Anyone care to talk about their experiences with Monte Cook's alternate 3.x rules set? Or about the Diamond Throne setting?
I would love to run adventures there, and the magic system and classes appeal to me more than bog standard 3.x.
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It's extremely well done and it has a vibe of its own. There's extra attention put towards mechanical effects of things like oaths and rites. The gamut of races and classes sort of mimics the one of the D&D core books, but each time with each own twist that makes the game play different in the end.
You can perfectly use 3.X and AE side by side, accounting for just tiny differences between one rules set and the other (there's basically one feat of difference between AE and D&D characters - You decide which one you want to apply and go with it. Same thing about some precise points of the rules, like whether Keen and Improved Critical stack or not, and such details. It's really not that hard).
The Diamond Throne setting is detailed enough to make you understand it, but sketchy enough as to let you do with it as you will. That's sort of the point of it all.
Arcana Evolved is basically the reprint of Arcana Unearthed + The Diamond Throne supplement, but I suppose you knew that already.
All in all, one of the best OGL variants out there that truly plays like D&D.
Man I loved looking through Arcana Evolved when I owned it! I wish I would have kept it. It was one of the only games I actually was a player in instead of running, even though i always helped the DM with the Diamond Throne and adventure design. I played a human ritual warrior and the other players were a quickling and one of those mysterious red-skinned people (Verrik?). My guy was pretty fun to play, but Im too into being the storyteller and designing my own worlds.
I highly recommend AE. I loved the Diamond Throne setting so much, I yanked the continent (Serran?) and put it on my version of Oerth. (I did much the same w/ Athas years earlier)
The classes are very flavorful, and tightly integrated in w/ the game world. That can be a 2-edged sword, though. If you don't care for the setting, you might find it difficult using them in your own world. That's what some have said anyway.
I like the races, too. A nice break from Tolkien-inspired realms of orcs/dwarves/elves. A very non-traditional take on dragons, too.
If you're interested in getting a better feel for the setting, I've read the 2 short story collections set there and could send them to you.
I suppose I should have put this in the 3.x section. Doh.
Thanks for the offer of the books; I'm in the UK, so that might make a difference.
I suppose I should have put this in the 3.x section. Doh.
Thanks for the offer of the books; I'm in the UK, so that might make a difference.
No difference. If you're still interested,