I guess I'm a hater or stupid or a stupid hater.
Lots of folks seem to like this product. I like the system but the book feels incomplete to me. I'll give a couple of examples below, if i've missed something and comments are allowed please leave one and let me know where i've gone astray or leave something in the comments for the product.
First is the setting and map. The map has no scale. I don't know if the Realm is about as big as the UK, Maui or China. How many days does it take to ride a horse across it?
Many key features/people are just given bland nouns as names ... the Wizard, the King, the Realm, the City, the Chapel, etc. If someone in the US references 'the city' they're likely talking about New York but it has a name - New York. I understand the RPG is based off a board game but it leaves the setting feeling flavorless and infects reading the history of the setting with the same.
I read the listing of ancestries (races) was was excited - ghouls, trolls, leywalkers (satyrs) and sprites along with the usual ones. Tiny characters are extremely difficult to balance so I was excited to take a look at the sprite. A general description is given - ok. No average or bounded height or weight were given. Are these sprites human size i asked myself and they have unlimited flight - that's very strong. I re-read the entry thinking I missed something - nope - no indication at all of mass or any kind of equipment restriction. I searched the art for clues and found one piece of art showing a sprite next to other characters. They look to be 6 to 8 inches tall. But no listings are given for equipment restrictions or specialized equipment for sprites. Yes, this can all be adjudicated by some common sense but i know one of my players would make a sprite with a greatsword argue it should deal full damage. I'd point out it'd be smaller than a table knife and then they'd state it's still a greatsword and I'd have to overrule it. As consumers we're paying for a set of rules to shape the game we're participating in.
There is no flavor or personality given to any of the greater powers in the game that a priest or prophet class would devote themselves to just 'light' and 'darkness' or the 'On High'. Nothing else. The restrictions for the priest also gives me flashbacks to the pacifist healer feat from D&D 4e shudder.
It was a bit of a 'death of a thousand cuts' situation for me. There are other small issues but i don't want to write an essay as a review.
I really like the d6 system all this was built on though. However, the above issues give me pause about even running a one shot with this game. As it is i'm cancelling my pre-order for the hardcopy.
If i've missed something please leave a comment if possible. I wanted to like this product, maybe it's just not for me.
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