Vigil Watch: Warrens of the Ratmen

Rating:
Summary: An interesting and well done book
Review: When I read this book, I was glad the Ratmen were presented as not just another evil, warmongering race of monsters. In fact, this book presents the ratmen as part of a larger, ratmen society with different subraces and factions each with their own agendas. Some seek unity among the subraces, while others are absolute pariahs. Indeed, the ratmen become a vital part of the world of the Scarred Lands.

As a sourcebook for Sword and Sorcery's Scarred Lands Campaign setting, this book is a must have. However, those people not playing in the Scarred Lands can find some use in it for presenting ratmen/ratlings/skaven, or whatever other name you wish to call rat people, into thier campaign worlds. This is a well written book, with excllent artwork and information. There are several Ratmen prestige classes, Spells, and new pieces of equipment presented, and most of them are well done.

However, the only factor that keeps me from giving it a full 5 stars is that the writers of the book make too many decisions for the Game Master using this book. Only some races of ratmen are presented as viable player character races, and are given full write ups for using them as such. Those subraces that the authors deemed too-powerful to be used as a player character race are denied such a writeup. Unfortunately, this takes alot of control away from the individual game master, and makes it more difficult to present NPC's from these subraces that possess character class levels beyond the norm for their race. Perhaps most annoying is that the most interesting of the subraces - in my eyes, anyway - are the ones not given an extra writeup for uses as a character race.

In all, I thing this book was a very good purchase, especially considering the price. I've found alot more enjoyment reading this and other Sword and Sorcery releases than the "official" ones from Wizards of the Coast. All things considered, this book is worth the cost, just for a new and interesting take on a culture of ratmen.