Player Companion: Knights of the Inner Sea
Knights of the Inner Sea is an epic fantasy supplement from the Player Companion series for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, written by Gareth Hanrahan, Steve Kenson, Patrick Renie, Tork Shaw, and Jerome Virnich and published by Paizo Publishing.
By Venus De Coy
Learn more about Knights of the Inner Sea here
Purchase Knights of the Inner Sea here
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Knights of the Inner Sea is a book that specializes in focusing on the “knight” classes in Pathfinder. It goes into detail about the daily life of knights in Golarion, as well as what many knights believe in for the betterment of the world.
CONTENT
The 32 page book, has quite a lot written into it’s small size:
- Showcases the well known groups of knights: Eagle Knights, Hellknights, Mendevian Crusaders, and the Knights of Ozem.
- You get a detailed dissection of a knights armaments, their mount’s barding, as well as a sharing of how heraldry works in Golarion.
- There are awesome new spells, items, order options for the Cavalier class, and Codes of Conduct, which can easily be used for not only Paladins but any class that has an additional “Code” mechanic. (Samurai’s, Cavaliers, Some Monks Archetypes)
This book is available for $10.99 online at Paizo.com or at your Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS). The PDF is also available for $8.99 at Paizo.com
OVERALL
This book came to me as a fellow Society Player requested it to be reviewed. Normally I do not review based on “Society” requests despite being an avid Pathfinder Society Organized Play Campaigner. But the book looked pretty awesome, and I did have some store credit at my FLGS, so I took up the opportunity and got the book. Needless to say, this was a great investment for me. Society Player or not, this is a great book to have for all you “Knights in Shiny Armor” out there.
RATINGS
Publication Quality: 10 out of 10
Normally I have a digital and printed copy of a book and so I can usually review both. But as this was a “book only” purchase I am reviewing on that ground. Your actual mileage for PDF copy friends may vary, but there is no difference between the two usually. For me, the layout of this book has you caught up from the get-go. I am a huge fan of dragons, and right on the cover alone, there is some hero fighting a dragon! As you get into the book, you get quite a lot of information about the many crusading groups of good that are within the world of Golarion. It is indeed a lovely change of pace from the ordinary. The art is heavier than most books, but it is very rich in color and you still get a good amount of information.
Mechanics: 10 out of 10
The player companion line is more of the “Crunch” of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game line. It’s likes to give players tons of options not only in the roleplay department, but also in the rules/options of the game. They also have a place where they do a “mock” stat build of characters who would fit in these groups and it includes archetypes, feats, and additional ideas that can help those of us who are not big rules heavy players, come up with ideas and builds that you may not have come up with on our own. Which mechanically is a nice touch. There are also some pretty nice spells for all you “Combat Casters” out there. (I recommend Carry Companion, and Bed of Iron)
Value Add: 8 out of 10
Now where the book lacks is a little more in the “roleplay options” of the knights. They go through a few of the well known groups in Pathfinder, and then touch a little on the quieter groups. I am a big fan of what they provided, I would have loved to learn more about them. What I really like, is how it is intertwined with a lot of historical accuracy as well. There is a section in the book, that talks about the “Anatomy of A Knight” where a player gets to learn all the pieces of a knight’s armor, the mounts’ armor pieces and how the heraldry should be properly displayed in situations. It’s nice when a supplement not only showcases cool Pathfinder aspects, but it also showcases real-life medieval attire as well.
Overall: 9 out of 10
This is a book, that is great for all you crusaders out there regardless of alignment, creed or banner! If you have been looking for a book that talks about The Inner Sea Knights, look no further! This book is for you. If you have been wanting to know more about well known knights, or wanting to create your own knightly order, this is the book that will provide that for you!