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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Broken Fang" data-source="post: 2010276" data-attributes="member: 3172">My review of E.N. Publishings Deadly Games.Features:92 pagesIndexTwo PDF's----- Bookmarks and Thumbnails----- Screen version (in color, with page borders, etc.)----- Printer-friendly version (B&W, no background image, no sidebar image)Text:  I printed the "printer-friendly" version and found the material very easy to read with no noticeable or glaring mistakes in the writing.  I did not double-check the character and monster stat-blocks.Artwork: The artwork of the book is neatly placed and does not detract from reading the material.  There are twenty pieces of artwork in the book.  Many of the pieces are very nice, but a few have a more comic book feel to them.Maps: The four maps are all neat, accurate, and easy to read.Layout:  The book was set-up perfectly.  Introduction and background material at the beginning, arena encounters in the middle, and stat-blocks for encounters at the end.  Very nicely done.Introduction     Why get this product?  Two reasons: The first is that it contains four separate stand-alone arenas that can be used by any GM as individual encounters.  The second, and in my opinion more interesting, is as a background to the forces behind the scenes that run these “Deadly Games.”Chapter 1: The Society of Sinister Sport     This chapter details the motivations and details of the people behind the Games.  It is very well written and includes the background of how the Society was formed, how to get invited to the sports, membership, rules while watching the sports, and detailed character information on the Inner and Outer Circle members (these members are all powerful 10+ level individuals).Chapter 2: Running the Games     The “how to” run your party through the games.  The four arenas (each detailed in chapters 4-7) all can have different rules applied to each of them.  There are nine different rules (Capture the Flag, Team Battle, The Hunt are a few) that can be applied to each game…so you could really have 36 different contests without having to come up with your own idea.  This section really allows for freedom of choice and the ability to set up a particular arena tailored to your party.     There is also a short section on “mini-games.”  Contests that would take maybe 5-10 minutes of time to run that challenge characters in various ways.Chapter 3: Motivations and Items of Note     Chapter Three details how to motivate the players.  Prize money, rewards, and fame are all some reasons players might seek out the arena.  Other more forced methods are also explained for those who might not be participating of their own free will.  Participants must wear the Collar of Vengeful Motivation while participating.  My other favorite way to continue the movement of the game is the section on Quadrant Activation.  The arena is divided into quadrants each with area-effect spells similar to unhallow that may be activated by the Master of Ceremonies to speed things along.*** The first three chapters are very well written and provide a wealth of information to the GM.  I think the price of the PDF is made up easily from just the first three chapters of material.  Chapters 4-7 detail each of the separate arenas. *** Chapter 4: The Great Hall     The Great Hall was the first arena used by the Society.  It is a 55-room dungeon presented as an EL 8 encounter for 3rd or 4th level characters.  The Stone River Rapids option ups it to EL 10.  The designers suggest arena encounter levels should be at least four levels higher than the average party level.Chapter 5: The Dungeon of Darkest Shadow     A complicated 80-encounter area maze, set for 7-8th level characters (EL 12).   The Labyrinth option detailed increases the EL to 14.  Chapter 6: The Island of Sport   The only arena that is outdoors, the Island of Sport is in my opinion one of the most interesting to run, though it will also tax the GM as well.  Since it is not set in a fixed dungeon-like location and the participants start widely spaced it will take some detailed work to keep things running smoothly.  This arena also has one of the most interesting rules set for an arena.  It is set for 11-12th level characters with an EL of 16 (Monster Hunt is the default game for the Island.)Chapter 7: The Well of Fiends     The grand daddy of them all set for 15-16th level characters with an EL of 20, with the Saving the Seals format set at EL 22.  Sixty-one encounter areas all in one quadrant area make the Well of Fiends a tough nut to crack for any party.Appendix 1-3: Traps, Opponents, and Sample Characters     This section contains all the information needed for the current layout of each of the Games.  Traps are listed by type and alphabetically.  Monsters listed alphabetically.  The sample characters include parties of level 3, 7, 11, and 15.  The entire section makes it very easy to find what you are looking for!</blockquote>

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