JoeGKushner
Adventurer
I think their new book format is 160 full color pages for $29.95 no? Isn't Waterdeep that page/price count?
Heroes of Battle will be available May 5th!
- Thread starter Sammael
- Start date
Ruined
Explorer
Godofredo said:
I won't be able to look up more, as I'm supposed to be doing that work thing. =) But the five or six I have listed in the appendix are statted out. The brass steed is a construct, and the tusked behemoth, yes indeed, looks like the giant elephant-beasts out of Return of the King. The War Mastiffs are trained mounts for small cavalry. Others seem self-explanatory.
Steel_Wind
Legend
[double post] sorry
Steel_Wind
Legend
I've got it and am reading through it now. (From the HairyT in Toronto. 401 Games did not have it in stock yet).
My initial impressions are very favorable. I admit that I am, however, very biased in this view as this is *just* the book I have been looking forward to for some time.
I'll post a review later on tonight or tomorrow.
If people are interested in the Table of Contents and the one page introduction, I'll post em here. (WotC can thank me later for the free publicity
).
Introduction
Heroes of Battle is a rules supplement for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Roleplaying Game. It's a player resource that gives players the tools they need to take their characters from the dungeon to the field of battle, where they'll play pivotal roles in the clash of great fantasy armies. DMs can use this book as a resource for wartime adventures, whether building an entire narrative around a military campaign or throwing the players onto the battlefield as a change of pace at the climax of an adventure.
WHAT'S IN THIS BOOK
Heroes of Battle contains information for DMs and players alike. The book starts by showing what an adventure on the battlefield is like, giving players an idea of what to expect and handing the DM a construction kit to bring massive battles to life. Later chapters provide the nitty-gritty tools that increase the chance of PCs and N PCs surviving and thriving on a fantasy battlefield.
The War Campaign (Chapter 1): D&D uses the word "campaign" to refer to a series of linked adventures, but it borrowed the term from military parlance, where it refers to a series of battles fought to achieve a common objective. Chapter 1 discusses issues you'll face when you make the battlefield a dominant part of your ongoing D&D game.
Building Adventures (Chapter 2): A major battle is the functional equivalent of a traditional D&D adventure. Chapter 2 provides a step-by-step process for designing a battlefield adventure that offers opportunities for treasure, victory, heroism-and plenty of danger and challenges. Chapter 2 also provides directions for designing interesting maps of the battlefield as a whole and the specific areas where pivotal encounters take place.
Battlefield Encounters (Chapter 3): The basic building block of any D&D adventure is the encounter. Chapter 3 lists staple encounters appropriate for a mass battle and provides tips on awarding XP for battlefield encounters. The chapter also includes some sample military units to throw against your PCs on the battlefield.
Rules of War (Chapter 4): Through their bravery and clever tactics, PCs will often have a chance to influence the overall battle-especially as they reach higher levels. In Chapter 4, a simple victory point system helps adjudicate how the PCs' efforts have a ripple effect throughout the rest of the battlefield. Chapter 4 also has a morale system so the DM can easily determine whether the enemy flees rather than facing the PCs directly, and a set of rules to help PCs earn promotions, decorations, and the other glories of war.
The Military Character (Chapter 5): Most characters are ready for the battlefield. The feats and skills in this section will be as useful on the battlefield as they are dungeon. But for characters who want to maximize prowess on the battlefield or emphasize their military background, Chapter 5 offers new feats and prestige classes designed for warfare. The chapter also has more detailed rules for character training and teamwork, and battlefield inspired uses for existing skills.
Magic of War (Chapter 6): Spells and magic useful to (or against) the army in the field are detailed in Chapter 6. Magical versions of the siege engines detailed in Chapter 4 also appear here.
Sample Armies (Appendix I): For the DM in n, a big army in a hurry, this appendix includes a wide of fantasy armies appropriate for any D&D battlefield campaign, from teams of human soldiers to squadrons of orc savages.
Sample Soldiers (Appendix II): You can't have a war without soldiers, and this appendix presents full stat blocks for all the soldiers used in the various a included elsewhere in the book. A Dungeon Mastter can mix and match these NPCs to build just about any army units he or she needs.
Battlefield Steeds (Appendix III): This section details six exotic beasts of war suitable for serving as battle-mounts.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY
Heroes of Battle makes use of the information in the D&D core rulebooks-Player's Handbook, DungeonMaster’s Guide, and Monster Manual. In addition, it includes references to material in Complete Warrior, Complete Adventurer and Miniatures Handbook. Although possession of all of these supplements will enhance your enjoymrnt of this book, they are not strictly necessary.
Heroes of Battle and D&D Miniatures
As you read this book, you'll see rules such as command auras and morale checks that echo rules found in the Miniatures skirmish game and the Miniatures Handbook.
That's intentional. But while they have a common heritage, the two experiences have some important differences as well. Rather than focus on skirmishes between two small forces, this book focuses on the PCs play in truly grand battles: ones featuring thousands of soldiers on each side. Any miniatures you have will be useful when you undertake a battlefield adventure realize that this game is the cooperative, player character centered D&D experience you've been enjoying for years. The action has merely been moved from the dungeon to the battlefield, and we've surrounded the PCs with a cast of thousands.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction 4
What's in This Book 4
What You Need to Play 4
Chapter 1: The War Campaign 5
What Is a Battlefield Adventure? 5
Chink Big/Play Small 6
Player Character Roles 7
Pacing 7
Campaign Planning 9
Dealing with Rank and orders 9
Treasure in a War Campaign 10
Strategic Downtime 12
Adventuring off the Battlefield 13
Military Organization 15
Chapter 2: Building Adventures 17
Hooking the PCs 18
Designing the Battlefield 18
The Course of Events 20
The Adventure Flowchart 21
Making Memorable Encounters 21
Encounter Pacing 22
Filling in the Boxes 24
Designing a Fantasy Army 24
The 60-Minute Army 24
Building Battlefield Encounter Maps 28
Terrain 28
Barriers and Obstacles 32
Earthworks 35
Other Hazards 36
Ancient Battlefields 38
Rewards 41
The Victory Point Framework 41
When Things Go Off the Chart 42
Random Encounters 43
Chapter 3: Battlefield Encounters 45
Sample Battlefield Encounters 46
Cut Supply Line (4th) 46
Reinforcements (4th) 46
Destroy Artillery (6th) 47
Prisoner Exchange (6th) 48
Left Behind (8th) 49
Take out the Trebuchet (8th) 50
Get 'em Out Alive! (10th) 51
King of the Hill (10th) 53
Specific Units 53
Army of Nature's Wrath 53
Pelarch's Unliving Legion 55
Tanar'ric Horde 57
Baatezu Brigade 58
Army of the Alliance 59
Against the Giants 61
Goblin Raiders 61
XP on the Battlefield 61
Is it a Challenge? 61
XP in Supported Encounters 62
Chapter 4: Rules of War 63
Siege Engines 63
Aerial Bombardment 67
Volley of Arrows 68
Indirect Fire versus Direct Fire 69
Concentrated Volley 69
Deflecting a Volley 70
Strategic Advantages 70
Using Strategic Planning 70
Bardic Knowledge 71
Divination Spells 71
Knowledge Skill 71
Leadership 71
Scouting 71
Terrain and Fortifications 72
The Morale Check 72
When to Use the Morale Check 72
Making Morale Checks 72
The Rally Check 73
Commanders 75
Commander Rating 75
Commander Auras 75
Victory Points 78
Assist Friendly Troops 79
Attack Enemy Siege Engines 79
Defeat Enemy Units 79
Disrupt Enemy Command 80
Disrupt Enemy Communications 80
Disrupt Enemy Supply 80
Protect Defensive Point 81
Protect Intrinsic Point 81
Protect Maneuver Point 81
Protect Offensive Point 82
Provide Intelligence 82
Seize Defensive Point 83
Seize Intrinsic Point 83
Seize Maneuver Point 84
Seize Offensive Point 84
Recognition Points 84
Earning Recognition Points 84
Other Ways to Earn
Recognition Points 88
Spending Recognition Points 88
Promotions 91
Battlefield Award Summary 92
Chapter 5: The Military Character 93
Skills 93
Feats 96
Ballista Proficiency 96
Block Arrow 96
Coordinated Shot 96
Courageous Rally 97
Expanded Aura of Courage 97
Expert Siege Engineer 97
Extra Followers 97
Guerrilla Scout 97
Guerrilla Warrior
Improved Cohort 98
Inspirational Leadership 98
Mounted Mobility 98
Natural Leader 98
Plunging Shot 99
Practiced Cohort 99
Ready Shot 99
Shield Wall 99
Veteran Knowledge 99
Prestige Classes 99
Combat Medic 99
Dread Commando 103
Legendary Leader 107
War Weaver 112
Teamwork Benefits 115
The Team Roster 116
Teamwork Benefit Descriptions I17
Chapter 6: Magic of War 121
Spells on the Battlefield 121
Communications 121
Artillery 121
Troop Enhancement 121
Terrain Alteration 122
Other Spell Uses 123
New Spells 123
Spell Descriptions 124
Acid Rain 124
Aerial Alarm 124
Animate Legion 124
Animate Siege Weapon 125
Battlefield Fortification 125
Battlefield Illumination 125
Battlemagic Perception 125
Blaze of Light 125
Boiling Oil 12S
Consecrate Battlefield 126
Crisis of Confidence 126
Desecrate Battlefield 126
Drums of War 126
Early Twilight 126
Hurtling Stone 127
Leomund's Billet 127
Molten Strike 127
Resounding Voice 127
Shrieking Blast 127
Spiritual Cavalry 127
Spiritual Charger 128
Status, Greater 128
Trip Vine 128
Magic Items 129
Magic Armor Special Ability
Descriptions 129
Specific Armors and Shields 129
Heraldic Crests 130
Magic Weapon Special Ability
Descriptions 130
Rods 131
Wondrous Items 131
Standards 132
Magic Siege Engines 133
Magic Siege Engine
Special Ability Descriptions 134
Specific Siege Engines
and Ammunition 134
Appendix 1: Sample Armies 137
Human Large Kingdom 137
Human Small Kingdom 138
Human Clan Structure 138
Elf 139
Drove 139
Dwarf 139
Gnome 140
Ore 140
Goblinoids 140
Lizardfolk 141
Giant Races 141
Appendix 11: Sample Soldiers 142
Appendix III: Battlefield Steeds 153
Brass Steed 153
Luna Moth 154
Rainbow Crow 15.5
Skeletal Warbeast 156
Tusked Behemoth 156
War Mastiff 157
My initial impressions are very favorable. I admit that I am, however, very biased in this view as this is *just* the book I have been looking forward to for some time.
I'll post a review later on tonight or tomorrow.
If people are interested in the Table of Contents and the one page introduction, I'll post em here. (WotC can thank me later for the free publicity
).Introduction
Heroes of Battle is a rules supplement for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Roleplaying Game. It's a player resource that gives players the tools they need to take their characters from the dungeon to the field of battle, where they'll play pivotal roles in the clash of great fantasy armies. DMs can use this book as a resource for wartime adventures, whether building an entire narrative around a military campaign or throwing the players onto the battlefield as a change of pace at the climax of an adventure.
WHAT'S IN THIS BOOK
Heroes of Battle contains information for DMs and players alike. The book starts by showing what an adventure on the battlefield is like, giving players an idea of what to expect and handing the DM a construction kit to bring massive battles to life. Later chapters provide the nitty-gritty tools that increase the chance of PCs and N PCs surviving and thriving on a fantasy battlefield.
The War Campaign (Chapter 1): D&D uses the word "campaign" to refer to a series of linked adventures, but it borrowed the term from military parlance, where it refers to a series of battles fought to achieve a common objective. Chapter 1 discusses issues you'll face when you make the battlefield a dominant part of your ongoing D&D game.
Building Adventures (Chapter 2): A major battle is the functional equivalent of a traditional D&D adventure. Chapter 2 provides a step-by-step process for designing a battlefield adventure that offers opportunities for treasure, victory, heroism-and plenty of danger and challenges. Chapter 2 also provides directions for designing interesting maps of the battlefield as a whole and the specific areas where pivotal encounters take place.
Battlefield Encounters (Chapter 3): The basic building block of any D&D adventure is the encounter. Chapter 3 lists staple encounters appropriate for a mass battle and provides tips on awarding XP for battlefield encounters. The chapter also includes some sample military units to throw against your PCs on the battlefield.
Rules of War (Chapter 4): Through their bravery and clever tactics, PCs will often have a chance to influence the overall battle-especially as they reach higher levels. In Chapter 4, a simple victory point system helps adjudicate how the PCs' efforts have a ripple effect throughout the rest of the battlefield. Chapter 4 also has a morale system so the DM can easily determine whether the enemy flees rather than facing the PCs directly, and a set of rules to help PCs earn promotions, decorations, and the other glories of war.
The Military Character (Chapter 5): Most characters are ready for the battlefield. The feats and skills in this section will be as useful on the battlefield as they are dungeon. But for characters who want to maximize prowess on the battlefield or emphasize their military background, Chapter 5 offers new feats and prestige classes designed for warfare. The chapter also has more detailed rules for character training and teamwork, and battlefield inspired uses for existing skills.
Magic of War (Chapter 6): Spells and magic useful to (or against) the army in the field are detailed in Chapter 6. Magical versions of the siege engines detailed in Chapter 4 also appear here.
Sample Armies (Appendix I): For the DM in n, a big army in a hurry, this appendix includes a wide of fantasy armies appropriate for any D&D battlefield campaign, from teams of human soldiers to squadrons of orc savages.
Sample Soldiers (Appendix II): You can't have a war without soldiers, and this appendix presents full stat blocks for all the soldiers used in the various a included elsewhere in the book. A Dungeon Mastter can mix and match these NPCs to build just about any army units he or she needs.
Battlefield Steeds (Appendix III): This section details six exotic beasts of war suitable for serving as battle-mounts.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY
Heroes of Battle makes use of the information in the D&D core rulebooks-Player's Handbook, DungeonMaster’s Guide, and Monster Manual. In addition, it includes references to material in Complete Warrior, Complete Adventurer and Miniatures Handbook. Although possession of all of these supplements will enhance your enjoymrnt of this book, they are not strictly necessary.
Heroes of Battle and D&D Miniatures
As you read this book, you'll see rules such as command auras and morale checks that echo rules found in the Miniatures skirmish game and the Miniatures Handbook.
That's intentional. But while they have a common heritage, the two experiences have some important differences as well. Rather than focus on skirmishes between two small forces, this book focuses on the PCs play in truly grand battles: ones featuring thousands of soldiers on each side. Any miniatures you have will be useful when you undertake a battlefield adventure realize that this game is the cooperative, player character centered D&D experience you've been enjoying for years. The action has merely been moved from the dungeon to the battlefield, and we've surrounded the PCs with a cast of thousands.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction 4
What's in This Book 4
What You Need to Play 4
Chapter 1: The War Campaign 5
What Is a Battlefield Adventure? 5
Chink Big/Play Small 6
Player Character Roles 7
Pacing 7
Campaign Planning 9
Dealing with Rank and orders 9
Treasure in a War Campaign 10
Strategic Downtime 12
Adventuring off the Battlefield 13
Military Organization 15
Chapter 2: Building Adventures 17
Hooking the PCs 18
Designing the Battlefield 18
The Course of Events 20
The Adventure Flowchart 21
Making Memorable Encounters 21
Encounter Pacing 22
Filling in the Boxes 24
Designing a Fantasy Army 24
The 60-Minute Army 24
Building Battlefield Encounter Maps 28
Terrain 28
Barriers and Obstacles 32
Earthworks 35
Other Hazards 36
Ancient Battlefields 38
Rewards 41
The Victory Point Framework 41
When Things Go Off the Chart 42
Random Encounters 43
Chapter 3: Battlefield Encounters 45
Sample Battlefield Encounters 46
Cut Supply Line (4th) 46
Reinforcements (4th) 46
Destroy Artillery (6th) 47
Prisoner Exchange (6th) 48
Left Behind (8th) 49
Take out the Trebuchet (8th) 50
Get 'em Out Alive! (10th) 51
King of the Hill (10th) 53
Specific Units 53
Army of Nature's Wrath 53
Pelarch's Unliving Legion 55
Tanar'ric Horde 57
Baatezu Brigade 58
Army of the Alliance 59
Against the Giants 61
Goblin Raiders 61
XP on the Battlefield 61
Is it a Challenge? 61
XP in Supported Encounters 62
Chapter 4: Rules of War 63
Siege Engines 63
Aerial Bombardment 67
Volley of Arrows 68
Indirect Fire versus Direct Fire 69
Concentrated Volley 69
Deflecting a Volley 70
Strategic Advantages 70
Using Strategic Planning 70
Bardic Knowledge 71
Divination Spells 71
Knowledge Skill 71
Leadership 71
Scouting 71
Terrain and Fortifications 72
The Morale Check 72
When to Use the Morale Check 72
Making Morale Checks 72
The Rally Check 73
Commanders 75
Commander Rating 75
Commander Auras 75
Victory Points 78
Assist Friendly Troops 79
Attack Enemy Siege Engines 79
Defeat Enemy Units 79
Disrupt Enemy Command 80
Disrupt Enemy Communications 80
Disrupt Enemy Supply 80
Protect Defensive Point 81
Protect Intrinsic Point 81
Protect Maneuver Point 81
Protect Offensive Point 82
Provide Intelligence 82
Seize Defensive Point 83
Seize Intrinsic Point 83
Seize Maneuver Point 84
Seize Offensive Point 84
Recognition Points 84
Earning Recognition Points 84
Other Ways to Earn
Recognition Points 88
Spending Recognition Points 88
Promotions 91
Battlefield Award Summary 92
Chapter 5: The Military Character 93
Skills 93
Feats 96
Ballista Proficiency 96
Block Arrow 96
Coordinated Shot 96
Courageous Rally 97
Expanded Aura of Courage 97
Expert Siege Engineer 97
Extra Followers 97
Guerrilla Scout 97
Guerrilla Warrior
Improved Cohort 98
Inspirational Leadership 98
Mounted Mobility 98
Natural Leader 98
Plunging Shot 99
Practiced Cohort 99
Ready Shot 99
Shield Wall 99
Veteran Knowledge 99
Prestige Classes 99
Combat Medic 99
Dread Commando 103
Legendary Leader 107
War Weaver 112
Teamwork Benefits 115
The Team Roster 116
Teamwork Benefit Descriptions I17
Chapter 6: Magic of War 121
Spells on the Battlefield 121
Communications 121
Artillery 121
Troop Enhancement 121
Terrain Alteration 122
Other Spell Uses 123
New Spells 123
Spell Descriptions 124
Acid Rain 124
Aerial Alarm 124
Animate Legion 124
Animate Siege Weapon 125
Battlefield Fortification 125
Battlefield Illumination 125
Battlemagic Perception 125
Blaze of Light 125
Boiling Oil 12S
Consecrate Battlefield 126
Crisis of Confidence 126
Desecrate Battlefield 126
Drums of War 126
Early Twilight 126
Hurtling Stone 127
Leomund's Billet 127
Molten Strike 127
Resounding Voice 127
Shrieking Blast 127
Spiritual Cavalry 127
Spiritual Charger 128
Status, Greater 128
Trip Vine 128
Magic Items 129
Magic Armor Special Ability
Descriptions 129
Specific Armors and Shields 129
Heraldic Crests 130
Magic Weapon Special Ability
Descriptions 130
Rods 131
Wondrous Items 131
Standards 132
Magic Siege Engines 133
Magic Siege Engine
Special Ability Descriptions 134
Specific Siege Engines
and Ammunition 134
Appendix 1: Sample Armies 137
Human Large Kingdom 137
Human Small Kingdom 138
Human Clan Structure 138
Elf 139
Drove 139
Dwarf 139
Gnome 140
Ore 140
Goblinoids 140
Lizardfolk 141
Giant Races 141
Appendix 11: Sample Soldiers 142
Appendix III: Battlefield Steeds 153
Brass Steed 153
Luna Moth 154
Rainbow Crow 15.5
Skeletal Warbeast 156
Tusked Behemoth 156
War Mastiff 157
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