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Lock & Load: Iron Kingdoms Character Primer (IKCP) is a reference book for customizing characters for the Iron Kingdoms setting of fantasy steampunk for d20. Inside is information on racial and cultural groups, customizations for the basic character classes, descriptions of religions, and a brief overview of distinctive equipment. The IKCP continues Privateer Press’ high standards for content and graphic design. I can’t remember the last gaming material that provided such detailed and quality material for such an affordable price.
As with the Monsternomicon, a narrator is used throughout the IKCP to provide personal observations. The narrator is Gavyn Kyle, a skilled spy that has traveled extensively throughout the Iron Kingdoms. The IKCP is lavishly illustrated with black and white portraits of characters, places, and equipment of the Iron Kingdoms.
The discussion of races begins with the twelve human cultural groups found within the Iron Kingdoms. The discussion of each group begins with population figures and the kingdoms where each group can principally be found. This is followed by several paragraphs of observations by Gavin Kyle, a description of the people’s appearance, their traditional weapons, preferred adventuring class, and racial traits. The preferred adventuring class provides additional benefits when selected for a character from that culture. The benefits could include superior starting equipment, double starting money, +20 percent starting hit points, additional skill points, or another benefit that the GM sees as appropriate. Also under preferred adventuring class are popular starting feats suggested for characters from the culture, an automatic class skill, and skill bonuses. For example, for the Midlunders of northern Cygnar, the area around Corvis, their preferred class is fighter; popular starting feats are Endurance, Iron Will, and Power Attack; their automatic class skill is Knowledge (History); and they receive +2 skill bonuses for Craft (blacksmith) and Gather Information. Each entry concludes with automatic and bonus languages.
This format is continued for the other playable races: dwarves, elves, half elves, winter elves, and goblins. Sidebars throughout this section describe the principal cities of each of the Iron Kingdoms. The preferred classes and cultural skills provide an interesting and useful means for distinguishing characters by their backgrounds.
The discussion of character classes include notes for playing each class in the Iron Kingdoms and how the classes are distributed by kingdom and race. Four orders are provided for Paladins and five for wizards. A revised Ranger is presented that has no spells but that receives Alertness for free at 1st Level and that is allowed to choose an additional feat from a list at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels. At 2d Level, a Ranger may choose a Favored Terrain in which a Ranger receives a +1 bonus to Hide, Intuit Direction, Move Silently, Spot, and Survival. All together, one of the better Ranger variants available with benefits that more than make up for the lack of spells. The addition of Favored Terrain is particularly appropriate.
The section on religion discusses the religions of humanity. The churches of Morrow, the principal religion, and Thamar are described by organization and their Ascendants and Scions. The Ascendents of Morrow are powerful, divine entities who rarely manifest but who serve as intermediaries between Morrow and his flock. The Scions of Thamar are powerful, unholy entities that serve Thamar as intermediaries and that sometimes intervene in worldly affairs. Each Ascendant and Scion provide specific domain and patronage benefits. A cleric that chooses a patron Ascendant or Scion must select their patron’s domain. In addition, each patron provides one +2 and one +1 benefit. For example, Ascendant Doleth, patron of sailors and fishermen, provides a +2 bonus to any Swimming or Intuit Direction checks on a boat and a +1 bonus to Profession (sailor or boatman). A patron can also provide the +1 benefit to very pious and actively religious non-clergy. The use of the Ascendants and Scions is a clever way of providing diversity among clerics while maintaining the overall unity of the churches.
Other religions include the fanatical worshipers of Menoth; the ancient worship of the Devourer Wurm; the Druids of the Circle; the rising Cult of Cyriss, maiden of gears; the Great Fathers of the Dwarves, the deities of the Elves, and the beliefs of the Goblins.
The IKCP then concludes with information on gear unique to the Iron Kingdoms - including grenades - a table of languages, a six page character sheet (oddly on gray paper that looks like it would be difficult to copy), and - best of all - a pull-out full-color map of the Iron Kingdoms showing cities, forts, roads, railroads, and other points of interest.
The Lock & Load series apparently is aimed at providing players and GMs with the tools needed to build, design, and create characters and adventures in the Iron Kingdoms. No further releases in the series have yet been announced.
The limited errata is available at www.privateerpress.com.
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