By Enzeitgeist

This pdf is 5 pages long, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, leaving us with 2 pages of content, so what do we get?

If you do have the Supporting Roles: Tinker-pdf by Amora Games, you’ll know the Breaker already – this PrC is essentially an excerpt of said parent-pdf

The Breaker gets d10, 2+Int skills per level, full BAB-progression and 1/2 fort and ref-saves. The class’s idea is that of a more melee-focused tinker and its design shows, providing a controlled form of rage similar to the one of the barbarian, netting +4 to Str, Dex or Con, splitting them as he deems fit for 4+Con-mod rounds.

They may also use intimidating boasts and single out opponents, which they may charge dealing additional damage. As a cool synergy of abilities, foes targeted by their intimidating boasts cannot execute AoOs versus the Breaker. The breaker may 1/day charge a foe within sight as a swift action, dealing additional damage.

The Backswing Push-ability, which allows the breaker to make an additional attack at his/her highest BAB to push foes 5 ft. (10 on a crit) without said movement enforcing AoOs. The Hit and Run-feature is also interesting, allowing the breaker as a full round action to move up to his movement rate and make a full attack action for a -2 AC. That one is rather powerful.

When missing foes with their attacks, breakers may also make a sunder-attempt as an AoO 1/round and follow up with a 5-foot step towards or around the opponents. Finally, at 10th level, the Breaker may divide weapon damage and edifice recognition damage between the sundered weapon and the foe wielding it.

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are very good, I didn’t notice any significant glitches. Layout adheres toa 2-column full-color standard that is relatively printer-friendly and the pdf comes without bookmarks, but needs none at this length.

While you obviously don’t need this pdf if you already own the parent-pdf, the Breaker remains an interesting sunder-focused PrC with some powerful, unique non-magical abilities to supplement the class. The PrC is solid and there’s nothing particularly wrong with it – hence, I’ll settle on a final verdict of a solid 4 star-rating.

Endzeitgeist out.

Prestigious Roles: Breaker is available from:

By Enzeitgeist

The first player faction-offering for the Vathak-setting is 13 pages long, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, leaving us with 10 pages of content, so let’s take a look!

Player faction? Well, yes, for this is more than an organization – devoted to the Book of Black Earth, an ancient tome of cataclysmic prophecies unearthed from ruins led to genesis of a secret organization – on available for PCs, though personally, I’D rather suggest this ephemeral cabal more as antagonists. But more on that later:

Drawing in a cool professional way on how factions in Golarion are presented, we get the basic faction rules regarding prestige explained to us before we delve into the order’s history and rather disturbing indoctrination rituals. A long and concise list of benefits depending on TPA and CPA (total and current prestige awards) are there and offer some intriguing options – amongst other to exchange character traits for the two new faction-specific traits provided in the pdf – both of which come with a nice fluff and mechanics I can’t and won’t complain about. Suggested classes and 4 new feats are also part of what the order has to offer – including one that allows the user to 3/day cast the message spell as a spell-like ability, but only t contact other order members – a powerful tool for shadowy conspiracies indeed. The feats are solid in presentation and while spells are not in italics, the fluff and ideas make up for this minor shortcoming by oozing flair.

2 new spells also complement this faction, one that deals damage and infects with a more powerful type of Borer Worm (a CR 1 acid-oozing parasite-worm introduced in these pages as well) and a spell that conjures up an area of writhing, shadowy, con-draining tentacles. Aforementioned Borer Worms are also provided equipment style stats and we get one damn cool poison: By extracting tainted earth from the dread pit of decay (a mobile, gory, maw-like appendage that shows itself annually and is tied to the Old One of the cult), the order may create a potent toxin by mixing the soiled earth with blood. This location is not the only special one sacred to the order – there are also the Worm Ways, hidden and weird tunnels that serve as twisted smuggle-ways. A special celebration, a holiday if you will, the so-called Worm-Solstice is provided as well in a compelling, twisted write-up.

Among the creatures, apart from the Borer Worm, we also get the Crawling putrescence and a sample CR 8 mastermind of the cult.

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are very good – apart from some minor aesthetic glitches like aforementioned italics-bungle I didn’t notice any glitch that would have impeded my enjoyment of this pdf. The layout adheres to Vathak’s beautiful 2-column standard and the artworks are nice indeed, especially for such an inexpensive publication. On the downside, we don’t get any bookmarks, which is a minor bummer.

Wow! Kudos to the Fat Goblins! This pdf for the Vathak setting is not only a great cult for the setting, but for any setting really – DMs seeking to flesh out the Age of Worms or those using Morithal (from Clockwork Gnome Publishing’s excellent pdf) should definitely get this as a means to further flesh out the cults. The prestige benefits and iconic locales and rites add further flair to a presentation of a thoroughly twisted cabal that should strike a chord with all DMs that like their fantasy dark and twisted. An enjoyable read for a fair price indeed and well worth 5 stars – me omitting my seal of approval only because of the minor glitches and lack of bookmarks.

Endzeitgeist out.

Order of Black Earth: a player faction for Shadows over Vathak is available from:

The first episode of the interviews we recorded at Salute 2013. Bit later than we would have wanted, but here they are.

Interviews with:
Aquilifer Miniatures (https://www.facebook.com/aquilifer.miniatures?fref=ts)
Gaming Club Network (http://www.gamingclubnetwork.co.uk/)
Leisure Games (http://www.leisuregames.com/)
Fenris Games (http://www.fenrisgames.com/)

By Enzeitgeist

This installment of the Treasures of NeoExodus-line is 3 pages long, 1 page SRD and 1 page item-cards, leaving us with 1 page content, so let’s check this out!

Silence is a legendary spear created by an Arman shaman (or received – none knows how…) to defeat the sorcerer-kings of Abaddon and thus, this +1 vicious cold iron short spear is a bane of magic users:

Silence can be used to thwart enemy magic: Beyond a +2 resistance bonus to saves, the spear has an interesting signature ability: When the user is targeted directly or even just included in an area of effect spell, he can use an AoO to brush the spell aside, his attack-roll becoming the SR for the respective spell, on a 20 even sending the spell back at its caster. Furthermore, the spear may deliver a greater dispel magic at CL 13 once per day.

A powerful ability indeed, even with the caveat of working only vs. spells that allow SR and against spells of which the wielder is aware!

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are top-notch, I didn’t notice any glitches. Layout adheres to the new parchment-background 2-column NeoExodus-standard and the pdf comes with no bookmarks, but needs none at this length. The pdf comes with a more printer-friendly version that adheres to the old NE-standard with its white background. The artwork of Silence is nice, as we’ve come to expect from LPJr Design. Silence is an interesting weapon with an iconic, unique signature ability whose limits serve to offset the potentially game-breaking powers of its special ability. While requiring a handle with care when introduced by the DM, the weapon makes for an iconic addition to the game and thus I’ll settle for a final verdict of 5 stars, though with the caveat of the DM realizing the power of this weapon.

Endzeitgeist out.

Treasures of NeoExodus: Silence is available from:

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By Enzeitgeist

This collection of Pre-gens for the Jade regent-AP is 28 pages long, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial/SRD, 1 page introduction/how-to use,1 page author bios/back cover, leaving us with 24 pages of content, so let’s take a look!

The first thing you’ll notice is that we get whole-character-pictures in gorgeous full-color for every character as well as a sample quote from the respective character. On the second page devoted to a character, we get the respective character’s statblock, whereas on the third, we get advice on scaling them down to a 15-point build (the characters are made via a 20-point build), an extensive background, roleplaying ideas as well as ideas for character advancement. Nice!

Now what are the characters? Well, first would be Akobi Thiesson, half Tiun/half Chelish honor-guard cavalier who also gets a childhood crush on the destined empress (that translates to a mechanical bonus -nice!) who also has increased starting money due to his rich parents. His sister Jin, a rogue, who worships a certain elf (again, translating to mechanical bonuses) is the second of the potential characters – making for a nice dynamic between the two.

Masato Koshin, a Tiun martial artist monk makes for the first full-blooded Tiun character and has been hired as both caravan guard and has the air of a philosopher/monk prodigy that has suffered from internal politics Caladrel Quervari, an elven bladebound magus -who suffers from the voice of his not yet awakened black blade.

Sarounne Anzoletta, a fiery, dancing scrollmaster transmuter makes for an uncommon, interesting build of a unique magical tradition that makes her scrolls dangerous beyond the magical powers she commands. Kieyanna Wade, half-elven cleric of Shelyn and best friend of the destined empress, is a beautiful maiden raised in the temple – and, unbeknownst to her, not a true orphan but the daughter of Caladrel, making for VERY interesting roleplaying potential.

Ragnar Bralgweir, an Ulfen invulnerable rager makes for the next of the characters and the mountain of a man is impressive indeed. And then, we get the final new character, Nurch the easily-overlooked: A *drum-roll* masked goblin ninja. Having been rescued from his brethren, Nurch has developed a fascination with writing and, via Tiun-scrolls he managed to decipher, learned the way of the ninja. AWESOME character-concept!

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are top-notch, I didn’t notice any glitches. Layout adheres to a glorious two-column, full-color standard and the artworks with their quotes could easily be used by DMs as handouts if the characters themselves are not used. The fact that e.g. the cavalier gets mount-stats as well is a nice touch and the pdf comes with bookmarks and in two versions, one being slightly more printer-friendly.

The artworks by Tanyaporn Sangsnit, Frank Hessefort and Colby Stevenson are GLORIOUS and on par with paizo-levels of awesomeness and the pdf is also hyperlinked to d20pfsrd.com in an unobtrusive manner. Nice!

Wow. Author Neil Spicer has created quite an array of compelling, unique characters that would not only work well as PCs, but also as NPCs – even if you don’t plan on using these as PCs, their characters and awesome artworks mean that most DMs will find some ways of making these compelling additions to their campaigns. Now, I would have really loved form-fillable versions of the characters that allow them to be printed out as a sheet and upgraded/modified at higher levels, but one can’t have everything, I guess. That being said, this collection of pregens leaves almost nothing to be desired, is iconic and cool and the inclusion of a goblin ninja is glorious. Even Ulfen barbarians and Varisian wizards get their own, very distinct spin that immerses them in a given setting and the ties to the Jade Regent storyline mean that I can happily and wholeheartedly give this a final verdict of 5 stars – not only for those interested in running Jade Regent.

Endzeitgeist out.

Imperial Heroes: Pregenerated Characters is available from:

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The last episode before episode 100 (promise!).

This episode (a bit longer than usual, I warn you) we, as in Kara, Dr Mike Reddy and I,  have got together to bring you the latest Game Buffet with our list of best traitor mechanic games out there.

Being the sort of original humans we are, we’ve got some interesting and some downright strange selection. We put our case forward and then decide as a group in what place it should go. It sounds a lot more straight forward than it is!

Our list of proposed games is:

Paco:

• The Resistance
• Saboteur
• Paranoia: The RPG
• Diplomacy
• Cosmic Encounter

Dr Mike Reddy:

• Werewolf
• BANG!
• Pandemic: On the Brink
• Lord of the Rings with the Corrupt Hobbit Expansion
• Two Rooms and a Boom

Kara:

• Shadow Hunters
• Battlestar Galactica
• Fury of Dracula
• Bunny Bunny Moose Moose
• Scotland Yard

As usual, your feedback is most appreciated, so please do feel free to email us on podcast@gmsmagazine.com and let us know what you think!

Look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy the show!

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