bugleyman's page

Dungeons and Dragons comes surging back looking much more like the game I've always wanted.

Pros:
*This is D20 boiled down to the essentials with a smattering of the best rules from prior editions. It runs fast and doesn't introduce too much "processing overhead," letting the DM keep the focus on the story.

*Concentration reins in both complexity and caster power.

*Raises the bar on art (most of it, anyway; see Cons) and graphic design.

*Lightly armored, dex-focused melee is finally a viable option from the start.

*Plenty of race and class variety right out of the gate. All the important bases are covered. *cough* gnomes *cough*

Cons:
*The halfling art. It's just not good in a creepy, giant-head sort of way.

*Zero PDF/eBook availability (at least at the time of this writing) is a MAJOR disappointment.

*Price. $50 is a bit steep. The PHB should be subsidized a bit to lower barriers to entry. In my opinion, $40 would have been ideal. At the very least, $50 should have included a nice, saddle-stitched binding.

(****-)

If you're only buying one flip-mat, buy this. Lots of blank real estate, accepts pretty much any pen, folds down to 8" x 10". What's not to love?

While it's true some of the older products in the line had a blank side, that practice has come to an end, meaning this is your best option if you just want a portable, erasable play space. I'd suggest getting two, as together they will allow you to map pretty much anything.

(*****)

By the way, there is a run of these maps made of lighter-than-intended card stock. I have two that fit this description, and while they've held up OK, they're definitely not going to last as long as my other flip-mats. You can identify the "too thin" ones because the map is folded in a C, rather than a Z.

Edit: Both of these guys have now given up the ghost, with ink soaking through at the corners. The good news is I've since bought two more of these, and they're on a much heavier stock. It seems like the light-than-intended maps are out of the distribution channel.

I have read the contents of the set and DM'ed a group through the first section of the adventure. I really like the way the new rules function, but I'm focusing this review on the contents of the Starter Set. There are four components:

...so-so execution.

I love the design of this product, and I believe they went with a good mix of terrain types. Unfortunately, only the dungeon floor pattern is light/sparse enough to really show wet erase markers. Alas, if only the other textures were lighter and/or less busy, this would easily be a five-star product. As it is, you're better off sticking with Flip-Mat: Basic.

(***--)

One of these days, I'll learn not to edit reviews directly in my web browser. :P

Short version: The story really gets rolling in this installment. Nice mix of challenges and varied solutions, all against a flavorful backdrop. Plenty of back story...which, for a change, the players may actually have a chance to learn.

Great scenario, looking forward to part 3.

(****-)

This scenario is a basic "Go run this list of errands" outing, but at least the errands are interesting and varied. The encounters are well fleshed out, most offer multiple solutions, and all include enough information for the GM to handle player improvisation. There is plenty of opportunity for good role-playing.

The combats seem to be a bit on the easy side, but then again I did run for a group of six experienced players with well-built characters.

Better-than-average editing (at least for a Pathfinder Society scenario).

(***--)

This review is based on reading the entire book, playing one level of the dungeon (The Accursed Halls), and running two others (The Forgotten Library and the Engima Vaults)

The layout, art, and cartography in this product are excellent. The material on town of Thornkeep and environs is useful and well-done. Points of interest in the surrounding countryside, NPCs, town locations, etc. -- it's all here. There is even a full-page rumors table. Overall, things are very reminiscent of the better classic D&D products.

Once we head into the dungeons below town, however, things begin to unravel quickly. The whole dungeon feels like a series of disjointed encounters strung together with little pretense of a coherent story. Admittedly, this is to be expected to a certain degree in a project of this nature, but much of the material simply defies logic.

The last chapter is a behind-the-scenes of the upcoming Pathfinder MMO. I personally couldn't care less, and largely ignored this section, but if you're following the development of that the game, this chapter will likely be of great interest to you.

Overall, Thornkeep provides an excellent base of operations, then squanders it on a disjointed, sub-par dungeon crawl. Only the sheer excellence of the first half of the book saves the product from a lower rating.

(***--)

This review is based on the following three minis I picked up on a whim at the FLGS:

1 Skeleton
2 Lady Ghoul
4 Zombie

This second installment in the Builder Series represents an ideal selection of well-sculpted commonly-used figures. Just as in We Be Goblins, there is a lot to like here:

* The plastic is flexible where it needs to be (weapons, etc), but remains hard in the bases.
* The paint jobs are very strong, with effective use of both dry-brushes and washes.
* The cost per figure is reasonable, and the individual packaging makes a figure or two an easy impulse purchase (though it's possible that isn't an improvement, exactly ;D).

One minor complaint remains:

* There are black plastic "blobs" where some of the minis attach to the bases.

...but that's not enough to knock off a star.

It's hard to imagine a more ideal theme for a Builder Series set. Recommended without hesitation.

(*****)

Gm'ed this for a PFS group over three sessions.

The good:
-------------
* Nidal!
* Fun collection of flavorful environments
* Smooth challenge ramp
* Good mix of role-playing and exploration
* Some potentially great moral conundrums

The bad:
------------
* I would have liked more on the town and NPCs (alas, page counts)
* One encounter in particular is very brutal, especially for 3rd level PCs. You have been warned.

(****-)

Anything that can save the GM some work -- especially in a crunch-heavy game like Pathfinder -- is very welcome. I also personally appreciate the fact that this is a core-only resource (though I would welcome a non-core "NPC Codex 2," having a separate resource is convenient).

Though the book is far from a flawless, it is a great idea with solid execution, and a steal at $9.99 for the PDF (although I personally bought it in both PDF and hard copy to support the core-only design).

Here's hoping we see an NPC Codex 2!

The Good:
-------------
* The sheer amount of content is impressive -- this book could the GM a lot of work over time.
* The art is very good, though sometimes it isn't a great match for the NPC in question.
* Wide mix of character builds and concepts.
* Core only. Yay!

The Bad:
------------
* Stat block errors. They're bound to happen, but that doesn't make them welcome.
* Some of the NPCs (especially those with levels in prestige classes in light of recent ruling regarding SLAs) are not only not optimized, but downright badly designed.

(****-)

So...am I giving this book five stars because I think it is the next Game of Thrones or Bonfire of the Vanities? Nope. But I don't think it was intended to be. I'm giving it five stars because it is more than just good licensed fiction -- it's good fiction, period. And that's no small task.

One minor criticism...the adjectives and adverbs could use a trim.

I will seek out this author's work in future.
(*****)

I have played this once at run it once (at Phoenix ComiCon). What we have here is your basic sewer crawl -- nothing more, nothing less.

The good:
--------------
* A few of the conflicts can be resolved through diplomacy, clever thinking, and the use of a few obscure languages.

The bad:
--------------
* We've done this before...this is very much a "filler" scenario, with no ties to the locale, etc.

There is nothing wrong with the scenario -- it's just very routine.

(***--)

This review is based on the following four minis I picked up on a whim at the FLGS:

6 Goblin Dog
7 Goblin Warchief
10 Reta Bigbad
12 Chuffy Lickwound

My last experience with Pathfinder Battles was Rise of the Runelords, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a noticeably improved product in We Be Goblins:

* The plastic is flexible where it needs to be (weapons, etc), but remains hard in the bases.
* The paint jobs are better. Much better. The Goblin Warchief is a clear stand-out, but all of the paint jobs make effective use of washes to draw out detail.
* The cost per figure is down, and the individual packaging makes a figure or two an easy impulse purchase (though it's possible that isn't an improvement, exactly ;D).

One minor complaint remains:

* There are black plastic "blobs" where some of the minis attach to the bases.

...but that's not enough to knock off a star.

The Pathfinder Battles line has shown steady improvement with each release, but this is the first unqualified home run. Recommended.

(*****)

I was worried about what seemed like a silly premise , but I ran this @ subtier 4-5 for a table of seven and it was a blast. Calls for lots of creative thinking and teamwork, with conflicts that cannot all be resolved with violence. It is nice to see a season 4 that provides a challenge without cranking all the combats up to eleven.

A winner.

The Good:
----------
* Depicts two useful, iconic locations: A river with bridge (troll not included), and a dusty pass/ravine. I expect this guy to get a lot of use.
* Very high quality art in line with Paizo's other recent maps.

The Bad:
---------
* Thinner plastic/card stock first seen in Flip-Mat: Watch Station is still evident.
* The bridge on the river side is set diagonally relative to the grid, which can make life a bit of a pain.

(****-)

I picked this up at the FLGS on a whim, based largely on the author. I loved River King's Road, and found Mrs. Merciel to be a very nice lady when I had the chance to meet her at PaizoCon 2011, so I wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it was just OK.

The Good:
--------------
The book really conveys the feel of living in Nidal -- the horror and desperation of everyday residents, the unconscious self-loathing of the rank-and-file oppressors -- in a very immediate way. The prose is well-constructed, with evocative descriptions and many clever turns of phrase. I commend the author in this respect, and only hope I will someday be capable of this level of craft. Well done!

The Bad:
-----------
The work as a whole felt...rushed. Multiple pages were devoted to scenes of little consequence, but other, more important scenes were given little room to breathe. The plot felt disjointed, almost as if there were two books here struggling to get out, but the author couldn't quite decide where she was going. In the end, things didn't really gel into a cohesive whole, leaving the novel less than the sum of its parts.

(***--)

In the interest of full disclosure: Though I'm outspoken against what I consider rules bloat, I'll try to keep my personal bias out of my rating...which is particularly hard in this case, as UC represents the worst hardback Pathfinder rules expansion to date.

The good:
-------------
* Art and layout -- In typical Paizo fashion, this is a beautiful book.
* As with the APG, many of the spells are gems -- though most of these probably should have been in Ultimate Magic.

The bad:
------------
* Editing. Take the infamous Prone Shooter feat, which in its original form did...absolutely nothing.
* Conceptual redundancy. Ninja? That's a rogue. Samurai? Try Cavalier...or better yet, fighter.
* Lack of balance. Ninjas are just better than rogues. Snap Shot? Improved Snap Shot? AoOs with ranged weapons -- because Pathfinder archers weren't already too good before UC?

But there is a bigger problem with this book: The Asian theme. It's not bad that such a book exists -- to each their own -- but that this stuff doesn't belong in a book called Ultimate Combat. Unless you're looking for Oriental Adventures for Pathfinder...pass. Even if you are, be very careful with the balance.
(**---)

If you are a GM and don't already have a substantial collection of pre-painted minis from the heyday of the D&D miniatures line, drop what you are doing and buy one (or two) of these boxes. Even if you do have a good selection of minis, these pawns are well worth the cost of admission for use at conventions or in other GMing on the go.

Either way, this box has joined the Condition Cards and Flip-Mat: Basic on my short list of must-have products that deliver crazy value for Pathfinder GMs.

(*****)

When Paizo took over producing the art for the flip-mats from Steel Sqwire several years ago, the quality took a noticeable leap forward -- and the art employed here marks another such leap. The terrain is simply awash in fine detail. This is probably the best-looking "table-scale" art I've ever seen in a gaming product.

I believe this is also the first flip-mat to depict a forest unmarked by paths or other signs of civilization, making it a very useful addition to my GMing toolbox.

(*****)

Just ran this @ subtier 1-2 for a table of six, five of whom were first level (including the rogue and ninja pre-gens). Overall a well-rounded module, with opportunities to shine both in and out of combat -- but be warned, the combats are brutal. I would avoid running this with a party of all first level characters, and I definitely wouldn't run this as anyone's intro to Society play.

Play in a five-hour slot if at all possible -- we finished in four, but had to rush a bit at the end.

Just ran this @ subtier 1-2 for a table of six, four of whom were first level.

The good:
--------------
* Goblins
* Strong mix of encounters
* Multiple ways to improvise and overcome some of the challenges

The bad:
--------------
* A few of the faction missions could have been clearer
* One of the encounters could have used some clarification of possible negative consequences...

The ugly:
----------------

A good time was had all around.
(****-)

Full disclosure: I do not have (nor am I planning to purchase) the entire Rise of the Runelords set. This review is based on my ownership of the following minis:

9 Ogrekin
11 Denizen of Leng
12 Redcap
25 Harsk, Dwarf Ranger
36 Shalelu Androsana
44 Yeti
46 Jagraath Kreeg
47 Lucrecia

First of all, there are a lot of improvements over Heroes and Monsters here:

* The plastic is softer where it needs to be (weapons, etc), but remains hard in the bases
* The paint jobs are better -- the only truly poor job is the Denizen of Leng, and average quality is up
* The packaging has been cut back (though could stand to be reduced further)

However, a few niggles from H&M remains:

* There are black plastic "blobs" where some of the minis attach to the bases
* The large bases and just a tiny bit larger than DDM large bases -- meaning so items designed for DDM (like my Dapper Devil markers) don't fit

The big problem that prevents me from buying these in volume (despite my love of all things RotRL) remains the price, especially with the huge figures. $25 a pop is simply far more than I'm willing to pay. Shave $10 and we'll talk. At these prices, the volume on huge figures will be so low that they're almost certain to lose money, and I fear that less astute observers might conclude that huge figures simply aren't viable. In fact, getting the price of entire line down -- even ten or fifteen percent -- may well make the line more profitable, and certainly more sustainable.

(****-)

I picked these up on a whim at PaizCon 2011, and I haven't regretted it once. They're basically ColorForms for your battlemat. They stick really well to the included plastic-coated backing boards, and are super easy to transport. These are a surprisingly effective way to spice up a map quickly, and work especially well with flip mats. Flat-out great for the Pathfinder Society GM toolbox or others on the go. This specific set is particularly compelling, as it comes with a very appealing selection for a great price.

Only the the art keeps this from being a five-star product. It isn't bad, but it is simple and a a bit on the cartoony side.

(****-)

In my opinion the APG really represents Paizo making the game their own, which is a nice thing to see, but also means the material herein hasn't seen nearly the real-world play-testing of many of the rules elements in the Core Rulebook.

The good:
-------------
* Art and layout -- In typical Paizo fashion, this is a beautiful book
* Traits
* Many of the spells are gems
* New metamagic feats really open up options
* Neat new non-magical equipment

The bad:
------------
* Many of the new base classes lack thematic identity. Witch and summoner cover the same ground as wizard or sorcerer, Cavalier is well covered by fighter with certain feats, etc.
* Lack of balance. *cough* summoner *cough*

I appreciate Paizo expanding the system past its OGL roots, but I would rather have seen of an emphasis on rules elements which didn't largely cover the same conceptual ground as the CRB (In the interest of full disclosure: I'm outspoken against what I consider rules bloat, but I'm trying to keep my personal bias out of my rating). (****-)

I've seen this from both sides of the table -- playing it first, then running it.

The scenario has a straightforward premise, and the early going is unremarkable. Then a fun NPC crops up along the way, and the scenario culminates in one of the most memorable battles I've encountered in PFS.

I like the inclusion of a custom item. However, this particular item is far too expensive for what it does.

(****-)