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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KDLadage" data-source="post: 2010309" data-attributes="member: 88">entered on 06-MAY-03I seem to recall reviewing this book before. I cannot recall seeing a notice that it would be removed, but I have to admit that some of my early reviews were lacking in details and so I can only assume that the masters of the review section of ENWorld took it down for good reason. Consider this update a new review. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />As I said in my Masters of the Wild review: ...all of the Class Books ... for the most part ... I figure much of the book is written to the newbie who might not think of some of the things that the book presents (while a good many of us old timers will have already thought of it, it might not be something we thought to tell the newbie)... so on that mode of thinking, even such things as the Hero Builder's Guidebook are of value -- real, measurable value... This was my view then, this is my view now.The volume opens up with a page of Introduction, What this book is, and is not, and How to use this book -- basically a brief synopsis (and the same stuff from the other volumes) to illustrate the goal in writing the book. Not bad, material.Chapter I dives right into the Prestige Classes. Ten Prestige Classes are presented... of note are the Thief-Acrobat (bringing back memories of the old Unearthed Arcana days) and the Dungeon Delver (which seemed rather redundant in this game...). Most seem at least somewhat interesting and usable, without beeing to bad.Chapter II is the Skills and Feats chapter. This chapter gives us a look at poisons and traps traps (which seem odly placed in this chapter) and then dive into the new uses for old skills section. The new Feats are interesting and rather utilitarian, although a few have some flavor to them, such as the Green Ear.Chapter III covers equipment. The instruments section was the most intersting to me. The weapons and thieving tools were useful, but not as well written (in my opinion). However, this book also includes some interesting magical equipment as well.Chapter IV covers organizations. The idea of the thieve;s guild is given ten worked examples from the neighborhood gang and the smuggler's cartel, to the all-too-common in D&D: the Assassin's Guild. Bardic colleges are also covered, and are handled in a way many may not have thought of before (I found my eyes opening a couple of times reading through it).Chapter V goes into how BArds and Rogues fit into the world around them -- as well as some rather intersting combat tactics they can use to their advantage.Chapter VI is new spells, which is to be expected in a book with a spell-casting class. The spells are nicely written and balanced. Some even felt as though they should have been in the core book ('Choir' for example).THE CONCLUSIONThe book is useful for beginners and teaching beginners the flexibility of the system. Additionally, it has some nice spells, and some good ideas on how to use Bards in your game that even an experienced cuss like me can use. I rate it as about average (close to above average; if this were a 10 point scale, I would give it +1 bump, but it does not rate that in a 5 points scale).</blockquote>

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