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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JoeGKushner" data-source="post: 2011492" data-attributes="member: 1129">Goods and Gear, The Ultimate Adventurer’s Guide, is Kenzer and Company’s answer to Wizards of the Coast Equipment Guide. In this game, Kenzer has soundly come out ahead of the game. This is a 272 page, black and white book that provides the reader with almost any weapon, armor, or other item, including alchemical and even simple clothing, that they could ever need.A long time ago, Palladium Books printed several book dealing with armor and weapons of various cultures. Some of these were exotic weapons, like Lantern Shields, others were more mundane but dealt with different cultures, like Samurai and Ninja. There were numerous little details in those books, and Palladium has updated them a few times here and there. In many ways, the thirteen chapters here update that information for d20 and Hackmaster. Yes, it’s a dual book. I’m not too crazy about dual books but understand that economic conditions sometimes force their creation.One thing the book notes is that not every weapon or item here may match other sources as differences of opinions among writers and game companies is possible. That’s true enough. However, my baseline is that everything should at least match the Player’s Handbook. It doesn’t every time. For example, a bastard sword does 1d10 with a critical threat range of 19-20/x2. Here, the bastard sword does 1d8 with a threat range of 19-20/x2. It also weighs one pound less. Is the book perfect? Well, I’d have to go through every item here and the Player’s Handbook to see if they all matched up beyond the bastard sword. In addition, I felt that too often weapons were given the Exotic label simply because of how they looked, lacking any backing power. The inclusion of references to products like Tome and Blood, lessens the utility as the reader now has to go to a third party book. The inclusion of the Hackmaster material didn’t sit well with me either.Despite these issues, the book is a treasure trove. It starts off with something I didn’t think I’d even look through, but which was quite interesting. In the Marketplace. Once again, I’m reminded of Palladium and their fantasy setting . One of the interesting things about that setting is they have different types of coins for different kingdoms. This book does the same for the Kalamar setting, but more useful to all campaigns however, are the rules on what can happen to characters wandering through a market place. Little scams and hindrances are joined by rules for bartering making the chapter useful for people playing in Greyhawk or the Scarred Lands.The two chapters most people will be interested in, chapter two, weaponry, and chapter three, armor, break up information into easy to use bits. One section provides a detailed look at the hilt of a sword, breaking it up into different pieces, even as another section examines the sword itself.The game stats are broken up by type. For example, Axes and Picks have their own section, as do daggers, bows and blowguns, clubs, daggers and knives, flails and whips, hammers and maces, spears and lances, and perhaps my favorite, just for the looks, the miscellaneous weapons.One again, the reminders of my youth from Palladium books, hits me. We have Throwing Irons, which look like African Throwing Dagger, curved, vicious looking blades, joining Bolas, Tiger Claws and even the dreaded Lantern Shield.Others will want to study the section on Polearms and Poleaxes, while most with flip to the section on swords. We have weapons ranging from the Beheading Sword and Flamberg, to the Executioner’s Sword and the Dwarven Zomburd. In terms of utility, most of the weapons are illustrated and all have a brief description and game stats. These include the standard game statistics like type (simple, martial, exotic), cost, damage (both small and medium), critical, range, weight, and type. In addition, it includes a new column, region/user, showing who commonly uses this type of weapon.In terms of armor, it’s broken up into three types, light, medium, and heavy. Most of these are the standard types with Kalamar modifications. For example, neither the dwarven plate or the elven mail are assumed to be made of rare materials. Different sections show how to don armor, ranging from chainmail coif and regular armor. Different materials are noted ranging from darkwood and dragonhide, to adamantine and even bronze. In terms of helping a campaign come to life, the rest of the book comes in handy. For example, clothing. The standard clothing list in the Player’s Handbook is far too short. The section here not only includes a wide variety of information and materials, but also includes a new concept, Style Points, an indication of one’s wealth and status and ability to influence people by wearing the right clothing to showcase one’s power. Of particular use to Kalamar players, is the section on the raiment of the deities of Tellene. These entries include details on what the clerics wear when they reach different titles. For example, a member of the Ture who is a Referee would wear white, but a Ture Seer, would wear gold with a broad white hem, sash and collar.Another useful but often overlooked section, comes when looking a Chapter Five, Games and Entertainment, and Chapter Six, Musical Instruments. This includes fortune-telling cards and chess sets, as well as bean bags and various types of dice. Perhaps your bard wants to play the Pipes or the Whistle? Perhaps a fighter has a desire to learn the chimes or listen to the drums of the orcs? Little things that help make the world more than one of swords and shields. Still, the world of d20 is one of adventure and Chapter 7, Tools, Gear and Equipment, and Chapter Nine, Concoctions, brings that focus back into play. Things like canteens, and scrolls cases, join various types of pouches and bandages. Weaponblack and Sunstone join Sunrods and Scentbreaks.In terms of living the good live, Chapter 8, Food and Drink, and Chapter 10, Personal Goods and Services, help the characters understand why they go adventuring. Swo you need the help of an expert? Chapter 10 includes everything from city guides and minstrels, to sages and wilderness scouts. The sage is even done up in a little side bar as a class, but should probably just remain an expert with some modifications.Other little bits to flesh out a campaign are found throughout the book. For example, Chapter 12 is a godsend to anyone who has players always looking or different Inns or Taverns as it provides numerous costs for different Inns. Chapter 13 provides information on different costs for overland and oversea transportation. Rules for maintenance on weapons and armor is included, as well as rules for showcasing equipment to preserve and repair it.Thankfully, there is a lengthy index to complement the table of contents. In terms of layout, the book is solid. The art fits the subject matter for the most part, with illustrations from a wide variety of artists including Caleb Cleveland, Storn Cook, Keith DeCesare and others. Only Marcio Fioritio’s art looks out of place due to his heavy use of outlining. One of my favorite illustrations is by Caleb Cleveland, a two-page spread at the bottom of the page showing a dragon stabbed with numerous types of weapons ranging from the javelin to the orc double axe. The book’s utility is beyond being merely a source of weapons and armor and can expand a GM’s campaign by making the market place more interesting, as well as streamlining the number of books he needs to reference for prices of various items. The illustrations go along with the book, and the fit for a Kalamar setting, is dead on.REVIEWER'S NOTE: I Just finished the Liveship Traders Trilogy by Robin Hobb so I'm probably finding more use in this book that I might on another day but I like having prices for almost anything.</blockquote>

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