Nymphology: Anybody buy this "adult" Mongoose Encyclopedia Arcane pdf?

[Iron_Chef]

It's $8.00 at RPGNow. Ouch.
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=718&

Is it worth buying or is it all jokey and lame like Slayer's Guide to Female Gamers and Rules Lawyers? Same author and the description says it's humorous but that it is still usable in a d20 game, to quote: "Everything contained within this tome has a practical use in all fantasy-based d20 System games."

I'm hoping for some seriously mature d20 crunch I can use not something to point and giggle at. There are no reviews up at ENWorld and only 1 comment "5 stars" (LOL) up at RPGNow, which leaves much to be desired from an information standpoint.

Anybody got this pdf? What did you think of it?

 

[Gez]

See here. Or here for the whole thread.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Thanks!

So do you think it has enough serious application in a normal "mature subject matter" D&D game? Like the PrC's, items and spells? It seemed as if some aspects of the book were downplayed and/or glossed over due to it being compared to your project where they wouldn't be in a regular review. I understand why you did it, but it makes it a bit less helpful for someone not "in the loop" on your project to make an informed decision.

 

[Crothian]

Ya, there's some usible stuff in there as well as "just laugh out loud I'll never use it in my game" stuff as well.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Long time ago, when ARS Magica was new they had a book you could only get at GENCON called The Races after Dark (is that right). This is a little bit more than that and a fun read.

 

[Gez]

Thanks!

So do you think it has enough serious application in a normal "mature subject matter" D&D game? Like the PrC's, items and spells? It seemed as if some aspects of the book were downplayed and/or glossed over due to it being compared to your project where they wouldn't be in a regular review. I understand why you did it, but it makes it a bit less helpful for someone not "in the loop" on your project to make an informed decision.

IMHO:

The spells are sometimes usable. Most would not see use in a game sessions, but could still be used for more verisimilitude by simply letting people know they exist.

The PrC are sometimes usable. The Mystic Pimp and the Seducer could find use as shady NPCs.

The items are more discutable. See my comment on spells.

The monsters are unusable IMHO. The semens ooze may be used for gross, kolossalerigolade effect, but the others are way out of question. "Colossal Gay Al", the dino queer ? Or "one-eyed trouser snakes", living phallus* ? Oh, and stats for big crablice. Why not ?

(* A little-known fact, but IIRC, a similar creature is featured in a tibetan tale. Sometimes real-world mythology just sucks.)

 

[Iron_Chef]

Gez, many thanks for the updated review, although some of your words don't make any sense... discutable? kolossalerigolade? What are you trying to say?

The book sounds pretty lousy and immature for $8.00. I think they're only charging so much because they know people will pay a higher price for something naughty even if it is of questionable usefulness. Shameful.

 

[Crothian]

I'm not sure they made it to be that useful. I think it's a funny read and pokes fun ant many things of this subject. I got it because I like the Slayers Guide to Femal Gamers and Rules Lawyers, neither of which will ever see any game play at my table. I do think that with Nymphology there is some usible stuff, just not a lot, but more then the other two books combined.

 

[Iron_Chef]

I guess I have a hard time understanding why someone would make something that wasn't intended to be useful and then try to charge money for it, LOL.

I guess I don't share most gamers sense of humor? I don't like the comics in Dragon or find them funny either. I mean, couldn't they use that space for something I could use in my game? But that's a whole 'nother can of worms, LOL.

Exactly how much, percentage wise, of Nymphology do you think the average gamer would find useful? Some of it sounds intriguing like the Mystic Pimp PrC (obviously needs to be renamed to something less silly) and I'm a sucker for new spells that give me some kind of edge or amusement, particularly in social encounters, which my group does a lot of. There is plenty of sex, kinkiness and violence in my games, but it isn't what I'd call immature. Heck, characters in our game even go to the bathroom.

One time my fighter killed a hydra and forced his cook to grill it for him. He failed his Fort save and got so sick, stuff was shooting out of both ends and he had to excuse himself from the feast, LOL. Now, that was embarrassing! Okay, now that's an extreme example and kind of silly, but seriously, we've had times where somebody went to go take a leak and gotten jumped by bad guys waiting in the woods, or orcs deciding to mark their territory with urine... PCs in my games are afraid to go the bathroom by themselves, LOL.

 

[Psion]

I guess I don't share most gamers sense of humor? I don't like the comics in Dragon or find them funny either.

I generally like comics in the dragons, but I have found neither of the print products by this author funny. What is funny are jokes you have heard on message boards for years. The rest is just not funny, just stupid.

IMO, natch.