Warlords of the Accordlands: The Master Codex

I'm glad that I read the Warlords books in the order that I did, because it helped me to understand what was going on behind the rules before I read them. I feel that's kind of important in this case, because In almost every way Warlords takes the standard DnD game and supercharges it. The rules are no exception.

At its heart this game is your standard d20 fare. It even bears the d20 logo, though I didn't see a STL declaration, and it seems to be in violation (it has attribute and experience rules) *shrug* That doesn't really effect the game itself though.

I say its the standard d20 fare, but that's a little unfair. The game has the usual feats and prestige classes, but like all aspects of the setting, it takes them, tweaks them, and pushes them a bit further.

The races seem to be the usual elves, dwarves, and humans, until you read about what makes them tick. The classes look like those you are familiar with, until you read through their abilities.

More importantly, this game takes into account how exactly the races, classes, and feats interact. Each class has specific abilities available to it based on what race you are playing. The feats don't just make you more powerful (though there is a bit of that when compared to standard DnD), they broaden your options and deepen your character.

Sure, there are feats that would make a power-gamer sing. This world is darker and more brutal than your average world, and the characters are larger-than-life. There are also, however, feats that add depth and story to your character. Quest feats that help to define his purpose, and Lunar feats that explore his origin.

This feeling of depth and empowerment even continues into the item lists, with ways to customize your weapons and equipment. Everything from what material your sword is made from to the pattern that it was forged in.

Everything about this book is meaty and exceptional. I give it a 9 out of 10.