Eden Studios' Fields of Blood... is it good?

[JoeGKushner]

FoB Errata

At the bottom of page 89 under Casting Time

"Steve has a druid secunded to a unit of heavy infrantry. he wants his druid to cast call lightning to strike an enemy unit. The casting time is 10 minutes, which means it will take 10 battle turns."

 

[JoeGKushner]

Battle Magic Proficiency?

Is Battle Magic Proficiency or just soemthing that 7th level casters know how to do? It states that it's a feat, but in the PrC sections, it's listed as an "Ability" requirement, while other classes have Feat Requirement.

Dreadlord for example, must have Feas: Great Cleave, Hordemaws\ters must have Abilities: Ability to Rage. Battlefield Magus must have Abilities: Ability to cast 5th level arcane spells, Battle Magic Proficiency.

 

[Lizard]

Is Battle Magic Proficiency or just soemthing that 7th level casters know how to do? It states that it's a feat, but in the PrC sections, it's listed as an "Ability" requirement, while other classes have Feat Requirement.

Dreadlord for example, must have Feas: Great Cleave, Hordemaws\ters must have Abilities: Ability to Rage. Battlefield Magus must have Abilities: Ability to cast 5th level arcane spells, Battle Magic Proficiency.

If the GM is requiring BMP be taken as a feat in order to use Battlefield Magic, then, the Battlefield Magus must take it, and it should be considered a 'Feat' prerequisite, not an ability. If the GM isn't requiring it in order to cast battlefield spells, then, a BMagus can ignore this requirement.

I will add this to the errata for clarification.

(A caveat: I do not have an author's copy of the book yet, so I'm going on what was in my final drafts. There may have been some editorial changes.)

 

[Silveras]

If the GM is requiring BMP be taken as a feat in order to use Battlefield Magic, then, the Battlefield Magus must take it, and it should be considered a 'Feat' prerequisite, not an ability. If the GM isn't requiring it in order to cast battlefield spells, then, a BMagus can ignore this requirement.

I will add this to the errata for clarification.

(A caveat: I do not have an author's copy of the book yet, so I'm going on what was in my final drafts. There may have been some editorial changes.)

It is described as a Feat on p.93. "To use Battle Magic, a special feat is required, as follows:"

Also, immediately before that, there is a new range category defined "Very Long", "16 inches plus 2 inches per caster level." It is not D20 standard to express ranges in scale units. Translated, at 50 ft to the inch, that should read "80 feet + 100 ft/ level".

 

[Silveras]

Errata item:
On p.21, the effects of the various fortifications list 1/2 Cover and 3/4 Cover. In 3.5, there is only Cover, or No Cover.

[Edit: Is there supposed to be an Upkeep cost for permanent fortifications ? I don't see one listed.]

 

[Silveras]

Another suggestion: consolidate some tables. The information about population centers (production, max units, upkeep costs, build/upgrade costs) is spread over multiple tables; it would be nice to have a single table with most or all of these core values.

 

[Silveras]

A Question

Why do the unit creation rules assume that you start with a group of 1st level Human Commoners, when the MM entries for every other race use 1st level Warriors ?

I can see using Commoners as the basis for any Irregular units, but any Regular or Elite units I would think should start from Warriors.

 

[Gundark]

If I choose to use counters in a battle, does the system use hexes or squares? I ask b/c of the hex paper that was posted with the counters.

Another question: Okay units have wounds, which was similiar to the old battlesystem rules. In battlesystem every model on the table represented a certain number of people (10:1, 5:! etc). Is it the same in FoB?

 

[Silveras]

Improvement suggestion: In the unit creation rules, it is not clear whether or not you should finish creating the unit as Infantry before modifying for Cavalry. Its placement suggests that you should not finish through to equip it first, but some elements in the text refer to values from the finished unit.

Errata Item: The Scouts subtype grants the use of Wilderness Lore as a special ability. Wilderness Lore becomes Survival in 3.5.

 

[Vrylakos]

It's very cool of Silveras and others to note these small gaffs, mistakes, and suggestions for both gamers and Eden. I'm sure FoB will be a stronger product for it. Thanks!

Also, after more reading, has your impression of FoB changed or become more defined in any way?

Vrylakos