Produktbeschreibung
In terms of sheer utility, this has to be one of the best Ultimate books we have produced so far, with well over 1,000 different items for sale, lavishly illustrated by Nathan Webb and Steven Shepard. There are many, many new never-before-seen items to get your characters salivating, but we have also drawn items from the very best Open Game sources, including Bastion Press, FFG, Atlas, Mystic Eye Games, Natural 20 Press and, of course, Mongoose Publishing, as well as all those that are Open Content in the Player's Handbook, making this a one-stop tome for any shopping spree!
Retailers will also note that we have changed the design of the spine in this series - when the spine is edge out on a shelf, you can now see the title from well over six feet away! This design will now appear on all future books in this series, as well as reprints of the previous titles, Prestige Classes and Feats.
An extended introduction presents the layout of the book to you, followed up by discursive articles showing you how to handle new equipment types in your campaign, as well as guidelines for creating your own very unique items
without unbalancing everything else that is already out there. Good solid stuff for the Games Master, but I am sure the players will want to get stuck into the actual gear!
I am currently playing a Gnome Wizard (Loki Rockbottom) in the office campaign right now, so the first chapter, Arcane Sorcery, was bound to grab my interest - and I saw something Loki just had to have on the first page! A heavy hood and cowl may muffle sounds and give a penalty to Listen checks, but the bonus to saving throws against inhaled gases and poisons will easily off set that. While some items in this book can be regarded as basic tools or status symbols, we have tried to give as many as possible some sort of utility in the game, modelling their effects on a character. There are, for example, many different types of robes available to arcane spellcasters all of which will help aid his magical powers. However, there is also a variety of mundane and alchemical equipment (such as fire gloves, identification kits, component rings and more scrollcases than you can shake a 9th level spell at), various types of staffs and a complete listing of all the spell components you could ever hope for.
The Bards and Theatres chapter will increase the scope of a character class that is all too often ignored in the d20 System. from stage lanterns to phantom players, the entire world can now be the bard's theatre (we even have rules for a unicycle, if the bard is into more visual 'arts'). Bored of your bard constantly opting for the eternal harp or lyre? Well, there are a wide range of new instruments for him to try, from the bagpipes (great for annoying other party members) and the hurdy-gurdy , to the halfling drawharp and a portable organ.
Next comes Clerics and Temples, detailing everything a devout party member could ever need. No longer do you need merely select between silver and wooden holy symbols! Preservative fluids, sacrificial implements and sacred oils will be a cleric's mainstay but my personal favourite is the ordeal chamber, a tiny living-cell that magnifies the effects of thirst and starvation - just right for those who require penance!
Many adventurers may be tempted to skip past Food and Drink, Drugs and Herbs, but just as an army marches on its stomach, so do questing parties. There are also a variety of foodstuffs that can have some very desirable side effects - baked garlic, for example, is just the ticket when hunting vampires. There is also a vast range of wines, breads, fruits, and even tobacco. This chapter also concentrates on herbs, herbal recipes, incense and alchemical drugs, all of which can be used to, shall we say, alter a character's perceptions. This runs from the fairly mundane (such as Eaglesight which, when run into the eyes, sharpens vision for a few minutes) to Wit's Fool, which will be highly desirable to Wizard's studying new magical formulae.
One character who depends a great deal on equipment to supplement his abilities is the rogue, and Honour Amongst Rogues is the chapter dedicated to his pursuits. Rogues, get your purses out, you are going to be spending a lot of money - check out these highlights; Acid, armour cracker, silk bodysuit, false tooth, glass cutter, blast cap hilt, climber's quiver and zephyrwing. Whether you are going on the offensive or running from enemies, there is something there to allow the rogue to stay alive.
In The Wild will be of great use to barbarians and rangers but, in truth, any adventurer planning a long overland journey would be advised to stock up before he leaves - my paladin's horse is already enjoying the comforts of a blanket and hood during nightly camps. Everything from the mundane to the fantastic can be found here, from anti-fungal ointment cream (ugh!) to boat boots (don't ask!). A variety of canoes are provided, as well as weather and terrain dependant clothing, fishing nets, glowmould lantern (extended duration), hunting horn (stay in touch with your pals), insect repellent, machete, sleigh and water additives. And that is just the briefest selection of what can be found in this chapter!
When this book was being put together, I wanted a chapter that concentrated on gnomes and halflings, so Knick-Knacks of the Little Folk is my own little influence on the Ultimate Equipment Guide - and I ain't gonna apologise for it! There are many gnome devices to be found here which any adventurer mad enough to try could, possibly, benefit from. Bouncing boots are likely to be just plain lethal, but the underwater goggles could prove to be amazingly useful. My personal favourite (alright, I'll admit it, I wrote this one!) is the pressure powered sword, a three bladed device whose outer blades can be shot at short ranges to impale enemies. No prizes for guessing the film reference :)
Halflings have very different needs and desires, as you all know, and so here you can find the likes of a woollen dome tent and portable stove. Just right for making an adventurer's camp a home away from home!
Psychic Mastery brings brand new items to psychic warriors and psions, from simple crystal foci and quicksilver storage batteries to active tattoos and drugs designed especially to fine tune psychic talent.
One of the largest chapters, perhaps predictably, is The Armoury. If it ain't in here, believe your, your character don't want it! Just flicking through, there are an amazing amount of gauntlets alone - standard, edged, guardian, spiked, spring blade, studded and teethed. . . Highlights (we all like a decent weapon!) include the widowmaker's axe, meteor hammer, quad crossbow (always a favourite - remember Gladiator?), sniper's crossbow, a siege crossbow (for those times when a ballista simply won't fit down a dungeon) and razor disk launcher. There is also a stunning range of bow accessories and ammunition, as well as rules for separating double weapons in combat. The armour section covers everything from bladeshatter plate to fur-lined hide, and also gives rules for making armour out of a variety of different materials, such as gold, silver and wood.
The Dwarven Forge looks at all things subterranean, such as burrowing shields, hallowed ale (hey!), fungal rations, jawed mauls and rumblesticks (use with extreme caution. . .). There are also items that will be of great interest to dwarves and their friends alone, such as the darkvision lantern, dwarven leather and a maelstone (the latter of which will make for some superb traps).
If the dwarves were to have their own chapter, then so too had the elves. The Elven Retreat provides details of many items that have been crafted by the elves themselves, and so will be highly desirable to the discerning adventurer, if he has enough gold. Elven wine is far more potent than that of the other races, , while twin flutes mastered by proficient bards will have a stunning effect on their spellcasting capabilities. In addition, full rules are given for the elven equivalent of masterworking items - extremely expensive, but the benefits are far, far greater than the usual
human efforts.
The Fighter's Trade gives a great many more options to the average warrior - no longer will weapons and qarmour be their sole desired purchases. Devices such as aquatic quivers will prove to be absolute necessities under the right circumstances, while a variety of pommels and grips for weapons may just provide a vital edge while adventuring. There are a mass of options for customising or upgrading existing armour and weaponry (such as form-fitting or adding chain tabards) and for those who have a love of tournaments, there are a number of new lances. It is often the simple things that draw attention though - rustproofing oil is going to be very popular, though brilliant oil also has uses if you are fighting under a sunlit sky. . . There are also a range of siege tools and ammunition that will prove desirable when the fighter begins leading troops, while the troops themselves will no doubt find more use for their 'soldier's comforts', such as memory stones, scatter sticks, folding stools and sharpening stones.
Tools of the Orient covers all items imported from the East (or available down the road if your campaigns are set there). New weapons and armour make an appearance, though more capable characters may find such items as the balancing staff, tabi boots, stun darts and dragon sweat to be more interesting. However, any archer will gladly fork out huge amounts of gold once he sees the immense range of arrow types that can now be imported in for the right price.
The last full chapter of this book is Tools, Trades and Craft, the items typically used by commoners. However, adventurers should by no means turn up their noses at this chapter, as there are many items that can be employed
for their own endeavours. The magnifying glass has obvious applications, as does the branding iron, surgeon's toolkit and pack animals. Enterprising adventurers may also find great use for items such as smithies and stocks. Oh, and before anyone asks, I'll own up to writing the chastity belt in. Yes, it does have game effects. Yes, you can buy one that will defeat the attentions of almost any lock-picking rogue. . .
The Ultimate Equipment Guide winds up with a truly extensive reference section, jam-packed with every bit of information you could want at a glance, from integrated weapons and equipment tables to an index that keeps
track of every item in the book - no more fruitless leafing through several tomes looking for the effects of a certain piece of purchased equipment in the middle of combat now! |
