Kobold love at first site. We love anything that runs off the beer engine. It's just made it to hard cover so check it out. You can even read the entire book in one sitting on your porceline throne. ALL HAIL KING TORG! [more]
With the release of the new D&D Miniatures starter set, I decided Id finally stop avoiding minis and actually buy some useful figurines for tabletop play. [more]
Hello, and welcome to this small corner of electronica. My name is Patrick Bryant, and I am, if only through some odd circumstances, a writer for Distant Horizons Games with my business partner Paul Melroy. Our very first physical book, Legends of High Fantasy (LoHF), has just been published through Gold Rush Gamess Eureka! publishing division. [more]
I thought this book would fill all my DMing needs when it came to large scale combat. That is until I read . showed me that although mass combat systems can be nice, you dont really need one at all. You just need to know how to integrate your PCs into the battle that rages around them in a war campaign. [more]
Races of Eberron is part of Wizards of the Coasts Races of line. This line includes Races of the Wild, Races of Stone, etc. However, this book is focused on the new races introduced in the Eberron campaign setting. One interesting thing about this book is it takes a different tact than its predecessor, Races of Faerun. Races of Faerun is the sourcebook for races in the Forgotten Realms campaign. That book followed the same style and cover art as the other books in the Realms line and didnt really try to be anything other than what it was. [more]
is WotCs latest work for the . I have to admit that even though everyone is interested in the shiny newness of , I still prefer the Realms in all its uber-over-the-top fantasy glory. [more]
is the third in the series of D&D 3.5e books that seek to expand upon the core races. I have not yet seen , but I thought the first book in the series, , was rather good. My impression of Races of the Wild is very similar. I like this book a great deal, although I'm unsure of the implications of some of the material. [more]
Scourge of Worlds is perhaps best described as an interactive movie that is similar to the Choose Your Own Adventure series of books. At its core, its a D&D movie broken into multiple branches, giving the audience the ability to make key decisions at various points in the story. This is an officially licensed Dungeons and Dragons product that uses the familiar characters found in the . The product claims to have 1100 different possible paths with a total of 6 different endings. [more]
is the latest and final book in Wizards of the Coasts Complete series of player supplements. The previous books in the series: , , and , focused on combat, divine spell casting, and arcane spell casting, respectively. This book focuses on skills and character classes that lean towards high skill use and special abilities that go beyond simple magic use or combat utility. Rogue PCs in particular are likely to gain the most benefit from this book, but I believe there are some great benefits to be had for every class in this book. [more]
As the name suggests, this book is a detailed treatise on the undead in a D&D campaign. This book ostensibly contains everything youve ever wanted to know about the undead, and maybe even a few things that you didnt. The concept of undeath within the confines of a D&D campaign is expanded upon through additional rules and variants, essays on the nature of undeath, new monsters, templates for normal and prestige classes, and a series of adventure sites (pre-made dungeons) that can easily be inserted and changed to fit an existing campaign. [more]
Carnivore's Toolbox: Review I'm the kinda' guy that is always looking for the ultimate tool that will make me the coolest DM with the coolest toy. First and foremost I am a DM. For the past 2 years I have accelerated my playing to offset DM time. In this process I have bought, used, loved or tossed out a few products and I want to share my knowledge with you. [more]
is the second adventure to be published by Wizards that is set in the new campaign world of Eberron. It can be played quite effectively as a stand-alone module, but is also designed to be the third part of the series that began with The Forgotten Forge (which could be found in the ) and continued with . [more]
is the latest in the series of official D&D monster books. It is the first D&D monster book designed after the release of the . This book is also the result of a new process in designing D&D monster books: the designers created far more monsters than were included in this book. [more]
Unlike other products put out by Wizards of the Coast, this product has a very specific goalto teach new or inexperienced players how to play 3.5 Edition Dungeons & Dragons. That makes the very easy to review. I simply have to ask myself one very simple question: "If I were a player new to roleplaying, could I learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons by using this product?" [more]
Races of Stone represents a departure by Wizards of the Coast from the style of their recent books. This is not to say that it is entirely dissimilar to books like the and , for it does contain new prestige classes, feats and magic. [more]
Dundjinni is a new mapping product from Fluid Entertainment, the company who brought you . I must say that though I have very little regard for , I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this software for quite some time now. [more]
"" is an Eberron adventure written by Keith Baker for a party of 2nd level characters that picks up where The Forgotten Forge leaves off. The Forgotten Forge is the introductory adventure included in the back of the main book. [more]
has a unique feel. Dark noir-ish intrigue and Indiana Jones style swashbuckling action. There are also some subtle overtones of Dark cuthuluesque fantasy as well. Despite the fact that Wizards of the Coast advertised an "everything but the kitchen sink" attitude, the end result is actually not what the naysayers assumed. [more]
The Expanded Psionics Handbook is the sequel and replacement for the 3.0 edition Psionics Handbook, both from Wizards of the Coast. As one would expect, this book gives rules on how to add psionics to your 3.5 edition D&D game. Despite its somewhat misleading name this is a stand alone book and does not need the original Psionics Handbook. [more]
Poisoncraft: The Dark Art is the first of the "Complete" series of books from Blue Devil Games (and, in fact, their first product, period). It uses the term "complete" to imply that the book has, in effect, EVERYTHING you could ever want to know, need to know, or have a use for with regards to poison in your D&D game. From what I've seen, they either achieve this goal, or come awfully close to it. [more]
With 3.5 now released and generally accepted, the time has come for Wizards of the Coast to re-release various game aids that are now slightly outdated. This is essentially what they have done with the new Deluxe Dungeon Master's Screen. The new screen is something more than a rehash of the previous one. [more]
I love rules variations, and this book is chock full of them. In fact, it has rules variations for just about every aspect of your game. Most of them good, some of them strange, but all of them coming with advice on how it will affect your game. So why was this book so hard to review? Mostly because, as a DM, none of it inspired me. [more]
When I first saw this book on Green Ronins website I said to myself, Cool something else on psionics! I thought it would be prestige classes and powers like so many of the other books out there expanding on a class are. Well, I was wrong. This book does expand on psionics but in a completely different light. [more]
The most dangerous region in all Faerun lies below it. Within the pages of Underdark, you will find monsters unimaginable and places to strike fear in the heart of even the bravest adventurer. But does it live up to the hype? [more]
Dragoneye is the second expansion set for the D&D Miniatures game, introducing 60 new miniatures that focus on dragons, goblinoids and ideas introduced in the Dragonlance Campaign Setting and the Complete Warrior accessory books. [more]
Character sheets are a constant in the play of Dungeons and Dragons. No matter what race or class you choose to play you will need to have a record of your character's stats. [more]
Cry Havoc is the third in the series of Event Books from Malhavoc Press. It proclaims itself as being "The Essential d20 Guide to War!" and as "An event book featuring the definitive d20 mass combat system." As one might expect, it deals with resolving wars, either with miniatures or more abstractly. [more]
Dungeons & Dragons is the name of the game. As such, it would stand to reason that dragons would hold a special place in the heart of those who play it, no? After all, along with fireballs, longswords and elves, it is truly a staple of the fantasy genre and of the game itself, and has been since its infancy. Therefore it is logical that a book dedicated entirely to them should be written. And that book is the Draconomicon. [more]
If you already have Sword and Fist, a subscription to Dragon, Defenders of the Faith, Tome and Blood and a lot of other 3rd Edition Wizards products, then there isnt a lot of new stuff this book offers you. [more]
Elements of Monsters provides an exhaustive system for building creatures from the ground up, tailor-making them to suit whatever needs, purposes, and statistical abilities you desire. Billed as an ultimately-flexible yet entirely-compatible system, it suffers from trying to do too much and trying to please two different audiences (the precise and the creative) while satisfying neither. [more]
The D&D Miniatures Handbook presents a selection of new classes, feats, magic and monsters for the D&D game as well as giving the full rules of the D&D Miniatures Skirmish and Mass Battle games. The new D&D materials mostly represent things that were designed with the intention of appearing in the miniature line at some point, and the result is material that lacks a true unifying theme, but is of good quality nonetheless. [more]
As a skirmish game and a resource for D&D RPG players, the D&D Miniatures game successfully provides a cheap way of enhancing your games. Although metal figures still provide the best quality in miniature gaming, it is hard to argue with the price of this excellent game. [more]
The Book of Exalted Deeds, second in the somewhat controversial mature line of products from Wizards of the Coast, is written as a counterpoint to their earlier Book of Vile Darkness. The Book of Exalted Deeds is a definitive work on Good (yes, capitalized.) Like its predecessor, the Book of Exalted Deeds carries a warning, and is supposed to be sold only to customers over the age of 17. To my adult audience, welcomeand I hope that this review proves a useful resource in deciding whether or not to include this volume in your collection. [more]
Gary Gygax's Necropolis is a 284-page adventure and sourcebook for the d20 System. It was originally released for Gygax's ill-fated Dangerous Journeys rpg, and was converted for the d20 System by Bill Webb, Scott Greene and Clark Peterson of Necromancer Games. This conversion is something that I am very grateful for, as it allowed me to obtain what is one of the best adventures ever written. [more]
Do you want to revisit old memories of Myth Drannor?Or perhaps you want to pit your eager players againstthe Cult of the Dragon. This 96 pages adventure for fourplayers of around six levels might just be the thing for you... [more]
It is an extensive study of the medieval period, and the possible ramifications of inserting magic into such a setting and culture. The back cover says it quite well: "No new spells - No new feats - No new classes" [more]
"Anger of Angels" takes on the task of detailing the war between Heaven andHell, the powers of the angels, and allowing campaigns to be set amidst thatwar. In this supplement to the d20 System, the powers of the angels aredefined in great detail. One weakness is that it works best for having angels as PCs, and less well for other sorts of games, but there is much of value in the book even so. [more]
Dragonlance appeared way back in the day in a series of three novels, chronicling the events of a war between evil dragons and man, with the gods thrown in for good measure. This book is quite obviously a translation of that world into the 3rd edition D&D rules, and I am here to review that translation so that you may make an informed opinion on whether or not to buy it. [more]
So, you love D&D but you're tired of Elven wizards, Dwarvish fighters and Halfling rogues? You have fallen into the rut of always casting magic missiles and fireballs when you play an arcane caster, and your fellow players are always asking you for CLWs when you play a cleric? Arcana Unearthed might just be the solution to your problems. [more]
Revision time is here again! Like a Christmas that comes every 3 to 5 years, what can we expect from this year's loot? Lots of D&D monster goodness. [more]
"It's good to be the DM" (Dungeon Master's Guide v3.5, pg. 4). Never has this been more true than with the new revision of the second core rule book. The DMG has been completely overhauled. Most of us have at least a passing familiarity with the 3.0 DMG, and as soon as you open this new version of the DMG it becomes quite evident that not much has remained the same. [more]
The Dungeons and Dragons game has evolved once again, this time a result of three years of play testing by you, me and a throng of other rules-lawyers, power gamers, munchkins, role-players and other geeks who cared enough about the game to provide feedback (read: complain) to the creators. [more]
One of the most frustrating challenges as a Dungeon Master today is keeping every encounter unique, and congruent with the flavor of the adventure/campaign. For those of you running an oriental campaign setting, or looking to add some flavor of the orient, this book may interest you. [more]
Ghostwalk is the focal point of a campaign. It introduces major changes to the concept of dying and, as the name implies, it allows your characters to continue their adventures even if they happen to die.more]
The book is somewhat a novelty as it deals solely with how to make your PC fit into the Iron Kingdoms (IK) campaign and how to make sure the feel of the world is maintained. The first time I skimmed through the book, I found no rules, prestige classes, magic, spells, or items whatsoever. It was both disappointing and refreshing. [more]
Green Ronin has developed a single volume of divine spells from various d20 publishers. Given the sheer volume of spells in the 20 market, it was only a matter of time before a product like this became a necessity. [more]
"Cry Havoc! And Let Slip the Dogs of War!" Is there a Dungeon Master in the world that would say, "No thanks, I have enough NPCs for my games?" Mystic Eye Games has created a downloadable newsletter-like book with the intent of providing DM's with fully fleshed out NPCs. [more]
One of the most common features of a fantasy role-playing game is the stereotypical tavern where the players meet, rest and catch up on gossip. For those who wish to put a more vivid and living tavern into their games, perhaps as the centerpiece of an adventure, Chris Jones has written the Book of Taverns. [more]
My first impression of the Monster Manual II after a quick glance was "All right, more deadly monsters to cause mayhem against my players!"My second Impression was "Wait, Ive got a fourth of these in my other books, what a rip!" [more]
Drugs, torture, sacrifice, sadism, and depravity: the Book of Vile Darkness, by Monte Cook, is definitely not for the weak of heart. In fact, it's the only D&D book I've ever seen with a warning sticker on the cover. Definitely not for children. Nor is this tome meant for players. In fact, the first section of the introduction, a warning to DMs, is entitled, "Hide This Book!" [more]
The third, and final, book of the Witchfire Trilogy, The Legion of Lost Souls (for levels 5-7) follows in suit of the second book, Shadow of the Exile, of ironing out the small ruffles of its predecessor and building on an already amazing story line. The Legion of Lost Souls completes the trilogy with a very satisfactory conclusion stop the evil wizard, and slay that crazy little witch! [more]
The Monsternomicon, at first glance, seems to be just another book of monsters flooding the d20 market. With an interesting mix of monsters and playable PCs races, this book prooves to be anything but. If it were to stop there, it would already make the grade--it dosn't stop there, however. The Monsternomicon also includes some fresh, interesting features sure to rise the d20 industry standard. [more]
The second part of Privateer Press' Witchfire Trilogy, Shadow of the Exile (for characters level 3-5), lives up to it predecessor's reputation and transcends to an even higher level of quality than the first offering, The Longest Night. [more]
Traps & Treachery is a hardcover for the d20 system aimed at increasinga rogue's playability, as well as augmenting the game master's selectionof traps and tricks. It does both of these well, and beats Wizards ofthe Coast to the punch since Songs & Silence, the rogue and bards bookcame out long after this one. [more]
Song and Silence ($19.95) is brought to you by David Noonan and John D. Rateliff. After only a single page it immediately jumps into new fantastic options for bards and rogues. The 26 new feats featured are varied and interesting, providing everything from mundane bonuses to allowing bardic music to affect undead. [more]
The Diablo II: Diablerie is definitely tailored more for the hack-n-slashers then for the die-hard role-players, however it brings new spice to the game by introducing new classes as well as variants on existing classes. [more]
So many fledging companies are entering the d20 arena that it is good to separate the wheat from the chaff. Having said that, it is refreshing to find some companies that devote their resources to providing high quality products. Green Ronin easily falls into this category. Granted, scanning through the design credits in Green Ronin products is like a "whos who" of WotC/TSR talent, with Jim Bishop, Chris Pramas and Todd Gamble just to name a few. [more]
It wasnt until recently that I was able to purchase Masters of the Wild. Due to the many complications that we in the land down under have to live with when it comes to D&D books. So when I eventually got my hands on my very own copy, university work went out the window and I devoured everything within it immediately. [more]
I have a brand spankin new copy of the new issue of Gaming Frontiers and I have been authorized to reveal the cover and table of contents to you. Check it out! [more]
Were you aware that the last issue of Dragon magazine was 31% advertising? That's right. Out of 132 pages, 41 of them were devoted to enticing you into spending your money. That leaves 91 pages of supposed content left over for your six bucks (minus a penny). How much of the content do you suppose is actually worth your time? Half, three-quarters maybe? Further, of the content that is worth while, how much of it focuses on d20 Dungeon and Dragons products that are not published by Wizards of the Coast? Absolutely none. How devoted can WotC be to their loyal constituents if they don't even support their open system in the supposed official magazine? I say to hell with Dragon! I recently got something much, much better in the mail. Inte [more]
The background story behind this adventure is fairly logical and well defined but is rather predictable and overdone. Very powerful dragon, yadda yadda yadda.entrapped in different dimension by powerful arch-magi, yadda yadda yadda.gets free almost destroys world, yadda yadda yadda.valiantly turned back by valiant heroes but many good people were lost. [more]
A raid on a dark brooding castle with a crowd of delirious followers of a new god in an almost frenzied party at it's walls is one thing. The destruction of an evil mechanism that revives the dead for miles around is another. Yet it's all in the same handy booklet. It's called two stand on hallowed grounds, and at first I thought it was a misprint. [more]
I have here this book; "Dungeons - A Guide To Survival In The Realms Below" by AEG. A book my opinion is asked about (preferably in an objective manner). Let's examine the content. After all, the cover promises a wealth of handy tips & tricks for the player to make the best of the usually unhealthy situation his/her character is bound to experience. [more]
This is the sequel to the first 3E D&D adventure, "The Sunless Citadel". As this is one of the first adventures for 3rd Edition it comments on the new rules a lot. The adventure is suited for four 3rd-level player characters. They can advance to 5th level after completing this dungeon crawl. [more]
To say that Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor was a highly anticipated game would certainly be an understatement. It claimed to be the first video game based on the popular 3rd Edition of the Dungeons and Dragons rules. When the game was released at the end of September, I was one of the thousands that rushed to purchase it. I have now put in many hours into playing the game and I must confess that I am bitterly disappointed. The role-playing person in me feels betrayed and the intelligent consumer in me feels insulted and cheated. [more]
Even before this brave new age of the Open GamingLicense, the sheer volume of role-playing games andrelated products on the market certainly put a strainon even the most selective gamer's budget. In the olddays, however, the resources of TSR limited the numberof useful products released each month. Now, itseems, anyone with the money to run off a few copiesat Kinko's can produce a product, stamp d20 on it, andhope the eager public will buy, buy, buy. It is notas easy as it once was to distinguish the wheat fromthe chaff, but hopefully this article will be of somehelp. [more]
The Hero Builder's Guidebook is a 3rd Edition D&D game accessory created by Wizards of the Coast. A 64 pages softcover book with interior black & white illustrations, it seems more aimed at novice gamers then experienced ones, although it does provide even the most hardened of veterans with a few novels ideas. [more]
The truth is that most of the d20 products are pathetic drivel, not worth the paper they are printed on. There is hope, however. Privateer Press has released their first d20 product, entitled "The Longest Night" and it stands apart from the rest. Even a cursory glance will distinguish this product from the many other d20 products available. [more]
This module written by Robert J. Toth is designed for a party of four 2nd to 4th level characters, and is intended to draw the players further into a story of corruption and sinister scheming in the city of Freeport. More than anything else, Terror in Freeport is a detective story. [more]
The Speaker in Dreams ($9.95) is the 3rd installment from of the initial series of adventures designed to take a party of PCs from level 1 to 20. This particular adventure, written by James Wyatt, was created to challenge a party of four 5th level characters. [more]
OtherWorld Creations first release, the Diomin worldbook, is a very weak one. There are some interesting ideas in the 112-page book. Unfortunately, finding them requires the reader to get past horrible layout and worse writing. Instead of being a polished, complete setting for dungeon masters to run, this book feels like a collection of notes and sketches from a homebrew campaign. [more]
Star Wars Episode One. There, I mentioned it. Never again in this review will I make any reference to that movie. When I went to see Dungeons and Dragons with my children, the theatre was about half full. After sitting through some great looking previews, the movie began... the movie for which I had such high hopes. [more]
Necromancer Games is one of the newest third party publishers to take advantage of WotCs Open Gaming License. This is the best third party adventure to be released for the Dungeons and Dragons game to date. I had high hopes for this company from what I had seen on their web site. They have been around since the 3rd edition first came out. A few months ago they released their free adventure "The Wizards Amulet." It was interesting and original, but it seemed to have some very fundamental errors. It made me all the more curious about their future products and I am happy to say that The Crucible of Freya meets and exceeds all that I had hoped for. [more]
Open Gaming rules! Allowing amazing authors like John Nephew of Atlas Games to create material for our favorite pastime is one of the smartest things Wizards of the Coast has done with D&D. "Thieves in the Forest", a beautifully written and presented module in the Penumbra series, would never have fallen into my hands otherwise. [more]
Realm Overseer is a software product that allows you to convert Campaign Cartographer maps into 3D scenes that you can explore in first person. Graphically, it is nothing short of amazing, but there are some glaring oddities. [more]
For many editions past, the Monster Manual and various compendiums have been easy to read references that helped the DMs create creatures for players to enjoy. The release of the 3rd Edition Monster Manual came with expectations that it would be of similar quality and layout of the previous two core rulebooks, the PHB and the DMG. It met those expectations in positive and negative ways. [more]
Since there are no changes to the art direction in Dungeon 84, this review will be able to stick to the truly important part of the magazine: the content. And what a lot of content there is! Dungeon 84 contains five adventures, each of which is fairly long. [more]
Dungeons and Dragons is undoubtedly the grand-daddy of all role-playing games, and one might consider Dragon Magazine the opinionated aunt: giving advice and direction to those in need. Well, this old aunt has gotten a badly needed face-lift. If the gentle reader would allow me the pleasure, I will take you through the magazine from beginning to end for this review. [more]
Atlas Games is one of the few game companies that was able to provide d20 material along with the initial release of D&D 3E in August. Published under the Penumbra line of products, Three Days To Kill (3D2K), by John Tynes, is their first d20 product release. Three Days To Kill includes 32-pages of high-quality, engrossing adventure for characters between 1st and 3rd level featuring moral ambiguity, intrigue, and a high-action "Tom Clancy-style Special Ops mission, but in a sword and sorcery setting." [more]
Dwarven Forge's MasterMaze is a set of miniatures for use as a visual aide with the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. It is exceptionally useful for visualizing the position of each adventurer and monster during game encounters. The quality and detail of the pieces are amazing, right down to the skeletons and bones painted onto the edges of the floors so they appear to be buried right under the flagstones. [more]
Dungeon 83 improves visually somewhat over issue 82, removing the background blotches and cutting back on the black ink-smear effect. Finding a particular adventure is easier with the return of page headers. Also, the Depths of Rage has the most incredible looking maps ever published in the pages of Dungeon. [more]
After the initial shock wore off and people started using the Player's Handbook, questions began to arise, such as "What is a Challenge Rating and how do I use it?" DMs began scratching their heads and eagerly awaited the Sept 11th release date of the Dungeon Master's Guide. [more]
A read thru of Death in Freeport leaves an overall positive feeling. The presentation is superb, the plot is indepth and believable, and Freeport is indeed a worthy stage to set countless other adventures over the course of a character's career. [more]
The Wizard's Amulet is a short introductory adventure that Necromancer Games has released as a free PDF file. Necromancer Games are meant to have a "1st edition feel", and this module certainly looks the part. [more]
The first d20 release from Sword & Sorcery Studios is a bold undertaking and is sure to pave the way for many future d20 products. The Creature Collection is designed to be a support product for the "Scarred Lands" campaign setting from SSS, but the creatures are still generic enough to be used in any d20 campaign setting, however. [more]
The 3rd Edition of Dungeons and Dragons is off to a remarkable start with the release of the new Players Handbook. One of the key downfalls in the new edition is the amount of questions you will be asking yourself after reading some sections. [more]
Anyone who wants to learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons should start with this box, which contains everything you need to start playing. However, veterans might want to avoid this watered down product. [more]
The 3rd edition Dungeon Master's Screen consists of a four-panel screen and an 8-page booklet that can be photocopied legally. A veteran DM is going to immediately notice that the 3rd edition screen is a much thinner cardstock than the 2nd edition screen was. However, this one is still nice and stiff, and stands up very easily, mainly due to a slight curvature of the card stock. [more]
The Sunless Citadel is the first adventure by Wizards of the Coast for 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons. It forms the start of a campaign designed for starting characters. Although extensive, well thought out and balanced, The Sunless Citadel is not flawless. [more]
If you have ever been a Dungeon Master, you know how cumbersome your notes can be. Profantasy and WotC teamed up to design a product to make maps the least of your concerns as a DM or player. [more]
If the Character Generator Demo disc found in this August's issue of Dragon Magazine is any hint of what is to come from Fluid Entertainment, I can't wait to get the full version. [more]
As a Dungeon Master, one of the most tedious tasks is preparing maps and diagrams for your adventures. Profantasy Software has designed a product to assist the Dungeon Master with the task of map-making. [more]
Reviews 
I have here this book; "Dungeons - A Guide To Survival In The Realms Below" by AEG. A book my opinion is asked about (preferably in an objective manner). Let's examine the content. After all, the cover promises a wealth of handy tips & tricks for the player to make the best of the usually unhealthy situation his/her character is bound to experience. [