~B4Real
Alright rules on creating towns or communities with some examples. Heck of alot more atmosphere notes. Brief descriptions of the Domains and Darklords. Rules for making and using Sinkholes of Evil.
Section on fortune telling that works nicely with the Tarokka deck includes info on the dice set from Forbidden Lore.
-Eric Gorman
The details on the Sinkholes of Evil and the fortunetelling, alone, make it worth the coverprice, but it also includes tons of tidbits that are very much worth having.
The tips on instilling horror are nice. Most are common sense, but it's worth the time that's spent on it, especially for newer DMs.
The section on cursed items is fantastic, particularly since that section in the regular DMG is somewhat lackluster. Plus, it includes info on artifacts like the Fang of the Nosferatu and The Wishing Imp, which are just golden.
The time spent with cut-scenes, as well, is great. I've been DMing for years, and they hadn't even occured to me as a potential usage before reading the guide. Very nice work, there.
Originally posted by Platinumwarlock
I enjoyed it quite thorougly, ranking it below only Van Richten's Arsenal, in the products that I own.
The details on the Sinkholes of Evil and the fortunetelling, alone, make it worth the coverprice, but it also includes tons of tidbits that are very much worth having.
The tips on instilling horror are nice. Most are common sense, but it's worth the time that's spent on it, especially for newer DMs.
The section on cursed items is fantastic, particularly since that section in the regular DMG is somewhat lackluster. Plus, it includes info on artifacts like the Fang of the Nosferatu and The Wishing Imp, which are just golden.
The time spent with cut-scenes, as well, is great. I've been DMing for years, and they hadn't even occured to me as a potential usage before reading the guide. Very nice work, there.
Ok thanks gentlemen(And ladies too if one of you is female.), I think I will pick one up how much was it?
~B4Real
Got it at Walden's, though, so take 10% off of that.
Originally posted by Platinumwarlock
It's 'gent' over here....and the RL DMG cost me $35, I believe...
Got it at Walden's, though, so take 10% off of that.
LoL...I have a PREFERRED READER'S CARD too!
~B4Real
The new magic items and associated curses and flavor for their use was absoluty great and has inspired 3 of my adventures so far. I used the regenerative armor as a base for a cursed suit and had it slowly graft to the bearer and eventualy start having him exibit construct traits till they could get the cursed thing removed. great adventures to be had with that book
Hats off to the makers for this one
Originally posted by Keen_Man
great book tones of useful tidbits and worth the bucks. I buy at wholesale so I have no clue the "real" price snicker. Love working at a games wholesaler!
The new magic items and associated curses and flavor for their use was absoluty great and has inspired 3 of my adventures so far. I used the regenerative armor as a base for a cursed suit and had it slowly graft to the bearer and eventualy start having him exibit construct traits till they could get the cursed thing removed. great adventures to be had with that book
Hats off to the makers for this one
now I want one. I think I am going to hit Walden's this weekend.~B4Real
It should be noted that there are some oddities in the magic items, though. I'll outline them later when I take some time to really peruse the book (right now I'm browsing and catching up on 4 web forums-- simultaneously!).
Very useful to have, particularly with the new Prophet NPC class.
Sigh.. alas poor money, I knew you well.. *sniff*
In the Wands section, it's noted that "A wand is a magic item that allows a wizard or sorceror to cast a spell he knows again and again, usually up to 50 times. Just as any living human form can hide a taint of evil, wands get more interesting when you can disguise them as other items." Examples following include a key that casts knock, a severed hand that casts spectral hand, and a flask that casts bless when you take a sip from it.
Now, from the view of allowing players to find these items, I actually like this a lot-- but I can just imagine when some rules lawyer starts arguing about whether a spellcaster who only has the Craft Wand Feat can go around making things that look like potions or wondrous items without having those feats as well...
[Actually, for those who have had long RL campaigns: have any spellcasting PCs had a go at making magic items?]
More problematically, in the Wondrous Items section we start seeing hints of the power check creep that's dogging the RLPHB now. For example, the death shades, eyeglasses that basically cast the deathwatch spell, require a powers check every time they're used, despite the fact that deathwatch is one of the (rare) necromantic spells that does not require a powers check!
The item that would really generate headaches for DMs (and, I suspect, Azalin, though he shut down before anyone could ask about it) is the hell house, a sort of corrupt version of the rod of security. It is noted in the item's description: "When the owner steps inside, he must make an immediate powers check. If he fails, he immediately becomes the darklord of this pocket domain. (The user may choose to willingly fail this check.)" However, it appears from the item description that the owner doesn't become a true darklord, as he can leave the house freely at a chosen point, and there is no note of what effect, if any, the powers check needed to run the house has when the owner is back in the real world. So why use a powers check at all? Why not a Will save, with powers checks only coming from using the house to abuse guests or perform other power-checks-worthy actions?
Sure, the item can simply be never used by DMs, but I think its existence probably should've been more of a warning sign than we first realized...
Originally posted by Brandi
[Actually, for those who have had long RL campaigns: have any spellcasting PCs had a go at making magic items?]
Never. Not once.
In all my years of DMing, I haven't had any PCs take any "item creation" feats, nor have any ever expressed any interest in either creating new spells or in making items for themselves or others.
Not sure why, either. Kind of strange...
Originally posted by Brandi
[Actually, for those who have had long RL campaigns: have any spellcasting PCs had a go at making magic items?]
I had a player that actually was aiming for the Alchemical Philosopher prc once. But then he went and killed himself. And I do mean kill himself: he had his PC swallow a pint of acid, and took a nosedive of the Widows-walk in Port-a-Lucine.
Now, me and my friends are adult so we don't have the time to play everyday like when I was a kid. In a year, we're lucky if we play every two weeks so they don't have the time to do anything except adventuring.
Suming it up, however, this is an excellent resource for Ravenloft DMs. I'd buy it for the Tarokka & Dikesha chapter alone. The cutscenes, the NPC listings, all is excellent.
Originally posted by Charney
What I really didn't like about the magic items is that they were all bland. Look at those in Relics and Rituals or the VRA. They all have an history behind them.
I think that was a matter of space-- note that VRA (and Forged of Darkness) have far less magic items than that RLDMG section.
That said, I liked the examples of low-tech-but-enchanted items (hide armor, stone weapons), and *someone* working on that section betrayed a fondness for Tim Burton...
Originally posted by Keen_Man
Huh thats odd almost every 2nd spellcaster in my games takes at least the brew potions so they can make scrolles and potions that the party can use in emergencies. I have had one character take his wizard and turn him into a magic item generating machine. not to many unique ones but I have never seen so many pairs of gloves of dex and belts of strength. He did not advance in levels to fast but the other party members sure protected him....:D
KM,
I have never had a pc express a large interest in creating magic items. My pc's are more interested in advancing in levels.
~B4Real
I do find my ravenloft game holds the most interest and love of the game for the players. the setting is just so rich with history and feeling for the land. Its a great setting
Originally posted by Keen_Man
most of my players are more interested in the story than advancing. except on eof them he is a munchkin. but its a good group. heh I have a waiting list of ppl who want to join my games actualy. knowing the local game store manager and wholesalers has its benifits.
I do find my ravenloft game holds the most interest and love of the game for the players. the setting is just so rich with history and feeling for the land. Its a great setting
Yeah I have a hook up with the local hobby store as well. As a matter of fact my RL campaign I am running now got it's running start at the local Halloween game-or-treat.
I would say that a few of my players are power gamers(In my regular games) usually but in RL they are doing well at role playing their characters out.
~B4Real
Originally posted by Charney
What I really didn't like about the magic items is that they were all bland. Look at those in Relics and Rituals or the VRA. They all have an history behind them.
Glad to hear that you liked the magic items in Van Richten's Arsenal.
Chris Nichols
Originally posted by CNichols
Glad to hear that you liked the magic items in Van Richten's Arsenal.
Chris Nichols
Yup, liked them a lot and also the "in character" way they were described. Now even in a book not narrated in character, magic items shouldn't be just a list of items. Same think with spells, I loved how they were all unique in VRA.