FASA Games, Inc.

Talk to me, should I get it?

It's been a while since I've actually read it, but It's a pretty decent book from what I remember.

(I did some editorial work on the history/backstory for the city while the book was in development.)

Of course, if somebody has a question about, "Should I buy this Earthdawn book?" my answer is almost certainly going to be, "Yes!" Since, you know, I'm not exactly the most impartial when it comes to this sort of thing.

Personally, the Kratas book is my second favorite 'geography' book (after Serpent River).

One might be afraid that the book would only be of interest to Thieves characters or the likes but no, they balanced the city so that it is still a place where 'regular' people can live, just a lot darker and rougher. It can be turned into a nice 'headquarter' for a group (about 1/3 of the buildings are unoccupied so anyone can just walk in and take over a (decrepit) mansion for themselves). The in-city politics between the gangs, the many mercenaries and scorchers tribes living there can make it a very interesting place for adventures too.

So like I said, no just a place for 'thieves'.

If you purchase it, make sure you get the 3rd Edition one not the Classic Edition.

Bonhumm wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:12 am

If you purchase it, make sure you get the 3rd Edition one not the Classic Edition.

Why is that?

The Kratas book has been a massive source of inspiration for me, as for some strange reasons all my players end up in the City of Thieves sooner or later :p
It has become one of my favorite setting books.

Tattered Rags wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 19, 2019 4:09 pm

Bonhumm wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:12 am

If you purchase it, make sure you get the 3rd Edition one not the Classic Edition.

Why is that?

The Classic Edition Kratas book comes in 2 parts:

1- The main book itself.
2- A 100 pages Codex that cover the main NPC (description and stats) of the city.

While the 3rd Edition comes in a single book, with the NPC description included.


However... now that you made me check... the Classic Edition book is 296 pages while the 3rd Edition that INCLUDES the 100 pages Codes is... 274 pages, implying that they cut a lot of stuff in the 3rd Edition book to make everything fit.

Or maybe they just used smaller font? I'll try and take a look to see if Classic really has +100 pages of content more than 3rd.

OK never mind, I'm completely wrong. Because there is stats for SOME of the (major) NPC in the 3rd Edition book (AND the same data in the Classic Edition) I thought it meant it included the Codex data but it does not.

3rd Edition seems to be completely missing the NPC Codex (named Kratas Characters Codex) BUT 3rd Edition does have another book about Kratas, an adventures sourcebook named 'Kratas Adventures'.

My Players have been there 4 or 5 times. Every time they leave, They swear they are never going back. And every time they return, It's "How in the Hell did we end up back in F!!@$& Kratas?

Heya,

Bonhumm wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 19, 2019 7:37 pm

OK never mind, I'm completely wrong. Because there is stats for SOME of the (major) NPC in the 3rd Edition book (AND the same data in the Classic Edition) I thought it meant it included the Codex data but it does not.

3rd Edition seems to be completely missing the NPC Codex (named Kratas Characters Codex) BUT 3rd Edition does have another book about Kratas, an adventures sourcebook named 'Kratas Adventures'.

Sadly, we (RedBrick) never converted over the "Classic" Kratas NPC Codex to Third Edition stats, so that's a thing that remain on its own in Earthdawn Classic land. Mea culpa and all that.

Third Edition is technically a more "complete" version of Kratas, being two books: Kratas: City of Thieves (comparable to the EDC version) and Kratas Adventures (lots of fun in Kratas and environs). Third Edition is probably easier to convert over to ED4 in terms of stat blocks, et al.

Otherwise, pretty much the same content.

Take kaer, James

Anunnaki wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 17, 2019 2:49 am

Heya,

Bonhumm wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 19, 2019 7:37 pm

OK never mind, I'm completely wrong. Because there is stats for SOME of the (major) NPC in the 3rd Edition book (AND the same data in the Classic Edition) I thought it meant it included the Codex data but it does not.

3rd Edition seems to be completely missing the NPC Codex (named Kratas Characters Codex) BUT 3rd Edition does have another book about Kratas, an adventures sourcebook named 'Kratas Adventures'.

Sadly, we (RedBrick) never converted over the "Classic" Kratas NPC Codex to Third Edition stats, so that's a thing that remain on its own in Earthdawn Classic land. Mea culpa and all that.

Third Edition is technically a more "complete" version of Kratas, being two books: Kratas: City of Thieves (comparable to the EDC version) and Kratas Adventures (lots of fun in Kratas and environs). Third Edition is probably easier to convert over to ED4 in terms of stat blocks, et al.

Otherwise, pretty much the same content.

Take kaer, James

Is the Kratas Character Codex available anywhere? When I look at the Classic Edition "Kratas: City of Thieves" on DriveThruRPG, it has a dead-link to the old earthdawn.com to get it.