Talk about crunching some numbers! A solid reverse-engineering of Third Edition Dungeons and Dragons for those who want to understand the balance (and lack thereof).<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Right on the money (mathematically speaking). A tool to build your own custom class.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: A trifle hard to use for us non-engineers.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

A very good way to build custom characters and NPCs for the D20 system. Especially if you like more cinematic characters or video game style characters (ala Final Fantasy or KOTOR), this works well. Very nice that you get two versions, one with pictures and one that's more print-friendly. Helps to save a lot of ink. It could be even more innovative, including things like character hooks. I'm using this to make a new campaign where the main characters have untapped potentials, giving them a pool of experience points that they can use for bonuses or abilities they "suddenly" discover during the game. It'll be up to me, the GM, to ultimately decide how those abilities came about (deal with a demon, surge of adrenaline, etc.), but it gives the players a better chance for survivability in a higher-powered campaign.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Very complete, easy to understand and use, and lots of examples.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Maybe, just a little too long.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

I am the type of DM that likes to allow the players to do what they will. I find that they basically create the adventure on their own and it is simply my job to react (I'm blessed with a great group of players).

I don't restrict introductions of books into my game. Buy the Numbers brings this up to the extreme. As a result, I've found that I've had to impose some limitations in the use of this book.

Buy the Numbers offers my players the ability to truly create the characters they wish to play, and to experiment with different ideas.

Definitely only for advanced players, though. Keep it away from beginners or you'll just confuse them.

If you're not going to introduce this book, outright, into your campaigns, they quantify small features in other classes to help you modify them to your campaign feel. Example: I have a Large sized Minotaur, non-Spellcasting Paladin variant. The character is too large for a traditional mount and any mount that could actually carry him would be too powerful and disruptive to the balance of the game. We simply quantified the value of the mount and replaced this feature with another more suited to the character, campaign, and me.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Detailed with quantifications for everything<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Could be better indexed and formatted.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

Very well done. I reccommendit for all the tinkerers who love a little variation in their games. Can be used for PC to create their own classes, and for a DM who wants to spice up NPCs with surprises. I am most amazaed by the quality of the design... put simply... it works.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Flexible, well thought out.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Would have liked to have seen it slithly easier to use.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

You've had this idea before, but ST Cooley runs with it. Not all that original -- it's basically multiplying the XP required for certain levels by a percentage to give you the cost to buy a particular something -- but it saves you a lot of work.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Point-based OGL chargen!<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Not balanced; needs more playtesting.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

A very good system if you like realistic skill and attribute progression and dont mind the extra bookkeeping. Buy the Numbers offers a system for beginners or experts, but since you can at all times raise attributes things are a little more complex than with the level system.

This one is good. I like that it gives variants so that DM's can tailor the buying system themselves. My only complaint is that I think it could have gone even more granular (for non-spontaneous spellcasters, for example). But still, it is very well put together, both for players that want to improve a la carte and for DM's that want to design new classes.

I love the product, love the ability to create a classless/leveless system. Tho I see the ability for some abuse by the players and a need for a new spreadsheet for the GM. My only request would be more charts and less talk.

This is a copy of an email I sent to the group I game with every Sunday:

I bought a copy and looked it over real quick and it looks pretty good. It totally breaks down the d20 system and makes a character completely customizable from the ground up. Everything is up for grabs. I don't know if everyone on the list has played GURPS, but it looks similar. The author designed the system to use the existing xp system to purchase everything a player could want throughout his career. No more 'power ups'. I was doing something similar recently, but this is much more complete and easier on my poor intellect. He also gives many examples of special abilities of prestige classes, all the abilities of the monk ( I don't want to think how long this took), and gives detailed examples of how to build some outrageous characters.

Just a few small problems. A touch complex for characters to be messing with during a gaming session. I did not see a section on the spell point system I like so much, and the whole thing deals with something I abhor... math.

Regardless, nothing is so complex I would get lost, and once the tables are learned and compiled into one document for quick reference I can see where 'in game' advances would be easier to do. Good product and 5 bucks well spent.

This is very much a 1st impressions review, as I have not used the rules in play yet.

The idea behind "Buy the Numbers" is something that has intrigued me for a few years as a former Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay addict. I even toyed with making an incremental system based on blocks of 500 XP. Spencer Cooley has taken this idea and written a very solid product - far better than anything I could hash out.

Cooley rightly points out that the system could be abused by hardcore min/maxing players, but I think the new freedom it provides and incremental awards are worth it. I am a undecided if I will use it as a player option in my campaign, but I definitely will use it as a DM. For me, the system allows me to do something I have wanted to for a long time - kick PRCs right out the door. This is the DM tool I have been wanting.

I do not use a lot of sources outside of the core rules, but Cooley gives some excellent examples of how to integrate them. In fact, Appendix A is full of examples of how to create new "classes" or "careers" as I would call them using the rules.

The only thing that seems a bit clunky is the spellcasting stuff. I will be anxious to see how it works in game play, and I will try to remember to post my impressions over at ENWorld after I do.

This is an excellent value for $5.00 and if you are on the fence - I would say buy it. You will not be disappointed.

pogre