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<blockquote data-quote="JoeGKushner" data-source="post: 2011885" data-attributes="member: 1129"><p>Dragonmech is the latest campaign setting from Goodman Games. Weighing in at 240 black and white pages for $34.99 with art by Niklas Janssen and writing by Joseph Goodman, the book is laid out by Rick Achberger with maps by Robert Lazzaretti. For art, if you like the cover, you’ll love the interior as it’s the same style. The writing is crips and easy on the eyes. Layout varies from three to two columns depending on what’s on the page, but flows and leads the reader on.</p><p></p><p>Interior covers aren’t used. The book has four pages of ads at the end. First page covers credits, while the next two cover the table of contents. It’s a very detailed listing and in tandem with the index, makes navigating the book a snap. The interior art is fantastic. Between each chapter is a full page illustration and large illustrations help capture the feel and mood of the setting. Despite the talent behind the art, much like the Black Company and the Iron Kingdoms sourcebook, the art is sometimes a little too dark and details that might be visible in color are obscured and rendered gray. </p><p></p><p>When reading the book, the side and tops look like the cover side and tops but in grayscale with a row of gears at the top of the page. Page numbers are located at the top outer edge with the chapter number next to it. </p><p></p><p>This book serves two purposes. First, it brings fantasy mecha to the d20 system. This isn’t the first book to do this. Doom Striders from Bastion Press and Mecha d20 from Guardians of Order, with a support book by Dream Pod 9, the Mecha Compendium, already cover that ground. The second thing though, is it brings a fantasy setting, Highpoint, to the game with a reason to have mechs.</p><p></p><p>Unlike some mecha in other campaigns, the mecha here are unique constructs. They are the result of workmanship unlike that found today or in common anime/manga conventions. These are not lithe and limber creatures capable of martial arts and quick movement, but rather, lumbering buildings whose ability to strike another target is often dependent upon that target being another behemoth. </p><p></p><p>Mechs go through a variety of stages in their design. This includes game stats like hit dice, speed, armor class, and other stats, to unique factors like power sources, steam, man, clockwork, animated, and undead. Most types have good and bad sides to them. For example, animated mecha require little in terms of maintenance, but are extremely vulnerable to dispel magic attacks. Each type has statistics for size ranging from the smallest, which is size large, to city-mech F.</p><p></p><p>In making mechs, it’s bets to actually work through the formula a few times and look over the many predesigned versions to see if any of them fit your needs. Most mechs should actually be those that are already designed as most starting players won’t have adequate reason to craft their own mecha. The good news is that details are included that range from labor and material cost, to what the skill DC is to successfully create them. </p><p></p><p>A number of additions can be made to mechs. Most often, this is armor and weapons. For armor, we have everything from flesh, to steel and for weapons, a whole armory.</p><p></p><p>Joseph includes a nice selection of details to help the GM run mechs. This includes combat between mechs and rules for boarding and getting the crew, to rules for mechs moving beyond their normal speed and hoping they don’t trip on anything.</p><p></p><p>For lazy people, we have twenty two mechs already designed. These mechs include faction information, size, power, and price. One thing I can tell that the author took into account is that if the game is going to use mechs, pricing them beyond a kingdom’s expense isn’t a good idea. Some of the smaller ones like the barbagula, a humanoid mech with an oversized lance, runs for a moderate 3,000 gold pieces while the steam powered Scorpion, a Colossal II sized mech, runs for 15,932 gold pieces.</p><p></p><p>Now in a world of mechs, base character assumptions undergo a little change. For example, instead of a ranger, we have a clockwork ranger who fights in the gear forests of his city mech. Instead of just an expert, we have a PC worthy class, the Coglayer. To take down these mechs, instead of sneaky rogues, we have Stalkers who locate weak points. To take advantage of the new fighting machine, we have mech jockeys. These new core classes help showcase the differences between a standard fantasy campaign and one that incorporates mecha and include background information for the campaign setting as well.</p><p></p><p>Take the cleric. Unlike a standard campaign, Highpoint is being crushed by the falling moon. This is a result of the lunar gods assault upon the gods of Highpoint and clerics suffer a bit in that they’re not as free to cast and select their spells, having to make a Wisdom check to see if they gain their spells.</p><p></p><p>Since we’re talking about classes, there are new prestige classes. In looking at one of the forms a PrC can take, this book goes for the customized class to fit a specialized niche. Included are the assimilated, mech jockeys who’ve bonded with their machines and dare devil robot fighters called mech devil whose requirements go into the dangerous realm of roleplaying or a PrC that’s showcases how magic might be used to circumvent the situation on the world, the Riftwalker, powerful mages who travel the planes to avoid the lunar rain.</p><p></p><p>The new skills focus on the new mechanics providing Craft, Mechcraft,Knowledge of Mechs, and Mech Pilot. Feats are similarly focused with new craft feats like Magic Mech, Powered Mech, and Steam Gear alongside combat feats like the dreaded and ill-named Mech Fu and Mech Weapon Proficiency. These abilities augment the pilot’s fighting abilities by providing ability with weapons or deflect melee attacks from your machine.</p><p></p><p>Even as the players have new options, the GM has new creatures. This includes the new type, the lunar creature. My favorite beast here is the lunar dragon, a creature who as a wyrmling rates a CR of 5 and as a grey wyrm comes in at a CR of 27. Now that’s a lot of power. Part of the setting, the Iron Shambler is a construct created through the use of animate gears but some are ‘feral’ or without masters and wander the land. Some of the creatures have risen in prominence due to the lunar rains like the Tortogs, humanoids that resemble the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. See, due to their shells, they can survive the casual rains and make excellent smugglers. </p><p></p><p>Highpoint itself, in this book, reads to me like a generic fantasy setting with a few unique elements that has been turned on it’s head to showcase how a fantasy setting can go from swords and sorcerer to steam powered machinery. To me, that’s not a problem. I enjoy Warcraft and Iron Kingdoms so seeing how a traditional fantasy setting moves into the ranks of steam and steel is a good thing.</p><p></p><p>Highpoint suffers from lunar rain. This caused all sorts of problems as few races could withstand the bombardment. The natural world is pretty much toasted and one of the campaign notes is that beauty in and of itself is appreciated. This reminds me a bit of the old Robotech cartoon where the main hero is enjoying a field of flowers, or the savage world of Fist of the North Star where growing your own food is considered a major achievement.</p><p></p><p>The dwarves, despite being underground, suffered during this time too. See, other races knew that the dwarves weren’t being pounded into oblivion so sought to get in. All in all, a very ugly time for people because not only was the moon falling on them, but the things from the moon were hitting the world including the lunar dragons, beasts of such size and power that standard dragons seemed like infants to them.</p><p></p><p>This required a new way of thinking, or more precisely, an old way of thinking brought back as an ancient dwarf brought for the tomes that would help his people create the city mechs, massive machines who could survive the lunar rains, which were not as common or as devastating, but more importantly, could defeat the lunar dragons.</p><p></p><p>So in this brave new world, the standard classes look for new roles to fill even as the author crafts new classes to take advantage of the circumstances. It’s a good mix allowing the GM to use the machines as much or as little as he wants. Is he going to use a standard party and have the machines be the backset, the city-mechs be the locations or is he going to have a party where most of the characters are adequate behind a pilots seat and run combat in steam powered machines?</p><p></p><p>Any way he handles it, the GM has a lot of options. There are numerous factions in the world and some of them are already up to their old tricks and adventure seeds are sown about for the GM to pick and choose. For example, Tannanliel is an elf city mech and is remarkable in the fact that it is the only city mech and is one powered by magic. The only thing that’s off thought is how exactly is it being powered? The crafter, Tannan, “is inextricable linked to the mech.” What happens if say, he went crazy? </p><p></p><p>The book includes some nice tools. Included is a two spread character sheet and a two page index. I enjoyed reading the designer’s notes as it gives you a peak behind the design decisions.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="JoeGKushner, post: 2011885, member: 1129"] Dragonmech is the latest campaign setting from Goodman Games. Weighing in at 240 black and white pages for $34.99 with art by Niklas Janssen and writing by Joseph Goodman, the book is laid out by Rick Achberger with maps by Robert Lazzaretti. For art, if you like the cover, you’ll love the interior as it’s the same style. The writing is crips and easy on the eyes. Layout varies from three to two columns depending on what’s on the page, but flows and leads the reader on. Interior covers aren’t used. The book has four pages of ads at the end. First page covers credits, while the next two cover the table of contents. It’s a very detailed listing and in tandem with the index, makes navigating the book a snap. The interior art is fantastic. Between each chapter is a full page illustration and large illustrations help capture the feel and mood of the setting. Despite the talent behind the art, much like the Black Company and the Iron Kingdoms sourcebook, the art is sometimes a little too dark and details that might be visible in color are obscured and rendered gray. When reading the book, the side and tops look like the cover side and tops but in grayscale with a row of gears at the top of the page. Page numbers are located at the top outer edge with the chapter number next to it. This book serves two purposes. First, it brings fantasy mecha to the d20 system. This isn’t the first book to do this. Doom Striders from Bastion Press and Mecha d20 from Guardians of Order, with a support book by Dream Pod 9, the Mecha Compendium, already cover that ground. The second thing though, is it brings a fantasy setting, Highpoint, to the game with a reason to have mechs. Unlike some mecha in other campaigns, the mecha here are unique constructs. They are the result of workmanship unlike that found today or in common anime/manga conventions. These are not lithe and limber creatures capable of martial arts and quick movement, but rather, lumbering buildings whose ability to strike another target is often dependent upon that target being another behemoth. Mechs go through a variety of stages in their design. This includes game stats like hit dice, speed, armor class, and other stats, to unique factors like power sources, steam, man, clockwork, animated, and undead. Most types have good and bad sides to them. For example, animated mecha require little in terms of maintenance, but are extremely vulnerable to dispel magic attacks. Each type has statistics for size ranging from the smallest, which is size large, to city-mech F. In making mechs, it’s bets to actually work through the formula a few times and look over the many predesigned versions to see if any of them fit your needs. Most mechs should actually be those that are already designed as most starting players won’t have adequate reason to craft their own mecha. The good news is that details are included that range from labor and material cost, to what the skill DC is to successfully create them. A number of additions can be made to mechs. Most often, this is armor and weapons. For armor, we have everything from flesh, to steel and for weapons, a whole armory. Joseph includes a nice selection of details to help the GM run mechs. This includes combat between mechs and rules for boarding and getting the crew, to rules for mechs moving beyond their normal speed and hoping they don’t trip on anything. For lazy people, we have twenty two mechs already designed. These mechs include faction information, size, power, and price. One thing I can tell that the author took into account is that if the game is going to use mechs, pricing them beyond a kingdom’s expense isn’t a good idea. Some of the smaller ones like the barbagula, a humanoid mech with an oversized lance, runs for a moderate 3,000 gold pieces while the steam powered Scorpion, a Colossal II sized mech, runs for 15,932 gold pieces. Now in a world of mechs, base character assumptions undergo a little change. For example, instead of a ranger, we have a clockwork ranger who fights in the gear forests of his city mech. Instead of just an expert, we have a PC worthy class, the Coglayer. To take down these mechs, instead of sneaky rogues, we have Stalkers who locate weak points. To take advantage of the new fighting machine, we have mech jockeys. These new core classes help showcase the differences between a standard fantasy campaign and one that incorporates mecha and include background information for the campaign setting as well. Take the cleric. Unlike a standard campaign, Highpoint is being crushed by the falling moon. This is a result of the lunar gods assault upon the gods of Highpoint and clerics suffer a bit in that they’re not as free to cast and select their spells, having to make a Wisdom check to see if they gain their spells. Since we’re talking about classes, there are new prestige classes. In looking at one of the forms a PrC can take, this book goes for the customized class to fit a specialized niche. Included are the assimilated, mech jockeys who’ve bonded with their machines and dare devil robot fighters called mech devil whose requirements go into the dangerous realm of roleplaying or a PrC that’s showcases how magic might be used to circumvent the situation on the world, the Riftwalker, powerful mages who travel the planes to avoid the lunar rain. The new skills focus on the new mechanics providing Craft, Mechcraft,Knowledge of Mechs, and Mech Pilot. Feats are similarly focused with new craft feats like Magic Mech, Powered Mech, and Steam Gear alongside combat feats like the dreaded and ill-named Mech Fu and Mech Weapon Proficiency. These abilities augment the pilot’s fighting abilities by providing ability with weapons or deflect melee attacks from your machine. Even as the players have new options, the GM has new creatures. This includes the new type, the lunar creature. My favorite beast here is the lunar dragon, a creature who as a wyrmling rates a CR of 5 and as a grey wyrm comes in at a CR of 27. Now that’s a lot of power. Part of the setting, the Iron Shambler is a construct created through the use of animate gears but some are ‘feral’ or without masters and wander the land. Some of the creatures have risen in prominence due to the lunar rains like the Tortogs, humanoids that resemble the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. See, due to their shells, they can survive the casual rains and make excellent smugglers. Highpoint itself, in this book, reads to me like a generic fantasy setting with a few unique elements that has been turned on it’s head to showcase how a fantasy setting can go from swords and sorcerer to steam powered machinery. To me, that’s not a problem. I enjoy Warcraft and Iron Kingdoms so seeing how a traditional fantasy setting moves into the ranks of steam and steel is a good thing. Highpoint suffers from lunar rain. This caused all sorts of problems as few races could withstand the bombardment. The natural world is pretty much toasted and one of the campaign notes is that beauty in and of itself is appreciated. This reminds me a bit of the old Robotech cartoon where the main hero is enjoying a field of flowers, or the savage world of Fist of the North Star where growing your own food is considered a major achievement. The dwarves, despite being underground, suffered during this time too. See, other races knew that the dwarves weren’t being pounded into oblivion so sought to get in. All in all, a very ugly time for people because not only was the moon falling on them, but the things from the moon were hitting the world including the lunar dragons, beasts of such size and power that standard dragons seemed like infants to them. This required a new way of thinking, or more precisely, an old way of thinking brought back as an ancient dwarf brought for the tomes that would help his people create the city mechs, massive machines who could survive the lunar rains, which were not as common or as devastating, but more importantly, could defeat the lunar dragons. So in this brave new world, the standard classes look for new roles to fill even as the author crafts new classes to take advantage of the circumstances. It’s a good mix allowing the GM to use the machines as much or as little as he wants. Is he going to use a standard party and have the machines be the backset, the city-mechs be the locations or is he going to have a party where most of the characters are adequate behind a pilots seat and run combat in steam powered machines? Any way he handles it, the GM has a lot of options. There are numerous factions in the world and some of them are already up to their old tricks and adventure seeds are sown about for the GM to pick and choose. For example, Tannanliel is an elf city mech and is remarkable in the fact that it is the only city mech and is one powered by magic. The only thing that’s off thought is how exactly is it being powered? The crafter, Tannan, “is inextricable linked to the mech.” What happens if say, he went crazy? The book includes some nice tools. Included is a two spread character sheet and a two page index. I enjoyed reading the designer’s notes as it gives you a peak behind the design decisions. [/QUOTE]
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