Dark Legacies...Thoughts?

[Old One]

Dark Legacies - the new setting from Red Spire - popped up in another thread, but I wanted get any specific thoughts that owners of the first book have. I probably wouldn't run it as a stand-alone, but then again, who knows.

I read Crothian's review...but that left me wanting more !

Any thoughts? I am particularly interested in crunchy bits that could be mined and easily incorporated into other campaigns (particularly homebrews).

Thanks in advance,

~ OO

 

[Baragos]

Buy it! It's my favorite D&D setting. Of "crunchy bits" I particularly like the new classes: Arcanist, Lurker, Priest, and Soldier. They fit the setting perfectly, but could also easily be ported to another setting.

The magic system is cool, to put it mildly...it incorporates reward and risk, makes magic something you only use when absolutely necessary...and even then you probably would wish there was another way.

The Priest is appropriately different from the Arcanist, in having no spells as such, but instead performing some miracles (that are unlike spells) and being able to Preach to the masses for great effect.

The Lurker is essentially a non-spellcasting ranger, but the best offer I've seen to date.

And the Soldier is exactly that...good at formation fighting and "soldiering"...

Another reason to buy the book: The interior art work. There's a reason it's been nominated for an Ennie in that category.

Hope you find as much pleasure in it as I did.

 

[Red Spire Press]

Joe just posted a really thorough review. You can find it here: http://www.enworld.org/reviews.php?do=review&reviewid=2426393

Cheers.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I got a copy in the mail yesterday as a prize from one of the fund-raisers. I haven't had a chance to do more than skim, but I'll post my impressions when I get a chance. (Thanks, BTW. It's always nice getting stuff out of the blue! A little Christmas in July.)

 

[Khairn]

I raised this point on the review, but thought I would add it here as well.

Does the taint and reprecussions of learning even the smallest amount of magic, result in a game with no active magic users in the party?

I love low-magic settings, but IMHO there is a difference between a setting that limits availability of arcane knowledge and one that seems to punish any player who attempts to learn about the mystic / demonic arts.

 

[Old One]

I got a copy in the mail yesterday as a prize from one of the fund-raisers. I haven't had a chance to do more than skim, but I'll post my impressions when I get a chance. (Thanks, BTW. It's always nice getting stuff out of the blue! A little Christmas in July.)

Skim? Skim? Back to work (on reading the book) and post away ! I will be interested in hearing your thoughts, Rodrigo.

BTW, have you had any discussions with anyone about the next MD-VA-DC Game Day? My fall is pretty full...but I might be able to help organize if we get a date locked in.

~ OO

PS - How are you liking our lovely summer in the DC area so far?

 

[Old One]

Joe just posted a really thorough review. You can find it here: http://www.enworld.org/reviews.php?do=review&reviewid=2426393

Cheers.

Yuval,

Thanks. I saw that first thing this AM.

~ OO

 

[Old One]

I raised this point on the review, but thought I would add it here as well.

Does the taint and reprecussions of learning even the smallest amount of magic, result in a game with no active magic users in the party?

I love low-magic settings, but IMHO there is a difference between a setting that limits availability of arcane knowledge and one that seems to punish any player who attempts to learn about the mystic / demonic arts.

Devyn,

I had much the same question after reading Joe's review, although he did indicate that the threshholds were fairly generous. I wonder if there is a mechanism for removing taint once it is acquired.

~ OO

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Skim? Skim? Back to work (on reading the book) and post away ! I will be interested in hearing your thoughts, Rodrigo.

BTW, have you had any discussions with anyone about the next MD-VA-DC Game Day? My fall is pretty full...but I might be able to help organize if we get a date locked in.

~ OO

PS - How are you liking our lovely summer in the DC area so far?

Sorry...I'd just settled down with it last night when a co-worker dropped off a broken PC he needed fixed by this morning. Grrr. The artwork and presentation are very good. Although, I wish people would stop using non-white backgrounds for the text. Sure, it looks nice, but it's a pain in the ass to read. You can be creative on the sidebars and inserts.

No info on the Gameday, but it's time to get started. I'll start a thread and see if we can get it rolling. Timing will be dependent on the availability of the room at UMd.

I grew up in Florida. This is my kind of weather. Humidity could be a little higher, but it'll do. It's the decline in air quality that gets to me.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Devyn,

I had much the same question after reading Joe's review, although he did indicate that the threshholds were fairly generous. I wonder if there is a mechanism for removing taint once it is acquired.

~ OO

Taint has thresholds -- each time you hit a threshold, you get a new negative effect. The first threshold is WisX2 and each threshold is progressively harder to reach.

You can lose taint points, but it looks incredibly slow (and, honestly, ain't gonna happen for a PC spellcaster). Go a month without acquiring any new taint, and you lose 1 pt. Go a year and lose 78. Drop below a threshold and you rid yourself of the effect, but there is a floor below which you cannot recover once you hit a certain point.