Review: Crime and Punishment

Review: Crime and Punishment

"Crime and Punishment" by Keith Baker, published by Penumbra, and distributed by Atlas Games.  Most fantasy campaigns sort-of glance over crimes and punishment.  What happens =after= you loot that tomb?  For players, this book is a soucebook of law and order.  For GM's, this book reveals many details about what is considered a crime in various fantasy settings, and what happens to you if you are caught.  After a short two page intro to the book, it gets right into the meaty parts by giving GM's a new character class (The Investigator) and a new Prestige class (The Inquisitor).  In the 29 pages of chapter two, there are also spells and tools of the trade.  In the third chapter, we find another new character class - the Bounty Hunter, and two new Prestige classes, the Mage Hunter, and the Spellbane.  The rest of chapter 3 deals with spells and tools for those three classes.  The fourth chapter details many facets of law in a feudal society, and gives yet another new character class - The Justice.  Chapter Five details law in a theocratic society and two new Prestige classes - The Lawkeeper, and The God's Eye.  Chapter Six deals with what laws (if any!) are in a lawless society.  Chapter Seven tells you what taboos you might transgress and what to do if you find yourself in that situation.  Chapter Eight deals with punishment of various types.  Chapter Nine deals with imprisonment both above, in a cell, or below in a dungeon.  This hardback book of 160 pages is a treasure trove worth looting.  The 8 classes, the equipment (and how to use it!), the new feats, the new magic items, the info on how to use skills, the new spells, and the info on how to use law and order is invaluable.  Off hand, I can't remember seeing any book that fills this niche better than this one.   For fantasy gamemasters, I'd say this one is well worth picking up.  Highly recommended.