What is Ptolus anyway?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The PDFs aren't one chapter each. Some encompass more than that, so I think the total cost of the PDFs would be less, especially if you held off on Goth-Gugamel and Jabel Shammar, both of which are high, high level and unlikely to be of immediate use/need. (Although Jabbel Shammar is a pretty scary near-epic/epic location and neat to read on that score alone. Watch what you say when there ... )

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

You seriously use 700 pages of material? I've gotten the Forgotten Realms CS when it first came out in 3.0 and can honestly say I don't think I've used more than 25% of the info in there (mainly got it for the feats, prcs and race info).

Well, I've run FR campaigns, and I can't say I have used that much of the material directly either.

But most of the setting material I've read - whatever the setting - continues to lurk in a dark corner of my mind somewhere.

And one day, it comes to the forefront. And then I erupt into maniacal laughter, and get a new idea - either for my campaign, or for my worldbuilding efforts.

I'm funny like that. Pretty much everything can inspire me to some great idea. Except for rules. Rules bore me.

 

[Banshee16]

Does Ptolus differ at all from the regular game....are the races different than in the core PHP? I noticed that the players guide references different breeds of elves, and that halflings are also known as quickling faen. That seems to indicate a certain amount of integration with Arcana Evolved. Are halflings actually statted out as quickling faen, then?

Is there much in the way of new rules in the book, or is it all fluff? Can the content be useful in other games as well?

Banshee

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Does Ptolus differ at all from the regular game....are the races different than in the core PHP? I noticed that the players guide references different breeds of elves, and that halflings are also known as quickling faen. That seems to indicate a certain amount of integration with Arcana Evolved. Are halflings actually statted out as quickling faen, then?

All the PHB races are the primary races, with a few exceptions:

* Elves aren't woodsy by default, rather, they're mariners called Shoal Elves.

* There are two subraces of dwarves. The most common one is PHB-standard, while the ones from the other end of the empire don't have anti-orc/goblin/giant skills, but rather are technologists.

There are also new minor races that Monte stresses are optional (they're all LA 1 or 2), including winged elves, Litorians and so on.

A lot of the stuff from Ptolus was lifted for Arcana Evolved, mostly flavor. It was typically reverted back to D&D standard (like the faen) when Ptolus was written up for publication, but a file on the CD-ROM talks about AEizing the setting.

Other than Litorians, no other AE races appear in the game except for a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference to Sibbecai, whom DMs are told to stat as gnolls instead of worrying about a full write-up. (Something I suspect many DMs will ignore in favor of hunting down the real stats, although their stats will be almost incidental, given where and how they show up.) The Charad Titans are also referenced, but except for a single example, they're looong gone from the setting.

 

[DM-Rocco]

The PDFs aren't one chapter each. Some encompass more than that, so I think the total cost of the PDFs would be less, especially if you held off on Goth-Gugamel and Jabel Shammar, both of which are high, high level and unlikely to be of immediate use/need. (Although Jabbel Shammar is a pretty scary near-epic/epic location and neat to read on that score alone. Watch what you say when there ... )

What is Jabbel Shammer?

Is that part of the city or just an adventure?

If it is part of the city, like shops and stuff, it sounds like what I try to incorperate into my game, although, my players would be lippy even against Asmodeous. The only time I saw them tremble was when dealing with something inside a city was when they were 8th level and the rogue guilds wizard cast a teleportation circle to get them to were they needed to go. One of them reconized it as a 9th level spell and none of them expected it from a lone rogue guild wizard.

Now that they are 14-16th level they really fear nothing and they mostly shouldn't while in a city at that level, but it is hard to teach them respect for authority at that level without killing them

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

What is Jabbel Shammer?

Is that part of the city or just an adventure?

It's one of the two ancient evil fortresses up on the spire. It's the most evil place in the world, and pretty believably so.

Now that they are 14-16th level they really fear nothing and they mostly shouldn't while in a city at that level, but it is hard to teach them respect for authority at that level without killing them

Well, Jabbel Shammar has a few quirks to make it likely they'll get full of respect pretty quick. As I recall, it was a challenge for Monte's 20-21 level characters.

 

[Banshee16]

All the PHB races are the primary races, with a few exceptions:

* Elves aren't woodsy by default, rather, they're mariners called Shoal Elves.

* There are two subraces of dwarves. The most common one is PHB-standard, while the ones from the other end of the empire don't have anti-orc/goblin/giant skills, but rather are technologists.

There are also new minor races that Monte stresses are optional (they're all LA 1 or 2), including winged elves, Litorians and so on.

A lot of the stuff from Ptolus was lifted for Arcana Evolved, mostly flavor. It was typically reverted back to D&D standard (like the faen) when Ptolus was written up for publication, but a file on the CD-ROM talks about AEizing the setting.

Other than Litorians, no other AE races appear in the game except for a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference to Sibbecai, whom DMs are told to stat as gnolls instead of worrying about a full write-up. (Something I suspect many DMs will ignore in favor of hunting down the real stats, although their stats will be almost incidental, given where and how they show up.) The Charad Titans are also referenced, but except for a single example, they're looong gone from the setting.

Are there differences like new spells, feats etc.? I know that much of the book is either adventure locations, or detailed descriptions of arease etc. But is there crunch to go with the fluff, and locations?

Banshee

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Are there differences like new spells, feats etc.? I know that much of the book is either adventure locations, or detailed descriptions of arease etc. But is there crunch to go with the fluff, and locations?

There are some new spells, a handful of new feats and a tiny handful of magic items. Oh, and a surprisingly high number of special materials to make magic items out of. (Nearly all of them great, although I find the rules for vallis to be a bit overly complicated.)

 

[DM-Rocco]

There are some new spells, a handful of new feats and a tiny handful of magic items. Oh, and a surprisingly high number of special materials to make magic items out of. (Nearly all of them great, although I find the rules for vallis to be a bit overly complicated.)

So, I take it by your signature that you have printed copy #336 of Ptolus? What do you think? Is it worth the money?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

So, I take it by your signature that you have printed copy #336 of Ptolus? What do you think? Is it worth the money?

I don't regret purchasing it by any means and think it's worth the money, yes. Of course, I'm also pretty much ODed on supplements at this point and am only looking for things that I'll actually use (like Ptolus).