(Completion of review)
Finally
Art
The maps is simple, but effective. Its colors fit the overall theme and I did not find any names that made me go "WTF?"
The ponies within are well-drawn merging My Little Pony imagery, while outfitting them like regular adventurers. Some parts of the book like the deities and NPCs are particularly nice.
Surprisingly, some of the chapter headers aren't as good. It is not bad, but it is not as enjoyable as the rest of the book.
I will go for a 4/5
Highlights & Organization
Some of the color used for highlight clash with the rest of the document. The Cyan and yellow pastels for the feats and special powers really clash, and not in a way that make me want to read them. The colors are very "poniesque", but they do not draw my eye the way they should and I found myself looking at the text right after them. Interesting since that is where most of the crunch is. When you scroll and reach these pages it breaks the flow of reading.
Races then racial bloodlines and feats, then more races with their bloodlines and feats was reminicent of the Advanced Race Guide, an organization I did not like at all.
Another thing I found difficult to follow were the headers. More important titles are difficult to find in the text. For example, on page 57, a page dedicated to "Optional Rules". The main header is the same size as the rules themselves.
The setting information is not together and requires a lot of flipping back and forth. For example the campaign traits are all at the end, many of which are era-related. Racial traits similarly appear at the end. I would really have preferred to see everything together, much like the Core Rule Book.
The organization of the book is perhaps its greatest failing. I am a big fan of trying to keep everything together for ease of reference.
The magic items formatting was bad.
I have to rate this 2/5
Writing
Now in spite of the organization, I really found myself reading stuff everywhere in the book. The writing is good. As I stated previously, I came into this expecting to laugh myself silly and throw this out as mental masturbatory fanfic. While the fanfic part is obvious, I became engrossed in the story, the world, pretty much everything. This product is one I actually enjoyed.
The rules, for the most part (the only major flaw is the vampiric bloodline), but that can be GM-errata'd fairly easily. The feats have flavor and present a game balance that works. The spells, the traits, the history, the world, all around, I found myself enjoying the read, almost like a guilty pleasure.
I would say 4.5/5 which I will round up to 5, because most of the issues won't bother many other people.
Overall
My daughters (9 and 7) LOVED the idea of playing ponies and they both loved the art. They have been asking me to play ponies in Pathfinder Society... That would be interesting... I don't seriously expect to run a full-blown campaign of it, but one-shots with the girls are a definite possibility.
This is a solid product, with good writing, solid art, and a decent setting. The flaw is its organization, but in spite of that, everything is there. I could see one-shots filling up very quickly at Gencon.
Overall, I must say this is a solid 4 out of 5 (a 5/5 for fans of ponies). Reusability of the product, without having ponies is limited.
I would like to see an adventure published in Everglow, see how they plan on using everything together.
I will look for more from Silver Games in the future.
For full disclosure, I received a free copy in return for providing a fair and honest review.
Last week, I posted an article on My Blog where I asked you, the players (and the GMs) what they would like to see in a players' guide. I want this product to be even great and what better way to do so than to ask the people who will use it.
I want to thank all six players who participated in the first-ever public NeoExodus game at PaizoCon! I had great fun running it.
As of right now, it looks like we are aiming for more NeoExodus goodness at NeonCon in Las Vegas (early November). Most likely the sequel to "Ramat Bridge".
I will be posting a lot of NeoExodus comments, notes and information on my blog JP On Gaming. Someone also asked my twitter: its @JPOnGaming Finally my email is jp@Chapleau.us (if you have pictures I'd love to put them up or link them to my blog).
For those of you who did not know, I like to paint. A lot. I even maintain a blog where I showcase my painting commissions. (Yes, I am available at extremely reasonable price, just contact me off-line)
A few weeks ago, the Theocrat my fellow Venture Captain from Las Vegas - whose soul belongs to Taldor - painted some very nice miniatures. Looking at his work, an idea formed in my mind about a great moment in Golarion's history.
So I set off first composing the vignette then painting it. And thus I present to you the most interesting moment in Taldor's long and rich history, "Happy Day in Taldor" shows the surrender of Taldor to the Satrap of Qadira.
Lv1 7/day - 6 Available
Lv2 5/day - 4 Available
Naturally Gifted 1/day - 0 Available
Elemental Ray 7/day - 7 Available
Dancing Lights: 1 Available
Ghost Sound: 1 Available
Prestidigitation: 1 Available
Speak with Animals: 0 Available
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Damage Resistance, Electricity (10) You have the specified Damage Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Dancing Lights (1/day) (Sp) With Charisma 11+, cast Dancing Lights once per day.
Defensive Training (+4) +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the Giant subtype.
Elemental Ray (7/day) (Sp) Ranged touch attack deals 1d6+2 Electricity damage.
Elemental: Air You may change any energy spell to use [Electricity] energy.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Ghost Sound (1/day) (Sp) With Charisma 11+, cast Ghost Sound once per day.
Gnome Magic +1 to the save DC of all illusions spells you cast.
Hatred +1 racial bonus to attacks against humanoids of the reptilian and goblinoid subtypes.
Illusion Resistance +2 racial bonus to saves against illusions.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Naturally Gifted (1/day) Gain one extra use of a gnome spell like ability each day.
Prestidigitation (1/day) (Sp) With Charisma 11+, cast Prestidigitation once per day.
Speak with Animals (1/day) (Sp) Speak with Animals 1/day.
Spell Focus: Evocation Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Greater Spell Focus: Evocation +1 to the Save DC of spells from one school.
Personality & Appearance:
At 3ft 2in and weighing in at only 37lb, this little character is the life of the party. He has sky blue hair, ocean green irises set in rather large eyes, a proportioned buttoned nose and mouth that forms into a grin which almost reaches ear to ear. His ears are mostly hidden by his unruly hair style but large soft lobes are visible. His slight frame masks the dextrous physique and stout hardiness maintained by his daily routine of aerobic exercise.
Background:
Magic, ha, my people are made of the stuff. That grand and awe inspiring stuff. I grew up enjoying the whimsical nature in which my elders would fling spells around making for some extreme awkward yet hilarious predicaments. When I came into my blood born talents I reveled in its every facet. It was then I began to hunger for more, much more. I disliked the limitation my innate abilities afforded me and yearned to expand my repertoire. My pop said like all the Spindlewells I would grow into even more power but would need to attune further to the weaving of greater spells and abilities. He said, "With belief, resolve and tenacity you can be the greatest mage in the family. Let nothing defeat your destiny Diggle. You are my son and you have my belief."
I hit the road with the next caravan of gnomefolk heading into the giant-lands but had no choice about the destination. I just followed along trying not to cause too much trouble. It was on the road that I began keeping a journal. My father and mother gifted me with a scribe's set and a journal hoping it would allow my practiced hand to send word home to them in years to come. I remember seeing Korvosa for the first time. Coming from wooden and timber lands to such an imposing landmark filled me with fear and fire. I could tell this place could chew you up and swallow you but that stoked my fire into resolve. I would make this place work for me. So I kept afloat, earning my keep as a scribe and after reinvesting my earnings in the craft gained enough skill to afford my own room and keep a distance from the 'wolves' and rats on the street.
Life was going to my grand plan. After a few years on a waiting list, I was accepted into the Acadamae where I would pursue the very path I had always felt destined for. I began my studies into the Planes and Arcana, magical item use and activations and the glorious arts of spell weaving. With my profession as a scribe and superb calligraphy skill, I gained an immediate good standing with the professors making copies and final drafts of important texts. I was immersed in all I had dreamed of being.
It seemed surreal but it all fell over dramatically. One day all is well and the next I'm a rat in a barrel being rolled down the docks. A local fisherman claimed to seen me commit a murder. Bloody weasle! Poor fool of bloody weasle. He had been forced into it by a well known crime figure which he was known for doing often. Gaedren Lamm! I spit the name. I curse his birth and would do him ill at every turn I could. A friend of mine got to the fisherman and got the truth but when Lamm found out, he sent his thugs to tie up the loose end before his testimony could be recanted.
Too late, the damage was done and Headmaster Toff had no choice but to expel me due to the inconclusive case being dismissed. Truthfully I was wounded greatly by the experience but my pops words found their way back and lifted my out of my sorrowful stupor. I was able to get away with a book on Evocations and began training myself. More now than ever I would need to be self-reliant and resourceful.
