Review: Rite Publishing – #30 Badges of Faith (Pathfinder)

#30 Badges of Faith
#30 Badges of Faith is a supplement from the #30 Series of Supplements for the Pathfinder fantasy system written by Michael Welham and published by Rite Publishing.
By Cape Rust

#30 Badges of Faith is a rules supplement for the Pathfinder system that introduces the use of badges that are developed by churches and temples to promote their deities. These badges have minor passive powers that can be improved through certain actions, active actualization or investment. With power comes responsibility; when the powers of these badges are unlocked through actualization or investment and a transgression occurs, there are penalties that can only be removed through an atonement spell cast by a 17th level cleric.

CONTENT

This 18 page rules supplement is full of 31 badge entries. Each of the badges described in this supplement have three power levels and a penalty associated with clearly defined tasks to advance the badge’s power as well as penalties for transgressions. The badges are associated with most of the major clerical domains and a few badges are associated with sub-domains.

OVERALL

This product brings good, crunchy rules to the Pathfinder system while adding some spicy flavor to the Cleric character class. This supplement is a solid buy for both GMs and players. The badge concepts are simple and effective.

Publication Quality: 8 out of 10
The Cover art by Arthur Rackham is well done. While it doesn’t depict a badge, it gives you a sense that this book has something to do with faith and religion. The subtle addition of the drawing’s reflection was great. I am partial to the page borders that Rite Publishing uses. These page borders are inked in a gold color with a tan back round that gives the pages an almost sepia feel. The border design and coloring serves a second purpose as they help offset the text. There is some original art but most of the pictures are Public Domain. The public domain pictures that were selected are good, however not all of the art completely jived with the badges they were supposed to represent.

Mechanics: 10 out of 10
These folks know how to develop well-balanced game mechanics that add rules as well as role-playing value to a game. The Pathfinder system has done a great job of making Clerics as a character class more interesting to play and Rite Publishing has turned it up to 11. Your character doesn’t have to be a Cleric to benefit from these badges, but these badges make being a Cleric that much more fun. The badge entries are concise and include all of the information a GM needs to add these badges into their game.

Value Add: 10 out of 10
At $2.99 USD this product is a steal! The badges have personality and turn an otherwise stock magic item into something useful that can grow with your character. The assorted requirements that are required to activate different powers in these badges are brimming with adventure ideas that can be thrown into almost any campaign. This concept could easily be introduced into other game systems that use the OGL; with minor tweaks.

Overall: 9 out of 10
#30 Badges of Faith is a well-executed product that is a boon to players and GMs alike. The mechanics of these badges is a good mechanism to keep Clerics, and other characters of faith, in-line with the tenants of their deity; read some of the transgressions and you’ll see what I mean. Badges… we NEED these crunchy badges!