Book of Exalted Deeds

[CycloneJoker]

Doesn't it strike you as quite hypocritical? Torture/Poison are EVILEVILEVIL, but if you use Ravages, it's A-Okay! Mind Rape? Horrible. Holy™ Mind Rape? Awesome, better teach those evil-doers what's okay and what isn't. Drugs? Nasty. Holy™ brand "Liquid Pleasure?" Let's go take a hit 'round back. Hell, isn't the entire idea of Good v. Evil in a lot of DND hypocritical? Killing a defenseless village? You have an order of paladins after you. Kill a defenseless GOBLIN village, and you get praises and awards from the "good" kingdoms.

Really, it grates on my nerves whenever this sort of thing pops up. I've taken the habit of calling it "Book of Exalted Darkness."

So, any thoughts about this, any stories to share?

[TheCountAlucard]

So, any thoughts about this, any stories to share?

My thoughts on this: this very topic has been discussed on RPG boards without fail, at least once a week, for the past eight years. It's been done to death, and quite frankly, there is no new insight to be had into it by discussing it further.

Just saying.

Also, some of the Eladrins and other Celestials are pretty cool.

[Thurbane]

Really, it grates on my nerves whenever this sort of thing pops up. I've taken the habit of calling it "Book of Exalted Darkness."

I prefer Book of Exalted Cheese, myself...

I like BoED for a lot of it's crunch, but I tend to skip over the morality lessons. When I DM, I don't let a book dictate how alignments should be played...I used the alignment section in the PHB as a guideline, and go from there.

[CycloneJoker]

My thoughts on this: this very topic has been discussed on RPG boards without fail, at least once a week, for the past eight years. It's been done to death, and quite frankly, there is no new insight to be had into it by discussing it further.

Just saying.

Also, some of the Eladrins and other Celestials are pretty cool.

Wow. Every week, and I have managed to fail to notice it every time

I prefer Book of Exalted Cheese, myself...

I like BoED for a lot of it's crunch, but I tend to skip over the morality lessons. When I DM, I don't let a book dictate how alignments should be played...I used the alignment section in the PHB as a guideline, and go from there.

I find its crunch to be either done elsewhere better, or just suck (Hello, Risen Martyr), though I normally remove alignment from spells and things, and play alignment by ear. It's still annoying if it's brought up IRL. I've, personally, banned it from most games I've DMd.

[TheCountAlucard]

Wow. Every week, and I have managed to fail to notice it every time

I... may have exaggerated. A tad.

Still, a search on these very forums for discussions on the BoED results in an absurd number of threads, the vast majority of which end up proceeding in exactly the same fashion... I imagine searches of other RPG boards would yield similar results.

[Psyren]

As I have said in countless threads before:

- Yes, it has some glaring inconsistencies and double-standards. Ravages, AoPs having VoP but being allowed to use magic items (and not a word on holy symbols) etc.
- Yes, the Vows are poorly-executed (especially Poverty and Peace) and the ones that work are weak.
- Yes, there is quite a bit of gouda that can be gotten from within the pages (e.g. Starmantle + Evasion combo and Words of Creation.)

With all that aside - the book marks a good effort, particularly at steering D&D away from its up-till then focus on slaughter as being the go-to solution to any adventurer's dealings with monsters, a stance held even by Gygax himself. Also, the PrCs, items and spells are great. The monsters section is solid gold, because you'd be hard-pressed to find any other source with that many fluffy cloud-dwellers to throw at evil PCs or send to a Planar Ally call. It may have wobbly execution, but the idea behind it is solid, and it deserves respect at least for that.

[Akal Saris]

Eh, its not a very good book.

[Forum Explorer]

I like it but cut out the stupid stuff like ravanges.