Rite publishing Archive
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Demiplanes: Valhalla
Posted on August 31, 2018 | No CommentsDemiplanes: Valhalla This Demiplanes-book clocks in at 59 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page advertisement, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 54 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. So, the first thing I should note is this: I am super picky regarding my Norse lore; I have a degree in the field, can fluently read Norse, and I’m most of the time really pissed off when I see how adaptations to roleplaying games butcher the concept when trying to stay authentic. You see, the most common roleplaying games we […] -
Gossamer Guilds: Praecones (DICELESS)
Posted on August 9, 2018 | No CommentsGossamer Guilds: Praecones (DICELESS) This expansion for Lords of Gossamer and Shadows clocks in at 17 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page inside of front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 13 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was requested as a prioritized review by my patreons. This supplement begins with preliminary notes, written in character by Shanya Talis, which establishes the praecones as wandering bards, storytellers and occasional spies that traverse the gossamer worlds. Membership of the organization is loose, to put it mildly: You need a drive for discovery, the ability to travel the gossamer worlds and a passion for storytelling. Oddly, juggler, acrobats and clowns […] -
In the Company of Unicorns (5e)
Posted on May 31, 2018 | No CommentsIn the Company of Unicorns (5e) This installment of Rite Publishing’s classic series clocks in at 19 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page advertisement, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 14 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. So, as always,w e begin this supplement with a latter, as the meta-narrative of this series assumes that a member of the respective race is writing a letter to sage Qwilion of Questhaven; This sets the series apart from the get-go – unlike most racial supplements, the prose and colored/unreliable in-character narration […] -
In the Company of Fiends (revised edition)
Posted on May 3, 2018 | No CommentsIn the Company of Fiends (revised edition) The revised edition of „In the Company of Fiends“ clocks in at 45 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 41 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. Now, as always in the series, we begin this supplement with an introduction to the race at hand, written from an in-character perspective. This time around, the race would be the nephilim, and the arguments fielded in favor are twisted, delightful and compelling, worthy of the logical leaps of e.g. Paradise Lost, […] -
101 Desert Spells
Posted on April 19, 2018 | No Comments101 Desert Spells This massive compilation of desert-themed spells clocks in at 57 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 3 pages of SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with a rather massive 51 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. Now, as always, we begin this pdf with a massive array of spell lists by class and level, covering the classes up to and including the ACG classes, but not the occult classes. From there, we move right into this massive compilation of spells, beginning with Aghasura’s bluff, a 3rd level spell that allows […] -
Player’s Guide to Kaidan
Posted on March 30, 2018 | No CommentsPlayer’s Guide to Kaidan The Player’s Guide to Kaidan clocks in at 61 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page ToC, 1 page patron list, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 55 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. Before we begin, it should also be noted that I am somewhat of a Japanophile and love the Japanese horror tradition that this setting’s down to earth, gritty themes evoke. I was a backer of the Kickstarter that created this book, and, back in the day, I bugged Steven D. Russell (Rest […] -
In the Company of Valkyries
Posted on March 6, 2018 | No CommentsIn the Company of Valkyries This installment of Rite Publishing’s „In the Company of…“-series clocks in at 39 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 35 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue at the request of my patreons. Okay, the first thing you’ll note: New and improved layout! Really nice one, at that! Parchment-like background, central page numbers against a red backdrop, lion-like glyphs in the borders. Elegant and neat! Now, as always, we begin this supplement with a missive to Qwilion of Questhaven, chronicling and interview with a member of the species in question, […] -
Pathways Bestiary
Posted on March 2, 2018 | No CommentsPathways Bestiary This massive tome clocks in at 229 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page ToC, 1 page SRD, 1 page advertisement, 1 page back cover, leaving us with no less than 223 (!!) pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. Okay, so the thing that drew me to Rite Publishing back then was the blending of really imaginative concepts and deadly, highly template adversaries. Here were monsters that did not need me to beef them up to stand a chance against my PCs. When the Book of Monster Templates hit sites, I was […] -
The Long Walk: Life on the Grand Stair (DICELESS)
Posted on January 4, 2018 | No CommentsThe Long Walk: Life on the Grand Stair (DICELESS) This HUGE tome for Lords of Gossamer & Shadow (Abbreviated LoGaS below for brevity’s sake) clocks in at 205 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page dev and playtester thanks, 1 page dedication to Steven D. Russell (Rest in peace, you’re missed, man…), 1 page ToC, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 199 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This book was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. All right, we begin with a well-written piece of prose before we dive into this book…but what exactly is this? The question here is less […] -
In the Company of Giants (5e) (Second Revision)
Posted on December 8, 2017 | No CommentsIn the Company of Giants (5e) (Second Revision) The second revision of the 5e-conversion of „In the Company of Giants“ clocks in at 16 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 12 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue at the request of my patreons. Now one of the definite strengths of this series, should you not be familiar with it, lies in immersion – like most Rite Publishing books, the “In the Company of…”-series is defined by being simply pleasant to read, which is a pretty big deal for me. How does it achieve that? Well, […] -
10 Vampire Magic Items
Posted on November 29, 2017 | No Comments10 Vampire Magic Items This expansion-pdf for Rite Publishing’s phenomenal „Play VTM-style vampires in PFRPG“-toolkit „In the Company of Vampires“ clocks in at 12 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page advertisement, leaving us with 8 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue at the request of my patreons. Okay, we begin not with the first item, but with an optional rule – the pdf introduces Blood Crafting. Warlock blood nobles (aka, the Tremere-stand-ins) have, RAW, a bit of a problem with crafting; this issue is addressed by the blood crafting rules. The vampire requires a blood magic blood talent equal to […] -
10 Aberration Magic Items
Posted on November 24, 2017 | No Comments10 Aberration Magic Items This collection of magic items, tying in with the fantastic „In the Company of Aberrations“, clocks in at 7 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, leaving us with 4 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. All right, we begin with an item that actually has a nice visual representation – the calamitous tentacle. Before you start yawning – the tentacle is NOT yet another tentacle whip – it’s actually a ranged splash weapon that detonates in icky bits AND that may attempt to grapple foes! Really cool! Encapsulated […] -
In the Company of Vampires
Posted on October 27, 2017 | No CommentsIn the Company of Vampires This installment of Rite Publishing’s massive „In the Company…”-series clocks in at a massive 51 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page advertisement, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 46 pages of content, so let’s take a look, shall we? This pdf was moved up in my review-queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. After a brief foreword, we begin with a letter by Sovereign Evelyn Arlstead – the vampire correspondent and narrator that penned the in-character prose – a lady obviously at least slightly infatuated with Qwilion, which provides a rather amusing subtext throughout the flavorful prose that suffuses the pdf. […] -
In the Company of Doppelgängers
Posted on October 25, 2017 | No CommentsIn the Company of Doppelgängers This installment of Rite Publishing’s „In the Company“-series clocks in at 41 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page advertisement, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 36 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my review-queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. After a brief introduction of how this book came to be, we dive headfirst into the great in-character prose that is a hallmark of the series – with a threatening undertone, as the account provided for Qwilion of Questhaven did also allow the doppelgänger sufficient knowledge of the sage’s body… Anyways, we receive […] -
10 Kingdom Seeds: Underground
Posted on September 27, 2017 | No Comments10 Kingdom Seeds: Underground This little pdf clocks in at 13 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, leaving us with 10 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. Okay, if you’re new to the concept – the Kingdom Seeds-pdfs are basically collections of 10 sample settlements, ranging usually from thorp to village, which are depicted complete with a settlement statblock and a brief summary of the village in question as well as notes on intriguing locales and a few rumors/adventure hooks for each – think of them as kind of akin to Raging […] -
In the Company of Wights (revised edition)
Posted on September 22, 2017 | No CommentsIn the Company of Wights (revised edition) This revised installment of Rite Publishing’s “In the Company of…”-series clocks in at 25 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page of SRD, 1 page advertisement, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 20 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This is the review of the revised edition with the cool horseman on the cover – if you have the old version, re-download this asap. All right, we begin this pdf with a heart-warming dedication to the founder of Rite Publishing, Steven D. Russell, who has left us too soon. After this, though, it is similarly heart-warming to see that the traditions of master Russell live […] -
In the Company of Aberrations
Posted on September 15, 2017 | No CommentsIn the Company of Aberrations This installment of Rite Publishing’s „In the Company of…“-series of playable monsters clocks in at 55 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with a MASSIVE 51 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was move up in my review-queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. We begin with a letter, framing the narrative that suffuses the pdf in the tradition of Rite Publishing supplements; the letter is one of resignation this time around, speaking of the horrors that were encountered, and indeed, the formula of the in-character description of the race that makes this series […] -
Kaiju Codex (5e)
Posted on September 4, 2017 | No CommentsKaiju Codex (5e) The 5e-version of Rite Publishing’s superb Kaiju Codex clocks in at 49 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page advertisement, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 44 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing-queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. We all have been there at one point, at least once we have a certain amount of experience under our belt; the point where the tarrasque looks…kinda unimpressive, but when it has actually been done in a campaign. At that point, we are looking for other ginormous creatures of immense power, we’re looking for mythic, […] -
The Gamemaster’s Guide to Kaidan
Posted on July 11, 2017 | No CommentsThe Gamemaster’s Guide to Kaidan This massive tome clocks in at 221 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page ToC, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 216 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my review-queue as a prioritized review. Furthermore, I was a backer of the KS that made this book. I was not in any way involved in the production of this book. However, there is one thing you need to know: I am a Japanophile of sorts and as such, I am predisposed to liking this book. But what exactly is Kaidan? The short answer, obviously, would be “A Japanese […] -
10 Wight Magic Items
Posted on July 3, 2017 | No Comments10 Wight Magic Items This expansion of magic items for the less than stellar playable wight-race clocks in at 7 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page advertisement, leaving us with 3 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This pdf was moved up in my review-queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. We begin with the bone breaker club, which inflicts +50% damage versus “skeletons and creatures with exoskeletons or brittle construction.” Oh boy. This is not starting off well. So a) 50% of WHAT? Str-mod included? Precision damage? Before or after crits? MESSY. Also: “skeletons” are a specific creature – so not to skeletal champions […] -
In the Company of Wights
Posted on June 2, 2017 | No CommentsIn the Company of Wights This installment of Rite Publishing’s “In the Company of…”-series clocks in at 17 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page of SRD, 1 page advertisement, leaving us with 13 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my review-queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. All right, we begin this pdf with a heart-warming dedication to the founder of Rite Publishing, Steven D. Russell, who has left us too soon. After this, though, it is similarly heart-warming to see that the traditions of master Russell live on – we begin with an in-character letter of a member of the race, […] -
10 Kingdom Seeds: Plains
Posted on May 22, 2017 | No Comments10 Kingdom Seeds: Plains This inexpensive pdf clocks in at 12 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page advertisement, leaving us with 8 pages of content, so let’s take a look! This review was moved up in my reviewing-queue as a prioritized review at the request of my patreons. After a brief piece of introductory fluff, we dive right into the nit and grit of this file, namely villages that you can use to craft, bingo, kingdoms from them – each of these settlements comes with a village statblock, but does not end there: Beyond a small summary of the village, we also get one or more sites of interest and 3 […] -
101 Plains Spells
Posted on May 19, 2017 | No Comments101 Plains Spells This pdf clocks in at a massive 65 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 2 pages of advertisement, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with an impressive 59 pages of content, so let’s take a look! There are few environments with such a bad rep as plains – compared to trackless deserts, swamps or mountains, there are next to no good modules or supplements for them out there. In fact, it took Frog God Games’ phenomenal “Fields of Blood” to make them really stand out and finally get their due. The pdf provides spell-lists for all pre-Occult Adventures spellcasting classes, organized by class first, then by level and then alphabetically. […] -
Gateway Pass Adventure Path #1: Brighton Road
Posted on April 21, 2017 | No CommentsGateway Pass Adventure Path #1: Brighton Road This module clocks in at 44 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, leaving us with 40 pages of content, so let’s take a look! Well, before we dive into the nit and grit: To me, an adventure path is a campaign that covers the majority, at least 2/3rds, of an adventurer’s career. I get why many a publication uses the AP-moniker, but personally, I’d consider anything less than that an arc. I know, I know, not too relevant, but I still felt the need to spell that out. Anyways, what do Star Trek, Twin Peaks, Esoterrorists in station duty mode, Red […]