sophos's page

sophos wrote:

I'm sorry, but I'm extremely upset about this product. I wasn't going to say anything, but I keep encountering things in the book that bother me. The book seems to be loaded with inconsistancies and errors.

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A few items are listed out of alphabetical order. For example: Bloodblock before Bodybalm on the list;

While I agree with your large points, especially 2B, I'd like to report that "BL" is supposed to precede "BO".

And I'll have to admit defeat for the garotte. Yes, it's a nasty way to kill someone. But I don't want my party to all run after a pack of club-wielding ogres with garottes. The weapon either has to be very difficult to use, or else it can't kill people like it does in the real world.

So it does. Either I had my own typo and switched places between the words I typed, or my right brain (emotion) was having it's way and my left brain (logic) was just along for the ride. I don't have the book with me right now to know which is correct. Regardless, there are at least 2 places (I believe more) where things are not listed alphabetically.

As for the garrotte, well, I believe that the garrotte rules say that the target has to be unaware of you or helpless, so parties of people armed with garrottes will not be very effective. Frankly, it's a horrible weapon. It's not just worse than existing weapons, it is worthless compared to existing weapons. Heck, it's worthless compared to NO weapon.

1) it does no damage. Therefore a failed attempt to kill someone has no lasting effect.

2) The attempt to kill someone takes far longer than most combats will last. Roughly 4 times longer than most combats. Worse yet, if you fail a single grapple, you have to start all over at the beginning of the strangle attempt.

3) A coup-de-gras can be performed instead, since your victim is helpless, and that has lasting consequences and can kill in a single round.

4) attacking normally can kill most opponents quicker.

5) Grappling to bind an opponent so that you can coup-de-gras them is quicker. You have to grapple anyway for both attack methods, and using this method is more effective since a single failed grapple doesn't mean trying for another 20 (more or less) back-to-back succesful grapple attempts.

6) Choking is not the same as holding your breath. It's far more taxing on your body, and your available air lasts for far less time. Being strangled is even worse than choking (like on a peice of food), since it can pop blood vessles in your eyes, bruise or cut your neck, damage vocal cords, and cut off consciousness by stopping the blood flow.

7) NOT using the garrotte and dealing damage during a normal grapple (as per the rules) can kill most opponents quicker. And really, that is saying A LOT when the using a weapon is LESS effective than not using the weapon. Is there any other "weapon" in the game that provides a worse attack than using nothing? Even improvised weapons (like a bucket, fork, or pair of scissors) are more effective than this "weapon". Heck, do the garotte a favor and "downgrade" it to a non-weapon, so that characters can improvise with it.

I'm sorry, but I'm extremely upset about this product. I wasn't going to say anything, but I keep encountering things in the book that bother me. The book seems to be loaded with inconsistancies and errors.

For example:

1A. This one REALLY bothers me. A one pound Butterfly Knife is listed as a one handed melee weapon, not a light melee weapon. Seriously? Asside from the opening and closing motion, it's not any more cumbersome than a dagger. Also, the unintended consequence of making this a one handed weapon is that, as per the rules, you can use this small dagger-sized weapon in two hands to increase your strength-based damage.

1B. On a related, yet different issue concerning the Butterfly Knife, if you can "treat this weapon as a dagger", then why bother maiking it exotic? Don't get me wrong, I think it SHOULD be exotic, but how many classes are NOT proficient with a dagger? What's the point of making it exotic if 99.99% of the PCs can use it anyway?

2A. The following items have listings on the charts, but no description: Dogslicer, War Razor, Earthbreaker, Ogre Hook, Falcata, Kopesh, Temple Sword, Urumi, Bladed Scarf, Shoanti bola, Stoneplate Armor. I have no idea what 80% of these things are. You say that you want this to be an all-iclusive book of the available equipment so that people don't have to thumb through multiple books, yet that is EXACTLY what people have to do because there is no information on these items. Also, I'm upset that you expect people to buy these other books to be able to use the items in THIS book.

2B. Also, if your reasoning for not including information about these items was that it was already printed elsewhere, then why did you bother adding information about the Dwarven Maulaxe, Battle Poi, and Madu?

3. Several items have the opposite problem from #2 above. The following items are described, but not listed on the equipment charts: Armored Kilt, Pata, Thistle Arrow, Thorn Bow, Combat Scabbard (unsharpened).

4. Several items could have used more information, because the text given is inadequate to describe the item, or how it is used. For Example: The Sawtooth Sabre and Tent.

5. The Garrotte is WEAK. I don't think you're being realistic about its effectiveness.

6. The Persona section is wasted space.

7. The Travelling Spellbook is listed in the "Special Substances and Items" descriptions, but is listed in the "Adventuring Gear" list.

8. The Equipment Trick feat lists the following items: boots, cloak, rope, shield, and Heavy Blade Scabbard, yet only the Heavy Blade Scabbard and Shield are described.

9. A few items are listed out of alphabetical order. For example: Bloodblock before Bodybalm on the list; The Prohecies of Kalistrade before Printing Press, and Riding Dog before Combat Trained Dog in the descriptions.