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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DragonTurtle" data-source="post: 2603908" data-attributes="member: 26206">Banking GuildI was excited to receive a copy of this product to review. I really do think the strength of PDFs lie in the ability to make a niche product that WOTC won’t touch. Not everyone is going to be interested in the idea of a banking guild in there game. However those that are interested and want some ideas there is finally a book that addresses the gap. Banking Guild is a 29 page pdf that comes as two files, one bookmarked and made for on screen reading, while the other will save you ink for printing in a portrait layout.The book starts by supplying a glossary of common banking terms, this is handy as these words are fairly common but it is entirely possible people don’t exactly know what they mean.Chapter 1: Guild Overview: This talks about the ranks within the guild, titles, and community involvement. One section they gloss over in a paragraph is the idea of racial variants, writing the differences off as trivial and that for convenience treat all guilds the same. I for one would have liked to see some information on other races, gnomes seem perfect for the role and I think they could have been given a real chance to shine. You also get some more in depth information on insurance, bonds, and loans.Chapter 2: Guild Secrets, this chapter deals with new skills and a new feat. The skills Knowledge (Finances) and Craft (Handle Money) are not great examples new skills. Knowledge (finances) explains that the character has been trained to handle money, this would probably be better handled by a profession skill. It also allows the character to add its ranks to bluff and sense motive when people are trying to get money out of you. I would prefer to see a synergy bonus given instead, as the follows known mechanics for one skill to add to another. Craft (Handle Money) says the character has the knack to make money but gives no rules on how this skill is suppose to work. What it does do allow the character to add ranks in this skill to bluff, sense motive, performance and profession when the character is trying to get money from those skills. Same argument as above, should be a synergy if you even allow the use of this undefined skill.The new feat Money Shot, once you get past the name, allows you to deflect missile attacks with thrown coins. The prereqs are pretty high and the skill is only for members of the banking guild. Not sure I can see my bankers having this feat, however I can almost see them using it to foil assassination attemptsChapter 3: Prestige Classes. I had mix feelings about the inclusion of prestige classes in a book about banking, however the overall topic of the book is about a guild, and prestige classes really should be about organizations so maybe they may fit. After reading the two PrCs, my feelings are mixed. The first is the Roving Accountant, an appraise master, who gets a lot of bonuses to appraise as his main class feature. Strangely the class does not have any ranks in appraise as prereq, instead you need to have lots of knowledge skills, metamagic feats and divination spells. The class is set up for wizards, so I understand that appraise is a cross skill, however a few ranks as a requirement would have been appropriate. Nit pick number two is the class gets a special feature to give them a skill bonus for search, which they don’t even put in the class skills.The other class is the Venture Capitalist, a lawful warrior who must make a deal with an evil outsider (the why is never explained), the class gets a bonus rank in a number of skills, this again is a weird mechanic, as usually classes will give a modifier to a skill but not a rank. Otherwise the main feature of the class is the ability to take out loans and inspire courage.Chapter 4: Magic and a Monster. I expected magic in this book to deal with money and protecting vaults. I was halfway correct, 2 of the spells do deal with money, one is a curse causing people to spend their wealth, the other causes people to excrete gold coins. The last spell is Greater Contingency, which seems out of place as it only modifies the existing spell in the PHB. The new monster is the lead ooze, a threat to vaults and treasure rooms as it turns gold into lead. I like the ooze, and the money curse has potential. The spell that causes people to pass wealth from their bowels seems to much like a joke spell for me, however your mileage may vary.Chapter 5: Deals with protection you might find in a vault, for easy reference I would have like them to include costs for each type of vault. It also lists alternate forms of currency, which is a great idea, although it is strange that under races they include, “this is the normal currency for dragons” and will have that after 5 or 6 different types of currency, I think it may have been less confusing if they said something like races that may use this currency include dragons. It is also strange that dragons would use the same tiny thimbles that gnomes use for currency.Chapter 6: Is a one page description of gods, that might affect banking, they detail a new god of greed Mammon, but give no details on his favored weapons or domains.Chapter 7: Is hooks and a sample guild. I really wish they would have expanded on this piece as a drop in guild complete with NPCs would be very beneficial. They do give you some basics, and it is a good start. One thing I found to be bizarre was that the guards are armed with Bohemian Ear Spoons, as there are no stats in the book for this it is a strange attempt to add flavor, at least a side note to treat as lances or spears would be appropriate. Overview: This is a great idea for a book, and I am glad E.N. publishing is taking the initiative to offer this type of innovative material for those interested. Since this is such a niche product, I think those that are interested would really want a more serious approach to the subject. Chapter 1 is a great beginning to the topic, the attempt to add crunch for the sake of adding crunch comes across a little contrived. I would give this book a 3 only if you are serious about the topic and need a source.</blockquote>

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