Product– Run & Gun

System-Shadowrun 5e

Producer– Catalyst

Price– PDF $25

TL;DR– What fans have been dying for! 93%

 

Basics– Time for the first hardcover expansion for Shadowrun 5e.  This book focuses on physical combat.  It starts off covering several new weapons ranging from swords to laser guns.  Next, the book presents new armor and clothing options.  From here, Run & Gun begins to focus on combat heavily starting with small squad tactics and new teamwork combat maneuvers.  After team combat, the book spotlights called shot locations, special attacks with different ammo types, and more combat options.  Following general combat, the book introduces martial arts with new combat maneuvers specific to each art.  The last two sections of the book focus on environment hazards and demolition.

 

Fluff or Story- This book is full of stories.  Catalyst takes great care to build story in across all the levels of the book.  Each section of the book is introduced with a story building the world of Shadowrun.  Every weapon is treated with some banter between different characters as they review the items as if they were talking about items in an internet forum.  Even major rule sections get snark like summoning fire elementals underwater (spoiler-it’s a bad idea!).  Every inch of the book builds 2075 America into a living, breathing world. 5/5

 

Crunch or Mechanics- This book is also full of mechanics.  The book introduces armor pieces, new armor/weapon types, martial arts forms, rules for all sorts of things from casting spells in a space suit to explosive decompression underwater.  Even better, the book emphasizes and re-presents small rule sections that players and GMs may have forgotten.  I really enjoyed quick rule summaries of these important, minor rules in sidebars.  Building on this, the book provides examples of how to do the math that makes the game work.  And as I said before, the book has lots of fun with its own rules and seriousness.  A perfect example is explosive decompression.  You fail a little, and it’s bad.  You fail a lot, and it’s really bad.  You completely screw-up, and you summon a kraken and die (most likely).  It’s an excellent way to meld rules, the world, and theme. 5/5

 

Execution- I’m reviewing a digital copy.  What I saw, I liked.  The text is nicely divided so you don’t have solid pages of block text.  The whitespace, side bars, tables, and pictures makes this a pleasure to read.  The book has lots of pictures, but could use a bit more.  In Gun H(e)aven 3, each gun got its own picture.  This book doesn’t have the space for that, but I think more pictures of the items would have helped me with my mental pictures of the game.  Also, this is the first printing/release of the book, so there are a few errors that are being compiled to help with future releases of the book.  Honestly, it’s a fun read, but I felt like I wanted more to see and a bit fewer errors.  The faults are by no grind them to a halt, but they are noticeable as you dig deeper into the book and system. 4/5

 

Summary- This isn’t the book I thought it would be.  That is not a bad thing, but I don’t know if this was what I thought I was going to get.  But, I am happy with the end product.  I feel like I’ve learned a bit more about the world of Shadowrun.  I love the new abilities that were carried over from forth edition or created for fifth.  The last two section of the book are not as useful if you just play in the urban sprawls and want to gun down any go-gangers you see, but if you ever need to blow up a space station, there are well-done rules that will help you and your GM carry out whatever pyromaniac dreams you may have.  Yes, plan B can be twice as much explosive as plan A.  The Shadowrun community has been dying for some new Shadowrun 5e content, and this product delivers.  While this product has a few flaws, if this is the quality of the next books, then I will happily buy each and every one. 93%

Game- The Red Dragon Inn 2

Producer- SlugFest Games

Price-~$40

Set-up/Play/Clean-Up-30 minutes to one hour (four players but with other expansions longer)

TL;DR-Better than the original! 97.5%

 

Basics- Come back to the bar again!  The Red Dragon Inn 2 is the sequel and stand alone expansion to The Red Dragon Inn.  This game has exactly the same mechanics as The Red Dragon Inn.  Players take the role of four different adventurers who just completing an adventure and are going to a tavern to relax and play some drinking games and gamble.  Players can now play as a bard, an illusionist, a half-ogre, or a dwarf.  Each turn players start by discarding as many cards as they want then drawing up to seven cards.  Then, a player can play one card that has the action keyword on the top.   Other cards have sometimes or anytime keywords and you have to read those cards carefully as they often interrupt other player’s actions.  The action cards give you the ability to gamble or harm other players.  After an action, you give one drink card to another player, and then drink one drink from your drink card pile.  Damage reduces your fortitude and drinks increase your alcohol level.  When your fortitude and alcohol levels meet, you pass out and lose the game.  If gambling causes you to lose all your money, you lose the game.  You win the game when you are the last conscious person with money in the inn.

 

Theme- I was a little bit rough on the original The Red Dragon Inn, but this expansion really made me pretty happy.  I feel the designers flexed their wings a bit here and the different decks play that much different making you feel like different characters.  Also, the little things like the half-ogre’s cards are all broken English make the character each feel that much different.  This game really ramped up the character feel for me. 5/5

 

Mechanics- This game is pretty simple.  Draw cards, play one, save more for other off turn maneuvers.  With such simple mechanics, there is a surprising amount of thought that went into this game.  The decks feel balanced and the different character all have different powers.  In the previous game, the different character had some differences, but in this one the designers just let the characters go hog wild.  The illusionist can increase your alcohol content with a card, or the bard can just steal two gold.  These differences not only make the characters feel different, but it makes the characters play different.  And that really sets this one apart.  You will still lose based on card draw, which is and isn’t a problem. 4.5/5

 

Instructions- Just like before, the rules are clear and easy to understand.  There are few examples, and it’s pretty easy to teach and learn this game quickly. 5/5

 

Execution- This game uses 80% of the same parts from The Red Dragon Inn.  Same coins, same play mats, same stones, everything.  The real newness comes from new art, new powers, and new drinks.  And because of this, the game is amazing.  The producers didn’t fix what wasn’t broken, and they brought some amazing new material to really make this game pop. 5/5

 

Summary- I love this game more than then original.  That is pretty hard to do, but SlugFest pulled it off.  It’s a great, low complexity game that will make a group of people fight amongst each other in the right way.  People will cheer a fight between two players while also feeling each other pain when you draw 12 alcohol content on turn one.  The randomness of the drinks and each player’s individual deck makes this game fun, but also frustrating as lucky will beat smarts almost every time I’ve played.  Pick this one up right away if you can. 97.5%

Product– Pathfinder Player Companion- Champions of Balance

Producer-Paizo

Price– $20 or $13 for PDR

System– Pathfinder

TL;DR– Slight story concerns, but awesome character options.93%

 

Basics– Time for the epic battle of good vs. neutral!  Champions of Balance covers the hows and whys of neutral characters.  The first section covers the types of neutral characters (LN, N, and CN).  Next the book discusses neutral countries and organizations.  From here, the book introduces new character options from new subdomains, ninja tricks, feats, spells, orders, archetypes, magic items, and a prestige class.

 

Fluff or Theme– I liked and didn’t like this one.  The story and backgrounds of neutral characters is well written, but it didn’t hook me.  I didn’t hate reading it, but neutral characters have an uphill battle for getting me as a motivation.  What I saw was well done, but it just isn’t what I want in a character.  And I think many other readers will have the same problem. 4/5

 

Crunch or Mechanics– This was really well done!  There is an amazing amount of stuff in this book.  Almost all the classes get a bit of stuff even more than most of the player companion line.  Even if you don’t care about neutral characters, this one is worth a look for the plethora of options alone.  5/5

 

Execution– This one is as well done as any of the other player option book.  Lots of art and well done layouts make this a pleasure to read.  Well done. 5/5

 

Summary– This book might not have hooked me on story, but everything else is amazing.  If you play or want to play a neutral character, then you need this to make a well done and flesh out character.  Even if you want some character option, this is an excellent book. 93%

Game– Eclipse

Producer-Asmodee

Price– ~$100 !

Set-up/Play/Clean-up– 50min/play (2-6 players)

TL;DR– Some minor issues, but a great game. 90%

 

Basics– Eclipse is a four X game (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate).  Players take the role of different races or group as they explore the galaxy following the fall of the “galactic UN.”  Each turn, players use influence disks to dictate which action they will take.  These actions range from moving ships, building ships, exploring, researching new technology, upgrading their fleets, or moving influences disks on the main board.  When you explore you can also move influence disks to the board and colonize planets.  Colonizing planets allows you to move population cubes from your player board to main board increasing your resources which are research (upgrades), money (actions), or materials (ships).  Players may take as many turns as they want, BUT each action costs more money.  At the end of a turn if you don’t have enough money or resources to exchange for money you have to remove influence disks from the main board which also removes any population resource production cubes you have on the main board planets too.  Combat is quick.  Each player rolls six sided dice adding and subtracting numbers based on the type of weapons, computers, and shield the ships may have.  If you have a six after math or a natural six, you hit the enemy.  Different weapons do different types of damage causing either one, two, or four damage on a hit.  The game continues for nine rounds.  At the end of the ninth round players score points for space sections controlled, research, battles, diplomatic relations, and discoveries.  The player with the most victory points has led their civilization to victory across the galaxy!

 

Mechanics- This game looks complex, but it’s actually pretty simple. Action selection is done very simply by moving discs on your player board.  However, that is deceptively simple.  You can take as many actions as you want, but balancing growing your society and paying off your debts.  I like that aspect of the game.  Also, it’s amazingly fun to build up your ships via research and upgrades, throw lots of plastic ships on the board, and then destroy your opponents in war!  However, the game walks a bit of a fine line playing like a Eurogame AND an American Style Game.  Players randomly explore a galaxy, receive technologies, and get ancient technology, but randomness sometimes can really hurt a good strategy.  That can put a few players off.  Also, once you explore all the available tiles, the game inevitably turns to conflict.  The galaxy of infinite, but the play space isn’t.  The last turn is always build some ships then destroy the others guys ships.  That predictability kind of hurts the experience. 4/5

 

Theme- The game does have a solid theme.  I do feel like a space faring race exploring the galaxy.  Also, the different powers of each race do make the game feel that much more like different creatures.  The “borg” have cheap ships while one alien is a plant that spreads quickly across the galaxy.  The instructions give a nice run down on each alien race too.  I’d like a bit more, but it’s not bad.  4.5/5

 

Instructions- As I said before, the game is pretty simple, but the designers had to work hard to make the simple show through.  It would be easy to confuse the players with this many options.  However, the instructions are well done and even dedicate several pages to a turn by turn walkthrough of the game.  There are LOTS of pictures to help explain things as well as several breaks in text.  The instructions are 32 pages, but you can easily read through them in 30 minutes and understand the game.  Well done! 5/5

 

Execution- This one is an uphill battle.  The retail price of the game is $100!  That’s a lot of money for a game, but this game has lots of stuff in the box.  It’s a heavy box full of lots of cardboard and plastic.  The pieces are well done and the cardboard is nice and chunky.  Hard the shuffle, but for 100 bucks, I expect something pretty substantial.  The colors are nice and the iconography works well once you read the rules.  I like what I see, but I still think 100 is a bit high.  If you can get this at a con for $70, then do it!  4.5/5

 

Summary- This is a fun way to spend an evening with some friends.  It will take you about 15 minutes to get the rules down pat, and you can take off right away.  You do feel like different races fighting one another for dominance, but beware of the late game fights and randomness.  If you know it’s coming, then you can prepare for it! 90%

Video Game– Grant Theft Auto 5

Producer– Rockstar Games

Price– ~$50

TL;DR– Slight story issues, but a fun ride! 93%

 

Basics– Time to go back to the GTA universe again!  GTA5 is the newest game in the GTA series, and this one pulls out all the stops.  For the first time, players play as three different characters.  First players are introduced to Franklin, a black man trying to find success in a world against him.  Over the course of a repossession scheme, he meets Michael, a former bank robber who is living under the protection of the Federal Investigation Bureau.  Michael starts to mentor Franklin as Michael resents his retirement.  Together they piss off the local mob leading to Michael having to go back to his old bank robbing ways.  This tips off Trevor, Michael’s former bank robbing partner and all around sociopath, that Michael is alive.  Trevor begins to look for Michael causing all kinds of hell along the way.  Together these three are drawn into a web of the FIB, the agency, Chinese drug cartels, movie stars, and local hoods as they deal with success, money, and life.

 

Story- I wouldn’t call this game the story of the year, but it’s not just stupid shooting either.  The character have a life of their own are well executed.  Even Trevor, who kills someone in his opening cut scene, ends up somewhat likeable.  They all have their own, well-defined personalities.  You will have your favorite, but all of them are good additions to the story.  The story has some issues with purpose as the characters only motivation at some points is to deal with the world around them instead of their own goals.  I would put this more akin to Oceans 12 as it’s a heist story, but motivated by the villain instead of the characters.  Not bad, but not Oceans 11. 4/5

 

Mechanics and Play- Rockstar did an awesome job with this one.  It’s easy to get lost in the world.  There are several radio stations each with their own personalities.  There is a whole aspect of the stock market where characters can make millions.  Even the missions where its go to X and steal Y are not that boring as the missions have enough variety to make it interesting.  Speaking of missions, the game has bite size chunks of story in its missions, so if you just want to spend only an hour playing, you can!  Heck even the story is delivered via driving.  The game has cut scenes, but more often than not, two characters will drive through the country and talk.  You control the car, so it’s not a boring monolog between two characters.  It feels organic, and you feel involved.  In addition, you get to play in the air, on the land, and in the sea.  YOU GET TO SWIM! 5/5

 

Delivery and Execution- Again Rockstar hits a home run.  This game has so many small touches you will lose count.  Road sounds when you drift out of lane, the internet, the cell phones, the noises a car makes when you turn it off.  You feel like you’re in a different world.  Very little is left out when the crafted this world.  Heck, it’s even a multimedia experience as you can download a real app to your physical phone and train a dog!  The net result is the world and these characters feel like something you could be part of even after killing five people with a stolen car.  The newest part is heists.  In heists, you decide on two different ways to perform a robbery, choose the team, and then assemble the parts.  It’s a fun change from the go here, kill a guy/steal a thing, drive away formula.  I really enjoyed it! 5/5

 

Summary- I liked this one.  It might not be true love, but man is it fun.  I really enjoyed this game and its subtle world.  It’s got some deeper themes then you would expect from a game about killing people for money, but that’s part of its charm.  It’s a worthwhile way to spend your time even if it’s just to figure out how the stock market works! 93%

Product- Injecting the Weird

Producer- Monte Cook games

Price- ~$5 at drivethroughrpg.com

System- Numenera

TL;DR-  A Good product to make things fit into the ninth world. 90%

 

Basics-  Let’s get weird!  Injecting the weird is a source book for Numenera that focuses on adding strangeness to your Numenera game.  The book discusses what weird fiction is and how to add it to your game.  Then the book has lots of tables to give some different weird aspects to locations, the wild, or the people you meet in the ninth world.  The book even has some character options in its last few pages.

 

Story or Fluff-  For a book that is mostly tables, this is a pretty fluff heavy book.  The purpose of all the tables is to give more randomness and weirdness to your games.  And at that it succeeds.  The one line of strangeness in the tables really does give an impressive amount of options for what could be happening in your world.  I was surprised that this book had character options too.  5/5

 

Mechanics or Crunch- For a book that is full of tables, this isn’t a mechanics heavy book.  Since the purpose of this book is setting building, mechanics take a back seat to the theme.  There are sidebars for items which honestly surprised.  The character options also provide some new mechanics too.  But, going in to this, don’t expect some new way to play the game.  4/5

 

Execution- I liked the layout and art as they enforced the ideas of weird and make it a pleasure to read.  The price is ~ok.  I think it’s a bit high, but it’s in line with most other current RPG products.  Heck, there isn’t even the standard practice of the glimmers of reusing one piece of art a bunch.  This one is full of smaller art pictures.  One thing I did notice is a strange gap in one of the pages, but other than that, I liked the physical aspects of this product. 4.5/5

 

Summary- This is a good product.  It’s not one that every player needs, but having one of these around the table will make the game that much better.  I think helping GMs inject a bit more weird into their games will make things that much more numenera.  And, that will make the games that much better. 90%

Game- Terra Mystica

Producer-Z-Man Games

Price- ~$80

Set-up/Play/Clean-up- 45 minutes/player 2-5 players

tl;dr-  An awesome, deep, fantasy terrain-control game. 95%

 

Basics- Vie for dominance in a world of magic!  In Terra Mystica, players take the roles of different fantasy races each trying to control the world.  Players have to terraform each type of terrain to make it the proper type for their race so they can build on it with each terrain type costing different amount to terraforrm.  Players select an action, then the next player selects an action and so on.  Play continues until someone passes.  That person becomes the first player next round. And, each turn when someone passes, they select a round power for the next round.  Each turn, specific effects give the players new ways to score points for that round only.  On a player’s turn a selects one of several actions.  Building a dwelling on a hex provides more workers for the next turn.  Players can advance a shipping track to build further down rivers.  Players can develop more efficient ways to terraform.  Another option is to upgrade buildings.  Upgraded buildings can unlock race specific abilities, get money each turn or get cultist units/divine favors (one turn or many turn bonuses).  However upgrading building causes those building to go back to the building track on a player’s play mat covering and removing whatever resources that building used to provide each turn.  On a player’s turn a player can send cultist to the cult tracks.  Players can also use power to gain more resources, terreform, or change the board in other ways.  Power is represented by three circles on your player board filled with purple circles.  Players can spend power in the third circle which sends it to the first bowl.  When you gain power, you move power from the lowest bowl to the next bowl.  Thus, power builds up slowly and has to be managed carefully.  And as a final action, players may gain extra actions via game effects and they can take those actions.  After everyone passes, each turn a card shows extra resources each player gets based on how many cult points they have in a specific cult each turn.  After six rounds, the player with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd largest connected area on the map gain points, and the players with the most, second most, and third most points in each of the four cults also gain points.  Player with the most points wins control of the world.

 

Mechanics- There is a lot going on in this game, but I really liked it.  This game is almost a point salad game as lots of actions gain you extra points, but not quite as the action that gains you points vary each turn.  This game also makes you think a lot about resources and your next turn.  Want to gain more money?  Build a trading house, but now you get fewer workers to use that money.  What priests?  Upgrade your trading house, but now you don’t get money or workers.  That level of resource management is amazing.  However, the game doesn’t have any way to punish the leaders.  If one player is really good at that kind of thinking, they will dominate the game.  Also, some players tend to think the cult tracks are a real drag or its just a pasted on mechanic for the game.  I didn’t feel that as I felt the four cults all brought different mechanics and theme to the game.  In terms of mechanics, this game isn’t perfect, but it is really close! 4.5/5

 

Theme-This game is a hardcore eurogame, so you would think there wouldn’t be much theme.  Now to be fair, this game has much less theme then say Arkham Horror, but there is a lot here.  Every player board has beautiful pictures showing your race, and the player board also has different mechanics to each race.  Some races don’t terriform like others.  Dwarves don’t use boats, but they can tunnel just like a dwarf should do.  I played the cultists, and my power was to get cult points when I helped others.  And honestly, I did feel like a cultist.  In the instructions, each race gets a nice section describing them with no mechanics at all.  That’s a nice detail.  It wasn’t perfect, but unlike some eurogames, it’s got loads of theme. 4.5/5

 

Instructions- This game has a thick book, but it’s well done.  It’s fairly well broken up, and has lots of examples.  Another great thing about this one is there are red text sections where specific rules are explained.  As hard and deep as this game was, I didn’t have to run to Board Game Geek for my play through to understand the rules.  That’s the mark of a 5/5.  5/5

 

Execution- This game is $80.  That’s a lot, but you get a lot in this game.  Every players gets loads of wooden pieces (what would a eurogame be without wooden cubes and houses!?).  I would have liked more details in the pieces, but each color goes with a double sided play board.  So, green can either be witches or Forest Women.  The cardboard is nice, chunky pieces.  I love that.  Honestly, this game is physically awesome. 5/5

 

Summary- This game isn’t perfect, but it is a lot of fun.  If you want an extremely deep strategy game that is deceptively simple, then this is your game.  I love what I saw.  I would like a mechanic to punish the leader so those who don’t have the strategy background can get ahead, but barring that, you will really enjoy this game! 95%

Product- Pathfinder Campaign Setting Pathfinder Society Field Guide

System- Pathfinder RPG

Producer- Paizo

Price- ~$20

TL;DR- Great intro to the society! 93%

 

Basics- Welcome Pathfinder!  This book is a large summary of the Pathfinder Society for the uninitiated.  This book is primarily written for those who play in Paizo’s living campaign Pathfinder Society (PFS).  The book starts with the standard stuff any PFS GM would need like day job rolls and how to spend prestige.  Then the book discusses Absalom in-depth describing the history and geography of the place.  After Absalom itself, the book introduces each of the factions in the Pathfinder Society giving each one new ways to spend prestige.  Next the book introduces the three main branches of the Pathfinders, Scrolls, Spells, and Swords, providing new character options in each.  The book ends with a long discussion of opponents of the society and items for Pathfinders to purchase to overcome this obstacles.

 

Story or Fluff- This book is full of Pathfinder fluff.  I picked this one up to learn more as a GM, but honestly, if you want a deep introduction to the society, this is the book you need to read.  Each faction and division of the society gets a detailed write up.  The book even goes in depth on tricks to handle problems Pathfinders may find on their missions.  This might have made the book drag on a bit, but for players who haven’t been in the system as long, this may save their lives!  4.5/5

 

Mechanics or Crunch- While this is primarily a setting book since its in the campaign setting line, this book does have lots of character options.  The prestige options alone are worth the price of admission!  The extra archetypes, feats, and items, all make this a worthwhile book for any serious Pathfinder player. 5/5

 

Execution- Paizo knows how to make a geat book.  While I felt the book was a bit long, it didn’t drag to read as the text had lots of brakes to keep my eyes from glazing over.  Well done art also breaks up the text well.  I thought it was a bit long, but honestly it’s not long in a terrible way as it keeps with the other books in the setting line. 4.5/5

 

Summary- This is a well done book.  It’s a bit long as one of the largest sections is a section most experienced players will skim over as they know how to make a character survive most of the horrors out there.  Based on the amount of story in this book alone, the average PFS player needs this book to know much more about the society and its background.  The new mechanics of how to spend prestige really help make that count more in your games.  I’m honestly more excited to play some PFS than I was before this book, so that makes this book awesome in my opinion! 93%

Game- Ginkgopolis

Producer- Pearl Games

Price- $40

Players- 1-5

Set-up/Play/Clean-up- 1 Hour

tl;dr- Minor glitch in the theme, but an awesome game otherwise! 90%

 

Basics- Welcome to the future, but this one isn’t crap!  In Ginkgopolis, players take the roles of different urban planners trying to design the world of tomorrow when most of Earth recourses have been used up.  This game plays like a combination of Carcassonne and 7 Wonders.  Each turn players are given cards from the player on their right.  From these cards, players have to select one card to play.  These cards will either be used to gain more points/resources/tiles, to build on already built tiles, or expand the city.  When you build on a tile, you play the card for that tile in front of you and gain a permanent benefit.  And, the card for the tile you played goes into the draw pile, so others can build onto the tile you played.  This continues until players can’t draw tiles.  Then, all players can sell tiles back to the bank for points, and the game continues until this happens again.  When the bank runs out of tiles a second time, players finish their turns, and the game is over.  Player with the most points is the best urban planner of the future.

 

Mechanics- This game is amazingly fun and easy to play.  The game moves fast, and even with five people in my first game, the players picked up the game quickly.  The icons on the cards and player boards teach you how to play well.  And, I never had a question the rules didn’t define ahead of time.  Well Done! 5/5

 

Theme- Here is where things fall apart a bit.  The story behind the game is the world doesn’t have many resources.  So, we have learned from the Ginkgo Biloba plant and will design our cities higher and higher.  However, most of the players in our game got lots of point when they built out.  Heck, even without cards the players get bonuses for building out.  That seemed really counter intuitive when you think about the world the game portrayed.  However, I did feel like I was designing a city.   And, the cards made me feel it was futuristic.  So, the there is there, but not perfect.  3/5

 

Instructions- The rules are well written.  Lots of pictures and examples break up the text and make the game that much more approachable.  I didn’t have any questions regarding how to play, so any game where I don’t have to run off to board game geek mid-game is awesome in my book! 5/5

 

Execution- I like what I saw with this game.  The art is nice, and it helped build the theme of the future.  The box is well put together, and didn’t feel flimsy.  The cards are decent quality, and the tiles are nice and chunky.  All and all, this was well done. 5/5

 

Summary-  I really liked this game.  It’s quick with some strategy.  I had to make some choices, but I never felt like it bogged down the game.  The theme I a bit off, but if you can look past that, this game is amazing! 90%

Product– Pathfinder Society Scenario #5-15: Destiny of the Sands, Part 2: Race to Seeker’s Folly

Producer– Paizo

Price- $4

System- Pathfinder

TL;DR- An fun, short dungeon crawl 90%

 

Basics- Previously in Osirion, the Pathfinders assisted the former Grandmaster Torch in PFS #5-12, and they were provided a map to a secret location in the desert.  This adventure starts with the Pathfinder find out that other groups may be heading to Seeker’s Folly.  Can the pathfinders get to Seeker’s Folly first, find its secrets, and get out alive?

 

Mechanics or Crunch- This adventure is designed for low level characters, but some of the challenges here seem a bit too high for the average party of level one heroes.  Nothing here is excruciatingly difficult, but the last boss will KILL a party with no magic or cleric.  I would have liked the level 1-2 boss to be something much less dangerous than the level 4-5 boss.  Otherwise, this is a standard breach, bang, and clear dungeon crawl adventure, which is always some welcomed fun for PFS!  Heck there is an honest to goodness puzzle handout for the PCs to solve! 3.5/5

 

Fluff or Story- Holy cow is this one fluff-tastic!  If you wanted to learn some of the secret history of Grandmaster Torch, this is the one to GM!  Lots of side bars for the GM who want to know more lore then you can shake a stick at.  The players can put together a bunch of pieces if they read between a few lines, and there are several small details that can give the PCs some good information if they make some difficult checks.  All and well, well done! 5/5

 

Execution- Like most other Paizo products, this is a well put together book.  The information I needed was well displayed, and the product read quickly.  Nothing was buried in a wall of text, and it was a pleasure to read.  I would have liked a GM quick solution to the puzzle provided, but you can solve that pretty quickly with the information provided, and I know space is limited. 5/5

 

Summary- This is a fun adventure to read, run, and play.  It’s a bit of a challenge based on one time skill checks and a pretty hard end boss.  However, if you can get past that, you will have a great time uncovering not only the secrets of the Jeweled Sages, but those of Grandmaster Torch as well. 90%