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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2010391" data-attributes="member: 18387">By Duane Nutley, Staff Reviewer d20 Magazine Rack Sizing Up the Target Book of Eldritch Might 2 is a 65 page pdf available from RPGnow for $9.00. Penned by Monte Cook as part of his Malhavoc Press company, it is also available in print from Sword & Sorcery, the company that imprints all Malhavoc pdf material. This review will focus on the pdf. I would like to point out at this stage that there are meant to be some differences between the pdf and print versions. What these exact differences are, I do not know, as I do not own a copy of the print version. First Blood Songs and Souls of Power is an apt title for this book as special attention has been given to the bard class (songs), and a large chapter that really has no other relevance to the rest of the book deals with creating spells through souls. The sourcebook deals solely (soully?) with game mechanic related material – new core classes, prestige classes, spells, magic items and creatures. The first chapter presents two new variants on existing core classes – the bard and the sorcerer. I believe Monte Cook created these variants as a response to requests from fans. Originally Monte created a variant ranger that is available from his website, but as that has no relevance to any of the products released by Malhavoc Press, it has not been included in any other publication. The bard sees the most radical change compared to the class presented in the PHB. More skill points, a couple of rogue class abilities, new class abilities that affect spellsongs, the loss of bardic music abilities, but more importantly – a new magic system for bards and bards alone. Spells from the PHB and bardic music abilities are now incorporated into the new spellsong system as well as new spells. I will look at this further with the chapter on spellsongs. The change for the sorcerer is more skill points, a higher HD and a slight change in the amount of spells known. The spell list has been modified, certain spells like divination spells and more utilitarian have been taken off the list altogether. To compensate for the bonuses gained some spells have been bumped up in level so they take a sorcerer longer to take. This might not seem all that bad, but when you remember that a sorcerer gains new spell levels one level later than wizards, then these spells are gained roughly 3 levels behind wizards in normal play. So it makes it interesting for someone to decide to take either the normal sorcerer from the PHB or take this variant for the bonuses it gives straight away. Both of these variant classes have strengths and weaknesses when compared to the original classes. I think this is actually a good thing as it allows people to play the type of character they choose. Also both types of classes – the original and this variant, can be used by a GM in a campaign if they allow it as this can allow for differences between the two people of the same class.Chapter Two is a small chapter introducing some new feats. There are two groups of feats introduced – some more Eldritch Lace feats which first appeared in Book of Eldritch Might 1 and some bard specific feats to be used with spellsongs. One thing of note though is that some of these feats and some of the prestige classes in the next chapter require a feat that is not in this book, or any other book published by Malhavoc Press. Instead the feat can be found on Monte’s website. This I find a little bit poor as if there is a requirement that is needed for a number of feats or classes, you would think that it would be included in the source as well instead of accessing another source, in this case a website.Chapter Three contains four new prestige classes, the majority of which are bard related. I like the fact that there are three classes which can focus the bard in certain areas depending on the person: Diplomancer is for bard concerned with negotiation and social interaction, Knight of the Chord is for combat-focused bards, while Song Mage is for magic inclined bards to specialise their magic potential. The last prestige class presented in this chapter is the Eldritch Warrior and can basically be taken by any class, it is just that the bard is more than likely able to achieve the requirements quicker than other classes as all skills required are on their skill list. I find the classes to be well presented, balanced and intriguing.Chapter Four is the chapter on Soul Magic. This is a new concept and one I have a little bit of trouble understanding. Basically an arcane spellcaster creates a spell by sacrificing some of their soul (in experience points) but cannot use the spell themselves. Instead the spell will be used by someone who comes along and unleashes the spell, which also takes part of their soul to bring into being (by ability score loss). Soul magic is magic with an intelligence and is actively wanting to be cast. For spellcasters who are imprisoned it is a way to get help and hopefully freedom. To create a soul spell, one must have the feat that is detailed in the Feats chapter. I think that this chapter is solely for a GM and is to add a bit of mystery and secrecy around a magical effect. The soul spell will be created by someone else and may be cast by a party member as an interaction in game play.Chapter Five contains all the spellsongs that a bard can know in their new spell system. Instead of spells levels there are spell notes, spell chords and spell melodies. These roughly equate to spells of 1st, 3rd and 5th level respectively. The length of time to cast these spellsongs depends on whether they are notes, chords or melodies. Notes take a move-equivalent action, notes a standard action and melodies a full round action. This means in effect that a bard can cast a spell note and make an attack in the same round! Perhaps slightly unbalanced in game play, but the spellnotes do not really have any extraordinary spells in them. As stated earlier all bardic music abilities are now spellsongs and bards are still restricted in how many spellsongs they know per level. Some might see this as a limiting factor as music abilities in the original are 1/day/level, so it is now like the sorcerer in determining which bard to play. Both have their good points and weaknesses. Bonus spells are still off Charisma, but this is now slightly different to the bonus spell list in the PHB. Another strength of this variant bard is that casting in armor is now possible, but only for certain armors.Chapter Six contains new spells. Simply that – new arcane spells. After perusing through the spells, I gleefully asked my current DM if my wizard could learn some of these spells as he progressed in levels. All of these spells are useful to a wizard in certain situations and depending on how they play.Chapter Seven details new magic items and a couple of artifacts including the Book of Eldritch Might itself! A number of these items are bard specific, but the vast majority are usable by anyone.Chapter Eight contains a couple of new monsters, two new angels that are focused on magic as well as a spell-eater with a twist, in that the monster was originally a spellcaster themselves.Book of Eldritch Might 2 is definitely a “crunchy” sourcebook filled with information usable by both players and GMs in game play. All parts have a central theme in that they are all related to arcane magic in some way. Bards and sorcerers are the main focus of the book and I think this was intentional as wizards were the primary focus of the original Book of Eldritch Might. However the spells and magic items are of use to wizards as well as bards and sorcerers.Critical Hits Book of Eldritch Might 2 was one of the first sourcebooks released that contained new bard information and as such was and still is a great source for bard fans. The variant sorcerer is interesting and attempts to make up for some of the weaknesses of the original. Soul magic, while confusing for me, does seem to be a way to make magic mystical and unique to even the most jaded of players.Critical Misses The sourcebook as a pdf is not really printer-friendly. A thick heavy border takes up the top portion of each page. Also there is a faint side border on each page that thankfully does not progress to a background for each page. When printed out it is hard to see the side border but it is there if you look. But this together with the top border is heavier on printers than other products that provide a screen pdf and printer-friendly pdf.Also the lack of a feat was annoying, as I had to search to see where this feat is located. It is unclear whether Chapters Four, Five and Seven are OGC or Product Identity. None of these chapters are mentioned in the first part about Product Identity and in declaring what is Open Content, these chapters are just not mentioned at all.Coup de Grace Overall Book of Eldritch Might 2: Songs and Souls of Power is a great all-round source of information on arcane magic. There is something for all arcane spellcasters and when considering when this was first released, makes it a top-notch sourcebook. Today it provides gamers with an alternate source of information on what is fast becoming a glut of information about all things magically arcane.To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments that the reviewer will respond to, go to The Critic's Corner at <a href="http://www.d20zines.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=418&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0" target="_blank">www.d20zines.com.</a></blockquote>

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