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ShortQuests -- Pocket Sized Adventures! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed for 1-2 game sessions.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Messageboard Golem" data-source="post: 2009292" data-attributes="member: 18387">Here is a review of Tome and Blood written by Bruce Cordell and Skip Williams. Published by Wizards of the Coast, Tome and Blood is a 96-page sourcebook for wizards and sorcerers. The book retails for $19.95. Tome and Blood is the third in a series of class oriented books designed to complement and enhance those classes being highlighted. The format is the same as previous class books with the presentation of new feats, prestige classes, magic items, and spells. There are also sections containing suggestions for making a more effective spellcaster, organizations that a mage may join, blueprints of the typical wizard's abode, and a list of mundane equipment items for magic users. The new feats list several that are general in nature but the majority metamagic. The general feats include Extra Slot, Extra Spell, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Familiar, and Innate Spell, just to name a few. Metamagic feats are Chain Spell, Cooperative Spell, Energy Substitution, Repeat Spell, Split Ray, and many more. The feats are fairly well designed and balanced, although DMs may want to be selective about allowing certain feats into their campaign. The prestige classes are quite varied in style and design, perhaps being some of the best to date. There are fifteen classes listed with such offerings as teh Alienist, the Bladesigner, the Mindbender, the True Necromancer, and many others. The Alienist, Bladesigner, Dragon Disciple, and Elemental Savant have some real possibilities in my campaign world. The sections devoted to magic items and spells are well done. Some entries are merely reworked versions of 2nd edition items. Both the Belt of Many Pockets (formerly knowns as a Girdle of Many Pouches) and a Golem Manual (formerly the Manual of Golems) are examples of this. One issue I have with this book is that Wizards of the Coast has chosen to include updated information that supercedes what was previously published in the Player's Handbook. This updated information is now considered the "official" version recognized by Wizards of the Coast. To include Open Game Content in a book that is specifically not included under the Open Gaming License is wrong and slightly misleading. At the very least, it should have been released in a separate errata rather than included in the book. Overall, Tome and Blood represents one of the better class books published thus far. The strong prestige classes, magic items and spells make it a worthwhile investment in a high fantasy campaign. It is a good addition to any collection.To see the graded evaluation of this product, go to The Critic's Corner at <a href="http://www.d20zines.com" target="_blank">www.d20zines.com.</a></blockquote>

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