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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2010097" data-attributes="member: 18387">By Duane Nutley, Staff Reviewer d20 Magazine RackSizing up the TargetConstruct Mechanus is a 24 page pdf sourcebook published by accomplished pdf writer Philip Reed. Christopher Shy from Studio Ronin is the illustrator of the cover and all interior art. The pdf retails at $4.00 and is available from RPGNow.com. First BloodConstruct Mechanus is the first in a new series of pdf sourcebooks. It is a player supplement and details a new player race – the Mechanus. The series will provide new races of this type. However this pdf will be needed for all other supplements as it provides the initial d20 rules about this new race. Mechanus are created by wizards and are similar to golems, but they have an intelligence and free will that separate them from other constructs.The first thing of note about the pdf is that it is landscape layout and not the normal portrait layout. This is a big plus in my book as it means less use of the scroll mouse or “gripping’ the page and moving it up and down. One simple move of the mouse when you start a new page and all the text is available for easy viewing. A black and white pdf is also available in the zip file and this contains no artwork, just the plain text and is in portrait layout for easy printing. The first pdf I saw of this type was the RPGNow Monthly and I wonder how long it will be before other pdf publishers start using this layout as well.Mechanus as a race are quite powerful. They have an ECL of +4, quite high for a player race. Abilities include, but are not limited to, Fast Healing, Darkvision and no need to eat, drink or sleep. Racial abilities are determined by Mechanus type. There are 2 types of Mechanus outlined in this pdf – the Stilt and the Abominus. The Stilt is a customisable race and no two are ever alike. A player gets 30 points to build their character. This will determine what they look like and what abilities they gain from the materials used and different options available. As a side note, the author states that 30 points might be too limiting and provides some further options of 45 or 60. However each 15 points over the 30 increased the ECL by +1. Body, arms, legs and intelligence must all be decided upon. You could decide on a bone body, with no arms and ‘spider’ legs and an armoured head. Then special abilities can be chosen from Drill, Wings, Magical Blast or even a Weapon Mount. The Abominus is more of a fighter type Mechanus and has heavier natural armour and bonuses to melee weapons.2 classes are available in the sourcebook – the Tanker, a frontline fighter and the Mystic Defender who can cast arcane spells. Briefly speaking I would see Mechanus taking these classes over the core classes as they are more powerful and they will get more benefit from these than standard classes. The classes themselves are hard to read. Both get nonstandard save progression and the Mystic Defender doesn’t even have a Fort save. The abilities gained are listed alphabetically, instead of the normal as they are gained, thus making it hard as you need to read through the others to find the ability you are looking for. Both classes are extremely unbalanced and overpowered, as if to make up for the +4 ECL. Following the classes are 4 pages of feats, both General and Mechanus specific. A number of these feats can only be taken at 1st level and some of the more powerful feats can only be used once a day, thus making them playable. The last 2 pages before the License page deal with firearms. I wasn’t overly thrilled about these as I don’t use firearms in any campaign that I play, but it is good to see them here for those who like their robots more modern.Critical HitsThe big hit for me was the landscape layout. The integration of sci-fi with fantasy was also a plus and now has me thinking about what other sci-fi or modern elements I can use in my normal play.Critical MissesI think the fact that the ECL for Mechanus being +4 is going to make most people just not play a Mechanus character. Seeing the BAB progression for the 2 classes as “As Fighter” or “As Cleric” was a low point. It would not have taken much to put in the correct BAB modifier. Coup de GraceNew races are always welcome on the d20 market, it can be fun and exciting to play a new race. Players will definitely have some roleplaying memories playing a Mechanus in a world where people run or faint at the sight of a mobile, free-willed golem. The classes themselves need a major rework to be playable and this is the only reason the Final Grade is only a C+. If the classes were more standard and balanced, this product would easily have scored a B+ as the rest of the work is excellent material.To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments that the reviewer will respond to, go to Fast Tracks at <a href="http://www.d20zines.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=&topic=4" target="_blank">www.d20zines.com.</a></blockquote>

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