Now this is more like it. While the Basic Edition Referees guide was disappointingly short on content, the Masters Ed is overflowing. If there's any complaint about the content in this book, it may be that there is too much.
This is not a book to sit down and read in one sitting. It contains the full content of three first edition sourcebooks (Dark Tek, Dark Races and Proto-Dimensions) plus the referee-only sections from the empathic sourcebook and the first edition core rules, all converted to the d20 system introduced in the empathic sourcebook.
I have to admit to being mystified as to why DPI distributed the books this way. I can see that the condensed Basic Edition books would be cheaper, but they really don't do the system or the setting justice. 454 pages vs 180, and an entire section not even hinted at in the Basic Edition.
With the errata and the index, this book has it all over the Basic Edition. Where I found the Basic Edition to be a bit of a let down, this was overwhelming. If there was a 6 for substance, I'd consider giving it to this tome.
The layout still suffers from a few poorly duplicated pics, just as in the Basic Edition. While the line art is generally clear (apart from some notable exceptions like the chameleon suit), the greyscale artwork is somehow blurred or flattened. These pictures are easily examined at arms length, but are hard on the eyes at closer range. Thankfully not all the artwork is so affected, and the text suffers none of these problems.
If you're looking to run a game, then the extra money for the Masters Edition should give you more material than you know what to do with.
Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)
