The Complete Book of Eldritch Might (d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) [Hardcover]

Monte Cook (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Malhavok Press (January 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1588469522
• ISBN-13: 978-1588469526
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,421,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The game designer
Monte Cook started working professionally in the game industry in 1988. In the employ of Iron Crown Enterprises, he worked with the Rolemaster and Champions games as an editor, developer, and designer. In 1994, Monte came to TSR, Inc., as a game designer and wrote for the Planescape and core D&D lines. When that company was purchased by Wizards of the Coast, he moved to the Seattle area and eventually became a senior game designer. At Wizards, he wrote the 3rd Edition Dungeon Master's Guide and served as codesigner of the new edition of the Dungeons & Dragons game. In 2001, he left Wizards to start his own design studio, Malhavoc Press, with his wife Sue. Although in his career he has worked on over 100 game titles, some of his other credits include Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, The Book of Eldritch Might series, the d20 Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game, The Book of Vile Darkness, Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved, Ptolus, Monte Cook's World of Darkness, and Dungeonaday.com. He was a longtime author of the Dungeoncraft column in Dungeon Magazine. In recent years, Monte has been recognized many times by game fans in the ENnies Awards, the Pen & Paper fan awards, the Nigel D. Findley Memorial Award, the Origins Awards, and more.

The author
A graduate of the 1999 Clarion West writer's workshop, Monte has published two novels, The Glass Prison and Of Aged Angels. Also, he has published the short stories "Born in Secrets" (in the magazine Amazing Stories), "The Rose Window" (in the anthology Realms of Mystery), and "A Narrowed Gaze" (in the anthology Realms of the Arcane). His stories have appeared in the Malhavoc Press anthologies Children of the Rune and The Dragons' Return, and his comic book writing can be found in the Ptolus: City by the Spire series from DBPro/Marvel. His fantasy fiction series, "Saga of the Blade," appeared in Game Trade Magazine from 2005-2006.

The geek
In his spare time, Monte runs games, plays with his dog, watches DVDs, builds vast dioramas out of LEGO building bricks, paints miniatures, and reads a lot of comics.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing back that old and forgotten charm of magic, August 19, 2004

By 

C. A. Matta (Santiago, Chile) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Book of Eldritch Might (d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) (Hardcover)

Although it pains me to say it, D&D v3.5 did it's best to take away all the mystery and charm that used to surround magic in D&D. Perhaps it is on the more "technical" aproach magic uses now, I know not. What I do know is that The Complete Book of Eldritch Might is a more than welcomed pack of some of the best additions created for magic in D&D in the last years.
Although someone who already owns the lesser forms (Book of Eldritch Might I, II and III) will find only few new things, asides from a complete update, this book is a must-have for everyone else, even if you play/DM a low-magic campaign. In my personal case, I only had the first Book of Eldritch Might, so this full version is worth it's weight in gold pieces for me.

Some details that make me score this book with 5 star (not all, just some):

-Bard Overhaul: The Bard at last becomes a class worthy of playing. The new magic system, based on Spellnotes, Spelltones, and Spellmelodies, certainly brings in a whole new spectrum of possibilities, asides from having a great deal of flavor by itself.

-Feat: Masterfully done feats are found in this book. From spellsong-based feats for Bards, to the well-done Lace eldritch feats, every single one here is worth the time reading.

-Magic Items: Large amounts of new special qualities for items are found here, some of them quite original and interestiing to use. The magic items (such as a half-rod, half-spellbook one) are very well done and tempting to be used.

-Magic Locales: A very good part of the book is dedicated to Magic Locales, specific places designed to fit in nearly any game, without having to depend on a larger setting. In my case, I do not use them directly, but have syphoned out a good number of ideas from them.

There are many more things inside this book to be discovered by the reader, and DMs will feel an urge to use as much of this material as possible. Be warned, however, since some of the things here shown are quite powerful, and may unbalance a game if used unproperly.
One of the best books published for v3.5. Buy it, certainly do.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great compilation of Malhavoc press's eldritch might, October 29, 2005

By 

Dressi "K N D" (Gainesville, Ga United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Book of Eldritch Might (d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) (Hardcover)

This is a great resource for the eldritch might in 3.5 ruling. Monte Cook brings some very good alternatives for bards here that make the bard a very useful class, and rather powerful. Also, the addition of spells for both divine and arcane are extremely powerful, sometimes too powerful and unbalanced. I gave it 4 stars just becuase of this. So many times did I have to modify a spell or "nerf" it so that it was balanced with the rest of 3.5's spells. Elritch might is a great resource to include, but be careful how you include it. Certain spells, like Chains of Antimagic, create a one-hit-kill with a Ref Save that render's the target helpless AND in anti-magic. Other spells like Window to Elsewhere can sometimes replace teleportation circles. There's a lot in here that is nice for powerful campaigns that need an extra kick of strength, but in the same way, this book can break down a campaign that is on the lighter side without so much magic and power.

The variant to bard is just great. Instead of getting spells and such, the bard get's a special set of spells call Spellmelodies, Spellsongs and Spellchords. The bard can use metamagic type abilites to empower, extend and otherwise enhance these special type spells almost like a psion.

The variant to sorcerer is not so extreme. The sorc gets generally 1 more known spell per level (2 per new spell level instead of 1) but by level 20 still has the same known spells as the PHB version. The biggest changes come in a variant spell list and the fact taht the sorc needs NO material components. But wait, they have to pay for it in XP. 1/25th the GP value of the component is spent in XP. Stoneskin costs 10xp, Magic Missile costs 1. Focuses are still needed. I like this variant rule as an OPTION for the sorc, not a necessity. If she has the batpoop and sulfur, go for the fireball. If she has nothing, she can drop 1xp into casting it. Makes the Sorc virtually a naked magic machine. If captured, stripped of all pocessions, a wizard is generally useless unless they have eschew materials and have a few spells mastered. If the variant sorc is in the same position, they have their entire spells known to do with what they need, provided they have enough XP. You can't delevel over it, though the book didn't specify. I've assumed it's like crafting, similar XP costs are involved.

The feats are alright, the Lace is a pretty powerful set of feats. The magic items are also very useful. There's more talk on Intelligent Items as well, featuring a level progression for Intelligent Items and feats and abilities specific to intelligent items. (Though, I usually don't have a problem coming up with things to give intelligent items, ask anyone that's been in my Good/Evil campaign setting.)

Overall, this is a very useful book with some very interesting and powerful magic in it. Be warned before you let the wizard in your campaign use it without being checked, it can break the campaign. It'd be like giving just one of your players Psionics and no one else. I use it on a "per request" basis, where the players request if they can have access to such spells or feats. The prestige classes are interesting, but often too specialized to be useful in my campaigns.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mixed but overall good., November 16, 2010

By 

Yukio "Going West" (South MS) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Book of Eldritch Might (d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) (Hardcover)

There is a lot of good stuff in this about magic, new schools of magic, and interesting prestige classes and ideas for mystical locations, fascinating npcs, and feats etc. Would these unbalance a game? Not if both sides can use this information freely. I would make pcs hunt this stuff down. I would get this book at a bargain rate. This, imo, levels the playing field between fighter types and arcane characters. They are some nasty options here that make mages quiet dangerous to be toyed with and a valuable addition to a party that much more so. There is some interesting background on ideas that is pretty fascinating reading. Good options in this book.