I really like chessex's speckled dice range. They appear to be good quality and roll random. These 34mm dice are great for primary or the special attacks. I use them to show off in front of my players.
I have twilight, blue star and cobolt. I would recommend staying away from the dice with red numbering as I find them hard to read. Dice like granite and air. Twilight would be one of the more easier to read as it has bright gold numbers.
This is another high quality product from Paizo. I would rate it 4.5 out of 5 but will round up this time.
The background of the city as well as the current state of play is surperb. It makes me want to jump in there straight away and play. Have not participated in the PFS yet, this book makes me what to get involved in the politics and excitement. I should also mention that there is a small amount of artwork but what is present is up to scratch.
There are no player options in this book and I would recommend it to any DM. Saying that, there is plenty for a player to get out of the book for character background and knowledge to enhance RP.
You receive a 30% discount off cover price the AP when you subscribe AS WELL AS a free pdf!!!
Also the Pathfinder Advantage is unbelievable - 15% off retail on all products purchased from paizo.com, so long as they are not non-paizo downloadable files. This along with shipping discounts make subscribing simply AWESOME.
Not only are Paizo Patherfinder (Gamemastery) modules some of the best in the business they offer more information on the world of Golarion. You receive the books and a free copy of the pdf. Plenty of shipping options as well. A must for any worthy DM.
I have always had a thing for ancient Egypt. I was looking forward to Paizo's take on this world and I was not disappointed with the materials and artwork in this books as it really sets the scene for this part of the world.
Though as Paizo experiments with the Campanion layout, notable sections were missing from this codex. There are no additional traits particularly regional ones. The captial city was discussed in great detail but no map was supplied.
There was some interesting additions such as the prestiage class and I was very happy to see the necromancy school get new spells that were useful. There also was new feats that were based around the them, particularly for tomb robbers.
Overall, a good book for a collecter and with the new AP Legacy of Fire it will assist any play group. I can not help feel that the timing of this book's release was wrong as it is more of an enhancement than an exciting lead into Osirion as one would expect from the title and the purpose the Companion series. I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 and sticking true to my rating system I round down.
I received this item in Paizo's "Treasure Chest". I am think it is worth getting but there are some short comings.
The graphics is colourful and this item offers you three types of inn layouts ranging from poor to wealth inns. It also is link to the adventure TC1 Into the haunted woods which is a bonus.
The major concern for me as that there is no key for this product. Sure there three, six piece inn tiles but how do they go together. I had to stop and think about that and in hindsight it would have been good to place the key on the back from the front page and/or number the pieces.
As mentioned before, the card stock is thinner than expected as well as the pieces are no laminated which would have made this product perfect.
Over all, well worth any DM getting to add atmosphere to their campaign.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that this pack as arrows on the map to show how the bits are connected together. Also, after some use, the title curl up at the edges. I store the titles in a zip lock bag when not in use.
This excellent quality item does exactly what it is meant to do but for its specific purpose it is a little over priced. Not as bad as the GameMastery Spell Templates: Miniatures Skirmish or Spell Effects Package so I would rate this item 4.5 out of 5 where it loses half a start for the cost. As it is not perfect so I give it 4.
There are alot of postives for this item. The packaging is excellent as you can store the 3 piece set in a resealable plastic insert that is punch with holes for a 3 ring binder. The mechanism of clipping the 60ft extension is simple and easy to use. The sets can also come in a a few different colours that help the templates stand out or you can overlay different effects.
This is an excellent product that makes it quick and easy to determine effects on a combat map but not good value for money.
You can not knock the quality or the role this product serves. Most spell/effect templates are cardboard or clear transparenacies that require your to lift up up map pieces or to guess by holding over the map. It just slips right onto the map over pieces no problem. It also supplies a wide variety of shapes for different effects which make it useful. I also have to report that the packaging of this product is a highlight as you can store the pieces in a resealable plastic insert that is punch with holes for a 3 ring binder.
My biggest concern is cost. It most certainly is very over priced. You could attempt make this yourself with time and patience - out of cloth-hanger wire. But I do have to say that Steel Sqwire does an excellent job of craftmanship and choice of colours. The colours allow multiple effects to be laid on top of one another. A good idea if you can afford it.
If you have the cash I would recommend you get this item and to look around as retailers and online shops have these items on special. I tried to get the steel one but was unable and ended up with the Black Template. Black is excellent and really sends out on the battle map.
I picked this product up on ebay for 2USD 12 months or so ago and I never regretted doing so.
This is a top quality softcover book that is typical of Paizo. It is of the same ilk as the Pathfinder adventure path in terms of quality of product - both materials and illustrations.
I like the DC knowledge checks for creatures and this book certainly increased my access to these sorts of tables. Having the ecology background also has lead me to "play" some of these characters better and more logically for my players enjoyment.
I highly recommend this book to DMs. It would have been nice to have more monsters and in hardback but this would have greatly increased the cost. If you do not have the magazines like me this book will help fill in some pieces of the monster puzzle.
Dice are dice right?... not always the case. Chessex are produces of extremely high quality dice.
Dice should be easy to use and easily seen. Some combinations of "speckling" and number colour make it difficult to read the numbers. Do yourself a favour and examine the pictures careful. I would advoid sets like granite and artic camo as they are hard to read, particularly granite. Stick to ones like cobolt or blue stars as they are much easier to read.
PS. I would highly recommend the twilight set as they are by far the easiest to read.
This product had the potential to be any DMs dream to support a campaign. Though it did deliver what it was described to do I was a little disappointed.
The map quality is excellent though as suggested before the maps are the same size as found in the books which is a shame as most deserve a full page. I have had the 2 larger maps laminanted and they have come up a treat and the players can clearly see the geography when planning and discussion character moves. I would have like to see the detailed map of the local geography (the one that shows Edgar's Woods) in the larger format as this is probably more useful than the other large maps, particularly at the early stages of the campaign.
I would have like to seen that the players handouts be produced and supplied in this pack. I realise it is a map folio but for future adventure path support perhaps just a "folio" will do where handouts are included. Also, instead of sending the maps out in a manilla folder perhaps a simple document wallet as it will make housing and transporting the material alot easier without fears of damaging them.
I recommend this product to DMs running the RotRL campaign. It will make the game more enjoyable for your players and easier for you to manage.
I received this product as part of Paizo "Treasure Chest". I always thought I could use a good campaign book but as I discovered when you using pre-made materials this book ends up being redundant object.
I received a 2nd edition book that is well made but it did surprise me on how bulky and small the book was. There certainly are alot of different types of pages and I can see the use for a DM who is creating a world/campaign. I certainly did not need this as alot of the pre-made games you get do a good job tracking information and by simply purchasing a 40c feint ruled exercise pad does the job equally as well.
I can not recommend this item to anyone except the most creative DM or world/campaign builder. I would suggest to Paizo digital files of templates of the various sections be made available for purchase as it would be generally more useful than the physical book.
This is a high quality, in all aspects, adventure/campaign book that is worth getting in print and pdf. I would have liked to give this product 4.75 out of 5. 5 means perfect and though there are minor (very minor) issues I am rounding up.
The book's layout is physically perfect and uses superior quality paper much better than most paper used by other companies for their "adventure path" eqivalents. Sections are set out in a logical fashion: Adventure; background enhancements; Pathfinder journal; Bestiary and Pregenerated Characters. These are all the materials that a DM needs to fashion a long term campaign.
Unlike other reviews, this is most certainly not vanilla and I would refute the calls for "more icing". For sure added extras would be fantastic but there is all you need to create and personalise RotRL into your own game. There is just enough for the inexperience DM to run the adventure linearly and enough "holes" for a veteran DM to be creative and add their own take to the storyline.
An unrated aspect of this product is the support. There are multiple forum postings that support DMs and players who are experiencing this campaign. There forums are STILL alive and questions can be asked and global responses received. The Paizo staff listen and where there are unseen shortcomings have been realised support products have been released for purchase to enhance, ie, Maps.
The only thing I am not fused on is the Pathfinder Journal as it has no direct relevance to the adventure path itself. It is background for sure but I would think that the section would be better served as a separate book. This would save on product cost and S&H. I would not rate this as a minor issue or higher.
This is one of the best if not the best opener for a campaign I have ever read, played or DMed. I HIGHLY recommend this product to any DM, beginning or experienced, to purchase and run.
This excellent quality item does exactly what it is meant to do but for its specific purpose it is a little over priced. Not as bad as the GameMastery Spell Templates: Miniatures Skirmish Package so I would rate this item 4.5 out of 5 where it loses half a start for the cost. As it is not perfect I give it 4.
There are alot of postives for this item. The packaging is excellent as you can store the 3 piece set in a resealable plastic insert that is punch with holes for a 3 ring binder. The mechanism of clipping the 60ft extension is simple and easy to use. The sets can also come in a a few different colours that help the templates stand out or you can overlay different effects.
I highly recommend this product to someone looking for straight cone templates.
This is an excellent product that makes it quick and easy to determine effects on a combat map but not good value for money. The cost and the line of sight indicator remove a star respectively from my rating.
You can not knock the quality or the role this product serves. Most spell/effect templates are cardboard or clear transparenacies that require your to lift up up map pieces or to guess by holding over the map. It just slips right onto the map over pieces no problem. It also supplies a wide variety of shapes for different effects which make it useful. I also have to report that the packaging of this product is a highlight as you can store the pieces in a resealable plastic insert that is punch with holes for a 3 ring binder.
My biggest concern is cost. It most certainly is very over priced. You could attempt make this yourself with time and patience - out of cloth-hanger wire. But I do have to say that Steel Sqwire does an excellent job of craftmanship and choice of colours. The colours allow multiple effects to be laid on top of one another. A good idea if you can afford it.
Also, this package comes with a line of sight indicator. This item can be purchased separately and I have reviewed the item there. Its spring loaded action is a finger wacking nightmare and it is a waste of time and should be omitted from the set to lower the cost.
If you have the cash I would recommend you get this item and to look around as retailers and online shops have these items on special. I picked up my steel set 18 months ago for 7.50USD before postage.
I wanted to get a product to help me with line of sight so I was please to pick this item up in the GameMastery Spell Templates: Miniatures Skirmish Package. I was very disappoint with the mechanism that this device uses and in the middle of a miniature intense map this item is useless.
The major issues are that you have to hold the end where the miniature sits and the sting out of the indicator is spring loaded and can not be locked into place. I have medium sized hands with fat fingers and placing this into the miniature map with alot of miniatures is impossible with out moving and shifting items on the map. Also unlike the picture of this product it is not easy to rest the miniature on top of the indicator as the spring load string pulls it along!
I would not recommend this item to anyone to buy separately but it does come in the GameMastery Spell Templates: Miniatures Skirmish Package as stated earlier. I would suggest you get a long piece of string or twine and winding it between your fingers as you will have more control and save yourself a few dollars to spend on other things.
I would have rated this very good product a 4.5 stars as it is perfect for me to insert as a side trek adventure for my playgroup in RotRL. The adventure was modified for a 2nd level party as it was easy to expand the basic encounters. I ran this module in the north western section of the Whisperwood south of the Lost Coast Road.
The layout is excellent and it is really designed for beginner DMs to start off their first campaign. It can equally be used as side trek or by an experienced DM to begin a new campaign. This module is different to a most of the Pathfinder modules as it instructs the DM what maps and item cards from Paizo to use to enhance the adventure.
A major issue is the lack of encounter tables that could be used while travelling between sites. This is easily fixed by using encounter tables that can be found from a number of different publishers' books. A minor issue is the setting the adventure in Golarion's Arthfell forest. I would have kept it as a generic forest but it is easy to put it into any forest in any campaign a DM wishes. It can be linked to other modules as it is not far from Darkmoon Vale.
I highly recommend to get this product in Paizo's Treasure Chest product if you are a beginning DM.
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