D&D 3E/3.5 Best of 3.5

[am181d]

Oh, and thanks everybody! Keep 'em coming.

Meh. Most spells are just remixed ways to kill stuff. You can reskin damage spells on your own easily enough. The best new spells were in third party books like The Year's Best D20 and The Book of Eldritch Might.

Hmm. Do folks have any thoughts on the relative merits of BoEM vs. Spell Compendium? I mentioned my appreciation of Swift and Immediate spells above. I've gotta do some checking, but I know I've owned both BoEM and SC at some point in the past. Is one better than the other? Does BoEM have a particular theme to it? Is it well balanced?

 

[xigbar]

For monsters, I really love the Arrow Demon for some reason. Monster Manual 3 or 4, I believe.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Hmm. Do folks have any thoughts on the relative merits of BoEM vs. Spell Compendium?

BoEM has a very different flavor, much more "magic is the most important element in the universe," which matches what a lot of people feel is Monte Cook's worldview about the game -- I'm not sure if that's true or not, but it comes through in this book. The Complete BoEM has new styles of bardic magic, a redone sorcerer and LOTS of spells, including a large number of low level spells. (A few of the low level spells, like tiny permanent illusions, are arguably a level or two too good, but that's easily remedied.)

In contrast, I found Spell Compendium to be mostly minor mechanical tweaks to existing spells -- "here's a heal over time spell, here's a thrown magical attack," etc. -- while still missing flavorful spells from the past, like Chariot of Sustarre (easily the most iconic druid spell to me, back in the 1E era).

If you were looking for a grittier, 1E feel -- and I'm guessing you're not, but I'll mention this anyway -- Necromancer Games' Eldritch Sorcery got a LOT of praise back in the day, and was supposedly vastly better balanced than the WotC Spell Compendium.

 

[Thanee]

Noone mentioned Whisper Gnomes, yet? Those guys are so crazy good for their LA+0, they certainly rank high.

From Races of Stone.

Bye
Thanee