Have you already picked up Mythic Odysseys of Theros and are wanting to dive into some content? Are you unsure about MOoT and are waiting to see what extra content springs up to support it? Well The Gallant Goblin has you covered with The Gray Merchant of Asphodel: 100+ Theros Magic Items! This is a book full of magic items and introduces a fun new NPC that will be a welcome addition to your game. It is a Platinum best seller on the DM’s Guild. Disclosure: The Gallant Goblin provided a copy to EN World for this review. If you have a product for us to review, please feel free to reach out to us.
If I had a quibble, and it's nothing more than a quibble, the book is so packed with information that it seems crowded at times. Even with the excellent art assets breaking up the words. The overall layout is well done and easy to follow as the items are laid out in alphabetical order.
But you came here for the items and there are over 100 to choose from. Some of them have a link to an associated Magic: The Gathering card, which gives more information and context to the item entry. It also reveals how much time and care was taken in researching the items. Not all of the items are magical, but each is given a description, preview, and rarity. In addition, the items have additional properties if the character Paid full price or Overpaid for the item. That is a neat feature I had not seen before, but am certainly going to explore in my own games. Of all the items, I liked the Anvilwrought Raptor and Three-Headed Collar the best.
The third section of The Gray Merchant of Asphodel is dedicated to random tables. As presented, they are a thorough and useful set of tables both for random rewards and to incorporate them with the Gray Merchant himself.
Aesthetics
The Gray Merchant of Asphodel is a lovely book. From the covers to the interior, it is clear that the design team wanted to make an impression with the physical design as well as the content. Excellent use is made of free art assets and the cover art is a gorgeous piece by Victor Tan. Pages are full color, with a top and bottom border. Full bleed is the term (I think) and it looks great. Not every item has its own image, but there are more than enough item images to satisfy your interestIf I had a quibble, and it's nothing more than a quibble, the book is so packed with information that it seems crowded at times. Even with the excellent art assets breaking up the words. The overall layout is well done and easy to follow as the items are laid out in alphabetical order.
Content
Let’s talk about what is inside The Gray Merchant of Asphodel. To start with, the character of the Gray Merchant is quite memorable, which is ironic since he likely won’t remember your characters for long. The Gray Merchant is a form of undead known as a Returned. These strong-willed individuals trade their memories for the ability to come back from the underworld. Characters can meet the Gray Merchant at random; the DM can have the character arrive at any point they wish. I imagine using the Gray Merchant as a kind wandering teaser, with interesting magic items, but only enough memory of them to wet the characters’ appetites.The authors have given the DM an NPC that is useful across a wide range of levels and circumstances.And woe be to the character that wrongs he Gray Merchant, for the gods watch over him.But you came here for the items and there are over 100 to choose from. Some of them have a link to an associated Magic: The Gathering card, which gives more information and context to the item entry. It also reveals how much time and care was taken in researching the items. Not all of the items are magical, but each is given a description, preview, and rarity. In addition, the items have additional properties if the character Paid full price or Overpaid for the item. That is a neat feature I had not seen before, but am certainly going to explore in my own games. Of all the items, I liked the Anvilwrought Raptor and Three-Headed Collar the best.
The third section of The Gray Merchant of Asphodel is dedicated to random tables. As presented, they are a thorough and useful set of tables both for random rewards and to incorporate them with the Gray Merchant himself.
