Legends and Labyrinths: First Impressions

I finally got the Legends and Labyrinths Black Book Beta, Justin sent too me since I helped fund the project. I decided I would try to make a character as I went through the pdf. (that's what I usually do with any new rpg game.)

So here is my first impressions as I made a character in Legends and Labyrinths.

A large factor for me right now is how much time I spend on charactor creation. So I started at exactly 2pm mountain time and timed myself. Too make it fair I would not choose a human or a fighter type.

I ended up making a dwarven cleric and thought this was a good test for making the character. Stats and race were quick and simple since it was exactly like 3.5 and using the 4d6 drop the lowest method. Then I was surprised to find encounter building and earning xp before the classes chapter. I'm not sure about some of the layout because of oddities like this.

Moving on and skipping most of this I liked that the classes chapter had a description of ability types such as spell-like or supernatural. Making the cleric, I didn't see it explain specificly that you get spell casting at level 1,  but that should be pretty obvious. I just wondered how long I would have been confused by that if I were totally new.  

Then somehow I missed the spot that said my HD and class skills. It was off to the side and small almost as if it were inside of the Sidebars that are used very often I like the sidebar referance system but it made me miss this so I wasted 10 mins jumping around the skills and charactor making sections and back too cleric before I found it.

Then the class skills listed didn't mention what stat they were based on. This wasn't a problem luckily since I knew from playing 3.5 and it was easy too check in the skill chapter. I still think I would have liked it mentioned in the class.

I liked that I did not need too choose skills and that there were less class skills, this sped things up and of course was still compatible with the normal skill system from the PHB.

There were many chapters in between classes and equipment or spells, So I spent awhile hitting page down before I got to pick my spells and buy equipment.

Their are less spell options but they are all familiar and I'm sure I could pull out my 3.5 supplements and choose other spells, but for new players or quick characters this was nice. In little time I had my spells and Domains. I'm not sure if the book explained bonus spells but I skipped that because I knew I got one based on my wisdom.

Too stop this post from running on to long I broke it into two posts. The second one is here.