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Magic Merchants 1: House of the Transformed Toad $2.00
Average Rating:3.9 / 5
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Magic Merchants 1: House of the Transformed Toad
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Magic Merchants 1: House of the Transformed Toad
Publisher: Brain Jar Press
by Chris G. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 02/27/2006 00:00:00

Magic Merchant House of the Transformed Toad

Magic shops are an odd element into the d20 game. Many of the people who have played for years area little reluctant to introduce them while the people newer to the game seem willing to embrace them with no problems. Some people fear that magic shops take the wonder out of magic. That it cheapens the reward for the players making it too easy for them to get such items. The Magical Merchant series seems like it is going to in some ways tackle these issues. It presents a single small magical shop with a gnome owner and a small inventory. House of the Transformed Toad is a new PDF by a new company, Clockwork Golem Workshop. The author is Peter Ball. The PDF is not that big being only twelve pages in length. There is not a lot of art and the few pieces are pretty simple. The Layout is just fine with no problems for reading it. The book has no book marks though and while for a PDF this size they might not be needed it is still better to see them then not. This Magical Merchant book is filled with nice detail. It is way more then a simple shop. The author starts with a short few paragraphs explaining how the series is a hope to run the middle ground of having shops but not allowing players to buy anything they want. The shop presented here is has a limited supply of items so it would not be difficult for the players to buy the shop out of cure light wound potions for instance. This will serve as a simple way to supplement the players but not provide an endless supply of items for their use. The shop for the most part has items for low level parties. One will not find a robe of the arch magi here for instance. There area few new items presented here like Liquid Images. These are small vials that contain a simple illusion inside. There are six stock illusions and special orders can be made. One can find a few wands, scrolls, and other small odds and ends in the store. The real benefit of the store though it that it can quickly become a reoccurring place with an interesting reoccurring NPC. The store has a good history and the Telgen Mythander is fully fleshed out. There are some nice details like the fact that Telgen just recently learned to craft wands so anyone he sells a wand to with be questions ed on how well it worked. Over all this is a pretty nice example of a magic shop. It does have some security but it is not completely secure as a building. There is no layout of the store presented but enough detail to figure one out. There are a pair of adventure ideas presented as well, but adventure ideas using a magic shop should be fairly easy for people to come up with on their own.

<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
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Creator Reply:
We've recently updated the layout and formatting of this product, which now comes with bookmarks throughout.
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Magic Merchants 1: House of the Transformed Toad
Publisher: Brain Jar Press
by Jim C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/27/2005 00:00:00

This presents a simple enough alchemist's shop, what Telgen the gnome stocks (at standard prices) and how quickly he can replenish it, with a few points of flavour or basic adventure hooks to pique the players' interest now and then.

It's very generic, but that's probably appropriate for a useful campaign device to convert GP into one-use magic. The only thing I might want to see (from bitter experience) is a few better anti-theft precautions than DC 30 locks, especially since Telgen has already been raided by an unscrupulous adventuring party.

<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Some spelling mistakes missed in editing.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br><BR>[THIS REVIEW WAS EDITED]<BR>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
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Magic Merchants 1: House of the Transformed Toad
Publisher: Brain Jar Press
by Eric P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/10/2005 00:00:00

You can find my full review on my website -

http://www.hugeogre.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=1 <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
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Magic Merchants 1: House of the Transformed Toad
Publisher: Brain Jar Press
by Sarah S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/03/2005 00:00:00

This product, as the name suggests, details a particular magic shop and the NPC who runs/owns it. The level of detail is excellent. You can find the stats for the owner, a list of items common to his shop, the sorts of items he specializes in, the services he can provide, even the kinds of locks he uses on his doors. This is not a general magic shop, but a unique place that fills a niche. None new magic items presented here are very powerful, but are rather flavorful and clever. This location could easily be used in most fantasy campaigns.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Magic Merchants 1: House of the Transformed Toad
Publisher: Brain Jar Press
by Jeremy S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/01/2005 00:00:00

I recall going magic item shopping with the price lists that were found in Unearthed Arcana. 2nd Edition did away with those lists, but 3e not only brought them back, but gave the criteria for their prices in the first place.

But with bringing magic back on the market for all came the confusion of what would be good to offer to the party. Sure, a GM should decide what is available, but sometimes a player will ask for something and the GM wil have to sit there in silence as the answer is determined. Then comes the following question, how many are there? What about getting custom items? And so on.

This pdf is a good source of inspiration, and a good look at the business side of the whole situation.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Gives a good example of a magic item shop, and it isn't a generic shop, either. It has some style.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Magic Merchants 1: House of the Transformed Toad
Publisher: Brain Jar Press
by Goran B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/04/2005 00:00:00

This is an excellent product IMO. It presents a small shop that sells magical items as well as the proprietor. It lists the available items, and also goes into how fast the wizard crafting the items can replenish them. There is also a few plot hooks that an enterprising DM could use.

The items for sale are geared towards low-level parties, so among the most powerful items available is a potion of fire breathing.

<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: The thoroughness of it. Not only the wares for sale are listed, but also the time before the stock is full again, etc.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Nothing<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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