[RPG]: Arcane Adversaries, reviewed by arcady (3/4)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10820.phtml

arcady's Summary:

Arcane adversaries is a compilation of magically themed villains for Champions gaming. While not highly original, they are very well made and a Champions collection would have a hole if it was missing something to cover the themes in this book

Go to the full review for more information.

Post originally by Jack Fortune at 2004-11-12 16:16:19
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Thanks for the good review. I especially liked your quick synopsis of the solo villains. Numbers 6 and 7 sound really intriguing to me. How do you think this product matches up with the new DEMON book?

Post originally by arcady at 2004-11-12 20:45:25
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Well I'm working on a review of the other book, and should have that opinion out soon. Everything in this book is new to this edition of Champions, whereas the other book focuses on one of the older staple villain groups of the game - and is thus more integral in the minds of Champions players. If not for that history it could probably have been summed up as a part of the first chapter of this book.

Both books look like good buys, but it'll have to wait till you have opinion on which I'd choose if I could only get one.

Post originally by Phil Masters at 2004-11-14 02:19:21
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"Several of them remind me of entries from past editions of Champions..."

Actually, from what the review says, it's clear to me that several of them come from older Champions supplements - especially Allen Varney's *Mystic Masters* and Dean Shomshak's *Creatures of the Night: Horror Enemies*.

Which isn't knocking this book at all. Those books contained stuff that richly deserves to come back into the public eye. At the very worst, it's stealing from the best. But I think that credit should be given where it's due.

Post originally by Steve Long at 2004-11-14 05:44:03
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Credit *was* given where it was due.

1. AA was written by Dean Shomshak, as I believe the review indicates. So there's no need to "credit" him for revising his own work; his name's on the front cover.

2. The special thanks section of the book specifically thanks Allen Varney, who was enthusiastic about the idea of having the characters brought back and expressed some very positive opinions of Dean's work on them.

Post originally by Phil Masters at 2004-11-14 08:00:47
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Sorry - I didn't mean to imply that Hero wouldn't give proper credit. I know very well from experience that the company is very good about that (and much better than one or two I could name). My choice of words was careless.

The comment was aimed at the reviewer, who didn't seem to have recognised the origins of these characters.

(Do they include Archimago, by the way? That was a character whose biography went quite magnificently over the top...)

Post originally by Monolith at 2004-11-18 10:32:40
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The DEMON book is much better. My opinion on Arcane Adversaries is simple: Too much old material revamped for Fifth Edition, not enough new characters and material created for the book, and too few characters in the book to justify the price. It's not a bad book but you get far more character bang for the buck from CKC. Sad really because I enjoy mystic adventures and characters very much.

[Crinos]

Originally Posted by RPGnet Reviews

Post originally by Phil Masters at 2004-11-14 02:19:21
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"Several of them remind me of entries from past editions of Champions..."

Actually, from what the review says, it's clear to me that several of them come from older Champions supplements - especially Allen Varney's *Mystic Masters* and Dean Shomshak's *Creatures of the Night: Horror Enemies*.

Which isn't knocking this book at all. Those books contained stuff that richly deserves to come back into the public eye. At the very worst, it's stealing from the best. But I think that credit should be given where it's due.

I have both Arcane Adversaries and Creatures of the night. And I can say the only major screw up of AA is that instead of updating Mrs. Meigs from COTN they instead replaced her with Bromion, who is just your generic interdimensional troublemaker.