guilds is great and will be of much use even to people who do not choose to use the spend experience for abilities mechanic. Once a person is in the guild they can advance within the guild. Characters spend a few hundred to a few thousand experiences per guild grade. Each grade gives some small ability equal to a feat.

There are guilds suited for most of the classes and guilds that are suited more for non player characters. The guilds are obviously a DM oriented mechanic, and I think the spending of experience is something more suited to a group familiar with the system and looking to expand upon it. I really like the versatility this offers players and non player characters alike. So, overall this is a well handled book, with a good amount of new things that should be useful to most of the people out there. [/sblock]

 

[Knightfall]

Here's the review I did on it. It was written shortly after the release of the book and I haven't done anything with it since. Maybe it will help.

<snip>

Um, Crothian, that's not the AEG "Guilds" book but thanks for the review, regardless.

 

[Crothian]

My bad. I did a search for Guild and that came up and without really looking at it I posted it. I never reviewed Guilds.

 

[Knightfall]

My bad. I did a search for Guild and that came up and without really looking at it I posted it. I never reviewed Guilds.

Heh. No worries.

 

[ruemere]

10 sourcebooks to choose from, which do you recommend and why?

[...]
Chaositech (Malhavoc Press)
[...]

(minor spoilers for Ptolus)

Chaositech is a dark version of magitech. It plays somewhat important role in Ptolus setting.

If you're familiar with WFRP, this is about CHAOS-tainted [1] mechanical constructs and body replacements (mix 3 parts of Giger with 1 part of WFRP and 1 part of s-f implements).

The chief fault of the system, IMHO, is that it is so dangerously unpredictable and unrewarding, that one would have to be stupid, instead of simply insane to use it.
Ingredients are costly, difficult to obtain, prone to breaking or running out of fuel (yes, that's right, I said "fuel"). Implementing them is seriously risky for the health of everyone involved (both the patient and the surgeon/constructor) and even if you get it, you just get tainted.
In a world of reliable magic crafting, it does not make sense.

The good thing is that it is easy to improve. Just make it an easy road to mid-level power (i.e. nothing beyond 4th level of spells in terms of power, require great/big/huge engines to accomplish anything beyond that), keep the fuel angle, make the permanent taint a remote possibility (and temporary one a real and present danger) and you're set.

Given all of this, it's pretty recommendable.
Good synergy with Ptolus and various supplements for Ptolus.

Regards,
Ruemere

[1] That's not CHAOS as in Chaotic, but CHAOS as in "utterly alien, thoroughly evil and totally bent on absolute destruction of reality".

 

[The Greene Knight]

Chaositech and Eldritch Sorcery are sure bets.

 

[Knightfall]

Chaositech is a dark version of magitech. It plays somewhat important role in Ptolus setting.

If you're familiar with WFRP, this is about CHAOS-tainted [1] mechanical constructs and body replacements (mix 3 parts of Giger with 1 part of WFRP and 1 part of s-f implements).

The chief fault of the system, IMHO, is that it is so dangerously unpredictable and unrewarding, that one would have to be stupid, instead of simply insane to use it.
Ingredients are costly, difficult to obtain, prone to breaking or running out of fuel (yes, that's right, I said "fuel"). Implementing them is seriously risky for the health of everyone involved (both the patient and the surgeon/constructor) and even if you get it, you just get tainted.
In a world of reliable magic crafting, it does not make sense.

The good thing is that it is easy to improve. Just make it an easy road to mid-level power (i.e. nothing beyond 4th level of spells in terms of power, require great/big/huge engines to accomplish anything beyond that), keep the fuel angle, make the permanent taint a remote possibility (and temporary one a real and present danger) and you're set.

<snip>

[1] That's not CHAOS as in Chaotic, but CHAOS as in "utterly alien, thoroughly evil and totally bent on absolute destruction of reality".

Thanks for the info, ruemere.

Hmm, I don't think Chaositech is something I can use for Kulan. Maybe my Time of Ages steampunk setting. I don't know...

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Chaositech and Eldritch Sorcery are sure bets.

Seconded! (Evenif I wrote 10% of the latter - get it just for the spell called Paper Tigers which I did not write.) Creepy non-magic ways to buff your NPCs plus spell biscuits to toss to your player and (again) buff your NPCS? What's not to like?

 

[TarionzCousin]

Chaositech is great EXCEPT for the construction rules, which make no sense. But unless your players are planning on building them, it may not be a big loss.

Eldritch Sorcery is nice for old school vets who want some old spells that got missed by the combat spell obsessed staff at WotC.

Chaositech and Eldritch Sorcery are sure bets.

Thirded.

Chaositech is fun to read too. I don't normally go for that Lovecraftian/Aberrant stuff, but I like this book.

Eldritch Sorcery does have some spells that make you think "Why wasn't this spell already in 3E?"