Writing is a strange muse. At once it can feel arduous and difficult; but when I get into the groove I not only get going, I feel great for doing so.
After a month-long hiatus for the
You're Gonna Die Screaming review, I feel both happy and relieved that I could do it without leaving yet another abandoned thread.
I recall people earlier saying how my threads (both on Min-Max and elsewhere) got them interested in the books in question, and I really want to show off some sourcebooks I feel are both good and can use a bit more love.
As of now these products are on my list of plans. As they vary widely in length I'm probably going to do them in order of least to most work, and I don't want to hold myself to a schedule either.
Ones marked with an asterisk are High Priority Reviews.In the Works
Deep Magic: A very popular Pathfinder book full of not just new magic, but new subsystems, magical schools, etc. Made as a collaboration between D&D industry veterans such as Ed Greenwood, Margaret Weis, Wolfgang Baur, and others.
Genius Guide to the Godling: By Super Genius Games, this is a toolbox sort of class where the character claims descent from a deity. They have a list of mystic powers to choose from much like rogue talents which grant them powers based upon certain divine portfolios. Is actually 4 classes: Mighty Godling, Clever Godling, Eldritch Godling, and Mystic Godling.
Heroes of Thornwall: By Mechanical Muse. Meant to serve as a campaign starter, the author is confident enough in his project to release the PDF for free. It is a sort of mini-setting where the PCs are 1st-level folk just beginning to take up the mantle of adventurer, and promises mechanics for establishing community ties with the hometown.
In the Company of Dragons: One of the most popular 3rd party Pathfinder books, this provides an alternate racial archetype or a full 20 level racial class which allows you to play as a motherfucking dragon! Of course it doesn't adhere to the bestiary stats, but a lot of the dragon's core abilities (natural weapons, massive size, breath weapons and flight, etc) can be replicated with this product. It also has an interesting in-character explanation of draconic culture.
Maximum X-Crawl: Set in a modern alternate Earth where dragons and magic exist, the PCs are contestants in a wildly popular reality game show where they have to go through a dungeon obstacle course. Fame and prizes await the lucky winner, injury, disgrace, and even death for those who are not. It's pretty much like Ultimate Ninja Warrior if you had to fight monsters and dodge traps.
New Paths Compendium: By Kobold Press. A collection of new classes, archetypes, spells, and feats. Many of them are popular picks, from the benevolent white necromancer (a personal favorite of mine) to the spell-less ranger.
Parsantium: City at the Crossroads: A relatively system-less setting book for a fantasy counterpart Constantinople. Helped serve as an inspiration for my Arcana High game, and combines many tropes in interesting ways. Nordic imperial bodyguards, gnoll mercenaries, lotus-chewing mystics, and a Roman-style gladiatorial Colosseum are but a few interesting features.
Path of War*: Yes, I realize I already have a review in hiatus, but I plan on getting back to it as a priority.
Ponyfinder Campaign Setting: One of the most popular Pathfinder campaign settings, this book's actually pretty neat. Equine fey are the dominant race, not humans, and magical wonders are commonplace.
Primeval Thule: A Conanesque Sword & Sorcery setting with some novel ideas. Divine spellcasters gain their ability via the joining of mystery cults who make up the upper class of many cities; iron weapons and armor are treasured possessions crafted only by talented dwarven artisans; serpent folk and rakshasa plot domination of the young human lands while living glaciers slowly consume the land of the north. The elves are a dying civilization, their economy shattered and people addicted to the hallucinogenic black milk peddled by cultists of Nyarlathotep. It is a harsh land of ancient secrets and the so-called "civilized" city-states are just as cruel, if not more so, than the barbarian clans who eke out an existence in the many wild places of the world.
Spheres of Power*: This is getting a lot of attention in the D&D fandom, from Giant in the Playground to a lot of sales. Sadly there's no reviews for it, in that it has a novel idea of doing away with Vancian magic in favor of a set of themed spheres (conjuration, darkness, life, etc) which grants a spellcaster power over specific aspects of reality.
The Adequate Commoner: A general-purpose sourcebook to a Commoner-centric party. Ranging from advice to new traits, feats, equipment, and other material meant for this kind of game, it's definitely one of the most unorthodox sourcebooks I've come across for a campaign idea.
The Red Dragon Inn, Guide to Inns & Taverns*: I ran a two or three session using rules from this sourcebook before it became abandoned. It's pretty much "Sims Fantasy Tavern," with in-depth rules for business management of the most iconic of fantasy tropes. It has a new Artisan class (like an upgraded Commoner who's a master at skill stuff), magical food and alcohol and the means to craft them, new rules for baking, building maintenance, gambling, and other fun tavern things.
Finished Reviews
Path of Shadows: A new sourcebook of crunchy umbral goodness, from a new sneaky gish nightblade class, all kinds of spells (not just illusion), and more. One of my faves so far.
Review Link.Rule Zero: Underlings: A new system for creating all sorts of minions on the fly with minimal prep work. This is one of my most-used supplements as a GM.
Review Link.Secrets of the Masquerade Reveler: From the makers of In the Company of Dragons, the Masquerade Reveler is a Barbarian archetype of a person who was exposed to the fey realms. When "raging" they can adopt the masks of various fey and animals, gaining their abilities. Masks basically use the evolution points mechanics of a Summoner's Eidolon, where each mask has its own abilities and bonuses.
Review Link.Spears of the Dawn: An OSR (old school revolution) D&D retroclone drawing inspiration from medieval Africa.
Review Link.The War Dancer: This is a mobile melee fighter who uses a per-round Dance ability which functions like Rage in that it grants personal abilities to the war dancer. It is also a spontaneous wisdom-based caster which can learn up to 4th level spells.
Review link.You're Gonna Die Screaming: A Pay What You Want sister product to the Adequate Commoner. Deals with CharOps for Commoner PCs and parties.
Review Link.
