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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

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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

167 here. OoOo this'll be fun to read.
delabarre wrote:
219 - Wolf Monroe

219 - Wolf Munroe

I start frothing at the mouth and enter a blood-red rage otherwise.
Shadow Lodge

-278 Reporting for Duty!

18DELTA
Paizo Employee CEO

Just to throw a little more juice onto the fire, our warehouse manager, Jeff Strand, tells me that SOME of the autograph plates have little doodles and sketches from Monte in addition to the signature. Now, I can tell you that #2 didn't have any such artistic works on it, but I bet someone out there has an original Monte inside their book cover. Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

-Lisa
Liberty's Edge
Lisa Stevens wrote:

Just to throw a little more juice onto the fire, our warehouse manager, Jeff Strand, tells me that SOME of the autograph plates have little doodles and sketches from Monte in addition to the signature. Now, I can tell you that #2 didn't have any such artistic works on it, but I bet someone out there has an original Monte inside their book cover. Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

-Lisa

#7 nothing on mine, but still happy :)

Liberty's Edge
Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Lisa Stevens wrote:

Just to throw a little more juice onto the fire, our warehouse manager, Jeff Strand, tells me that SOME of the autograph plates have little doodles and sketches from Monte in addition to the signature. Now, I can tell you that #2 didn't have any such artistic works on it, but I bet someone out there has an original Monte inside their book cover. Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

-Lisa

you guys still have some signed ones left?....Really?

Paizo Employee CEO
Dragnmoon wrote:
Lisa Stevens wrote:

Just to throw a little more juice onto the fire, our warehouse manager, Jeff Strand, tells me that SOME of the autograph plates have little doodles and sketches from Monte in addition to the signature. Now, I can tell you that #2 didn't have any such artistic works on it, but I bet someone out there has an original Monte inside their book cover. Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

-Lisa

you guys still have some signed ones left?....Really?

We are shipping in the mid-300's right now. I'm really not sure if they are sold out or not, but there is a good chance that an order placed today will get a signed copy. Just not a promise, since they are moving out the door at a pretty good clip.

-Lisa

#242 here (no doodle)
Liberty's Edge Contributor, RPG Superstar 2012

#20. Thanks Monte! Thanks Paizo!
Lantern Lodge
Lisa Stevens wrote:

Just to throw a little more juice onto the fire, our warehouse manager, Jeff Strand, tells me that SOME of the autograph plates have little doodles and sketches from Monte in addition to the signature. Now, I can tell you that #2 didn't have any such artistic works on it, but I bet someone out there has an original Monte inside their book cover. Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

-Lisa

Received mine today - #176 - and I got a thumbnail-sized doodle of a Behol... oh, wait, that can't be right, that would be a violation of the OGL?

My copy just shipped, according to the order status. Well, I´ll see which one (if a numbered one) I got in a few weeks. If everything works like usually, I should get around the 14th of march.

Stefan
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

My copy arrived yesterday here in Germany. I', #98!
Liberty's Edge

Mine arrived today! #104 (no doodle)
Dark Archive

#275 reporting for duty!

No doodles here!
Liberty's Edge

#293
Dark Archive

Just got mine today; #304 (no doodle).
Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Here's the latest

1 - Monte Cook
2 - Lisa Stevens
3 - aatea
4 - Matthew Morris
5 - silverhair2008
6 - Forgottenprince
7 - Tessius
9 - Charles Scholz
15 - Sharoth
20 - Taig
21 - houstonderek
24 - yoda8myhead
25 - DM Jeff
76 - Montalve
85 - Franz Lunzer
98 - Zaister
104 - Dryder
117 - Lord Raptor
124 - David Wickham
156 - Sigil
161 - delabarre
167 - Small Attention Span
176 - DarkWhite (With a Doodle)
182 - Masika
183 - Masika
186 - Patrick Curtin
197 - crazy_cat
201 - Paul Watson
219 - Wolf Munroe
242 - DaveMage
275 - BenoistPoire`
278 - 18Delta
293 - alleynbard
304 - Bryan

Hm, Only 11% reporting in. This is unacceptable. Show your pride in your purchase. Lets here from you!
Dark Archive

Are there any signed ones left?
Liberty's Edge
Charles Scholz wrote:

Here's the latest

a big long list

Hm, Only 11% reporting in. This is unacceptable. Show your pride in your purchase. Lets here from you!

I hear and obey; number 181 present and correct.

U
Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Looks like I got 19.

Mike
The Exchange

280 just arrived.

#81
Lantern Lodge
Charles Scholz wrote:

Here's the latest

1 - Monte Cook
2 - Lisa Stevens
3 - 167 (Bunch of others without doodles)
176 - DarkWhite (With a Doodle)
182 - 304 (Bunch of others without doodles)

OMG! Is mine a collector's item? The ONLY one with a Doodle? And damn, I usually carry gaming books in my bag to work to read on the tram, I *ALWAYS* wrap them in a plastic shopping bag to protect the pages etc, but this day I didn't, and my lunch (a banana I forgot to eat the previous day) got squished all around the spine! I couldn't believe my misfortune! I was able to wipe away most of the goo before it could damage the pages too much, but it's no-longer mint condition, and only days after purchase. *sigh*

#323

How do you tell the difference between his doodle and his signature?

You would think a writer would have better handwriting ;)
Dark Psion wrote:


You would think a writer would have better handwriting ;)

Not since the invention of the typewriter :-)

Stefan
Scarab Sages

Where is the book would the doodle be found?
Dark Archive

# 127 for me, no doodle though.

And I have Ptolus #36, no doodle either.

When will Monte grace me with a doodle?
Lantern Lodge
Masika wrote:
Where is the book would the doodle be found?

The doodle was found on the boilerplate (the sticker) with the individual numbering and Monte's signature. If you had one, it shouldn't be easy to miss.

carmachu wrote:
Are there any signed ones left?

I can't say for certain but it looks like there are still a hand full of signed ones left.

Liberty's Edge
DarkWhite wrote:
Charles Scholz wrote:

Here's the latest

1 - Monte Cook
2 - Lisa Stevens
3 - 167 (Bunch of others without doodles)
176 - DarkWhite (With a Doodle)
182 - 304 (Bunch of others without doodles)

OMG! Is mine a collector's item? The ONLY one with a Doodle? And damn, I usually carry gaming books in my bag to work to read on the tram, I *ALWAYS* wrap them in a plastic shopping bag to protect the pages etc, but this day I didn't, and my lunch (a banana I forgot to eat the previous day) got squished all around the spine! I couldn't believe my misfortune! I was able to wipe away most of the goo before it could damage the pages too much, but it's no-longer mint condition, and only days after purchase. *sigh*

i am sorry for your loss, or the damage received on your item :S

its always a shame when that happens
Lantern Lodge
Montalve wrote:

i am sorry for your loss, or the damage received on your item :S

its always a shame when that happens

Thanks, I guess I just needed to vent. But turning it into a positive, sometimes you need something like this to happen to remind yourself to be more diligent next time ;-)

#321 reporting for duty (and signaling that I picked up my order today from the post office - shipped on Feb, 25, usual time for shipment). No doodles, either.

Stefan
Liberty's Edge
DarkWhite wrote:
Montalve wrote:

i am sorry for your loss, or the damage received on your item :S

its always a shame when that happens
Thanks, I guess I just needed to vent. But turning it into a positive, sometimes you need something like this to happen to remind yourself to be more diligent next time ;-)

understandable

I try always to plastify my hardcovers and sometimes the softcovers... it took me months to do it for someof them, fortunately just recently i was able :D

I'm #198. So to continue Charles' work,
Here's the latest
1 - Monte Cook
2 - Lisa Stevens
3 - aatea
4 - Matthew Morris
5 - silverhair2008
6 - Forgottenprince
7 - Tessius
9 - Charles Scholz
15 - Sharoth
19 - Mijast727
20 - Taig
21 - houstonderek
24 - yoda8myhead
25 - DM Jeff
76 - Montalve
81 - BenS
85 - Franz Lunzer
98 - Zaister
104 - Dryder
117 - Lord Raptor
124 - David Wickham
127 - Tharen the Damned
156 - Sigil
161 - delabarre
167 - Small Attention Span
176 - DarkWhite (With a Doodle)
181 - Ukos
182 - Masika
183 - Masika
186 - Patrick Curtin
197 - crazy_cat
198 - Daeglin
201 - Paul Watson
219 - Wolf Munroe
242 - DaveMage
275 - BenoistPoire`
278 - 18Delta
280 - Wintergreen
293 - alleynbard
304 - Bryan
321 - Stebehil
323 - Dark Psion

Got my second book! #337! But, no doodle here either.

1 - Monte Cook
2 - Lisa Stevens
3 - aatea
4 - Matthew Morris
5 - silverhair2008
6 - Forgottenprince
7 - Tessius
9 - Charles Scholz
15 - Sharoth
19 - Mijast727
20 - Taig
21 - houstonderek
24 - yoda8myhead
25 - DM Jeff
76 - Montalve
81 - BenS
85 - Franz Lunzer
98 - Zaister
104 - Dryder
117 - Lord Raptor
124 - David Wickham
127 - Tharen the Damned
156 - Sigil
161 - delabarre
167 - Small Attention Span
176 - DarkWhite (With a Doodle)
181 - Ukos
182 - Masika
183 - Masika
186 - Patrick Curtin
197 - crazy_cat
198 - Daeglin
201 - Paul Watson
219 - Wolf Munroe
242 - DaveMage
275 - BenoistPoire`
278 - 18Delta
280 - Wintergreen
293 - alleynbard
304 - Bryan
321 - Stebehil
323 - Dark Psion
337 - Franz Lunzer
Sovereign Court
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

It has arrrived! #256 is a dream for an IT guy, right?

1 - Monte Cook
2 - Lisa Stevens
3 - aatea
4 - Matthew Morris
5 - silverhair2008
6 - Forgottenprince
7 - Tessius
9 - Charles Scholz
15 - Sharoth
19 - Mijast727
20 - Taig
21 - houstonderek
24 - yoda8myhead
25 - DM Jeff
76 - Montalve
81 - BenS
85 - Franz Lunzer
98 - Zaister
104 - Dryder
117 - Lord Raptor
124 - David Wickham
127 - Tharen the Damned
156 - Sigil
161 - delabarre
167 - Small Attention Span
176 - DarkWhite (With a Doodle)
181 - Ukos
182 - Masika
183 - Masika
186 - Patrick Curtin
197 - crazy_cat
198 - Daeglin
201 - Paul Watson
219 - Wolf Munroe
242 - DaveMage
256 - Oliver von Spreckelsen
275 - BenoistPoire`
278 - 18Delta
280 - Wintergreen
293 - alleynbard
304 - Bryan
321 - Stebehil
323 - Dark Psion
337 - Franz Lunzer
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

#126 for me.
no doodle
Scarab Sages

Behold, mine bears the mighty 333!

1 - Monte Cook
2 - Lisa Stevens
3 - aatea
4 - Matthew Morris
5 - silverhair2008
6 - Forgottenprince
7 - Tessius
9 - Charles Scholz
15 - Sharoth
19 - Mijast727
20 - Taig
21 - houstonderek
24 - yoda8myhead
25 - DM Jeff
76 - Montalve
81 - BenS
85 - Franz Lunzer
98 - Zaister
104 - Dryder
117 - Lord Raptor
124 - David Wickham
126 - Thorindale
127 - Tharen the Damned
156 - Sigil
161 - delabarre
167 - Small Attention Span
176 - DarkWhite (With a Doodle)
181 - Ukos
182 - Masika
183 - Masika
186 - Patrick Curtin
197 - crazy_cat
198 - Daeglin
201 - Paul Watson
219 - Wolf Munroe
242 - DaveMage
256 - Oliver von Spreckelsen
275 - BenoistPoire`
278 - 18Delta
280 - Wintergreen
293 - alleynbard
304 - Bryan
321 - Stebehil
323 - Dark Psion
333 - Jal Dorak
337 - Franz Lunzer
Sovereign Court
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Society Subscriber

numerologists, rejiocing dance # 123 but no doodle.
interesting well thought out and written (DUH) only gripe is thta it can cause major game imbalance if abused.

Mine is signed but has no number listed.

#79 for me
Dark Archive

#348 showed up on my doorstep today!

#108 - Ant

Yay! (Awesome book, by the way. Thanks, Monte!)
DragonMunchie wrote:
Mine is signed but has no number listed.

Heh. Well, that sounds like the plot for a movie. (Well, admittedly, you'll have to expand on it some, but it's an action drama about the rare books market.)

Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
DragonMunchie wrote:
Mine is signed but has no number listed.

Congratulations, your have # 501 of 500.

Either that or you will have to wait until everyone has reported in to find your number.
Liberty's Edge
Vic Wertz wrote:
We're pleased to officially announce Monte Cook's Collected Book of Experimental Might, due in January from Paizo and Malhavoc Press!

Is there any difference in content between this book and the original PDF's?

eric kiser wrote:
Is there any difference in content between this book and the original PDF's?
In post #30 of this thread:
Sean K Reynolds wrote:
Other than taking out references like "If you have the other book" from the manuscript, TCBOXM contains all the material from the two BOXM. In some cases I consolidated chapters (for example, all the feats are in one chapter, rather than the BOXM1 feats as one chapter and BOXM2 feats as another chapter) but all the content is there.

Liberty's Edge
Majuba wrote:
eric kiser wrote:
Is there any difference in content between this book and the original PDF's?
In post #30 of this thread:
Sean K Reynolds wrote:
Other than taking out references like "If you have the other book" from the manuscript, TCBOXM contains all the material from the two BOXM. In some cases I consolidated chapters (for example, all the feats are in one chapter, rather than the BOXM1 feats as one chapter and BOXM2 feats as another chapter) but all the content is there.

Wow, thanks for the quick response.

Eric
Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

423 here !
Scarab Sages

You think there will be a pathfinder update?
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