Scarred Lands -- required texts

[Nightfall]

*Agrees with Psion* SLCS Termana is fine. I would, however, advised against picking up the Faithful and the Forsaken since it tends to alter what is already in there. Plus the fact I liked SLCS: Termana better than Faithful and the Forsaken.

The vigil watch set is indeed fine, albeit I had some contentious (in my mind) problems with some of the mechanics used, especially for the Ratmen set. Actually it was just for the Ratmen, the Assaatthi was much better.

Burok Torn is a good guide book but again, the mechanics for the two Guardsmen (requirements if nothing else) could and probably should be fixed.

 

[Trickstergod]

The Holy Quartet for the Scarred Lands is made up of The Divine and the Defeated, The Creature Collection Revised, Relics and Rituals I and The Scarred Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad. These are effectively the core books for the setting.

The Ghelspad hardcover can potentially get swapped out for the gazetteer without much difficulty. Divine and the Defeated, meanwhile, is mostly worthwhile for detailing the religions and myths in greater detail - it may not be strictly necessary, but it's easily the best book out of the entire campaign setting and quite possibly bound to serve as the basis for more than a few story hooks.

Meanwhile, The Creature Collection is the source for most of the monsters you're going to find referenced in other books. The asaatthi, ratmen and pretty much every Scarred Lands-specific monster other than the sutak referenced in a Scarred Lands book is mentioned here. The sutak, meanwhile, are in the second Creature Collection. Unless you're using Hollowfaust, though, the sutak aren't that big a deal.

Relics and Rituals, meanwhile, also serves as the basis for a few organizations and magic items of note in the setting - it briefly describes the Vigilants of Vesh and the Penumbral Lords through their prestige classes and goes into artifacts like the Bells of Non and Shards of the Forsaken. It also details True Rituals, ritual magic and the arcane heat that gets referenced in many Scarred Lands books.

Everything past those four is extra. Some of the better books are the ones detailing Burok Torn and Hollowfaust. The Termana hardcover's another good book, with a slight twist on the settings religion. Relics and Rituals II goes into the settings astrology, making it another worthwhile book in some ways.

Also: the best description given of the forsaken elves is in the first Creature Collection, but was left out of the revised version. If you already own the initial Creature Collection, nifty. If not, while it's probably not worthwhile to buy the book for their description alone, if you have any intention on using forsaken elves - try to track it down and read the entry, at least. Suffice to say, later descriptions on the race are either scant...or just suck hard, like in The Faithful and the Forsaken.

 

[Nightfall]

Trickster is right about some things, (not sure I'd call it a holy quartet but certainly extremely useful quartet.) and some others...not so sure about (I happen to think adding R&R II is extremely useful considering the fact they are in actuality separate planes along with being star constellations.) Edge of Infinity is also a heavy consideration if you plan on using any cosmology although some of it I felt could be altered or added to. Echoes of the Past: Slacerian Legacy is also a viable option if you plan on using Psionics.

 

[catsclaw227]

The Holy Quartet for the Scarred Lands is made up of The Divine and the Defeated, The Creature Collection Revised, Relics and Rituals I and The Scarred Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad. These are effectively the core books for the setting.

I concurr, except that the really cool foldout map of the continent is in the gazeteer. Is it included in all it's full-sized glory in the PDF version?

The asaatthi, ratmen and pretty much every Scarred Lands-specific monster other than the sutak referenced in a Scarred Lands book is mentioned here. The sutak, meanwhile, are in the second Creature Collection. Unless you're using Hollowfaust, though, the sutak aren't that big a deal. .

I dig the Sutek and had a whole mini-campaign run around them. I love their mythological backstory.

Everything past those four is extra. Some of the better books are the ones detailing Burok Torn and Hollowfaust.

I liked Calastia and Mithril as well. I really wish that they had done a Hedrad book. Or maybe one detailing the western parts of Gheldspad. Great setting, rich with atmosphere.

 

[Trickstergod]

I concurr, except that the really cool foldout map of the continent is in the gazeteer. Is it included in all it's full-sized glory in the PDF version?

In the PDF version? I don't know.

However, while the gazetteer fold-out map might be nice, it's nowhere near as detailed as the map set into the cover of the hardcover book.

 

[catsclaw227]

However, while the gazetteer fold-out map might be nice, it's nowhere near as detailed as the map set into the cover of the hardcover book.

Agreed -- I scanned the gazeteer's map and use it to "cut" slices for PCs. It's good for making player's maps.