Customer Reviews:
A good book for any class........2007-07-07
If it where just a collection of magic items, then this book would still probably be worth it, but it also introduces several new concepts in magic items that can allow DMs and players new avenues to explore.
The first is a new concept of charges-per-day. Magic items with charges, like wands, and use-per-day items, like virtually everything else, have existed since the beginning of DnD. Charges-per-day is an item that gets a specific number of charges per day for use with a special power. What makes it different is that spending more charges simultaneously increases the effect. This is great for little effects you wanted more than once a day, but sometimes wish where a little bit stronger.
Next up is the runestaff. The runestaff is a new must-have for any spell caster with a static spell list, such as sorcerers, warmages and divine souls. They allow these magic users to sacrifice their own spell slots to cast the spells imbedded in the staff, essentially expanding their spell list, almost exactly like a cleric spontaneously casting cure spells. Each spell can only be cast this way a limited number of times per day, but it allows a magic user to increase their flexibility in varying situations.
Augment crystals are next. The easiest way to think of augment crystals are like slotable equipment in video games like Diablo. These relatively cheap crystals give minor bonuses to your weapon or armor and are swappable, allowing you to change them when the situation does. Unfortunately, the requirements for the highest-level crystal are a little over the top, making them for more expensive than their little price tag indicates.
Finally introduced are item sets. If you have ever played World of Warcraft or Diablo, you know what an items set is. Each component of an item set is its own magic item, but if you own more than one piece of the system, you start acquiring extra bonuses as the items resonate with each other. Some of these bonuses are very powerful and useful, some not so much, but it is a nice option for DMs who give their player planned out loot.
Being a compendium, several items in it came form other sources, such as Eberron or Faruen. Many of these items where changed in the transition. Some of the items become more powerful, others cheaper. This makes some items that where nice concepts, but priced out of the range of players that could use them, possible. Monks and spell casters should check out the re-priced DR shirts!
Also included in the book are new options for stat booster placement, item synergies, good art, and a wonderful chart for all magic items from the compendium, and the DMG!
ONE OF THE BEST WIZARDS SUPPLEMENTS IN A LONG TIME!.......2007-07-06
Dunegons & Dragons players today just don't know how good they have it. Back in the ancient days of the late 70's and early 80's, we AD&D players had the DM's guide and that was about it. Sure, the Dragon Magazine always had new magic items or you could create your own but those were not "official". Today, however, Wizards of the Coast is putting out a veritable dragon's horde of new supplements regularly and among the best of the recent releases is The Magic Item Compendium. Over 100, magic items are packed into this gorgeous 286 page, hardcover tome. Everything from minor magical trinkets to artifacts and relics are included in a well organized, and wonderfully written book that is a must have for players and DM's alike.
The book is organized into six chapters on Armor, weapons, clothing, tools, magic item sets, and using magic items and is bolstered by two comprehensive appendices listing magic items by price and random treasure. One of the things that I really like about the new magic item system is the infusing of normal armor, shields, swords, with magical properties that don't necessarily make them unique, one-of-a-kind items.
For example, in the Armor/shield category, there are over sixty different magical properties that can be added to the item (as long as it is already at least a +1 item or better) to enhance its qualities. One such property is Healing. This property will heal 2d8+5 points of damage automatically when the wearer is brought down to -1 to -9 hit points...i.e., rescue from death! The Speed property allows the user to produce the effects of a haste spell 3 times per day. All of these properties can be added to armor or shields. Next, there are over 25 unique armors and shields.
The Weapons chapter is similar to armor in that it first lists all of the different properties that can be added to a +1 or better weapon, as well as the price, caster level, aura, and activation required. Again, there are dozens of different properties listed with their full effects leaving it to the DM to decide what they want to create. There are some great unique items in weapons as well. These all include full descriptions of the appearance and powers, and most of them have a drawing that accompanies the weapon as well.
The items in clothing are all unique items and run the gamut of everything from amulets and boots to gloves and rings and everything in between. Chapter four is really a hodgepodge of everything else not included in the first three chapters. Here you'll find items such as bags, orbs, musical instruments, rods, runestaffs, tomes, and more.
Chapter five's subject is magical item sets. These are groups of three to six unique magic items that provide extra bonuses and abilities when worn together. What I love about these is that they will make great items to set about on separate quests to find and locate. And it had better be pretty hard to do so because they will make for some pretty powerful characters should all the items be found.
Finally, chapter six covers the usage of magic items...where to buy them, how to craft them, where to place them in a dungeon, etc...
It felt like the good, old days again just browsing through page after page of this treasure trove. The art is fantastic as usual. One of the best Supplements to come out in a long time.
Reviewed by Tim Janson
A DM's Crowd-Pleaser........2007-07-06
I've been a DM in one capacity or another for 27 years. This product got me excited again to run a game. The pictures are outstanding and plentiful. The people at Wizards of the Coast should be proud of this one. It is obvious from page one that a true gamer oversaw ever aspect of the product. This book, along with the Spell Compendium are like a one-two punch for the same, boring, treasure trove. A few new spells on scrolls, a new item here and there with never before seen effects and the players catch the excitement as well. The only issue I had against was that the beautiful drawing of the item in question was rarely on the same page as the description, but in a way, it added to the experience of flipping through the book to get ideas. Highly recommended!
Great Book.......2007-06-30
As a long time DM I find the quick and dirty method of item levels to be a very nice tool. Plus the full reference to all the items towards the rear of the book is great for quick look ups. All and all a great book for a DM and a pretty decent book for players. The new skills that you can apply to weapons was a nice addition.
I'm a sucker for options..........2007-06-28
This book has more weapon and armor enchantments than you'll ever use! On top of that, they added relics, artifacts and armor sets. All of which are very useful. They have things for all levels of all power levels.
This is a very useful book, because it adds to every aspect of the magical or legendary equipment. If you game has a lot of magic items or even just one or two items, this book will help you expand that.
The only downside is that your next game will have way to many magic items!
Book Description
Broad coverage, flexible organization, and an introductory level structure make Introduction to Law suitable for a variety of departments and. The text provides students with an overview of the U.S. legal system using real cases to illustrate the substance of the law, as well as major functions and procedures, promoting development of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
- New! Updated cases in almost every chapter keep students informed of the most current issues.
- New! An Internet Tip feature refers students to additional case material on the companion web site.
- New! The companion web site includes chapter outlines, useful links, and additional cases to help reinforce and illustrate concepts addressed in the text.
Customer Reviews:
Introduction to Law & the Legal System.......2007-08-13
I have used several editions of this work over the years and found it very useful but the publisher lets students access ready-made case briefs from the text on their own webpage thus undercutting one of the most important pedagogical reasons to have an Intro to Law work. I contacted the publishers and they insist that this serves some other purpose -- I thought the purpose of an academic text was to serve the needs of pedagogy. It serves the purpose of making me, a long-time user of this text, to turn away from it until the publishers get some sense of the needs of professors everywhere who do not wish to dumb-down expectations of their students.
Average customer rating:
- A good and complete introduction to geodynamics
- One of the Outstanding Textbooks in Geophysics EVER
- Life in the real world...
- This is a magnificent book. I am pleased to see new edition.
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Geodynamics
Donald L. Turcotte , and
Gerald Schubert
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ASIN: 0521666244 |
Book Description
First published in 1982, Don Turcotte and Jerry Schubert's Geodynamics became a classic textbook for several generations of students of geophysics and geology. The authors bring this text completely up-to-date in this second edition. Important additions include a chapter on chemical geodynamics, an updated coverage of comparative planetology based on recent planetary missions, and a variety of other new topics. Geodynamics provides the fundamentals necessary for an understanding of the workings of the solid earth, describing the mechanics of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building in the context of the role of mantle convection and plate tectonics. Observations such as the earth's gravity field, surface heat flow, distribution of earthquakes, surface stresses and strains, and distribution of elements are discussed.
Customer Reviews:
A good and complete introduction to geodynamics.......2007-02-24
Good and complete introduction to geodynamic.
To combine with a continuum mechanic book to be aware of the einstein notation for tensors as this book derive component independantly.
One of the Outstanding Textbooks in Geophysics EVER.......2003-12-02
Turcotte and Schubert updated their 1982 edition to account for new developments in geoscience, and the result is the most comprehensive textbook on geophysics for the upper level undergraduate/graduate student. It is an outstanding reference, and is clear and concise in its treatment of a variety of geophysical phenomena. Stress/Strain, Elasticity and Flexure, Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Gravity, Rock Rheology, and Planetology are all treated with detail and provide the student with a tremendous introduction to geophysics. I recommend it to all geologists and geophysicists!
Life in the real world..........2003-09-02
"Geodynamics" has been a classic text in the field of, well, Geodynamics since the first edition came out, and it remains a brave attempt to squeeze a large amount of detail into one volume. In many ways however, this attempt is misguided. The material suffers from overcrowding in many chapters, and different approaches are used to solve the same problem, giving wildly different answers, with no attempt made to qualify which method is accepted as the most realistic.
A fairly comprehensive set of questions are liberally sprinkled throughout each chapter, although the one-number answers at the back of the book are usually insufficient, and some brief explanation would greatly enhance user-friendliness.
The main problem I found with this textbook however, is the inability to link the numerical methods presented with real world situations. The complexities of plate deformation for example are reduced to a set of sections on beam-bending, with little or no attempt at the end to draw the lessons learnt from the exercise back into some meaningful discussion of how the earth behaves. This is a common failure of analytical approaches to Earth Science problems, that the construction of a mathematical framework becomes an end in itself, and that real data are ignored or manipulated to shoehorn them into the predictions of the model. "Geodynamics" is a good summary of the techniques used to try to understand the workings of the earth, but often leaves one with a hollow feeling that one hasn't really learned anything about the earth itself at the end of each chapter.
This is a magnificent book. I am pleased to see new edition........2002-07-05
I have known the first edition of this remarkable book, and am pleased to see the revised and improved version out. I hope that many Geophysicist will have a copy in their library eventually.
May I wish all Earth Scientists a nice research work.
Tuncay Taymaz
Book Description
This superb anthology coordinates with The Norton Recordings (4- or 8-CD set) and provides scores for most of the works discussed in The Enjoyment of Music (Standard, Shorter, and Chronological versions). Orchestral scores and scores for instrumental chamber pieces are highlighted, enabling students to follow along after minimal instruction. Each score is accompanied by brief analytical commentary.
Book Description
Revised and fully up-dated, the second edition of this graduate textbook offers a comprehensive explanation of the technology and physics of LEDs such as infrared, visible-spectrum, ultraviolet, and white LEDs made from III-V semiconductors. Elementary properties such as electrical and optical characteristics are reviewed, followed by the analysis of advanced device structures. With nine additional chapters, the treatment of LEDs has been vastly expanded, including new material on device packaging, reflectors, UV LEDs, III-V nitride materials, solid-state sources for illumination applications, and junction temperature. Radiative and non-radiative recombination dynamics, methods for improving light extraction, high-efficiency and high-power device designs, white-light emitters with wavelength-converting phosphor materials, optical reflectors, and spontaneous recombination in resonant-cavity structures are discussed in detail. With exercises, solutions, and illustrative examples, this textbook will be of interest to scientists and engineers working on LEDs and graduate students in electrical engineering, applied physics, and materials science.
Download Description
This book covers all aspects of the technology and physics of infrared, visible-spectrum, and white-light-emitting diodes (LEDs) made from III-V semiconductors. It reviews elementary properties of LEDs such as the electrical and optical characteristics, as well as advanced device physics including high-efficiency device designs, light extraction, radiative and non-radiative recombination dynamics, spontaneous recombination in resonant-cavity structures, and packaging. It introduces related areas such as human vision, photometry, colorimetry, and color rendering. Application of infrared and visible-spectrum LEDs in silica fiber, plastic fiber, and free-space communication is discussed. Extensive semiconductor material data, device design data, and analytic formulas governing LED operation are provided. Exercises and illustrative examples are included and an introductory chapter reviews the historical developments and milestones of LED research and development. This textbook will be of interest to scientists and engineers working on LEDs, and to graduate students in electrical engineering, applied physics and materials science.
Customer Reviews:
Make sure it's the right edition!.......2007-08-11
I just bought one of these through Amazon and it turned out to be the 1st (2003) edition instead of the 2nd (2006). The Amazon ordering system doesn't seem to distinguish between them so make sure you get the right one. There are substantial differences!
Stronger on theory than practice; little on nitrides.......2007-07-10
A great review of LED theory, but not a lot here on the practical and engineering side. Needs up-dating for nitride material and devices as a matter of urgency.
Great for LED Device info, Short on Process Technology.......2006-03-15
It is a great book for pople interested in the LED device. It is disappointing in people interested in the processing to make the device. I hope Prof. Schubert will add that dimension in his next book on this topic.
Good level for advanced undergraduate/1st-yr grad student.......2006-03-15
Schubert (RPI) has written an excellent book on LEDs that manages to explain and derive simple quantitative models for many phenomena of current interest. He tackles issues such as resonant cavity LEDs, reliability/surface recombination issues, current spreading theory, etc. Many monographs are a compendium of results in the field with hundreds of references to papers, which are briefly discussed, and are written by several authors. In contrast, Schubert, while giving copious references, is the sole author, leading to a coherent presentation well suited to learning. There are plentiful and good figures and drawings, as well as many exercises and solutions integrated into the text. There are no back of chapter problems, but this is not really a text for lower level undergraduates.
for PHD only.......2005-09-20
This book is for master , PHD or higher. Lots of graduate school physics, math. Researcher, scientest engineering grad. school student may find it useful for studying light emmiting semiconductor material. I was a electrical engineer myself. I am tring to find practical applications of LED and LED products design technics find this book not very useful.
Customer Reviews:
Great Adventure.......2007-08-18
This is a great twist for Dragonmark and non Dragonmark races alike. The four pc's I am running through it are loving it. The new encounter system is great. You don't need to lug around all your monster books, it has everything you need to know in the book itself. From tactics to different scenarios, depending on what the pc's do. This adventure will easily take characters from 5th to 9th. Keeps the pc's rockin with little down time.
LENGTHY BUT VERY GOOD ADVENTURE.......2007-07-30
Eyes of the Lich Queen is a campaign/adventure book designed for the Eberron setting although with a little creativity and work, it can really be dropped into any fantasy campaign of your choosing if you do not play in Eberron. You'll require all of the standard books to play. The adventure is designed for four 5th level characters although five or six may be more reasonable. This is a good ol' fashioned quest adventure with the players seeking an artifact called The Dragon's Eye. The ancient artifact was created during the age of Demons and its said the Eye can give the holder total domination over dragons. The dragons are none to happy about someone finding the artifact that had been considered mere legend. They set out to find the Eye for safekeeping. Meanwhile, the lich queen Vol is dead set on finding the Eye for herself and has set her agents about finding the artifact.
The adventure is plated out over four parts and at 126 pages, is a fairly lengthy adventure, designed to take the player characters from 5th to 9th level by the time the campaign is finished. The journey will take the group over 5,000 miles in their travels although DM's are encouraged to give players a sense of the vast distances they are traveling without bogging them down with random encounters every step of the way. The designers are looking for an epic feel to their adventure, not a tedious one. The players will be drawn into their adventure with the promise of a great treasure, hired by a Silver Dragon named Sur'Kil, who will appear to them in the form of a middle-aged human.
The first target is the Temple of Kha'shazul, located in the jungles of Q'barra, and home to various tribes of Lizard Folk. Sur'Kil speaks only of ancient relics to be found within the temple but does not mention the Eye specifically. With the ancient temple is where the players will first hear mention of the Eye and, should they survive the temple, report their findings to Su'Kil. Sur'kil then sends the players on the path of another ancient artifact hunter who sought the Eye. Next up the players go island hopping, encounterin pirates, and eventually finding themselves at the prison fortress of Dreadhold, searching for an old gnome who has important symbols and notes tattooed into his skin that will lead the players to their next clue on the trail of the Dragon's Eye.
Like the other adventure books, Eyes of the Lich Queen presents the locations in full, and in brief overview, with the specifics of each encounter area coming after that. The thing I like most about the book is the sense of wonder and scope of the entire adventure. This isn't just a jungle crawl but a truly epic, world-spanning quest to exotic locations, cities, and yes, dungeon settings as well. There's also a strong sense of intrigue as well. The players are not only pitted against the creatures they encounter along the way, but also against the forces of the Lich Queen Vol and her deadly agents who believe the players may have already located the eye. Of course, it will take a deft DM to really bring this all home to the players and hopefully, yours is one!
There's a lot to do in Eyes of the Lich Queen and it need not be followed in linear fashion...again, a skilled DM can really make this a great time for the players. There are scores of maps in the book! I personally don't play Eberron, but as I said, it's no big deal to drop this into, say, a Forgotten Realms campaign or even one of your own designs. One Beef...I'd have liked to seen this at around $20 rather than $25.
REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON
Since this is soft bound.......2007-06-12
This is a well written adventure with some extremely good ideas on DMing and keeping the story moving. My only real problem with it is the price and the fact it is a soft bound book. If I wanted to overpay for something I would have bought this at a comic book shop.
Very good addition .......2007-06-08
This seems to be one in the latest trend of WoTC adventure products for its various gameworlds. Once again, this is a set of adventures that make up a mini-campaign taking the players through various levels. It uses the latest formatting design from WoTC. That is, having encounters in a separate area, at the end of the chapters, complete with maps. Honestly, it is confusing at first, having to jump back and forth between the non-combat description and the tactical scenarios. It takes maybe two sessions to get the hang of it, in my opinion.
The adventure itself is very intriguing to read, and hopefully this will translate to the gaming table. The encounters are challenging, and the authors seem to have made very tough, and memorable opponents instead of your basic cookie-cutter monsters. There are a few typos and omissions in the text, which unfortunately, bring a good quality product slightly down.
In summary though, well worth purchasing. Plenty of surprises for players, and so far, loads of fun to run.
Best Eberron published adventure.......2007-05-05
So far I would have to say that this is the best published Eberron adventure out there. The first adventure paths starting with Shadows of the Last War were adventures in railroading if you ask me. Eyes of the Lich Queen is much better as Nicolas Logue is at the helm. You might know him since he wrote some great adventures for Dungeon Magazine.
Book Description
CIO Survival Guide is a leadership manual for the emerging role of the Chief Information Officer. This book supports and guides CIOs in acquiring or enhancing their technical skills and leadership competencies to be a full and respected member of the Executive Team. It includes exposition and practice of the skills and competencies required to be a successful CIO.
Download Description
CIO Survival Guide is a leadership manual for the emerging role of the Chief Information Officer. This book supports and guides CIOs in acquiring or enhancing their technical skills and leadership competencies to be a full and respected member of the Executive Team. It includes exposition and practice of the skills and competencies required to be a successful CIO.
Customer Reviews:
Follow the path to success.......2004-06-21
I have a single quibble with this outstanding book, and that is the title, "CIO Survival Guide", implies a reactive approach, while the book is totally focused on a proactive approach that will assure the success of any CIO who follows Schubert's excellent advice.
From the first pages, where the new CIO is given ten key questions to ask the CEO to establish his of her role with clarity, to the steps to build a functioning IT organization that is aligned to business imperatives, this book is on target every step of the way.
In a nutshell, Schubert leads you through relationship building, how to lead as well as manage, prioritization and resource management, and strategy formulation and decision making. These are critical success factors for any CxO position, but are too often lacking in CIOs. By following the advice on gaining a focus and unifying business and technology competencies you'll establish yourself as a valued member of the CxO team. More importantly, the advice provided in Chapter 4, Connecting IT to Value Creation, is not only the true key to success, but is the key to proving the value of IT to business - this is the one area where most CIOs and their IT organizations fall short, yet Schubert manages to distill all you need to know in a single chapter.
This is the best book I've read on the roles and responsibilities of a CIO. Too many books on this subject are more about small-to-medium businesses and focus too much on managing technology instead of managing to shareholder value and business operation support. I strongly recommend this book as a primary reference, and also recommend "CIO Wisdom: Best Practices from Silicon Valley" (ISBN 0131411152), which is a collection of articles by successful CIOs that nicely augment this book.
Book Description
The essential handbook integrating war and battlefield action into D&D® play. Heroes of Battle™ provides everything one needs to know to play a battle-oriented D&D campaign. Players can build military characters with new feats, spells, uses for traditional spells, and prestige classes. Information is given on tools specific to the battlefield, including siege engines, weapons, magic items, steeds, and other exotic mounts. Battlefield terrain aspects are discussed with plenty of illustrative maps and new rules. Specific types of battlefield encounters are discussed in detail, and the book provides specific detail on designing battlefields.
Customer Reviews:
I've Been Waiting for this Book My Entire Roleplaying Career.......2007-05-09
I didn't know it. I've substitute improvisation, miniatures rules, everything in its place. I didn't know this gap existed in my gaming repertoire before this book showed up on my doorstep. It was only when I opened it and skimmed the table of contents for concepts that I suddenly realized that this was it. The book I was waiting for. I almost didn't want to read it. I have no particular history with David Noonan, Will McDermott or Stephen Schubert. Maybe I've read books by them before, but they've never appeared on my radar. Wizards can put out some uneven stuff, so I wasn't sure if I even dared read it. I mean, here's a book I didn't even know I waited for and when it shows up, Bruce Cordell had nothing to do with it.
I skimmed it once very quickly. I'm a bad speed reader, but I can get the general gist of a book fast. What I found prodded me to go onward, so I started snatching at random bits that seemed to solve long standing problems in my games. I read more carefully now, probing, sussing out potential problems, trying not to get my hopes up.
So what was the answer? Did I like it? Well, to know that you'll have to skip to the end. I'm not sacrificing my own sense of drama for someone I haven't even met.
You know, even though this is a review, that last line begs for an emoticon.
Ah, well, you'll just have to take my sly humor as read and push on. You really have no choice. Go ahead. Keep reading. I dare you.
So the book starts with your standard chapter one fare. This is a book about adventures on a battlefield. What does that mean? Well, you know. Adventures. On a battlefield. We're in chapter one, so we'll go slow, but try to keep up. (My sarcasm).
So we talk about pacing, planning a campaign, general advice. Nothing here is earthshattering. Most of it is guidance in subjects like how to handle downtime in the middle of Agincourt. How militaries are organized. What a Frenchman originally meant when he called someone a "lieutenant."
From there, we move on to chapter two, and the book begins to pick up. Here they teach you how to design a battlefield (they start with remedial studies) then move on to flow charts. Now the flowchart idea for an adventure isn't exactly earthshattering, but just glancing at their two example flowcharts is enough to set straight any confusion you have about what a battle might look like from the POV of a few confused characters. Personally, this was the single biggest advantage of the book for me. Suddenly I can see clearly why so many of my past battlefields lacked luster.
The chapter doesn't end there, however. Next it teaches you how to build the enemy army in 60 minutes. Then it talks about encounter maps. Then it introduces the concept of victory points and explains how to use them to influence the battle.
Basically, you predetermine the battle outcome. This is what will happen if the PC were never even there. Then you base a best and worse case scenario on how much you think the PCs can matter in the battle. Then you use their victory points the PC's earn on the field to determine where in that specturm of possible outcomes the battle eventually falls. It's simple and its elegant and there's nothing about the system that is tied to the D&D rules. That's the biggest beauty of the book. So much of it could be used with any game system.
Next we have chapter three. Here we explore specific battlefield encounters with examples. Then we have specific example units. Then we discuss experience. So this chapter is only useful to you if you play D&D, but honestly, you got almost everything you needed in chapter two. We're into bonus material now, and we're only up to page 62.
The next chapter is a mix of D&D specific info. You could adapt some of it to other games of course. It has rules like how to handle siege engines and aerial bombardment and arrow volleys. We also deal with morale checks and commander ratings and radii, but after that we're into non game-specific materials again.
The chapter introduces a way to abstract strategic advantages to help determine who has the upper hand on the battlefield in the big view. We get into specific victory point allotments , how many points to assign to cutting a supply line, for instance. Then we wrap up with a method of handling battlefield recognition such as promotion and medals.
Chapter five deals with the military character. Now, if you've read any of my reviews, you probably know I'm going to be upset by all the prestige classes. You're right. WotC is out of control. We need to have an intervention.
The rest of the chapter is various D&D specific rules. We treat with skill applications and new feats. The best section of this chapter are the teamwork rules. In too many games, you send your characters to some sort of training an unless you want to force the players to multiclass into a level of fighter, assuming they have the xp. You really gain nothing from the experience. I've always hated that. The teamwork rules, however, fix that. These are specific tasks and abilities that require no allocation of precious character advancement resources like feats or skills. Do you want the benefits of training as heavy cavalry? Well assuming your team leader meets his prerequisites (some handle animal, some more ride, mounted combat and trample) and the team members all meet their minimum requirements as well (A single rank in ride), the characters need only train together for a time. After that, they can act as a unit and gain benefits such as stopping opponents from avoiding your overruns. One of the nice bits in here is that each teamwork benefit has a list of tips at the end. These alert the DM to potential rules he might want to brush up on or things he might want to consider. Some of it is obvious, but it's nice nevertheless.
Next we have the obligatory chapter on magic, which was fine (spell glut is almost as bad as prestige class glut, though). The book then wraps up with sample armies, sample soldiers and battlefield steeds.
You skipped to the end, didn't you? Well that's all right. I loved this book. At least a third of it is useful in any campaign and much of the rest can be converted with a little work. This book might not have as big an impact on your campaigns. Maybe you've been doing fantastic battlefield adventures for years. But if you haven't, this book can help remake your game. I'd recommend it for anyone whose game, even now, has the dark and fervent whisperings of war.
Now go back and read the rest of this review.
Take the war to D&D.......2006-03-31
It's a fine complement. There is a lot of rules you can take out of military context and use it in a regular D&D game, for example arrow volley... never again understimate the goblin archer team.
The Feats sección is commited to the main theme but I don't see it like a fault. The prestige classes are enjoyable.
A good work.
The outcome of the battle rests on your players' shoulders.......2006-03-16
This book has been vital to my weekly D&D game. The book rises and falls on the idea of epic clashes between giant armies that your players influence. The Victory Point system is increadible, it has really helped my players to get into the game. It lets even low level charactes feel that they are vital. It is easy for the players to fall out of the spotlight in a giant army, this book makes that a thing of the past.
The prestige classes don't over run the book and that is a rarity in some of these supplements...a welcome rarity.
A surprising aspect of the book is the appendix which gives you monster stats for monsters of different ranks. (Orc general, drow priestess)
This book is almost as important as the Player's Handbook if you are running a war themed campaign.
A creative and insightful resource for D&D.......2006-02-27
I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks there's nothing more epic and exciting in a RPG than war. Well this book does a pretty good job of laying the groundwork for a campaign based around battles. It's not all straightforward battlefield stuff either, a lot has to do with different tactics during war.
Things like cutting the enemy's supply lines, battlefield espionage, siege weapons, arrow volleys, etc. It also has what is definitely the best and simplest system for battlefield morale that I've seen (and it's compatable with the D&D miniatures rules) and explains how Leadership and one's rank in the military play into things.
Most of the feats and prestige classes are boring (though the combat medic is excellent) and some of the spells are very interesting. Overall it is an excellent resource.
The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is that it's all very situational, and in a standard campaign none of this will get used. For a campaign that involves medieval warfare and big battles, it earns its pricetag, which I can say for less and less of WoTC's product line of late.
Useful.......2005-11-02
Generally speaking, I dislike books that have adventure ideas and other DM material. Usually I am just looking for the 'meat' as in new monsters, spells, feats, etc...This book was an exception. I wanted to take the campaign in a little bit different direction than the norm, and thought a battlefield oriented game might be novel. This book has quiet a bit of ideas for adventures and scenarios related to large scale warfare. I found the sample ideas to be both creative and interesting. I would definately recommend the book if you are going to run that type of game. If you don't plan on running that type of game this book will have much less value to you.
Book Description
If you are a CIO, or intend to become a CIO, or simply want to understand the strategic importance of IT for your entire enterprise, CIO Best Practices provides you with the best practice guidance on the key responsibilities of the CIO and its important role in modern organizations. This is the most definitive and important work you will find on achieving and exercising strategic IT leadership.
Customer Reviews:
Manual for IT Executives.......2007-09-17
I truly appreciate the straight-forward approach this book offers. Although this book does cover what a lot of us already do know, it is a great reminder of what we should be practicing. This book is a must have in any IT executives library.
Read This Book ...It Is Excellent!.......2007-05-20
As someone who has been a CIO four times, served as an interim CIO too many time to count, wrote "CIO Wisdom" and will be coming out with "CIO Perspectives", I would like to fully endorse "CIO Best Practices". Somewhere in the book it states "all CIOs live in a competitive world and excellent customer relationship management has become a competitive advantage" This book accomplished "excellent customer relationship management" by always keeping the reader in mind. It is well written, and contains depth that could only be written by CIOs.
Want to be an exceptional CIO?.......2007-05-17
This book demonstrates the special knowledge and unique skills required to succeed as an exceptional best practices CIO. It gives the rationale for the enterprise-wide scope of that position, and lays out the recommended practices and concepts as well as case studies and practical examples of the application of these ideas, testifying to the rich experience and insight of its IT executive authors. "CIO Best Practices" is a useful reference and guide for both newly appointed and experience CIOs, as well as to aspiring CIOs. It is among the top group of recommended readings for all senior executives.
CIO Best Practices.......2007-03-15
The title accurately reflects the contents of the book. There is a definite emphasis on the practical aspects of the CIO. This work is a good read both for the budding IT professional who is setting his/her sights on the CIO role or for the CEO, COO, CFO, who needs to better understand the critical role the CIO can and should play in an organization. The CIO's whose work is included in the book are a who's who of practicing CIO's. One would do well to read, and heed, what they have to say.
Average customer rating:
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