The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Overview

It's not a week on EnWorld when someone posts a thread about an issue related to a paladin. An argument about what Lawful Good means. An evil enemy who surrenders. A paladin PC who turns a blind eye to the evil rogue. Slavery.

A majority of the discussion comes from posters' different interpretations of moral behavior. But it's this difference of opinion which James Garr, of Chain Mail Bikini (www.ChainMailBikini.com) has turned from contention to strength. Far from being a roleplaying straightjacket, Call to Arms attempts to accomodate the different interpretations of being a paladin -- plus a quite a creative bit more.

The books is divided into four chapters. Chapter One lists new Feats and Prestige Classes. Each Prestige class includes a sample character. The Prestige Classes reflect different ways players have played the paladin, as well as some interesting paladin-like variants. Chapter Two focuses on roleplaying, including individual motivation, alignment, creating a code of honor, and even falling from grace. Chapter Three introduces multiclassing with paladins, creating paladin orders, and customizing paladins. Chapter Four adds new spells and weapons.

Layout is simple but excellent. The book uses a two-column format, with boxed sidebars and b&w (brown and white) standard fantasy art. Charts also use brown shading to improve readability. The PDF format allows printing of specific pages, and nearly all chapters and sections begin on their own page. (Thus, if one player wishes to play an Archon prestige class, and the other a Forge Avenger, the GM need only print out the appropriate pages. Much better than sharing a book.) Being spoiled, I would have liked to see each sample prestige class character given his own pages, or even a character sheet.

One caveat in this review is that I have not had an opportunity to playtest the Feats and Prestige Classes. (Call of Duty credits over ten playtesters.) Nonetheless, the Roleplaying section provides excellent advice for playing paladins, and many ideas in the prestige classes can be used for the core paladin class. (GMs, btw, should have fun using the prestige classes for at least his NPCs. Why should players have all the crunchy bits?)

Chapter One: Feats and Prestige Classes

Chapter One begins (somewhat abruptly) with a 4-page list of new Feats for paladins. Several feats are not exclusively for paladins, and may be played by other classes. Salute of Honor, for example, requires only a Cha 13 and lawful alignment, and Bolster Spell may also be used by good-aligned Clerics.

Prestige Classes roughly divide into paladin specialists (Paladin, Archon, Forge Avenger, Merseus, Sword Saint), and exotic classes (Chaos Knight, Golden Pride Hunter, Penitent Sniper, Seelie Knight, and Sensate). Each Prestige Class uses a standard format and includes a sample character. The characters are about 10th-13th level (half core class(es), half prestige class), and are well-fleshed out. Additional details include history, appearance, personality, and how the NPC could be used with the party. Several of the prestige classes will have a sidebar to enhance the campaign: Alternatives for Lay on Hands (alternate abilities); Dealing with Detection (how to run an adventure with hidden villains); and Organization Statblocks (see Chapter Three's Paladin Orders).

Paladins: Prestige Classes begin with the Paladin itself. The Paladin is an optional variant prestige class which may replace the a core class. This is a minor godsend for us GMs who would prefer players prove themselves as worthy of Paladinhood ("the carrot") rather than the onerous task of stripping a PC of his paladinhood ("the stick"). Of course, GMs who don't have problems with paladins can ignore this prestige class.

The requirements for the Paladin are a BAB of 5 or higher, Lawful Good Alignment, and Call of Duty feat. Thus, 5th-level fighters and even barbarians may become Paladins, as well as 6th-level clerics. As a prestige class, Paladins become rarer, Prestige Classes with paladin-only requirements even moreso. In my opinion, however, this makes paladins even more special in a campaign (much like the Bard back in the AD&D days).

The Call of Duty feat is less of a conventional feat than a roleplaying requirement. It's a manditory feat, doesn't take a feat slot, and is lost once the PC becomes a paladin. In esssence, it's a requirement that the player properly roleplay a paladin for an entire level (as well as quest in paladin-related adventures).

Paladins receive Special Abilities, BAB, and Fort and Ref saves at about the same levels as the core class. Will Saves are better, and spells begin four levels earlier. Remove Disease is replaced with Smite Evil (increased ability to hit and damage an evil creature, once per day).

Archon: For players (and NPCs!) of a lawful bent, there is the Archon prestige class. Certain readers in the UK ("I am the Law!") should be familiar with this archetype. Archons are often feared as judges and enforcers. Archons, however, do not obey laws promoting chaos, so are often vigilantes as well. The alignment prerequisite is Lawful, not Lawful Good(!) This prestige class also includes a sidebar discussing a campaign of Law vs. Chaos, rather than the conventional Good vs. Evil. A chaotic good villain, for example, robs from the rich and disrupts the economy.

Chaos Knight: Chaos Knights aren't Blackguards. They're just as likely to topple a tyrant as they are to pick a fight. As a special requirement, Chaos knights must have the barbarian's rage or be an ex-paladin.

Forge Avenger: Forge Avengers embody the dwarven principles of protecting ones family and home, and reverence of one's ancestors. One of the codes is even to avenge a slight on their honor.

Golden Pride Hunter: At second level, you can become a cat-person. At third, you can become a dire lion. Furries unite! (:

Merseus: The mersi are combat healers, who may multiclass as clerics and fighters.

Penitent Sniper: Got Legolas? The Penitent Sniper is pretty much an Archer prestige class of good alignment. Elves, half-elves, and humans are the most common races for this class.

Seelie Knight: The Seelie Knight is chosen by the Pixie Queen to serve the Fey court. It includes mechanics for adding simplified court intrigue; regaining favor is an opportunity for a seelie adventure. Obviously, this won't be a common class for PCs to play, but can be useful for NPCs. This section includes a sidebar about the Seelie -- and Unseelie -- Courts.

Sensate: For the tormented souls in your group (: the Sensate is a psionic paladin sensitive to evil -- and not in a good way. The aura of evil causes anxiety and even pain, certainly an uncommon way to be called to become a paladin. This class, of course, is usable only with psionic rules.

Sword Saint: For those players who'd rather fight than cast, there's the Sword Saint. Deathblade is the evil counterpart, with similar abilities.

Comments

Personally, I was attracted to this chapter's treatment of the paladin as a prestige class. As said, I prefer PCs who prove themselves worthy of being a paladin, rather than stripping a paladin of his powers. Of the prestige classes, the archon is my favorite. As an NPC, he should make a nice change ("I'm lawful, not good!") from the everyday evil villain.

Chapter Two: Roleplaying

"The goal of this chapter is not to tell anyone how they should play paladins, or to give definitive rules on what is 'Good', 'Evil', or even 'Honorable'. ... The main goal of the chapter is to get the DM and paladin player thinking and talking about these issues before playing the game. ... Take some time to talk about the issues in this chapter between game sessions, and fewer problems will pop up during play." -- Introduction to Chapter Two

As said, Call of Duty takes an uncommon approach to playing Paladins. It attempts to encompass the different views players and GMs have about them -- many of which cause quite a few arguments. It's this approach, best seen in the Roleplaying section, which makes me recommend this supplement. Call of Duty also encourages the player and DM work together to define the player's paladin.

Answering the Call: This section helps the player brainstorm and choose motivations for his character. Traditional causes, like Benevolent and Lawfully Inclined are included, but I particularly liked the ones with more human (if not somewhat dark) undertones, such Pride ("If you are interested in a 'holier than thou' personality, or plan to play an ex-paladin"), and even Justice ("And yes, perhaps you want vengeance as well.").

Paladins and Religion: This sidebar challenges the convention ("myth") that paladins must follow a patron deity. While some GMs and players may disagree with this contestment, it at least allows players to play paladins without deities (similar to generic Clerics in 1st edition AD&D). This section includes the sidebar, Planning to Fail. It reminds us that, besides the opportunity to play ex-paladin classes, ex-paladins are a great (or at least angsty) roleplaying opportunities.

Paladins and Alignment: This section explains how paladin acts -- even as paladin organizations -- often lean towards Lawful Neutral, or Neutral Good. It includes a sidebar, Does Alignment Determine Behavior? (Hint: No!).

The Code of Conduct: This section goes into detail about the paladin's Code of Conduct. A sidebar, Playing Evil Characters, notes the problem of playing a paladin in a group with evil characters ("Paladins don’t look the other way with regard to the behavior of their companions."). Reflecting the "slavery is evil" threads, The Culture Trap sidebar reminds the GM that concepts considered barbaric today were not so in the past. Thus, the paladin has to be informed of what good and evil is in the GM's campaign. Another sidebar, Punishing Paladins, reminds the GM that "The paladin isn’t much different from a lawful good fighter/cleric as far as role-playing considerations or abilities." Thus, a GM should not be strict on a paladin, so long as he is still overall serving his cause. "The focus of the game is on heroic fantasy, not morals and ethics in the real world."

Adding to the Code with Tenets: This section gives examples of customizing a LG organization with additional codes (and suggests only doing it in moderation!). A sidebar, Paladins and Chivalry, looks at chivarly as an example of a tenet. The Fall from Grace section pretty much explains the feeling of a fallen paladin ("worst of all is the feeling of loneliness"). As mentioned, angsty players will find ideas here for overactive roleplaying. (:

Comments

I haven't compared Call of Duty to other paladin sourcebooks, but I don't think I need to. (Look who else has the Pride motivation...) I really enjoyed reading this chapter's approach to roleplaying a paladin of different interpretations, and appreciate its emphasis on the player and GM discussing the paladin before play.

Chapter Three: A Variety of Paladins

Multiclassing and Odd Combinations:

Paladins cannot multiclass, but that doesn't prevent a player from first acquiring levels in other classes then becoming a paladin. This section presents roleplaying and gameplay suggestions for multiclassed paladins, including "odd combinations" such as the ex-bard, ex-barbarian, and ex-druid. The text speaks to the player, but the GM should find some ideas for interesting NPCs.

Variant Rule: Multiclassing Paladins: This sidebar encourages GMs to allow paladins to multiclass. It cites that paladins cannot multiclass only because of game flavor (not game balance), but argues that multiclassing allows players to add more flavor to their paladin character.

Paladin Orders: Like the Answering the Call section in Chapter Two, this section helps a GM or player create his own order, and provides a sample order. A paladin order provides more background for the player to support his view of paladinhood.

Variation: Customizing Paladins: This section allows a GM or player to customize the core paladin class or an individual paladin. One thought is that this variant will help a GM play investigative adventures. Since such adventures are difficult to run with the Detect Evil ability, he can, for example, require paladins substitute Detect Evil with Improved Lay on Hands. (Clerics would substitute, say, Detect Undead.)

Celestrial Destriders: This sidebar is part of a variant ability that substitutes a temporary celestrial warhorse for the standard special mount ability. The disadvantage is that the destrider may only be summoned once per day and has a duration measured in hours. The advantage is that their safety may be ignored ("Hi Ho disposable Silver!") and they may be summoned in a location difficult to bring a mount.

Comments

The Paladin Orders is my favorite part of this chapter. I prefer running my adventures in a "bottom-up" approach: I'll start with the characters and players, and design an adventure and setting surrounding them. With paladin orders, instead of simply playing a paladin "his way", a GM and player design an order to give a setting rationale for the paladin's behavior. Designing an order forces a player to better understand how he will play a paladin. I've also noticed that players who design parts of the world setting tend to become more committed to it.

Chapter Four: New Magic

Spells: Divine Spell Lists: This section lists five pages of new spells the GM can add to the campaign for divine spellcasters, not just paladins. The text suggests customizing divine spell lists for your orders and deities, rather than just adding these new spells to your campaign. (For every new spell added, remove a spell of the same level.) This section also includes a Summary of New Paladin Spells and Paladin Spellcasting sidebars. (Summary of Paladin Spellcasting: Paladin's don't mumble! (:

Magic Items: This six-page section consists of several sub-sections: Creating Magic Items, New Armor Special Abilities, New Specific Magical Armor, New Weapon Special Abilities, New Specific Magical Items, New Rods and Wonderous Items, and Lesser Artifacts. Creating Magic Items suggests personalizing magic items with a description and historical background. The other sections list new paladin-related special abilities for magic items, several paladin-related magical items, and an anti-paladin unholy sword.

Conclusion

Instead of a straightjacket approach of how to play a paladin, Call of Duty attempts to encompass different views of play. Not only is this done through discussing roleplaying, but through prestige classes and mechanics that can enchance a GM's setting. At $7, this PDF is well worth the value of printed books costing two or three times as much. It's only January, but I think I've found the first book on my "Best of 2003 d20" list.

Call of Duty
Call of Duty Capsule Review by Cedric Chin on 13/01/03 Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!) Call of Duty attempts to encompass the different interpretations of the Paladin -- and succeeds quite well. Product: Call of Duty Author: James Garr Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Chainmail Bikini Games Line: Cost: $7 Page count: 64 Year published: 2003 ISBN: SKU: Comp copy?: yes Capsule Review by Cedric Chin on 13/01/03 Genre tags: Fantasy	Overview It's not a week on EnWorld when someone posts a thread about an issue related to a paladin. An argument about what Lawful Good means. An evil enemy who surrenders. A paladin PC who turns a blind eye to the evil rogue. Slavery. A majority of the discussion comes from posters' different interpretations of moral behavior. But it's this difference of opinion which James Garr, of Chain Mail Bikini (www.ChainMailBikini.com) has turned from contention to strength. Far from being a roleplaying straightjacket, Call to Arms attempts to accomodate the different interpretations of being a paladin -- plus a quite a creative bit more. The books is divided into four chapters. Chapter One lists new Feats and Prestige Classes. Each Prestige class includes a sample character. The Prestige Classes reflect different ways players have played the paladin, as well as some interesting paladin-like variants. Chapter Two focuses on roleplaying, including individual motivation, alignment, creating a code of honor, and even falling from grace. Chapter Three introduces multiclassing with paladins, creating paladin orders, and customizing paladins. Chapter Four adds new spells and weapons. Layout is simple but excellent. The book uses a two-column format, with boxed sidebars and b&w (brown and white) standard fantasy art. Charts also use brown shading to improve readability. The PDF format allows printing of specific pages, and nearly all chapters and sections begin on their own page. (Thus, if one player wishes to play an Archon prestige class, and the other a Forge Avenger, the GM need only print out the appropriate pages. Much better than sharing a book.) Being spoiled, I would have liked to see each sample prestige class character given his own pages, or even a character sheet. One caveat in this review is that I have not had an opportunity to playtest the Feats and Prestige Classes. (Call of Duty credits over ten playtesters.) Nonetheless, the Roleplaying section provides excellent advice for playing paladins, and many ideas in the prestige classes can be used for the core paladin class. (GMs, btw, should have fun using the prestige classes for at least his NPCs. Why should players have all the crunchy bits?) Chapter One: Feats and Prestige Classes Chapter One begins (somewhat abruptly) with a 4-page list of new Feats for paladins. Several feats are not exclusively for paladins, and may be played by other classes. Salute of Honor, for example, requires only a Cha 13 and lawful alignment, and Bolster Spell may also be used by good-aligned Clerics. Prestige Classes roughly divide into paladin specialists (Paladin, Archon, Forge Avenger, Merseus, Sword Saint), and exotic classes (Chaos Knight, Golden Pride Hunter, Penitent Sniper, Seelie Knight, and Sensate). Each Prestige Class uses a standard format and includes a sample character. The characters are about 10th-13th level (half core class(es), half prestige class), and are well-fleshed out. Additional details include history, appearance, personality, and how the NPC could be used with the party. Several of the prestige classes will have a sidebar to enhance the campaign: Alternatives for Lay on Hands (alternate abilities); Dealing with Detection (how to run an adventure with hidden villains); and Organization Statblocks (see Chapter Three's Paladin Orders). Paladins: Prestige Classes begin with the Paladin itself. The Paladin is an optional variant prestige class which may replace the a core class. This is a minor godsend for us GMs who would prefer players prove themselves as worthy of Paladinhood ("the carrot") rather than the onerous task of stripping a PC of his paladinhood ("the stick"). Of course, GMs who don't have problems with paladins can ignore this prestige class. The requirements for the Paladin are a BAB of 5 or higher, Lawful Good Alignment, and Call of Duty feat. Thus, 5th-level fighters and even barbarians may become Paladins, as well as 6th-level clerics. As a prestige class, Paladins become rarer, Prestige Classes with paladin-only requirements even moreso. In my opinion, however, this makes paladins even more special in a campaign (much like the Bard back in the AD&D days). The Call of Duty feat is less of a conventional feat than a roleplaying requirement. It's a manditory feat, doesn't take a feat slot, and is lost once the PC becomes a paladin. In esssence, it's a requirement that the player properly roleplay a paladin for an entire level (as well as quest in paladin-related adventures). Paladins receive Special Abilities, BAB, and Fort and Ref saves at about the same levels as the core class. Will Saves are better, and spells begin four levels earlier. Remove Disease is replaced with Smite Evil (increased ability to hit and damage an evil creature, once per day). Archon: For players (and NPCs!) of a lawful bent, there is the Archon prestige class. Certain readers in the UK ("I am the Law!") should be familiar with this archetype. Archons are often feared as judges and enforcers. Archons, however, do not obey laws promoting chaos, so are often vigilantes as well. The alignment prerequisite is Lawful, not Lawful Good(!) This prestige class also includes a sidebar discussing a campaign of Law vs. Chaos, rather than the conventional Good vs. Evil. A chaotic good villain, for example, robs from the rich and disrupts the economy. Chaos Knight: Chaos Knights aren't Blackguards. They're just as likely to topple a tyrant as they are to pick a fight. As a special requirement, Chaos knights must have the barbarian's rage or be an ex-paladin. Forge Avenger: Forge Avengers embody the dwarven principles of protecting ones family and home, and reverence of one's ancestors. One of the codes is even to avenge a slight on their honor. Golden Pride Hunter: At second level, you can become a cat-person. At third, you can become a dire lion. Furries unite! (: Merseus: The mersi are combat healers, who may multiclass as clerics and fighters. Penitent Sniper: Got Legolas? The Penitent Sniper is pretty much an Archer prestige class of good alignment. Elves, half-elves, and humans are the most common races for this class. Seelie Knight: The Seelie Knight is chosen by the Pixie Queen to serve the Fey court. It includes mechanics for adding simplified court intrigue; regaining favor is an opportunity for a seelie adventure. Obviously, this won't be a common class for PCs to play, but can be useful for NPCs. This section includes a sidebar about the Seelie -- and Unseelie -- Courts. Sensate: For the tormented souls in your group (: the Sensate is a psionic paladin sensitive to evil -- and not in a good way. The aura of evil causes anxiety and even pain, certainly an uncommon way to be called to become a paladin. This class, of course, is usable only with psionic rules. Sword Saint: For those players who'd rather fight than cast, there's the Sword Saint. Deathblade is the evil counterpart, with similar abilities. Comments Personally, I was attracted to this chapter's treatment of the paladin as a prestige class. As said, I prefer PCs who prove themselves worthy of being a paladin, rather than stripping a paladin of his powers. Of the prestige classes, the archon is my favorite. As an NPC, he should make a nice change ("I'm lawful, not good!") from the everyday evil villain. Chapter Two: Roleplaying "The goal of this chapter is not to tell anyone how they should play paladins, or to give definitive rules on what is 'Good', 'Evil', or even 'Honorable'. ... The main goal of the chapter is to get the DM and paladin player thinking and talking about these issues before playing the game. ... Take some time to talk about the issues in this chapter between game sessions, and fewer problems will pop up during play." -- Introduction to Chapter Two As said, Call of Duty takes an uncommon approach to playing Paladins. It attempts to encompass the different views players and GMs have about them -- many of which cause quite a few arguments. It's this approach, best seen in the Roleplaying section, which makes me recommend this supplement. Call of Duty also encourages the player and DM work together to define the player's paladin. Answering the Call: This section helps the player brainstorm and choose motivations for his character. Traditional causes, like Benevolent and Lawfully Inclined are included, but I particularly liked the ones with more human (if not somewhat dark) undertones, such Pride ("If you are interested in a 'holier than thou' personality, or plan to play an ex-paladin"), and even Justice ("And yes, perhaps you want vengeance as well."). Paladins and Religion: This sidebar challenges the convention ("myth") that paladins must follow a patron deity. While some GMs and players may disagree with this contestment, it at least allows players to play paladins without deities (similar to generic Clerics in 1st edition AD&D). This section includes the sidebar, Planning to Fail. It reminds us that, besides the opportunity to play ex-paladin classes, ex-paladins are a great (or at least angsty) roleplaying opportunities. Paladins and Alignment: This section explains how paladin acts -- even as paladin organizations -- often lean towards Lawful Neutral, or Neutral Good. It includes a sidebar, Does Alignment Determine Behavior? (Hint: No!). The Code of Conduct: This section goes into detail about the paladin's Code of Conduct. A sidebar, Playing Evil Characters, notes the problem of playing a paladin in a group with evil characters ("Paladins don’t look the other way with regard to the behavior of their companions."). Reflecting the "slavery is evil" threads, The Culture Trap sidebar reminds the GM that concepts considered barbaric today were not so in the past. Thus, the paladin has to be informed of what good and evil is in the GM's campaign. Another sidebar, Punishing Paladins, reminds the GM that "The paladin isn’t much different from a lawful good fighter/cleric as far as role-playing considerations or abilities." Thus, a GM should not be strict on a paladin, so long as he is still overall serving his cause. "The focus of the game is on heroic fantasy, not morals and ethics in the real world." Adding to the Code with Tenets: This section gives examples of customizing a LG organization with additional codes (and suggests only doing it in moderation!). A sidebar, Paladins and Chivalry, looks at chivarly as an example of a tenet. The Fall from Grace section pretty much explains the feeling of a fallen paladin ("worst of all is the feeling of loneliness"). As mentioned, angsty players will find ideas here for overactive roleplaying. (: Comments I haven't compared Call of Duty to other paladin sourcebooks, but I don't think I need to. (Look who else has the Pride motivation...) I really enjoyed reading this chapter's approach to roleplaying a paladin of different interpretations, and appreciate its emphasis on the player and GM discussing the paladin before play. Chapter Three: A Variety of Paladins Multiclassing and Odd Combinations: Paladins cannot multiclass, but that doesn't prevent a player from first acquiring levels in other classes then becoming a paladin. This section presents roleplaying and gameplay suggestions for multiclassed paladins, including "odd combinations" such as the ex-bard, ex-barbarian, and ex-druid. The text speaks to the player, but the GM should find some ideas for interesting NPCs. Variant Rule: Multiclassing Paladins: This sidebar encourages GMs to allow paladins to multiclass. It cites that paladins cannot multiclass only because of game flavor (not game balance), but argues that multiclassing allows players to add more flavor to their paladin character. Paladin Orders: Like the Answering the Call section in Chapter Two, this section helps a GM or player create his own order, and provides a sample order. A paladin order provides more background for the player to support his view of paladinhood. Variation: Customizing Paladins: This section allows a GM or player to customize the core paladin class or an individual paladin. One thought is that this variant will help a GM play investigative adventures. Since such adventures are difficult to run with the Detect Evil ability, he can, for example, require paladins substitute Detect Evil with Improved Lay on Hands. (Clerics would substitute, say, Detect Undead.) Celestrial Destriders: This sidebar is part of a variant ability that substitutes a temporary celestrial warhorse for the standard special mount ability. The disadvantage is that the destrider may only be summoned once per day and has a duration measured in hours. The advantage is that their safety may be ignored ("Hi Ho disposable Silver!") and they may be summoned in a location difficult to bring a mount. Comments The Paladin Orders is my favorite part of this chapter. I prefer running my adventures in a "bottom-up" approach: I'll start with the characters and players, and design an adventure and setting surrounding them. With paladin orders, instead of simply playing a paladin "his way", a GM and player design an order to give a setting rationale for the paladin's behavior. Designing an order forces a player to better understand how he will play a paladin. I've also noticed that players who design parts of the world setting tend to become more committed to it. Chapter Four: New Magic Spells: Divine Spell Lists: This section lists five pages of new spells the GM can add to the campaign for divine spellcasters, not just paladins. The text suggests customizing divine spell lists for your orders and deities, rather than just adding these new spells to your campaign. (For every new spell added, remove a spell of the same level.) This section also includes a Summary of New Paladin Spells and Paladin Spellcasting sidebars. (Summary of Paladin Spellcasting: Paladin's don't mumble! (: Magic Items: This six-page section consists of several sub-sections: Creating Magic Items, New Armor Special Abilities, New Specific Magical Armor, New Weapon Special Abilities, New Specific Magical Items, New Rods and Wonderous Items, and Lesser Artifacts. Creating Magic Items suggests personalizing magic items with a description and historical background. The other sections list new paladin-related special abilities for magic items, several paladin-related magical items, and an anti-paladin unholy sword. Conclusion Instead of a straightjacket approach of how to play a paladin, Call of Duty attempts to encompass different views of play. Not only is this done through discussing roleplaying, but through prestige classes and mechanics that can enchance a GM's setting. At $7, this PDF is well worth the value of printed books costing two or three times as much. It's only January, but I think I've found the first book on my "Best of 2003 d20" list.