ELEMENTAL EVIL Player's Companion - FREE!

The Elemental Evil Player's Companion is available for free download over at DTRPG (and RPGNow). It includes new races (aarakocra, deep gnome, genasi, and goliath) and ove 40 new spells. The PDF is a full-colour 25-page PDF; according to the first page, the genasi in chapter 1 and all of the spells in chapter 2 also appear in the appendices of Princes of the Apocalypse, the adventure due to hit store shelves very soon.

"Not inherently evil, elemental power can be mastered by those with both malevolent and benign intentions. The Elemental Evil Player’s Companion provides everything players need to build a character that is tied directly into the Elemental Evil storyline.

New race options include the aarakocra, deep gnome, genasi, and goliath. Additionally, a plethora of new spells put the elements directly at your command.

The Elemental Evil Player’s Companion, was original designed by Richard Baker, Robert J. Schwalb and Stephen Schubert, with additional design and development by Wizards D&D R&D.

This accessory is specifically meant to support the Elemental Evil–Princes of the Apocalypse adventure product."

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[Kobold Stew]

A few quick thoughts:

* for the first time we have a race-specific feat. I thin this is a good way to model the abilities of more powerful races within the parameters of 5e. (I suggested it for modelling Yuan-ti purebloods here). I think this is a good thing.
* The large number of new cantrips is interesting, especially since there's a hard limit on them for spell casting classes. Magic Adept feat can now be used to add elemental flavouring to any class fairly easily. That's cool.
* Magic Stone particularly, since it allows sling attacks using a spell casting ability (CHA from Warlock; WID from Druids). I can now build a slinger rogue whose main ability is Wisdom or Charisma without sacrificing Sneak attack.
* Aarakocra are pretty powerful, with both flight and natural weapons (which no other race has). But still another DEX-basd race?
* Goliath's powerful build won't impact many games, but for those who do track encumbrance, it's great.
* Goliath's cold adaptation also a very clean implementation of something that (again) won't impact many games. (Reference is to DMG p. 110).
* the gnoll in the whirlwind is some great art!

 

[Warmaster Horus]

What's with all the complaints about what is a free product stuffed with usable content?

Check your privilege, ENWorld!

 

[Remathilis]

25 pages? I remember Mearls saying there were around 300 pages. Maybe more to come? At least it is released in March like it was supposed to.

The module is 300 pages. Once they ditched the Adventurer's Handbook, they always said it was going to be a small PDF of the PC-stuff from Princes + some extra races.

 

[Kramodlog]

The module is 300 pages. Once they ditched the Adventurer's Handbook, they always said it was going to be a small PDF of the PC-stuff from Princes + some extra races.

I thought Mearls said to Morrus that the Handbook was also around 300 pages long.

Edit: Found the post. It was Mearls on twitter. It is indeed PoT that is around 300 pages.

 

[Skyscraper]

Fun stuff. Elemental spells can be usefully reflavored to fit into a lot of stuff, e.g. a fire cult, and so on.

I like some flavorful tidbits, e.g. the wall of water that gives disavantage on ranged attack rolls, but you can freeze it and then break it and afterwards there's a hole in the wall.

As for the new races, they look fine.

 

[nightspaladin]

Like what I see. But would love to see some subclasses. Maybe we don't because they want to have a better handle on what is working and what isn't before they begin issuing more subclasses(i.e. the purpose of those surveys). Still it seems a waste not to have some obvious tie ins, especially in classes that need more subclasses. An Elemental Sorcerer Build seems pretty archetypical, and yet is nigh impossible to recreate with current builds.

That being said, seeing a small doc like this every 3 or 4 months would help alot. Or of course they could just release stuff every month, in some sort of subscription....if only there was a name for such a thing........

 

[Mercule]

The module is 300 pages.

Cite/how sure are you of this? I was just searching for this info, yesterday, and couldn't come up with the answer.

 

[Kramodlog]

Cite/how sure are you of this? I was just searching for this info, yesterday, and couldn't come up with the answer.

Mearls said it on twitter a whilte back. Between 256 and 300 something. Printers work in 32 pages increments.

 

[Mercule]

Races are pretty solid!

Yup. I've never liked the genasi, but that write-up just kind of clicked with me. Not sure if there was anything actually new, but I liked this one. I like the way they did goliaths, too. (Indifferent to the other races, but I'd allow them in a game.)

Yeah I guess an elemental warlock might have been quite nice.

Hadn't thought of that. Very cool idea. If nothing else, I can imagine someone finding a genie's lamp and wishing to know magic. No reason someone couldn't pact with the Wind Dukes, too.

I might have to take a shot at writing something up.

 

[Mercule]

Mearls said it on twitter a whilte back. Between 256 and 300 something. Printers work in 32 pages increments.

Oh, yeah. I kinda remember that. Seems like the actual number was 288, which raised a few eyebrows because it's a "non-standard" length for a gaming book.

Maybe I just mentally averaged it, though, and it was the large range that got questions.