Introduction
So, Hall Kennette is a prolific author that has been kind of focusing on Akashic magic supplements. He has a Patreon where he publishes his designs, and he compiles this material monthly normally with a thematic motif. This is the result.
What’s inside?: In this Stormbound-focused supplement, we get 23 pages for 5 buck, which includes:
-Class Section: This includes 6 archetypes, 3 bardic performances for the legendary bard, 1 bloodline with both sorcerer and bloodrager versions, and 2 tomes for the legendary magus.
Living Storm barbarians don’t get bonus to combat, instead their rage emulates Storm veils, and in the same vein they can gain storm powers as rage powers that only work while raging. They also resist energy instead of getting trap/danger sense. Too mystical for my tastes but still a cool, high-fantasy archetype, if a bit on the strong side. The Stormsinger bard shapes a Storm veil too, and while they lose a lot of bardic performances, I think it fits a bard better than a barbarian.
The 3 bardic performances for the legendary bard also deal with weather, but 2 of them calm it and the last one stirs it in the form of a Storm veil. The Elderstorm bloodline for sorcerers and bloodragers let those classes dabble into Akasha, although I would have preferred a more plain option for both and not only one specific for Storm veilweaving, but it’s nice. The Storm Bringer druid bonds with the elderstorm, getting again the benefits of stormweaving, being able to veilweave Storm Veils and also getting some Storm Powers.
The Tome of the Cannonade gives the Legendary Magus the crazy ability to deliver spells through siege engines! While the Tome of the Stormwielder let the Legendary Magus dabble in stormweaving. The Momentum Mage Legendary Magus archetype is really interesting. It lets the Magus generate some kind of momentum when they move, which he can spend in cool techniques. They get an ability called “Momentum Combat” that seems to work like spring attack with a spell, but doesn’t mention spellcasting, only a melee attack; however, you can use the Rapid Spell momentum technique to cast a spell as a swift action, so you could move, cast and hit in the same turn.
The Tempest Caller is another stormweaver-dabbling archetype. To finalize the class section, we finish with the cold-focused Herald of Winter. I really liked this one, since it is a more focused Stormbound and can inspire the creation of other, similar focused archetypes. Among its abilities, it includes the powerful trick of reducing cold resistance and even immunity.
-4 feats: these four feats are confluence feats, which enhance the combination of two stormveils. They mostly use the new stormveils contained herein, but sadly all are closed to the Herald of Winter, since he loses the twin stormveil class feature.
-1 magic item: The Endless Ammo Hoard is a costly but powerful chest that can create siege engine ammo indefinitely, with some caveats.
-Veilweaving and Veils: This section includes an expansion to the Stormbound veil list, with products that appeared after its publication. Apart from this, there are a couple of new veils:
6 veils: Bands of Binding Ice lets you create walls of ice, and if bound lets you encase others and later yourself in ice. Breeches of the Pale Rider gives you a horse that can run on water by freezing it, and while bound creates difficult terrain and later even flies! Halo of Polaris is another “cool” one (hehe), giving you the ability to navigate by the stars, and create shurikens made of ice to attack your foes, even without using the hands when binding it to the headband chakra. Mai’yr’s Icy Glare lets you see better through frigid weather, snow and ice, and when bound gives you two gaze attacks. Voice of Winter gives you the ability to animate snow into a companion (where have I seen these? Should I… let it go?); you can invest essence both in the veil and the companion (cool), and when bound gives the companion intelligence. Finally, Winter’s Coat protects you against cold and also lets you transform into a cloud of snowflakes, and improves the cloud’s movement when bound. This last one’s base abilities are a bit strong for my tastes, but nothing horribly broken.
4 storm veils: These one follow a frigid thematic. The Crystalline, for example, hampers movement and damage foes by creating icy crystals, while The Quelling, the only non-cold storm veil, reduces the target’s will save by making them feel the isolation and ennui of frigid zones.
Of Note: I really enjoyed the Momentum Mage archetype, since moving around the battle is something few magi do, or melee-ers. Also, some of the veils are just plain cool! (hehe… or should I say ho ho ho?). Also, I’m a fan of the Confluence feats, and these ones are cool (ok I will stop) additions to the Stormbound repertoire.
Anything wrong?: Not taking into account my opinion on the power, real or perceived, of storm veils, letting everyone into the party and giving so many classes access to their class-defining feature can be controversial. Druids are cool, as are sorcerers, but skalds and barbarians?
What I want: I want a sub-zero-inspired frosty ninja archetype that throw snoflakes shurikens.
What cool things did this inspire?: A frost giant veilweaver with some of the veils here sound like a memorable villain in the making, as are winter wolves lackeys. Another akashic dragon would have been a fresh (sorry, I couldn’t help it) addition to the few akashic monsters out there.
Do I recommend it?: If you like and enjoy the Stormbound, then by all means yes. If you didn’t enjoy it, or don’t have it, then the icy veils and legendary magus stuff are enough to warrant a purchase IMHO. I will give it 4 polar stars.