|
The creation of the D20 system and the Open Game License, as I've stated before, has been a blessing and a curse to role players all over the globe. The D20 system has been a blessing because it has allowed imaginative people to publish their gaming material to an audience that is already familiar with the system and so doesn't need to risk their money on a system they may end up hating. The curse comes in the fact that much of what is published every year isn't that great. Like comics, movies, and music it is simply the law of averages; for every good idea, there are a slew of bad ones. This law of averages tends make many gamers shy away from any book not published by one of the bigger game companies such as Wizards of the Coast, Sword and Sorcery (or other subsidiaries of White Wolf) and Monte Cook’s own Malhavoc Press. You can't really blame the gamer that isn't willing to shell out 20 to 30 bucks on a book that may end up doing nothing but earning the buyer a 3-dollar credit at a used bookstore. Again, the folks at Malhavoc Press step in to help their fellow gamers with the years "why didn't I think of this" release:
Monte Cook Presents The Year’s Best D20 - 2004
Taking a cue from Horror and Sci-Fi publishers, Malhavoc Press pooled together some of the best game material for the D20 system from 2004 and created what I believe to be the gaming world’s first anthology book. While I am certain the idea has been floating around for a good number of years, indeed probably since D20 first hit the shelves, I am glad that it took until 2004 for a D20 anthology to become published. D20 3.5 has been out just long enough for game designers to get a real grasp on the system and the quality being published reveals that. That’s enough of my own personal thoughts though, lets dive into this baby!
Introduction: D20 in 2004
Only after I reread the introduction and my own rambling above did I realize that either Monte Cook thinks like a gamer (which, of course, he does) or I am a blatant plagiarist (which I may be). Regardless, the introduction to The Year’s Best D20 provides the readers with an informative and in my opinion correct view of the history and future of the D20 system. (It helps that Monte has been a part of D20 since it’s creation in 2000). The introduction also breaks down the selection process an idea or concept needed to make it into the book.
Chapter One - Character Classes:
A solid collection of Prestige Classes and one Core Class, chapter one does reveal Monte’s self-admitted love for magic users. Not a single class listed in chapter one of the Year’s Best D20 lacks the ability to cast some form of magic. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does make me wonder if game designers simply avoid creating Prestige or Core Classes that lack that arcane or divine spark. Then again, this is a fantasy game so I shouldn't complain much. The Prestige Class that stood out to your friendly neighborhood Geek the most was that of the Reliquarian. As a big fan of "gadget guy" in horror games and movies it was fun to see a character class that combats evil with various bits and baubles. I can't wait to play the character that stumbles along, making the parties Rogue insane with his inability to keep quiet as amulets, boxes, bottles, and other relics clink together. Another reason I enjoyed the Reliquarian is its flexibility. This Prestige Class, with little work, could be molded to fit into any D20 modern, horror, or historic game.
Chapter Two - Feats and Skills:
I still have players that have issues with the Feat system. They feel it allows for broken characters and promotes power gaming over role playing. In the end, a player will only push the rules as far as the DM allows. While all the feats presented in The Year’s Best D20 do give the PCs (and NPCs) an edge, most also make for excellent character growth and storytelling elements. I am a big fan of the Spell Cleave Feat, which on paper seems like a power gamers dream come true and in a way it is. However, from a character driven point of view it makes complete sense. If your character obsesses on a type of magical element (like fire or force) or is a casting member of an army; then why wouldn't they hone their magical skills as much as a warrior hones their sword arm? My other favorite feat simply must be the Dying Blow. I am a huge fan of heroic sacrifice in my games, comics, books, and movies. To me, there are few story elements greater then a hero giving her life to defeat her epic foe or save her companions. Dying Blow allows a character, upon reaching 0 hit points, to receive a +8 to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution so she receives a +4 to hit and damage, a +4 to Armor Class, and a +4 to hit points per level. The catch is that she may ONLY press against the foe that took her to 0 hit points and upon her defeat will lose the above bonuses instantly. Finally, any damage received while under the influence of Dying Blow, are added to the negative total often resulting in the PCs death. Okay, so maybe it’s a little dramatic, but remember this: Your players will forever talk of the moment the noble PC stood her ground so that the others could live! The new skill, Prophecy, makes an interesting addition to any player wishing for a more mysterious character. It also provides all kinds of plot element opportunities for the industrious DM.
Chapter Three - Magic:
The Year’s Best D20 just wouldn't work without a chapter on spells, can't really have a fantasy based game without it. There are some gamers that have a problem with the D20 system of casting, but you know what? These are the same people that have always had a problem with spells in Dungeons and Dragons since they first opened that red box and nothing will change their minds. Chapter three of The Year’s Best D20 doesn't try to create an entirely new way of casting spells, what it does do is reprint some of the better spells from the last year and as D20 ages it will grow more and more difficult for designers to create original spells. Nevertheless, there are some very interesting bits of arcane and divine might to be found within chapter three. My favorite example of a truly original spell comes in the form of Awaken Tome. A 5th level Sorcerer / Wizard spell, Awaken Tome grants sentience and life to a casters spell book. In a sense, the spell creates a book that acts like an intelligent weapon or relic. Strangely, the Awaken Tome spell does not grant the caster any new powers or abilities and yet I find the spell to be extremely fascinating and I would love to play a character that had a lippy spell book as a companion. It’s like a familiar that you don't have to feed, just keep out of water! I played in a game one time that had a Paladin who was so honest he wouldn't let my Bard even tell a tall tale for cheaper drinks! If only Halting the Wayward Tongue, a spell that prevents a target from speaking about a certain subject, had been thought of during my high school days my medieval punker Bard might still be alive!
New magical items are also presented in Chapter three of The Year’s Best D20. A player within my group who has a tendency to break weapons will, I am certain, beg me for the Scabbard of Restoration. Upon drawing, a weapon within the Scabbard of Restoration is immune to all normal forms of damage for the next 24 hours, even dirt and grime slide off with the flick of a wrist. Magical attacks against the weapon are treated as if the weapon itself is magical. Then there is the Spare Hand which is just gross and I am certain will end up being used by DMs and players who like to creep other players out. Exactly what it sounds like, the Spare Hand attaches to the character's torso or arm stump and fuses with it, after 24 hours a Fortitude save against DC 16 must be made. Success and the arm falls off, able to be used again. Failure and the arm fuses permanently and the character loses 2 points of Constitution permanently. The type of arm fused determines the ability or power granted to the grafted character. (Like a Doppelganger arm granting the character the ability to Alter Self).
Chapter Four - Monsters:
In making the monster selections in The Year’s Best D20, Monte Cook wisely avoided monsters that were simple hack and slash baddies. There are plenty of books for that, not that there is anything wrong with simple beasties, but in a book that is meant to highlight the creativity within D20 it would not have worked. Each encounter presented within chapter four can serve as a springboard for larger quests or as the "end boss" in any given campaign. A few of my personal favorite include the Clockwor Creature, a construct made of gears and levers. As a longtime fan of the old Al Qadim setting, it was nice to see a nod to that setting (intentional or not). The oh-so wrong Corpsespinner. As someone who loathes spiders, this monster would strike terror in both my character and me. A creative DM could torture their players for hours with this monster and its inevitable Corpsespun Creatures. Finally, as my group’s resident Ravenloft DM, the Nightmare Collector and Unholy Chorus will make a welcome addition to my repertoire, although my players may never forgive the authors behind them. I am certain that any DM will find a monster within chapter four that they can build entire gaming sessions around.
Chapter Five - Variant Rules:
This is where The Year’s Best D20 allows for players and DMs to view the flexibility of the D20 system. So many variant rules can be drafted for a game while still maintaining the core dynamics of the D20 system. While I find the concept behind Combat Defense very interesting (and more realistic) it may be a bit too complicated and could slow down combat scenarios (which can drag a bit anyway under D20). Planetouched Ancestry Magic makes for a very interesting and character driven way for a PC to cast metamagic spells. No longer burning higher spell slots, the character now risks their own life essence to increase the potency of spells. I like this variant rule because it taps the concept that casting powerful magic takes its toll on the caster and better reflects magic as written in many fantasy novels and tales. As a fan of games like Call of Cthulhu, I was very happy to see the inclusion of Incantations from Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast. Allowing any class to cast a spell, incantations need a massive amount of time to cast and if not performed correctly (i.e., a poor DC check), the character casting could meet a violent and horrendous demise. Take care when you attempt to incant the Fires of Dis! As a player and DM that has never been completely sold on the concept of Metamagic (as I tend to allow players to alter their spells for "flavor"), it was nice to read some variants on Metamagic that can make a caster interesting and unique without sacrificing their own spells or choices.
In the end, your need for The Year’s Best D20 depends on how many D20 books you were able to purchase during the previous year. If your gaming budget is unlimited, then the chances are pretty good that you own most of the concepts within this book already. If that is the case then there isn't really a need for this book. However, if you are like me and the majority of the gaming world, The Year’s Best D20 is a great addition. Think of it as a greatest hits album from a band that you only like one song per CD on. Intended or not, another benefit of The Year’s Best D20 is that it will expose you to game designers and companies that you may have passed on due to their subject matter or lack of marketing. I for one will find me a copy of Love and War by Atlas Games and Libem Liborium: D20 Guide to D20 Books by Silven Publishing as soon as possible. So can I recommend The Year’s Best D20?
Most definitely, if you don't own a majority of the material presented within, and even if you do, well, it will be nice to have your favorite concepts from those books collected in one volume at your next gaming session. The Year's BestD20 is a fine addition to the D20 culture and I am looking forward to the 2005 edition.
|
