Crothian
First Post
Experts 3.5
NPCs can be very numerous in a campaign. But with the few NPC classes they can start looking a bit all the same mechanically. The Expert class while malleable just does not do enough to showcase the true differences between a school and a blacksmith, or a slaver and a barrister. Experts takes these concepts and many more and give the reader the ability to really showcase the many different types of people out there.
Experts 3.5 is a revised version of the original Experts book. This one is completely compatible and up to date with D&D 3.5 and additional material has been added. The book is done by Skirmisher Game Development Group and written by Michael J Varhola, Paul O Knorr, and Perry Fix. The book is a nice soft bound black and white book. It is nicely laid out with some good art on its pages. I like the forward the Gary Gygax wrote for it as well. It is a nice and glowing endorsement of the book and after reading it myself I tend to agree with him.
The book starts with some good introductory material and really hits its stride quickly. It acknowledges how experts can be adventures even though it realizes most will stay in whatever town or city they live in and do their own thing. But players are usually adventures and this opens experts up to be used by players characters. They are not going to be as strong as the traditional player character classes but it can go a long way in offering some interesting depth to character. Not everyone needs to start out as an adventuring type.
The book introduces a really skill oriented class. It is not like the rogue that gets abilities that do not fit with skills. The Specialist is the first true skill oriented class I have seen. Great skill points per level, class skills that are chosen and more gained through level increase and bonus feats that deal with skills. It is a versatile class but not quite on par with adventuring classes with a lack of magic and fighting prowess. But in a more political or urban based campaign that deals more with skills and smarts this class can be seen as an equal as long as one plays to its strengths.
There are specifically thirty three different types of experts in the book. It is not a compressive list, but it does cover a lot and most of the common ones. Each starts with a description of what the character with is job does along with some examples from real world, mythology, and other places that they could find them. Each also has a section on adventuring specific to the field of work. There is typical chrematistics and alignments as well. Religions are given with specific gods in the Greek mythology given. Background on the trade is given with some nice info on the history and beginnings of the trade. Typical races are given and while most are open to any race some take to certain crafts more then others. Each also lists possible relationships with other classes. Then the section goes more into the mechanics of the class as it would fit in with the Expert NPC class. Class skills are listed in and class features specific to the job are also given out. This all augments the Expert class so there is not a lot of reprinted tables and things of that class. This is the bulk of the information in the book as they have each of the thirty three experts fully defined in this way.
The book then goes into some new prestige classes, feats, and skills. All of this is once again aimed at the Expert class with the new skills being greatly defined and the highlight of this area. The skills really go into making craft and perform, and other skills these tradesmen would use easy for the players and DMs to use them mechanically. There are typical DCs set for many new professions and other skills. They did a great job on the skill section.
This book is packed with some great information. It has a very nice side bar on different perform skills and which experts would most likely have them. While it is a side bar this is a full page sidebar. It is information like that that really impresses me the most about the book. This is a must have if one runs and urban campaign with lots of NPCs and lots of the daily life of people being shown. I personally will be making good use of this for my own Thieves Campaign.
NPCs can be very numerous in a campaign. But with the few NPC classes they can start looking a bit all the same mechanically. The Expert class while malleable just does not do enough to showcase the true differences between a school and a blacksmith, or a slaver and a barrister. Experts takes these concepts and many more and give the reader the ability to really showcase the many different types of people out there.
Experts 3.5 is a revised version of the original Experts book. This one is completely compatible and up to date with D&D 3.5 and additional material has been added. The book is done by Skirmisher Game Development Group and written by Michael J Varhola, Paul O Knorr, and Perry Fix. The book is a nice soft bound black and white book. It is nicely laid out with some good art on its pages. I like the forward the Gary Gygax wrote for it as well. It is a nice and glowing endorsement of the book and after reading it myself I tend to agree with him.
The book starts with some good introductory material and really hits its stride quickly. It acknowledges how experts can be adventures even though it realizes most will stay in whatever town or city they live in and do their own thing. But players are usually adventures and this opens experts up to be used by players characters. They are not going to be as strong as the traditional player character classes but it can go a long way in offering some interesting depth to character. Not everyone needs to start out as an adventuring type.
The book introduces a really skill oriented class. It is not like the rogue that gets abilities that do not fit with skills. The Specialist is the first true skill oriented class I have seen. Great skill points per level, class skills that are chosen and more gained through level increase and bonus feats that deal with skills. It is a versatile class but not quite on par with adventuring classes with a lack of magic and fighting prowess. But in a more political or urban based campaign that deals more with skills and smarts this class can be seen as an equal as long as one plays to its strengths.
There are specifically thirty three different types of experts in the book. It is not a compressive list, but it does cover a lot and most of the common ones. Each starts with a description of what the character with is job does along with some examples from real world, mythology, and other places that they could find them. Each also has a section on adventuring specific to the field of work. There is typical chrematistics and alignments as well. Religions are given with specific gods in the Greek mythology given. Background on the trade is given with some nice info on the history and beginnings of the trade. Typical races are given and while most are open to any race some take to certain crafts more then others. Each also lists possible relationships with other classes. Then the section goes more into the mechanics of the class as it would fit in with the Expert NPC class. Class skills are listed in and class features specific to the job are also given out. This all augments the Expert class so there is not a lot of reprinted tables and things of that class. This is the bulk of the information in the book as they have each of the thirty three experts fully defined in this way.
The book then goes into some new prestige classes, feats, and skills. All of this is once again aimed at the Expert class with the new skills being greatly defined and the highlight of this area. The skills really go into making craft and perform, and other skills these tradesmen would use easy for the players and DMs to use them mechanically. There are typical DCs set for many new professions and other skills. They did a great job on the skill section.
This book is packed with some great information. It has a very nice side bar on different perform skills and which experts would most likely have them. While it is a side bar this is a full page sidebar. It is information like that that really impresses me the most about the book. This is a must have if one runs and urban campaign with lots of NPCs and lots of the daily life of people being shown. I personally will be making good use of this for my own Thieves Campaign.
