General Books

Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, 4th Edition

Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims, Philip Athans

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 31 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Empty. Soulless, Forgotten 1 out of 5 stars.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful.

First of all let me say this review is written from the point of view of a gamer who has used the Forgotten Realms as his primary game world for a little over 18 years but is willing to embrace a new system when it works such as the transition between 2nd and 3rd ed.

I had already felt like D&D had been destroyed by the 4th ed. I hated the video game approach to the game and laughed at the explanation that they are taking the game back to "role playing". As I have said elsewhere regarding this subject, If you need a new system to inject role playing into a game, you're doing it wrong. I also laughed when I read that the reason the Realms has changed so much is to better reflect the new system. This baffled me, it still does. They didn't need to tear apart the Realms when the 3rd edition came out.

"That's OK though" I thought. "Forgotten Realms has always been about the lore and substance of the world, I can still use the 4th ed Realms books for their information rather that their implemented rules" (I still have many 1st and 2nd edition books that serve this purpose admirably). With growing incredulity I watched the writers gloss over almost everything of any interest.

Things that are major issues to fans receive little or, more often, no explanation. For example (SPOILER ALERT) the entry on The Silver Marches (Now called Luruar for no explained reason) casually states "Before she passed away, High Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon founded a mutual defense league in the region." That's the soul mention of Alustriel in the entire book. No how, when or why. Just "passed away". This would mean nothing to the casual reader but to myself and countless other fans of the Realms it requires a little more than that. To put it into broader terms, this would be like reading and loving the Sherlock Holmes stories and then picking up a book one day and reading "Before he died, Watson was a close friend and confidante to Holmes" with no further explanation or insight as to why or how this major character was tossed aside without rime or reason.

It didn't take too long to sadly see that the Realms no longer existed. Now I'm not talking about "The Realms you knew no longer exist due to a great calamity" kind of no longer existed, I'm talking about the kind of "no longer existing" that involves throwing out every single piece of what makes something appealing, intriguing and deep, and replacing it with something else that calls itself by the same name but is simply a shadow of it's predecessor. I can only describe it as...well, empty. This word kept coming back to me as I turned page after soulless page. Empty. The heart of the Realms has been ripped out and replaced by a clockwork replica that tries to do the job but is so distant from the original it might as well be something else entirely.

WOTC could almost have released this as a new campaign setting and got away with it. Change the names, countries etc and voila, new money making scheme. This is to the Realms what the Highlander, Robocop and The Crow sequels were to their original incarnations. An Insult. They took a wonderful, creative concept that fans embraced and loved and then decided to ignore everything that came before it and turn it into an empty shell of it's former self.

The only people I can see enjoying this game are the people who were introduced to D&D via 4th ed and have never heard of the Forgotten Realms before and good luck to them. It just saddens me that they missed out on such a good thing.

I always liked to remain relatively faithful to official Realms canon for simplicities sake. That way, when new books or source material came out that is specific to events or history, I don't have to twist things around too much to make use of it. With all the little details and events taken care of in the official lore, I could concentrate on merging my game/story into that world and use the wealth of information as a foundation to build upon. I have now abandoned official Realms at this point and will do as I damn well please because I no longer care what WOTC do with it because I won't be buying it. (I know I could have done this anyway as any game world is the DM's to do with as he/she pleases but I explained why I didn't). I;ll start by fully embracing the Pathfinder system by Paizo Publishing, currently available as a free beta PDF, which both streamlines and expands upon the 3.5 core rules under the open game license. Wow, that sounded like an infomercial, I swear it wasn't. I just like 3.5 and would rather give my money to a company who is going to do something with it when the 500+ page final release comes out next year.

Editorial Review:

Dark perils and great deeds await!

Welcome to Faerûn, a land of amazing magic, terrifying monsters, ancient ruins, and hidden wonders. The world has changed since the Spellplague, and from this arcane crucible have emerged shining kingdoms, tyrannical empires, mighty heroes, and monster-infested dungeons. The Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide presents a world of untold adventure; a land of a thousand stories shaped by the deeds of adventurers the likes of which Faerûn has never seen before.

This book includes everything a Dungeon Master needs to run a D&D campaign in the Forgotten Realms setting, as well as elements that DMs can incorporate into their own D&D campaigns. The book provides background information on the lands of Faerûn, a fully detailed town in which to start a campaign, adventure seeds, new monsters, ready-to-play non-player characters, and a full-color poster map of Faerûn.

Dungeons and Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set, 4th Edition

Wizards RPG Team

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 147 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Where have all the roleplayers gone? long time passing! 1 out of 5 stars.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful.

i'm an old gygaxian player. Wet my sword on 1st edition. was battle hardened in second, and mastered the art of RP in 3rd and 3.5

i've played my share of other systems an always had a love hate relationship with D&D the game that birthed my love of story and fantasy. i've rolled with steve jackson, had coffee with several of the illustrators from 1st to 3rd editon, and even worked for my share of gaming companies.

and i say to Wizards of the coast, for shame!

i will put is simply thus. with every edition they have releases, WotC has improved upon the balance and simplicity. they have made this game much more accessible, and much easier to play. i almost never hear groans from players complaining about balance and starting food fights.

but i also don't see people applauding their fellow gamers. i don't see brilliant used of powers or exceptional character builds anymore.

with every system we get more balance, and loose more creativity. we gain security and loose our freedom. and we have long since passed any happy medium. RPGs are simply that, role playing games. they are about story, and adventure. if i wanted to go play a video game, where everything is limited and i have only seven options, i'd go play D&D online... which is exactly that.

Editorial Review:

All three 4th Edition core rulebooks in one handsome slipcase. The Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game has defined the medieval fantasy genre and the tabletop RPG industry for more than 30 years. In the D&D game, players create characters that band together to explore dungeons, slay monsters, and find treasure. The 4th Edition D&D rules offer the best possible play experience by presenting exciting character options, an elegant and robust rules system, and handy storytelling tools for the Dungeon Master.This gift set features a handsome slipcase containing all three of the 4th Edition D&D Roleplaying Game core rulebooks: the Players Handbook rulebook (320 pages), the Monster Manual rulebook (288 pages), and the Dungeon Masters Guide rulebook (224 pages).

Kaplan GRE Vocabulary Exam in a Box

Kaplan

Amazon Price: $16.95 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Kaplan Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $9.90

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Focus Your Time Elsewhere 2 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I purchased these cards in an attempt to build my vocabulary for the GRE. However, they proved to be pointless. I took the time and the effort to memorize all the words, as well as the synonyms for each word. When I took the GRE practice tests from Kaplan, the words showed up, I knew the answers, and I did well. When it came time to take the GRE however, only one word from the entire box showed up, and I ended up guessing on majority of the questions. Needless to say, I did not do well. While these cards did build my vocabulary, it did not help for the GRE.
I had glanced over the root list that Kaplan gives in their GRE Premier Program book, but didn't study the list as much as I should have. I will say that it would be much wiser to study the root list that they give, and not concern yourself with knowing these words too much. Plus, their Premier Program book gives much of the same words, so all you have to do is make flashcards yourself.
For some people, these cards seemed to have worked, so perhaps it was just me that didn't work for. But it should be noted that a common theme among all these reviews is to study the root list. Studying the root list will get you through a lot of questions, whereas memorizing 500 words and definitions, as well as all synonyms, didn't really seem to have a big impact on my performance. I leave the decision up to you.

Editorial Review:

-500 flashcards covering the most-tested GRE vocabulary words

-Sample sentences provide the words in context

-Also includes synonyms and a pronunciation key

Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Screen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Sturdy and useful, grab the errata online 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

One thing I didn't realize until I got this screen is how thick it is. I'm used to heavy cardstock screens, but this one is built like the cover to a hardback book. Imagine a landscape (wide) oriented 4-panel screen built like the cover to your Player's Handbook and you're be spot on. It's even glossy.

On the downside, one of the panels is mostly wasted on things like XP charts which I'm unlikely to need in the middle of a game. I'd have preferred to see that panel used perhaps for summaries of area attack types (bursts, blasts, zones, etc.) Additionally, the default DC (Difficulty Class) for tasks in D&D4 has changed since publication, and this change didn't make it to the DM's screen. On the plus side, the errata is a nice printable .PDF you can cut out and paste on your screen. Won't be the first time I've had to do this (looking at my Call of Cthulhu Keeper's Screen.)

Editorial Review:

Official Dungeon Master's screen for the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons® Roleplaying Game

This four-panel cardstock screen features new full-color artwork and allows Dungeon Masters to keep their campaign notes and die rolls private, without blocking their view of the game table. Easy-to-reference rules and tables appear on the inside panels of the screen; these are designed for the Dungeon Master's eyes only and comply with the rules in the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks.

Forgotten Realms Player's Guide: A 4th Edition D&D Supplement (Forgotten Realms Supplement)

Wizards RPG Team

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Editorial Review:

The complete guide for building Forgotten Realms characters!

Welcome to Faerûn, a land of amazing magic, terrifying monsters, ancient ruins, and hidden wonders. The world has changed since the Spellplague, and from this arcane crucible have emerged shining kingdoms, tyrannical empires, mighty heroes, and monster-infested dungeons.

The Forgotten Realms Player's Guide presents this changed world from the point of view of the adventurers exploring it. This product includes everything a player needs to create his character for a D&D campaign in the Forgotten Realms setting, including new feats, new character powers, new paragon paths and epic destinies, and even a brand-new character class never before seen in D&D: the swordmage!

Every Hand Revealed

Gus Hansen

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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Puzzles & Games -> Card Games -> Poker
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 39 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

What If You Were Able To Get Right Inside The Mind Of World-Famous Poker Pro Gus Hansen--And Learn His Winning Secrets?

Now You Can.

One of professional poker's most intriguing and fascinating players, Gus Hansen has often been called "The Madman" for his crazy, fearless, aggressive style. But you can't dispute the fact that this poker superstar knows how to win--and win big. The holder of the inaugural Poker Superstars Invitational title as well as the only player to win three World Poker Tour tournaments, Gus won his fifth major international title when he became the 2007 Aussie Millions Champion, outlasting 747 players and nabbing $1.2 million. Now, for the first time ever, Gus analyzes the hands that he played during the tournament and reveals his secrets for winning in Every Hand Revealed.

You'll learn:

• An extensive, easy-to-follow analysis of the more than 300 hands he played during the Aussie Millions...

• The radical, yet coolly logical, methods behind Gus's "madness" that have helped him to win consistently...

• Each and every bluff, precise calculation, educated guess, and read of his opponents ...

• How to call large bets with seemingly unplayable hands...

• When to raise out of position with garbage holdings...

• How the prize structure should influence your play...

• And much more!

Offering unlimited access to one of the most successful, popular poker players out there, Every Hand Revealed will help you understand some of poker's most coveted secrets--and simply shows you the right way to play the game whether you're a beginner or a poker pro. Now with Gus Hansen by your side, you too can turbo-charge your game and watch it take off!

Superstar poker pro Gus Hansen has shaken up the poker world with his loose, aggressive style. Called "The Great Dane" as well as "The Madman," the five-time international title-holder transforms his hands with cool logic ...and flattens his opponents. Voted one of the world's sexiest men by People Magazine, Gus is an avid athlete, backgammon player, and poker commentator for both Danish and American T.V.

Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)

Rodney Thompson, Sterling Hershey, Abel G. Peña, John Jackson Miller

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A Star WarsTM Roleplaying Game campaign set during the dawn of the Old Republic...

Make the jump to lightspeed 4,000 years before the Battle of Yavin to a time when Jedi Knights and Sith Lords clashed in galactic conflict. This campaign guide offers both players and Gamemasters a wide array of new options that can be used to craft a unique roleplaying game experience. As the galaxy plunges into one war after another, the forces of the Republic, along with their Jedi allies, struggle to protect themselves from hordes of invading Mandalorians, tyrannical Sith lords, and traitorous allies on every front.

Featuring new game material drawn from a variety of sources, and including characters, weapons, vehicles, and droids, this book presents an entire campaign during the violent days of the Old Republic. This book also contains new Force powers, Force techniques, and Force secrets for Jedi and Sith characters, as well as new options for characters of all classes. Players can take advantage of new talents, feats, and other options to play a Mandalorian neo-crusader, a Republic soldier battling against the forces of Darth Revan and Darth Malak, or a Jedi in exile on the run from the Sith.

The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary

Merriam-Webster

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 145 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A must have for any Scrabble Fan 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (OSPD) 4th edition is a must have for anyone looking for an edge in the game of Scrabble. Whether for competion or a friendly game you'll be glad you have this to refer to once a challenge is announced.

Indispensable 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

We love Scrabble at our house, and it's even more fun with this dictionary in hand. Since part of our playing goal is to learn new words, "our rules" state that you can use the dictionary to find words that fit the letters you have. We wouldn't play without it.

Must-Have for Scrabble Lovers! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

You must own this book if you enjoy playing Scrabble as it is better than any other dictionary you can use for playing this game. I prefer the hardcover as it will last longer, but do need a paperback for my travel Scrabble.

Editorial Review:

New edition! An inexpensive edition of the book that SCRABBLE players call their bible. Ideal for recreational and school play. More than 100,000 playable two- to eight-letter words including 4,000 new entries. Includes variant spellings. Endorsed by the National SCRABBLE Association.

Adventurer's Vault: A 4th Edition D&D Supplement

Logan Bonner, Eytan Bernstein, Kolja Raven Liquette, Owen K.C. Stephens

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Editorial Review:

Hundreds of new weapons, tools, and magic items for your D&D character.

This supplement for the Dungeons & Dragons game presents hundreds of magic items, weapons, tools, and other useful items for your D&D character. Whether you're a player looking for a new piece of equipment or a Dungeon Master stocking a dragon's hoard, this book has exactly what you need.

The book features a mix of classic items updated to the 4th Edition rules and brand-new items never before seen in D&D.

Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th Edition

Wizards RPG Team

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 170 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

I've played 3.5 for 4 years. As a result, this is incomprehensible. 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

My biggest issue with 4th ed. is that I DONT UNDERSTAND IT.

This I owe mostly to the fact that I was "schooled in 3.5."

The biggest source of confusion for me is that this is not simply a new edition, but an entirely different game practically.

If you have never played D&D, or have previously only dabbled, this could be very enjoyable for you. It is an especially good start since from here on out, 4th edition is king for Wizards.

If you have, are serious about it, and enjoy it despite its current flaws, steer clear and stick with your current edition. Maybe pick up some supplements for fluff and stuff for your current campaigns.

Editorial Review:

The first of three core rulebooks for the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game. The Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game has defined the medieval fantasy genre and the tabletop RPG industry for more than 30 years. In the D&D game, players create characters that band together to explore dungeons, slay monsters, and find treasure. The 4th Edition D&D rules offer the best possible play experience by presenting exciting character options, an elegant and robust rules system, and handy storytelling tools for the Dungeon Master. The Players Handbook presents the official Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game rules as well as everything a player needs to create D&D characters worthy of song and legend: new character races, base classes, paragon paths, epic destinies, powers, magic items, weapons, armor, and much more.