"Arms and Equipment Guide" [Archive] - Wizards Community

"Arms and Equipment Guide" [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
andrathar
06-13-05, 02:44 PM While there might be a better place for this post, I wanted some expert advice. Is the "Arms and Equipment Guide" worth purchasing? I did preview the table of contents, but couldn't ascertain whether the equipment described was useful, or more fantasy fare (AKA "Harry Potter").

Is the guide worth buying, or would a PDF suffice?

Thanks.
Zherog
06-13-05, 02:55 PM Well, since there's no legal pdf's of that book (as I recall), we'll have to only discuss the book on this site - because we wouldn't want to discuss something that was illegal and therefore against the CoC. ;)

I like it - though there's a few items in it that are out of balance, and a few others need some "conversion" for being 3.5 compatible.
andrathar
06-13-05, 02:59 PM My bad; someone told me that a legal pdf version was out. Obviously, that's not the case. I guess the question would stay the same: is "Arms and Equipment" a decent addition?
Sakeninja
06-13-05, 03:13 PM i own it, it is worth it
tarkin
06-13-05, 03:18 PM I checked the web site.

While they now have legal PDF versions for sale for 7 WoTC books, Arms & Equiptment Guide is not yet one of them.

Note, the web site (hard to find) to legally purchase PDF's of WotC products is:

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=159_160
Elzar
06-13-05, 06:06 PM I checked the web site.

While they now have legal PDF versions for sale for 7 WoTC books, Arms & Equiptment Guide is not yet one of them.

Note, the web site (hard to find) to legally purchase PDF's of WotC products is:

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=159_160

Thanks! I forgot what the name of that site was. I have a friend with "Arms and Equipment." He's always trying to use items from the book.
Keenath
06-13-05, 06:41 PM The AEG... well.

The first section of the book has a lot of new weapons. I personally find this section overblown; normally if I want a weapon, I can find something mechanically equivalent that's already in the game. Most of the additions are exotics, so you're not really looking at anything that'd see large usage.

A second issue is that some of the new weapons are monk weapons, but they're 3.0 monk weapons, which are worthless -- a 3.0 nunchaku is mechanically equivalent to a club. In 3.5, most of the monk weapons have had special effects added, which makes them balanced exotics. You'd need to adjust the AEG weapons to make them worth it.

The weapon equivalency guide discusses other names for specific weapons -- for instance, a Greatsword is a "claymore", a "zweihander", a "no-dachi", and so on. Most of it is stuff you could work out on your own, though.

There's some new weapon materials and armor types, but nothing (in my opinion) that's much worth the book. Mostly it's armor types added in from Dark*Sun, which is a metal-light setting.

The alchemical items section is kind of cool. I have several beefs with WOTC's inconsistency regarding alchemy, but that's for another post.

There's rules for vehicles as well as discussions of town economics and some information on commodities, much of which is more or less covered by the 3.5 DMG.

The last half of the book is new magic weapons and items, but nothing I've ever used. It tends towards to high-powered end of things, items you'd never see unless you're about 15th level or better, and a lot of it would need careful rebalancing to work in 3.5.

My overall feeling on the AEG is that you're paying for a lot of pages you won't use. There's a lot of discussion of topics like mercenary troops or monsters as exotic pets, which will rarely come up anyway. Some of the information is also covered in newer releases, like the Heroes of Battle book or the Races of ______ series.

Most of the equipment is fantastic weapons (in the sense of fantasy, not 'good') and mundane equipment that gives you +2 on some skill check... which isn't really necessary since the PHB mentions masterwork kits in the equipment list already; this just provides flavor text for each individual skill's kit. There are some unusual tools, but nothing that wonderful, to my eye.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
andrathar 06-13-05, 02:44 PM	While there might be a better place for this post, I wanted some expert advice. Is the "Arms and Equipment Guide" worth purchasing? I did preview the table of contents, but couldn't ascertain whether the equipment described was useful, or more fantasy fare (AKA "Harry Potter"). Is the guide worth buying, or would a PDF suffice? Thanks.
Zherog 06-13-05, 02:55 PM	Well, since there's no legal pdf's of that book (as I recall), we'll have to only discuss the book on this site - because we wouldn't want to discuss something that was illegal and therefore against the CoC. ;) I like it - though there's a few items in it that are out of balance, and a few others need some "conversion" for being 3.5 compatible.
andrathar 06-13-05, 02:59 PM	My bad; someone told me that a legal pdf version was out. Obviously, that's not the case. I guess the question would stay the same: is "Arms and Equipment" a decent addition?
Sakeninja 06-13-05, 03:13 PM	i own it, it is worth it
tarkin 06-13-05, 03:18 PM	I checked the web site. While they now have legal PDF versions for sale for 7 WoTC books, Arms & Equiptment Guide is not yet one of them. Note, the web site (hard to find) to legally purchase PDF's of WotC products is: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=159_160
Elzar 06-13-05, 06:06 PM	I checked the web site. While they now have legal PDF versions for sale for 7 WoTC books, Arms & Equiptment Guide is not yet one of them. Note, the web site (hard to find) to legally purchase PDF's of WotC products is: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=159_160 Thanks! I forgot what the name of that site was. I have a friend with "Arms and Equipment." He's always trying to use items from the book.
Keenath 06-13-05, 06:41 PM	The AEG... well. The first section of the book has a lot of new weapons. I personally find this section overblown; normally if I want a weapon, I can find something mechanically equivalent that's already in the game. Most of the additions are exotics, so you're not really looking at anything that'd see large usage. A second issue is that some of the new weapons are monk weapons, but they're 3.0 monk weapons, which are worthless -- a 3.0 nunchaku is mechanically equivalent to a club. In 3.5, most of the monk weapons have had special effects added, which makes them balanced exotics. You'd need to adjust the AEG weapons to make them worth it. The weapon equivalency guide discusses other names for specific weapons -- for instance, a Greatsword is a "claymore", a "zweihander", a "no-dachi", and so on. Most of it is stuff you could work out on your own, though. There's some new weapon materials and armor types, but nothing (in my opinion) that's much worth the book. Mostly it's armor types added in from Dark*Sun, which is a metal-light setting. The alchemical items section is kind of cool. I have several beefs with WOTC's inconsistency regarding alchemy, but that's for another post. There's rules for vehicles as well as discussions of town economics and some information on commodities, much of which is more or less covered by the 3.5 DMG. The last half of the book is new magic weapons and items, but nothing I've ever used. It tends towards to high-powered end of things, items you'd never see unless you're about 15th level or better, and a lot of it would need careful rebalancing to work in 3.5. My overall feeling on the AEG is that you're paying for a lot of pages you won't use. There's a lot of discussion of topics like mercenary troops or monsters as exotic pets, which will rarely come up anyway. Some of the information is also covered in newer releases, like the Heroes of Battle book or the Races of ______ series. Most of the equipment is fantastic weapons (in the sense of fantasy, not 'good') and mundane equipment that gives you +2 on some skill check... which isn't really necessary since the PHB mentions masterwork kits in the equipment list already; this just provides flavor text for each individual skill's kit. There are some unusual tools, but nothing that wonderful, to my eye.