I've noticed a proliferation of "Let's Read" threads and decided to throw my hat in the ring with one of my favorite AD&D supplements, Council of Wyrms. For those unfamiliar with the setting, it allows players to play dragon PCs. Yet while the execution is not perfect, it's remarkably well-done and much higher in quality than a typical AD&D 2nd edition supplement.
I picked up the boxed set not long after it was released and was ridiculed by others in the store for being a power gamer. I think had Council of Wyrms introduced rules for playing dragons in Faerûn or the Flanaess, I could see this line of thinking having some merit - playing dragons alongside other PC races doesn't really work. However, Council of Wyrms introduced a new setting where dragons ruled and the whole campaign was geared toward dragons as PCs. So really, playing a dragon in Council of Wyrms is no more power-gamey than playing in a typical game of Exalted - the game is geared toward your level of power.
There are two versions of Council of Wyrms: a boxed set that came out in 1994 and a hardcover that came out near the end of the AD&D life cycle that was mostly a compilation of the boxed set. I prefer the boxed set not only because that's what I got introduced to the setting with but also because it has some really nice goodies, including a series of reference cards. a poster-sized map of the campaign setting, and a very good poster of the different dragons and their respective sizes, complete with some humanoids standing nearby to offer a comparison as to how massive a dragon really is. Regardless of which version you read, though, the first book/section covers the rules for playing dragons, and that's what I'm tackling first.
Introduction:
There are three character types in Council of Wyrms. The dragons are the reason folks bought this boxed set, and most of the material is focused on them. PCs are allowed to be metallic or gem dragons but not chromatics, although there's nothing really stopping folks from playing a red dragon besides the typical, "playing evil characters is bad" schtick.
There are also half-dragons, making what I believe to be their first appearance in D&D. Half-dragons are the offspring of polymorphed dragons and their demihuman vassals. They made for decent PC races in AD&D, and I remember playing at least one half-dragon in the Forgotten Realms.
Then there are kindred, which are typical elves, dwarves and gnomes. These kindred share a psychic link with their dragon masters, making them essentially familiars to the dragons. Players are expected to play either a dragon and a kindred or a half-dragon. However, given the scope of the campaign, I can't see a single half-dragon PC not getting overshadowed by the full-blooded dragons in the group.
The introduction also gives an overview of the setting, called Io's Blood Isles. This is a place where dragons rule, governed by the titular Council of Wyrms, and keep watch against human dragonslayers. Kindred work in cooperation with the dragons and, as the text tells us,
So...thoughts? Memories? Is this set as interesting yet flawed as I remember, or did it ruin somebody's campaign?
I picked up the boxed set not long after it was released and was ridiculed by others in the store for being a power gamer. I think had Council of Wyrms introduced rules for playing dragons in Faerûn or the Flanaess, I could see this line of thinking having some merit - playing dragons alongside other PC races doesn't really work. However, Council of Wyrms introduced a new setting where dragons ruled and the whole campaign was geared toward dragons as PCs. So really, playing a dragon in Council of Wyrms is no more power-gamey than playing in a typical game of Exalted - the game is geared toward your level of power.
There are two versions of Council of Wyrms: a boxed set that came out in 1994 and a hardcover that came out near the end of the AD&D life cycle that was mostly a compilation of the boxed set. I prefer the boxed set not only because that's what I got introduced to the setting with but also because it has some really nice goodies, including a series of reference cards. a poster-sized map of the campaign setting, and a very good poster of the different dragons and their respective sizes, complete with some humanoids standing nearby to offer a comparison as to how massive a dragon really is. Regardless of which version you read, though, the first book/section covers the rules for playing dragons, and that's what I'm tackling first.
Introduction:
The introduction gives a breakdown of what's in the box, which includes a rule book, a campaign book, and an adventure book, three posters detailing the setting, the dragon clans, and the size comparison chart for dragons, and a dozen reference cards that include NPCs and character sheets.
There are three character types in Council of Wyrms. The dragons are the reason folks bought this boxed set, and most of the material is focused on them. PCs are allowed to be metallic or gem dragons but not chromatics, although there's nothing really stopping folks from playing a red dragon besides the typical, "playing evil characters is bad" schtick.
There are also half-dragons, making what I believe to be their first appearance in D&D. Half-dragons are the offspring of polymorphed dragons and their demihuman vassals. They made for decent PC races in AD&D, and I remember playing at least one half-dragon in the Forgotten Realms.
Then there are kindred, which are typical elves, dwarves and gnomes. These kindred share a psychic link with their dragon masters, making them essentially familiars to the dragons. Players are expected to play either a dragon and a kindred or a half-dragon. However, given the scope of the campaign, I can't see a single half-dragon PC not getting overshadowed by the full-blooded dragons in the group.
The introduction also gives an overview of the setting, called Io's Blood Isles. This is a place where dragons rule, governed by the titular Council of Wyrms, and keep watch against human dragonslayers. Kindred work in cooperation with the dragons and, as the text tells us,
Were these humanoids being subservient to other humanoids, I might take issue with that statement. But if a dragon says you're not a slave, I'm not inclined to disagree with him.
So...thoughts? Memories? Is this set as interesting yet flawed as I remember, or did it ruin somebody's campaign?
