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Exalted: Essence
by James S. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/11/2023 07:47:01

A great update to Exalted that will hopefully make it more accessible for new players. The rules seem elegant, not too complicated, not too simple. The art ranges from adequate to good and is in line with previous Exalted books, if that matters. There are rules for converting 3e characters but practically speaking the rules are different enough that a 1-1 conversion isn't always practical. The book gives the impression of having been extensively playtested. The best part is that the powers don't take up hundreds and hundreds of pages, a disease many RPGs (including D&D) have suffered from. I do wish there were more example enemies and guidance on making enemies, but you can't have everything. I hope to run a one-shot soon, so we'll see how it plays out!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Exalted: Essence
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Exalted: Essence
by Phillip M. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/07/2023 23:19:06

I would like to preface my review with three things. First, Exalted is my favorite RPG. Full stop. It's not even remotely a close contest. Second, I've been playing Exalted since its launch in 2001. Third, I was immensely skeptical of Essence when it was announced and concerned about its effect on the game line as a whole. If you hit up official (and unofficial) OPP/Exalted channels you almost certainly can find the receipts. All of that to say this.

To call Exalted: Essence a game design marvel would be doing it an immense disservice.

While it's not as "light" of a game as some like hoped, it manages to thread the needle on simplifying and streamlining the systems in a way that is FAR less of a hurdle for newcomers to the game while still being recognizeably 3rd Edition and acting as an excellent stepping stone, is still immensely satisfying to play, and possibly most importantly, still FEELS like Exalted. The fistfulls of dice you're going to be throwing around aren't going to be as large as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd edition (more of a serving bowl of dice than the prior editions' bucket), but newcomers are still going to be rolling more than they likely ever have before. On top of it all, no/minimal prep Exalted is actually possible for the first time in almost twenty years.

The book itself is clear, legible, and full to the brim with excellent and evocative art. The organization is clear and coherent so you can easily jump to whatever chapter you might need to narrow any searching you might need to do. The introduction to the setting, concepts, and all the different types of residents in Creation is substantial enough to clearly communicate what it needs to while not being too deep for newcomers to wade into. (Not dissimilar to the setting information in the old Laws of the Night Revised books)

In conclusion, Exalted: Essence is fantastic, regardless of if you're new to Creation or a long time resident.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Scion: The Village
by Nicolas M. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/07/2023 21:13:43

You really did it Sean! This elegantly simple adventure is fun and engaging



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Scion: The Village
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Exalted: Essence
by Dante W. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/07/2023 17:25:45

Essence takes the systems from third edition and actually makes them understandable and accessible. It feels very beginner friendly and like a nice gateway into OnyxPath games



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Exalted: Essence
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Fists of Flux
by Donald H. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/04/2023 18:56:59

Ok, I just grabbed the newest version and kudos. Total upgrade from head to toe. Addresses issues people have brought up in the past. I love the Stances. Kudos to you. Ku-flipping-dos.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Fists of Flux
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M20 Victorian Age Mage
by Pat G. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/03/2023 21:30:16

Badly written, by someone who really wants to preach progressive politics at you. The words "there, I said it" have no palce outside of a self-satisfied teenager sassing another teenager, while the book is otherwise very, very thick with the author's annoying fringe politics. There are some interesting ideas in the book, but you need to wade through too much other stuff to rescue them. Save your time and avoid this.

(I was tempted to go through the book with a black marker to remove the lectures and things I'd keep and things I'd ditch for any campaign I'd run - unfortunate that most post-WW content is so much less usable)



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
M20 Victorian Age Mage
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Exalted: Essence
by Richard L. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 07/03/2023 14:14:30

The TL;DR here is that Essence is a good rule set for a complicated game - it isn't an easier system, it is simplified though and makes characters more manageable to play - something Exalted has needed for a while now.

Long form...

So, I have been playing Exalted since the 2nd edition. Yes, with the Warstriders, First Age that kind of resembled a fantasy, manga look at Corporate America, and then bought Exalted 3rd Edition as a POD book. It took two men to carry it out of the van (they thought it was a mattress). Exalted 3rd Edition is fantastic - I really love it - but to play the game requires an large investment in terms of time, effort and comprehension. More so even than 2nd edition, I think.

Exalted Essence fixes that. You still have the kernel of the Exalted system there, but it makes the game a little easier to begin playing. There is lots to recommend this game, IMO...

  • All the splats are here. You can now play Abyssals in Exalted again!
  • The book doesn't waste too much space rehashing the same lore as is in 3rd Edition core - no wasted pages!
  • The system rules are pretty concise and easier to find
  • The Venture system allows for awesome 80s montages of glory!
  • The 25 skills (+) is now a reduced 14 skills making each of them more useful in terms of what they cover. No longer do you have to have larceny AND stealth, for example.
  • Compared to Exalted 3rd Edition core, the artwork is way better. I was really pleased to see this. There is also an effort to represent different peoples which, in the modern political climate, seems important? Not so much to me I guess, but other people think its a good idea. Fine. ((I still think the standard for Representative art was set for the D&D Rules Cyclopedia - don't believe me? Go check it out! People from every corner of the globe there...))
  • There is a STORYTELLER section that gives some hints on running the game! Exalted 2nd Edition had a couple of pages. 3rd edition? I don't think there is a section like that that I can recall... It isn't the most awesome advice ever, but its a damn site better than nowt!

There are some quibbles with the game too, however.

  • There seems to have been a real effort to cram as much as possible into the book and sometimes this means that sentences are not always as clear as they might be. Not a terrible crime, for sure.
  • I dont think the 9 abilities from Exalted were so much of a problem that they needed to be reduced to 3? And why not call them Physical, Mental and Social? The attributes seem very much inspired by Fate Accelerated. This might be an area I house rule later for my own games.
  • A mention for Actual Plays... Why? IDK if that is really important to most players? It felt... out of place to me anyway.

Now... I do have one major concern. In the future, when splats are released, will there be Essence mechanics released beside the full 3rd edition rule set? If the answer is no, I'd be concerned we're being forced into a D&D and AD&D situation that TSR were going through in the 80s (and the better game was D&D, sorry Mr Gyax). In a two-tiered system, with such a slow output for additional materials, is Essence a one-and-done affair?

So, I guess the real test for the game is this: AM I GLAD I BOUGHT IT? The answer is a yes, very happy. I have already begun planning a mini-campaign set in a remote corner of Creation to try out the rules, learn them thoroughly myself. I think the rules put the onus on RULINGS over RULES again, something that no AI can ever emulate (Take that, WOTC). Mostly, Essence makes the idea of running a game manageable again - and manageable means there is an increased likelihood of games actually being run.

You should get Essence if you want to get into Exalted, or if you want to introduce others into the game.

You should get Essence if you want to modify the level of crunch in games to something a little more manageable.

You should defo buy it for the art.

A ton of hard work and love has gone into this. It is worth the price tag for the PDF if you get nothing else.

Hope this was helpful to someone.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Exalted: Essence
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The World Below Ashcan Edition
by Mattiaz F. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/30/2023 03:09:39

Featuring some really stellar writers led by Matthew Dawkins and work by the great Ed Greenwood, the Ashcan edition of The World Below is incredibly promising. The subterranean setting is familiar but still manages to feel fresh and exciting and should enable a multitude of different kinds of stories to be told. Really looking forward to running this game with my group and the products to come with the launch of the full edition of the game.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
The World Below Ashcan Edition
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The World Below Ashcan Edition
by Ismael A. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/29/2023 22:40:05

This game is very nice and original. It has survival elements, reminds me of good parts of Numenera and Fallout, and is a narrative game, with light, easy-going rules, thanks to the Storypath system. The version is not full, and I'm eager to see the complete product, though the material is enough to run some games on the vast and well built World Below. For the price tag, completely worth it. When print version comes, I will add it to my collection. Matthew Dawkins & co. never disappoint, though you are missed by World of Darkness fans. Do not miss this game if you want something new, original, deep and very fun!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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W20 The Apocalyptic Record
by Eric C. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/29/2023 22:15:03

i have been a fan of WtA since it's first release. Everything from 1st to W20. I'm going to be honest I don't know what purpose this book serves. Werewolf the Apocalypse seems to get stuck with anthology stories camouflaged as gaming supplements. We already. have. "Silver Record", "Drums Around the Fire", When Will You Rage 1st print and revised. So this is pointless. Sure the art is cool and some of the stories are mediocre good. Instead of giving us a Lore of the X book like Vampire and Mage. We get this.
If you want another anthology storybook this will give you what you want. If you want. something for your gaming group this isn't. it



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
W20 The Apocalyptic Record
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The World Below Ashcan Edition
by Chris J. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/29/2023 08:28:45

This Ashcan works really well in terms of selling us on the world below, it's inhabitants, how they're organised, and why they do what they do. It's a hard world, but one that has hope and wonder built into it, as well as the horror we'd expect when we hear about shadow monsters, dragons, and all the other unbderground shenanigans. Its a world with a lot to explore, and a lot of reason to do so. Character creation gives us a wide array of options, and with nothing locked down or restricted. The reasons to work together are many, and there's so much cross pollination among the many groups, that every group will find they have enough in common to warrant their trips into the unknown abyss.

While the art is temporary, i love this particular style, and i can't wait to see how this translates into the finished articles. It's going to be a setting with some fantastic visuals, and i can't wait to see how the core book expands upon what we've got here! Well worth $5, get it now so you're ready for what comes next!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
The World Below Ashcan Edition
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The World Below Ashcan Edition
by Laura A. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/28/2023 13:13:01

A gripping setting with an intuitive system, written in an evocative, engaging, and accesible way. I am very much looking forward to the full release but, in the interim, I'm eager to get the Ashcan edition to the table!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The World Below Ashcan Edition
by Michael D. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/28/2023 12:04:06

Really loving the style and Storypath Ultra flair of The World Below. Tons of value for less than $5 and worth your time if you're looking for a unique setting that keep you digging deeper.

Go grab it now.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The World Below Ashcan Edition
by Nancy S. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/28/2023 10:49:00

Okay, my rating is really more of a 4.75, but I rounded up. I've been looking forward to the World Below since I first heard that Onyx Path was dipping into a high fantasy setting for their Storypath system, and the Ashcan Edition provides a beautiful taste of what's to come, with plenty of clear notes about where there will be more in the final edition. The world is interesting and well developed even for this small taste. As someone who's not really a fan of the Underdark from the dragon game, this is very good, as this is not a generic system, so setting is very important to me. the tiny, tiny bit off is that there's a couple of abilities where I'm still not sure how they're associated with what paths, but it's just as possible that I missed something as it is that it's missing (and I'm sure won't be in the final product) and it's nothing that makes this unusable or unplayable.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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The World Below Ashcan Edition
by Brodie F. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 06/27/2023 11:17:39

I had a lot of fun reading through The World Below. It is a great setting with tons of opportunities for Players and Storytellers alike. I cannot wait for the full book to be released, and am looking forward to playing this game for the very first time.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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