FFG has created a quandry for me pricing the specialization decks at a pretty low level (darn you marketing geniuses!). Are the cards necessary? Obviously not. Do they add anything new? Apparently no. Are they useful enough for reference to limit the book-passing of my beloved Core Rulebook?
Well, that's the question. There are lots of fan-created Talent trees, and those are immensely helpful. But for session play, the spec cards have the info the players might need (as opposed to looking it up in the Core Rulebook, or appropriate supplement).
I'd like to hear from those that have tried them. Are they really worthwhile, or just a neat add-on? Do they help, or detract from the game? Do players use them as reference, or tend to play them like cards ignoring or minimizing other non-card options like skills?
How (or if) to use the Specialization decks
I've used them in the past. As GM, I just wanted to buy them all so I would pick out the cards for each PCs' talents and let them use them during the game as a reference.
I played in a game where at least one player brought his own and had the talent cards for his PCs' talents as a reference.
They're probably not worth the money, but they could be useful as a quick reference during a game.
My personal preference is to download or photocopy the trees for my character and staple them to my character sheet. I can then check off the talents I have purchased. For me, It's easier to keep track of a single bundle of papers than both the sheets and a handful of cards.
Edited by kaosoeIf your players like handouts and are Magic or other CCG players, they'll probably appreciate the cards. From a practical standpoint, if Ogg would allow short and long descriptions in his character generator 
(and display the short in the trees, the long in the Talents section), the cards wouldn't be needed at the table.
While I don't think they are objectively bad, these are the only FFG SW products I don't own.
OggDude's free character builder has the short details of the Talent trees on it (after downloading the descriptions from Big Tent) so everyone has nice laminated character sheets anyway.
Edited by MaeloraBraendig, you can find the synopsis descriptions for the Character Builder at Big Tent (just sign up, it's free).
I’m with Maelora. I have some of them, but I don’t find them useful. And they are the only FFG SWRPG product line where I haven’t bought at least one of every item in existence.
The Adversary cards, however — those are GREAT! Well, at least for GMs.
I’m with Maelora. I have some of them, but I don’t find them useful. And they are the only FFG SWRPG product line where I haven’t bought at least one of every item in existence.
The Adversary cards, however — those are GREAT! Well, at least for GMs.
Adversary cards? What am I missing? I just looked through the products section and didn't find anything like that.
(insert genre-specific-expletive-that-I'm-too-excited-to-come-up-with-here)
Those are awesome. Notable NPCs will get more, but for all the minions and sidekick npcs running around those cards will eliminate a LOT of extra paperwork and record-keeping.
Talent cards aren't worth the money at all. The adversary cards I already bought a nice little wooden box for and they are used nearly every game.
I bought 1 set of the specialization decks, seems "pretty" but worthless.
I use the Adversary decks all the time though, which is why I laminated them to make sure they are nice and cozy. =)
If your players like handouts and are Magic or other CCG players, they'll probably appreciate the cards. From a practical standpoint, if Ogg would allow short and long descriptions in his character generator
Just split the difference and add any additional info from the long description into the generator's talent description. Generally, the "tree" description is plenty for play, and the "long" descriptions can be needlessly verbose. If the ones from the trees aren't cutting it, just add a line or two of clarifications as required. The talent nodes expand as needed and will fit just fine on a single sheet as long as you don't go wild with multi-paragraph descriptions 
As for adversary cards... <BlatantPlug> I just print up encounter sheets from my GM Tools. They have all the adversary info that you'll need for an encounter </BlatantPlug> That said, the adversary cards would be great for ad-hoc encounters if you don't have a computer handy. I've had a few of those and did have to whip out the CRB to find what I was looking for (which is a pain).
I use the Adversary decks all the time though, which is why I laminated them to make sure they are nice and cozy. =)
Everything I have ever laminated has ultimately become de-laminated, and the lamination process has usually not been entirely non-destructive.
That’s why I sleeved all my Adversary cards. In fact, I double-sleeved them.
Another vote for the Adversary cards. A few of our players picked up a specialization deck or two as a subsitute for buying a particular supplement (ie. the Marshall deck vs. the Far Horizons book). The GM and I have the full complement of available EotE books, and we share, but how many copies of the supplements do we need? I suppose in this limited fashion, they might be useful, but as one of the guys with an EotE library I don't need them myself.
I use the Adversary decks all the time though, which is why I laminated them to make sure they are nice and cozy. =)
Everything I have ever laminated has ultimately become de-laminated, and the lamination process has usually not been entirely non-destructive.
That’s why I sleeved all my Adversary cards. In fact, I double-sleeved them.
The advantage a laminator has over sleeves is a laminator (full page size) can be used for multiple things. Like the character sheets for Beginner games you want to keep around, handouts, etc. Either way though as long as you keep the cards nice and happy it doesnt matter the method you use. I like laminating because I have one. It seems to work for me and my Players.
To piggy back here on what many are saying. It was a great idea from FFG, but I didn't see the need or worth of them to get them. We use OggDudes Charcater Generator exclusively (with custom data entries) and we do print out the sheets. Some can be huge, I have one player I think he is at nine pages!!! I print out new sheets about every 4-5 sessions, or if they buy a new spec tree and a talent from it. Printer ink is not cheap, so I would say I am really saving any money, but I have nice looking sheets for my players. I also print on both sides of the page, to save paper. We don't laminate them, but the front sheet is usually in a document protector so they can easily write down Strain/Wound info, and then wipe it off.
I do have all the Adversary decks, and I do use them from time to time. I don't have a need to laminate them, any important info that needs to be changed I can write on the white board that is on the table.
The talent deck - well, the one I bought - is mostly useless. I got it, glanced at it and haven't taken it off the shelf since.
I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the Adversary cards, they're nice but I'd have preferred all the info on one side and the picture on the other, I don't like having to turn the card over to get the extra info. It's a small thing though, otherwise they're pretty good.
I Want To Get Them, But That's For The Artwork And To Support These Games.But I Don't Think They Will Be That helpful
I don't see the point. After playing WFRP since release I was happy that EotE didn't have any cards. I find it much easier to simply use some of the nice talent trees you can find online.
The advesary cards however are very nice and usefull
Talent cards aren't worth the money at all. The adversary cards I already bought a nice little wooden box for and they are used nearly every game.
Could you share what kind of box you got? I have them but need some kind of cool storage for them all. Thanks...
On a whim, I bought the three decks of adversary cards I haven't played since I bought it (scheduling conflicts, and me being sick for the past two weeks), but I do want to give them a test run. I haven't even opened them yet, and I'm contemplating storage and plastic sleeve options.
As far as the career cards go, my players just use copies of the talent trees. It's easier that way because they can mark the talents they've acquired and have them all nicely arranged with their character sheets.
The adversary cards look interesting though. I do a lot of book flipping and they might help me speed up the game. Perhaps I'll take a look at them.
I bought a Scotch brand laminator from Walmart for $20, mostly for the basic rules on pages 4-9 of "Under a Black Sun" but also for Stan Shinn's combat tracker.
The day I bought it, when I got home, I told the wife that she "...better steer clear of me tonight, if you know what's good for ya!"
She asked why.
So I held out my new purchase and said, "Because I'm holding a thermal laminator!"
She laughed, then asked if I bought it just so i could say that.