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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2010191" data-attributes="member: 18387">By Glenn Dean, Staff Reviewer d20 Magazine RackSizing up the TargetRaces of Evernor, Part II is a 64-page PDF from Ian and Risa Johnston at Silverthorne Games. The second release in a three-part series that details the various races of the Realms of Evernor, this product is available as a $6.00 download (currently on sale for $5.00).First BloodRaces of Evernor II introduces twelve new races for player characters to use as part of Silverthorne Games’ Realms of Evernor campaign setting. The first product in this series addressed the “standard” races; this release details more exotic and powerful races for use by players in an Evernor campaign. The races and their cultures are also suitable for a GM to import into other campaigns.Races of Evernor II opens with a brief description of the Realms of Evernor, the setting’s deities, and the historical eras of the setting. Next follows an explanation of how to read the various race entries. There are twelve varied and unusual races for the player to choose from. These include: Aavali, an avian humanoid race; Damorlinn, a ½ gnome, ½ gazelle race; Flitterlings, a tiny sprite-like fey; Hrulian-Tensu, a race of lizard-like monks; Jinoor, a genie-like race; Magnar, humanoid electromagnetic para-elementals; Nephogg, a race of tiny goblin-halflings; Pofferil, magical raccoon-like creatures; Raellorians, winged sky elves; Razirans, a race of feathered snake people; Vorl, a race of underground cloak-like creatures; and Yaal-Tensu, a type of bluish humanoid.Approximately four pages of text are dedicated to a detailed description of each race. The extremely thorough racial descriptions include notes on racial background, personality, physical description and diet, relations with other races, alignment and religious preferences, lands and languages, naming conventions, role as adventurers, and a description of the each race’s role in the Realms of Evernor. In addition to complete Open Content game mechanics for each race, Silverthorne also includes some excellent roleplaying tips for each race, and a set of adventure hooks that can be used to introduce the race into the campaign. A black-and-white sketch accompanies each racial description.Each of the entries also includes new feats, spells, or weapons that are appropriate to each racial type, and a fully statted example of a low level Non-Player Character characteristic of the race. Each of these NPCs includes an entertaining vignette that gives some racial and character background to flesh out the NPC and allow the GM to drop them directly into a campaign.Races of Evernor II also includes a full set of age, height, and weight tables for its twelve races, as well as brief descriptions of the other races of Evernor that are fully detailed in other Silverthorne Games products.Critical HitsRaces of Evernor II is extremely effective in providing fully detailed, three-dimensional races. Each race has distinct traits and a unique outlook that makes for a fresh change from the standard fare of humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings. The races are nicely integrated and together weave a fine tapestry depicting Evernor as a high magic, high fantasy, high adventure setting. This is the level of detail every new race or class needs. It is enough that a player or GM can read a section and instantly create a flavorful, exciting character – like the NPC descriptions that provide a prime example of each race.The new feats and other mechanics also provide useful flavor in the form of nicely-balanced game mechanics tailored to each race. Magnar players, for instance, will find the magnetic feats exciting and useful, while Raellorian Cloudsteel could see a variety of campaign uses. Pre-requisites and power levels are appropriate in relation to the core mechanics; if you find the races useful you will enjoy the other mechanics as well.Critical MissesIf you’re considering using this product, be warned that these races are extremely powerful. Only one of them balances directly with the core races as is; Silverthorne Games provides a recommended level adjustment of one to three levels for the rest. In my opinion, though, about half of these level adjustments should be one level higher. To give two examples: in my opinion a level adjustment of +1 just isn’t enough in exchange for the Hrulian-Tensu’s natural armor, natural weapons, burrowing ability, and tremorsense, while the Flitterling’s ability penalties and +2 level adjustment don’t quite offset the benefits of tiny size, flight, innate 0- and 1st level spell ability, and complete immunity to enchantment. These are not races I would recommend for a low-level or low-fantasy campaign.The GM should be careful in using the supplied NPCs, as well. Unlike the representative NPCs from the Dungeon Master’s Guide, the supplied characters are not generated using the default score array. Several of these characters average scores of 16 in each stat before racial modifiers; many have two or more scores over 18 after modifiers. If you’re using other pre-generated NPCs from core products, you should be prepared to make some adjustments before using them with Races of Evernor’s NPCs. At least one NPC has errors, as well – the Magnar character has the wrong number of skill points.Coup de GraceOverall, this is a solid product whether you are a Realms of Evernor campaigner or playing in a high-magic type of setting. The racial mechanics in this product are Open Content, though not the flavor text or any of the names, yielding an average content score. Rule compliance is fairly consistent, though I take some issues with the relative assignment of level adjustment scores. Some of the races have rough analogues in other products, but none have been developed with the level of detail and depth that Races of Evernor provides. With some careful attention to game balance, both players and GMs alike will find this a useful gaming aid.If you’re looking for a set of unique, well-detailed, powerful races for your high-fantasy campaign, you’ll find Races of Evernor II a valuable resource.To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments that the reviewer will respond to, go to The Critic's Corner at <a href="http://www.d20zines.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=&topic=3" target="_blank">www.d20zines.com.</a></blockquote>

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