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In Short

The Physical Thing

The Ideas

Unfortunately, this book is so broad that only a person who is both a DM and Player and also owns many other WOTC 3.5 D&D products will get everything out of it. Even then, such a person is likely to be sufficiently experienced with roleplay that they will not get the full benefit from the character roleplay suggestions. In short, being a broad resource is both a strength and a weakness for this product. It has enough material to appeal to just about everyone, but few consumers will benefit from the entire book.

Under the Cover

Beguiler, Dragon Shaman, Duskblade, and Knight round out this chapter. Each of these classes is interesting, fun, and has well thought out class features. Upon seeing them I instantly wanted to play each one, and their abilities are structured such that not taking a Prestige Class is a fine choice. As an aside, that’s important to me as a D&D player because I’m a little tired of Prestige Classes. I want to play my concepts from level 1 and many of the newer core classes WOTC has been putting out allow me to do just that.

The Beguiler is a mix of Rogue and Enchatnment/Illusion/Divination focused Wizard. D6 hit die, slow Base Attack Bonus progression, and full spell progression all the way up to 9th level spells make this most certainly a spellcasting class. However, 6 + Int skills and a skill list that includes the best of the Rogue skills makes this a truly versatile addition to any party despite the limited spell selection. Beguilers have their own spell list that draws exclusively from the Enchantment, Illusion, and Divination schools.

One of the best things about this class is the number of choices available to them in terms of skills. Disable Device, Search, and Open Lock could be picked up to allow a Beguiler to fulfill the duties of a trap oriented Rogue. Since the class already gets Trapfinding they can take on this role in a pinch. Bluff, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, and Speak Language may be taken by the social Beguiler to further supplement their magical charm. Traditional spellcaster skills, such as Knowledge (arcane) and Spellcraft, allow a Beguiler to fulfill many of the functions of a Wizard as well. However, they do not receive other knowledge skills beyond Arcana and Local which can be important in games that involve a variety of monsters.

With spellcasting based off of Intelligence it may be the case that a Beguiler will have more total skill points than the Rogue or Bard in the party, allowing them to be truly versatile characters. Being able to cast in light armor, use Silent Spell, Still Spell, and a form of magic sneak attack that increases the DC of their spell saves against unwary targets round out this fun and powerful class.

The Dragon Shaman resembles a Paladin in some respects. With a medium BAB, two good saves, and a d10 hit die this is definitely a martial class. Unfortunately they are stuck with simple weapons and medium armor, which on the whole tends to make this a weaker class.

Upon creation a Dragon Shaman selects one type of dragon as their patron. This dragon type provides additional class skill choices, and at higher levels is important for determining special bonuses the Dragon Shaman receives. For example, those that follow Green Dragons gain Bluff, Hide, and Move Silently to their skill list and as they progress will breathe a Cone of Acid and learn to breathe water.

The Dragon Shaman’s class features are very group oriented. Their primary ability is a series of Draconic Auras that improve with level. For example, a 1st level Dragon Shaman may have an aura that gives +1 to weapon damage to all allies within 30 feet. A 20th level Dragon Shaman following Silver Dragons may be able to give his party a damage aura that deals 10 cold damage to all enemies striking his friends. In addition the Dragon Shaman receives curative abilities similar to a Paladin’s Lay on Hands that can restore small amounts of hit points and remove some negative conditions.

The Duskblade is meant to be a core class Fighter/Wizard but draws from a very limited spell list. However, with two good saves, full BAB progression, a d8 hit die, and the ability to cast spells freely while wearing Medium Armor and using a Heavy Shield, this is a solid class. With spell progression up to 5th level, this class resembles previous blendings of melee ability with magic suchas the Hexblade.

The class ultimately inherits its greatest powers at higher levels. First, starting at 10th level the class may turn certain spells into Swift spells at no cost (they can be cast even during a full attack) up to a maximum of 4 times a day at 20th. Second, by 13th level the class may cast a Touch range spell and deliver it on every attack as part of a full attack action. This is a potent ability as it allows for a variety of tactical options to be brought against multiple targets.

The Knight is a great addition, focused on tactical defense of friends and the area. With full BAB, a d12 hit die, and a special ability granted 19 of 20 levels this class both does a good job of representing a knight in D&D while giving players looking for a more defense oriented fighter a fun choice. However, most of the abilities a Knight receives require the use of a tactical grid. A group that is not using such a grid will not get the benefit of these powers, which provide advantages such as making a threatened area difficult terrain (thus costing more to pass through) for an enemy and interfering with tumbling.

Each of these classes gets the full expanded treatment as well, with multiple starting packages and several pages of background information. The Knowledge check results for each class are a welcome touch, as they give players and DMs both an idea of how common information about the class is in a typical game world.

Chapter 2 Expanded Classes 40 pages.

The name of this chapter is a little misleading. There are no class changes or new options in this chapter. Instead each class gets a two page spread offering new starting packages, general information on the role of the class, and several roleplay suggestions to get players going in the right direction. My favorite is Doting Master for Wizard, suggesting that a Wizard could be played as treating his familiar as a true friend and confidant. It’s just one paragraph, but provides a fun idea for an underutilized aspect of the class.

In addition to the core classes, just about everything from The Complete X class books makes an appearance. That means the Warlock, Hexblade, and Swashbuckler (among others) all get their own two page spreads in addition to the core classes. I really like this level of interproduct support, but for a book that seems to be aimed at players newer to the game it is odd to assume they have access to all four of those books.

This chapter is a fantastic resource for any DM plagued with players who say “But I don’t know what I want to play!” Hand them this chapter and let them page through it, they should have an idea in just a few minutes.

Chapter 3 New Feats 24 pages.

This broad selection of feats is sure to provide something of interest to just about every character, though they tend to be focused on mid to high level characters. Fighters, in particular, gain additions to the Weapon Specialization line that allow characters to really become weapon masters without having to pick up a prestige class.

Combat form feats represent specialized martial training and give extra advantages if a character possesses several of them. They each revolve around a character acquiring “Combat Focus.” Combat Focus is a feat which, when taken, allows a character to acquire the Combat Focus state once per encounter upon their first successful strike. This state may be retained for a bonus to Will saves or expended in conjunction with other Combat Form feats for other bonuses. Combat Strike, for instance, allows a character to end their Combat Focus to gain a bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls for that round equal to their total number of combat form feats. The good thing about these feats is they give martial characters more varied but useful combat abilities. The down side is that they require heavy investment of a very precious resource to see any worthwhile results.

Additional Divine Feats are included, including one that allows a turn/rebuke check to be expended to create a divine ward around a target. For the next 24 hours touch spells are treated as short range spells against that target. This allows for healing spells to be cast at range, which is a significant advantage.

Heritage Feats allow Sorcerers to pick between Infernal and Celestial origins for their powers, giving a variety of small but neat powers. Unfortunately, these feat chains give such a small advantage for their cost in feats that I don’t see many players taking them except for pure roleplay reasons. Even then, a player doesn’t need Celestial Sorcerer Heritage to create a backstory about their quasidivine origin.

The Metamagic feats are fun and a little more interesting than standard Metamagic abilities. Imbued Summoning, for example, allows a caster to summon a creature that arrives with a 3rd level or lower touch spell already applied. Thus minions may arrive prebuffed, saving the caster time and creating a stronger summon.

Additional Tactical Feats are included, and they are a welcome addition. Tactical Feats present three smaller abilities that a character can perform, based around a common theme. For example, a character with Mad Scientist can douse his adversary with lantern oil and then hit them with a fire attack. The fire attack deals extra damage and the opponent is automatically set aflame. Some folk would wonder why a character needs a feat to do that. Dousing someone with lantern oil then casting Scorching Ray on them is sure to set them on fire, right? The biggest problem with the continuation of feats that grant minor abilities is that they often represent things most of us would imagine any character could do. Still, Mad Scientist is neat conceptually.

Chapter 4 New Spells 34 pages.

The new arcane spells go from 1st to 9th level, but the major focus is on levels 2 through 4. Every school gets many new entries, and the entries are well spread out among the schools until the higher levels. 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th levels each only have three spells. However, a Transmutation spell is presented every level while there are no new high level Divinations or Illusions. Perhaps I’m being nitpicky here, but considering how school specialization works I’ve always preferred products to try and include a variety of spells for each level.

On the whole these spells seem strong and many of them are more interesting than simply dealing a certain amount of damage. Blinding Color Surge, for example, is a 2nd level Illusion spell that Blinds the target for one round while simultaneously granting short term Invisibility. I think that’s just neat, especially for a con man, infiltrator, or similar mage concept.

Druids, Clerics, Paladins, Rangers, and Bards all get new spells as well, though there is some overlap. Once again the focus tends to be on mid level spells with Clerics getting the biggest boost in the 2 to 5 range. A good mix of variety is presented with these spells, and each class gets several new fun choices. Take Divine Retaliation for example, a 4th level Paladin spell. Mystical holy weapons appear to strike those who attempt to harm the Paladin. That’s just neat. Hunter’s Eye, a 2nd level Ranger spell, allows the Ranger to gain 1d6 to 5d6 Sneak Attack damage for the next round. Not bad at all.

Chapter 5 Building Your Identity 18 pages.

A lot of folk think up a really neat character concept and then go to town implementing it as best they can in D&D. Some of us, however, think what sorts of mechanics we want to play with first and then build on top of that. This is a chapter for those folk.

This is 18 pages of good, general character concept and background material. Was your character a Gladiator? Here’s some information on what the character’s youth may have been like, how they transitioned into becoming an adventurer and joining the party, and some roleplay considerations. There’s nothing brilliant or new here, and there shouldn’t be. This is just a good resource for folk who are looking for character ideas and need a little help. Even roleplay and D&D veterans may find this chapter useful, as we all need a little help when we’re building our 10th Elven Mage.

In fact, let me quickly build an Elven Mage for you. I want something different, as I’m tired of playing the guy who studied for 100 years and then went out adventuring with a snobbish attitude. How about a Farm Hand turned Wizard? A quick read through suggests several ideas. I did a lot of hard chores on the farm, so my Wizard appreciates what it means to put his back into something. Many folk who grew up on farms are traditionalists, so my Wizard may have some conservative attitudes (perhaps disdaining to improve on spells that already work well). In addition, since he came from common origins my Wizard is especially likely to defend the common folk and think of them in times of crisis. Already a character is starting to take shape.

The chapter supports building characters backwards too. Personality Archetypes are listed, presenting a general concept and suggested means to bring it to life in D&D. Want to play an action oriented Daredevil? Take Bard, Beguiler, Duskblade, Hexblade, Rogue, Scout, Sorcerer, Swashbuckler, or Warlock. Suggested traits include Bold, Energetic, and Flamboyant. Once again, this chapter isn’t a work of brilliance but it is a solid tool to assist with the roleplay aspect of character creation.

Finally, good suggestions are provided to ease gameplay. Things like “Decide What to Do if the Dice Land Cocked” and “Respect the Spotlight” are good ideas for any game.

Chapter 6 The Adventuring Group 16 pages.

This chapter focuses on party backgrounds, the creation of adventuring groups, and how to adjust play to account for groups of unusual composition (such as no fighter type). One of the most interesting aspects of this chapter is the section on team training benefits. The idea is that one character is good at a particular task, such as mountain climbing, and that through their leadership and working with the rest of the party everyone receives a benefit. Typically this requires the leader to be very good at the skill and the rest of the group to have picked up the minimum amount of training, between 1 and 3 skill points worth. In return the entire party receives mechanical benefits for a certain task, such as laying a trap or charging together.

While it is additional complexity for an already complex game I still like it. When a group of players coordinate their characters like this fun almost always ensues. I can think of little cooler than a party of knights (concept knights, not the class) charging as one into an oncoming horde of orcs. Of course, this is yet another mechanic that many if not most DMs would award anyway. Simply put, the team work bonuses encourage groups to do cool things together.

My biggest problem with these rules is that they require the expenditure of skill points. That may not be a big deal for the Rogue buying a rank in Survival, but the 10 Intelligence Cleric is going to have a really tough time scraping together 3 ranks in Hide. For a well balanced group, which is what D&D often strives for, many of these team work options would be difficult to implement or simply possible for certain groups.

Chapter 7 Affiliations 28 pages.

These are organizations characters may work for. By gaining favor with them characters gain bonuses that range from additional equipment to large stat and skill bonuses. It’s a neat idea, but I question how useful it is. First, tracking Affiliation (the score used to determine favor with that group) for each character is a pain even if the DM just has the characters keep track. Second, most DMs are already doing this. Saved the Temple of Moradin from destruction for the 5th time? Sure they’ll heal your wounds and brew up some healing tonics. Performed a vital service for the Mayor of Sharn? Of course he’ll give you a pardon when you get in trouble, but there’s just this one other thing he needs help with…

The organizations are pretty bare bones, meant to be dropped in any campaign and fleshed out by the DM. On the plus side, there sure are a lot of them. In that respect, at least, these could save the DM some time and provide a fun mechanism for encouraging the players to be proactive and/or choose to show allegiance to various factions. A political game with warring groups like these would be especially fun. General guidelines are provided to allow DMs to make their own organization.

Chapter 8 Rebuilding Your Character 16 pages.

This chapter begins with a lengthy argument for retraining. After that the reader is given such gems as “Skill: Trade ranks between two skills” and “Spell: Exchange one spell known for another”. I’ll concede that these really simple statements must be made at least for the hardcore fans who will only use material that can be found in a WOTC rulebook. However, the chapter goes on for page after page offering examples of replacing one spell with another and equally simplistic ideas. It’s like reading a detailed account of how to roll a die. Most readers understand these concepts as soon as they’re mentioned, and the extreme amount of detail is just wasted space.

There are no real rules here. The chapter just tells the reader to exchange things evenly. That’s it. I don’t know what I was expecting when I got to this section, but it certainly wasn’t several pages of the exact same thing repeated over and over.

There is some good, however. Mini adventures to rebuild characters are included. Perhaps the character goes on a quest to the lost isle and changes forever, coming back a different person. These are short simple encounters and a nice table of Knowledge check results is provided for the locale. While they wont work for everyone, I like them and think they’re a great approach for those that want to massively retool a character and incorporate that change into the game as a quest or event.

Appendix Quick PC and NPC Creation 14 pages.

The reader is presented with charts that include starting skill points for all classes from the core book and the The Complete X line of books. Favored races, feat progressions based upon one of three archetypes, suggested starting equipment, and other such considerations are all neatly laid out. Players can build characters quickly with these charts, though they don’t help with class abilities. Since the original product is still needed to look over class abilities I’m not sure how useful these are. They would probably work best for groups that are just using the Player’s Hand Book and want to replace a fallen character quickly, or DMs that want to generate a new NPC with little effort.

My Take

If you are already invested in the D&D product line, add this one to your library. If you enjoyed The Complete X line of books you will like this one too, though there are no Prestige Classes presented.

If you are a DM who rarely or never plays, this book is of questionable use to you. While your players will no doubt be pleased that you have the latest book for them to peruse, the book is very focused on players. The organization and teamwork rules speak the most to DMs as it is more likely they would implement them than a player would ask for them to be used. The Appendix chart is helpful for quickly generating NPCs, but most DMs can already build core book NPCs with their eyes closed.

Make no mistake, this is a rule book. If you just enjoy reading great RPG fiction, look elsewhere. While the brief write ups are well written and stimulating, there are few stories to be found here. Those looking for a heap of new feats, spells, and options that don’t recycle what has already been put out will be pleased with this one.

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