Quintessential Splatbooks vs the Wizards Class Books

[Jeph]

Do people actually play epic if the game didn't start like 15-30th level? The only epic game in my area started at level 20.

 

[Crothian]

well, according to the ELH, 5-level PrCs are not really fit for epic progressions...

Right. I'm not seeing the conection between them not being epic and them being bad.

 

[Crothian]

Do people actually play epic if the game didn't start like 15-30th level? The only epic game in my area started at level 20.

I've had a few go their that I've DMed as well as played. They all ended in the mid 20's though.

 

[Gothmog]

Overall, I have to say I prefer the Quintissential series over the WoTC splatbooks. The WoTC books feel rushed to me, and I find their ideas much less useful than the Quint. books. From the fighting schools in the fighter book, to the awesome rogue guild rules, the clerical sub-domains and feats, the wizard powerstaff, etc- I feel the Quint books focus less on the really bizarre stuff and more on things that are of practical use in my game. Plus, since the Quint books are longer and devoted to one class, they can afford to go into more detail and present more options for a character. The latest book, Quint Witch, is really good as well- rules for seasonal magic, sacred sites, and some interesting new prestiege classes.

By the way, I agree that the Path of the Sword is a truly great book- up there with Quint Fighter. I have implemented the fighting schools from PotS and adapted Quint Fighter to use the XP costs.

 

[SimonMoon5]

Personally, I've been disappointed with every Quint book. Most of the prestige classes, feats, and other crunchy bits are often poorly balanced. Some people complain that WOTC's splatbooks are unbalanced, but those people must not have seen the Quint books. (For example, the Quint Witch is incredibly overpowered, being a divine (thus, can wear armor) spellcaster with almost all of the best wizard spells in addition to cures, and then you can choose to not gain the "long life" abilities (if you are hunted) in order to start with Alertness and *Evasion*.)

The Quint books might have more flavor. *Shrug*. All I know is that they've got more naked titties.

Plus, my impression is that the authors of the Quint books don't quite have the same understanding of the 3e rules as the WOTC writers do. (For example, the Quint Witch spell list includes spells that don't exist in 3e, but which did exist in 2nd edition.)

And of course, there's the matter of value. In the games I play, the DMs allow anything from an "official" source, so I know I can use anything from WOTC's books, but if I find something I like in a Quint book, there's a very good chance I won't be able to actually use it.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Plus, my impression is that the authors of the Quint books don't quite have the same understanding of the 3e rules as the WOTC writers do. (For example, the Quint Witch spell list includes spells that don't exist in 3e, but which did exist in 2nd edition.)

I haven't purchased the Quint. Witch myself, but the spell list might well include spells taken from 3rd party sources, which would explain the presence of "non-existant" spells.

Patrick Y.

 

[Cougar]

For the most part I have used the WotC splatbooks more, but I only do have the Quint Rogue and Fighter. I think since those were the earlier versions they were a bit lacking in the "wow" department.

Now that they seem to have a Quint book for EVERYone, such as Monks, Psychic Warriors, Clerics, Elves, you name it, they will be used more and more. The WotC books tried to cram multiple classes into smaller books. In my opinion, besides the sensory overload of having too much STUFF to choose from, more options is better!

 

[Nightfall]

Well seeing that I do get many "alternatives" just yet, I can say, just by reading it, some of the Guidebook done by WoTC are hit and miss. Sword and Fist along with Defenders (at least for Pr-classes) and Song and Silence for me, were pretty much misses. I don't mind the feats. (Hey you can only HAVE so many feats! )
Tome and Blood along with some of Masters of the Wild were decent. But overall, I wouldn't use a lot of them.

I only have Quint Fighter, but it's not too shabby. Not great but not too shabby.

Right now though, I'm waiting to see what the boys at S&SS have come up with. So far I REALLY like the Scion feats, and hope that this trend continues. Makes for more interesting sorcerers.

 

[Cougar]

Nightfall, is that from Relics and Rituals 2? The Scion feats?

 

[Nightfall]

Couger, yep, the Scion feats are from R&R2. But the guidebooks that are coming out from S&SS, in 2003, will have more Scion feats, since the first book will be Wizards, Sorcerers and Bards.