How essential is Savage Species?

[fba827]

for what you define as "a short adventure" and you already have enough sources there. I don't see it being worth the investment for this short adventure (and, honestly, i have it, i don't think i've looked through it more than once now).

 

[ThirdWizard]

I like Savage Species. More as a DM, though. The templates are good for monsters, especially feral (ignore the LA here *cough*) and spell-stitched. I love spell-stitched. Unfortunately, if you're going to use it for players you have to do some balancing, yes... It has the big problem of being finished before 3.5 was finalized and being a sort of 3.25 hybrid. I wouldn't give it a complete write off, though.

Starting at 15th level, though, it won't be much help, as most monster progressions will be done by then. In this case, not worth it, and I woulnd't buy any book for a one shot or short campaign, especially one that's very specific.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

SS was a good idea, not so good execution. I still haven't bought it, though I waffle now and again, like I said - I like the idea.

The Auld Grump

 

[Jdvn1]

Spell-stitched was updated in... Complete Arcane, I think. Or something 3.5 anyway. I think Feral was updated, but I don't recall where.

 

[philreed]

I really disliked this book. While the idea of playing unusual races interests me this particular book really didn't excite me.

 

[Li Shenron]

I want to run a short adventure with my group and do something completely different... We've done very 'normal' campaigns - now I want to go hog wild. So... Evil Monsters as PCs. Here's what I plan:

• Books: Core (DMG,PH,MM,MM2) + Complete series
• Start them about 15th level
• Half-Whatever templates allowed
• High-ECL beasties allowed
• Core classes dissuaded (Ftr,Clr,Wiz,Rog)
• Odd classes encouraged (HexBlade, Favored Soul, Warlock, Spellthief)

I've looked over the MM1 and MM2 templates, and DMG rules.

Now... knowing that... would Savage Species be that great of an investment? Would it make or break something like this? OR do we have enough to go on, and brainstorm the rest?

I've only seen this book a few times from other gamers in the group, so I might have developed a wrong idea about it. It didn't strike me as unbalanced what I saw... if you take for granted that ECL for MM monsters are fair (which you may not), then the book seemed very well done*. However, it's the idea of the book that IMO isn't great: if you want to play a monster, you'd better play it from the MM instead of starting at 1st level as an underdeveloped specimen, although playing it from about half progression can be acceptable.

My general opinion was that this book, while well done (but other posters disagree vehemently, so I may really be wrong in this!) isn't worth buying, and it's doomed to be pretty unused. Those progressions are meant 90% for players, but how many will you need?

* here I'm talking about the monster class progressions, that's the only interesting thing I remember (and what covers a good part of it IIRC)

 

[Navar]

I don't think it is necessary. In fact I really don't like the fact that it was released at all. I think it prevents a better system. I hope that they fix this problem and go with an approach more like Monte Cook's AE in the future. ECL's just don't work. You can never be ballanced and play an ECL caster. I hope that the casters in your group do something to help ballance. A Minotaur fighter = OK balance, a Minotaur wizard = CRAP balance.

 

[GlassJaw]

I have it and it's ok. There are some good ideas in it but it's not the easiest book to read. It's fairly disjointed in the way the rules are presented. It's a 3.0 book but was written with 3.5 in mind which I think adds to the problem.

From a DM standpoint, there's definitely good to be gained from within its pages. That said, I would NEVER let my players use it. Just too many potential balance issues. I also think monstrous races are a one-way ticket to your campaign getting our of hand.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

There are useful parts of it that can be extracted and offered for player use.

It's a fairly handy tool for DMs trying to create new and unusual monsters.

Other than that... skip it. Everything you'd need from it is done better in the 3.5 MM.

 

[francisca]

Owned a copy and sold it. As others have said, it's a DM book billed as player's book.

One thing I wish would have happened: wraith and wight templates from SS tweaked and put in the 3.5 MM.