These are the general guidelines for the rating system I use.


One heart: I didn't like it, probably wouldn't use it.

Two hearts: Good, but enough shortcomings to require work on the DM's part.
Or: Good, but too many mistakes.

Three hearts: A good product, lives up to its promises. This is what we should expect from publishers.

Four hearts: Excellent. Captivating material. Great resource.

Five hearts: Unique. Sets precedents. Will always be useful. A masterwork. I definitely want to use this product.

Some considerations will make me rate a product higher or lower. For example, if a sourcebook has great background or general resources material but many d20 errors, I'll usually give it three hearts. I also take into consideration if the product is going to be useful to everybody, or at least to most people. That way, if a product is very specifically made for a particular setting and would not be especially useful outside of it, the book will almost never get a five, and almost always get a three. Some products are very good but might not be useful to most people; in that case they often get three hearts.

Remember that reviews are just like opinions; sometimes we see eye to eye, often we don't.