Review of Complete Guide to Dragonkin

[JoeGKushner]

There are a lot of parts of the book I like. I haven't finished it yet but... I do wish that there was some note including the regular half-dragons and then making these an alternative as they deviate from the core.

On the other hand, it's nice to have a half-dragon race that isn't +4 ECL too.

 

[DMH]

When you have a chance, Joe, could you add the book and pdf to the review database? I have no where to post the review.

 

[JoeGKushner]

When you have a chance, Joe, could you add the book and pdf to the review database? I have no where to post the review.

I can't add it either.

Trust me, there are many reviews I've got waiting on the ability to add new products to the database.

 

[Napftor]

There are a lot of parts of the book I like. I haven't finished it yet but... I do wish that there was some note including the regular half-dragons and then making these an alternative as they deviate from the core.

Hmm, I thought I had noted something to that effect in the book. Well, my thoughts about that while writing were that the MM template is actually the "alternative." If a creature is polymorhphed or otherwise magically altered into a half-dragon, then the MM template should be used to represent the change. Otherwise, the true half-dragon is the natural ones which use the CG rules. In this way, each natural half-dragon might be of the same "race" but certainly does not share the same abilities (given the amount of options in the book) like creatures who have the template slapped on them.

Does that make sense? It's early in the morning.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Hmm, I thought I had noted something to that effect in the book. Well, my thoughts about that while writing were that the MM template is actually the "alternative." If a creature is polymorhphed or otherwise magically altered into a half-dragon, then the MM template should be used to represent the change. Otherwise, the true half-dragon is the natural ones which use the CG rules. In this way, each natural half-dragon might be of the same "race" but certainly does not share the same abilities (given the amount of options in the book) like creatures who have the template slapped on them.

Does that make sense? It's early in the morning.

Well, I've been bouncing through the book, so there may actually be something to that effect in the book!

 

[DMH]

I just found out that this review is going to be up at rpg.net on the 18th.

I can take the credit for the fallen paladin, the stones, and the 1/2-elf antique dealer.
I can take the blame for the insectarium. For every good idea, there's a stinker waiting in the wings.

Isn't that for every 3 good ideas, there is one stinker? The fallen paladin is one of the best adventures/locations I have read period.

Now if MEG could make a comeback and finish the series (there were two more advertised in one of the books).

 

[Napftor]

I just found out that this review is going to be up at rpg.net on the 18th.

Good to know. It should get a lot of reads over there.

Isn't that for every 3 good ideas, there is one stinker? The fallen paladin is one of the best adventures/locations I have read period.

Thanks! I think I'm blushing.

Now if MEG could make a comeback and finish the series (there were two more advertised in one of the books).

You're referring to Slum Lords and Rancid Manor. I actually made some notes for the former title, but, as you can see, nothing happened. Don't hold your breath on the company getting back to these either. The last book to be released was a final death rattle from MEG, as far as I can tell. This isn't really the venue for airing dirty laundry, but I wasn't even paid for my Behind the Gates work (among other things). Yes, there were health issues and other things going on, but it doesn't take much effort to send an email letting the MEG crew know that. The whole situation/company degredation was just handled very poorly IMO. If MEG does reform, I sincerely doubt you'll see many of the original names back with them.

Edit: In digging through my files, I came across my locale ideas for Slum Lords. Just for the heck of it, here's the proposals I sent in for approval (which I think was received)...

1 - The Stockade. Once thought abandoned due to the lack of activity, the facility has simply been underfunded by the local govt. over the years. To help it survive, the constable has decided to use the skills of the current inmates to make the place some money. Prisoners get some freedom as long as they use the time to ply the trade that landed them in jail in the first place. At least half of all gold brought in is given to the constable (who keeps some and uses the rest for stockade upkeep). PCs can get involved by finding one of the "prisoners" out on the town, or simply stopping by to get the dirt on the local ne'er-do-wells. Bounty hunting would not be out of the question for visiting PCs if one of the inmates the constable was lenient to jumped ship (which he has informed the special inmates would definitely result in termination).

2 - Museum of Oddities. This run-down establishment would boast some of the foulest keepsakes throughout the history of the world. Museum "treasures" could include the organs of (in)famous murderers, the weapons of serial killers, etc. The use for PCs would be two-fold. After defeating particularly known villains, they can sell his belongings to the museum. On the other hand, the weapons and organs may not have found their final
rest here when lesser bad guys want to use their more famous counterparts' names by stealing the oddities and using them in their own evil schemes.

3 - Apartment of Depravity. For low-level PCs, each floor of this apartment complex would harbor a different vice (from whoring to drugs to illegal magics/rituals). The first floor is the only legitimate one and could be the place the party lairs in (initially
unaware of the other floors' happenings).

4 - Smoke and Mirrors. Illumination and reflective surface services are offered at this place of business. I may use the Mirror Magic rules as presented in Bastion's "Spells & Magic" to spruce up the locale and be my obligatory OGC use.

 

[DMH]

To help it survive, the constable has decided to use the skills of the current inmates to make the place some money. Prisoners get some freedom as long as they use the time to ply the trade that landed them in jail in the first place.

?!? You mean murder, rob and make political comments?

Apartment of Depravity.

This reminds me of the Brewery. Read the paragraphs under the second photo:

http://www.irishinnyc.freeservers.com/custom.html

 

[Napftor]

?!? You mean murder, rob and make political comments?

More of the first two.

This reminds me of the Brewery. Read the paragraphs under the second photo:

http://www.irishinnyc.freeservers.com/custom.html

Interesting! My concept wasn't quite so bad but it's fascinating to know it was kind of based on reality.

 

[Jon Potter]

Hmm, I thought I had noted something to that effect in the book. Well, my thoughts about that while writing were that the MM template is actually the "alternative." If a creature is polymorhphed or otherwise magically altered into a half-dragon, then the MM template should be used to represent the change. Otherwise, the true half-dragon is the natural ones which use the CG rules. In this way, each natural half-dragon might be of the same "race" but certainly does not share the same abilities (given the amount of options in the book) like creatures who have the template slapped on them.

Does that make sense? It's early in the morning.

It makes sense, but the half-dragon presented in Dragonkin will never equal the templated half-dragon in terms of power - or at least not for many, many levels. As JoeGKushner pointed out, "it's nice to have a half-dragon race that isn't +4 ECL", but I don't think this fits my idea of the half-dragon. It's a good fit for a dragon-blooded race, but since most of its power come from feats, it'll take forever to approach the core template.

On another note, two things that I wish had been clearer in the book is how to apply the racial template to the core races. I'm thinking specifically of what constitutes a racial bonus and what is cultural since this determines what the half-dragon retains. For instance, are the human bonus skill points and feat a result of natural talent or social pressures? It's a gray area that could have been cleared up with a small chart, IMO.

And despite several rereadings, the myth at the beginning continues to confuse me, particularly with regard to the Heartspear's origin. There's mention of some fantastical tree (I don't have my book in front of me) from which the Spear is crafted, but it seems fragmentary and disjointed.

Perhaps I'm just dense. :\

Whoops! I just thought of two other points of confusion. There's mention of two Sorcerer variants in the book and two lists of feats to model the differing approaches to sorcery, but the two feat trees don't appear to be in the book. they're both listed on the list of feats, but I can't find them in the feat descriptions.

And lastly, no favored class: Sorcerer for dragonkin? I thought that was practically canon when it came to the dragon blooded.