Desdichado
Hero
...and it rocks! I've only had time to flip through it so far, and read about half of the first chapter, but dang, this book looks really cool!
Sorcery & Steam: got it in my hot little hands...
- Thread starter Desdichado
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BigFreekinGoblinoid
First Post
You are NOT getting away with teasing me like that Joshua!
SPILL the beans!
I'll start the interregation:
Generally does the tech require magic, or is it magic independant?
SPILL the beans!
I'll start the interregation:
Generally does the tech require magic, or is it magic independant?
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Desdichado
Hero
I don't have much time on my hand, but in general the "Tech" could be steam, clockwork or bound demon-spirits and it wouldn't have a noticable effect on the book. The book is more about presenting rules and ideas for the steampunk "feel" then for any specific technology. It's got things like powered armor, great new firearms rules (may replace Green Ronin's as my favorite, but I need to read through them a few more times first to know) ironclad ships, cannons, zeppelins, trains, and the like. It really draws from the source material, although the source material is defined fairly broadly. For example, there's a new core class that essentially allows you to play Tarzan, and a prestige class that allows you to play Oliver Twist. To use just a few examples.
Dang, I knew I should have picked this book up at Gencon! Now here I wait for my local store to get it in! 
Desdichado
Hero
OK, bought myself a few more minutes -- I actually lucked out to pick up the book today myself. My FLGS got the book today, but the UPS shipment was late. If I wasn't held up in abnormal traffic, I would have come and gone before the book arrived.
There's another new core class called the artificier. I havent' read it in detail yet, but it really seems more like an NPC class to me; seems like it would have a hard time contributing anything "on the spot." Of course, if your game plays like a Victoriana A-Team, I guess there's a good use for him...
Also, a Musketeer core class. Obviously a fighter specialized in the use of muskets. Looked good so far. Fair amount of prestige classes, feats and whatnot, and they actually seem flavorful and contribute to the book rather than just being there because, hey, we've gotta have prestige classes and feats. The Oliver Twist analogue was one; the Victorianesque big game hunter is one ("Dr. Livingstone I presume?") an arcane arealist that seems a bit Red Baron-like is one. Did I mention they defined the source material fairly broadly? This makes the book much more useful though.
There's a lot of info in the first chapter on what steampunk is -- although they essentially lump scientific romance of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne as steampunk, including how to gradually introduce elements of it into a standard D&D campaign, or how to build one up from scratch. These ideas rocked, and I found myself thinking of even using them someday (although I've already been working on a steampunk-fantasy setting for a while).
Also, the first credited author is Mark Chance -- any relation to the Mark Chance we know from around here, I wonder?
There's another new core class called the artificier. I havent' read it in detail yet, but it really seems more like an NPC class to me; seems like it would have a hard time contributing anything "on the spot." Of course, if your game plays like a Victoriana A-Team, I guess there's a good use for him...
Also, a Musketeer core class. Obviously a fighter specialized in the use of muskets. Looked good so far. Fair amount of prestige classes, feats and whatnot, and they actually seem flavorful and contribute to the book rather than just being there because, hey, we've gotta have prestige classes and feats. The Oliver Twist analogue was one; the Victorianesque big game hunter is one ("Dr. Livingstone I presume?") an arcane arealist that seems a bit Red Baron-like is one. Did I mention they defined the source material fairly broadly? This makes the book much more useful though.
There's a lot of info in the first chapter on what steampunk is -- although they essentially lump scientific romance of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne as steampunk, including how to gradually introduce elements of it into a standard D&D campaign, or how to build one up from scratch. These ideas rocked, and I found myself thinking of even using them someday (although I've already been working on a steampunk-fantasy setting for a while).
Also, the first credited author is Mark Chance -- any relation to the Mark Chance we know from around here, I wonder?
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Desdichado
Hero
Absolutely. Especially since it only costs $24.95. I thought that was apparent from the "it rocks" quotes I had in there...
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Any swashbuckling-type classes?
More details about firearms please
I've been waiting eagerly for this book, and my store still doesn't have it in.
Does it provide enough info to run a game similar to the Arcanum computer game, that type of thing?
How's the art?
Much background/culture info? Is it largely based off Victorian-type England in idea, etc.?
Banshee
More details about firearms please
I've been waiting eagerly for this book, and my store still doesn't have it in.
Does it provide enough info to run a game similar to the Arcanum computer game, that type of thing?
How's the art?
Much background/culture info? Is it largely based off Victorian-type England in idea, etc.?
Banshee
tetsujin28
First Post
This does sound good. How's its compatibility with d20Modern?
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