[PR BAD AXE GAMES] Heroes of High Favor: DWARVES

[Shadeus]

You know, I find that as I'm reading through it, it almost seems perfect for the way you declare Open Content. Background here, closed, game rules here, open. Very useful.

I liked it but I didn't like it. In some of the Product Identity sections, I felt you were reaching for words to fill up the 2 pages of space to keep with the consistent format. I did find it somewhat annoying. I wish I had my book here at work so I could mention specific examples. It was more than once though I noticed it.

I somehow slipped into a Beavis and Butthead mode and just saw "Words....words....words...." But that may have been from drugs in college and not from your writing.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I liked it but I didn't like it. In some of the Product Identity sections, I felt you were reaching for words to fill up the 2 pages of space to keep with the consistent format.

That's a fair criticism. It wasn't the drugs, don't worry.

You will still find artifacts here and there where some overly-obvious point-- one which wouldn't have made the cut on another page, for example-- was left unscathed because it carried the text to a more eye-pleasing level.

There is a very fine line to walk between not providing enough ideas and exposition and boring the hell out of the experienced reader. I count myself among the experienced (not even counting the fact that I read those words hundreds of times myself) and so there are entire sections I could personally cut and be just as happy.

And I think that the effect will grow as you advance into the book. That's just the nature of the beast. Because every class to some extent focuses on what you need to make of the Fighter half of your multiclass, you're going to start feeling like you've covered some of that ground before.

But as I am learning from the Rune section, a little more exposition in the right places (however obvious it seems to me) would have been good, too.

I still think we provide a damn good "content to fluff" ratio.

I tell you folks, it's hard trying to please everybody! Man, I have newfound respect for publishers who've been through all this!


Wulf

 

[Hammerhead]

I think the book is excellent.

First of all, about Rune feats: Not only do they lack normal pre reqs, but they're also the bonus feats for the Rune priest class. Obviously, as a fighter cleric hybrid, they shouldn't have the same quality/quantity of bonus feats as a fighter. However, they get the rune feats, which are similar, but have some minor restrictions so they aren't as good as real bonus feats. And there's not as much bother about prereqs, which they'd normally have a hard time with. I think they work well for the characters that were meant to use them.

However, I think there may be some minor flaws. The slayer section seems to incorrectly imply that favored enemy gives a to hit bonus (pg 45, role in the adventuring party). Also, it appears as if the 10th Tunnel Slayer level is imcomplete. After the one wall tunnel fighting, there is a comma and an extra row in the table, leading one to believe that there's a missing ability. Note that the existing sneak attack progression would suggest another bonus die at level 10. Perhaps that's the missing ability.

The feats, prestige classes and fighting styles seem well done and balanced.

Probably the main "problem" with the prestige classes is that none of them really strikes me as an amazing idea to set fire to the imagination. There's nothing like the Forsaker, which, despite its problems, turns a valid and interesting concept from a fast track to a new character to a decent character. They seem solid, but not inspired.

Overall, I'd probably say that there's as much quality stuff in the $10 HoHF: Dwarves as there is in the $20 WotC splatbooks.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Also, it appears as if the 10th Tunnel Slayer level is imcomplete. After the one wall tunnel fighting, there is a comma and an extra row in the table, leading one to believe that there's a missing ability. Note that the existing sneak attack progression would suggest another bonus die at level 10. Perhaps that's the missing ability.

You win the prize. I notice that almost immediately after looking at the book-- mainly because it wasn't in the last proof I sent. There was a minor tweak with the font, I think, that bumped a line out of the text box.

The missing line is +5d6 sneak as you correctly surmised.


Wulf

 

[Krug]

What's next?

So what's next for Badaxe, Wulf? Don't tell me... Heroes of High Favor: Elves?

 

[JoeGKushner]

Sorry Krug, I've already asked on this very board and it's Half-Orcs. Should be interesting if it follows the same pattern. I'm looking forward to Barbarian-Paladin and Barbarian Monk the most.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I'm looking forward to Barbarian-Paladin and Barbarian Monk the most.

A bit of a sadist eh? You picked the two alignment-challenged combos.

Barbarian-Paladin is an untenable combination without some wrangling with the DM, and I'm still undecided as to whether to include it or not. I don't like the idea of including "optional" rules in the book.

I know that sounds odd, but I prefer any expansion rules to be a seamless fit, and explaining away a chaotic paladin or a lawful barbarian really seems like shoe-horning the class in. It's not something that a player in the normal course of multiclassing could attempt, which is what I want to encourage-- not petitioning your DM to let you get away with something outside the normal scope of the rules.

What do you think?

Wulf

 

[JoeGKushner]

That's why I picked those class combinations. They're very different. Of course you could always change your alignment, making such characters very rare and lossing some abilities. Now here though, is the real trick.

The Blackguard. This class gains special abilities if it has paladin levels and can trade it's paladin levels in. Think about it. A monk trying to master his chaotic rages who is now lawful but still has some connection to that primal rage...

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

You're spot on for the monks, Joe. I've refocused their rage abilities so that you can start as either a barbarian or a monk and not lose out in the prestige class.

The more I think about the paladin the more convinced I am that they should have been a prestige class themselves! I know other DM's who have done just that.

There's still time for me to take a last look at the paladin combo and decide if there's a simple-but-elegant way to include them.

Wulf

 

[Shadeus]

Edit: Post deleted. I decided it was unnecessary rude to post that suggested rule change here.