I just bought Frostburn

[Stone Angel]

How about a little more info on both, I have yet to flip through Frostburn and my store does not carry Frost and Fur. No I am curious

The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[MerricB]

Unfortuantely that one of the reasons I haven't been happy with many of Wizards books. They been to bland, too regular D&D.

OTOH, you get my reaction to Monte Cook's later works: they leave me absolutely cold. Arcana Unearthed - urk. This is a completely unfounded impression, I hasten to add; I haven't read the books. It's merely from my impression of the promotional material. Nothing like an informed opinion!

How about a little more info on both, I have yet to flip through Frostburn and my store does not carry Frost and Fur. No I am curious

I've written a lengthy review of Frostburn, but (as usual) the 3rdedition.org site is taking its own sweet time to put it up.

A quick summary:

Frostburn is primarily a gamist book (which is to say, that it deals mainly with game elements rather than cultural details). It begins with a chapter detailing running encounters in areas of severe cold, including many of the hazards that can be encountered there (both natural and supernatural).

The rest of the book gives new feats, prestige classes, monsters, magic, equipment and suchlike that would be encountered or used in such terrain.

Frostburn builds on the material established in the 3.5e DMG rather than reinventing the wheel; and does so in a manner that is logical and easy to apply - both excellent traits, IMO.

As for Frost and Fur, anyone got some good reviews?

Cheers!

 

[Crothian]

As for Frost and Fur, anyone got some good reviews?

From our review site:


http://www.enworld.org/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=currentprod&which=monkfnf

 

[MerricB]

I've just been reminded of one of the things I really liked about Frostburn: The Uldra.

For the uninitiated, the Uldra are a race of fey native to cold environs. They're (somewhat stereotypically) defenders of nature, although in a cold manner.

What makes them special for me is their defeated deity, the Rimefire Eilodons that were formed by the shards of their deity, the Icebergs they inhabit, and the Rimefire Witch prestige class.

And then, all of a sudden, this gets merged with the Book of Vile Darkness and the archdevil Levistus, through the floating city of Icerazer.

I love this stuff!

Cheers!

 

[Stone Angel]

Thanks Crothy and Merric! Always need info.


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[Knightfall]

Frost and Fur is still better. Frostburn has some nice ideas in it but I really don't think it is really that creative.

As someone else who has both Frost and Fur (love that book) and Frostburn, I can honestly say having both books is worthwhile. Heck, the real world cultural stuff in FnF makes that book worth its weight in gold.

I'll likely use the official D&D weather and environmental rules from Frostburn, however. Plus, it has some nifty stuff that I haven't even had the chance to read yet. Love the Neanderthals Pc Race ntry, not as big on the Uldras though.

The other Frostburn races aren't beyond the norm for a WotC book, but Frost and Fur makes up for this with its substantial look at subraces based on real world myth. (I'll probably use the Midgard Dwarf from Frostburn for my norse region on World of Kulan, however.)

Biggest reason I bought Frostburn - the illustrated Monsters chapter. I mean, how can you go wrong with entries for the Branta, Glyptodon, Megaloceros, Smilodon, Wooly Mammoth, Zeuglodon, Ice Beast (template), White Pudding, Giant Raven, Yeti, and Yuki-On-Na.

Frost and Fur also has some great frostfell creatures, if you will, and very little overlap with Frostburn. I only count the Megaloceros, Wooly Mammoth, and Vodyanoi as duplicates between the two books, not counting the arctic animals section from Frostburn. The best monster entries in Frost and Fur, IMO, are: all the animal and dire animal entries, Iron Bear, Linnorm Dragon, Ice Giant, Golem (Snowman), Kainkutho, Aleutian Mummy, Senmurv, Ice Treant, and the new Lycanthropes (templates).

Anyway, just my take.

KF72

 

[Knightfall]

What makes them special for me is their defeated deity, the Rimefire Eilodons that were formed by the shards of their deity, the Icebergs they inhabit, and the Rimefire Witch prestige class.

While I'm not keen on the race, I really liked the deities related to their story. Now the question becomes, what race do I substitute for the uldras?

Hmmm.....

 

[MerricB]

While I'm not keen on the race, I really liked the deities related to their story. Now the question becomes, what race do I substitute for the uldras?

I don't think you need to. The shattered goddess of the Uldras works very well as a ice-nature deity. (Actually, I'm reminded of a book by Louise Cooper, Our Lady of the Snow...)

Cheers!

 

[Kesh]

I wrote one of the reviews for F&F. It's a good book, but some of the stuff is rather wonky. Feats that are too powerful or useless. Names that will be difficult for the average gamer to pronounce, much less remember. It has a tremendous amount of cultural and environmental information, though, which is great.

I haven't snagged Frostburn yet, but I plan on doing so soon.

 

[MerricB]

There's one spell in Frostburn I have reservations about: Flesh to Ice. It's a great, evocative spell, but I think it's been given the wrong level (Sor/Wiz5 rather than Sor/Wiz6). I'll have to check it again...

Minor flaw, though.

Cheers!