| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Mystery_Man |
Posted - 09 Jan 2006 : 16:00:47
Who has it, is it worth it and how well does it integrate with FR? |
| 28 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 02:13:31
Well, it depends on the sidebar . . . if its a sidebar that says, "you might want to do this or that" then it doesn't really matter much, because its just a suggestion. If its a sidebar that says, "X in the Forgotten Realms does Y whenever it shows up." |
| Darth KTrava |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 02:10:02
I've only skimmed my copy.
But who has to pay any attention to the sidebars to start with? Just figure out a way to make them fit either FR or your world and go from there!  |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 00:55:47
Finally got a change to look through this one in depth, and here were my impressions of it.
Overall, it could be useful, but there are a lot of strange things that make me hesitate to buy it.
The Dragonborn of Bahamut are an interesting concept, but here is my problem with race as its presented. One of the core ideas of 3rd/3.5 D&D is to have a standard format for how to present things. The format may have changed a little, but once it changes, everything that comes after that change follows it.
The Dragonborn generally get more and more abilities based on what level the Dragonborn are. This just doesn't square with how the races in D&D usually work. Yes, some templates do gain abilities as they go up in level, but not quite like this. Also, in 3.5 we now have a level adjustment for templates that can be applied to PCs, but that isn't how this is presented. Nor is this presented as for paragon racial levels.
Personally, I wish they had either paired down the abilities gained at various hit dice, or made this a racial paragon style class that a character could take levels in. As it stands, with no level adjustment, either the Dragonborn in the party is going to have a lot of nifty dragon abilities, on top of being able to take "dragon" feats, and still be the same level as the rest of the party, likely causing some issues with their comparatively underpowered characters, or you will have to plan on having an all Dragonborn party.
The Spellscales are an interesting idea, and I actually wouldn't have a problem with this race, but for a few issues in presentation. One is the name. I'm sorry, Spellscale sounds silly, and on top of that, what happens if you are a rebellious Spellscale that decides to become a fighter, or a rogue? How about dragontouched or something?
The other problem of course, is that the "Day in the Life" immediately shows Spellscales as having thier own place in a campaign setting, having a "Spellscale Quarter" in a city, etc. To use all of this material, its looks quite daunting to assume that you should be making every 100th person in Waterdeep a Spellscale and that there should be a neighborhood of them in Silverymoon or Suzail, or whatever. Given that they can be born to two human sorcerers, it would have been nicer to play them up as loners driven to find other Spellscales and learn about the magic they could master, as opposed to established carefree fops that they are portrayed as in the begining.
If I did introduce Spellscales into the Realms, it would be the rarer, born from two sorcerers with draconic blood type individuals.
Also, while I had no problem with the abilities that the Spellscales could take per day, I don't think it was wise to name them after draconic deities. What if the Spellscale never learned of any draconic deities, do they not learn how to harness these abilities? Why not name them after different aspects of dragons, or different colors of dragons? Heck, even players using these guys in Eberron will have to come up with different names for these abilities, and they don't even mention that in the Eberron side bar.
A final note about the Spellscale section . . . and I am dead serious here. The decicion to put eight portraits of similarly featured members of the race in the section in a row, the main difference being apparently the emotional state of the Spellscale in questions, was just absolutely assinine. Honestly, if races of stone had eight portraits of dwarves in a row, each one looking very similar except for their headgear and what color their hair is, and the proceeded through "thoughtful dwarf" "excited dwarf" "mad dwarf" "happy dwarf" what would you think? This really bugged me.
Yay kobolds . . .
Power Word: Pain is still absolutely insane, and I continue to watch for errata on this spell. Just nuts.
So what does all this mean put together? I was really upset that there was not a Forgetten Realms sidebar in anything, as mentioned above, and was starting to worry that this might be a trend, until I got the Tome of Magic, which DOES mention the Realms in several places, probably as much as it mentions Eberron.
This led me to wonder about something. A lot of ideas in this book are kind of cool. I actually like the dragonborn concept, I like MY version of how spellscales should work, etc. What I think the problem might have been is a question of time. For whatever reason, I feel like this book may have been rushed out the door, perhaps to "launch" the Year of the Dragon on time.
I think that normally an editor may have looked at the Dragonborn and said "great idea, now make it a level adjusted template or make it a racial progression class so that it fits with everything else."
Heck, I even think the insane art decicions in the Spellscale section might have stemmed from being rushed out the door.
So in the end, I think I am going to wait and see if any of these threads are picked up and run with in Dragons of Faerun before I pick this one up. As is, its a lot of good ideas that just aren't well executed. |
| AlacLuin |
Posted - 16 Feb 2006 : 16:28:55
My love of Kobolds has caused me to finally order this tome. :) |
| Crennen FaerieBane |
Posted - 15 Feb 2006 : 15:19:33
Well, you'd also have to consider whether or not Bahamut plays a role in your FR campaign. If he does, this book does wonders for a whole new idea of campaigns. Granted they would revolve around Unther and those areas where Tiamat is strongest, but if you like that area, this book has some really good ideas.
C-Fb |
| warlockco |
Posted - 09 Feb 2006 : 18:58:38
quote:
Originally posted by Volo
I'm very much a fan of the kobold section, but then, I've been playing kobolds since early 2nd edition, so I might not be the best judge. In my case, if it's got ANY data on kobolds, I'll take it; I've even got the Kingdoms of Kalamar kobolds-and-gnomes book....
Yeah, one thing I have always loved about using Kobolds, was the fact that you could go crazy with traps in their lairs.  |
| Volo |
Posted - 09 Feb 2006 : 10:35:12
I'm very much a fan of the kobold section, but then, I've been playing kobolds since early 2nd edition, so I might not be the best judge. In my case, if it's got ANY data on kobolds, I'll take it; I've even got the Kingdoms of Kalamar kobolds-and-gnomes book.... |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 07 Feb 2006 : 15:01:41
quote:
Originally posted by warlockco
Only useful part I have seen so far is the section on Kobolds.
Otherwise it is still in deliberation.
I think Races of the Dragon can become useful for an FR campaign. Plus, who wants just a measly sidebar?
--Eric |
| warlockco |
Posted - 25 Jan 2006 : 05:51:58
Only useful part I have seen so far is the section on Kobolds.
Otherwise it is still in deliberation. |
| Weiser_Cain |
Posted - 24 Jan 2006 : 09:09:29
I looked through it, didn't do anything for me. No update for Dragon disciple and I dislike Kobolds. |
| The Blue Sorceress |
Posted - 24 Jan 2006 : 09:00:41
I gotta say, the only "Races of X" book that got me interested was Races of Destiny, and that was only because I play half-elves and planetouched like it was my job.
That said, if Races of the Dragon will prove useful in the context of Dragons of Faerun, then I'm all for it. I've been known to play the odd half-dragon now and again too so mayhaps I'll get some use out of it.
-Blue
|
| Purple Dragon Knight |
Posted - 23 Jan 2006 : 06:01:00
Flipped through it at the store today. Yay or nay?
Nay. |
| Chosen of Bane |
Posted - 22 Jan 2006 : 15:51:33
So far I have just skimmed it and it's just okay. The stuff on Kobold's is pretty good but I don't know how sold I am on using them as a PC race.
So far the only specific Forgotten Realms notes I've seen are the domains for the Draconic Deities. I'm glad they listed Bahamut's FR Domains because I like to use him as a Realms deity. |
| warlockco |
Posted - 22 Jan 2006 : 03:30:05
quote:
Originally posted by AlacLuin
I'm going to get it, if for nothing other than the chapter on kobolds.
So far after just skimming it, that seems to be the only worthwhile part on the races section.
Don't care for the two new races at all so far, but have yet to do an indepth reading too. |
| AlacLuin |
Posted - 21 Jan 2006 : 17:48:34
I'm going to get it, if for nothing other than the chapter on kobolds.
|
| Xysma |
Posted - 20 Jan 2006 : 20:14:34
I have a tendency to play half-dragons quite often, so I picked up this tome yesterday. I have only given it a cursory perusal so far, but I like what I have seen. I am not happy that they included "using this in Eberron" sidebars and nothing for the Realms, but I'd say if you liked the other "Races of.." tomes, you'll like this one as well. If you didn't like the others, this one is more of the same. |
| warlockco |
Posted - 20 Jan 2006 : 07:09:49
Have picked up my copy, so will be attempting to read it over the next few days/weeks. |
| Dhomal |
Posted - 19 Jan 2006 : 17:29:07
Hello-
Well - We just got this in at work - and I borrowed a copy to look through.
I'm quite sure that some people will whole-heartedly enjoy the contents. I however - am not one of them.
Lots of 'new' stuff for the dragon-ish races presented therin. ALso - at the end of each of the race decriptor is a small sidbar detailing how the race can fit into the Eberron world. As far as I could tell - there was NO Realms connections at all. Perhaps this is done intentioanlly due to the Dragons of Faerun coming out later in the year.
I will definately Not be purchasing this - which is too bad - I somewhat liked the other race books. I guess stuff connected to dragons is probably just a bit too strong in any case.
Dhomal |
| warlockco |
Posted - 14 Jan 2006 : 03:10:59
quote:
Originally posted by Mystery_Man
quote:
Originally posted by warlockco
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
I don't have it yet, but I plan to sometime. :)
I hope to have it this weekend.
Let us know what you think of it then.
Darn, just called my game store, looks like it is a release for next week  |
| Mystery_Man |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 13:12:37
quote:
Originally posted by warlockco
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
I don't have it yet, but I plan to sometime. :)
I hope to have it this weekend.
Let us know what you think of it then. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 07:34:05
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
You might find Races of the Dragon has more utility when we get a look at Dragons of Faerūn.
-- George Krashos
I know that's the one of the main reasons why I'm picking up Races of the Dragon...
|
| George Krashos |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 05:43:50
You might find Races of the Dragon has more utility when we get a look at Dragons of Faerūn.
-- George Krashos
|
| Dhomal |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 05:34:20
Hello-
I have not yet seen this come in where I work, though I did just see players Guide to Eberron - so its probably not far behind. :) I liked the other race books in general - though not so much fo r4the New races - as expanding on the existing ones. I'll look at it though.
Dhomal |
| warlockco |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 03:39:33
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
I don't have it yet, but I plan to sometime. :)
I hope to have it this weekend. |
| Kuje |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 03:33:49
I don't have it yet, but I plan to sometime. :) |
| Mystery_Man |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 03:11:49
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
That, or very few people have it. I've not bought any of the generic Races of books, and it's a trend I'll likely continue.
I have to say I don't have any of them either, FR has plenty of races to keep me happy already. Just when I saw Races of the Dragon I sort of perked up but....yeah. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 03:07:32
That, or very few people have it. I've not bought any of the generic Races of books, and it's a trend I'll likely continue. |
| Mystery_Man |
Posted - 12 Jan 2006 : 03:03:46
Judging by the underwhelming response so far I'm thinking this is the book to skip. |
