Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
[Let's Read] Brancalonia: Spaghetti Fantasy Setting
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 8335311" data-attributes="member: 6750502"><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1wNrX3q.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>Our final chapter of Brancalonia is the bestiary section, containing new creatures and foes likely to run afoul of our Knaves. There are two cases where the size, type, and alignment are in untranslated Italian, although the rest of them are in English.</p><p></p><p><em>Anguanes (CR 3)</em> (singular anguana) are amphibious swamp-dwelling creatures with the upper halves of humans and the lower halves of snakes. They are fond of using illusion and enchantment spells to befuddle prey, and they can also constrict and grapple opponents.</p><p></p><p><em>Bavalisks (CR 3)</em> are a species of six-legged dog whose breath and bite can turn targets to stone. They are animal-intelligence melee combatants with a bite that can restrain and eventually petrify a target, while its breath is a rechargeable cone attack.</p><p></p><p><em>Befane (CR 4, 6, & 9)</em> (singular befana) are old witches whose true origin is unknown but surrounded by a variety of folktales. They aren’t exclusively women either, nor of evil alignment, but tend to be more malevolent than benevolent. They are primarily spellcasters with multiattack claw weapons and lair actions, and their levels of power are measured in Malevolence Levels from 1 to 3. The higher this level, the greater variety of spells they can cast (tend to be debuffs) and each Level bestows upon them a Unique Power. Such powers are diverse in nature, such as possessing a Broom of Flying, an entangling ball of yarn, the ability to haunt one’s nightmares, and creating wax figurines that can harm the doll’s likeness provided they’re within 100 feet. At Level 3 they gain legendary actions.</p><p></p><p><em>The Bigat (CR 5 & 8)</em> is a unique creature of legend residing somewhere in the northern reaches of the Kingdom. It is said to be either a wingless dragon or gigantic worm. The “default” version is a big melee brute with a burrow and swim speed, can multiattack with various natural weapons, and a rechargeable Brutish Roar that deals thunder damage. The “ancient” version is much the same but with better stats.</p><p></p><p><em>Confined (CR 7, 9, & 13)</em> are the most powerful variety of undead encountered in the Kingdom. They are creatures cursed to haunt the places of their deaths which they cannot leave, but as such places tend to be quite large like dungeons, villages, and castles, this is not much comfort for those who come upon them by chance. Statwise they are incorporeal undead with a lot of damage and condition resistances and immunities, lair actions, and primarily fight with a life draining touch that can temporarily reduce a target’s maximum hit points. They can be destroyed if their mortal remains are found and given a worthy burial, or if the ancient wrong responsible for their existence is righted. Like the befana they also increase in power via Malevolence Levels, gaining Legendary Actions at Level 3 and the ability to learn various ghost-themed Unique Powers such as possession, summoning zombies, and telekinetically moving objects.</p><p></p><p><em>Catsnakes (CR 1)</em> are a very common and loathed species that looks like a cross between an ocelot and python with a single pair of legs. They are mobile fighters, capable of knocking targets prone and getting a bonus attack when moving at least 20 feet in a straight line.</p><p></p><p><em>Foioncus (CR ⅛)</em> are a rare species of animal that looks like a cross between a weasel and a hairy bird. They derive sustenance from sucking the blood of creatures via a beak attack, and if they succeed on a Stealth check they can feed upon an unaware target without them noticing the injury.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ljt3rJ2.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><em>Malacodas (CR 14)</em> are high-ranking devils of Inferno who sometimes visit the mortal realm on some kind of mission. They despise the Malebranche for defying their master, and look very much like the stereotypical bat-winged devil. Statwise they are incredibly powerful beings, possessing Legendary Actions, a variety of AoE innate spells, automatically creatures within 20 feet become frightened or charmed on a failed Wisdom save, and they can multiattack with claws, pitchfork, or hurled hellfire. Their major weakness is that they cannot remain outside of Inferno for long, losing 20 HP per day (max HP is 199); upon reaching 0 HP they are forcefully summoned back and cannot leave their home plane for a year and a day.</p><p></p><p><em>Marguttes (CR 7)</em> are solitary giants who enslave the smaller races to use as cattle and the marionettes for firewood. In spite of being universally feared and loathed they like to pretend at being people of influence, dressing like nobles and rich merchants but living in dwellings closer to that of common folk. A few do attain their perceived status, ruling over humanoids like tyrants, although an extremely rare few are good-aligned and do care for their subjects. Statwise they are melee brutes, with a multiattack cleaver, a close-range AoE poisonous breath, a diverse assortment of innate spells, and can frighten opponents within sight by feasting on the corpse of an enemy target.</p><p></p><p><em>Sleeches (CR 5)</em> are huge, gross crosses between slugs and leeches. They have a sucker-mouth full of sharp hooks and lurk beneath the waters of marshes. They have a multiattack bite and constrict attack, and their skin emits corrosive acid that can damage manufactured weapons made of metal or wood which strike it.</p><p></p><p>A <em>Swarm of Spidercrows (CR 1)</em> is made up of crow-arachnid hybrids found only in Penumbria. They hunt their prey in overwhelming numbers, taking down larger creatures via death by a thousand bites. They can climb on surfaces like spiders can and their bite attack can inflict poison damage.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4dUn10a.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><em>Viperwolves (CR 6)</em> are two-headed wolves native to Penumbria whose mouths contain powerful venom. Their dual brains allow them to take an extra reaction per round that can only be used for opportunity attacks and renders them immune to mundane and magical sleep (when one head sleeps, the other remains awake).</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Non-Player Characters and Common Enemies</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/t5CjomR.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>This section details new types of people Knaves are likely to encounter during jobs. There’s a sidebar noting that NPCs in general have shoddy equipment unless otherwise specified.</p><p></p><p><em>Commanders (CR 5)</em> range from pagan warlords, leaders of Knave companies, military officers, and other exemplary leaders. Statwise they are like more powerful <a href="https://www.5esrd.com/gamemastering/monsters-foes/npc/npc-knight/" target="_blank">Knights,</a> fighting with a schiavona instead of a greatsword and also have Legendary Actions.</p><p></p><p>A <em>Crowd of Peasants (CR 6)</em> represents your typical torch and pitchfork-bearing mob. They are treated as a gargantuan swarm with a prone-inducing Trampling Charge attack and can make three multiattacks with any combination of Stomps and Pitchforks.</p><p></p><p><em>Cutthroats (CR 2)</em> are your generic criminal statblock, Knaves and otherwise. They have 2d6 Sneak Attack and the Cunning Action of Rogues, and can multiattack twice with any type of melee or ranged weapon.</p><p></p><p><em>Dragoons (CR 3)</em> are the most experienced heavy infantry soldiers in the Kingdom, most coming from Penumbria. They are heavily-armored fighters who have Pack Tactics (advantage on attack rolls when they and an ally are within 5 feet of an enemy) and can multiattack with melee weapons.</p><p></p><p><em>Duelists (CR 1)</em> are professional sword-fighters who serve in a variety of roles. They are predictably melee combatants, who can multiattack 3 times, Parry as a reaction, and deal a bonus 1d6 damage when hitting an adjacent target and no other creatures are within 5 feet of the target.</p><p></p><p><em>Queen’s Guard (CR ⅛)</em> were a militia company founded by Queen Menalda of the Altomagna Empire. Although the Bounty Kingdom is now more or less autonomous, their surviving forces exist as parolmen, jailers, city guards, and the like. Statwise they’re like the Guard stats from the Monster Manual but with slightly better ability scores and fight with maces instead of spears.</p><p></p><p><em>Chief Guards (CR 3)</em> are the higher-ranking officers of the Queen’s Guard. While those who coasted on by due to nepotism have the same stats as their rank-and-file peers, this stat block represents those worthy of the title. They have better stats, equipment, and can multiattack with melee weapons.</p><p></p><p><em>Pagans (CR 2)</em> are no strangers to fights and won’t shy away from one, even with Knaves! Statwise they cannot Rage oddly enough, but instead they have Pack Tactics and deal one extra die of damage with melee weapons. As their default weapon is a greatclub they can deal 2d8+3 bludgeoning damage, none too shabby!</p><p></p><p><em>Slickers (CR 4)</em> are unaffiliated street magicians of the Kingdom, making a living by rendering their services to whoever can pay the price. Statwise they cast spells as 6th level wizards and typically carry 2-4 magical items on their person. They can attune to 4 such items and ignore any prerequisites required for their use.</p><p></p><p>A <em>Royal Bounty Agent (CR ½)</em> is the kind of foe Knaves face when they attract too much attention or a job goes south...which is to say, quite often. Those represented with this stat block are the lower-ranking ones who go after small-time crooks and usually call in reinforcements only when a threat increases. They can multiattack with a short sword and dagger, and have a heavy crossbow and net as ranged weapons.</p><p></p><p>A <em>Royal Bounty Hunter (CR 5),</em> on the other hand, are those types of people who regularly deal with mercenary captains, gang leaders, and other violent types of people and somehow avoided the fate of ending up six feet under. Thus, they are “among the biggest sons of a donkey that Knaves will ever encounter.” Statwise they are more powerful versions of a Royal Bounty Agent, with advantage on Perception checks relying upon hearing or sight, benefit from Pack Tactics, Legendary Actions, can multiattack three times in melee or twice in ranged, can Parry, and has a 4d6 Sneak Attack.</p><p></p><p><em>Talking Animals</em> are not so much a stat block as a template. Virtually any beast affected by Extravaganza can become a talking animal, and such creatures range the gamut in personalities, alignment, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. They speak Vernacular by default and can learn other languages given time. We have a sample stat block for Francesco the Talking Mule, which is just like the mule stat block but with the aforementioned adjustments.</p><p></p><p><strong>Thoughts So Far:</strong> I like a lot of the monsters provided here. There’s quite a number of them which are some variety of hybrid animal, and CR-wise a lot of them hedge closer towards the Tier 2 power level (5th to 10th) which I found a bit odd for Brancalonia’s E6 format. The befana is perhaps my favorite, if only due to the large amount of Unique Powers allowing for a very customizable foe. The Malacoda and Malevolence Level 3 Confined feel a bit too powerful for Brancalonia. While I understand that they can be overcome or outlasted in ways besides combat and Knaves should know when to cut and run, it’s often common sense not to drop monsters into campaigns that’d be 5 or more CR higher than the average party level.</p><p></p><p>I do wish that talking animals could be a PC race given their commonality in the setting. While such options exist in products like Blue Rose’s 5e conversion and the <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/311414/Awakened-5e" target="_blank">Awakened sourcebook by Metal Weave Games,</a> it may take some imagination in coming up with appropriate Brawl Features.</p><p></p><p><strong>Final Thoughts:</strong> Brancalonia rates quite highly as a 5th Edition setting. While its races and classes aren’t anything to write home about and some of the new rules rub me the wrong way, the book more than makes up for it in the rest of its material. The setting alone is very thematic and an interesting place to explore, and the rules that simulate the risk-filled lives of Knaves do a good job at supporting this playstyle. There’s also a lot of things for PCs to spend money on, which is one of 5th Edition’s major weak points. The sample adventures give the DM a good sense for construction for their own jobs and challenges.</p><p></p><p>My greatest criticism of Brancalonia would be that it is in need of a good glossary. The book’s peppered with liberal use of setting-specific and untranslated Italian terms. While not omnipresent to the point of making sections unreadable, it can leave a reader second-guessing a lot of the time.</p><p></p><p>But all in all, Brancalonia is a worthy purchase, whether for gaming groups seeking to adventure in the Bounty Kingdom themselves or mining it for material for their own settings.</p><p></p><p>I am unsure of what book I’m going to review next. I’ve focused quite heavily on settings for the moment, so I may do another kind of sourcebook type for my next review. I’m leaning towards a double-review of <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/4790/Drop-Dead-Studios" target="_blank">Spheres of Power & Spheres of Might (5th Edition versions)</a> or the <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/17143/Eat-the-Rich-Anthology" target="_blank">Eat the Rich! Series of adventures.</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Libertad, post: 8335311, member: 6750502"] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/1wNrX3q.png[/img][/center] Our final chapter of Brancalonia is the bestiary section, containing new creatures and foes likely to run afoul of our Knaves. There are two cases where the size, type, and alignment are in untranslated Italian, although the rest of them are in English. [i]Anguanes (CR 3)[/i] (singular anguana) are amphibious swamp-dwelling creatures with the upper halves of humans and the lower halves of snakes. They are fond of using illusion and enchantment spells to befuddle prey, and they can also constrict and grapple opponents. [i]Bavalisks (CR 3)[/i] are a species of six-legged dog whose breath and bite can turn targets to stone. They are animal-intelligence melee combatants with a bite that can restrain and eventually petrify a target, while its breath is a rechargeable cone attack. [i]Befane (CR 4, 6, & 9)[/i] (singular befana) are old witches whose true origin is unknown but surrounded by a variety of folktales. They aren’t exclusively women either, nor of evil alignment, but tend to be more malevolent than benevolent. They are primarily spellcasters with multiattack claw weapons and lair actions, and their levels of power are measured in Malevolence Levels from 1 to 3. The higher this level, the greater variety of spells they can cast (tend to be debuffs) and each Level bestows upon them a Unique Power. Such powers are diverse in nature, such as possessing a Broom of Flying, an entangling ball of yarn, the ability to haunt one’s nightmares, and creating wax figurines that can harm the doll’s likeness provided they’re within 100 feet. At Level 3 they gain legendary actions. [i]The Bigat (CR 5 & 8)[/i] is a unique creature of legend residing somewhere in the northern reaches of the Kingdom. It is said to be either a wingless dragon or gigantic worm. The “default” version is a big melee brute with a burrow and swim speed, can multiattack with various natural weapons, and a rechargeable Brutish Roar that deals thunder damage. The “ancient” version is much the same but with better stats. [i]Confined (CR 7, 9, & 13)[/i] are the most powerful variety of undead encountered in the Kingdom. They are creatures cursed to haunt the places of their deaths which they cannot leave, but as such places tend to be quite large like dungeons, villages, and castles, this is not much comfort for those who come upon them by chance. Statwise they are incorporeal undead with a lot of damage and condition resistances and immunities, lair actions, and primarily fight with a life draining touch that can temporarily reduce a target’s maximum hit points. They can be destroyed if their mortal remains are found and given a worthy burial, or if the ancient wrong responsible for their existence is righted. Like the befana they also increase in power via Malevolence Levels, gaining Legendary Actions at Level 3 and the ability to learn various ghost-themed Unique Powers such as possession, summoning zombies, and telekinetically moving objects. [i]Catsnakes (CR 1)[/i] are a very common and loathed species that looks like a cross between an ocelot and python with a single pair of legs. They are mobile fighters, capable of knocking targets prone and getting a bonus attack when moving at least 20 feet in a straight line. [i]Foioncus (CR ⅛)[/i] are a rare species of animal that looks like a cross between a weasel and a hairy bird. They derive sustenance from sucking the blood of creatures via a beak attack, and if they succeed on a Stealth check they can feed upon an unaware target without them noticing the injury. [img]https://i.imgur.com/ljt3rJ2.png[/img] [i]Malacodas (CR 14)[/i] are high-ranking devils of Inferno who sometimes visit the mortal realm on some kind of mission. They despise the Malebranche for defying their master, and look very much like the stereotypical bat-winged devil. Statwise they are incredibly powerful beings, possessing Legendary Actions, a variety of AoE innate spells, automatically creatures within 20 feet become frightened or charmed on a failed Wisdom save, and they can multiattack with claws, pitchfork, or hurled hellfire. Their major weakness is that they cannot remain outside of Inferno for long, losing 20 HP per day (max HP is 199); upon reaching 0 HP they are forcefully summoned back and cannot leave their home plane for a year and a day. [i]Marguttes (CR 7)[/i] are solitary giants who enslave the smaller races to use as cattle and the marionettes for firewood. In spite of being universally feared and loathed they like to pretend at being people of influence, dressing like nobles and rich merchants but living in dwellings closer to that of common folk. A few do attain their perceived status, ruling over humanoids like tyrants, although an extremely rare few are good-aligned and do care for their subjects. Statwise they are melee brutes, with a multiattack cleaver, a close-range AoE poisonous breath, a diverse assortment of innate spells, and can frighten opponents within sight by feasting on the corpse of an enemy target. [i]Sleeches (CR 5)[/i] are huge, gross crosses between slugs and leeches. They have a sucker-mouth full of sharp hooks and lurk beneath the waters of marshes. They have a multiattack bite and constrict attack, and their skin emits corrosive acid that can damage manufactured weapons made of metal or wood which strike it. A [i]Swarm of Spidercrows (CR 1)[/i] is made up of crow-arachnid hybrids found only in Penumbria. They hunt their prey in overwhelming numbers, taking down larger creatures via death by a thousand bites. They can climb on surfaces like spiders can and their bite attack can inflict poison damage. [img]https://i.imgur.com/4dUn10a.png[/img] [i]Viperwolves (CR 6)[/i] are two-headed wolves native to Penumbria whose mouths contain powerful venom. Their dual brains allow them to take an extra reaction per round that can only be used for opportunity attacks and renders them immune to mundane and magical sleep (when one head sleeps, the other remains awake). [center][b]Non-Player Characters and Common Enemies[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/t5CjomR.png[/img][/center] This section details new types of people Knaves are likely to encounter during jobs. There’s a sidebar noting that NPCs in general have shoddy equipment unless otherwise specified. [i]Commanders (CR 5)[/i] range from pagan warlords, leaders of Knave companies, military officers, and other exemplary leaders. Statwise they are like more powerful [url=https://www.5esrd.com/gamemastering/monsters-foes/npc/npc-knight/]Knights,[/url] fighting with a schiavona instead of a greatsword and also have Legendary Actions. A [i]Crowd of Peasants (CR 6)[/i] represents your typical torch and pitchfork-bearing mob. They are treated as a gargantuan swarm with a prone-inducing Trampling Charge attack and can make three multiattacks with any combination of Stomps and Pitchforks. [i]Cutthroats (CR 2)[/i] are your generic criminal statblock, Knaves and otherwise. They have 2d6 Sneak Attack and the Cunning Action of Rogues, and can multiattack twice with any type of melee or ranged weapon. [i]Dragoons (CR 3)[/i] are the most experienced heavy infantry soldiers in the Kingdom, most coming from Penumbria. They are heavily-armored fighters who have Pack Tactics (advantage on attack rolls when they and an ally are within 5 feet of an enemy) and can multiattack with melee weapons. [i]Duelists (CR 1)[/i] are professional sword-fighters who serve in a variety of roles. They are predictably melee combatants, who can multiattack 3 times, Parry as a reaction, and deal a bonus 1d6 damage when hitting an adjacent target and no other creatures are within 5 feet of the target. [i]Queen’s Guard (CR ⅛)[/i] were a militia company founded by Queen Menalda of the Altomagna Empire. Although the Bounty Kingdom is now more or less autonomous, their surviving forces exist as parolmen, jailers, city guards, and the like. Statwise they’re like the Guard stats from the Monster Manual but with slightly better ability scores and fight with maces instead of spears. [i]Chief Guards (CR 3)[/i] are the higher-ranking officers of the Queen’s Guard. While those who coasted on by due to nepotism have the same stats as their rank-and-file peers, this stat block represents those worthy of the title. They have better stats, equipment, and can multiattack with melee weapons. [i]Pagans (CR 2)[/i] are no strangers to fights and won’t shy away from one, even with Knaves! Statwise they cannot Rage oddly enough, but instead they have Pack Tactics and deal one extra die of damage with melee weapons. As their default weapon is a greatclub they can deal 2d8+3 bludgeoning damage, none too shabby! [i]Slickers (CR 4)[/i] are unaffiliated street magicians of the Kingdom, making a living by rendering their services to whoever can pay the price. Statwise they cast spells as 6th level wizards and typically carry 2-4 magical items on their person. They can attune to 4 such items and ignore any prerequisites required for their use. A [i]Royal Bounty Agent (CR ½)[/i] is the kind of foe Knaves face when they attract too much attention or a job goes south...which is to say, quite often. Those represented with this stat block are the lower-ranking ones who go after small-time crooks and usually call in reinforcements only when a threat increases. They can multiattack with a short sword and dagger, and have a heavy crossbow and net as ranged weapons. A [i]Royal Bounty Hunter (CR 5),[/i] on the other hand, are those types of people who regularly deal with mercenary captains, gang leaders, and other violent types of people and somehow avoided the fate of ending up six feet under. Thus, they are “among the biggest sons of a donkey that Knaves will ever encounter.” Statwise they are more powerful versions of a Royal Bounty Agent, with advantage on Perception checks relying upon hearing or sight, benefit from Pack Tactics, Legendary Actions, can multiattack three times in melee or twice in ranged, can Parry, and has a 4d6 Sneak Attack. [i]Talking Animals[/i] are not so much a stat block as a template. Virtually any beast affected by Extravaganza can become a talking animal, and such creatures range the gamut in personalities, alignment, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. They speak Vernacular by default and can learn other languages given time. We have a sample stat block for Francesco the Talking Mule, which is just like the mule stat block but with the aforementioned adjustments. [b]Thoughts So Far:[/b] I like a lot of the monsters provided here. There’s quite a number of them which are some variety of hybrid animal, and CR-wise a lot of them hedge closer towards the Tier 2 power level (5th to 10th) which I found a bit odd for Brancalonia’s E6 format. The befana is perhaps my favorite, if only due to the large amount of Unique Powers allowing for a very customizable foe. The Malacoda and Malevolence Level 3 Confined feel a bit too powerful for Brancalonia. While I understand that they can be overcome or outlasted in ways besides combat and Knaves should know when to cut and run, it’s often common sense not to drop monsters into campaigns that’d be 5 or more CR higher than the average party level. I do wish that talking animals could be a PC race given their commonality in the setting. While such options exist in products like Blue Rose’s 5e conversion and the [url=https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/311414/Awakened-5e]Awakened sourcebook by Metal Weave Games,[/url] it may take some imagination in coming up with appropriate Brawl Features. [b]Final Thoughts:[/b] Brancalonia rates quite highly as a 5th Edition setting. While its races and classes aren’t anything to write home about and some of the new rules rub me the wrong way, the book more than makes up for it in the rest of its material. The setting alone is very thematic and an interesting place to explore, and the rules that simulate the risk-filled lives of Knaves do a good job at supporting this playstyle. There’s also a lot of things for PCs to spend money on, which is one of 5th Edition’s major weak points. The sample adventures give the DM a good sense for construction for their own jobs and challenges. My greatest criticism of Brancalonia would be that it is in need of a good glossary. The book’s peppered with liberal use of setting-specific and untranslated Italian terms. While not omnipresent to the point of making sections unreadable, it can leave a reader second-guessing a lot of the time. But all in all, Brancalonia is a worthy purchase, whether for gaming groups seeking to adventure in the Bounty Kingdom themselves or mining it for material for their own settings. I am unsure of what book I’m going to review next. I’ve focused quite heavily on settings for the moment, so I may do another kind of sourcebook type for my next review. I’m leaning towards a double-review of [url=https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/4790/Drop-Dead-Studios]Spheres of Power & Spheres of Might (5th Edition versions)[/url] or the [url=https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/17143/Eat-the-Rich-Anthology]Eat the Rich! Series of adventures.[/url] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
[Let's Read] Brancalonia: Spaghetti Fantasy Setting
Top