Iron Kingoms Character Primer Review?

[Azure Trance]

Must ... wait ... for checks ... to deposit ...

One more question - are there anymore crunch for firearms, whether in rules or new stats?

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Yep. There are stats for some pistols and a couple of rifles.

 

[Aitch Eye]

The full rules for firearms will be in the Iron Kingdoms: Campaign Guide, which they want to have out in April, but the date's apparently not set yet.

Colonel, I'd be interested in any more information or just your reactions (and anyone elses) to their variations on the bard, druid, and their non-spellcasting Ranger. I'm not clear on how different the first two are from the core versions, or whether the differences are particularly mechanical or mostly flavor.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

The Bard and Druid are not profoundly changed mechanics-wise. The Bard has a new skill list. The Druid has a few restricted spells, longer lifespan, and gets a reaction adjustment due to superstitious dread about druids in the IK. Most of the changes are mostly in the realm of flavor. Rangers are changed a bit more, with no spells, bonus feats at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level, free Alertness feat, and Favored Terrain.

 

[Tewligan]

Spellcasters don't get access to limited wish or wish. Sorcerors don't get magic weapon or greater magic weapon. Although wizards are the only ones listed as not having access to planar travel spells, I would guess that this is intended for sorcerors also, given the nature of the IK cosmology hinted at in the Monsternomicon.

The only bring-back-the-dead spell available to the cleric is raise dead, and that's been changed to a 9th level spell that's only allowed in extreme circumstances and has unpleasant side effects when it is allowed. They can't cast miracle, planar travel is right out, and they can't create undead. Summoning of creatures other than elementals is discouraged.

I haven't gotten the chance to give this book a full read-through yet, but from my initial skimming it's chockablock (yes, chockablock) with goodness. A lot of flavor for an IK campaign, and plenty of stuff that you can lift even if you're playing in another setting. I totally agree with a couple of comments earlier in this thread about the high quality art and the bang-for-the-buckitude of Privateer Press' stuff. This book is well worth the $13.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

... This book is well worth the $13.

Yeppers! Value value value! I wish Goodman Games would adopt this marketing strategy - I might buy some of their stuff!

Anyway-

I bought this today, and have spent about an hour or so reading it so far. This product is roughly equivalent in scope to the Greyhawk/Ghelspad/Termana gazeteer with the additional content from the Scarred Lands DM screen thrown in too if ya follow me... Basically everything a player would need to create a very detailed PC ( background and all ) for an Iron Kingdoms Campaign.

I'm probably not gonna run an IK game anytime soon, but I have already created an Ogrun PC/NPC for a gladiator mini-campaign we are starting next week...

I can't wait for the IKCG ( Iron Kingdoms Campaign Guide ) to come out! So far I have been real pleased with Privateer's IK stuff- I might even check out their mini's game after seeing some of the painted figures on their site.

edit - I STILL no spell guud!