Customer Reviews

Dragon Lords of Melnibone: Adventuring in a Dark World of Law & Chaos (Dragon Lords of Melnibone (D20),2017,) (Worlds of the Eternal Champion)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For me anyway. My problem with this book, is that it is essentially a conversion of the Chaosium's old Elric! game to the d20 (Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition) rules. That's not bad in of itself, it's just that the conversion seems to have been a rather shoddy and rushed job. Just the bare minimum was changed from the original Elric game, the various sub systems (like critical hits and allegiance) were left pretty much untouched.

Basically, the only stuff added for d20 is a handful of feats, and a new race (Half Melnibonean).

On the other hand, because it's basically the same as the Elric! RPG, only for d20, that means it's an excellent book, like the original Elric! rulebook. It's well written, and gives a very good (IMHO) overview of the Elric Saga, a decent (but not great) overview of Elric's original world, as well as descriptions of characters and critters from the books.

Still, even then it's got a couple problems. One of the common things in the Elric (and other Eternal Champion) novels is the concept of traveling to other planes. Elric does it a lot, yet it's not mentioned at all in this product. It's also got a really misleading section entitled 'Mass Combats', which just tells you to buy a miniatures game of your choice at a gaming store.

So, all in all, it's a very good book, but somewhat disappointing if you already have the Elric! RPG. I'd give it a 5 for people who don't have it, and a 1 for those that do.

To be totally honest I have been waiting for this book for the last couple of months. Elric in the Dungeons and Dragons world brings back memories of playing as a kid with Deities & Demigods ( a book that I treasure to this day). Dragon Lords makes the Deit & Demi material look like a pamphlet. So much powerful source material. Stats for the dragons of Melnibone', Elric, & Stormbringer. New skills (conceal object), feats, (close-order fighting), races (full and half Melnibonean) and even new spells and weapons. The new alignment system seems very workable.

As with any new material, only thorough reading and hours of playing will show which aspects of the book will be inserted into your D&D world. This book is a great start to what will hopefully be a long line of d20 Melnibonean products.

Buy the book, then go reread Sailor on the Sea of Fate to get you ready for the world of Law and Chaos.

Before this book there were multiple versions of the Stormbringer (BRP) system, changed somewhat and renamed 'Elric!' and then changed back to Stormbringer again.

This book is nothing but a cut & paste job by a company obviously not at all interested or informed on making a d20 product.

There's two types of customers who may look at this product:

If you really are into Elric and want a faithful adaption, avoid this product. (Except maybe at the $4.99 level.)

If you know nothing about Elric and just want some wild ideas that are interesting (but ultimately busted), this product might prove a measure of worth.

I am the former, and my rating reflects this.

I guess the best way to describe just how careless the conversion was is to show some "stats" on a few saga personalities:

Dyvim Slorm (Level 8 Aristocrat/Level 7 Wizard)
(Um... didn't Slorm ride a dragon at the end and do pretty well with Mournblade? And when did he use magic?!? Didn't Melnibone fall when he was fairly young?)

Magum Colim (Level 4 Expert (Sailor)/Level 6 Fighter/Level 6 Wizard)
(What's up with another arbitrary wizard?)

And the tin foil hat award goes to...

Dyvim Tvar (Level 7 Fighter/Level 7 Wizard)
(So his son is an Aristocrat and he is not?!? And yet ANOTHER wizard. Grrr... anyone who has forgotten about Tvar's reaction to sorcery might want to read a few pages into "The Ship Which Sails Over Land and Sea" from "Elric of Melnibone" again. The terrible drawing of him and the gaggleload of "demon items" [he, and almost everyone has] only adds to all this.)

These are just the very basics. Seriously, do a google search outside of Amazon and you'll see what I mean.

I was very disappointed when this product came out.
Potentially it could have been the highlight of the early d20 system's open license, but the producers did a very 2nd rate job of putting together the materials.
The presentation was no better then a novice could've accomplished on a home pc. The artwork was old, the organisation was not updated at all for the new book and directly borrowed from prior products.
This setting is just waiting for someone who really cares to adapt it in a good light instead of rushing to make a quick buck.
I expected more from such a fine company as Chaosium.

Based upon the popular Michael Moorcock fantasy novels, Dragon Lords Of Melnibone offers the players a complete role gaming adventure in a dark world where the forces of law and chaos clash. Players are provided with a complete description of this mystical world of Young Kingdoms and such strange races as Melniboneans and the Myyrrhn; magic and religion; demons, monsters, folk and heroes; and a gaming system that is riveting from first to last. Of particular value is The Dungeon Masters Companion section including reference guides for campaigns, mass combats, effects of chaos, scenarios, allegiances, three forces, enchantments, rumors, a character sheet template, and user friendly index. Wonderfully illustrated throughout, Dragon Lords Of Melnibone is a very highly recommended addition to any dedicated role gamer's reference and player collection.

For those that are NOT familiar with the idea, WOTC has offered an 'Open Game License' to any publisher that would like to contribute to the further growth of the d20 system that has been implemented with D&D3Ed.

Chaosium, the fine purveyors of Call of Cthulhu (for many many years) and the oft relaunched RPG versions of the Elric of Melnibone have thrown their hat in the d20 ring with this first offering.

DLoM is Elric d20... it's that simple. And the folks at Chaosium have not let us down. The package is tight, conscice and filled to the brim with vital info for running a d20 Young Kingdoms campaign.

All the main players atre faithfully presented, details for adapting Melnibonean and Pan-Tangean magic to the d20 formula and the surprising detail of summonings and pacts that were so vital to the Elric storyline all contibute to an amazing package.

If you love Elric, then this is the game for you... now... when do we get Hawkmoon and Corum?