Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!
Book- Pathfinder Player Companion: Demon Hunter's Handbook
Publisher-Paizo
Price – ~$13
TL;DR- A must have if you fight demons 90%
Basics-The title says it all. If you're going to focus on hunting demons, this is the book for you. This book focuses on the different aspects of hunting demons. Special attention and class features are given to barbarians, inquisitors, paladins, rangers, and wizards, but every class gets something a little something out this book. Besides the crunch in the book, the book has a lot of roleplaying/fluff to it focusing extensively on who you might meet when fighting demons and how to deal with demons and demon worshipers. Last part of the book focuses on the new adevneture path Wrath of the Righteous and focuses on some of the major places you will visit while in that path.
Art- This is the standard Pathfinder style, but be warned! Demons tend to be the crazier of the evil thing out there and they tend to push some peoples buttons on what passes for ok. Some of the art might not make everybody comfortable. It's a thing that you have to get used to or don play with demons. I didn't find anything offensive, but this might not be for everybody. 5/5
Mechanics or “Crunch”- I wasn't as impressed with some of the character options as I've been with other books. The barbarian gets called out as a focus of the book, but only really gets two class features that focus on critical hits. The ranger gets three and they are only traps. If you don't use traps or focus on critical hits, then the options are kind of useless. Also some of the other character options tend to be high level stuff. The spells shine as they are a good mix of levels and casting classes. I didn't hate what I saw, but I was left wanting more. 1.5/2.5
Story or “Fluff”-Here is where the book really shines. The fluff in this book is top notch. Lots of focus on the different types of demons and how to fight them. Sidebars to expand what you should know when fighting demons and how to fight them. Heck as a DM, I learned a few things to use in my next demon encounter. Only sad thing is the focus on the Wrath of the Righteous tends to lead to Pathfinder specific focus and less general demon focus. But since this is a Pathfinder book, I expect that going in. Again, this book is focused on the crazies of the Pathfinder world so keep that in mind when you read this. 2.5/2.5
Execution- I liked the set up and layout of this book, but a few things really set me off. The book references lots of other books, and as a Pathfinder fan boy I have them all. BUT, the book does not have page number for all of them. WHY? Why are some there and not others? Please put this in. It makes my life as a player and DM that much easier! Also, I'm not sure I like everything about the roles. I would like a few things in the future. 1) Give me levels for each feat they have. It helps me as a DM make characters on the fly. If you list feats with a number ahead of them, that's all I need 2) Give me some base, not racially modified, stats. Again, nothing to fancy, but just base stats I can bolt on some race stuff to. Heck, extra points if you give me a quick level guide for stats. These things would really make these that much better. 4/5
Book Quality- This is a standard, well done Pathfinder player companion book. I love this style as the ink doesn't smear and the pages don't tare easily. Good print quality does count! 5/5
Final Thoughts- I liked this book. The crunch might not be where I want it to be, but the rest was spot on. A few tweaks in the execution will really make this thing shine and going forward will really help pull it all together. If you're going to fight lots of demons, then you should buy this book. If your game doesn't have any demons at all, then this book maybe not useful to your table. 90%
Book- Pathfinder Player Companion: Demon Hunter's Handbook
Publisher-Paizo
Price – ~$13
TL;DR- A must have if you fight demons 90%
Basics-The title says it all. If you're going to focus on hunting demons, this is the book for you. This book focuses on the different aspects of hunting demons. Special attention and class features are given to barbarians, inquisitors, paladins, rangers, and wizards, but every class gets something a little something out this book. Besides the crunch in the book, the book has a lot of roleplaying/fluff to it focusing extensively on who you might meet when fighting demons and how to deal with demons and demon worshipers. Last part of the book focuses on the new adevneture path Wrath of the Righteous and focuses on some of the major places you will visit while in that path.
Art- This is the standard Pathfinder style, but be warned! Demons tend to be the crazier of the evil thing out there and they tend to push some peoples buttons on what passes for ok. Some of the art might not make everybody comfortable. It's a thing that you have to get used to or don play with demons. I didn't find anything offensive, but this might not be for everybody. 5/5
Mechanics or “Crunch”- I wasn't as impressed with some of the character options as I've been with other books. The barbarian gets called out as a focus of the book, but only really gets two class features that focus on critical hits. The ranger gets three and they are only traps. If you don't use traps or focus on critical hits, then the options are kind of useless. Also some of the other character options tend to be high level stuff. The spells shine as they are a good mix of levels and casting classes. I didn't hate what I saw, but I was left wanting more. 1.5/2.5
Story or “Fluff”-Here is where the book really shines. The fluff in this book is top notch. Lots of focus on the different types of demons and how to fight them. Sidebars to expand what you should know when fighting demons and how to fight them. Heck as a DM, I learned a few things to use in my next demon encounter. Only sad thing is the focus on the Wrath of the Righteous tends to lead to Pathfinder specific focus and less general demon focus. But since this is a Pathfinder book, I expect that going in. Again, this book is focused on the crazies of the Pathfinder world so keep that in mind when you read this. 2.5/2.5
Execution- I liked the set up and layout of this book, but a few things really set me off. The book references lots of other books, and as a Pathfinder fan boy I have them all. BUT, the book does not have page number for all of them. WHY? Why are some there and not others? Please put this in. It makes my life as a player and DM that much easier! Also, I'm not sure I like everything about the roles. I would like a few things in the future. 1) Give me levels for each feat they have. It helps me as a DM make characters on the fly. If you list feats with a number ahead of them, that's all I need 2) Give me some base, not racially modified, stats. Again, nothing to fancy, but just base stats I can bolt on some race stuff to. Heck, extra points if you give me a quick level guide for stats. These things would really make these that much better. 4/5
Book Quality- This is a standard, well done Pathfinder player companion book. I love this style as the ink doesn't smear and the pages don't tare easily. Good print quality does count! 5/5
Final Thoughts- I liked this book. The crunch might not be where I want it to be, but the rest was spot on. A few tweaks in the execution will really make this thing shine and going forward will really help pull it all together. If you're going to fight lots of demons, then you should buy this book. If your game doesn't have any demons at all, then this book maybe not useful to your table. 90%
