Roleplaying Books

After Dungeons and Dragons, Perrin and Chaosium had another take on the fantasy role playing game setting, with an explicitly deity based magic system, and a skills based system in general, both for combat, and for everyday tasks.

This allowed characters to be whatever they wanted without classes, or other such distinctions.

This marvelous roleplaying game far eclipsed AD&D and it's overrated successors. Why is Hasbro holding onto this gem? It belongs to Chaosium.

Why? The world of Glorantha gets all the glory when people talk of Runequest, and it is indeed an incredible world set in rich detail, but it is the simplicity and playability of this system that really sets it apart. Keep in mind, the system we are talking about is well described in about 150 pages. Compare that to games with volume after volume of rule books like D+D and Rolemaster, etc and you will appreciate it. Not only simple, but in my mind the most realistic and fun. If you can get your hands on the Chaosium version you will know what we are talking about.

No matter how many other rpgs I have seen over the years, I still return to Runequest. I am grateful for my cousin for first introducing me to the 2nd edition back in my early teens, and I eagerly bought the 3rd edition in my later teens. Since then I have been involved in other rpgs on and off for almost 20years, but I often return to GM a game with the RQ system when I can.

Chaosium should of held onto the rights for the system and the Glorantha world, rather than move into Stormbringer. The current Call of Cthuhlu rules are a version of these rules, but it can be a limited at times in it's scope due to the limits of the world setting.

Runequest, with all it's quirks and sometimes amateurish publications, firmly remains one of the best roleplaying systems I have ever seen, easily playable in any genre. With minimal adaption it can be played in a typical Tolkienesque style fantasy setting (I have played it in Middle Earth, and it works fine), but it's own world of Glorantha was just as rich, with more elements in common with Ancient Rome or the Norse sagas.

Any gamemaster worth his salt should own a copy of the Runequest 2nd Edition rulebook or the Runequest 3rd Edition Deluxe Rulebook - this is fantasy rolepaying at it's height, when roleplaying was a spirited past time, and not just another marketable commodity to try and rival the computer game industry as it is today.

Buy these books if you ever come across them!

Now sadly out of print (but reborn as Hero Wars using a totally different system), this was the best fantasy RPG out there. It built a truly magical world interwoven with myths and legend. Instead of paper-thin religon systems all crudely based on a Judeo-Christian model, they created realistic pantheons that interacted with each other. The built a creation myth that integrated all races instead of religions in a vacuum. The magic system is neat and subtle. No simplistic fireballs or lightening bolts, but it enhances your abilities. The combat engine was simple yet deadly. If you ever wanted to roleplay in a heroic world in the style of Achilles, or Cu Chulainn or Herakles, this is it.

If you are reading this review, and you want to play the new 4th Edition D&D, you have come to the wrong place.

Unearthed Arcana was written in 1985. I was about 10 years old and was playing AD&D, which consisted of the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manuals 1 and 2, and the Fiend Folio. That year however, Gary Gygax and Jeff Grubb decided to try to add a further dimension to the 1st Ed game.

This game not only adds dimensions, it adds a number of "fixes" to the game to raise problems that had come about from the initial books.

Problem 1 - the level limits for non-human characters were too low. This book addresses this by giving higher ability score characters higher limits. (GOOD)
Problem 2 - the fighter subclasses do not have distinct enough roles. This book separates the Paladin to become a subclass of Chavalier, and the Barbarian becomes a new class of fighter. Therefore, we have the "knight" style classes, Chavalier and Paladin, and the "warrior" classes - Ranger and Fighter, who get weapon specialisation, and the "tanking" brute class the barbarian. (GOOD)
Problem 3 - charisma is not physicial attractiveness, but personal magnetism. Solution - introduce (redundant) seventh attribute = Comeliness. (BAD)
Problem 4 - characters not heroic enough. Solution - make uber powerful characters who are rewarded for rolling high ability scores. Encourage players to cheat or do anything to raise ability scores. (BAD)

It appears that after Unearthed arcana, for all its great new spells, magic items, class changes, and variation of the races (now you can play a Drow = dark Elf, and history was never the same again) fuelled the creation of mega-powerful characters. Ability scores rise in importance. The new race subtypes add an element of richness into the characters that was welcome. The new classes were generally good (with the exception of the comical Thief-Acrobat) but a DM might wish to be cautious before introducing all the changes here. However, this book is full of something that I see lacking in the newer volumes of the D&D products - imagination.

came on time and in great condition. Still prefer 1st ed and 2ed over 3rd ed and up any time.

I've found some of this book unique enough and copious in content.... Well, there's a section on pole arms in this book which is outstanding, filled with [historical] data. In geocities/timessquare/dungeon/9939, you'll find a pole arms section in which I've taken the time to post this out-of-print invaluable material. [And there's a link at the bottom of the page. =)]

This is an outstanding book, and is worth almost any pricetag for its original and truly unique content. It litereally is unearthed arcana.

This is the book that changed a casual passtime into an obsession for me. It adds a new layer of depth and magic to the D&D system. It was here that Dark Elves became player characters, the barbarian was introduced. Paladins became the horsemen they always should have been. Here are advanced spells, weapons & armor, character classes (thief-acrobat, higher level druids, cavaliers, and more), and races. At last you could be more defined that simply "elf" or "dwarf." This book loosened up the system a bit and allowed for player individuality and choice. I love this book so much that I still prefer to play 1st edition D&D-- though I have played many many other systems-- because this book allows for so much freedom and creativity.

I KNOW this book is good, because someone always ends up stealing my copy (the true mark of a book's greatness), but I always replace it-- and it's worth whatever I have paid for it.

It's so good, I think it would make interesting reading for a non-gamer. I gave it five stars because they don't allow six.

Highest possible recommendation.

This is the final piece in the puzzle that is the AD&D rules - Gary Gygax's last major contribution to the game system, before the diluted 2nd edition came out, is displayed in its full glory here. It's obvious that this is a work for intermediate and advanced players, since some of the races and classes here (and the attribute-rolling system!) are over-powered for easier, beginning campaigns. In addition to the dark races (such as the Drow, Duergar, and Svirfneblin), and the advanced classes (such as the Hierophant, Acrobat, Cavalier and my fave, the Barbarian), there's also new weapons, hundreds of new spells, hundreds of new magical items, the deities of the demi-humans, and much more. It's sure to add an entirely new level to your campaigns!

The Crucible of Freya (and it's online introductory module, The Wizard's Amulet) are both excellent products. They are geared toward new DM's and take the time to explain the new 3rd edition rules and proper ways these rules should be used. This is a very refreshing way to read a module for new and old players alike as it reinforces what you know (or just think you know).
Highlights: A simple but well planned adventure centered around the retrieval of a holy relic. The villians are nasty, more than a challenge for the 1st and 2nd level characters the module is designed for, but the website has free advice on how to tailor the adventure for more powerful characters.
Numerous NPC's are introduced with quirky backgrounds and personalities that the players may or may not meet. I have adapted the entire module to my Forgotten Realms campaign and plopped it in the north, a few hundred miles from Waterdeep.
The writers stress that although the module is very difficult for low level characters, they did this on purpose as the best memories often derive from the most demanding challenges. And a resourceful DM can still save the PC's butts from the fire without them knowing.
Definitely worth giving a try, and the best thing is, the more popularity Necromancy Games gets, the more money they acquire, and the better their products will be in the future.

I must say that originally I was skeptical of a non-Wizard's company providing materials for the Dungeons and Dragons game, but when I opened and perused a copy of the Crucible of Freya, that changed. The quality of the cover and the cover illustration grabbed my attention. I purchased it immediately and took it home to digest. The graphics are top notch, the plot and story are excellent and the overall presentation of the module is very good. It centers around the activities of one of "1st Edition" Dungeons and Dragons best known villians: Orcus, Demon Lord of the Undead. It is great to see that first edition feel. This company knows how to write good adventures and knows how to package them to make them a complete product. There are several good maps, several NPC's presented to help adventurers and a complete location that DM's can base further adventures in. The best thing about Necromancer Games is their customer support. If you purchase their products, you can visit their web site and download additional material for each adventure, really giving you your money's worth. I think that the D20 Open License might be the best thing for DnD and that Necromancer Games will be leading the way in providing additional resources for all Dnd players.

This module is intended as an introduction to AD&D for new players and DMs. I have not yet played or DMed it, and there will be spoilers below:

The production quality is uneven. Nice glossy, colorful cover and back which you can see above. The maps are amateurish in look, and the text is easy to read with good use of whitespace.

There's a lot of fleshing out the adventure and the area surrounding the adventure. What I really like is that there are areas that will likely [terminate] a low level party if they go exploring, but most of those offer a way out or a way to solve the problem (even if it's just to run, a healthy thing to learn to do for players). No coddling of the players here.. I like it. Though there is one way for the DM to help out the players, but it's through a natural part of the module, not fudging a die roll because the players are in over their heads. The village and NPCs are well fleshed out, with good characters having some not so good qualities at times, and at times the PCs and the NPCs will conflict even if on the same side. Because the players can give in to the NPC wishes or do what they think is best, it gives the illusion of choice to the players in an otherwise simple adventure. The actual encounters mostly involve one monster (humanoid actually) race, unless the party explores where it shouldn't, and as such it can be fairly repetitive. There's a secret area in the module that they can find, with a surprising twist if a fight doesn't actually occur, which shows that there isn't always a happy ending. There's little in the way of puzzles, and no 'usual' dungeon. The players can greatly affect the difficulty of one of the main battle depending on what they do...

>Overall, this is a good first adventure with plenty of opportunity for roleplay, conflict and battle. Almost every possibility is spelled out for the DM, and there are numerous ways to continue on from the end of the adventure. Recommended.

This module is quite well done. It is somewhat better than the modules that WotC has been putting out. Also, the downloadable mini-adventure is pretty good.

One strength of this module is in its notes to the DM. The hints provided about how to run an encounter are the kind that are normally hard to express, but when expressed properly are valuable pearls of wisdom. There are also good descriptions of where xp are derived, suggestions of a bonus, additional story ideas,... I recommended the module to a friend of mine who wanted to learn to be DM and she was immensely pleased.

The module is a little bit difficult for beginning players, however. Some of the encounters could easily destroy a party if the DM wants them to. Therefore, this module is especially suited to a beginner DM in a group of experienced players. Experienced players often are not happy sitting around while the DM reads a long-winded block of text describing a room. In this module, text that is to be read to players is mercifully short. It is also clearly set out from the other text in "scrolls" so that you can access it quickly. Very nice layout.

There is a problem associated with the module that almost prevents me from giving it a 5 star rating. The authors of the module made mistakes with the 3e rules. For example, a sorcerer wears armor and has the spell mage armor. The authors erroneously believe that mage armor and armor stack. That is not the case, according to the DMG. (I decided it was unfair to dock a star since the character was downloaded rather than printed in the module.)

I bought this adventure while looking for something to add to my new 3rd edition campaing. I found it great reading and better than anything put out by WOTC (with the exception of the new system) to date. Then to find out that there is another 23 page online down load for free, as well as several other DM and player maps, this just blew me away. and all for a smaller price than the new WOTC releases. I have since purchased every d20 product in the sword and sorcery line and have not once been disapointed. A thing I can't say for any other gaming company that I have tried yet.

I can't recommend this setting enough. Written by two Giants in the RPG industry, the creativity & skill in this book is unparalleled. If you have any interest in the paranormal at all, it's worth it.

I must add that this is a GM only book. Players SHOULD NOT read this.

Monty Cook and Wolfgang Baur surely have MIB's knocking on their doors since this amazing game touches on so many important conspiracies, aliens, government plots, and secret agendas. If you are a fan of X-Files, Millenium, or anything paranormal, this is the game for you. Yes, it's set in the now dead Alternity setting (the d20 system's beta test), but the world is so rich and well researched, it can easily be applied to a D20 modern setting.
The creatures, NPC's, government groups, timelines, and zeitgeist make for a truly unique gaming world. And it all ties together. The explanation of how Dark Matter makes all magic, science, and alien beings come to Earth is creative and a cover all for everything a DM can imagine. Everything from mummies and sasquaches to gray aliens, men in black, and bering demons all exist with beautiful justification.
I've gamed for over 20 years, and this setting(mixed with d20 Modern rules if you can't get Alternity) is the best I've ever seen. Buy it now before it's gone forever--even if you don't role play, the research into the secret things around and beneath us is so accurate and thorough, you could teach a class from this source. In fact, I teach a college course on the paranormal and unexplained, and I've had to turn to this book for clarification on a few real-world dates.
A fantastic source, and I hope the rumors are true that Wizards is considering a d20 Modern remake of the setting. Cross your fingers...

I was heartbroken to learn that Alternity has been cancelled by TSR, and my heartbreak was compounded once I got my hands on Dark Matter. If you are a fan of any government conspiracy, unmarked helicopter, alien abduction, bigfoot type realms, this is the campaign for you. If you aren't a fan, you will be after you read it. I'm a regular conspiracy nut, and all the biggies are covered by Baur and Cook; their research was fantastic. Also, everything from vampires to greys and sasquatches and mummies are present, and they tie into the conspiracies beautifully! If you don't buy this one, you're missing out on one of the RPG finds of a lifetime. Well done to Baur adn Cook, poorly done to TSR for the cancelation. Get it while you still can...

Who should buy this book?

If you are a fan of Science Fiction and plan to GM a science fiction game then you will find a lot of benefit from reading this book. If you are a player then DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK unless you are buying it for your GM, in which case DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. Inside are a million and one ideas for a Sci-fi game which will delight, intrigue, and possibly even frighten your players.

So what does it contain?

Lots and lots of detail is what. Ignoring the Alternity Fast Play rules for now and the small section on creating Dark Matter characters, the book is filled with descriptions, from the Hoffman Institute to loads of different conspiracies to the secret history of the world.

What else do you need?

The fast play rules are not adequate for a full camapign so the Alternity Players Guide and Gamesmaster Guide are probably essential. Otherwise all you need is your imagination (whatching the X-files, the outer limits, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer may help stimulate your imagination if decades of excellent science fiction hasn't).

Downsides?

As with any product this one isnt perfect, it assumes that the Hoffman Institute will play a part in your campaign (it does provide a small section on alternatives, though IMO the Institute is so well detailed that it would be shame not to use it in some capacity). It is also a little light on rules (though remember it is a Sourcebook rather than a Rulebook).

In Conclusion.

If you are getting tired of Fantasy or far future rpg's then this game might make a welcome change, and if played right can be a real pleasure to play. Dark Matter IMO might just be the saviour of the Alternity system (which is good news because the Alternity system is damn good).

Dark Matter takes place in the early 2000's AD Earth. It is a unique setting focusing on investigation, intrigue, and conspiracies rather than just gun fights.

This book is a great resource--from the Freemasons to the United Nations "New World Order", virtually any conspiracy or paranormal activity you can think of is probably described in this book.

It is also well organized including a good fast play adventure to introduce the setting, and a second, slighly longer, adventure at the end to get GM and players in the proper (and paranoid) mood. It includes some new skills, perks, flaws, psionics, and arcane and faith magic in addition to the great deal of history.

This book adds more to mix than found in the earlier Delta Green Book and will expand the RPG experience further. I would highly recommend buying this book after getting the core book for Delta Green. Expands the conspiracies outside of the United States in both enemies and allies. Much more disturbing than the groups in the original Delta Green book and adds different plot angles. Very well written and compelling. A must have the Delta Green enthusiast

This product is awesome, but i don't receive form amazon, i buy from others sellers because the delay of order.

This order be canceled.

If Delta Green is the Best RPG suppliment ever, then this is Number 2. You get more bang for the buck out of this book for $40 than you do in 4 $20 books. It's very well written and is a great read as well. It is how a RPG SHOULD be written.
If you're a Call of Cthulhu gamer, then this book is a MUST! If you like horror, X-Files, etc...then check it out.

If you already have Delta Green, Countdown should be your next purchase (if you don't have Delta Green, BUY IT!!!). Countdown adds write-ups for PISCES (Britain), GRU SV-8 (Russia), The Skoptsi, The Outlook Group, Phenomen-X, Keepers of the Faith (Ghouls), and a new look at The Hastur Mythos. Add rules for the Gift (Psychic Powers) and international templates from all over the world and you have a book that would be cheap at twice the price!!

Pagan Publishing has done it again!!!

Well worth the seemingly hefty price. In addition to containing source material that benefits *any* modern-day game (e.g. details on international law-enforcement agencies), it includes expansions on things alluded to in the main Delta Green book, such as the Army of the Third Eye, and new icky horrors like the Skoptsi.

There is also wonderful information on ghoul society and on the "King in Yellow"/Hastur mythos, concluding with "Night Floors," which is in my opinion one of the best damn adventures ever written.

So as you might expect this book includes extensive research as far as magi and cabala's are concerned. The artwork is amazing, the setting is perfect and the ascension war has begun. I you want my opinion, buy it, it is surely useful in completing your storyteller skills and knowledges and will prove your wisdom to your players. Really, this book is worth it.

Easily the Best historical Game and maybe the best game white-wolf ever came up with. The setting takes upa majority of the space but it also doesn't explain the Spheres like it does in Mage for example- Mage2nd:Life5:Transform complex lifeforms. Mage:TSC: Life5- Greater Godhand. Also the game greatly Stresses magic Faith and Science. The only flaws it has in it relates to them. Their is a form of Paradox regardless of what people would think but It can help or hinder you. It is also interesting to have the Technocracy (or Order of Reason) be the ones strugling. Any Player of white-wolf games should get this it is a must! and has a map of Europe in 1500.

The Sorcerers' Crusade is a good setting for Mage. A lot of the modern game focuses on how magic doesn't really work the way it's supposed to because people's belief in science is too firmly entrenched in the world's paradigm. In the SC setting, science is a bit less accepted, and magic works a little better. Paradox, which in the modern game is always bad, is called Scourge in this setting, and can occasionally help a Mage. The Technocracy is on more equal footing with the Tradition mages here, as both are struggling to put their paradigm forward as dominant.

There's quite a bit of history and world setting information in this book. Possibly too much, depending on your needs. Relatively little of the book is taken up with game system mechanics. What system rules there are cannot be found all in one place. The organization of the rules is somewhat loose. Like the modern game, the magic system is open-ended, with ability defined in areas of control rather than specific spells. But like most other Mage books, spells (rotes) can be found if one looks hard enough.

If you've played Mage: The Ascension, it will be easier to understand this book. If not, some of the game rules might be confusing. If you like the Mage magic system, but don't care for the dark-goth game world White Wolf sets the games in, this is probably the game for you.

The Sorcerers Crusade is a fine book, which contains everything you need to get a Renaissance game going. The Traditions and the Order of Reason are both given equal treatment. It is interesting to see the Order of Reason before they got reorganized into the Technocratic Union. This was a time when their paradigm was not as accepted as miracles and traditional D&D-style spell craft.

This book is more thorough than the second edition of Mage the Ascension. Not only does it provide a lot of examples and explanations for spells, and rituals, it also cleared up a lot of the limitations and potentials for the various spheres.

Even though there are already party lines, the rules make it possible to have both Traditional and Technocratic magi working together. It is a time of reorganization and both parties are trying to find their destinies. In fact, the reader will follow the experiences of a Celestial Chorus member and a member of the Hippocratic Circle throughout the book. The idea of same goals through different methods was stressed.

The time period seemed to be the ideal setting for Mage. Not only are their so many possibilities in terms of new ideas and beliefs, the age of exploration in the high seas, the skies, the unknown continents, as well as the Void are all available for curious magi and their associates.

This book is a must for anyone who is interested in Mage. It is a very complete work and has vital information for storytellers and players who want to use the Renaissance setting. Whether you have an interest in high artisans, explorers, knights, shamans, witches, alchemists, there is something here for you.

Mage: The Ascension is, without a doubt, my favorite RPG. It's concept about Awakened beings who *know* they can change reality because they are convinced in their paradigms is the best concept I've ever seen.

In the Mage timeline, though, there was a crucial event which splitted history in two: Renaissance. It was then that the whole world started believing in science and it's apparent limitless capacities. It was then when people started removing some attributes which made the world turn from God, and it was then when the church started the most brutal prosecution against "pagans": Inquisition.

This is a book about the clash between 3 forces: Faith, Science and Magick. And as the Mage storyline goes, it's the perfect moment to play a Mage.

Loony Toon the RPG is wonderful fun for all ages. Prepare to laugh till you hurt.

Toon: The Cartoon Role-playing Game was published by Steve Jackson Games in the mid-1980s, and many copies of the sourcebooks are still available with a little effort. This RPG primarily focuses upon American-style cartoons where truly anything goes!!! The entire focus of Toon is to be funny and to do and say things which are funny... and many anime characters and series fit quite well into this worldview: Debutante Detective Corps, Project A-ko, Otaku no Video, Galaxy Fraulein Yuna, Idol Project, the Slayers saga, City Hunter, D4 Princess, Mezzo Forte, etc.

One of the most popular Toon campaigns is the Toon Olympics. Those familiar with the Hanna-Barbara Laff-a-Lympics series already have an idea of the premise of Toon Olympics: Bring together many animated characters from various series/genres and have them compete in a number of sporting events. When I first played the Toon Olympics, one player created his own cursed medieval knight character with a sentient sword which didn't always do as he commanded (which he later played in a Sailor Moon RPG campaign I was then running), someone else played a unicorn (who eventually had to drive a car), another played as Lara Croft, and I personally played as A-ko - truly an eclectic bunch!!!

However, anime fans should NOT overlook Toon as a role-playing option. Granted, Toon is not as adaptable to a wide variety of campaigns (for campaign genre/character adaptability, see the Big Eyes Small Mouth second edition sourcebook); however, for a change of pace, Toon can be used to give almost any anime character (pre-existing or original) a chance to be a comedian. For example, when I played in another Toon Olympics as A-ko, I called upon B-ko to fight a Pokémon in my place, with the promise of conceding C-ko to her if she should win (that was funny enough to earn me an extra Plot Point)!!!

This game is the best. The only problem I have is that every page you read falls out after you turn the page. Spiral binding would be great for this game because the game master has to use the book often if he is following any of the preplaned adventures. I would give it 5 stars if the binding were better.

This is a great game for anyone who has ever wanted to be a chartoon character. Or just for anyone who loves cartoons. Like the best board games (Balderdash, Malarky), the important thing is having fun and making the other players laugh. ...

This is the only rpg Ive seen that anyone can master in one or two tries. Your dreams to be bugs bunny or Daffy come true in this classic rpg. A must buy!

Heavy Gear is a great game -- both in its rules system, which is simple and easy to pick up, and its background and story material.

The main rulebook comes with a full set of rules for both the RPG and the tactical combat game, plus a good amount of detail on a likely setting for an RPG (Peace River), and a slightly smaller section on the world as a whole (which is expanded on in the Life on Terra Nova sourcebook that can be purchased separately, and is also excellently written).

Heavy Gear takes place 4000 years in the future, on the colony world of Terra Nova. Heavy Gears are one-man mecha, something between an infantryman and a tank. The planet is divided into two polar leagues separated by a vast desert known as the Badlands, poised on the brink of war after years of uneasy peace. The game has an ongoing storyline that leads from this starting point and is continued with storybooks and through the sourcebooks. The storyline is planned out in advance, which gives it a great leg up on other games.

One note -- the computer games and cartoon should not be used to judge the pen and paper game; the computer games are not really in the best spirit of the game and the cartoon...has nothing to do with the pen and paper game other than the name really.

In addition to the rulebook, you will probably want to hunt down the Life on Terra Nova sourcebook if you plan to run an RPG game (or if you're just interested in reading more about the game world).

The year is 1934... 1934 TN, that is - make that 6132 AD, or thereabouts. The planet is Terra Nova, one of several planets colonized by mankind after it survived a minor ice age and discovered a net of space anomalies connecting about a dozen planets. Unfortunately the Earth government collapsed some centuries back and left the colonies to fend for themselves...
On Terra Nova, a planet without oceans divided into two hemispheres by an inhospitable desert girdle, several nations have developped since that time. The southern nations have been subjugated by the Southern Republic, which in turn caused the northern nations to band together for their own protection. Now these two power blocks, armed to the teeth, are gearing up for war once more, with the unhappy inhabitants of the desert Badlands in the middle, seeing their home become a battleground.
And then there's the fascist Earth regime, come back to claim its own...

This is the Rulebook for the Heavy Gear system, Dream Pod 9's most exciting and best game system ever. At the core of it all is a game engine called the "Silhouette" system, a well thought out system of rules equally useful for roleplaying and tactical combat, for simulating space, submarine or ground environments.
HG offers you the opportunity to step into the future and see the world through the eyes of the inhabitants of mankind's new home, wether you want to do classical roleplaying or fast paced mechanical combat, or both at the same time.

The rulebook is very well written and contains lots of examples illustrating the realistic, yet easy to understand and use rules system. Talking of illustrations... those are there as well, *lots* of them, and very well done, too.

But you get more than just a bunch of rules. At the beginning there's a gorgeous colour section showing the planetary system and a world map, followed by a short but thorough introduction to the world of Terra Nova, covering the various nations and regions. There's even a short source book on Peace River, a huge desert city/arcology/weapons factory, allowing you to start playing right away if you wish to.
Of course you get the necessary character creation rules, an exhaustive list of skills, some equipment and weapons, and rules for interaction, skill tests and, of course, combat. You also get archetypes and some animals to populate the wilderness, not to forget the enigmatic desert nomads known as Sand Riders...
Plus you get the complete tactical combat rules, if you like that kind of thing. If you prefer hex-maps or miniature games is entirely left to you. The Silhouette system allows you every imaginable freedom while covering all the necessary aspects.

Some people have called Heavy Gear the heir of Battletech (you know, the combat game with all those giant robots... what serious Heavy Gear fans refer to as "that other game"). Fact is, HG is much, much more.
The trademark of the game is the Gear, a roughly humanoid combat machine of the future - but that 's where the similarity ends. The tactical system is hugely superior to that of BT, allowing for opportunity fire, sensor detection, communication and ECM, while the roleplaying system is not just an afterthought, but an inherent part of the game (if you want to, the main part - if not, it's a nice background. Your choice.)
HG is incredibly detailed (there's a huge range of sourcebooks, covering every imaginable aspect, if you feel like it - but you don't need them if you don't want) and quite realistic, plus it's got an overarcing background story similar to Babylon 5. And there's no need to read through stacks of badly written novels. Conflic is certainly a constand of the HG universe, but the system doesn't force you to concentrate on war, like the other game did, but allows you to explore the future any way you like.

In short, HG is my favorite game of all times. And I've tried out quite a number.

This hardcover edition of Dream Pod Nine's Heavy Gear Role Playing and Tactical Game was one of my first pruchase of the game line.

It was money well spent.

The book itself sports quality binding and paper. The printing is clear, legible and easy on the eyes. There is plenty of excellent content, spiced generously with outstanding pen art.

Even if not a fan of Role Playing and Tactical Miniatures Gaming, Sci-Fi fans will enjoy a depiction of a futuristic colony world both at war with imperialistic conquerors and with itself.

It is a stark, hard sci-fi story of human settlers that have braved harsh desert conditions, isolated from the rest of humanity and struggling not only for suvival, but also for cultural identity.

Role Play and Tactical Game Players will also find Heavy Gear to be a refreshing change of pace from the tired Sword and Sorcery Genre. And, they will find this high quality rulebook to be a perfect collectors and players peice in any library.

Enjoy!

Heavy Gear is one of the best SF roleplaying games in existence. It combines an incredibly rich setting, an overarching storyline that rivals Babylon 5 for depth and complexity and a simple, flexible and intuitive rules system for roleplaying and tactical combat.

Some people may already be somewhat familiar with the Heavy Gear setting through either the Activision Heavy Gear computer games or the Heavy Gear animated series. For those who are not, a brief synopsis:

Heavy Gear takes place in the 62nd century. The action primarily takes place on the colony world of Terra Nova. A harsh and beautiful world, it has also been wracked by conflict. Two decades ago, Earth attempted to reclaim her wayward offspring in the War of the Alliance, a devastating conflict which briefly united the major Terranovan powers against the invaders. However, this hard won unity quickly fell by the wayside as old conflicts reemerged. Terra Nova is once again on the brink of war.

The conflict will be fought with the game's namesake, the Heavy Gear. A native Terranovan development, these fifteen-foot tall humanoid combat machines provided a rude shock to the invading Earth forces two decades before. While Gears are the gameýs centerpiece, they are not the be-all end-all of combat on Terra Nova. Tanks, artillery, aircraft, landships and even larger walking machines called striders provide additional speed and firepower.

If tactical combat isn't your thing, the Heavy Gear setting provides a wide variety of options for less militaristic adventuring. Divisions between and among the major powers present opportunities for espionage political intrigue. On the other hand, many areas of Terra Nova are still very much part of the frontier, where individuals can make a difference and make their fortunes by their own actions. The setting is so vast and detailed that the possibilities are limitless.

While the main rulebook is all you need to play, the gameýs publisher, Dream Pod 9, has published an extensive array of supplements detailing every aspect of Terra Nova, along with sourcebooks covering the technology, vehicles and spacecraft of this future setting. Recently, they have moved beyond Terra Nova itself and have begun covering Earthýs other colony worlds. However, the most interesting aspect of the Heavy Gear line is the Storyline Books. In addition to its rich backstory, the Heavy Gear setting has a Babylon 5 like 20-year story arc. Each storyline book moves the gameýs history along by a few years. The basic setting described in the main rulebook is complex enough to provide an enormous amount of adventuring, using the storyline books provides the opportunity to set an RPG campaign in a living, breathing world with a constantly unfolding history.

In short, Heavy Gear is one of the best, most innovative roleplaying games out there. I would highly recommend that anyone pick it up.

This book and the system it represents is one of the most complete and well-realized (not to mention REALLY well supported) items in my game library (now teetering at 175 different titles...woah). When I want to get someone into a new, easily explained tactical or RPG setting, Heavy Gear always comes to mind.
This book is just the tip of the iceberg: Dream Pod Nine makes a huge number of sourcebooks and miniatures and they are consistently engaging.
Do I love this book? i love this book. Do I love this game? You betcha. Go to the Dream Pod 9 site ... and get a taste. then get back here and grab this book.

What can I say? This is a big must-have for ANY player, it has tons of nifty little fetishes (Of the item variety) and tons of other cool crap. I mean, what can beat people who turn into dragons? Huh?

With Shapeshifters of the East I found a great read and a ton of possibilities for new characters. I mean the Kumo and the Same-Bito..whoo hooo. BUT, damn that Treefrog font they used for the paragraph titles and such, drove my eyes -crazy-, small complaint but worth the groan.

I have to admit that the whole Kindred of the East project has done little to excite me. But this book changed my views on the concept. By moving the changing breeds of Werewolf: The Apocalypse to the new battlegrounds of Asia, it adds a whole new level to the ususal " Stranger in a strange land " feel of Werewolf. The Kitsune (werefoxes) are easily one of the cooler species of shapeshifter (apart from the Garou themselves, of course). But the main reason I bought this book was for more details on the Hakken Garou. Anyone who's read the Shadowlords Tribebook already knows about the Garou of the East. These guys are samurai with fur and fangs, and you can't get more badass than that! Hengeyokai is more than just Werebeasts in a different land: its a whole other culture, with its own rules and values. This book is a great addition to the Werewolf line, and is reccomended for either Asia-based campaigns, or adding some spice to your current chronicle.

This supplement to Werewolf: The Apocalypse is absolutely the best book in the series, if only because the elusive Kitsune are given the full coverage of a Breed Book. The other breeds appear, with a twist making them very different from their Western relatives. It's a perfect setting for mixing shifter types what would automatically attack each other in a traditional werewolf game. Take your gaijin Garou to Tokyo, or your Japanese Kitsune to San Fransisco...

Hengeyokai is an expansion to Werewolf the apocalypse. Hengeyokai is two books in one, first on the ways and culture of the eastern changing breeds. (werewolves, wereravens, weresharks, weredragons, wererats, weretigers, werespiders, and weresnakes) along with new merits, flaws, gifts, auspices (oriental auspices - leaf, steel, lantern, etc..) along with how to combine a western based game into an eastern campaign... or the other way around. The second half of the book is all about the Kitsune, or werefoxes. The mystery makers of gaia. They do not cause the delerium, they have nine tails, and their gifts of paper folding are unique to them. The reason that the two books are combined in one is simple: you can play a Hengeyokai without knowing anything about Kitsune, but you can't play a Kitsune without knowing about Hengeyokai! Two books in one is an excelent deal and a wonderful suprise to those who don't know.

I won't get into details, as the other reviewers here have already done a great job. Monte Cook has never let himself be constrained by the conventions that hinder the mainstream rpgs. This book has near-endless customizability--each class, spell, and even race has many options. The book contains rules, setting, and a good bestiary. If I had one gripe it would be the selection of races. Cat-people and dog-people? Come on! At least their backgrounds are fleshed out and believable. Better than your standard Tolkienesque fantasy races, which have been worn out, resurrected, and beaten to death again by many games. This book is full of original ideas, and it just begs readers to introduce their own. There are some great supplements, too, but this is all you need.

Get this one. Just buy it, sit down read and be amazed as you see all that was DnD change into what it should have been for a very long time.

Arcana Evolved is, for the most part, a very well-thought out variant of D&D. There are new races, new base classes, and a whole new spell system. Except for the magic system it sticks pretty closely to the d20 rules, so it's recognizable to the average D&D player.

For those of us who dislike the "Vancian" magic system in traditional D&D where spell casters have to memorize spells but forget them once they're cast, the new spell system is a vast improvement. At it's core it's a spell slot system much like sorcerers in 3.x D&D, but more flexible.

The spell system also lets you do a variety of things to change the power of the spells. You can cast it diminished, using a lower level slot but with less effect; you can cast it heightened, using a higher level slot for more effect; and there are spell templates that can tack on an additional effect (for example a Fire Mage would add the Fire template to do additional Fire damage).

That's the "Aracana" part of AE. The "Evolved" part refers to the concept of racial levels. Instead of ECL modifiers from D&D, several of the races have racial levels you can (optionally) take in lieu of a class level to gain the speical racial traits. In addition for all races (including humans), there are "evolved" levels. These take the racial traits and augment them.

All in all IMHO, an interesting variation on D&D. It still has many of the d20 quirks though (especially annoying is the miserly allocation of skill points)so if you really, really detest 3.x D&D because of things other than the magic system, you won't be happy here either. Everyone else should give it a try.

I will give you a quick overview of the product itself. Second, I am going to talk about its appearance, ergonomy and detail its contents. Third, I will tell you what I think are the "Critical Hit" and "Critical Miss" of this book and finally conclude with my overall appreciation of the product.

Overview

Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved can be purchased in PDF format on DriveThruRPG.com or in hardcover format at your local game stores, Amazon.com and gaming websites. It is 432 pages long, one of the first "mammoth volumes" of its kind.

First and foremost, Arcana Evolved combines materials of Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed, The Diamond Throne (detailing the default setting for Arcana Unearthed) and the Player's Guide (which was provided with the Arcana Unearthed DM Screen). If you want a "group price" for these books buy Arcana Evolved. If you have Arcana Evolved, you do not need these books at all (but for the actual DM Screen I was talking about, which is a nice product in itself, but that's another review altogether).

Arcana Evolved isn't just a compilation of previous Malhavoc products. It adds little bits and pieces to the award-winning Arcana Unearthed and makes something new and refreshed out of it. These "bits and pieces" include a new character race, a new character class, new options for your character's development on a "mechanical" level. But it also adds in terms of background, if you are interested in new ideas for your Arcana Unearthed or D&D games: the Tenebrian Seeds allowing access to "Evolved Levels" and the "Return of the Dragons" to the Diamond Throne (or your homebrew setting), for instance.

Lay Out

The first impression people get when they open Arcana Evolved is usually one of awe. First, the book is huge (more than four hundred pages, as precised above). Second, it is a full-color volume. One could expect a very confusing lay-out as a result - lots of color equals less clarity, right? Not with this book. Colors enlighten the product while not covering or confusing its contents. The lay-out is simple and efficient. The art is sometimes just okay, and sometimes outstanding, but always colored with taste. The overall impression it leaves is one of beauty, simplicity/clarity and coherence (there is a lay-out "theme" in tones, fonts and so on. This is one of these little details making for me the difference between very good and outstanding books).

The Actual Contents

Introduction: New Possibilities - This obviously presents Arcana Evolved to the reader, with its scope, its ambition, the themes and concepts that inspired it, how to use the book and how to create/level up characters. This is an important section for this review, since it states the goals of the product: bring the power back into the DM's hands, increase the player's choices, base the game on the notions of character choice, uniqueness, use a background made of rituals and traditions. With these goals in mind, we can actually know more or less objectively if Arcana Evolved fulfills its mission or not.

Chapter One: Abilities - nothing particularly new for a D&D player here. It presents the main ability scores used in AE, none of which are new. It also presents the classic tables of bonus spells and, something new here though, rites. Combat Rites are used mostly by the Ritual Warrior, the new character class in this book, but also other, revised character classes, such as the Oathsworn (at mid-level) and Warmain (at high-level).

Chapter Two: Races - First, the actual races are: Humans, Dracha (humanoid, medium-sized dragons), Faen (little feys between the PHB elves and halflings which can transform into the tiny, flying Sprytes), Giants (a noble, civilized race whose society is centered on the concept of ritual and tradition), Litorians (lion men), Mojh (humans who decide to become more draconic to uncover the mysteries of magic), Runechildren (kind of "Chosen Ones" who defend the world against agressions), Sibeccai (whose physical appearance is akin to the Egyptian god Anubis - they were animals who have been "elevated" to sentience by the giants) and Verrik (some near human beings with crimson skin. They have a cursed, heavy past and have a close relationship with magic).

Some little things change from Arcana Unearthed. For instance, the Mojh can no longer gain access to a breath weapon. This is mainly because of a larger, more significant change: the introduction of the Dracha, which is also part of an even bigger change - the Return of the Dragons to the Diamond Throne (see below). The Dracha seem very fun to play. They have a sort of "coolness" about them akin to the dragons many of us love. It's actually great to be able to play a draconic character without having to wait for high levels to do so or rely on various templates that may seem "wrong" or "artificial" when I added to a given character concept.

The main particular feature here compared to D&D is the introduction of Racial Levels and Evolved Levels. Racial Levels were already present in Arcana Unearthed. They allow players of all races but humans to take a few (between 1 and 3) levels that increase their racial abilities. Giants become bigger and stronger, Mojh gain magical spell-like abilities and the like. This is all simple and yet, original. The new additions here are obviously the "Evolved" levels. These are additional racial levels any character (including humans) can take if they've been exposed to the Tenebrian Seeds of the dragons. They are a plot device in the hands of the DM. In other words, this allows game master to monitor how these levels are accessed. Nice way of justifying them.

Chapter Three: Classes - They are: Akashic (a Jack-of-all-Trades using various skills and abilities reached through a new concept named the "Akashic Memory", which is akin to an alternate plane combining all the memories of all sentient individuals through the ages), Champion (a dedicated warrior more open-ended in its purposes and allegiances than the Paladin), Greenbond (a sort of Shaman spellcasting class. The Greenbond is a healer and represents the force of "The Green", the lifeforce of all things, which is the opposite of "The Dark", the force behind dark and unnatural forces creating aberrations and undead), Mage Blade (the archetypal fighter/mage with a focus on his chosen weapon, called an Athame), Magister (the best spellcaster of the lot which, besides spells, develops various flavour abilities related to his staff and his use of magic), Oathsworn (an unarmed fighter devoted to the fulfilment of his Oaths, which he can change once they have been fulfilled), Ritual Warrior (a warrior using Combat Rites, which are comparable to feats used in a "spell-like" manner - i.e. with a number of uses per level per day), Runethane (a spellcaster able to create runes, foci of various magical effects), Totem Warrior (a fighter developping traits related to his chosen animal totem), Unfettered (the archetypal fighter/rogue), Warmain (the ultimate tank) and Witch (a primitive spellcaster focusing on manifesting particular aspects of her chosen specialty which could be Wood, Winter etc).

These classes all follow the same pattern of description: short introduction, then description fields such as Adventurers, Background, Races, Other Classes (how they combine with this class in a party), NPCs, Hit Die, Class Archetypes (describing what kind of roles they can fulfill in the game), Skills, Class Features (with the usual table summarizing the class progression). It is interesting to note that there are no "favored classes" and the like. Players can multiclass their characters freely, which is a major element of AE's gameplay when combined to racial, evolved levels, prestige classes, and other options (like those proposed by the excellent supplement Transcendence, which among other things introduces players to Ability levels, Substitution levels and more - with these two books it becomes virtually possible to take levels in every aspect of character development).

Same thing as in the races above: there are minor changes, albeit more of them. Some classes needing to be more balanced have been slightly modified for the better. For instance, the Greenbond had too few skill points (which one of the players of my gaming table experienced the hard way). This is fixed here. Oathsworn and Warmain can now use Combat Rites.

There is one major addition here of course: The Ritual Warrior. One big change when compared to the D&D Player's Handbook is the many ways in which the player can specialize and/or customize a character. The Akashic abilities one chooses with the character progression. The Causes of Champions. The Runes of Runethanes. The animal Totems of Totem Warriors. The Manifestations of the Witch. All these game elements make sure that almost no character with the exact same levels will look alike.

Chapter Four: Skills Nothing important changes from Arcana Unearthed here. There are differences when compared to the D&D Player's Handbook: there is no "Profession" skill, the available Knowledges are different (more specific to the particular flavour AE with Knowledge (Ceremony) and various racial Knowleges for instance). Differences that make the gameplay easier mostly by combining these or those skills together. But nothing groundbreaking.

Chapter Five: Feats and Talents -There are two new types of feats when compared to core D&D: the Talents, which are feats that are only available to first level characters, and Ceremonial feats, which require some type of ritual performed on the character and a True Name to be gained. True Names are one of these cool additions typical of Arcana Evolved: it's not a "groundbreaking" idea but everything's in the flavour. Each character either has a True Name or not (this is called an "Unbound" character). This defines which types of feat the character starts the game with, and which feat categories he has access to in the future. This is also important for some spells (such as Raise The Dead) which require the True Name of the target to be performed correctly. Another thing worth mentioning: metamagic feats which allow a spellcaster to gain access to "Spellcasting Templates" which are described in Chapter Eight: Magic.

Chapter Six: Equipment - This chapter mostly describes the base equipment for characters, the weapons, the items particular to the Diamond Throne and the like. I like the new ways in which you can personalize your equipment (with crystal, devanian, dire weapons and armor, for instance, which are nice additions to the classic masterwork piece of equipment).

Chapter Seven: Playing the Game - This is the core system, the reason why a DM wouldn't need a Player's Handbook to play Arcana Evolved. All the rules are here: combat, actions, types of damage and so on. It also details the mechanics of Hero Points, which can be used by the players to tweak the rules in the favor of their characters with panache. A good idea, much more opened to personal interpretations (and possibly powerful) than the similar mechanics of the Eberron Campaign Setting, for instance.

Chapter Eight: Magic - The big chunk that makes Arcana Evolved different in its gameplay than D&D. This isn't as different from D&D that one could believe, however. At least not as different as Elements of Magic would be.

There are still spell slots and spell levels, but new mechanics have been implemented to allow more flexible uses from players and DM. You can for instance use spell slots of inferior or superior spell levels to fuel your casting. Or you can cast superior (heightened) or lesser (diminished) versions of each spell with a slot of one level higher or lower than the one indicated in the spell's description. Another original feature is the way spells are not prepared daily like in D&D. You have a list of spells prepared yes, but you can keep this list as long as you want. You don't have to "revise" your spells each morning. Prepared spells are used in the same way sorcerer spells would be: you can cast the same one several times or just once, up to your number of slots per day for this spell level, or even more when you use higher or lower slots.

Perhaps it doesn't seem like much when you read it but it breaks the overall rigidity of D&D's spellcasting. Add to this the Spell Templates, which allow you to apply effects (like Flaming, Blessed, Cursed, etc) to all the spells you want, and you have a very adaptable, very open-ended magic system.

Also included are all the rules related to the magic items of Arcana Evolved. Nothing incredibly original there.

This chapter is the part of the book many fans are raving about, and for good reasons, I think, since spells are such a huge part of the D&D experience.

Chapter Nine: Spells and Combat Rites - The list of spells available is changed when compared to the PHB. There are no alignments in Arcana Evolved, and thus no alignment-related spells. There is much more balance in the spell selections. No "magic missile". No "save or die" effects. This is a bit underpowered compared to D&D spells, but with the heightened and diminished versions of each spells, the spell templates and all the other options available to spellcasters, this is in fact just as powerful.

The main particular feature here is the presence of Simple, Complex and Exotic spells within any given spell level. Most spellcasting classes only have access to Simple spells or some Complex spells with a particular descriptor. Only magisters have free access to both Simple and Complex spells. Exotic spells are unique and rare - a character may use these only through specific feats, usually.

Combat Rites are akin to temporary feats. They allow you to score a critical on your next it. Or move faster. Or add to your Armor Class by taking a particular stance. In use, they are like spells: your character can use a number of them per day. There are divided per "rite level" the same way spells are. These are great addition to the game: they give to warriors the same potential flexibility as the spellcasting characters. It was about time to have someone come up with that kind of addition to the core rules, wouldn't you think?

Chapter Ten: Diamond Throne Gazetteer - The contents of this chapter are mostly taken from the Diamond Throne supplement to Arcana Unearthed. There are some changes though: first, the Tenebrian Seeds and the concept of evolution, experiments of the dragons that led to the creation of the Dramojh (the bad buys of the setting) are introduced. Second, the Dragons are back, and they intend to recover what is theirs: the Lands themselves now in the care of the Giants. This may be the source of endless adventures with the PCs torn apart between Dragons and Giants and both of their claims on the Diamond Throne. What really makes this background addition flavorful is that none of the factions is either "right" or "wrong". They are both understandable and somehow justified in their claims. This makes for great role-playing moments potentially.

Another thing worth mentioning is the way the Diamond Throne and all its geographical, historical, sociological elements are described: they are summarized and leave the DM as the real master behind the world. As a DM, you can choose to interpret this or that element of the background as you want. It makes the Diamond Throne "your" world more than any other published world could be while still detailing what is absolutely essential to it.

Chapter Eleven: Prestige Classes - They include Beast Reaver, Crystal Warrior, Darkbond, Dragon Kith, Esoteric Mage, Giant Paragon, Knight of the Axe, Mage Priest, Nightwalker, Ollamh Lorekeeper, Rune Lord, Somnamancer. I have not much to say here, apart of their balance which is perfectly fine, and their design, which covers many of the possibilities for character development while tying each particular class to a concept or another of the setting itself. That's in my opinion what Prestige Classes are for: to give more flexibility to characters while tying them mechanically to the world around. That's exactly what these Prestige Classes do.

Chapter Twelve: Creatures - This chapter includes Alabast, Chorrim, Cyclops, Dark Warden, Dragon, Dream Hunter, Evolved Creature Template, Harrid, Inshon, Radont, Rhodin, Shadow Troll, Slassan, Undead Creature Templates, Xaaer (Death Ooze).

Let's just say the basics are covered: the setting-specific grunts, higher level grunts, and various classics from the Diamond Throne. The Dragons are especially original. No dragon is defined by its color here. They are each unique creatures, and all the rules to build them are presented here. The Corporeal and Incorporeal Undead templates are really winners because they allow you to create creepy baddies with virtually any creature from any source you might possess. Which is especially cool when used with the undead-creation spells given in this book.

And that's it. An annex describes possible conversions between AE and D&D, the character sheet is well organized and designed with good taste (like the book itself - see the Overview above). Same thing applies to the Index, particularly useful for a mammoth like AE, and the mandatory OGL follows.

Critical Hit

First, let's remember why Arcana Evolved is conceived the way it is: : bring the power back into the DM's hands, increase the player's choices, base the game on the notions of character choice, uniqueness, use a background made of rituals and traditions.

Here is the Critical Hit, in my opinion: AE does exactly what it's supposed to do. It opens horizons for players and DMs in terms of character customization, game setting and rules flexibility. It offers many options, none of which seem superfluous or useless. Everything can find its own appeal in an Arcana Evolved game. Most importantly, and this is the real critical hit, it lets the reader open the "hood" of the system to find out how it works: it provides guidelines to create your own causes for Champions, totems for Totem Warriors, and so on. In clear, it gives you the tools to make this game your own.

If only for an understanding of how the d20 system works and can be modified in original new ways, this is a must for any DM and player of the game.

Critical Miss

Arcana Evolved suffers from its Critical Hit. As it offers more and more options, variants, possibilities for DMs and players, it is not a product for beginners. Sure, it is always possible to use it with newbies, but the DM would then have to know the system inside out and be able to break it down for the players. This isn't "D&D for Dummies" in clear. Which is great for some gamers, and a potential source of headaches for others, not because it is especially "complicated" (it isn't any more complicated than D&D is), but because there is so much stuff in there, so many game elements and so many choices for DMs and players.

Conclusion

In the end, the versatility of AE is its best trait and worse enemy at the same time. It all depends what you want out of your game: something simple where newbies can come in and play without much to explain, or a complete game allowing you to "put your hands in the motor" and make it your own.

If the second approach is the most interesting to you, you will rave about Arcana Evolved like I do. Even with newbies, it is possible to have great gameplay (I run a tabletop campaign with five newbies to RPGs), but it will require some work and patience on your part as a DM.

Once that is said, Arcana Evolved shines for its own qualities: it is one of these rare products on the d20 market exploring new ways in which to use the d20 mechanics while doing it with talent and knowledge such as none other than one of its original designers could have. And, away from these gamist considerations, it is simply an awesome, fun game to play: all the archetypes are here, all the options are available to have some great game sessions out of this product. You can buy Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved with a blindfold covering your eyes: the probability of being disappointed is nearly non-existent.

From what I understand, Arcana Evolved (previously a black and white book called Arcana Unearthed and a thin paperback Diamond Throne setting primer now married in one book with color versions of mostly the same art from the first book) is the attempt of Monte Cook to make use of the benefits of the Open Game License to push past what he saw as meaningless and arbitrary restrictions imposed on "Official" D&D material.

His goals are commendable. He wanted to get rid of arbitrary game mechanics that limited the growth of characters (like alignment requirements or race based limitations on multiclassing). He also wanted a clean Player's Handbook, that DM's could use for any fantasy setting, without a bias toward the published setting. Unfortunately this is not Arcana Evolved.

Most of the classes in Arcana Evolved cannot be multiclassed. Some, such as a combination Warmein/Unfettered (Only use heavy weapons and armor/Only use light weapons and armor) are so flatly contradictory as to be a joke in our group. The Oathsworn (basically a monk) can't use any weapons or armor at all. The Magister "disdains the way of the sword" having chosen to channel all of his magic through a staff, whereas the Mage Blade channels all of his magic through an athame or key weapon. Champions are so fanatically devoted to a single ideal that it endows them with paladin-like abilities. Hard to see that devotion leaving room for any other class pursuits.

The races have also given me fits when trying to create non-Diamond Throne settings. As opposed to races like gnomes or elves that can hop settings with very little baggage, there are some races in Arcana Evolved that are really tough to transplant. Sibbecai, for example, are a race of jackalmen raised to sentience by the Giants in Diamond Throne, which is responsible for a lot of their cultural identity. So you either keep that bit of history in every setting (which would be very odd) or you are forced to create a new origin for them that keeps their personality, but does not recreate the Diamond Throne history every time. Likewise the Mojh are a group of humans who have transformed themselves into draconic hybrids out of devotion to the hated Dramojh who were once owned the Diamond Throne's inhabitants as slaves. Hard to break the Mojh apart from the Dramojh of the Diamond Throne--not impossible, but it certainly doesn't seem like a step toward a clean PHB.

Now what Arcana Unearthed has going for it is impressive. The classes are beautifully developed, even if they don't stack very well, and full of fresh, exciting ideas. The weapons list is one of the few I've seen in D20 products that expands on the standard list of D&D weapons to provide some fun new inventions like battle claws, spikesticks, and dire weapons. The list of feats is huge (the summary list is two full pages in tiny eight point font), with a much greater focus on drama and customization. It's divided into General, Ceremonial (connected with the custom of recieving a true name, a big part of the Diamond Throne setting) Item Creation (only a few, but organized based on the duration and nature of the enchantment, rather than whether the item is a staff, rod, or a ring, which always seemed a bit arbitrary) and Talents (Feats that define inherant qualities of the character, and as such must be picked up at character creation or not at all).

The character classes are a bit mediocre. While they're not the typical elves and dwarves, they're not too much more original than that. You have jackalmen (Sibeccai), lionmen (Litorians), halflings that metamorphose into pixies (Faen, two kinds), half-giants (called Giants, but closer to the D&D style half-giant in look), red-skinned pragmatist near humans (Verrik) and a yuan-ti style race of transformed dragon-men (Mojh). There's also a mechanic for leveling up in race instead of class. I'm not sure how I feel about this. While it adds a certain amount of customization to characters, it tends to feel a bit like an arbitrary mechanic--as though someone can grow larger, or gain a breathweapon or claws and teeth through experience? Age maybe...special ritual perhaps...but probably not through multiclassing in your race when you level up. That's just weird.

The art in the book on the whole is rather good. There's only a couple of bad pieces and quite a few that are really nice stuff. Most of it is printed too small--stuff relegated to the margins or a dollar sized art insert, forcing you to squint at it. Likewise the layout is awful. Most of the book looks like it's printed in 8-point font broken into two columns. There's no white space, no rest for your eye. It's dense and impenetrable. Every page feels like every other page. It can get really straining and claustrophobic if you have to read too much of it in a sitting.

So yeah, the content is pretty darn good. Not what I think the authors were trying to make at all--but good stuff nonetheless. The layout and tiny font are excruciating, though the art now being in color helps a bit. Could definitely use more art and graphical playing around with.