Is Ghostwalk any good?

[Aaron2]

Well, my piggy bank is full. I was saving up for the 3.5 books which, I though, were coming out this week (tomorrow in fact). Seems I was wrong about that. Anyway, I've got some money to spend and was looking at Ghostwalk. I haven't read any reviews nor have I heard much buzz about it.

Is this book worth having? Is anyone using it?


Aaron

 

[Daredevill]

I just got my copy yesterday. I've only read the first chapter, but it seems like an interesting concept.

*Spoiler Warning*
















I did almost choke when I read ghosts are NOT undead though!

That one is still blowing my mind.

 

[Tewligan]

It's a very specialized book. It does have some stuff that can be lifted out for use in a more typical campaign, but I'd say it's definitely not worth the price if you aren't using the setting and cosmology. I picked it up last week knowing full well I would rarely if ever use it. Damn my impulse buying! Everytime I look at it now, I can't help but think "Hey, I coulda bought the new PHB with that cash." Unless you're all hopped up to play ghosts wandering around Ghostville, hold onto your cash until 3.5 comes out.

 

[Nightfall]

I just like the Orcus factor is all.

 

[Welverin]

I just like the Orcus factor is all.

Orcus whore.

Is he a major player in the Scarred Lands or is it just a separate obsession?

 

[Alzrius]

Technically speaking, I don't think Orcus has ever appeared in any Scarred Lands product, right Nightfall?

Of course, considering that that setting fits with the D&D multiverse so incredibly well, its really simplicity itself to add him to the setting (though I'd say that should be done as an "interloper" demon lord, not as a god).

 

[Nightfall]

To my extensive knowledge, Orcus has NOT shown his face in any way shape or form in the Scarred Lands. (So yes Al you are correct.) That being said, there is an upcoming Product dealing with the planar cosmology IN the Scarred Lands. So we'll see if ANY of the D&D type stuff gets put in there. (And yes I freely admit it, besides being a Sage, I am an Orcus whore. ) (Would like to point out since ToH Orcus IS OGC he might show up there. But the likelihood of that happening is fairly remote. That I know of.) And yes Al, much like you I'd prefer NOT to make him a true divinity but perhaps use Serge's idea of a demiurge (able to give out spells but not really gain powers per say as a TRUE SL God does.)

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

Nightfall, if you mention Orcus one more time, I'm going to beat you with a skull-tipped wand

Ghostwalk is ... interesting. I'm not sure whether I'll run it, probably not. But it's got some amazing ideas in it, and the setting stuff drops right into any setting I play. The questions (and answers) it raises on D&D metaphysics are just too interesting to pass up. Some might find it too esoteric, and they might be right, but it has me thinking about my own settings in a whole new light. So consider this a guarded recommendation, although you might wait until 3.5 and a conversion document for Ghostwalk, which should be on the way.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Frankly, I'm shocked WoTC would release a niche product like Ghostwalk; it should have been patently obvious from the start that it would appeal to such a narrow margin of the RPG market as to be negligible. It just doesn't make financial sense for WoTC to release something like this. It screams "third party" publisher, if anyone were to ever release anything like this at all. If WoTC was going to do something marginal like this, I can think of dozens of ideas I'd rather see than Ghostwalk. I'd much rather see a WoTC Vampire book than Ghostwalk, for example. More people would rather play vampires than ghosts, IMNSHO. Or a low magic/gritty fantasy book.

To look at it another way, which sells better for White Wolf? Vampire or Wraith? Werewolf or Wraith? Mage or Wraith? No sane corporate executive would ever greenlight a project like Ghostwalk when the bottom line--not creativity for creativity's sake--is the way successful businesses are run. "Prestige" projects intended to "push the envelope" are one thing, but this is just lame. I'd love to see comparisons of sales figures between everything else WoTC has done for D&D 3e vs. Ghostwalk.

 

[Skanth]

Looking at the online gallery I notice a medusa(?) called Saag Paneer.

Known in most curry houses by her other name "spinach and cheese".