d20: Bard's Gate, I have it
- Thread starter Nightfall
- Start date
howandwhy99
Adventurer
Let's hear the lowdown. What makes this city different from other standard fantasy cities? How does it stack up against Lankhmar? Greyhawk City? CotIO? Waterdeep? or even Sharn?
How does it handle urban encounters?
What about rumors?
Are shops and services generic or specific or both?
Are there adventures fleshed out or a list of ideas?
What about NPCs? Listed in the text or statted in back?
Also pretty important, what do you think of the DM map? (or maps)
How does it handle urban encounters?
What about rumors?
Are shops and services generic or specific or both?
Are there adventures fleshed out or a list of ideas?
What about NPCs? Listed in the text or statted in back?
Also pretty important, what do you think of the DM map? (or maps)
Nightfall
Sage of the Scarred Lands
Tree,
Thanks for that reminder.
How,
Comparing it to Lankhmar is very appropriate I feel. It has similiar characteristics and I think that's what the designers had in mind when they were making the city. CSIO couldn't say. It does stack well with Waterdeep only less metropolian. Certainly there's not as many unusual cabals or monsters running the street but doesn't mean you can't find them. Castle Greyhawk...eh no idea since I never ran Greyhawk. It's less urbane than Sharn for sure, but makes up for by the number of interesting interplays between the city proper and the other environs. Indeed comparing it to Waterdeep is a little more appropriate since while it doesn't have the high magic concentrations, it does have a small cabal of wizards that operate as a covert guild. Guilds are extremely common and the infighting between them along with the various power groups make for some real fun.
It does have suggestions for urban encounters but mostly talks about the city watch make up in each district.
Rumors do abound but more as plot hooks.
There's a mix of generic and a few specific shops. They delibrately left a good number of buildings unmarked to allow people to either use the NG boards idea for shops or add your own.
Most of the important NPCs have their own section. Indeed there are four appendixes that are extremely helpful. But there are a number of NPCs in each district with a short stat block given for quick reference.
There are a couple maps. I liked them very much. They were extremely well done. The fold out map of the city, great resource and well marked. My only gripe with that is that it is not in color but otherwise very well done.
Thanks for that reminder.
How,
Comparing it to Lankhmar is very appropriate I feel. It has similiar characteristics and I think that's what the designers had in mind when they were making the city. CSIO couldn't say. It does stack well with Waterdeep only less metropolian. Certainly there's not as many unusual cabals or monsters running the street but doesn't mean you can't find them. Castle Greyhawk...eh no idea since I never ran Greyhawk. It's less urbane than Sharn for sure, but makes up for by the number of interesting interplays between the city proper and the other environs. Indeed comparing it to Waterdeep is a little more appropriate since while it doesn't have the high magic concentrations, it does have a small cabal of wizards that operate as a covert guild. Guilds are extremely common and the infighting between them along with the various power groups make for some real fun.
It does have suggestions for urban encounters but mostly talks about the city watch make up in each district.
Rumors do abound but more as plot hooks.
There's a mix of generic and a few specific shops. They delibrately left a good number of buildings unmarked to allow people to either use the NG boards idea for shops or add your own.
Most of the important NPCs have their own section. Indeed there are four appendixes that are extremely helpful. But there are a number of NPCs in each district with a short stat block given for quick reference.
There are a couple maps. I liked them very much. They were extremely well done. The fold out map of the city, great resource and well marked. My only gripe with that is that it is not in color but otherwise very well done.
Shadowdancer
First Post
Maps? My copy doesn't have any maps.
Shadowdancer
First Post
I feel stupid. 
I went home and checked, and indeed there was a fold-out map hiding in the back. I swear that was the first thing I originally looked for, but apparently I critically failed my search check.
Yes, I knew about the small maps in the pages of the book itself. I was disappointed about there not being a map that showed the whole city. And now that I've found the map, I'm even more pleased with this product.
I went home and checked, and indeed there was a fold-out map hiding in the back. I swear that was the first thing I originally looked for, but apparently I critically failed my search check.
Yes, I knew about the small maps in the pages of the book itself. I was disappointed about there not being a map that showed the whole city. And now that I've found the map, I'm even more pleased with this product.
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