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

6 Orc Warrior
8 Watch Guard
13 Wolf
18 Elf Wizard
24 Gargoyle
25 Half-Orc Barbarian
29 Medusa
31 Ogre
40 Vampire

I found these minis to be a vexing mix of the great and the not-so-great. Overall, they look about as good as the better DDM releases -- but at a much higher price. Single-mini boosters make for a neat impulse purchase, though $4+ a mini is a bit steep.

This set provides a good selection of monsters to serve as the basis of a new collection. Most of the obvious choices are represented, and generally with very sensible rarities. The plastic is hard enough to make throwing all your figures into a single big bin ala DDM a probable no-no, but neither will you have to treat them with the care you would give painted metal minis.

I wavered between three and four stars, but ultimately the relatively high price per figure kept me at 3. Luckily, I think this line is a few tweaks away from being a four-star product.

The Good
---------------
* The paint jobs are extremely detailed
* High number of steps/colors per model
* Plastic is hard enough to hold its shape and to show fine detail, while still being somewhat flexible
* The bases are shaped *exactly* like DDM bases, right down to the "lip" around the bottom edge (EXCEPT for the large bases...see "the bad")

The Bad
--------------
* The eyes could use some work
* The dry-brushing, where present, tends to be over-done
* The plastic is hard enough to be more brittle than DDM
* The large bases and just a tiny bit larger than DDM large bases -- meaning accessories designed for use with D&D minis (like my Dapper Devil markers) don't fit

The Ugly
----------------
* There are black plastic "blobs" where some of the minis attach to the bases
* The amount of packaging -- why does Paizo hate the environment? ;-)

(***--)

Substantial books, a flip mat, pawns, pregens, dice....there is plenty of meat here to run a game for months! The tokens are durable and well-illustrated, and a good selection is included. The dice are typical solid-color polyhedrons -- plain but totally serviceable. Including a flit-mat was also a nice touch, adding more long-term value to the product.

But it is the rules that stand out -- they are a joy. Plenty of GMing advice, tons of explanation, a healthy amount of equipment; all in a clean new package. In fact, the superior organization, editing, and graphic design have me wishing I could use the Beginner Box for Pathfinder Society instead of the Core Rulebook!

I do have a few nit-picks:
* More than four blank character sheets should have been included.
* The price. Note that I'm not complaining about the value -- that is excellent. I just wonder if a $35 price point will discourage casual buyers. Perhaps trading the pawns for tokens (which don't require separate bases and could be printed on a single side) may have allowed the box to slip in under $30?

Overall, however, it's difficult to point to a better way to introduce someone to the hobby.

(*****)

This is a pretty impressive first effort -- easily as good as the better DDM releases. The plastic is hard enough to make throwing all your figures into a single big bin ala DDM a probable no-no, but neither will you have to treat them with the care you would give painted metal minis. There is plenty of detail and a high number of paint steps, but some slightly odd choices (why are the eyes, a focal point of the mini, a single black dot, where fine detail abounds elsewhere?).

Lack of inking and/or dry-brushing costs these guys a star. It has been reported that future sets will introduce an inking step to the process. Done correctly, that would push these minis to the next level. As it is, they have impressive detail, but they don't quite gel into a well-painted whole.

As to the specific minis herein:

Ezren is my least favorite of the minis in this pack. His right arm is way too small and looks atrophied. His right leg is bent at an odd angle, making his stance look very...off. The detailing on his robe is nice, though.

Merisiel is one of the better figures. Proudly sporting "pathfinder-esque" big ears. Plenty of good detailing and a great pose.

Valeros has a nice paint job, but his pose looks a little forced to be practical. "Look, I have two swords -- feel free to stab me in the gut!" ;-)

Kyra is the standout figure. Amazingly detailed paint job, great stance, just a wonderful all-around mini.

The good
---------------
* The paint jobs are extremely detailed
* High number of steps/colors per model
* Plastic is hard enough to hold shape/fine detail while still being flexible
* The bases are shaped *exactly* like DDM bases, right down to the "lip" around the bottom edge

The bad
--------------
* The eyes could use some work
* There does not appear to be any inking or dry-brushing
* The sculpts are only so-so

The ugly
----------------
* There are black plastic "blobs" where the mini attaches to the base

I was on the fence between three and four stars, but this being a first set I had to give a little extra leeway.

(****-)

This is a fine looking flip-mat.

The building-interior side is nicely detailed, depicting a variety of logical locations (smithy, garden, well) that one might expect to find in an isolated compound striving for self-sufficiency. One oddity: Several of the Inn's rooms lack a window, which struck me as highly impractical.

On the roof side of the flip-mat, the ground textures are blurred, as if the "camera" were focused higher. Neat effect.

The biggest drawback I see here is that I believe this map is intended to be the new "standard tavern" flip-mat, but it seems overly specific for that purpose.

(****-)

This book was right on the cusp of 3 or 4 stars for me. Ultimately, I went with 4, because the author was laboring under the constraints of licensed fiction.

I enjoyed this more than Winter Witch, which I found to be just OK. There are some twists along the way, and I think the author did a good job of showing the world through the eyes of a forlorn elf. I also found the main antagonist to be self-justified, which in my experience is too often overlooked in licensed fiction. All-in-all, worth the read. The author is no George RR Martin (yet), but it's hard to hold that against him.

Just don't feed your dogs those chicken bones! ;-)

(****-)

Well-crafted prose supporting a solid story. Would recommend to a friend looking for a fun diversion. Picked up the third book in the series at the FLGS based on the strength of this (I was not really a fan of Winter Witch).

(****-)

I've struggled in the past with many of the products in this line, ultimately rejecting the "face" decks as too expensive for the value delivered.

I'm delighted to say this deck is well worth the price. Beautiful, useful, and thoughtfully designed, this set bring obvious and immediate value to the table. These cards tackle one of D20's most vexing chores effectively and attractively.

Once again, like many great ideas this one is obvious -- but only in retrospect. If you play Pathfinder, go get a set.

(*****)

...but there wasn't this much water!

I have to question the logic of including water on both sides of a desert flip mat. One side? Absolutely. People (and critters) are drawn to water. But the flip side should have been unbroken desert.

(***--)

This outdoor tile set repeats the sins of sinister woods -- there simply aren't enough basic tiles of the terrain type, so even a medium-sized outdoor encounter will require multiple sets. This shortcoming is compounded by the fact that, at the time of this review, this was WotC's only set of snow/ice themed tiles.

Another disappointment -- the single snow->dungeon transition tiles is badly discolored. Perhaps due to a printing error in my set, but it sure doesn't look like it. Rather, the color palette seems way off.

There are also no 3D tiles. On one had, that's understandable, because 3D tiles probably should have been in separate sets from the get-go, but to see them gone without mention is a disappointment.

Finally, these are overpriced. The $10 price of earlier sets was a much better value. The 3D tiles of previous two sets since the increase at least softened the blow somewhat -- now that those are gone, the price hike just stings more.

Unless you absolutely NEED snow/ice tiles...pass.

(**---)

Featuring workmanlike prose marred only by a few minor POV wobbles, Winter Witch is adequate genre fiction -- but no more. Which is unsurprising, given the constraints of the line, but it would have been nice to get a stand-out early in the series. Instead Winter Witch is confirmation that the series, at least as it exists now, probably isn't for me.

(**---)

I just finished reading this for the second time, and will be running it in two weeks. Wow! I can see this one running long if the GM doesn't keep players focused, but I'm really looking forward to running this one. Finally some puzzles, and good ones to boot! Plus cool, thematic dungeon with a reason to exist. Maybe a gimmie premise for Osirion, but full of awesome!

I noticed one error:

(*****)

I own both the Gazetteer and the original CS. Up until now I've used the Gaz as a player's guide, but this release, being intended as such, serves as an admirable replacement. Some setting details are (thankfully) held back. The new map (printed inside the front cover) is bright and easy to read; my favorite yet.

Speaking of maps: Unlike the Gaz, there is no fold-out map. While I get that it probably had to be left out at this price, it is still missed. One thing they should have included was the the holy symbols of the gods -- seems a strange omission.

Hopefully Paizo will discount the PDF of this product. A $5 price would make it a really easy sell for new Society gamers.

(****-)

After skipping the Master Set Dungeon -- too many reprints -- I picked up this set at the FLGS.

The box includes a large variety of high-quality tiles. There are four major types of tiles here: City streets, building interiors, sewers, and docks. Curiously missing are rooftops, though the box itself does provide some roof surfaces. Another big plus: I own all the 3.5 and 4E tiles, and, unlike the prior dungeon set, most of these are not reprints.

Lack of roof tiles (which are pictured on the front of the box) knocks this from a 5 to a 4, but if you don't own a few sets of the original city tiles, pick this up.

(****-)

Played in this one a few months back.

Very well described, evocative setting. Challenging, but not quite too hard. Great faction missions. A solid example of what high quality Society play is all about.

(****-)

I play a fair amount of PFS, and always prefer dice that are easily read from across the table. This die fits the bill perfectly. I only wish the "Paizo" face also had the number '20' printed on it. (****-)

I have played this mod once, and GM'ed it twice.

Cassomir's Locker is a basic dungeon crawl set under Cassomir (though ultimatley, the setting matters little). This is a servicable mod, but there are a few aspects for which I did not care:

1. The link to the (superior) previous installment is tenuous at best.
2. The mod is simply too easy. I GM'ed a party that was right between tier 3-4 and tier 6-7. As I don't pull punches, when prompted I suggested the group not opt to play up, and the mod ended up a snooze-fest. I think even 6-7 would have been on the easy side. Forgivable, especially in such an early release, but be warned.
3. The mod is very much a dungeon crawl -- there is no puzzle solving, and very little role-playing, at least as written.

Worth playing, but only if the group isn't eligible to play any number of superior choices.

(***--)

I picked this up because my main Pathfinder Society character is Osirion. I was more hunting for the details of Osirion culture, day-to-day life, sayings, etc., than I was for mechanical elements.

This is a beautiful book, easily living up to Paizo's high standards. It is also a good value at $10.00. The historical and geographical information is well presented and interesting.

Unfortunately, I did not find much of what I was looking for: Information on culture, the day-to-day life of an Osirion, etc. Depending on your expectations, you may find this book more to your liking than I did.

(***--)

A beautiful rendition of a classic ambush site. Did I mention I love flip-mats?

My only real complaint is there is a too litte variation in the appearance of the surrounding trees -- it almost looks like chunks were "cut/rotated/pasted" (for all I know, they were).

As usual, I'd suggest starting your collection with a few that are blank on a side -- but this makes a great 3rd+ flip-mat.

(****-)

This flip-mat depicts a very useful forest scene. The art is amazing; on par with the line since Paizo started doing the art.

However, as others have noted, it is simply too dark -- it looks like a very stormy day or moon-lit night. I would also suggest that if you don't already own a few flip-mats, start with one that is "blank" on one side.

(***--)

This is a comprehensive GMing guide. It's one part AEG Toolbox, one part DMG 2 (for 3.5), and one part Robin's Laws.

If you're new to GMing, and/or don't have any of the aforementioned works, it's five stars all the way. Don't hesitate to buy this book.

If, on the other hand, you've read (and loved) some of those earlier works, or have many years of GMing experience, you'll still find something here -- but not all of it may be new. It's still a great book, but I'd say it's a three star book for older hands. The PDF is still well worth the price, but I'd skip hard copy.

(****-)

So, here's the 2nd tileset from WotC that incorporates 3d elements. It's more focused than the first such set, Harrowing Halls, and therefore less universally useful. Of course, that's the nature of a product focused on a specific terrain type. What might not be so typical of desert terrain is the amount of "real estate" devoted to water, but upon further consideration, the back of a desert tile is a pretty good place for a water tile, as you're unlikely to need both at once.

Otherwise, this is pretty much more of the same given the last set. You still get a 2:1 mix of 2D and 3D tiles, and still at a higher price than previous sets. The 3D terrains is changed up a little this time, with fewer square platforms and a few longer, narrower ones. But no door? ARGH!

Fair value for $12, but not the great value these sets represented at $10. My days of buying multiple sets of each release are over. Can someone please explain to WotC the difference between maximizing revenue and maximizing profit?

Pros
---------
* First desert Dungeon Tiles

Cons
-----------
* Price ($12 instead of $10)
* Still a mix of 3d and 2d

Note: This is probably a four-star set if you have Dire Tombs, which matches perfectly. (***--)

Pros: 3D!; What's here is well done.
Cons: Price Hike; 2/3 of the set not 3D

Well, against my better judgment (I *rarely* purchase anything from WotC these days because I don't care for their recent behavior; that's another story), and despite a 20% price hike, I decided to pick up a copy of the first dungeon tiles to include 3D terrain.

Four of the sheets are pretty standard Dungeon Tiles fare, but in this case focusing on building interiors. A new area for this series, and a good addition for those with existing sets, but you aren't going to be building a dungeon with just these.

Of course the exciting part is the remaining two sheets, which make up the 3D props. They include:

2-square wide staircase
2x2 pedestal, 10 "feet" high
1x1 round table
1x1 rectangular table
1x2 rectangular table*
Two 2x4 pedestals, 5 "feet" high
4x4 pedestal, 10 "feet" high
2 square wide door

* Missing a leg!

Everything is easy to assemble (thought the initial punching out of the slots is a bit of a pain), functional, and pretty good looking. This is the least expensive 3D terrain I've seen, but it still adds a lot over 2D only.

All of the 3D elements are reversible, being stone on one side and wood on the other.I would suggest getting multiple sets, as I'm not sure how long the models will hold up to being switched between the wood and stone sides.

Gripe: The entire set should have been 3D. As it stands, you have to buy more 2D tiles (which you may not want) to get the 3D stuff. Where are my crates? How about a wagon? How about more than a single door?

Also, while this is a great value compared to other 3D props, the won't last nearly as long as other props. I don't see why the price had to jump 20% over previous sets,as it's still the same six sheets of die-cut cardboard. Whatever the reason, gone are the days of 2 packages for a $20; let's hope the value proposition doesn't decline further, only to crater the way the value of D&D minis did, lest it be five sheets for $15 before we know it. WotC would be well-served by learning about Price Elasticity of Demand.

But despite these shortcomings, most DMS will want two of these in his collection. No one is going to mistake these tiles for Dwarven Forge, but Harrowing Halls takes Dungeon Tiles into the 3rd dimension, and they're better for it. (***--)

*Note: This review is based on a hardcopy 2nd printing of the Explorer's Edition*

Savage Worlds is a rules-medium RPG that specializes in suporting large battles while minimizing GM prep time. Gameplay is tactical, yet fast and loose, offering plenty of opportunity for integrating roleplaying with combat, while providing a framework to do so consistently and in a balanced manner.

Although inteded to be genre-independent, the game is focused on the human (or near human) power level. There are sections on magic, equipment at various tech levels, etc. The rules also offer satisfying character development with a minimum of complexity. The only common genre for which the game seems ill-suited (at least without supplements) is Supers. Nonetheless, overall I'm quite pleased with the variety of settings and games that could be run with just this $10 book.

And mention of the book itself brings up the big problem that prevents a five-star review: The binding on the 2nd printing of the Explorer's Edition is simply terrible. Despite careful handling, my copy was dropping pages right away, and a quick check of the Pinnacle boards shows I wasn't alone. Pinnacle is aware of the issue, and is correcting it in future print runs, but beware the 2nd printing, or at least plan to have it spiral bound. (****-)

Boy, was this a tough review to write.

First of all, here's what you get: A much prettier version of 3.5 w/ some of the proud nails removed. DMG and PH in one book. In other words, if you've been following Pathfinder Roleplaying Game (PFRPG), pretty much exactly what you should be expecting to get.

The book is beautiful? Huge, sewn binding, ink that doesn't smear, amazing art (including armor that doesn't appear to do double duty as S&M gear).

Edit: It turns out the signatures *aren't* sewn to the backing, which is a huge no-no for a book of this size. I'd gladly drop an extra $10 or even $20 if it got me a better binding.

The game itself, in its attempt to clean up the biggest problems with 3.5, intoduces some great ideas. Enter Combat Maneuver Bonus (CMB) and Combat Maneuver Defense (CMD), which act in tandem to unify combat maneuver resolution mechanics. The math may need some tweaking, but the idea is sound and delivers a noticeable effect in speeding up the use of maneuvers.

But for the most part, under the (very pretty) hood, this is just mostly 3.5. Which, again, is to be expected. If you really enjoyed 3.5, and/or you main concerns are easily addressed with houserules, this is a five-star book. There is also Paizo's great content to consider, which just sweetens the pot.

But -- and this shouldn't be a secret to anyone -- if you dislike D&D 3.5, you probably won't care for Pathfinder. I don't think it is different enough to really turn many people around. For those folks, this book is probably 3 (or even 2) stars.

(****-)

Context: I GM'ed this module at Gencon 2009 seven times.

The good: This adventure's settings are very thematic and evocative. Combats are tactically interesting. The encounters provide plenty of chances for various character classes to shine. A steal for the price. Makes great use of Flip-Mats.

The bad: Minor mechanical snafus (NPCs with PC levels do not have their hit points computed per the PFRPG core rules; a missing spell or ability in a few spots). Needs a RPing encounter.

(****-)