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Malhavoc Press

Monte Cook's Collected Book of Experimental Might (OGL) Hardcover

4.40/5 (based on 5 ratings)
Monte Cook's Collected Book of Experimental Might (OGL) Hardcover

Our Price: $29.99

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Third edition RPG icon Monte Cook comes to Paizo with a new print edition of his popular Books of Experimental Might! Previously available only in electronic form, The Collected Book of Experimental Might contains hundreds of options and new rules meant to inject life into 3.5 fantasy RPG campaigns.

    This 144-page hardcover collection of Monte's own house rules includes:
  • A spell progression system redefining spell levels from 1 to 20
  • New rules for fighting domains, including Two-Weapon Fighting, Mounted Combat, and Fighting Dirty, as well as techniques based on agility, speed, strength, and intellect—the domains provide new abilities to fighter types willing to devote themselves to a focused path
  • A retooling of the feat system, with three new concepts—double feats, oblation feats, and uberfeats—and dozens of new choices
  • Special benefits for choosing a feat as a fighter bonus feat, reinstating the fighter class as the king of feats
  • New rules for healing and curative magic
  • Powerful magical disciplines that allow wizards, clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers to have magic always active
  • The runeblade, a base class that combines magic and martial skill without the need for spells
  • Additional skills, feats, and combat rules
  • Dozens of spells and magic items

Inherent within these two books is the idea that characters should be able to keep on adventuring longer than the rules currently allow and that every class can use some extra options for greater playability. Start your own experiment now!

This book combines The Book of Experimental Might and The Book of Experimental Might II: Bloody, Bold, and Resolute.

ISBN: 978-1-60125-080-3

Monte Cook has been working on games professionally for more than 20 years. In that time, he has worked on a variety of games, including Dungeons & Dragons, Rolemaster, Champions, Call of Cthulhu, and Alternity. He designed HeroClix, and co-designed Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, and wrote Planewalker's Handbook, Dead Gods, Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil and the Book of Vile Darkness, among many other D&D supplements. In 2001, he founded Malhavoc Press, and over the next few years published titles like the Book of Eldritch Might, Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved, and Ptolus: Monte Cook's City by the Spire.

Monte's also published two novels and numerous short stories, as well as a nonfictional but humorous book called the Very, Very Secret Book of Conspiracies.

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Incredible!

5/5 —

While I'm not sure how I'm going to swing this into my PFRPG games, I will heartily endorse this product. Monte Cook delivers a thoughtful, well conceived set of alternative rules on a great many things. Spell levels from 1 to 20 alone would be worth the price of admission. Fighter domains easily worth the cover price. Bravo on another fine book, Monte!

Fantastic Game Variants for High Fantasy D&D

5/5 —

The Collected BOXM certainly will remain as one of the greatest game variants to D&D itself, in my opinion, along with Arcana Unearthed, Pathfinder, True20 and others.

The changes are selective but dramatically change the game play. Healing becomes target-based instead of cleric-based, characters get feats every level, spell levels now match character levels (from 1 to 20th level spells), wizards don't run out of magical things to do while still retaining the Vancian magic system as a base for increasing power and abilities.

I think it would have been premature to take Pathfinder as a base since the final rules are not even published. It is, furthermore, totally possible to get a Pathfinder sorcerer concept going with BOXM as a pure Wizard, with the inventive use of some Bloodline feats.

A word of caution, however: this clearly is a game variant destined towards people who are already familiar with the 3.5 rules. The multiplication of feats, spells and other game components makes the game significantly more complex to approach (though easier to play in the end for the initiated). This is not a good product to bring people to gaming, in my opinion.

Now, that said, this is totally awesome. If you were the kind of player or DM interested in thoughtful variants to the base D&D game with Unearthed Arcana, Arcana Unearthed and others, this book is for you.

Great book but still disapointed.

3/5 —

Before I say why I found this was one of my most disappointing purchases for a long time, I'd like to say that this is a fantastic product; the changes to the rules that it introduces bring a breath of fresh air to 3.5, and more importantly, they are really, really, really cool.

My gripe? Well, gripes actually because there are two.

Firstly that the book addresses changes to 3.5 in such a way as to completely ignore all the brilliant work on Pathfinder. I think it’s pretty safe to say that most discerning gamers have moved from 3.5 to Pathfinder (3.75?) and appreciate the updated character classes presented there. This (brilliant) book also updates (and up-powers, it must be said) the character classes but to implement those changes into my Pathfinder campaign will require too much work. I, for one, buy a book where someone has already done the dirty work of play-testing for me and not to then slog my guts out adapting the rules to fit my game.

My second gripe involves Sorcerers. What has Mr Cook got against Sorcerers? They get a brief mention that says you don’t need them with the new rules, which is fine as far as 3.5 goes but in Pathfinder they are not only way cooler but also add a huge dollop of flavour to a character’s background. Again, Pathfinder is ignored, which is fine for those still playing 3.5 (if they exist) but I'm sure that they are few and far between these days.

So all in all a great book that I could have done with two years ago and if Monte adapts it to take the improvements already presented in the Pathfinder rules into account I’ll probably buy it again but for now it’s just a very good, idea provoking read on the shelf in my loo.

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Scarab Sages
Monte wrote:

Hey everyone!

Thanks for the kind words in this thread. I hope you enjoy the CBoXM. And I hope this is the start of a beautiful friendship with Paizo Publishing. These guys rock!

And as long as I've got your attention for a second, I'll add that you might want to keep an eye on montecook.com over the next few weeks for some more cool announcments.

Thanks again!

AWESOME dude.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to say thanks. I recently scored a copy of comlete book of eldritch might... AWESOME. I look forward to more books soon!
Sovereign Court

Having got Ptolus some time ago, and having just had this book shipped (Which hopefully means it's one of the autographed ones), I'd just like to say that I really enjoy your work Monte, and look forward to whatever you produce in future, be it in the RPG arena or outside it. Thanks for the products, and enjoyment derived from them.
Liberty's Edge
Lisa Stevens wrote:
Sigil wrote:
If I placed an order right now, what are my chances of getting a signed one?

The chances are pretty much 100% if you order right now, though we are selling this book at a rapid pace, so don't delay if you want an autographed one!

-Lisa

Ack! I am going to wait until I get back to the states to order my copy, and I am hoping that they don't sell out before June.

YAY! I got the mail confirming the 'shipping'-status of the order!
Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

'shipped yesterday'

Come to me my pretties, come break my postal worker's back with Experimental Might and Arthurian Lore!
Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

Just ordered this. I wonder what number I'll get. I'm within the first 500 right?
Liberty's Edge
Matthew Morris wrote:

'shipped yesterday'

Come to me my pretties, come break my postal worker's back with Experimental Might and Arthurian Lore!

Heh that would've been the person who had to move cases of Ptolus :)

Mr Baron wrote:
Lisa Stevens wrote:
Sigil wrote:
If I placed an order right now, what are my chances of getting a signed one?

The chances are pretty much 100% if you order right now, though we are selling this book at a rapid pace, so don't delay if you want an autographed one!

-Lisa

Ack! I am going to wait until I get back to the states to order my copy, and I am hoping that they don't sell out before June.

Can't you just get a copy shipped to a friend's house? Someone that you trust? That way it is there and waiting for you.

Paizo Employee CEO
Matthew Morris wrote:

'shipped yesterday'

Come to me my pretties, come break my postal worker's back with Experimental Might and Arthurian Lore!

That was your shipment? I hand-picked that baby myself. I remember all the King Arthur books and then...Monte Cook? Something that stands out, if you know what I mean! :)

-Lisa
Lisa Stevens wrote:
Matthew Morris wrote:

'shipped yesterday'

Come to me my pretties, come break my postal worker's back with Experimental Might and Arthurian Lore!

That was your shipment? I hand-picked that baby myself. I remember all the King Arthur books and then...Monte Cook? Something that stands out, if you know what I mean! :)

-Lisa

There is just something that is so cool about the fact that the CEO of this company is helping pack our stuff so we can get it. ~cracks the whip~ Now get back to work, Lisa!

And thanks for getting the Monte autographs, guys!

That was the first time I pre-ordered something.
Grand Lodge

Ease up Sharoth, my order of Dungeon and Dragon back-issues has got to be heavy! Get her injured and I'll have to wait longer.
TriOmegaZero wrote:
Ease up Sharoth, my order of Dungeon and Dragon back-issues has got to be heavy! Get her injured and I'll have to wait longer.

But... But... ~grumbles and goes off to sit in the corner~ Fine! Be that way!

P.S. - Is anything going on this weekend?
Grand Lodge

Possibly some Star Wars d20. I'll let you know.
TriOmegaZero wrote:
Possibly some Star Wars d20. I'll let you know.

Thanks. I am not on call, so I should be able to join in, if only to watch and make snide comments! ~grins and runs~

Ordered on Saturday - but still pending :(
Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
Lisa Stevens wrote:
Matthew Morris wrote:

'shipped yesterday'

Come to me my pretties, come break my postal worker's back with Experimental Might and Arthurian Lore!

That was your shipment? I hand-picked that baby myself. I remember all the King Arthur books and then...Monte Cook? Something that stands out, if you know what I mean! :)

-Lisa

*laugh* glad to be known, I think.

The Arthur stuff is a late Christmas present for a friend's kids. Their dad's Mythic Vistas books and his hook horror for his desk are already here waiting for him. Well the companions are for myself, another friend, and his kids :-)

P.S. My hook horror is currently standing on my nightstand, squaring off against the White Tiger Ranger. I don't have kids, so I just buy the toys for myself.

Awww ..my shipment is still pending. Rats!

CURSE YOU BACK ISSUES OF POLYHEDRON!
Paizo Employee CEO
Patrick Curtin wrote:

Awww ..my shipment is still pending. Rats!

CURSE YOU BACK ISSUES OF POLYHEDRON!

Patrick:

If I wasn't sitting here at home, sick, I would go pick those Polyhedrons for you and get your order out the door! :)

-Lisa

Just wondering. There isn't anything new in this printing then what was covered in the PDF versions right?
Paizo Employee CEO
Pholtus wrote:
Just wondering. There isn't anything new in this printing then what was covered in the PDF versions right?

I never saw the PDF versions, so I can't comment with 100% accuracy, but my recollection is that this is a straight print edition of what was in the two PDFs. The intro from Monte is different, but otherwise, I believe it is the same.

-Lisa
Scarab Sages

Can we find out if the first 500 are still available?
fray wrote:
Can we find out if the first 500 are still available?

I was in the warehouse picking orders with the guys and we were still fulfilling signed books but I can't say with certainty that the 500 haven't already sold. We're not 100% caught up on the fulfillment of products right now but there's a good chance there are some that are still available.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
Lisa Stevens wrote:
Patrick Curtin wrote:

Awww ..my shipment is still pending. Rats!

CURSE YOU BACK ISSUES OF POLYHEDRON!

Patrick:

If I wasn't sitting here at home, sick, I would go pick those Polyhedrons for you and get your order out the door! :)

-Lisa

Get well soon.

oh wait mine is already on the road.

Get well and take your time ;-)
Contributor

The text is essentially the same, with a small amount of errata from Monte.

I say "essentially" the same because the feats chapters from the two books were combined into one chapter (and realphabetized), all the variant rules about hit points and such were consolidated into one chapter, any text from BOXM that referred to "the other book" was updated to point at the proper chapter in the combined book, etc.

But in terms of "does the print version have new feats, spells, and so on, that were not present in either of the PDFs?," no, there is no new material.
Scarab Sages
Jeff Alvarez wrote:
fray wrote:
Can we find out if the first 500 are still available?
I was in the warehouse picking orders with the guys and we were still fulfilling signed books but I can't say with certainty that the 500 haven't already sold. We're not 100% caught up on the fulfillment of products right now but there's a good chance there are some that are still available.

I am eagerly waiting as I ordered on the weekend.

Lisa Stevens wrote:
Patrick Curtin wrote:

Awww ..my shipment is still pending. Rats!

CURSE YOU BACK ISSUES OF POLYHEDRON!

Patrick:

If I wasn't sitting here at home, sick, I would go pick those Polyhedrons for you and get your order out the door! :)

-Lisa

The fact that the CEO of a company would say this, and that I would believe it implicitly is why you have my unwavering loyalty as a customer Lisa!

Get well soon!
Masika wrote:
I am eagerly waiting as I ordered on the weekend.

Me too. Ordered saturday from Paizo (rather than waiting on my FLGS to get it in stock) so that I'd get a signed copy. Still order pending however :(

The Exchange
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

My order is still marked pending although it's alone in the order. I preordered in November, am I in line for a signed edition?
Sovereign Court

Get well soon, Lisa. You are my favorite CEO.

I love PAIZO.

Monte Rules! (pun intended)

3.5 Never Dies
08.01.09 Happy Birthday Pathfinder RPG
Liberty's Edge
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

My copy was just delivered, awesome.

I got #92! Woot, first 100. :)
Scarab Sages

Urza, did you pre-order it?
delabarre wrote:
My order is still marked pending although it's alone in the order. I preordered in November, am I in line for a signed edition?

Delabarre, what's your order number? I'll check on it and see why it might be held up.

Liberty's Edge

Mine has been shipped... does this mean I have a signed one?

#18.
Sovereign Court
Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

#52 reporting for duty...

HA!!! Number 15 of 500, baby!
Grand Lodge

I feel gyped. I preordered as soon as it was up and got #91. *sad*
TriOmegaZero wrote:
I feel gyped. I preordered as soon as it was up and got #91. *sad*

~grins~ Well, I will try to take pity on you. ~Takes pity on you~

HA!!! Number 15!!! Yea baby!
Grand Lodge

Just don't bring yours tomorrow or it might mysteriously grow up. :P
TriOmegaZero wrote:
Just don't bring yours tomorrow or it might mysteriously grow up. :P

~Grabs my book and holds it tight~ Daddy will protect you from that mean man! He will not take you away from me! My precious! Precious!

So far I am enjoying the book. Thanks Monte! Now when can we get reprints of the other books?
Liberty's Edge
Sharoth wrote:
So far I am enjoying the book. Thanks Monte! Now when can we get reprints of the other books?

...Particularly a reissue of Ptolus. I didn't even find out about it until after it was OOP. >.>

Number 88 right here! An excellent book, although I am disappointed in the number of pages in the box. It could have been thicker.
Contributor
BluePigeon wrote:
Number 88 right here! An excellent book, although I am disappointed in the number of pages in the box. It could have been thicker.

Uh, what?

BluePigeon wrote:
Number 88 right here! An excellent book, although I am disappointed in the number of pages in the box. It could have been thicker.

Didn't this line in the product description - 'This 144-page hardcover collection of Monte's own house rules includes' give you a small clue as to what size the book might be?

I know I've been able to form what I like to think is a fairly accurate idea of what size the book may be based upon this little snippet.
Paizo Employee CEO

#2 here! Hey, quit looking at me like that! Owning the company has to have SOME perks other than a constant drain on my banking account and a near constant need to work on things company related! :)

Btw, Monte got #1.

-Lisa
Lisa Stevens wrote:

#2 here! Hey, quit looking at me like that! Owning the company has to have SOME perks other than a constant drain on my banking account and a near constant need to work on things company related! :)

Btw, Monte got #1.

-Lisa

What's your Ptolus number, Lisa?

(I bet I have you beat. Although I don't think I have a lower number than Erik Mona...)

#56 here. Got it late last night when arriving home after our game. It's a nice complement to the used copy of Ptolus I finally snagged off Amazon a while back - although that has no number.

I second (or second thousandth ;) ) the vote for reprinting Ptolus, BTW. Everyone should have one...
Liberty's Edge
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
fray wrote:
Urza, did you pre-order it?

Yes I did. I preorder just about everything Paizo offers (well except 4e stuff that I use my employee discount to get.)

David Spaar wrote:
I second (or second thousandth ;) ) the vote for reprinting Ptolus, BTW. Everyone should have one...

You know... if you'd asked me 2 or 3 years ago if I'd be willing to buy a second copy of Ptolus I'd have said no.. but today, if it meant more support... you know, like a Pathfinder RPG edition of Ptolus... I'd gladly spend the money to buy another copy of it.

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