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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cheiromancer" data-source="post: 433474" data-attributes="member: 141">I'm sorry to say that I'm disappointed by d20's latest offering.  I haven't pored over every detail, but the first impressions are disquieting.For instance, the decay of drow magic items.  Sean K Reynolds thinks this is a bad feature, and I'm inclined to agree.  It seems to be a way of giving the drow equipment that cannot be acquired by adventurers, and thereby messes up the challenge/treasure relationship.  But hey- I can live with that.  If a DM doesn't want treasure to decay, it doesn't- if he does, then here are some rules for it.  Ok then.Radiation.  Ok, it fits well with the theme that the items decay when taken out of the underdark.  How about the restrictions on teleportations?  Perhaps it's in there somewhere, and I just overlooked it.  But one of the prestige classes gets a kind of shadow walking that is almost as good.  Hmmm.  A loose end to be tidied up later.Blue drow on the cover.  Well, white people are actually kinda pink- who says that drow have to be midnight black?  Anyway it's an artist's interpretation and they look cool.The Shur.  It has a demonic parent.  Demons are immune to electricity.  The Shur has energy resistance 20 to cold, fire and acid.  But not to electricity?  Demons are immune to poison, too, but the Shur has no special resistance to this either.  Well, a few details like this can be changed if a DM wants more verisimilitude.The Shaturug.  They are "strong and intelligent warriors, leading tribes of orcs or drow house armies to victory."  Well, yes, but they have a -4 penalty to Charisma.  How are they leaders again?The Spider Golem.  It's made out of an adamantine alloy, but is affected by Transmute Rock to Mud, Transmute Mud to Rock and Stone to Flesh spells as if it were a stone golem.  An alloy is a metal, right?  So, a discrepancy in the flavor text.  A very minor problem.The feats.  Enhanced Spell Resistance grants +4 to SR.  Stackable.  Well, ok.  Maybe the epic handbook (which gives only a +2) is too stingy.Rapid healing and improved alertness look ok.  Speed load- shouldn't it be restricted to hand crossbows?  Those heavy ones would take a lot of strength to reload quickly.  Applying to all crossbows, no strength pre-requisite, no escalating pre-requisites for stacking it... nope, I don't like it.Dark Blessing.  You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls, damage, initiative, skill checks, and saves?  I don't care what funky pre-requisites this is, this is more than a feat- even more than the perq's of a level in a prestige class.  It's more like a freakin' template!Retaliation.  Is retaliation too strong?  I don't really trust it, and the other feats don't give me any particular reason to think that it is balanced.Prestige classes.  Do adamantine elements disintegrate in sunlight?  I thought it was just if they were taken from the underdark.  Can artificial limbs wear bracers and rings and such?  Need to reread it more carefully- I'm sure it's in there.  But then there's the Soulless.  I can't figure out this prestige class.  The character gets a dark blessing and then loses their faith?  I'm familiar with the concept in Western Spirituality of the "dark night of the soul," so I'm sure I'll be able to figure this one out, just need a little more time.  Spells look weak, though there are a number of defensive advantages.Magic.  The poison domain allows one to use the poison spell three times per day as a spell-like ability!?  This is a 4th level spell.  What kind of domain allows one to use a 4th level spell three times per day at first level?  At least the undead domain ability is only a 3rd level spell, and only usable once per day. But still, this seems over the top.There are other features too, but these are the ones that were first to catch my eye.  There's enough places where I say "I don't like that" or "that must be a mistake" that I lose confidence in the other game material.  I mean, if I wanted a book that I have to go over with a fine tooth comb I'd buy from WotC!  (Just kidding- no offense intended.)So that's my rant.  I bought the guide to the drow the moment I saw it was by d20 press.  I never even looked at the preview!  But now I feel a little let down.  If you all could help out by posting the things that they liked to this thread, so I can feel cheered up again, I'd really appreciate it.  Thanks!</blockquote>

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