68 of 78 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Wasted Potential, July 26, 2004
This review is from: Planar Handbook (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) (Hardcover)
So, we have a book intended primarily for players to experience the planes. What do we get?
One of the cruddiest books that WotC has ever put out, that's what.
Allow me to explain...it's not ALL bad. The new weapons and magic items are nice. There are new monsters, many of which are intended to transport players through the planes. Some of the prestige classes are interesting...the Ardent Dilettante itself is VERY creative, and makes sense for what it's supposed to do. Also, the substitution levels are neat; the idea is that you can trade out a certain level of a class for an alternate version with different benefits. It's a very nice idea, and will probably be used again. After all, what rogue wouldn't want to switch out a +1 bonus to Reflex saves vs. traps to be able to sense gates and teleports within 30 feet?
However, there are things that are unpleasant to downright stupid. For example...we see the aasimar and tiefling, AGAIN. This is their third appearance (in Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and the 3.5 Monster Manual), and this really doesn't add anything. At least the Bariaur has been altered, and is different...but still, reprints get annoying. Also, the feats, in general, are horrendously boring. I can't see any reason to take any of the feats presented.
And, last but not least, you have the Planar Touchstones. I'll admit, it was a nice idea to give people a reason to go plane-hopping. Personally, I'd think being able to fight new and different monsters and get different sorts of treasure would be reason enough, but hey. However...the idea that going to a place gives you a nifty power is kind of, um, silly. Not only that, but they waste 33 pages on this. They make more sense as web enhancements than as a list of stuff that will most likely not get used. Those 33 pages could have been used for more prestige classes, more feats, more monsters, more items, or, heck, even more description on planar cities, and would be more all-around useful. This is the what absolutely kills this book for me.
I'm not...quite...sorry I bought this, but if I could clip out the 33 pages of the touchstones and get my money back, I would. 2.5 stars, rounding up out of misplaced generosity.
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18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Planar Handbook is Lacking Planar Information IMO, July 12, 2005
This review is from: Planar Handbook (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) (Hardcover)
192 pages with to many pictures (didn't bother counting this time but expect at least 10% of the book from flipping throught it) and no rear index.
12 pages of reprinted 3e material on aisimar, tieflings and other planar beings from savage species and the monster manual which should have been devoted to developing new planar beings (maybe a movanic deva, a pitfiend, a balor, a planetar or solar (for an epic progression) and a marid or dao instead of the janni reprint).
34 pages of more or less worthless material IMO devoted to planar touchstones and the planar touchstone feat. Personally I thought these pages should have been devoted to fleshing out the 3E planes with a few blurbs about highlights of visiting the planes. Pages which could have been more usefully utilized to update and expand on existing 2E planar material if nothing else.
Personally liked the City of Brass particularly since it was mostly new material. Also liked a few of the classes but trading out a level of sense trap for portal sense didn't seem balanced at all.
I wouldn't recommend purchasing it for $29.95 unless you have money to burn as it just isn't that useful even in a planar campaign.
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28 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not for grognards., October 1, 2004
This review is from: Planar Handbook (Dungeon & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying) (Hardcover)
This is the sort of book that isn't as useful if you have a whole shelf of 3.0 books or if you've already got an extensive collection of 2.0 books. I really think it's more of a player's book than some of the other books.
One annoying thing about this (and many other books) is the inclusion of new spells, feats, and prestige classes. Every book that comes out can be guaranteed to have these sections in an attempt (one assumes) to make everyone buy it to get the cool new crunchy bits.
Apart from that marketing gripe the book's content is good. Some of it is new material, some is rehash from Manual of the Planes (technically a 3.0 release). It will definitely move your campaign in new directions, particularly once your players get it in their heads they need to be a "divine somethingorother" and being trying to attract the notice of the divine.
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