Excellent figures to use on your fantasy RPG. Enough variey to round out your figures on your scenarios.

I love these resources, all loot for less pdfs are WORTH your time.

I was hoping that the art of these chappies had a First Edition D&D feel to them, but I was disappointed. If you like more contemporary-looking artwork, I suppose you'd fancy this. 2/5

A great set of paper minis. The art is pretty good, has a real comic book feel. Though some of the female characters are a little bit out of proportion. Overall a great value, and printable in color and black and white to save ink or color yourself.

Once psionics got placed into the system reference document I expected to see quite a few books use that material. There has not been as many as I imagined but a few have come out. These books expand or redo what has been done in new and different ways. Psionics has always been an area that not everyone likes and some people think they can even do it better. The real challenge for these books will be to try to get the people who really have yet to embrace psionics and have them use psionics in their games.

Mind Over Matter is a new PDF by Interactive Design Adventures. They have put out a few other PDFs mostly stand ups that are alternatives for minis. The PDF is under fifty pages and does come in a rather big zip file of over fifteen megs. The PDF comes in four different version a pair of landscape and a pair of portrait formats one of each designed for printing. The art in the book is okay and it is all black and white. The layout needs some work as things are widely spaced and a conservation of space would not be a bad idea. None of the books have any book marks and for a book like this book marks would be really useful.

Mind Over Matter is a supplement that seems to want to work for d20 modern as well as d20 fantasy. I feel a more solid focus would have been better. The classes use things from d20 modern like defense bonus and reputation and at the same time have twenty levels like in the fantasy game. The classes seem a little specific for classes like Psi Cop and Psionicite Elementalist. These would have been better served as prestige or advanced classes. The actual advanced classes like the Manipulator and Psionic Entertainer do serve well as advanced classes.

There are two new races the Anaki and Atlanteans. The Anaki are what people traditaionally call greys, the classic aliens with the big head and empty black eyes that have been visiting earth since the age of the dinosaurs. The Atlanteans are equally familiar being the close humans of that lost ancient city. While both races seem sound in mechanics I would have liked to seeea little more creativity in psionic races to be presented. These two are very familiar in concept to most people and lose their wonder as new races because of it.

The psionic system here is a feat and skill based one. Most traditional psionic powers are skills and then there are feats that can augment the use of the powers and allow for greater flexibility. I do like how the system works but feel that is is not as well done as other skill based psionic classes like the Pshychics Handbook by Green Ronim

Mind Over Matter is an attempt at doing psionics a little differently in the modern game. They have some nice ideas for both abilities and classes but I feel that there are some initial problems with the classes and races to not make this a worth while book. The psionic system itself is pretty good and that alone may make it worthwhile. The appearance of the book in general is another strike against it.

Loot 4 Less, Volume III: Belts, Boots, Cloaks, & Gloves is the latest in the Loot 4 Less line of d20 magic items from IDA. The zipped file is tiny, not even 200 kilobytes in size, and contains a PDF and Rich Text versions of the product. The PDF version is sixteen pages long, including a page each for the front and back covers, for the credits/table of contents, and the OGL. It also has full bookmarks.

The inclusion of the Rich Text version of the book is nice, but if it was added as a printer-friendly option, then it's slightly ironic. The PDF copy of the book has no real illustrations or visual decorations to speak of. Other than the d20 and IDA logos, the only thing that's even close to an illustration here is the enlarged title on the front cover. There are no other pictures, page borders, etc.

As the first Loot 4 Less book covered rings, armor, and weapons, while the second covered rods, staffs, and wands, this last one begins on several types of wondrous items. As with all books in the series, it holds itself to a few canons: that all of these magic items will cost no more than 2,500 gp, and that they're all permanent items. This volume also makes a minor change in that each magic item has a sentence or two of in-character descriptive text.

Each of the four types of wondrous items here has about a dozen different magic items, give or take a few. The ubiquitous "Behind the Counter" sidebars are here in full force, explaining various aspects of pricing or function. While none of these are extremely powerful in what they can do, all of them are useful, from the Girdle of Mule's Strength to One League Boots, from Shielding Mantles to Net Launcher Gloves.

Overall, the third installment of Loot 4 Less lives up to the high standard set by the previous two volumes. While this one didn't have its work cut out for it nearly as much as the previous two (it's much harder to make cheap permanent magic weapons, or wands, for example) it nevertheless delivers almost fifty new magic items that are perfect for not only low-level characters, but everyone with an eye for handy magic trinkets. These are the Belts, Boots, Cloaks, & Gloves that your character wants. <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: As always, this Loot 4 Less volume delivered a number of useful, cheap items. The Behind the Counter sidebars are both insightful and interesting.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: In all honesty, there was nothing about this product that I didn't enjoy.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

Loot 4 Less Volume 3

. Loot 4 Less Volume 4 is another good source of magical items. There is a good variety and plenty of neat things to give PCs and NPCs alike. The editing could be a little better but it is otherwise a very fun and creative book of low cost and low powered magical items.
<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: great magical items<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: editing could be better<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

As you may see from earlier reviews, I am a huge fan of the Loot 4 Less pdfs. Not only do I love cheap low-powered permanent magic items, but I love getting the reasoning that goes into them to help me design more of my own. The pdf is well written and doesn't contain any extraneous art that would increase the price. People running lower level campaigns can totally use these items, and those running higher level campaigns can still hand them out to villains to toss the players a little surprise. A lot of these items are really good ideas, in terms of really being useful.

The only disappointment with volume 3 is that the editing wasn't fantastic, e.g. "up to 30 ft. or rope" and a sidebar that refers to the belt of hidden magery, which I assume to mean the belt of secret magery. However, since the price is so low, this is no reason not to buy it, especially since the mistakes aren't with the mechanics (except for a slight discrepancy in the pricing of the boots of humankind between its description and the corresponding sidebar). If it weren't for the editing goofs, I'd easily give volume 3 another 5 stars.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Great ideas, good writing, great price.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: The editing needs help -- if it were cleaned up I'd give it 5 stars easily.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

This product is actually three separate PDF files zipped together: a full-color three-page "cover"; a 15-page black-&-white set of figures; and a four-page full-color set of figures. The black-&-white PDF has 14 pages (!) of figures, plus the one extra page for the instructions.
<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: I like that the "cover" is separate and apart from the actual figures. I also like that there are two sets of figures: one in full-color; another in black-&-white.
<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: I wish the instructions had been taken out of the black-&-white PDF set of figures, and put into the "cover" document instead. Better yet, make the one-page instruction a separate document entirely, available (if needed) as a freebie; I don't know too many gamers who are into cardstock stand-ups who don't already know how to cut, fold, and assemble this type of figure anyway.
<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

This product is actually three separate PDF files zipped together: a full-color three-page "cover"; a 16-page black-&-white set of figures; and a four-page full-color set of figures. The black-&-white PDF has 15 pages (!) of figures, plus the one extra page for the instructions.
<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: I like that the "cover" is separate and apart from the actual figures. I also like that there are two sets of figures: one in full-color; another in black-&-white.
<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: I wish the instructions had been taken out of the black-&-white PDF set of figures, and put into the "cover" document instead. Better yet, make the one-page instruction a separate document entirely, available (if needed) as a freebie; I don't know too many gamers who are into cardstock stand-ups who don't already know how to cut, fold, and assemble this type of figure anyway.
<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

This product is actually three separate PDF files zipped together: a full-color three-page "cover"; an eight-page black-&-white set of figures; and a seven-page full-color set of figures. The black-&-white PDF has seven pages of figures, plus the one extra page for the instructions. The color PDF has the same seven pages of figures.
<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: I like that the "cover" is separate and apart from the actual figures. I also like that there are two complete sets of figures: one in full-color; another in black-&-white.
<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: I wish the instructions had been taken out of the black-&-white PDF set of figures, and put into the "cover" document instead. Better yet, make the one-page instruction a separate document entirely, available (if needed) as a freebie; I don't know too many gamers who are into cardstock stand-ups who don't already know how to cut, fold, and assemble this type of figure anyway.
<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

One of the strengths of the PDF industry is the ability to put out a little quirky product that does not really fit anywhere and just see how it does. PDFs can be of short lengths so devoting a dozen or less pages to a single well defined class or a small collection of magical items or even a few templated creatures and just see what happens. I mention the see what happens since it is hard to predict the popularity of some of these less main streamed products. Modern Advances: Garden Mage is one such book. It is a fully defined class with a few other things thrown in that fit the theme.

Garden Mage is a PDF by Interactive Design Adventures and is written by Steve Miller. The twelve page PDF has a simple layout with a few pictures and a very plain look to it. There is some color to the book so printing it out can be a problem but for the most part there is little that will consume lots of ink. The book does have book marks but only to the different sections and not very complete like book marking each important item in the book.

The Garden Mage is an Advanced Class for d20 Modern. As one may guess from the name of the class, this is a person who uses magic for plants and that nature. They are a little druidic in nature but the abilities they get are not just copied from that class. Although there does seem to be some need for a bit more creativity in the abilities gained. The class gets spell ability with it, the ability to do more damage to plant creatures, bonuses for skills when focusing them on plants, and some bonus feats.

The book also presents six new spells, four new magical items, and one Garden Mage NPC. All of these are perfectly in theme with the garden mage. My favorite spell here is called Perfect Lawn. This zero level spell protects the lawn and allows it to flourish and is the perfect example of magic in the modern age. It is a simple and very useful spell that people would want to be able to have use of. With the hours I know some people spend on their lawn, I can see this type of spell alone be a money maker for the class.

I really like the quirkiness of the class. It even says how other mages look down on the Garden Mage for their craft is not exactly what a true Wizard would pursue. It makes a better NPC class then a player class I imagine. While the class in itself is nice and unique the abilities they gain are not all that exciting and might have a player lose interest in it. I would have liked to have seen a bit more creativity with the class. The bonus feats and extra damage verse plant creatures just seems more like filler in the class.

Garden Mage does a good job of filling a niche that most people probably did not realize was there. I like that the company took a bit of a chance with putting something out that is a bit away from the usual inn terms of what it covers. The class is creative in concept and offers new perspectives on allies and potential enemies a DM can use.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

These figures are okay, but not suggested for adventurers.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: There are lots of figures. Nice artwork.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: The figures look like they are modeling clothes than making any real action poses. Figures with hands on hips is fine for clothes, but not adventurers. I was hoping for more weapons and/or combat action poses. They also have too much of an anime look -- ultra-thin fashion models, instead of looking like regular, adventuring folks.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Disappointed<br>

Every now and I again I will be reading a blog or post on the net somewhere and it will lead me to review something. There is a lot of stuff out there to be reviewed so occasionally it is up to fate by what I randomly come across that leads to a review. This was not so much fate but just something I read and I could not recall if I had reviewed these. I had not so here I am now reviewing it. No one ever asks me why I review the things I review but here is one of the ways it happens anyhow.

Loot 4 Less Volume one Rings and Things is a PDF by Owen KC Stephens. It is published by Interactive Design Adventures. Not enough people seem to know who he is. He has done some really good things for D&D and Star Wars and is on the short list of game writers that if I see or hear his name is attached to a product I know I at least want to look at it. The PDF is one of the many small PDFs on the market; this is only a dozen pages long. It has a simple lay out and no art. The black and white PDF though does have good book marks.

The series is only concerned with creating cheaper new magical items. I like that the focus is just for items worth less then twenty five hundred gold. This makes it a great PDF that supports the low level game and also the low magic game. It would be very interesting to have a low magic campaign that never has items worth more then the twenty five hundred limit.

The book starts with new armor enchantments. It introduces at the half bonus. Some of the magical enchantments are just not worth a +1 bonus mark up so combine any two of them to get the +1 bonus or just have one and use their plus one half chart pricing system. There are ones like fleet that allow a person to run faster in heavy armor that are quite useful. Others like Elusive that just gives a armor class bonus to ranged attacks might get a bit complex to have different armor class for different types of attacks. Restful is very nice as with a fort save a person can sleep min medium or heavy armor and not be fatigued. Those types of enchantments are very useful.

Some of the weapon enchantments also have the half bonus idea that armor uses. I like the proficient enchantment which has no penalty for no proficiency use. A willing weapon can be drawn as a free action or sheathed as a free action if one has quick draw feat. There are some specific weapons and one of the neat ones is the fencing sword. It is a rapier that has a critical range of one greater though it follows the rules of stacking critical ranges as if was enchanted.

Lastly the book has a few magical rings. There are some good and simple to use ones like the Ring of Agility that grants a plus one bonus to all dexterity based skills. The ring though has to be warn for a week before the magic takes effect. There is a nice sidebar on the pricing of the item too. There is the ring of clotting that automatically stabilizes the wearer when they go to negative hit points. That can safe lives easily. There are a lot more rings then armor and weapons and many like the Ring of Literacy are nice utility items.

The Loot 4 Less series really shows off Owen KC Stephens? creativity and very solid understanding of the d20 magic system. It is just one of those really nice books that I feel players and DMs will find plenty of useful magical items in but nothing that one has to be fearful of being game breaking.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

Some days it is just easier to review two small PDFs of a similar theme and voice. That is why one is getting reviews of book of these PDFs done today. A little extra time and a couple of nice books to read really makes the job rather easy. This is the second book in the series and so far that is all there is. It would be nice to see a Wondrous Items one day but I know these small PDFs can be a dicey deal for writers.

Loot 4 Less Volume 2 Rods Staffs and Wands is another PDF by Owen KC Stephens. It is published by Interactive Design Adventures. Owen has done some really good things for D&D and Star Wars and is on the short list of game writers that if I see or hear his name is attached to a product I know I at least want to look at it. The PDF is one of the many small PDFs on the market; this is only a sixteen pages long. It has a simple lay out and no art. The black and white PDF though it has no book marks.

The book starts off with another good introduction to magical items and points out that the items here are all less then twenty five hundred gold in price. The items here are not supposed to be one shot items either making them both low cast and useful for a while.

The book starts off with rods. There is a rod that is a magical grappling hook, another that helps influence NPCs favorably. My favorite is a Rod of smashing doors that gives a nice bonus to smash doors. I easily get tired of all the doors in dungeons and that little item will really help with that. There is a nice side bar in determining the cost of such odd items. I really like how the author really uses side bard to explain things.

Staffs of course are very expensive and have charges. Both of those concepts goes against what this PDF wants to do so they have brilliantly came up with a new way to use staffs. They spells in the staffs become like prepared spells to the caster and known spells so they can be cast using the characters own resources. They just have to have the staff with them. Of course that?s not how staffs work and there is even a one page large sidebar that constructs these staffs like standard ones for people that want that.

The way wands work is also redefined. I like that they move away from the pistol style of the current want system and make them something else Wands the way they have it can increase caster level, damage, range, and a whole mess of different things for one school or possible just one spell. These type of items will be great for a specialist wizard. Even general casters can find that a certain type of wand will shape the way they start to prepare for adventures and with their spell selection.

This one is even better then the first book in the series. Owen does such a great job with creativity and redefining what certain items are and how they can be used. And the items are frankly better for it.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>