Rating: 
Summary: Finally!!!
Review: a rolplaying game that any (rather they have read the books or not) would like.no confusing cosmology or gods. just you against the shadow. still it leaves the GM great flexibility and room for creativity. doesn't seek to hide the level or abilities of the books characters. a must for the serious gamer
Rating:
Summary: Finally!!!
Review: a rolplaying game that any (rather they have read the books or not) would like. no confusing cosmology or gods. just you against the shadow. still it leaves the GM great flexibility and room for creativity. doesn't seek to hide the level or abilities of the books characters. a must for the serious gamer
Rating:
Summary: Play D&D in Randland, and have a blast doing so!
Review: As you've probably already guessed by now, this book is not a new or unique role-playing system. It is essentially Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition republished as a Wheel of Time product - the rules are the same (except for the magic system), and in fact several sections are lifted word for word from the D&D core rulebooks, in some rare cases causing a discrepancy in the rules (for example, the rules mention a weapon that is not described in the book). That said, I am almost completely satisfied with this product. All the information you need is here, from basic rules to GM-ing tips to monsters to a description of the Wheel of Time universe (although I found parts of that to be a bit lacking, so if I were to run a large campaign instead of the pre-included adventure I would have to do some additional research from the books). As was stated before, the rules are identical to that of D&D 3rd edition (ie the D20 system), so most fantasy gamers should feel right at home here. Those unfamiliar with the D20 system will not be lost, though. This book includes a complete description of the rules so as to stand alone from anything D&D. The one major difference between D&D and WoT the magic system, which is akin to the sorcerers of Dungeons and Dragons - channelers can channel a certain number of weaves (spells) per day, but they do not have to decide on the spells beforehand. However, channelers can 'overchannel', meaning they use a weave that they do not have an available weave slot to cast. Needless to say, this can get dangerous. Everything is incorporated into the magic system, from the use of lost weaves to the use of angreal or sa'angreal to multiple channelers trying to focus their efforts. There are also some minor changes. Characters have a reputation number, representing how famous (or infamous) has become. Although this makes sense, experienced GMs may wish to forgo this mechanic in place of simply role-playing it. The representation of the world through the rules is almost spot on, dealing with the world Rand and company live in now (although playing in other points in history are certainly possible). The selection of race in D&D has become a selection of origin (unless, of course, you plan on playing an ogier), and all of the traits gained from this selection are more or less accurate, although the 'midlander' origin covers a bit too much ground for my taste. Initially characters can choose only generic classes (although the origins of these classes in the book can clearly be seen), but characters can later change into prestige classes (another concept any D&D player should be familiar with) which more closely define their place in the world, from becoming a full-fledged Aes Sedai (and thus being bound by the Three Oaths) to joining to ranks of the Whitecloaks. . Player characters can gain access to any of the lost abilities that some of our heroes in Randland have through the use of feats, and all of these feats are well represented. There are, however, some discrepancies between the rules and the books. For example, a certain ter'angreal used to promote Aes Sedai novices to accepted (I'm trying to avoid spoilers, okay?) is extremely different than it is in the book. Also, it should be noted that measurements in the book are given in the Wheel of Time system, with no standard or metric conversions provided other than The GM-ing tips included in the book are essentially the same as those included in the Dungeon Master's Guide for D&D, albeit highly condensed. They are helpful at times, though most of the time they are something that any experienced GM would know anyway. There are some WoT-specific tips, though, such as how to deal with ta'varen characters, which I found particularly useful, and inexperienced GMs will find The whole thing to be a great boon. Last, but not least, it should be noted that YOU SHOULD NOT READ THIS BOOK BEFORE READING THE WHEEL OF TIME SERIES. Spoilers abound in this book. You have been warned. Any role-playing or WoT enthusiast should consider picking up Wheel of Time RPG. The magic system is much better than that of Dungeons and Dragons, there is a detailed campaign setting included, and best of all it is only one book so there is not a 50-beek handbook library to carry around. Despite its small problems, WoT RPG is fun enough and faithful enough to Jordan's masterpieces that it still deserves five stars.
Rating: 
Summary: 5 stars on its own terms, but of little use to non-WoT fans
Review: Background: I've read all of the WoT books, starting with the first book when it was first published, and ending with the most recent when it was published. While Im not a rabid fan, I pick the books up when they are released in hardback as a special treat to myself and have over the course of the years reread the first 5 books once. Ive also been playing RPGs for 17 years and started playing the 'new' DnD 3e/d20 System since its release about a year and a half ago. So, when the WoT rpg was released I perused it in a local gaming store and was duly impressed, but didnt want to shell out 40 bucks for it, what with the holidays coming on and the fact that as much as I like playing rpgs and like reading fantasy, Ive never felt like playing an rpg set in the world of a book (with the possible exception of Raymond E. Feist's Midkemia setting). As luck would have it, a friend gave it to me for Christmas so I ended up with it anyway. Ive always felt that when dealing with a liscenced product, if you dont play one of the central characters of the series your characters are essentially unimportant. Star Wars suffers from this problem too in my mind. The prospect of such doesnt incite me to pitch in and play in such a setting. In WoT this is even more pronounced because the entire setting revolves around Rand al'Thor and his taveren buddies Matt & Perrin. Without question Rand al'Thor is the end-all be-all person of that setting, and any other character's achievements are practically meaningless and inconsequential by comparison. Thats not my idea of fun. As a rpg product, WoT gets all points for style, composition, and substance. While I didnt personally like all of the art as I didnt find it particularly evocative for the most part, as a whole the artwork was tastefully integrated into the format of the book. Typos were hard to find, and major discrepencies few. The integration of mechanics from D&D 3e, some choice mechanics from Star Wars d20, and new mechanics specific to WoT is cleanly accomplished. By far the best feature of the book is the new Weave based magic system and its integration with several classes and prestige classes, which make logical sence from a systemic point of view and still fit the setting seamlessly. All around, it as an excellent product deserving of 4.5 to 5 stars on its own merits as a rpg setting and rules book. Its one major flaw however is that it is almost useless as more than a curiosity to non-WoT fans or WoT fans that are not planning on playing a campaign in the WoT setting. How many rpg groups are entirely comprised of Robert Jordan fans that are enthusiastic about playing a campaign set in the WoT universe? While there may be a few, I would guess that such a group would be an exception rather than the rule. For a GM interested in making a homebrewed setting with an alternate magic system, this book would provide just the thing, but then the GM and any character using the magic system would need to drop 40 bucks on the book just to have access to the magic system therein. So, in the larger perspective, while WoT is a well made product, it is essentially a 'closed loop' with little use to the majority of gamers. Thus, I have to subtract a star from my rating. Im glad I have it, but I wouldnt have bought it for myself; if it had not have been a gift it would never have graced my bookshelves with its presence. Keep in mind that I am a WoT fan that roleplays almost weekly; talk about lack of target audience saturation.
Rating:
Summary: It only gets better...
Review: I decided to wait until I'd read the entire 3E expansion for The Wheel of Time before finally writing this review, which is good, because otherwise I'd have given it that fifth star it almost deserves. Firstly, I'd like to say that, on the whole, the adaptation is fantastic. The expansion is almost totally self-contained, so the player won't need to purchase another item once all the necessary sourcebooks have been procured...AS LONG AS HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE WHEEL OF TIME. That's right: while the book does give some fairly decent brief descriptions of the lands, its peoples, and the storyline, it honestly doesn't cut the mustard for a newbie to the series. Needless to say, as the GM for my group, I've been busy explaining to two of my players everything about the world of the Wheel of Time, and trying to make one of them understand why he can't call his character "Dragon." The layout is above average, and the typos and misprints are nearly nonexistent...but I did say "nearly." If anyone finds out what the "Quickness" feat is, e-mail me. The artwork is also well-placed and of high quality, but that was to be expected. The translation of One Power usuage was sheer genius. Give the man a cookie. About a year ago I spent two months trying to adapt such an idea to D&D3E rules, and finally quit because I was starting to pull my hair out. I'm thoroughly impressed. The final verdict: if you're a Wheel of Time fan who plays RPGs, buy it. If you're an RPG fan who's read the Wheel of Time, buy it. If you're a Wheel of Time fan who wants to play RPGs, this is the reason to start.
Rating:
Summary: Good and well thought out
Review: I found this book a well thought out and put together one. Mind you I'm not a big fan of Mr Jordan's writing,but I do love his world and it translates so well into an RPG. This book would have gotten 5 stars from me but for a few small details,for example I'm not all that pleased with how EXP is award (with characters gaining an amount based on how long the adventure has taken),a lack of hard fast rules for channeling addiction,and a lack of many talents and weaves (which will most likely be put in a future supplement) but these are all minor problems that are easy to correct with a little fore-thought and work. I would most certainly recommand it to a fan of the series who loves RPG's without a doubt,and would still recommand it too those who don't like RJ's writing,but do like his world.
Rating:
Summary: Great game book
Review: I have been waiting for this one. Finally I can put this into a game. The series is great and this book did a great job in keeping with the feel of it. Way to go Wizards! There are a couple of errors, hard to find stats, and they only mapped the main continent, but overall it's great!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastically put together!
Review: I haven't found anything about this book that I dislike yet. I've been playing the d20 system for about a year now and rping for about 13 years total and I've never come across 1 book this organized and easy to move around. Even the character sheet was put together pretty well. And I always feel the need to remake that or find one someone else remade. Also, having read the Wheel of Time series twice, I was worried how they would adapt the series to rp. And I think they did it very intelligently. I can see why it has Robert Jordan's stamp of approval. It certainly has mine.
Rating:
Summary: Now you can turn the wheel yourself
Review: i just picked up this RPG a little while ago, and i really loved what i saw. A great fantasy game based on a great and well-written fantasy series. It is a very interesting game and easy to learn, especially if you know the d20 system or are a fan of Mr. Jordan's wonderful books(which i am)i also enjoyed reading Mr. Jordan's foreword at the beginning of this book. This is a must-have for fans of fantasy or RPG's or both.
Rating:
Summary: I love the game...only
Review: I love this game, Read all the books and am a huge fan of this world. The game truly lets u move around in this world (with a good GM that knows his stuff). The rules are clear, characters are very accurate, which gives the overall view an authentic Wheel of time feeling. Only one thing tht pretty much bothers me. There are absolutely no rules in the book about creating ter'angreals or anything in that direction, where players should be able to do so (or DM's). Cause of this I give it a 4 star rating instead of a 5 star rating.
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