Vigil Watch: Warrens of the Ratmen A D20 System Supplement from Sword and Sorcery Studio Rating: (3 out of 5 hearts)

The Slitheren, or ratmen, are a terrible opponent in the Scarred Lands. Each brood is a species of rats mutated by the essence of a Titan. The Ratmen are a real threat to the Divine Races of the Scarred Lands and an important part of that setting. This book describes the different broods of the Ratmen, supplementing the Creature Collections with six new types of Slitheren. The broods described in the Creature Collections are also expended upon.

Each type of Slitheren is given at least a page of description, most often two. The culture, organisation and way of life of each brood is described. The new broods are the Black Pelts, the Forge Crawlers, the Storm Chasers, the Stricken and the Unseeing. The sixth type of Ratmen, the Mauler, can be created from any brood.

The emphasis of this book is on the area of the Mourning Marshes, on the border of Vesh, where the strongest concentration of Ratmen can be found. A chapter describes the Marshes and two adventures take the PCs there to fight the Slitheren. One of the adventure is for a party of 6th or 7th level, the other is for a party of 3rd to 5th level.

Each brood of Slitheren is also described in terms of a character race, with guidelines on how to roleplay one. Three prestige classes available to Ratmen are described, the Grenadier, the Tail Fighter and the Twilight Warden.

A host of new diseases, poisons and weapons carried by the Ratmen are described, as well as three gruesome necromantic spells and four new monsters.

This book is useful in terms of background material and is a worthwhile addition the collection of a DM whose campaign is in the Scarred Lands. Visit Sword and Sorcery Studio's website here.

Weaknesses: While the editing of Sword and Sorcery Studios seems to be improving, it is still problematic. There are way to many elements that don't conform at all with the D20 system in this book. The stats of the leaders of the Ratmen, the Priest-King and the Strategos, are disappointing. They are almost templates but not really and contain mistakes. They are not given a CR. While the D20 system does not use any notion of facing in combat, one of the prestige classes has an ability that does.

New Spell: Escape the Bonds of Flesh, Fracture, Rupture

New Magic Item: Slave Bore

New Prestige Classes: the Grenadier, the Tail Fighter, the Twilight Warden

New Monsters: Dead Eater, Rat Golem, Mire Wyrm, Horserat

Main Page - New Arrivals - Our d20 System Catalogue