I've been looking for reviews of Hero's Call but I can't find any. I'm wondering what this set offers and whether it would be interesting to me. The prospect of epic stuff and new playable races does look interesting.

I'm also a bit curious about Omens of War and Lure of Power. On the one hand, I'd like to get the material for all 4 Chaos gods, but the additional rules in these expansions seem to me like they'd just be a burden. I prefer keeping things a bit simpler. Any opinions?

With Hunter Chronicles for the win!

Some kind of review for Hero's Call can be found here: youtherewhatdayisthis.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/heros-call-and-the-damp-patch-in-my-trousers-part-1/ I have currently forgotten from whom of the forum it was written. It consists a lot of personal opinion but I think it covers it good.

As with the Expansions for the Chaos Gods, No one is dictating you to use the extra rules. I'm also not a fan of all this noble stuff. My PCs are rough adventurers not nobles. So all this kind of social combat is nothing I would fancy. But the box contains as far as I know an adventure using the specific rules. So give it a try, play the adventure and if you don't like the rules just forget them afterwards.

Thanks for the review link (and for the wonderful compliment about our audio drama). I think I'm going to wait a bit before buying any of these expansions, but the review of Hero's Call already makes it sound worth its price, even if it only covered the player material. The way Ogres are handled in particular brings a smile to my face They have to eat a piece of meat every hour or suffer a penalty to all actions? This kind of stuff is where WFRP will always be cooler than D&D etc.

Yeah I've got a PC interested in playing an Ogre, but I'm not sure how I'll handle the eating meat every hour rule. I may allow him to "pre-eat" meat that will last him a long time. For example, the group kills a bunch of orcs and he eats all their bodies which amounts to say 600 pounds of meat. He won't need to eat meat for another 600 hours, but he will still be hungry for more. I see it that this way, he won't be carting around a bunch of oxen on his back, but he will still want to keep eating as more food becomes available.

This of course will have limits, probably only working until he is able to eat about 4-5 days worth of meat, then it caps off.

I don't know any reviews but here is a summary of the book and my opinions.

Hero's Call consists of 7 Chapters which are:-

1. The Heights of Power. (5 pages) A few pages giving an oversight into the different challenges that face characters as they become more powerful.

2. New Character Race Options. (11 pages) To me the most important part of the book. The rules for Ogres, Halflings, men of different regions and dwarfs of different holds makes it much easier to create characters that represent different parts of the empire. I am not sure how well balanced the abilities of the different empire regions are but they all add some good flavor to the regions.

3. Expanded Rules. (6 pages) These add a variety of new rules aimed at higher level characters. These range from limiting careers access on a tiered system to skill mastery (a special rule for people buying their 4 rank in training in a skill) to Heroic difficulties and inherent difficulties on skill checks. It also introduces extended challenges. In general these are all simple and reasonable rules.

4. The High and the Mighty. (8 pages). Some guidelines for GM's on running games for high rank characters. Deals with stuff like challenges and goals to fame, renown and notoriety as well as responsibilities and wealth.

5. Heroic Episode Templates. (7 pages) If you use episode templates these might be useful. I don't so I could not comment.

6. Epic Threats. (13 pages) This introduces several epic threat sheets (basically quick ways of enhancing a creature card). Now is your chance to turn a normal snotling into an Epic Snotling and have them become your parties new nemesis! I have used these and they are a pretty nice simple system. Also in this chapter is information on a series of big bad buys for your party to face. This includes some of the famous characters form the setting (such as Grey Seer Thanquol) to probably more useful big bad creatures such as the Arachnarok spiders).

7. The Art of Waaagh! (26 pages) An adventure set in Grey Lady Pass in the grey mountains near Ubersreik. Reads pretty well but I haven't actually played it.

In general I felt this is one of the stronger releases in the line. There are new rules in here but they will not impact your game unless you want them to. That I see as a good thing. As far as I am concerned the rules part of this game are finished. What we are missing is exploration and development of the setting in terms of source books and adventures. This book is a good start on that road.

This is indeed the first box that doesn't feel like it was the rules they couldn't fit in the core box. Nice additions to the ruleset, actually fluff…. I know….

Thanks for the overview, cpt. Fluffy! Epic Snotlings sound like the basis for one awesome adventure!

I got some good use out of the new wound card, "Mortal Wound," on the player that bought the boxed set for our group

jh

These seem pretty useful. I'll probably have to make a few more. It might be nice to have a "Priest" version.

Type: HERO

Threat: +1

Wounds: +5

St: +1

To: +1+white

Ag: +1

Int: +1

WP: +1 +white

Fel: +1

Stn: +1

Damage: +1

Soak: +1

Defense: +1

Bonus Actions: melee, ranged, support

Aggression: +2

Cunning: +2

Expertise: +1

Special Rules: Epic: Once per session, a Hero may add 1 success and 1 boon to the results pool of an action after the dice are rolled.

Type: MASTERMIND

Threat: +2

Wounds: +2

St +0

To +0

Ag +0

Int +3 +white

WP +2

Fel +2 +white

Stn: +1

Damage: +0

Soak: +1

Defense: +2

Bonus Actions: (3)support

Aggression: +0

Cunning: +5

Expertise: +4

Special Rules: Plans Within Plans: Once per sessionk a mastermind may remove one red, gree, or purple from teh dice pool of one of his actions, instead placeing it with the face of his choice directly into the results pool.

Counfounding: All Social actions targeting a Mastermind gain: 2 banes = Suffer 1 stress.

Type: MONSTROUS

Threat: +3

Wounds: +15

St +3,+white

To +3,+white

Ag +0

Int +0

WP +0

Fel +0

Stn: +2

Damage: +4

Soak: +3

Defense: +0

Bonus Actions: (3) melee

Aggression: +5

Cunning: +0

Expertise: +2

Special Rules: Horrifying: The upgraded creature or NPC gains Fear 3. If it already has a Fear or Terror rating, that rating is instead increased by 1 (to a maximum of 4). Stomp: A Monstrous creature may perform the Melee Strike action as a maneuver once per turn.

Type: LORD

Threat: +3

Wounds: +10

St +2, +white

To +2, +white

Ag +2, +white

Int +2, +white

WP +2, +white

Fel +2, +white

Stn: +2

Damage: +2

Soak: +2

Defense: +2

Bonus Actions: melee, ranged, (2) support

Aggression: +4

Cunning: +4

Expertise: +2

Special Rules: Fearsome: The upgraded creature or NPC gains Fear 1. IF it already has a Fear or Terror rating, that rating is instead increased by 1 (to a maximum of 3). Epic: Once per session, a Hero may add 1 success and 1 boon to the results pool of an action after the dice are rolled.

Type: SORCERER

Threat: +2

Wounds: +2

St +0

To +0

Ag +1

Int +2, +white

WP +2, +white

Fel +1

Stn: +1

Damage: +0

Soak: +1

Defense: +2

Bonus Actions (4) SPELL

Aggression: +2

Cunning: +2

Expertise: +2

Special Rules: Sorcerous: Gains 2 ranks of training in Channeling, Magical Sight, and Spellcraft. A Sorcerer gains the Channel Power action and gathers and uses power as a wizard. Suffused with Power: Once per session, a Sorcerer may gain 5 power.

Here's the announcement thread: http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/56638-monsters-and-masterminds-a-preview-for-heros-call/