Tag: Review

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Book Reviews

Review: Monster Manual (5e D&D)

monster-manual-5e-coverGamers can pick up their own copy of the 5e Monster Manual today at premier gaming stores. For everyone else the Monster Manual hits shelves on September 30. This is a tricky book to review because it’s just a monster cyclopedia. If you want official 5e monsters stats then you’re going to buy this book no matter what the reviews say.

To help you decide if you should purchase the new 5e Monster Manual I’ve listed 15 things I like about the Monster Manual and 5 things I don’t like. I’ve tried to be fair with my praise and criticisms so that you can make an informed decision about this quality and value of this book before you buy it.

The fact that my pros outweigh my cons by 3:1 should give you a pretty good idea of where I stand. I think this book is fantastic and you’re about to find out why.

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Editorial

Review: D&D Starter Set (5e)

starter-set-coverWelcome to D&D 5e. Yesterday Wizards of the Coast officially launched the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons by releasing the D&D Basic Rules online and the D&D Starter Set in select FLGS (Friendly Local Gaming Shops). For the past year and a half many D&D enthusiasts participated in the playtest of the new rules dubbed D&D Next. Although the D&D 5e rules look a lot like the final version of the playtest there have been some changes and dare I say improvements made since then. The playtest is over and the real thing is here.

It’s been a long time since Wizards released a new gaming supplement that you could by at your FLGS and hold in your hands. The D&D Starter Set is the first product released in the 5e lineup with the other iconic rulebooks coming out over the next few months.

The D&D Starter Set is like a delicious appetizer. You knew you were hungry when you ordered it but you didn’t realize how hungry until you took your first bite. It’s delicious and it leaves you wanting more. You know that the main course is coming soon, but this will certainly hold you over until then.

Before I go on and talk about what’s in the box, let me tell you that I haven’t yet looked at the D&D Basic Rules available on the Wizards of the Coast website. The D&D Starter Set is supposed to include enough details that you can open the box, read the materials, and begin playing. I wanted to look at this product with that mindset.

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Player Resources

The Shardmind

With the release of the PHB3 we have four new player character races to add to our available choices. Today I want to consider the Shardmind, beings of raw psionic energy barely contained in a body of gleaming crystalline shards.The Shardmind is built for the purpose of supporting the new psionic power source classes. Of course the Shardmind is also capable of doing much more than this as the player can select how they’d like their ability scores distributed. I’m of mixed minds about the Shardmind, part of me wants to love this race, another part isn’t too sure.

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Book Reviews

Review: Martial Power 2

Do any of us really need Martial Powers 2? As a DDI subscriber, I’ve really struggled with whether or not I should purchase the various “Power” books. After all, the class powers, feats, paragon paths, epic destinies, rituals and background options will all be rolled into the next update of Character Builder. I can run out and purchase the book when it’s released or I can wait two or three weeks and, as part of the price I’ve already paid for my DDI subscription, I’ll have access to all of this material anyway. With a cover price of $29.95 for each book (or $37.00 for us Canadians) the additional costs can really add up over a year.

Normally when reviewing a D&D accessory like this one, I’d simply ask myself, “What’s the quality of the content like?” and “Do I think I’ll use this book often enough to warrant buying it?” However, knowing that many us (myself included) have DDI subscriptions, I have to also add the question, “Why should I buy this book if I’ve got Character Builder?” So with that in mind I’ll give you a rundown of Martial Powers 2. I’ll highlight the good and bad, and I’ll try to provide enough information that you can make an informed decision for yourself.

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Book Reviews

Dungeon Master’s Guide 2: Skill Challenges

dmg2The Dungeon Master’s Guide 2 comes out today and I’m very excited to have my copy! As there have already been several sneak peaks and advanced reviews, I’m not going to spend time rewriting what’s already out there. Instead I want to talk about something that is important to the team here at Dungeon’s Master, skill challenges.

That there is an expanded section on skill challenges in the DMG 2 is no surprise. Wizards of the Coast knew that there was more work to be done on the subject.

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Book Reviews Eberron

Review: Dragon War

dragon-warDragon War
(Draconic Prophecies, Book 3)
James Wyatt

An Eberron Novel

Dragon War, the third and final installment in James Wyatt’s Draconic Prophecies comes out today. When I received my copy on Thursday, I couldn’t put it down. It was great.

Although you don’t have to read Storm Dragon and Dragon Forge to understand and enjoy Dragon War, it certainly helps. I enjoyed the other two books in this series a great deal and strongly recommend them to Eberron fans. Both are now available in soft cover.

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Book Reviews DM Resources Eberron

Review: Eberron Campaign Guide

eberron-campaign-guide-01I’ve got the Eberron Campaign Guide. Get an advanced preview of each and every chapter including information about The Lord of Blades, King Kaius III and the brand new Dragonmarked House: House Tarkanan.

Before I get into the chapter by chapter review I wanted to comment on a few of the overall elements. The art in this book is fantastic. You’ll be blown away when you see Wayne Reynolds’ cover painting of The Lord of Blades, Ralph Horsley’s adventurers battling a huge Warforged, Chippy’s Warforged hanging off the side of the airship and (my personal favourite) Chippy’s dragon emerging from the water grasping a swordfish. Almost all the art is new (I only recognized two pictures from previous books).

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Book Reviews Eberron Player Resources

Review: Eberron Player’s Guide (Part 2)

eberron-players-guide-01The wait is over. We have the Eberron Player’s Guide now and we’re reviewing the entire book today. We’re revealing everything about the feats, the magic items and most importantly the Dragonmarks. We covered the races and the classes in the Eberron Player’s Guide Review (part 1) that we posted earlier today. Now we complete the review and reveal all the remaining secrets.

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Book Reviews Eberron Player Resources

Review: Eberron Player’s Guide

eberron-players-guide-01Changes are happening in Eberron. The Eberron Player’s Guide hits shelves next week, but we have our copy now and we’re going to share with you all of its greatness. This is the first of two posts that we are publishing today. So if you’re a fan of Eberron already or just curious to see where this campaign setting is going with 4e D&D, then keep reading.

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Book Reviews Humour

What Monster Are You?

Monster Manual 2 hits shelves today. Ameron got his copy last week and wrote up a killer early review. So far there seems to be a consensus among the gaming community that the Monster Manual 2 is the latest must-have book. As more blogs post their own reviews we’ll see just how much love for the Monster Manual 2 is out there. We gave it 10 on a d10. So be sure to pick up your own copy of the Monster Manual 2 and give your PCs fair warning. Or just ambush them with new monsters, it’s your call.

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