Dawnforge: To buy or not to buy?

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

I saw this book in my FLGS the other day. Anyone bought it and read it yet who'd care to comment? I skimmed the preview FFG put out a month or so ago and was interested, although not exactly blown away.

I'm primarily looking to data-mine, but if the setting's really compelling I might run a game in it. Any good crunchy bits introduced that I should know about? A cursory skim of the book made it look like 99% fluff, but the same skim of Midnight looked like about the same yield, and I ended up finding lots of good new rules options in that book.

 

[Morpheus]

If you liked Midnight, you'll like Dawnforge...Racial talents and transformations are an idea you'll definitely like.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

Do tell.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Any good crunchy bits introduced that I should know about? A cursory skim of the book made it look like 99% fluff

Here's a comment posted recently on the Dawnforge Yahoo! Group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dawnforge-d20

"I just picked up a copy of DF yesterday, and I'm enjoying it
immensely.
Wow, you put alot of work into this book. So far, hardly any fluff
and lots of crunchy bits."

 

[Dirigible]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but 'Fluff' means flavour text, background info, right? 'Crunch' means rules material? If so, then please tell me that this-

So far, hardly any fluff and lots of crunchy bits."

is some kind of joke.

 

[Derulbaskul]

I'm looking forward to getting it. I think FFG has done a brilliant job on the two campaign settings already released (Dragonstar and the incomparably superb Midnight). I'm sure Dawnforge will make it three in a row.

 

[Zweischneid's Wrath]

Wow, you put alot of work into this book. So far, hardly any fluff
and lots of crunchy bits."

Not so far from the truth I believe.

The preview on the Saltblood from pathsoflegend.org basically boils down to a long list of racial feats, talents and whatnot, that puts some of the more exotic Savage Species charts to shame (and thats only a seafaring variety of human, mind you) but doesn't offer a single snippet on these seapeoples culture, habits, customs or anything else that might be mistaken for background information or considered as "fluff".

That Setting is not for me I guess.

 

[Morpheus]

Do tell.

Each race (and there are a lot of them) gets Racial Talents at every other level (starting at 1st) and a Racial Transformation at every other level (starting at 2nd level). Here are some examples for the Doppelganger (yes, it is a PC race):

Form Mastery Racial Talent Tree (the other is True Doppelganger)

Alternate Form: When a doppelganger chooses this racial talent, he gains the ability to change into a different alternate form. The new form follows all the normal rules for transformations.

Doppelganger Racial Transformations

Monstrous Humanoid: Type changes to monstrous humanoid

Darkvision: To 60 feet

Detect Thoughts: Continuous as the spell.


Also, ability boosts start at 3rd level and are dictated by race. For example, the doppelganger gets +2 Dex at 3rd, +2 Cha at 5th, +2 Int at 7th and +2 Con at 9th. Feats are gained as normal.

The races are:

Doppelganger
Dwarf
Elf, Dawn and Night
Gnome
Halfling
Human, Highlander, Lowlander, Saaltblood and Trueborn
Lizardfolk
Minotaur
Ogre
Orc
Tiefling
Yuan-ti, Thinblood

Hope this helps...

 

[Mystery Man]

"I just picked up a copy of DF yesterday, and I'm enjoying it
immensely.
Wow, you put alot of work into this book. So far, hardly any fluff
and lots of crunchy bits."

I must be getting old and out of touch.

 

[Ramien Meltides]

Not so far from the truth I believe.

The preview on the Saltblood from pathsoflegend.org basically boils down to a long list of racial feats, talents and whatnot, that puts some of the more exotic Savage Species charts to shame (and thats only a seafaring variety of human, mind you) but doesn't offer a single snippet on these seapeoples culture, habits, customs or anything else that might be mistaken for background information or considered as "fluff".

That Setting is not for me I guess.

Any good setting is comprised of both "fluff" and "crunch".
Don't get the wrong idea... Dawnforge has plenty of BOTH, not a surfeit of one or the other.

Just as an example, I wrote the chapter dealing with the Icehammer Front, a pretty massive northern mountain range. In over 8,000 words, there's only two feats worth of "crunch". The rest is a complete description of the Front and its inhabitants, the why's, wherefores, and who's who of the region.

Dawnforge kicks major butt, and I'm not saying that just 'cuz I worked on it. I wouldn't have spent any time on the setting if it wasn't worth it!

Legendary adventures, a world still at the beginning of its golden age, fearsome opponents, and unique civilizations all await you in Dawnforge. If any of this sounds good to you...check it out! (no, that's not a plug...just my enthusiasm for a good setting)