Sell me on Arcana Evolved.

[johnnype]

So far I've been able to resist the urge to but any of Monte's books in this line. I'm curious to see if I've missed out on anything. Why do you think I should or shoudn't buy this book?

 

[Crothian]

Classes and races are orginal. The spell system is more interestedting and versatile. I just got the Spell TReasurey for it and it does a great job as well.

 

[Turanil]

It's an extremely well done alternate PHB. You should not be disappointed in buying it. As an alternative PHB, you find different races, and a set of classes that remind the core PHB ones but with a different twist. For example, Oathsworn is a version of the Monk that reminds more of David Covenant's Bloodguards than Shaolin monks. The main difference is that there is a unique system of magic, not a disctinction between arcane and divine. Nonetheless, if you already own PHB 2, Unearthed Arcana, and Complete Series, this book may not be really useful.

 

[Darthjaye]

The classes are different and interesting. Most notably, The Unfettered. It's what the Swashbuckler should have been. IMO much better potential than the Swashbuckler ever has. Warmain is a nice one as are most if not all the other classes. Some of the spells have a nice flavor, and Monte has done a nice job setting it up.

 

[Stalker0]

Having played AE for nearly a year now, I love it.

I think the classes in general are more flavorful and I prefer the mechanics of them. The magic system is much more versatile, but doesn't scale as fast as 3.5. Your 1st level magister can do more than a 3.5 wizard, but your 20th level magister won't be blowing away everything quite like a 20th level wizard. Also, counterspelling is actually useful!!

The setting is also good if you like a setting that isn't so scripted out. The setting of AE gives a lot of locations and ideas, but leaves a lot for the DM imagination. Some like that, some would prefer more crunch with their fluff, so that's a judgement call.

That said, there are some things I don't like. In general, I feel there are a few feats and spells that are "too good." I've done a fair amount of houseruling in my game. Its not a lot of things, but some of them are so big I just couldn't ignore them. The other thing is AE's magic system is much more offense oriented than 3.5. You will notice a lack of some of 3.5's basic defense spells. Dispelling is much easier in AE, energy resistances aren't as good, and there are some spells (like dimension door) that don't have their counter spell (dimensional anchor), making them more powerful.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

So far I've been able to resist the urge to but any of Monte's books in this line. I'm curious to see if I've missed out on anything. Why do you think I should or shoudn't buy this book?

You should by this book (Arcana Evolved) if:
1) You want something beyond the standards of the D&D classes and races
2) You want a more flexible magic system, that doesn't force you to distinct between arcane, divine or psionic "spells"
3) You want a world where rituals and ceremonies have power.
4) You want classes allowing you to play warrior mages (Mage Blades), a flexible loremaster/skill-user guy without spells or sneak attack as definding features (Akashic), spellcasters fitting the standard mage with his staff (Magister) and many more classes that do concepts that you don't find that way in D&D.
5) You like the idea of racial levels.
6) You don't like epic levels, but still want to play a bit above 20th level (AE goes to 25)
7) You want clever spellcaster multiclassing.
8) You don't like half-caster.
9) You'd prefer a more linear power progression of the classes. (Not suck at level 1 and overpower anybody at level 15 and beyond)

You shouldn't by this book if:
1) You love the PHB classes and want nothing else.
2) You don't like the races (cat- (Litorian) or dog people (sibeccai), giants, feys (faen) or red-skinned vulcans/elf (Verrick))
2) You love the D&D magic sytem as is and want no change.
3) You don't like classes with much supernatural abilities or spells or a general heavy focus on the supernatural (Only the Warmain and the Unfettered have no such abilities, and even they can get supernatural abilities by feats)

There are probably a lot more points to each side, but that's what I could come up with for now.

If you don't like Arcane Evolved (perhaps due to the reasons above), but would like a good monster book, I'd recommend the "Legacy of Dragons". It contains a lot of interesting and well-made monsters. (I think it is, after the AE, my favourite book).

I pretty much enjoyed my Arcane Evolved campaign, even though I still haven't brought it to an end and started a new "regular" D&D campaign. (But that has more to do with my general long-time motivation. I make up the greatest story arcs, but fail to finish them inplay...)

 

[Henry]

Sample of Classes:

• Akashic - very heavy skill-user, a la rogues, but with most armor and weapon proficiencies, and class abilities that let you either call up knowledge similar to a bard, or temporarily gain feats or special abilities.
• Champion - basically a paladin, but with suites of spell-like abilities associated with what you're championing, causes such as magic, light, life, death, darkness, etc. Also, a few barbarian-like buffing abilities are thrown in for good measure (think "He-man and Masters of the Universe," but with less hokeyness.)
• Greenbond - think Druid but without the shapechanging, and more ability to talk with nature and nature spirits.
• Mageblade - consummate fighter/sorcerer, very well done blend of the two.
• Magister - a wizard who is heavily dependent on his staff, to great flavor-effect.
• Oathsworn - like Donaldson's Blood Guard, they draw monk-like strength abilities from their oath-taking. Fear the 20th level Oathsworn who has sworn to kill you, because he's like a darned Undead Outsider Revenant Terminator.
• Ritual Warrior - a fighter who has some quasi-monkish defenses, but his combat rituals are slot-based like a sorcerer, and he gains powers based on these quick little rituals he performs during combat.
• Runethane - Think "rune wizard" and you aren't far off. They're like weaker-powered versions of magisters, but with some runic class abilities that are quite nasty.
• Totem warrior - think like a barbarian, but without the rage, and customized to its totem, all the way down to hit die size, armor class, shapechanging abilities, etc.
• Unfettered - the D&D 3.5 swashbuckler is not very far off in abilities and flavor.
• Warmain - hit points of a barbarian, feats of a fighter, weapons of a giant at high levels, these guys are combat death-dealing vortices, and not a lot else.
• Witch - like runethanes, Witches are like lower-spellpowered magisters, but supplemented with class abilites based on theme - there are mind witches, iron witches, wind witches, wood witches, etc.

Races:

• Giants - strong, they can take racial levels to get bigger and stronger.
• Sibeccai - Jackal-men, essentially, their racial levels make them tougher and better in combat.
• Litorians - Lion-men, essentially, their racial levels make them better physically and in combat.
• Mojh - humans who sold their humanity to become part draconic, they have magical abilities that improve with racial levels.
• Dracha - also dragon-men, they were custom built by dragons. They have at high racial levels wings and breath.
• Faen - think gnomes and halflings as two branches of a single race.
• Verrik - wine-skinned Vulcans with mental powers as they increase in level; that's the best way I can describe them.

There are also many, many different concepts, too many to mention, but the system is heavily supported, has an active fan community, and can surprise even the most jaded D&D players with some of the twists. I highly recommend it, because I can only say so much in a cursory glimpse. You're better off soaking up the MOnte Cook forums to get more info.

 

[Whimsical]

One thing I especially like:

All spellcasters can cast healing spells. Healing is no longer the domain (and responsibility) of the divine caster. No one has to play the cleric.

 

[Voadam]

racial levels, every spell has spontaneous metamagic capabilities, different classes including unfettered (the best swashbuckler I have seen).

 

[Henry]

One thing I especially like:

All spellcasters can cast healing spells. Healing is no longer the domain (and responsibility) of the divine caster. No one has to play the cleric.

Addendum to this: Healing spells are also broken into "transfer" spells and "battle healing" spells. Transfer spells heal more damage, and leave no marks behind, but cause nonlethal damage to the caster. "Battle Healing" spells heal less damage, and leave scars behind, but don't fatigue the caster. The "scarring" is a flavor effect, but I love playing it up.