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Now, as much as I like diverging into other RP systems, something always keeps pulling me back into D&D. I have the remote feeling that it's because it was the system that broke my geeky virginity, though I'm not completely sure.

Some of you may not want to read this, because it's about the same ol' 3.5 that many are already burned out, but here's my take on my most favorite setting that has caught my gaming eye.

Dawnforge.

One word is all that it took to hook me in an intricate plane that has barely reached its third millennial anniversary. Fey migrated into the plane a little over a thousand years ago, and recorded history began a little under it's first thousandth year of birth.

A plane shaped by Immortals, former humans or humanoids who ascended into a greater power, yet not gods themselves; who traversed the dangers of the world, fighting frost giants, felling terrible dragons, and stumbling upon Eldritch Wells; zones of where creations' birth energy still can be found raw.

Races in the book are something else. Aside from the regular races, minus Half-Orcs, that one can choose from in core D&D; Dawnforge brings more flavor to the table. Humans, Gnomes, Elves, and Dwarfs, can join forces with Minotaurs, Lizardfolk, Yuan-Ti Thinbloods, Orcs, Ogres, and Dopplegangers.

Yes. Dopplegangers.

Mind you, one may think as I wrote that above: "Fuck, this game is unbalanced from the get-go...", well let me share something with you. All the races, throughout the first 10 levels of whatever class they advance in, have their racial bonuses distributed amongst their progression. On top of that, the races are pure at this point in history. All races, get four +2 bumps to certain stats while levelin' up.

That means, that if you're playing a brute, like a Minotaur, you can bet that at least two of those bumps are gonna go to Strength.

And this goes to all races, including Humans.

And SPEAKING of humans, the fact that there's 4 different kinds of humans, each with their own history and specialties, makes for a very diverse game. Elves are split in two factions also. Dawn and Night (Sun and Drow).

I've read this book many, many times, and I have to say, overall, I'm very satisfied with how this setting turned out to be. New classes, feats, domains, and spells were added (as expected) and they are something else that does an amazing job to increase the appeal of the now 5 year old setting.

Aside from a few clunky things that many people can and will experience in a d20 system, I rate this setting with a 8/10.

-MxSavior

Thanks for reading, and next time: Alternity.

~MxSavior

Do you d20?

D20, 3.5, Dawnforge, Reviews - View All by Author

Comments

1 Issyl

06:06pm UTC - 10/20/2008 [X]

So, what makes this setting different from all the others? Higher magic? More magical power? I mean, i guess you can be more races and go with the fluff, but personally i don't think it's all that different from core DnD settings, as you seem to put it here.

It's a well-written article though. Thanks for sharing.

2 PurpleXVI

06:48pm UTC - 10/20/2008 [X]

Agreed with Issyl, well-written, and a nice overview, but the only real difference just seems to be slightly more races... I mean, sure, some different fluff, but is it MECHANICALLY different to any extent?

3 PrivatePlatypoda

12:17am UTC - 10/21/2008 [X]

I largely suspect that the game isn't much different from Core d20 besides races offered, the mechanic of mixing Savage Progressions with standard class levels, and some new spells and domains. And probably a much higher power level than standard D&D.

But most d20 games don't get popular by largely modifying the system. They made money by being appealing enough to the D&D audience to get their bucks when they decided they might want something a little different. Or if WotC didn't have a book covering what they wanted at the time (hence why most really early 3.0 books were basically feat compendiums and monster manuals).

4 MxSavior

02:04am UTC - 10/21/2008 [X]

Very true. Aside from the great fluff and races added, the mechanincs for the higher magic setting that is Dawnforge stays true to basic 3.5 D&D.