Well I'm back in the DM throne. I've got a new roup of players and I'm wanting to start a new campaign where they eventually go to Geoff. Before I get too far ahead of myself, I have to make sure my merry band of adventurers get to rise in levels. I'm going to have them "localized" as far as adventures go for a while. This means they don't get to do the far-and-wide adventuring because they don't see npc's as useful. If I keep things localized for a while, they see their actions may have consequences. Hopefully they will all become heroes of the land and be sent off to Geoff for some silly rescue or liberation or something (I love having players who have never played 1st and 2nd ed modules). Problem is, I need to make a city or descent town unde the thumb of some evil Duke and his wretched-bully son. So, with that being said, has anyone looked into Cityscape? Is it useful? Do you think it will help add to Greyhawk? Thanks for your input!
I've got Cityscape.
I find it to be a very weak product. Whatever was intended simply doesn't come through. I don't think it adds anything significant to city design or adventuring that hasn't been stated elsewhere. More, several concepts, like patrons, don't have strong rules structures, or use any of the previously built rules structures. For city design itself, I think you'll find more useful information on creating city elements in the DMG II, PHB II, and Races of Destiny.
At best, Cityscape offers a very few feats and spells that will be useful for flavor. Beyond that, I can't recommend it.
I agree with Samwise and was very disappointed with the product.
For city and urban campaign design, Cityscape doesn't extend significantly beyond the DMG, DMG II & PHB II. The product goes nowhere near the quality of Expeditius Retreat Press's A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe. See http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=711.
Upon further review, i.e., attempting to wring some value from my purchase, the sample cities are not bad. Unfortunately, IMO, Wizards missed the opportunity to feature cities from the few settings it supports and established no new standard by which to create cities but instead only some examples.
I do not have it, but the only person I know who does was unimpressed. From a flick-through: I do wish that they had done something more interesting with the notion of City Magic than rehashing the Consecrate/ Corrupt Spell mechanic yet again with marginal changes.
That said, the Urban Savant class would fit one of my characters like a glove flavour-wise. I suspect that this is going to be one of those books where I memorize the good stuff from a friend's copy rather than shelling out for my own.
I've looked over it: from what I saw, I see no need to pay retail price for this product.
There are some interesting NPC examples, and it tells you a lot about the costs of building a city. But there isn't enough independant, ready to go information to make it worth my while.
I agree with the comment that Cityscape should have had some examples from established settings: Greyhawk would have been nice, but definately Forgotten Realms and Eberron. Nothing huge, just some small out of the way place as a teaser for something better.
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