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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paul_Klein" data-source="post: 2009950" data-attributes="member: 3303">Relics and Rituals 2: Lost Lore240 pages, hard cover, B&WRelics and Rituals 2: Lost Lore (R&R2) opens with a preface by Monte Cook praising Sword & Sorcery Studios, the first Relics & Rituals book and books like these (books of spells, feats, prestige classes, etc...) in general.I am going to be reviewing this book as both a sourcebook for the Scarred Lands Campaign Setting as well as a general magic book for any setting. It should be noted, however, that R&R2 is much more about Scarred Lands than R&R1 is.  Chapter 1 - Magical Rules: This chapter simply presents a host of optional rules for use in your game. The first few sections are firmly seated in the Scarred Lands setting, with rules for invoking the various SL deities and a 5 1/2 page spread on the complete astrological signage for the Scarred Lands. It then goes into new uses for Alchemy in the Scarred Lands and then a host of new magic-related feats. Some of these feats are Scarred Lands specific, and others are more general in nature. It also introduces [Miracle] feats (Cleric only - I assume that they are basically the same as the [Divine] feats found in Defenders of the Faith), [Scion] feats (Sorcerer only) and [Virtue] feats (Paladin only). The feats seem extremely well balanced. The only exceptions to this are the two Paladin feats, Courage and Mercy. These seem pretty powerful, but many would argue that the Paladin needs feats like these. I would tend to agree. My only concern is I find it hard to imagine not taking these feats. Each offers a wide array of different abilities, not just one or two benefits. Overall however, I don’t think they would cause any problems. Well done on the feats. 15 feats in all. Chapter 2 - Prestige Classes: First, I need to say that the PrCs in this book are much better than the ones presented in the first Relics and Rituals. The chapter opens with a very nice 2-page spread on how to use and where to place the 6 Dungeon Master Guide PrCs in your Scarred Lands campaign. If you play in the Scarred Lands, these 2 pages are most welcome. Overall, the Prestige Classes are very well balanced, very flavorful, and rules-tight. They also would fit well with little tinkering into any setting, although they were written for use as Scarred Lands PrCs. My favorite PrC in this chapter would be the High Astrologer. They get an absolutely dizzying number of special abilities, however, not one of them seems overly powerful. Therefore, I believe the class is quite balanced. If I were a player in a Scarred Lands campaign, I would probably shoot for this class. It simply oozes with cool flavor. Chapter 3 - Spells: Obviously the bulk of this book at 102 pages. The chapters opens with a spell list for each of the classes with all the spells from the following sources: Player’s Handbook, R&R1, R&R2, Hollowfaust, The Wise and the Wicked, The Divine and the Defeated, Vigil Watch and Burok Torn. Obviously, if you play in the Scarred Lands, these 37 pages are a necessity. Also included are all of the domains from these products, reprinting many from other sources (which I adore, considering I don’t own The Divine and the Defeated yet, an I needed to know what the Domination domain was). I admittedly have not gone through each and every spells, but I’ve read the majority, and I can say that very few make me raise an eyebrow in terms of balance. These spells (like the entire book), drip with flavor and coolness. While many I can see no PC ever touching, those same spells would be fun for an NPC to use on a PC. Just read Talen’s Maligned Performance to see what I mean. Very cool!Chapter 4 - True Rituals: Expanding upon the first Relics and Rituals, this chapter gives rules on casting these true rituals. This chapter is very short (5 pages). Chapter 5 - Magic Items: Probably hundreds of new magical items, each one describing how it fits into the whole mythology of the Scarred Lands. I don’t think balance is too big of any issue here, as everything seems just about right. Also in this chapter is how to incorporate these items in with the DMG Magic items when rolling for random treasure.Chapter 6 - The Slarecian Legacy: This chapter gives some background information on the Slarecians (first introduced in the first Creature Collection). Also in this chapter is how to use Psionics in the Scarred Lands. I understand they incorporate some rules from If Thoughts Could Kill, much to the delight of psionics fans everywhere. There is also 3 Psionic PrCs as well as 4 new Psionic powers. Chapter 7 - Lost Tomes of the Scarred Lands: In this chapter are 10 ancient tomes of a magical nature. Each one is fully detailed, and in the case of the ones that are spellbooks, give a list of what spells can be found in the book as well as how paes each spell takes up. The last 5 pages are taken up by the OGL and advertisements. CONCLUSION:I found this book most enjoyable, and an absolute necessity to my Scarred Lands campaign. Even if you don’t play in the Scarred Lands, most of the material within can be easily ported out. However, this book is, first and foremost, a Scarred Lands sourcebook. I found very few things that worried me balance-wise. The authors and developers seems very well versed in the d20 system, and their expertise shows.</blockquote>

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