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The Book of Unusual Treasures
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<blockquote data-quote="JoeGKushner" data-source="post: 2011116" data-attributes="member: 1129"><p>I'm pretty familiar with the contents of this book. I've reviewed several of the PDF versions and even bought the limited edition print run. Those interested in some of the goods here that I've reviewed can check the following:</p><p><a href="http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=JoeGKushner&product=preed_mundane" target="_blank">101 Mundane Treasures</a></p><p><a href="http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=JoeGKushner&product=preed_arcane" target="_blank">101 Arcane Spell components</a></p><p></p><p>This supplement is broken up into five sections and six appendices. It includes three types of books, mundane, special, and spellbooks. It includes various arcane spell components, broken up by type. For example, fire, lawful, death. It includes weapons, armor, clothing, jewelry, and miscellaneous treasure.</p><p></p><p>All of this is broken down in alphabetical order by chapter. Each item includes appearance, information, special features, and value. With some, like the spell component section, it includes the effect, as well as the specifics to using the component like casting time modifier, component type, and knowledge (arcana) DC to use.</p><p></p><p>Those not looking for treasure will want to quickly look through the appendices as they cover spells, feats, poisons, materials, unusual skills, and a master item listing by value. </p><p>There were some minor issues I had with the book. There are a ton of spells. A lot of them fall into the 0 level field and do minor things or they fall into the school of necromancy. With all of the spells, a tool like a master spell listing, broken down by class, level, and for sor/wiz, school, would've been an excellent tool.</p><p></p><p>The feats tend to be a little on the high powered side. Take Grave Claws Strike. While your giving up a feat, you get an extra 1d4 points of damage with every hit with the spell Grave Claws. Another powerful one, Enhanced Summoning, allows you to use a lower level spell slot.</p><p></p><p>The poisons add a lot of options to a GMs arsenal but they have no prices. It's great to know how Cleric's Curse is made, but how much would it cost if buying it or what would the Craft Poison DC be? Those answers are in a chart, which is a great reference, including name, type, craft, save, initial damage, secondary damage and price, but some of those elements would've been nice under the description as well.</p><p></p><p>The section on unusual materials include the value, hardness, hit points and uses, as well as any special rules. For instance, basilisk skin and hydraskin are both useful when making armor. The former provides a +1 AC bonus while the latter provides a +1 bonus to Fortitude saves against Cold Damage.</p><p></p><p>The book could've used one more round of editing. There is at least one spell not updated from the original errata of 3.0. My favorite bit has to be the value of gold pieces in the master chart. It's worth 0 gold. In addition, while it's useful to have the chapter where the item is found, the page number would've been even better. In another case, a monster, the Shadow Raven, that uses 3.0 monster block and is missing base attack bonus, grapple, squares, and other 3.5 standards. A few typos here and there. Minor things overall.</p><p></p><p>One fantastic thing about the book is the price. At $13.95 for 96 pages, there is now proof, between this and Fantasy Flight's Anthology, that companies should be able to bring us OGC that's edited without charging $35 for error laden product. At it's low price, it's hard to hold the small issues against it.</p><p></p><p>If you're looking to add details to your campaign, and the devil is in the details, then The Book of Unusual Treasures is for you. With its wide variety of material, your bound to find something of use and with its low price, not feel that you've paid too much.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="JoeGKushner, post: 2011116, member: 1129"] I'm pretty familiar with the contents of this book. I've reviewed several of the PDF versions and even bought the limited edition print run. Those interested in some of the goods here that I've reviewed can check the following: [url=http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=JoeGKushner&product=preed_mundane]101 Mundane Treasures[/url] [url=http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=JoeGKushner&product=preed_arcane]101 Arcane Spell components[/url] This supplement is broken up into five sections and six appendices. It includes three types of books, mundane, special, and spellbooks. It includes various arcane spell components, broken up by type. For example, fire, lawful, death. It includes weapons, armor, clothing, jewelry, and miscellaneous treasure. All of this is broken down in alphabetical order by chapter. Each item includes appearance, information, special features, and value. With some, like the spell component section, it includes the effect, as well as the specifics to using the component like casting time modifier, component type, and knowledge (arcana) DC to use. Those not looking for treasure will want to quickly look through the appendices as they cover spells, feats, poisons, materials, unusual skills, and a master item listing by value. There were some minor issues I had with the book. There are a ton of spells. A lot of them fall into the 0 level field and do minor things or they fall into the school of necromancy. With all of the spells, a tool like a master spell listing, broken down by class, level, and for sor/wiz, school, would've been an excellent tool. The feats tend to be a little on the high powered side. Take Grave Claws Strike. While your giving up a feat, you get an extra 1d4 points of damage with every hit with the spell Grave Claws. Another powerful one, Enhanced Summoning, allows you to use a lower level spell slot. The poisons add a lot of options to a GMs arsenal but they have no prices. It's great to know how Cleric's Curse is made, but how much would it cost if buying it or what would the Craft Poison DC be? Those answers are in a chart, which is a great reference, including name, type, craft, save, initial damage, secondary damage and price, but some of those elements would've been nice under the description as well. The section on unusual materials include the value, hardness, hit points and uses, as well as any special rules. For instance, basilisk skin and hydraskin are both useful when making armor. The former provides a +1 AC bonus while the latter provides a +1 bonus to Fortitude saves against Cold Damage. The book could've used one more round of editing. There is at least one spell not updated from the original errata of 3.0. My favorite bit has to be the value of gold pieces in the master chart. It's worth 0 gold. In addition, while it's useful to have the chapter where the item is found, the page number would've been even better. In another case, a monster, the Shadow Raven, that uses 3.0 monster block and is missing base attack bonus, grapple, squares, and other 3.5 standards. A few typos here and there. Minor things overall. One fantastic thing about the book is the price. At $13.95 for 96 pages, there is now proof, between this and Fantasy Flight's Anthology, that companies should be able to bring us OGC that's edited without charging $35 for error laden product. At it's low price, it's hard to hold the small issues against it. If you're looking to add details to your campaign, and the devil is in the details, then The Book of Unusual Treasures is for you. With its wide variety of material, your bound to find something of use and with its low price, not feel that you've paid too much. [/QUOTE]
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