An Endzeitgeist.com review

Flying Pincushion Games has regrouped and is back with a 6-page pdf, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, leaving us with 3 pages of content, so let's take a look!

After a brief introduction, we are left with the premise of the pdf and the content - essentially, we have here feats for mounted characters that elect NOT to use a lance - which is pretty much the only truly efficient option as per the default rules, so let's take a look at those feats!

-Bloody Axe: Deal +1d4 bleed damage when using an axe while using a mounted charge. Nice!

-Brutal Axe: BAB 10+ prereq sequel-feat, upgrades bleed damage to 3d4.

-Driving Hammer: Adds an AoO-less bull rush when using a hammer in a mounted charge and hitting the target. To my pleasant surprise, the feat gets interaction with e.g. mighty charge right.

-Dazing Hammer: BAB 10+ follow-up feat; adds +1 round daze to opponents hit by Driving Hammer; save DC scales with you BAB. Solid.

-Toppling Flail: Works pretty much like Driving Hammer, but for flails and aligned with the trip manuever instead.

-Staggering Flail: Like Dazing Hammer, but for flails and adds the staggered condition for 1 round one a failed save. Note how staggered/daze have different values as far as detrimental conditions go and that stagger + trip = something akin to daze, but slightly below it regarding action economy. This is VERY fine-grained balancing done right - the combined effects of maneuvers + feats even out perfectly.

-Sickening Blade: Sickens targets hit by a mounted charge executed with heavy blades for 1d4 rounds if the target fails a save that scales with your BAB.

-Nauseating Blade: BAB 10+ follow-up-feat; adds 1 round of nausea before the 1d4 sickened rounds.

Conclusion:

Editing and formatting are top-notch, I noticed no glitches. Layout adheres to an elegant two-column full-color standard and the pdf actually sports some pieces of beautiful full color art. The pdf has bookmarks, but they are called "blank page" - not bad at this short size, though.

I'm so happy. For the first time after reading a Flying pincushion product, I can say "Get this!" - If you're like me, you've always been annoyed at the fact that there are next to no options for non-lance-charges while mounted and this pdf delivers just that - with unpretentious, well-balanced, diverse feats that make mounted charge weapon selection something other than a non-choice. With this pdf, the choice matters and adds a tactical dimension to the fray. I have NOTHING to complain here - Frank Gori and Mark Nordheim did a great job and one that exhibits some very precise balancing within the feat-groups. This is one of the humble pdfs that really surprise me with their cool bits and pieces -get this for all those mounted warriors if you're fed up with barbarians that attack with lances. I'd love more of these feats, perhaps signature tricks for specific weapons, not just weapon-groups in a sequel? Anyways, my final verdict will clock in at 5 stars + seal of approval - congratulations!

Endzeitgeist out.

Artwork: The artwork within this PDF is certainly inspired, featuring a pleasant array of different images with one on each relevant page (that is excluding the Open Game License page). The only problem I had here was that the cover image certainly did not fit with the style of the other pieces of art. There was a dissonance but it was not too distracting. Other than that, there was one (beautiful) image of a warrior wielding a two-handed sword… but did not seem to be mounted, breaking away from the theme of the PDF. (8/10)

Crunch: Now this is what potential buyers are likely most interested in. Is the content worth the cover price? Well dear buyer, I can most certainly say that the eight total feats within this PDF are indeed flavorful and provide an incentive to substitute the lance as a primary mounted weapon. The feats allow for options with axes, flails, hammers, and heavy blades which opens up a plethora of new options. I can honestly say that I was surprised with the variety of options here. I was a bit wary at first, expecting at least one option very similar to Spirited Charge and was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case.

Each weapon category is split into two separate feats, creating four total small feat trees of sorts. The first feat in each tree allows for different options while making a mounted charge with specific weapon categories (such as making bull rush or trip attempts on a successful hit, or dealing bleed damage, or even sickening your foe). The second feat in the tree is an enhancement of the first, and can be gained at BAB +10. This allows for this PDF to remain relevant at both low levels and high levels. Excellent and flavorful. (9/10)

Formatting: What is there to be said about this? Other than word choices I personally do not see as ideal for the fluff of each feat, the PDF is fine. Images are not in the way, the two columns makes for an easy read. It is a shame though, that the feats are not exactly in alphabetical order, but this is due to the feats being listed by type, so this is a nitpick. (9/10)

Overall: 8.6 Rounds up to a 9/10. This was certainly a good product and as someone who was looking to start up a Cavalier, I am definitely looking forward to using a few of these options.