AU - first impressions?

[Negative Zero]

have the book. love the content. not a big fan of the art, but that's just filler anyway. the font sizing and spacing is a lil odd, but very clean looking. and the book feels very sturdy. the races are cool, but not mindblowing. the classes are very very nice and in a lot of cases, they are mindblowing.

the champion i feel should replace the paladin everywhere! the warmain i felt works like an elite fighter type likely more accesible to nobles and wealthy merchants with cool abilities, but fewer feats, so a standard fighter might likely be more versatile. the oathsworn didn't grab me tho.

i loved the mageblade, and the concept and execution of the magister feels a lot more like what i expected a wizard to be. the runethane and witch are just beautiful.

i also have to hand it to Monte for the feats chapter. there are a lot of very useful and conceptually attractive offerings here. (not sure how they play out yet.) the magic feats are just sweet! and by sweet i mean totally awesome!

... What if I have no downtime? What if a character gains access to a spell level while slogging through a dungeon, having spent no real time studying, or anything resembling downtime except for sleeping and short resting? Does he have access to all those new spells for his level? The rules tells use they learn spells, not gain them automatically, like clerics. So what happens when you don't get a chance to learn them? ...

the AU spell system is not DnD. and it hurts your understanding to think of it as such and to make a direct comparison to it. this is an entirely new way of doing things. the old rules and MO do not apply here.

i think it may help to think of the system not in terms of spells being created by individuals, but more so in the sense that spells are already a part of magic. (or at least certain spells, like simple spells, for example.)

therefore, when a character gains the ability to cast spells of a new level, he doesn't need to go out and learn these spells, his new access to that level of power means he simply needs to call on the already existing power.

now, if you want to rule that the character needs to spend at least a full 24 hours in deep meditation (for example) in order to attune his mind to this new level of power, then feel free. that's one of the very cool things about AU, it's your choice.

Monte says very specifically, that this is an advanced book. if you are a beginner, then this book is not for you. when i first read that sentiment, i thought it a bit pretentious, and that it smacked of overblown self-importance. but that was just the knee-jerk reaction.

as i read some more, i realised that it really is true. it's not meant as an insult to anyone, simply a warning, that a certain level of competence is required. (NOTE: i am not suggesting that you do not posses the required level of competence.)

so basically, this is a new system. and the old rules do not apply.

~NegZ

 

[Ezrael]

Monte says very specifically, that this is an advanced book. if you are a beginner, then this book is not for you. when i first read that sentiment, i thought it a bit pretentious, and that it smacked of overblown self-importance. but that was just the knee-jerk reaction.

as i read some more, i realised that it really is true. it's not meant as an insult to anyone, simply a warning, that a certain level of competence is required. (NOTE: i am not suggesting that you do not posses the required level of competence.)

You know, I had the same feeling when I bought the book...I even remember rolling my eyes a bit at the idea that it was 'Advanced' D&D. (I may have even made a joke to that effect.) But the more I read the book, the more I come to realize that if nothing else there is a lot more careful reading required to make use of it, and probably a good deal of learning on the go while mastering the system. I was originally thinking about trying to make the Psi Handbook system work with AU, but now I think I'll give that a pass and just use the book's magic system (and its psionic components) for a while until I've learned it thoroughly enough.

I'd like to believe I possess sufficient competence, but at the same time, new is new and needs to be learned. And a lot of this is new, even though it's built out of familiar parts. I understand better why so many people seem so thoroughly taken with it.

 

[Negative Zero]

another cool thing i noticed is that there are no longer only "good" and "bad" saves. there's an "ok" one now. check out the warmain's will (i believe). i like this addition. should have been in 3e.

~NegZ

 

[ShadowX]

Can anyone tell me how 2-weapon fighting is different? And can anyone give me a list of D&D feats that are in AU?

 

[woodelf]

Actually, the classes and races are the biggest elements of setting in D&D, [snip]

Sorry 'bout that last post--missed a tag. I didn't *really* quote that much text for a 2 paragraph reply.

 

[Omega Lord]

Personally, I love AU. It puts a whole new spin on the whole 'fantasy RPG' bit and I love it.

Races- Eh, lukewarm about most of them. Like the faen, just dont feel any pressing need to play them. Sibbeci- its not that I dont think they are a good race its just that their mentality and apperance put them in the "Will only play if forced to" file, personal preference of course. Litorians- I like the image of a lion dude with dreadlocks, might play one eventually. Giants- I like them alright I might play one straight off. Mojh- like em and the cultural implications they have. Heard a suggestion that Mojh with all 3 racial levels can "give birth" to true mojh rather than kobolds, I will probalby do this in the eventuality that I actually get to play in this setting. Runechildren- me likey, I may devise a counterpart for them. Verrik- alien mindset, neat apperance, psionics, definitely considering running one of these guys my first time out.


My general impression of the classes- holy monkey batman! Almost every one of the class descriptions made me want to play that class.

Akashik(sp?)- This is the first time I have ever wanted to play a skills based class EVER. Rouge/bard never really did it for me but the Akashik, mmmmmm.

Champion- Paladins done right, nuff said.

Greenbond- Neat alternative to druids. As has been said before, much closer to the spirit talking wise man image of druids.

Mage Blade- A caster/fighter where I dont have to go into some convoluted prestige class and/or quibble about armor? Where do I sign up?!

Magister- As someone else said "out wizards the wizard" and I like it that way.

Oathsworn- I like these guys better than the monk really. I just have this mental image of a high level oathsworn swimming oceans, running from one end of a continent to the other and other such superhuman deeds. I like this class alot .

Runethane- Neat take on the rune user type mage.

Witch- Genius plain and simple.


I like the new magic system MUCH more than the typical vancian spell system. The flexablity alone boggles the mind.

For the record yes I am a little bit of a Monte Cook fanboy but not because he helped make 3.0 or his support of D&D. I like his stuff because he consistently delivers high quality products which, more often than not, are immediately put in my "idea factory". I am not saying that he has not made perfect products but on average, I am very pleased with the products he has worked on. He also strikes me as a pretty decent guy to boot .

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Staffan]

Can anyone tell me how 2-weapon fighting is different? And can anyone give me a list of D&D feats that are in AU?

For the first question: Ambidexterity is a Talent (feat than can only be taken at first level), and I think it removes the Strength penalty for the off-hand as well. Also, there's a "Two-weapon fighting, massive" feat that lets you use a one-handed weapon in your off hand as if it was light (prereq: Two-weapon fighting, Str 17+, BAB +7).

For the second question, I don't know. I only have the PDFs, which only have the stuff that's new (and not even all of that - it's mainly the equipment chapter that's missing).

 

[Ezrael]

In my opinion, there has been insufficient love for the Totem Warrior. A very, very cool idea and one I'm loving tinkering with. As for AU races, I like them all fine except for humans. I see no reason to include them in the AU homebrew I'm working on. So I took them out. Admittedly it does bring back memories of Talislanta, but I liked Talislanta so that's fine by me, too.

 

[ShadowX]

Can anyone tell me what the 2-weapon fighting feat does in AU? It sounds like Ambidexterity gets rid of all penalties.

 

[Rybaer]

Can anyone tell me what the 2-weapon fighting feat does in AU? It sounds like Ambidexterity gets rid of all penalties.

It just reduces all penalties for fighting with two weapons by 4. Also, it's a prereq for improved two weapon fighting and two weapon defense.