Evocative City Sites (PFRPG) Print/PDF Bundle

Overall not a very well put together book. Some good ideas buried in there, but the layout of the book makes it somewhat annoying to look for such.

Namely, my main problem with the book is the first person story introduction to each site that takes up valuable page space that could be better used for actual descriptions of the maps provided. And the maps themselves are somewhat lacking in and of themselves as well.

Most of the sites were not of much interest to me, but the clockwork tower was really interesting and pretty much the only one that was descriptive enough to get a clear picture of the site. The only other site i liked was Kavit M Tor's Emporium, which had enough good ideas to warrant spending time to flesh it out more, and unlike others i have noticed, i had no liking or disliking of the pun used in the title of the store. I think it was subtle enough to be acceptable.

Some of the other sites have some small parts here and there that are worth plucking out and using for other sites, but overall they were either not descriptive enough or just plain uninteresting.

FACTS

This is 88-pages-long book containing 9 places to visit, 32 statblocks (a little more, if one were to count familiars) of NPCs and monsters living there, unique related magic items and feats, simple plot hooks, quite lengthy story-like accounts by nameless narrator, floor plans with obligatory grid and several tables for random effects.
Credits go to Rob Manning, Richard Biggs Jr, T. H. Gulliver, Miranda N. Russel, Jonathan McAnulty, Steven D. Russell, Mark Gedak, Shane O'Conner and Benjamin Bruck.

My bias: I needed a few good NPCs and weird places quickly to fill empty spaces in somewhat derailed campaign. The formula of the book fit it perfectly - bare data, skimpy outline and complete write-ups of colorful antagonists.

Overall score is 4/5, with a few brilliant ideas and a few problems to balance it out.
Game Masters are advised to exercise caution when dealing with creatures of Challenge Rating 12 or more, as most of them are prone to vagaries of chance and circumstance (or, to put it simply: their CR may not be properly reflecting their level of ability).

Warning! Spoilers below this line!

IMPRESSIONS

NPCs. Aside from a few problematic CRs, they are extremely portable and each one of them comes with a great background. They are far from being generic, and most of them pack a mean secret.

The particular highlights include Chaotic Evil civil and relatively safe to interact with antagonists. Sadly, to many designers CE alignment is tantamount to Jack the Ripper, while these guys (and gals) make for very good dicourse partners. The awards for most amiable personality go to elder fiend with aspiration to godhood and poisoner-bartender-artist of Rogue's Gallery.

The downsides include Mother Sharlene Murrel and Brother Broomore. While both likable and both with dark secrets, they fall to common disease known as "concept over crunch". In short, in the world where high magic rules supreme, and guys with detect evil can spot you from 60 feet, you do not dare to rise over 5th level without something to hide your nasty side in a civilized environment. And if you do, you make damn sure that random party of adventurers will not spoil your day.
Sadly, these NPCs are fine, very fine even, but they just don't fit in vanilla D20.

Introductions and maps. Their role is to provide is with a glimpse of location concept and layout. They are not sufficient to fully flesh the place, but they are great for building gossips or (for PDF versions) printing handouts for combat maps. I wasn't particularly impressed with lack of descriptions, yet the maps are usable. The introductions are a mixed case of good story and mood-killing problems. You don't get any explanations there - and with secrets being few and vague, you are to make up your own explanations as to, for example, how the enormous mimic is so cooperative or why chronological paradox hasn't attracted vultures, pardon, enterprising wizards to examine it.

Magic items, feats and miscellaneous items. For the most part ingenious (or decent), however recommended for GM use only. For example, implications of delayed super poisons would be severe in any game. Suffice to say it that nasty things can happens to PCs, and GMs should tread lightly here - the game is supposed to allow players to be heroes, and if the heroes are all too easy to kill, the main paradigm of the game breaks.

Random tables. In some places short narrative and bland maps are enhanced by random tables. Used properly this aid can provide for more interesting game. Of particular note is "Strange Flora", a nifty way to intimidate your players.

PLACES

Bedlam Asylum: great ideas marred by maps, heavy handed handling of secrets and susceptibility to divination spells and administrative action. 2/5 if used for d20, probably 4/5 if imported into low-magic system. There is also an NPC with abilty to increase save of a DC by 7 twice per day.

Burial Vaults of House Blackwood: disjointed. It's hard to get a grip on concept without reading it thorougly. At least one statblock is very controversial (underequipped fighters don't get to use high CR, much less full CR), and another one, a paladin, is completely out of place. However, there is also a great antagonist presented there, good enough to warrant 3/5 despite several weird errors in descriptions (where do these shadow demons are supposed to come from?).

Clockwork Tower: I'm biased against time-based magic in d20. It's all too easy to produce paradoxes or provide someone with ultimate weapon. Having said this, this location is likely to provide for entertaining exploration of its mysteries, as long as a GM is willing to add to rather skimpy content. Solid 4/5.

Intimate Shape Festhall: Beautiful concept with several critical items missing. The underlying themes, suffrage, equality and sex, sold the idea immediately to me. I would love to give it full 5/5 if some mysteries were revealed. The mimic thing especially. As it is, 4.5/5 seems appropriate.

Kavit M Tor's Emporium of Collectible Curiosities: Bad pun does not make for good first impression. Reputation and respectability are easy to lose, and finally, detect magic, identify and so on are at disposal of high level adventurers. Unless greedy merchants knows how to avoid detect thoughts, can bluff his way out of high sense motive checks, he is unlikely to stay in business. Nice items, though. 3.5/5.

Lorn's Entrepot (Abandoned Warehouse): chaotic in composition, with nice statblocks. Needs quite a lot of development to turn this game of lowly thugs into something more than a ruin with strong antagonist. 3/5.

The Next Inn: The only location cosisting of introduction and maps. Very short and mysterious, could have been made into the only 'good' location. Not enough to justify more than 3.5.

The Rogue's Gallery Tavern: The gem. It's something most of GMs is going to be able to use. Great NPCs are not the only strong points - the poisons, my <deity>, the poisons, and drinks, lovely, dangerous and providing wonderful alternative to overused geas spells. 5/5. Oh, and second highest CR creature in the book.

Voell's Garden: The other gem. It's not just any horror, it's lovecraftian horror. With highest CR and nasty surprise, the CR is entirely justified as long as the PCs are surprised. It's also going to be a TPK unless the players are very careful. The NPCs are nothing special, well, aside from certain unscrupulous entrepreneur, but the secret and the nastiness of the secret is something every GM is going to love. And the shadow grass side-effect is just an icing on the cake. 5/5.

CONCLUSIONS

Were I to use simply a page count, the overall rating would be a little below 4/5, but with three locations just begging to be used, I feel that 4/5 (or a little more) is justified.
Heartily recommended, as even the weaker parts contain usable bits.