Shamans (MONGOOSE) vs Shamans (GREEN RONIN) - Anyone's experience yet?

[johncolossus]

With both these books out within a few weeks of each other and by definition, on the same subject, has anyone used either of them or both? What pros and cons with each did you find? I have got both now, not read them fully yet to compare or used them yet. Your experience would be helpful when I do start.
Thanks

 

[hong]

I still think the OA shaman is coolest.

 

[Psion]

I have both of them. I should have a shamans review out soon.

They are both very well done, and it's going to be a hard choice.

In most basic terms, GR's Shaman's Handbook fits the shaman to the system, and ED: Shamans fits the system to Shaman. Does that make sense?

Shaman's Handbook basically makes the shaman very much like the existing core classes which makes it an easy fit. Also, the text takes into account existing d20 system creatures that might be classified as spirits. It gets domain spells from spirits. It is also a modestly larger book, and goes into a few more topics, such as historical shamanism, the dream world, and so forth. I think I like its prestige classes a little better as well.

ED: Shamans is a lot truer to the shaman ideal, I think. Where the SH shaman has a normal spell list, rebuke spirits, etc., much like the existing classes, the ED: Shaman is built from the ground up, and gets ALL of its spells from spirits. A lot more detail goes into the nature of the spirits the shaman interfaces with. However, it won't fit so easily with an existing D&D type world.

To be honest, I am looking for ways to integrate them!

Oh, SH has better cover art and ED: Shamans has better interior art.

 

[Crothian]

So, it finally happened. What peopl;e have been worried about from day one. 2 different companies do the same basic book in two different ways, and both are of superior content. I'm looking forward to more hard choices like this.

 

[UD]

I thought 'sod it' and got em both, I would agree with Psion in his mini-review above.

 

[Horacio]

Mierda!
Now I'm going to buy both of them

 

[Lady Dragon]

I have Shaman's handbook and its great but I haven't found the mongoose book yet I don't think its out to the general public yet Psion's got a reveiw copy.

 

[Psion]

Well, two people here say they already have it (ED: Shamans)... did they both get review copies? Only rarely do I get a product long before it hits the shelves. A week or two at most, and I got Shaman's last week.

I did just finish my Battle Magic review and it should be up tonight. ED: Shamans is 2 or 3 reviews away.

 

[johncolossus]

shamans in uk

i suppose the advantage of living in the same country as the company that makes them ie uk, is that it is about the only product that we get before USA! The WOTC stuff only arrived in uk last week.......D&D, Bastions, Dungeon 91 and 92, etc!!
Mongoose were really good and had Shamans out before May here! Cool product as always!

 

[Tuerny]

Psion, you gave a 4 to Green Ronin's shaman book, and a 5 to Mongoose's.
Why the difference? What made you see Mongoose's as the better book?