Miniatures Handbook: Feats, Spells & Monsters

[Chronosome]

Ah...to potential buyers: I love the D&D stuff in the MiniHB*, but I have to say--I don't think it's worth the cost if you don't play the Minis game. I was lucky enough to have a friend sell me an extra copy of his for cheap. So my advice is, if you can, get an on-sale copy.

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*It's only about a third of what's in there.

 

[demiurge1138]

I like the monsters in the Miniatures' Handbook. Although some of them are just low-level clones of better monsters (bright naga, displacer serpents and cave dinosaurs jump to mind), the aspects are a lot of fun, as are the shadow beasts. My personal favorites though are the mad slashers. I've had a lot of fun with those guys in large numbers.

Demiurge out.

 

[MerricB]

The displacer serpent is one of those monsters that I think is really nice - every so often you want a low-CR monster with an interesting ability, and it qualifies.

It also makes a nice snake as a miniature - perfect for the animal companion of the druid in my current campaign!

Cheers!

 

[Nightchilde-2]

Ah...to potential buyers: I love the D&D stuff in the MiniHB*, but I have to say--I don't think it's worth the cost if you don't play the Minis game. I was lucky enough to have a friend sell me an extra copy of his. So my advice is, if you can, get an on-sale copy.

_____________
*It's only about a third of what's in there.

I pretty much have to agree. It's not an efficient purchase, even for all the cool stuff (and I suspect/hear that Warmage is getting reprinted in Complete Arcane) that is in there if you don't play the mini's game OR if you play the mini's game and not "normal" D&D.

Fortunately for me, I play both.

 

[Testament]

My personal opinion of the book is that its the greatest waste of paper to ever come out of WotC for D&D. There's some good stuff in there (some of the monsters, the feats and classes) and a lot of dross (the entire chapter on cards, the reprinting of the Skirmish rules...).

The classes are interesting, although playing a Healer or Marshall is an exercise in boredom. Both of them have no real class features to make use of in combat other than to buff their party, although they both fill flavourful niches for world building. Especially a Marshall. The Favoured Soul is great, and the Warmage, while on paper is BORKEN, is anything but. They have nothing other than high explosives .

The feats are by and large interesting, especially for military based games (dovetails nicely with Complete Warrior in that respect). The sudden feats, once again, seem broken at first glance, 'till you realise that they're once per day and eat a feat slot. Sorcs make excellent use of them though. The one exception is Mage-Slayer; as has been said, its better than an EPIC feat! Someone at playtesting was asleep at the wheel. That or thought "This is so kewl!"

The monsters fall into two categories for me. Cool or "What where they thinking?!" Kruthiks, Nothics, Aspects, and Displacer serpents are all cool. Catfolk, Cruicians (AKA The Walnut People), Walking Walls, and Magma Hurlers all come under "WWTT?" The Magma Hurler in particular has a low CR, yet can easily vapourise a party with its Magma globs! What the heck is going on there?

Ultimately I say this: its an alright book, but there is no way in heck I'd pay what they're asking. Half-price, maybe.

 

[MerricB]

The one exception is Mage-Slayer; as has been said, its better than an EPIC feat! Someone at playtesting was asleep at the wheel. That or thought "This is so kewl!"

There are a few Epic feats that are underpowered. Spellcasting Harrier comes to mind. A penalty on Concentration checks equal to half your level? Please.

Say a 26th level fighter with Spellcasting Harrier is in melee with a 26th level wizard. The Wizard must make a DC 24 Concentration check to cast a 9th level spell normall, a DC 39 check with the fighter there. A 26th level wizard is likely to have a +35 on that check. Ooh, scary! Or, the wizard could make a single 5' step backwards...

There is no way Spellcasting Harrier should be Epic Level.

Cheers!

 

[Kalendraf]

Thanks for all the great replies.

Given what has been stated, it appears that the Mageslayer feat is probably the biggest problem-child among the feat list. Instead of outright bans on things I prefer modifications where possible. Does anyone have any suggestions on a house rule to fix it?

 

[MerricB]

Thanks for all the great replies.

Given what has been stated, it appears that the Mageslayer feat is probably the biggest problem-child among the feat list. Instead of outright bans on things I prefer modifications where possible. Does anyone have any suggestions on a house rule to fix it?

Play with Mageslayer as written, warning your players that it might need errata. Simply put, I don't think you'll find it a problem. It's not that good.

But... I've been known to be wrong. So, see how much it disrupts your campaign.

Cheers!

 

[SteelDraco]

As a fix for Mage Slayer, I'd consider allowing an attack roll opposing the Concentration check. If the character with the Mage Slayer feat wins, the spell fizzles. Most main-line spellcasters are going to have a Concentration check about the same as, if not slightly better than, a straight-line fighter of the same level.

To the Marshal, I've got a PC Marshal/Courtier (from the Rokugan book) in my Thousand Years of Darkness campaign. He's utterly useless in combat himself, but he does a very nice job of buffing the party and providing the face man. He took Leadership for a warrior cohort, which I thought was a good move on his part. Works very well for representing Lion clan tacticians, too.