I have it now and it's in the process of being read. I'm down to Chapter 5 as far as what I need to read so I'm about 80% finished till I write a review but here is what I think so far. I have been enjoying what I have seen so far. If I had to say which class or classes are the least usable to what I am doing right now it would be the anti-paladin since I am still waiting to see what Paizo is going to do when the Advanced Player's Guide or whatever they're calling it drops in August. I really do like what you've done with the Witch for the most part, and this may be heresy but I can just picture a Neutral Good Witch of this type in Golarion who picks Desna and Erastil as her deities. All in all the classes are very nice. The three NPC classes were interesting although I'm not so sure I like the name of the one, Officer might fit better. Feats are feats they're nice for flavor and fine tuning a given character the trio of first level feats for certain spellcasters were an especially nice touch. When this gets used in game, the feats for Kyujutsu will be made available for rangers with the archery combat style but this is my own mind set at work making a house rule. Next we get to equipment, and here I have my biggest problem. I don't like this trend of making so many exotic weapons without justifying why they are exotic. The samurai weapons are partially justified but not enough for me. Especially the zanbato for which I thank you for writing up but it's going into the martial list for everyone for no other reason than my love of certain characters like Guts/Gatsu from Berserk and Final Fantasy's Cloud. Also the cutter arrow should be a slasher and that's all I'm going to say on that. In total this is a well worthwhile book to pick up, great job, 4 Winds Publishing.
Well, generally speaking, if we felt a weapon was unusual, sufficiently different from typical equipment, limited to certain occupations or tasks, and would require specialized instruction to use adequately, it was exotic. Much in the way that Monk weapons are exotic to everyone but a Monk, Elven weapons are exotic to non-elves, etc.
There are some things coming up in Luven Lightfinger's Gear and Treasure Shop on the BFS front that you might enjoy. I admit that a couple pieces of gear were inspired by Guts' Dragon Buster sword and other equipment as well.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to a review, especially if it has multiple sentences.
Well, significantly different is a sliding scale. What one GM sees as significantly different another may not. Specifically with zanbato I feel it isn't so much different than say, a great sword that you need that extra feat. Then again for some weapons I think XWP is actually the wrong way to go. Weapon Focus sure but not an extra proficiency unless you want to take a page out of Monte Cook's Arcane Evolved and have categories of XWPs that cost one feat. PFRPG gives you more feats to work with but that still doesn't mean as a GM I should make my players waste a feat slot on one single weapon just because it's a little different. And I plan on doing multiple paragraphs for this review. As for that equipment book coming out, pencil me in as an interested party.
Well, significantly different is a sliding scale. What one GM sees as significantly different another may not.
That is a good point, and GMs can feel free to decide a weapon we list as Exotic is actually Martial, or even Simple. Part of the way I decide on such things is to think of it like this - Is the weapon used by a wide variety of cultures or societies, or is it primarily used in one or two geographic areas, or by one particular group or organization? There are some weapons that Sean developed as Martial weapons and I moved them to Exotic, and some that were Exotic and I moved them to Martial or even Simple.
The important thing to remember is that ultimately, it's all just guidelines. As a GM you would be doing what's best for you and your gaming group by making them Martial weapons, and that's what counts!
Robert
4 Winds Fantasy Gaming
I just did a review, I'm always afraid of going over so I just put out what I considered the bare bones basics. Very nicely done. When the equipment book comes out, I'm picking that up too. Just one thing I feel the need to note here and now is that I compared the Witch class in Paths with the open playtest version and found them to be fairly similar. So similar in fact that I am hard pressed as to which version I prefer. I am entertaining thoughts of merging the two for a better class. The mechanics of how spells are garnered and where they come from I like better in the 4 Winds version, but I am rather sold on the Hexes in the Pathfinder version as written. Decisions, decisions...
Thanks for the review!
I just did a review, I'm always afraid of going over so I just put out what I considered the bare bones basics. Very nicely done.
Many, many thanks for the review!
Robert
4 Winds Fantasy Gaming
Hmmm, Alchemist sounds interesting especially if it's anything like FMA
Hmmm, Alchemist sounds interesting especially if it's anything like FMA
It is something to consider, but we currently do not have another book with base classes in it in the pipeline.
I'm only now becoming more than passingly familiar with Full Metal Alchemist, and I have to admit there are some interesting ideas presented there. However, the 'Alchemy' we're presented with in FMA zeems more like transmutation. Indeed, I think you could do a decent analogue of FMA magic by creating a Transmuter specialist Wizard with a good array of Conjuring and Abjuration to boot; perhaps illusion and divination as barred schools. That seems like it would cover most of the effects you're looking for.
As much fun as I had helping create these classes, I'm not one for creating classes when there are already existing classes that can fully capture the flavor one's looking for. For example, I see little need for a Ninja class because Rogue is already all the Ninja you could want, unless you're thinking the 'Naruto' brand of Ninja (hint: flourescent orange costumes and shouting at everything that moves are NOT stealthy).
#7 on the RPG Countdown for the period between 29 November and 12 December 2009!
#7 on the RPG Countdown for the period between 29 November and 12 December 2009!
Congratulations, it deserves to be read by as many people as possible. I do like the way it is put together for the most part.
Congratulations, it deserves to be read by as many people as possible. I do like the way it is put together for the most part.
Thanks very much, we appreciate that!
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