Relics and Rituals 2!!! I GOT IT!!! (More)

[Nightfall]

I knew from the crumbs I was getting this would be a great book. But after skimming through it all, REALLY love it. Pr-classes in this book are SO Much above R&R1, but not that it matters. The Feats section alone ARE great. Plus the section alchemy and Astrology WERE also pretty sweet, especially if you decide to go Master Astrologer. You will not regret that one! May not be Arch mage caliber, but with those shifting +2 bonuses for schools in your heavens, THIS so ROCKS! I love this book! Oh and if you need a good plot device, take the 18 Blades of Vode Nulan (that's the creator of Wicked's Edge, best little evil cursed artifact in the Scarred Lands! ) or the Brass Tabulets of Thulkas, if you want a picture of doom and gloom! Believe this book SOO rocks.

 

[Crothian]

So, what's in this? More spells, feats, prestige classes, and magic items? You know better then to just say it's great, we want details, specifics. Do your job man and read it all and right up a review.

 

[Katerek]

What about balance?

Personally, I have found that many of the spells in RRI were not very well balanced, especially when combined with certain core feats like persistent spell. Also, did they include all the info on Magic Items this time around? What about artwork, hopefully it is better as well.

I don't mean to insult, but Relics and Rituals was a regrettable purchase for me, and as it stands I have no intention of picking up part 2, but I will give it a look see and a fair chance before making my final decision.

Oh yeah, Nightfall, are you an employee or something? The way you go on about Scarred Lands I sometimes wonder if you own half the company or something. Just poking fun.

 

[Crothian]

What about balance?

Personally, I have found that many of the spells in RRI were not very well balanced, especially when combined with certain core feats like persistent spell.

Well, persistent spell is not a core feat. And I attribute things being unbalanced with it, to be the feats fault.

 

[warpmind]

Certainly most books I've read have something unbalancing. Luckily RR is not a Core Rulebook so you can decide which parts you want to use (personally I haven't had problems with this book).

In addition RR was released shortly after the publishing of the 3 Core RB, and I can tell you that SSS have improved a lot the use of the game mechanics in their books since then.

About the artwork, this doesn't stop me from buying a book if the contents are good. I enjoy seeing good artwork, but the text is what makes a book good or bad.

 

[shouit]

What about balance?

R&R2 I have had since GenCon and have read through it a few times and it is fairly balanced. As with everything out there, there are areas where it needs work. I was talking with SSS-Druid at GenCon and he said that about the time of Hollowfaust, I think, that SSS started a new policy in which that anything that is submitted at least in the case of monsters, someone had to use a balanced party of 4 adventures and see if it takes the appropiate 20 percent of resources. I would bet that they are taking the same approach to R&R 2. I will be honest and tell you that I haven't put any into the game yet, but I believe that balance is there, at least I didn't see anything that stuck out as horribly out of whack.

Oh yeah, Nightfall, are you an employee or something?

Nope, he just plays one on TV.

 

[Katerek]

That is a good point warpmind.

I will definately give it a looksee.

I am kind of an artsnob, so that is the only reason I was asking.

And as for core feat, perhaps I misrepresented myself a bit, but my point is the same. I still felt that several of the spells were out of balance when compared to the core spells. Are the spells in this new book on par with the original or are they toned down a bit?

edit
thanks shouit, that is more of the kind of reply I was looking for.

 

[candidus_cogitens]

I'm glad to know that there is some good stuff about Alchemy and Astrology, two potentially good skills. I guess I'll have to consider buying another book. I'd like to hear more about this Master Astrologer Pr class.

I thought R&RI was okay. Good spells, and I was very intrigued by the ritual magic business, though after I scrutinized it I found that it would be difficult to make much use of and I havent encouraged my players to explore it. I found the tatoo business even less helpful. Nice idea, but not very carefully crafted. But this thread is supposed to be about R&R II. Sorry bout that!

 

[Wolfen Priest]

Count me in; I'll be buying it for sure.

I don't think the spells in R&R 1 are broken; some might go just a tad bit overboard (acid spittle comes to mind), but they are in no way worse than the spells in the splatbooks. I allow them all, for the most part.

I agree that most of the art for the magic items section (and the magic items themselves) in R&R 1 were perhaps less than awe-inspiring, but the art in the spells section was killer, IMO. I'm looking forward to getting my mitts on R&R2.

 

[Voadam]

Numbers man! How many new feats? Page count, how many new spells, and prcs? I'm waiting for my author's copy so I might not see it for months. Oh, and does it have a spell called animate arm? I'll have to double check if that was the title or what the other one I submitted was (it was a hollowfaust spell to heat dead volcanic rocks to make underground chilly areas liveable). I still haven't found out what got accepted yet.