I flipped through this thin hardback in a store and was thoroughly underwhelmed. It appears to be based off of the first trilogy (there are now 7 novels out, 6 in paperback) and while it seems to be made from true fans of the novels, I don't think it presents the campaign as it well as it could have.
The gem-magic rules saw the need for 2 new core classes, and the Abellican monk made 3. Then the "woodsman" made 4 new core classes, with wizard, cleric, sorceror, and druid all being displaced. All other classes with spellcasting do not have spellcasting in this setting (which makes bards underpowered, again and somewhat hurts the paladin and ranger). The monk can apparantly be played side-by-side with the Abellican Monk, or just tossed to the side.
My issues here are that I don't think core classes are a very good solution to campaigns, I think the prestige class concept works much better (especially in a closed environment, I predict people that didn't like prcs in general may like the ones for AU (not that I've seen them, but I think they will work with Monte's original intent for prcs, which will be really cool)). So I think the Abellican Monk should be a prc for Monks, and the Woodsman should be a prc for the ranger.
As campaign settings tend to do, it combined phb, dmg, and mm into one. What I saw of the monsters I liked, I skimmed the gemstone magic section, but at a glance it appeared sound.
So, has anyone else gone a little more in depth (bought and read the book)? Anyone plan on starting a campaign? Don't get me wrong, I really like R.A. Salvatore's world, and gemstone magic is cool, I just wish the campaign setting would have waited a little longer so it could better encompass Behren, and the To-Gai-Ru and Yatols. Not to mention including a lot more of what was revealed about the world in book 4. And the hardcover was really really slim...
Technik
The gem-magic rules saw the need for 2 new core classes, and the Abellican monk made 3. Then the "woodsman" made 4 new core classes, with wizard, cleric, sorceror, and druid all being displaced. All other classes with spellcasting do not have spellcasting in this setting (which makes bards underpowered, again and somewhat hurts the paladin and ranger). The monk can apparantly be played side-by-side with the Abellican Monk, or just tossed to the side.
My issues here are that I don't think core classes are a very good solution to campaigns, I think the prestige class concept works much better (especially in a closed environment, I predict people that didn't like prcs in general may like the ones for AU (not that I've seen them, but I think they will work with Monte's original intent for prcs, which will be really cool)). So I think the Abellican Monk should be a prc for Monks, and the Woodsman should be a prc for the ranger.
As campaign settings tend to do, it combined phb, dmg, and mm into one. What I saw of the monsters I liked, I skimmed the gemstone magic section, but at a glance it appeared sound.
So, has anyone else gone a little more in depth (bought and read the book)? Anyone plan on starting a campaign? Don't get me wrong, I really like R.A. Salvatore's world, and gemstone magic is cool, I just wish the campaign setting would have waited a little longer so it could better encompass Behren, and the To-Gai-Ru and Yatols. Not to mention including a lot more of what was revealed about the world in book 4. And the hardcover was really really slim...
Technik
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