Customer Reviews

Babylon 5: Heroes And Aliens (Babylon 5 (Mongoose Publishing))

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"Babylon 5: Heroes and Aliens" is, primarily, a GM resource. Whereas the core rulebook lists a single stat block for the major and recurring characters seen on "Babylon 5," "Babylon 5: Heroes and Aliens" recognizes that these characters change and grow from year-to-year.

So, for each year a character is on the show, this book provides an updated stat block along with details on what happens to them during that year and how to reflect this change in roleplaying them.

For example, Dr. Franklin, in the core rulebook, is listed as a 6th Level Human Scientist. In HaA, that stat block is reflective of Dr. Franklin in 2259. By 2262 he's a 9th Level Human Scientist/2nd Level Human Lurker/2nd Level Xenobiologist.

Additionally, stats are given for many characters for the year 2267, the year "Babylon 5: Crusade" is set.

This is important because HaA provides states for all the major characters of that show. However, as the show only went one season, these characters only have one stat block.

Finally, for players, the book updates two prestige classes (Master of Subtlety and Xenobiologist) and details 15 new player races.

In the end, this is really a GM book with a bone or two for players. If you're a GM that uses Babylon 5 as the setting for your game, and embrace the year-to-year structure of the show, this book has a lot to offer. If, instead, you run your game simply in the "Babylon 5" universe, largely ignoring the station, there's nothing really here for you except maybe the new races.

I don't know why I thought that this was more of a book and less of a role-playing manual, but it is mainly for role-playing and that isn't what I am into.