It is not the sword, but the arm that wields it. It is not the spell, but the mind that shapes it. Live by the Sword! Iron Heroes is a variant player's handbook in the tradition of Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed. This exciting new game of heroic combat action is for skilled heroes who have no need for magic swords or arcane trinkets. Armed with their cunning, talent and unmatched bravery, they wade sword-first into a savage world of high adventure. This hardcover provides 10 all-new core classes, an expanded feat system, new combat options, character traits, a new magic paradigm, and much more. Iron Heroes does for d20 combat what Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved does for the d20 magic system. Modifications to the core system allow for high-adventure gaming where a character's talents, not his possessions, determine his abilities. Expansions to the core skill and feat subsystems allow for intriguing new tactics and exciting, cinematic battles. This exciting new game draws in both players looking for a new roleplaying game and those who want useful new rules for their d20 games. This complete handbook for players includes guidelines for incorporating its new rules and options and into d20 games and Arcana Evolved games.
Author
Mike Mearls is the dark hope of chaotic evil: young, handsome, well endowed in abilities and aptitudes, thoroughly wicked, depraved, and capricious. Whomever harms Mearls had better not brag of it in the presence of one who will inform the Demoness Lolth! Has been sent into this area to rebuild a force of men and humanoid fighters to gather loot and restore the Temple of Elemental Evil to its former glory. Of course, Mearls is but one of many so charged, but he is looked upon with special favor and expectation. He and his minions have been careful to raid far from this area, never nearer than three or four leagues, traveling on foot or being carried in wagons of the traders from Hommlet. None of the victims are ever left alive to tell the tale, and mysterious disappearances are all that can be remarked upon, for no trace of men, mounts, goods, wagons, or draft animals is ever found. Evil to the core, Mearls is cunning, and if the situation appears in doubt, he will use bribery and honeyed words to sway the balance in his favor. He is not at all adverse to gaining new recruits of any sort, and will gladly accept adventurers into the ranks, but he will test and try them continually. Those who arouse suspicion will be quietly murdered in their sleep; those with too much promise will be likewise dealt with, for Mearls wants no potential usurpers or threats to his domination. (Major points to anyone who gets the above reference) When not cribbing the bios of well known AD&D 1st edition villains, I'm a game developer at Wizards of the Coast. I work on the Dungeons & Dragons paper and pencil RPG and the Dungeons & Dragons miniatures game.
