What Books Should I Buy?

[Aus_Snow]

I've not played (or run) Freeport, but I agree with Zweihander on Complete Adventurer, given what I've heard about the setting. I also think it is the best of the 'Complete's - and most reviews appear to agree with me there. The skills section (which expands on skill use a bit), many of the feats, some spells, some equipment, and possibly the Ninja class (renamed or not) - among other things - might be particularly relevant.

I'm not sure when Cityscape is coming out, but it can't be too far away -- just checked: November :\. That would be a natural choice, of course.

I quite like FFG's Cityworks. It's OOP, but still available here and there.

Bastion's $5 (USD) sale is still on, for a short while. There are at least a couple among what's left that might be useful, and I imagine those books will only become harder to find, and more expensive, past Saturday-ish. International shipping would be a bit steep if you only got a book or two, but it works out quite fair if you get about 4 to 5+. Guildcraft leaps out as a likely candidate.

If you don't have it, or some sort of equivalent, I throughly recommend Hot Pursuit (and HP: On Foot), by Adamant Entertainment. I'm not sure, but I heard they're/it's in print now. . .? Either way, the PDFs are well worth it, IMO.

Foul Locales: Urban Blight is likewise nifty, but it might be redundant if Freeport is nicely detailed and adaptable.

Hm, that's about all I can think of right now. I'm also not sure what you have, what you don't have, stuff like that.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

It CAN lend itself to swashbuckling, but it's more about duplicating the crazy stuff you see in movies such as Hero or House of Flying Daggers.

The book is basically sword magic. That's an odd concept, I know, but bear with me. The book introduces "maneuvers" and "stances", which are basically evocations and enchantments. You can use a certain selection of your maneuvers in a given battle (most of which are just more powerful and neat strikes, though a few are genuinely different), which are replenished at the end of the battle. Maneuvers, like I said, are generally just attacks with bonuses; for example, Sapphire Nightmare Blade adds 1d6 damage and makes the enemy flat-footed, as long as you succeed on a Concentration check. The more interesting maneuvers include effects that are VERY reminiscint of existing spells; notably, Inferno Blast, a 9th-level Desert Wind maneuver which deals 100 points of fire damage to everyone within range (Ref half). In general, I like the book, as I think it presents a new and interesting methodology to combat.

That sounds pretty interesting. How do you acquire manouvers? Do they cost feats?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I've not played (or run) Freeport, but I agree with Zweihander on Complete Adventurer, given what I've heard about the setting. I also think it is the best of the 'Complete's - and most reviews appear to agree with me there. The skills section (which expands on skill use a bit), many of the feats, some spells, some equipment, and possibly the Ninja class (renamed or not) - among other things - might be particularly relevant.

I'm not sure when Cityscape is coming out, but it can't be too far away -- just checked: November :\. That would be a natural choice, of course.

I quite like FFG's Cityworks. It's OOP, but still available here and there.

Bastion's $5 (USD) sale is still on, for a short while. There are at least a couple among what's left that might be useful, and I imagine those books will only become harder to find, and more expensive, past Saturday-ish. International shipping would be a bit steep if you only got a book or two, but it works out quite fair if you get about 4 to 5+. Guildcraft leaps out as a likely candidate.

If you don't have it, or some sort of equivalent, I throughly recommend Hot Pursuit (and HP: On Foot), by Adamant Entertainment. I'm not sure, but I heard they're/it's in print now. . .? Either way, the PDFs are well worth it, IMO.

Foul Locales: Urban Blight is likewise nifty, but it might be redundant if Freeport is nicely detailed and adaptable.

Hm, that's about all I can think of right now. I'm also not sure what you have, what you don't have, stuff like that.

It sounds like you're thinking along the same lines as me Aus Snow. Cityworks is a good book. I already have it. The same goes for Guildcraft. I did think of posting up a list of what books I already. However I thought that posting a list of over 60 books and saying give me some ideas of what to get next might put some people off.

Cityscape is on my list of things to get. I just have to wait until it is released. Unfortunately for me the Noble Knight Games sale only runs until the start of October, otherwise I almost definitely would have got that book.

I have heard of Hot Pursuit before and have debated whether or not to get it. Do you own it? How useful have you found it to be?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olaf the Stout]

What about Dragon Magic? Does anyone have it? What do they think of it?

I was also thinking about getting Powers of Faerûn and Dragons of Faerûn but I am not currently running or planning on running a Forgotten Realms campaign. How much of these books would still be useful to me?

Olaf the Stout

 

[MerricB]

The Book of 9 Swords was also on my radar. What are peoples' thoughts on that book? I had heard that it lenda itself to swashbuckling type adventure (not that that is necessarily what our campaign is like).

I rather like the book. What it does is give a number of different manuevers and stances that range from the mundane to the magical. Thus, instead of just making a full attack, a character might make one attack that does +6d6 damage. Or, make a leaping attack that, if you make a Jump check, that does +2d6 damage and has a better chance of doing a critical.

The more magical manuevers might allow you to heal yourself when you strike an enemy, or create a ball of fire that you launch with your weapon.

There are nine Disciplines...
Desert Wind (a magical one) - speed, mobility and fire magic
Devoted Spirit (a magical one) - healing and damage based on the user's faith
Diamond Mind (non-magical) - focussing the mind allows more accurate and devastating attacks
Iron Heart (non-magical) - pure weapon skill; disarm, defense, more dangerous attacks, etc.
Setting Sun (non-magical) - react to your reading of opponent's moves; throwing, feinting, etc.
Shadow Hand (magical) - stealth, deception & ambush; air walking, striking through shadows, concealment, etc.
Stone Dragon (non-magical?) - draw on the power of the earth; gain DR, extra damage, AC bonuses.
Tiger Claw (non-magical) - emulate ferocity of beasts; raging, death blows, jumping attacks.
White Raven (non-magical) - co-operative fighting, enhance the power of group attacks.

Three classes (Swordsage, Crusader & Warblade) are the best at these manuevers, though all classes can gain a handful through feats - the relevant feat being a bonus feat for fighters. Prestige classes also allow greater access.

Swashbuckling characters would benefit from the Diamond Mind discipline the most. A 9th level Rogue (say) might have two of the manuevers and one stance. The manuevers could be used 1/combat.
* Sapphire Night Blade - make a Concentration check vs. target's AC; if you succeed, the target is flatfooted this round and you can make a single melee attack at +1d6 damage
* Emerald Razor - make only one attack this round, but as a melee touch attack.
* Pearl of Black Doubt (stance) - each time foe misses you, get +2 AC until next turn.
(Concentration becomes a class skill...)

The real interest only comes when you play the specific classes, of course!

Cheers!

 

[Treebore]

How many sets do you find yourself needing in your game? And what is different about the new sets coming out compared to the current ones? Do they focus on traps or doorways or anything in particular?

Out of all the tiles available in PDF and hardcopy, what ones do you think are the best?

Olaf the Stout

The two sets handled setting up the main encounter of the Hill Giants steading in the first "Against the Giants" module last weekend. So pretty big.

As for what future sets are going to be like, more of the same shapes, just different "dressings", like this one has a Tavern and a couple of other areas on one side.
So future sets may be about specific types of locations, such as Temples and mages towers, maybe warehouses, ships, etc...

As for what Skeleton Key and Fat Dragon Games offers it is probably just best if you check them out in the ENWorld store. They have a fair amount.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

What about Dragon Magic? Does anyone have it? What do they think of it?

I think Dragon Magic is to the game what UA and the PHB II is to the game. Dragon Magic doesn't offer the same style of variants, but it is really well designed in the plug and play mentality. You can pick elements of the book and integrate them without feeling like you have to integrate the whole book. Personally, I like the book and it will be added to my shelf shortly. But I would say that if you don't use a world that has strong draconic themes ... the book won't be of much use. If you were looking to mine a book for feats/PrCs the complete series (pre-CPsi) would be much more useful than Dragon Magic. But if your world has draconic influence, Dragon Magic is not only implementible but done easily. And from a DMs perspective, that is a good thing!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

DCC #29: The Adventure Begins
Player's Handbook II

If you can afford both, get these.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Thanks for the info Treebore and Nonlethal Force.

I'll check out the other tile sets although the Dungeon Tiles do have the advantage that they are all ready to go without me needing to print them out on card. The downside is of course that, unlike PDF's, I can't make as many copies as I want.

Looks like Dragon Magic is out for me for now then. I may get it at a later date.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olaf the Stout]

If you can afford both, get these.

I do have enough money to get both and (at the moment) plan to do so. Unless of course someone can convince me that there is something better out there to get.

Olaf the Stout