Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.misc (
More info?)
I have not bought this edition, yet. It is much more tempting
than the previous version, but I await some real reviews. Are
you aware of the long history of EPoT, going back before
DnD or even Chain Mail Fantasy supplement? Back in its
origin, the game existed in the rich mind of M A R Barker
and was slowly revealed to those that played with him.
TSR was aware of his games though I do not think they were
part of the Thursday Night Group. TSR was the publisher of
the first edition of EPoT which was more like second generation
FRP even though Dnd was still three little books. The game
has passed through several publishers, most of which are
gone or near so. (It is not anything about EPoT, but it is
like they carry a jinx for their publishers).
The world is quite different compared to other FRP genre.
Some have compared its culture more similar to India 1500
to 2500 years ago. But it is not India and its non-human
character types are very different -- not just a little bigger,
smaller, or other tweaks of humans. (How about 4 arms and 4 legs
with 2 faces?)
Even in the first publiished edition there was a lot of info
aobout the culture. The previous edition was very rich, but
did not carry a good intorduction to those new to the system.
(Don't repeat that to M A R Barker -- it upset him emensely
that some would complain about a system that did not have
character creation rules. This edition was to correct that
fault AND add a lot more. It willl have basic magic rules (which
is not d20), alot about culture, character creation (as started in
sample), religion (no small part of culture), some history (and
improtant pre-history), and 'monsters' of the world -- though
the interactions within the society are a big part of the game.
This is a game for the more mature plays, supporting the societal
challenges in a quite different environment. This is not a high
magic, swords and sorcerers, d20 type world.
$40 for 240 pages may seen a little higher, but it is less that
the cost to do a qualtiy photocopy. This is a small print run
product (think of Harn of C & S). Costs are higher. On the
flip side the quality of the editing of these three is usually
higher than the d20 biggies.
I wait for a real review and for discount copies to appear on
e-bay froom teenagers (with their parents money to spend) who
buy it and then discover it is to different sort of challenge:
No dragons but many many maidens to rescue -- not by sword
but by trickery.
ol Roger
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