Dark Mistress
First Post
Note I have not yet used this product in game to see how balanced some of it is. This is just my impression from reading it.
This product is 106 pages long.
Cover, table of content, Intro etc (5 pages)
Chapter 1 - Classes
The first chapter adds 6 new base(27 pages), 3 NPC(6 pages), and 3 PrC classes(all 10 level)(7 pages).
Anti-Paladin - d10, 2 skill points, all weapons and armor. Is very much a evil paladin. It is pretty much what you would expect. With a nice twist, instead of a mount they can choose a fiendish pet instead similar to a familiar.
Elemental Wizard - It replaces normal specialization with the 4 elements(otherwise a normal wizard). You pick one with a opposed school you can't learn. New spell list in later chapter. A well done elemental flavor wizard.
Gladiator - d12 HD, medium armor, 2 skill, with some interesting powers. But hard to use in a traditional none urban based game. Class starts with a debt to pay off, before they can leave. Interesting class but I felt it fits better as a NPC class.
Samurai - All saves are good, d10, 2 skills. all weapons(some samurai) light, medium and samurai armor. has 4 fighting styles similar to rangers in Single sword, Dual Wield, Spear, Long bow. The class seems well researched with tough restrictions like one would expect. I felt the class with the more social focused should have had 4 skill points per level.
Voyageur - d8, 4 skills, Light armor, simple weapons(with a few martial) medium BaB. Explorer is the focus. Interesting class but to many class abilities deal with canoes. Otherwise would have been a good alternate to the ranger as a more skill/social.
Witch - Spells like a Sorcerer. A divine class powers that increase in power with levels, broom(cleaning, protection from evil/good at 3 portals, fly, banishing outsiders.), Cast circle (non detection, protection good/evil, protection from spells), Grimoire (spell book), familiar, The class has 4 traditions (Black, Healer, Protector and Seer) each one has bonus spells, feats, circle power and rites(spell like abilities). A interesting take on a well tread class. I would have liked to have seen more traditions and some general rites added. I liked somethings better and some less than the PFRPG witch class.
Captain(NPC) - A leader for the Warrior NPC class. More skill based with abilities to help lead men in battle. I actually liked this class and feels it has a place if you use the Warrior NPC class.
Courtesan(NPC) - low BaB, d6, weapon armor(like rogue) 6 skills. Class abilities Negotiator (bonus to social skills), healer/Poisoner (good/evil), skill focus at 4th(every 3rd level after). I love the idea of the class, i honestly wish they had fleshed it out a lot more and made it a true base PC class.
Sycophant(NPC) - d8, 4 skills, all weapons and armor. abilities Rumor-mongering (social bonus for gossiping), Patronage (paying for a artist, give social bonus), weapon focus (rapier), Detente and Scheming (more social bonuses), favoring (favors owed, very interesting ability. But with no rules on how to gain more once used makes it less useful).
Child of Bast - PrC for cleric for god of cats. d8, 6 skills, +1 divine spell progression per level, exotic weapon(hand claws), cat empathy, 3 bonus feats, 2 skill bonuses, Darkvision, scent ability, Feline Apotheosis (+2 dex, Chr. safe fall, natural d6 claws. but permentaly gain cat like features). How i like PrC's very specialized and focused. The final power might be a bit to powerful, it is borderline for sure.
Crypt Stalker - Cleric/ranger PrC that focuses on hunting undead, d10, 4 skills. +3 cleric and +4 ranger spell progression. All the class abilities are about sensing or killing undead. Another very focused PrC.
The Envemoned - d8, 4 skills, medium BaB. Someone that over time makes their bodies filled with poison. All abilities deal with poisoning others with touches, kisses, claws etc. This class was ok. While focused this PrC just kinda felt there and just felt lacking in purpose and why.
Chapter 2 - Skills and Feats. (12 pages)
Skills (3 pages) - adds in new skill Handle canoe. Existing skills Crafts (adds in subskills for making canoes, meditative garden, spiritual tools), Perform (games, tea ceremony).
Feats (9 pages) - 58 new feats(will only comment on a couple)
6 feat add a +1 to a ability score and stack up to 3 times(I am unsure how balanced this is, seems a bit strong)
Jack of all Trades (doubles the skill points that level. I would have preferred a set amount. Weak for some classes and powerful for others)
Kiss Spell(allows touch or personal spells to be cast on another with a kiss. I thought this one was one of the more interesting feats)
Nine Lives(may reroll a failed skill or save check that would leave you with -1 or lower hp, but only 9 times ever. Neat feat but i think there should have been some way to recharge it but hard)
Sorcerers Gift(version for all spontaneous casters/Bards) This gives 2 extra spells known per level. Some I think will find this feat perfect and others to powerful.
All and all most of the feats seem pretty well done.
Chapter 3 - Spells (18 pages)
Spell lists for Anti-Paladin, Elemental Wizard and Witch. (12 pages)
Then 6 pages of new spells. All and all the spells seemed well done. Ranging from Elemental versions of magic missle, to a few spells dealing with reproduction (block seed, detect, Conception, mostly new elemental spells. I did like Wolf Guardian (creates a spirit wolf that gets AoO on anyone that attacks the witch)
Chapter 4 - Equipment and Magic Items
Weapons and Armor (9 pages) New weapons and armor for Gladiators and Samurai.
Equipment (2 pages) canoes, makeup, some toolkits etc.
Magic Items (3 pages) Items mostly for the classes/PrC's in the book. They are pretty interesting magic items.
Chapter 5 - Guilds, Clubs, and Organizations. (10 pages)
It list several Adventures Guild, Courtesan, Witch Coven, Royal Order of the White Lions of Elsith(knight order), Voyageurs Club. Each talks about the guild, some benefits for belonging, history and some key NPC's (no stat blocks).
The rest of the book is taken up with OGL, upcoming products and back cover. (4 pages)
Closing Thoughts. As a whole i liked the book. Most of the classes where well thought out and researched. Several are very much niche classes I feel that will only fit very specific games. Most of the rest of the book is dedicated to supporting the new classes/PrC's. I feel a couple of the base classes are more suited to NPC's and I would have liked the Courtesan expanded to a base class.
Power level seems pretty close but a few things seem a bit weak or powerful. Not sure enough to be concern but each GM should give them a good once over and decided for themselves. I couldn't give this product a 4 star for the price. I wanted too, what is good in the product tends to be very good, but felt it was a bit weak in a few area's. I noticed only a few spelling errors in the product. If I was allowed I would have given this product a 3.5 stars, but in this cases rounded down. Mostly cause this product is more of a niche product, if the classes/PrC's appeal to you it is a good pickup. If they don't it is a lot less useful.
For those that like the classes, PrC etc it is good enough value for the price. If the classes etc don't appeal to you, then I can't recommend it for the price. You can also find it for sale on RPGNOW.
This product is 106 pages long.
Cover, table of content, Intro etc (5 pages)
Chapter 1 - Classes
The first chapter adds 6 new base(27 pages), 3 NPC(6 pages), and 3 PrC classes(all 10 level)(7 pages).
Anti-Paladin - d10, 2 skill points, all weapons and armor. Is very much a evil paladin. It is pretty much what you would expect. With a nice twist, instead of a mount they can choose a fiendish pet instead similar to a familiar.
Elemental Wizard - It replaces normal specialization with the 4 elements(otherwise a normal wizard). You pick one with a opposed school you can't learn. New spell list in later chapter. A well done elemental flavor wizard.
Gladiator - d12 HD, medium armor, 2 skill, with some interesting powers. But hard to use in a traditional none urban based game. Class starts with a debt to pay off, before they can leave. Interesting class but I felt it fits better as a NPC class.
Samurai - All saves are good, d10, 2 skills. all weapons(some samurai) light, medium and samurai armor. has 4 fighting styles similar to rangers in Single sword, Dual Wield, Spear, Long bow. The class seems well researched with tough restrictions like one would expect. I felt the class with the more social focused should have had 4 skill points per level.
Voyageur - d8, 4 skills, Light armor, simple weapons(with a few martial) medium BaB. Explorer is the focus. Interesting class but to many class abilities deal with canoes. Otherwise would have been a good alternate to the ranger as a more skill/social.
Witch - Spells like a Sorcerer. A divine class powers that increase in power with levels, broom(cleaning, protection from evil/good at 3 portals, fly, banishing outsiders.), Cast circle (non detection, protection good/evil, protection from spells), Grimoire (spell book), familiar, The class has 4 traditions (Black, Healer, Protector and Seer) each one has bonus spells, feats, circle power and rites(spell like abilities). A interesting take on a well tread class. I would have liked to have seen more traditions and some general rites added. I liked somethings better and some less than the PFRPG witch class.
Captain(NPC) - A leader for the Warrior NPC class. More skill based with abilities to help lead men in battle. I actually liked this class and feels it has a place if you use the Warrior NPC class.
Courtesan(NPC) - low BaB, d6, weapon armor(like rogue) 6 skills. Class abilities Negotiator (bonus to social skills), healer/Poisoner (good/evil), skill focus at 4th(every 3rd level after). I love the idea of the class, i honestly wish they had fleshed it out a lot more and made it a true base PC class.
Sycophant(NPC) - d8, 4 skills, all weapons and armor. abilities Rumor-mongering (social bonus for gossiping), Patronage (paying for a artist, give social bonus), weapon focus (rapier), Detente and Scheming (more social bonuses), favoring (favors owed, very interesting ability. But with no rules on how to gain more once used makes it less useful).
Child of Bast - PrC for cleric for god of cats. d8, 6 skills, +1 divine spell progression per level, exotic weapon(hand claws), cat empathy, 3 bonus feats, 2 skill bonuses, Darkvision, scent ability, Feline Apotheosis (+2 dex, Chr. safe fall, natural d6 claws. but permentaly gain cat like features). How i like PrC's very specialized and focused. The final power might be a bit to powerful, it is borderline for sure.
Crypt Stalker - Cleric/ranger PrC that focuses on hunting undead, d10, 4 skills. +3 cleric and +4 ranger spell progression. All the class abilities are about sensing or killing undead. Another very focused PrC.
The Envemoned - d8, 4 skills, medium BaB. Someone that over time makes their bodies filled with poison. All abilities deal with poisoning others with touches, kisses, claws etc. This class was ok. While focused this PrC just kinda felt there and just felt lacking in purpose and why.
Chapter 2 - Skills and Feats. (12 pages)
Skills (3 pages) - adds in new skill Handle canoe. Existing skills Crafts (adds in subskills for making canoes, meditative garden, spiritual tools), Perform (games, tea ceremony).
Feats (9 pages) - 58 new feats(will only comment on a couple)
6 feat add a +1 to a ability score and stack up to 3 times(I am unsure how balanced this is, seems a bit strong)
Jack of all Trades (doubles the skill points that level. I would have preferred a set amount. Weak for some classes and powerful for others)
Kiss Spell(allows touch or personal spells to be cast on another with a kiss. I thought this one was one of the more interesting feats)
Nine Lives(may reroll a failed skill or save check that would leave you with -1 or lower hp, but only 9 times ever. Neat feat but i think there should have been some way to recharge it but hard)
Sorcerers Gift(version for all spontaneous casters/Bards) This gives 2 extra spells known per level. Some I think will find this feat perfect and others to powerful.
All and all most of the feats seem pretty well done.
Chapter 3 - Spells (18 pages)
Spell lists for Anti-Paladin, Elemental Wizard and Witch. (12 pages)
Then 6 pages of new spells. All and all the spells seemed well done. Ranging from Elemental versions of magic missle, to a few spells dealing with reproduction (block seed, detect, Conception, mostly new elemental spells. I did like Wolf Guardian (creates a spirit wolf that gets AoO on anyone that attacks the witch)
Chapter 4 - Equipment and Magic Items
Weapons and Armor (9 pages) New weapons and armor for Gladiators and Samurai.
Equipment (2 pages) canoes, makeup, some toolkits etc.
Magic Items (3 pages) Items mostly for the classes/PrC's in the book. They are pretty interesting magic items.
Chapter 5 - Guilds, Clubs, and Organizations. (10 pages)
It list several Adventures Guild, Courtesan, Witch Coven, Royal Order of the White Lions of Elsith(knight order), Voyageurs Club. Each talks about the guild, some benefits for belonging, history and some key NPC's (no stat blocks).
The rest of the book is taken up with OGL, upcoming products and back cover. (4 pages)
Closing Thoughts. As a whole i liked the book. Most of the classes where well thought out and researched. Several are very much niche classes I feel that will only fit very specific games. Most of the rest of the book is dedicated to supporting the new classes/PrC's. I feel a couple of the base classes are more suited to NPC's and I would have liked the Courtesan expanded to a base class.
Power level seems pretty close but a few things seem a bit weak or powerful. Not sure enough to be concern but each GM should give them a good once over and decided for themselves. I couldn't give this product a 4 star for the price. I wanted too, what is good in the product tends to be very good, but felt it was a bit weak in a few area's. I noticed only a few spelling errors in the product. If I was allowed I would have given this product a 3.5 stars, but in this cases rounded down. Mostly cause this product is more of a niche product, if the classes/PrC's appeal to you it is a good pickup. If they don't it is a lot less useful.
For those that like the classes, PrC etc it is good enough value for the price. If the classes etc don't appeal to you, then I can't recommend it for the price. You can also find it for sale on RPGNOW.
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