Good form This book should be purchased only after you or someone in your gaming group owns Scion: Hero also by White Wolf. Hopefully you'd have realized that before buying it.
While this book was well done and delivered what it needed, I did have some problems.
(Chapter by Chapter)
As someone else suggested, it's not really for players. If the Storyteller/GM/DM is prepared to read it cover to cover (should be a requirement) the players will only really be concerned with the knacks/epic attribute boost/boons.
The opening fiction in the beginning is a lot like that in hero: Inspired but not inspiring. It sets the mood for people who maybe didn't have the imagination to get the feeling from the rest of the book. They're an interesting read but awfully long.
The next sectoin shows the story and updated character sheets to the 6 'setting' characters that are also used for the adventure in the end. I suppose it is useful to see any calculations for soak and things of that nature but generally I find myself wishing they'd been placed in the back or gone al-together.
Epic Attributes and Knacks is the next chapter, and one I was most excited about. I'm a big white-wolf fan, but I was let down. The scions now have the ability to gain automatic successes like crazy (they are divine after all) but there aren't any great examples of seeing the highest epic strength in action. There is a lift/carry chart in the first book with some examples but it requires crafty playing. Some of the boons (esp. the physical ones) were a waste. They basically said "super duper" instead of "super" and then repeated the same formula- Scions can break things, throw things, and jump around really well. This would have been evident by having 22 automatic successes affiliated with the previous boons. Social and Mental abilities become more impressive, but some of them (especially appearance) could've been summed up by having 22 automatic successes with appearance rolls. I've also always enjoyed the interaction with humans in the White Wolf games, weather you were a vampire neonate or a walking god in Exalted. It seems like demigod just gave the finger to normal NPCs, because any sort of epic attributes will fix any problems.
Boons: Great chapter. The boons become truly divine although a few of them leave something to be desired, but a vast improvement (entertainment and mechanics) over hero.
Unknown Lands: 2 sections, Terra Incognitae and the Underworld. Terra seemed interesting, but it could have had more- which is an undertaking left to the storyteller to create more interesting other-worldly places. t
The underworld section in unknown lands is AMAZING. Instant 5 star. It explorers in depth the mythology of the lands of the dead, locales, customes, and then ties it in well to the scion story line. I also really enjoyed the entry ways- architecture, natural features etc. REALLY well done.
Heroic Saga: the next chapter is like 58 pages and is a pre-fabricated adventure for the 6 signature characters. I wasn't very impressed with the first books and this is alright but not somethingI would use in its entirety.
Antagonists: The final chapter, well done but leaves something to be desired. I'd rather have half of the saga and opening story and double-triple this section.
OVERALL-
Good game and solid follow up but it leaves something to be desired. The immense power that is attainable in this book for the characters turns off a need for interaction with normal humans a lot (IMO) but at the same time- they're almost gods now. Like Exalted games there is a lot of work to be done by the storyteller to get things running smoothly but even with more amazing powers the game runs smoothly. The underworld development was AMAZINGLY done and very jaw dropping- one of the best gaming locals I've read. There is still some fluff (opening fic, signature characters, long un-necessary adventure) but they do help set the mood and for people that use them they could be very helpful. If I could I'd give it a 3.5 star or higher but the lack of originality under the knacks really kills me. Over all if you liked the first book this is a worthy sequel.
Very poor value for players. While I like the concept behind the Scion game, I really can't recommend either Scion: Demigod or Scion: God to anyone but Storytellers. From a player's perspective these books are a very bad value. Scion: Demigod and Scion: God each contain about 50 pages of useful player information detailing Epic (and Ultimate) Attributes, Boons, and Knacks at the Demigod and God levels respectively. In a move to get players to buy these books before their characters reach those levels of power, White Wolf has also thrown in some Knacks that can be bought at any power level, even just starting out. Everything else in these two books is of no real use to anyone but a Storyteller. Given the high list price of these books thats a terrible value for your money.
Brilliant modern urban fantasy game of mythic proportions The successor to Scion:Hero and predecessor to Scion: God (comming out in a week). This game pits godlike heroes against titans and mythic antagonists in a modern/urban-fantasy milieu. The best roleplaying game for mythic heroes that are more powerful than your standard superhero. Think Neil Gaiman's American Gods.
No wonder White Wolf wins gaming awards. Because of books with amazing production values like these.
Heroic Epic gives way to Mythic Epic The second installment of the Scion mini series. The children of the Gods are growing in Legend and Power...and graduating from saving the day to saving the world.
Themes explored in this game is becoming more divine than human and the probelms that can cause...as well as the more power comes more responsibilty and graver consequences.
This does need Scion:Hero to play, in case you are browsing...this is a continuation of the game that begins in Scion: Hero.
Ok Content cool! Fantastic Images! Binding Sucks!!!! Ok... know i understand why they wanted to move the delivery of the books to Feb 2... the binding as has happened before with a few other WW books... simply sucks.... (considering my finances i was hoping it really appeared so far away) i got my copy today and when i simply opened it, the beautiful painting both in the back and the front ripped appart close to where the book closes... i was appaled... but i finished putting plastic over the covers to protect it... i used tape to stop further damage (not bein from USA makes it suck waiting for mail exchanges) and sat to enjoy the rest of the book... i have read close to nothing... but the art in general is awesome... i recomend it greatly... in 6 months or 1 year when they take out the 2nd edition with better binging.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
