What strikes me after flipping through the Beastiary...
1) I was hoping to see a few of the "monster races" portrayed in a playable format, without the extra racial Hit Dice and Paizo delivered! Want to play a ______ without the extra +1 ECL? You can. Paizo definitely balanced things, expanding options and playability in a unique and constructive way.
2) The art is, for the most part, top notch. Only a few monsters (Ankheg, Troll) left me wanting more. The majority of them were brilliantly drawn and colored. The Angels, Devils, and Genies really stood out!
3) The entire format is easy to use, with the pdf linked so that I can reference things quickly, at the table, when I need to. It's clear they aimed to simplify game play.
For a collection of 3.5 material from Dragon, this book is a strong step in the right direction. The layout was nice, the art appropriate, and the content fitting for the d20 system.
However, the material was focused primarily on 3E (updated) and 3.5 material. In essence, a reprint of material from the last 4-5 years.
As for the content ...it's all crunch. If you want more spells, Feats, Prestige Classes, monsters, etc ....this will be a pleasing purchase. On the other hand, if you wanted (or hoped for) a more classic look at both D&D and Dragon ...you might be wise to wait for the second or third compendium to come out before ordering.
Overall, this book isn't as bad as some people would claim ..but it isn't what I think allot of older gamers had hoped it would be. An easy 3 stars.
With 238* pages of just spells (each page containing between four and six spells), this book really packs a punch for the player or DM who loves magical variety in his campaign setting.
When I first picked up the Spell Compendium at a local game shop here in Houston, I was worried that I would encounter allot of recycled spells and reprints. I found some, to be sure ...but it was not nearly as bad as I had feared it might be. While there is a sizable dose of spells from the Complete class series, there is also a nice selection of spells from both 2nd edition, as well as Dragon Magazine.
As a collection of spells (something like 1200 spells total), this book is priceless. If you have the Planar Handbook, Manual of the Planes, complete series (both races and classes), Oriental Adventures (with errata), and the last three years worth of Dragon ...and you want to drag all of them around with you just for the spells ...chances are you won't really need this.
However, if you don't mind spending $40 for a nice, streamlined, and convenient mate for your PHB ...you'll be as happy with this book as I am.
