Unearthed Arcana, Worth my $? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Unearthed Arcana, Worth my $? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
rbrt_Spade
02-04-06, 12:09 PM The game I run is very combat heavy and use a lot of variants from the dmg. Unearthed looks like a neat book with the take on classes. The things that look good in the book is the variant classes and flaws & traits. Is it a good book to get?
Mirikon
02-04-06, 12:19 PM The game I run is very combat heavy and use a lot of variants from the dmg. Unearthed looks like a neat book with the take on classes. The things that look good in the book is the variant classes and flaws & traits. Is it a good book to get?

It provides some interesting options. Certain things, like Bloodlines and the specialist wizard variants can be entertaining. The thing from Unearthed Arcana I've seen used the most, though, is the Gestalt setup, with fractional saves and BAB going as a close second. It can provide an interesting springboard for your own ideas, though. Basically, it is one of those books you can do without, but can be fun.
rbrt_Spade
02-04-06, 12:39 PM What are these bloodline things? Ive seen them posted before.
Wyrd Bearer
02-04-06, 12:47 PM Here (http://www.d20srd.org/), this is a link to the d20 SRD hypertext. It has basically everything you can find in Unearthed Arcana for free. You can find bloodline rules, flaws, traits, the old taint rules (pre Heroes of Horror), variant Hp rules (such as vitality points and varying massive damage thresholds), etc. My roommate ended up with a copy of Unearthed Arcana and after I found this site, I mocked him mercilessly for purchasing it (until I found out that he had got the book as a freebee when he ordered XPH off of ebay). Unfortunately, you cannot download the site like you can the other SRD (sages) but I'm fine with that (and I haven't really tried that hard to make it available offline in any case). So as long as you have the internet, you have whatever Unearthed Arcana has to offer.

Just look under variant rules and play around with the indexes, you'll find whatever you're looking for.
SilvercatMoonpaw
02-04-06, 05:05 PM Unfortunately, you cannot download the site.

What do you mean by that? I was able to copy and past all the material I wanted. :D
(I don't regret having bought the book, though. :P )
Wyrd Bearer
02-04-06, 05:26 PM What do you mean by that? I was able to copy and past all the material I wanted. :D
(I don't regret having bought the book, though. :P )Well, yeah, you can do that; what I meant was that unlike the other major SRD site, barring copy/paste, it doesn't have an option to be made available offline built into the site, mostly because I'd love to make it all available to me in one click, rather than going through and manually saving the entire variant rule section.
Romanus_Mortus
02-07-06, 09:35 AM Well, yeah, you can do that; what I meant was that unlike the other major SRD site, barring copy/paste, it doesn't have an option to be made available offline built into the site, mostly because I'd love to make it all available to me in one click, rather than going through and manually saving the entire variant rule section.

of course just about every browser for every major OS has a "make available offline" option - caching is a wonderful thing :D

then again...I would just copy and paste
SilvercatMoonpaw
02-07-06, 10:15 AM Well, yeah, you can do that; what I meant was that unlike the other major SRD site, barring copy/paste, it doesn't have an option to be made available offline built into the site, mostly because I'd love to make it all available to me in one click, rather than going through and manually saving the entire variant rule section.
Another reason the book is a good idea. I can copy and paste because I just wanted to be able to access certain rules which I already know I have but don't have access to right now. Plus, I have a lot of patience when I want to. My advice is to get the book (unless there is something else you really want, or you want to save money) and then when you know which rules you want just copy and paste without having to plunder the whole site.
OravennasBrother
02-08-06, 11:02 AM What do you mean by that? I was able to copy and past all the material I wanted. :D
(I don't regret having bought the book, though. :P )
I must concur that even if you have the information on a computer screen, a real book, the kind made from trees, is generally far easier to handle. I am only marginally familiar with the Unearthed Arcana but my best advice would be peruse the available online "SRD" data and determine from that if you care to make the purchase
Mercurius
02-08-06, 11:09 AM I really like my copy, especially for the variant specialist rules and a few of the other class feature variants (such as the Whirling Frenzy varient and monk fighting styles). I don't regret getting the book, both because I prefer having books my players or I can actually handle and because it might encourage this sort of publication from WotC again, and the ideas contained in it are very nice.

I've not used all of them, and likely never really will, but the idea of having al these possible options is very attractive to me and I certainly found enough in it that I don't regret buying it.

Glad to see I can copy stuff from the web, though. When I don't have it on hand is when I find myself wanting it most, it seems.
Shar_the_Black
02-08-06, 01:12 PM I highly reccomend it, if you like variety and variant rules to help spice up your game. Variant classes, Specialty School abilities, flaws, and bloodline and whatnot... It just adds a sense of uniqueness in the game.

It's a great book, and I sugest looking into it, I'm sure you'd enjoy it.
emperor norton
02-08-06, 02:05 PM It's all flavorful variants, nothing in the way of the end all be all power feat stuff.

I find it interesting but unless your players are using variant stuff, why waste the money?
Amaril
02-08-06, 09:12 PM Here (http://www.d20srd.org/), this is a link to the d20 SRD hypertext... Unfortunately, you cannot download the site like you can the other SRD (sages)...
If you subscribe, you can.
http://www.d20srd.org/subscribe.htm
Khaibit_Ema_Neteru
02-09-06, 09:33 PM Buy this book. You'll like it. A lot. I promise.
jaw4ever
02-09-06, 09:58 PM Thanks for the link to d20srd :cloud9:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
rbrt_Spade 02-04-06, 12:09 PM	The game I run is very combat heavy and use a lot of variants from the dmg. Unearthed looks like a neat book with the take on classes. The things that look good in the book is the variant classes and flaws & traits. Is it a good book to get?
Mirikon 02-04-06, 12:19 PM	The game I run is very combat heavy and use a lot of variants from the dmg. Unearthed looks like a neat book with the take on classes. The things that look good in the book is the variant classes and flaws & traits. Is it a good book to get? It provides some interesting options. Certain things, like Bloodlines and the specialist wizard variants can be entertaining. The thing from Unearthed Arcana I've seen used the most, though, is the Gestalt setup, with fractional saves and BAB going as a close second. It can provide an interesting springboard for your own ideas, though. Basically, it is one of those books you can do without, but can be fun.
rbrt_Spade 02-04-06, 12:39 PM	What are these bloodline things? Ive seen them posted before.
Wyrd Bearer 02-04-06, 12:47 PM	Here (http://www.d20srd.org/), this is a link to the d20 SRD hypertext. It has basically everything you can find in Unearthed Arcana for free. You can find bloodline rules, flaws, traits, the old taint rules (pre Heroes of Horror), variant Hp rules (such as vitality points and varying massive damage thresholds), etc. My roommate ended up with a copy of Unearthed Arcana and after I found this site, I mocked him mercilessly for purchasing it (until I found out that he had got the book as a freebee when he ordered XPH off of ebay). Unfortunately, you cannot download the site like you can the other SRD (sages) but I'm fine with that (and I haven't really tried that hard to make it available offline in any case). So as long as you have the internet, you have whatever Unearthed Arcana has to offer. Just look under variant rules and play around with the indexes, you'll find whatever you're looking for.
SilvercatMoonpaw 02-04-06, 05:05 PM	Unfortunately, you cannot download the site. What do you mean by that? I was able to copy and past all the material I wanted. :D (I don't regret having bought the book, though. :P )
Wyrd Bearer 02-04-06, 05:26 PM	What do you mean by that? I was able to copy and past all the material I wanted. :D (I don't regret having bought the book, though. :P )Well, yeah, you can do that; what I meant was that unlike the other major SRD site, barring copy/paste, it doesn't have an option to be made available offline built into the site, mostly because I'd love to make it all available to me in one click, rather than going through and manually saving the entire variant rule section.
Romanus_Mortus 02-07-06, 09:35 AM	Well, yeah, you can do that; what I meant was that unlike the other major SRD site, barring copy/paste, it doesn't have an option to be made available offline built into the site, mostly because I'd love to make it all available to me in one click, rather than going through and manually saving the entire variant rule section. of course just about every browser for every major OS has a "make available offline" option - caching is a wonderful thing :D then again...I would just copy and paste
SilvercatMoonpaw 02-07-06, 10:15 AM	Well, yeah, you can do that; what I meant was that unlike the other major SRD site, barring copy/paste, it doesn't have an option to be made available offline built into the site, mostly because I'd love to make it all available to me in one click, rather than going through and manually saving the entire variant rule section. Another reason the book is a good idea. I can copy and paste because I just wanted to be able to access certain rules which I already know I have but don't have access to right now. Plus, I have a lot of patience when I want to. My advice is to get the book (unless there is something else you really want, or you want to save money) and then when you know which rules you want just copy and paste without having to plunder the whole site.
OravennasBrother 02-08-06, 11:02 AM	What do you mean by that? I was able to copy and past all the material I wanted. :D (I don't regret having bought the book, though. :P ) I must concur that even if you have the information on a computer screen, a real book, the kind made from trees, is generally far easier to handle. I am only marginally familiar with the Unearthed Arcana but my best advice would be peruse the available online "SRD" data and determine from that if you care to make the purchase
Mercurius 02-08-06, 11:09 AM	I really like my copy, especially for the variant specialist rules and a few of the other class feature variants (such as the Whirling Frenzy varient and monk fighting styles). I don't regret getting the book, both because I prefer having books my players or I can actually handle and because it might encourage this sort of publication from WotC again, and the ideas contained in it are very nice. I've not used all of them, and likely never really will, but the idea of having al these possible options is very attractive to me and I certainly found enough in it that I don't regret buying it. Glad to see I can copy stuff from the web, though. When I don't have it on hand is when I find myself wanting it most, it seems.
Shar_the_Black 02-08-06, 01:12 PM	I highly reccomend it, if you like variety and variant rules to help spice up your game. Variant classes, Specialty School abilities, flaws, and bloodline and whatnot... It just adds a sense of uniqueness in the game. It's a great book, and I sugest looking into it, I'm sure you'd enjoy it.
emperor norton 02-08-06, 02:05 PM	It's all flavorful variants, nothing in the way of the end all be all power feat stuff. I find it interesting but unless your players are using variant stuff, why waste the money?
Amaril 02-08-06, 09:12 PM	Here (http://www.d20srd.org/), this is a link to the d20 SRD hypertext... Unfortunately, you cannot download the site like you can the other SRD (sages)... If you subscribe, you can. http://www.d20srd.org/subscribe.htm
Khaibit_Ema_Neteru 02-09-06, 09:33 PM	Buy this book. You'll like it. A lot. I promise.
jaw4ever 02-09-06, 09:58 PM	Thanks for the link to d20srd :cloud9: