Pathfinder Player Companion: "Legacy of the First World" [RPG]

Legacy of the First World is a 32-page, full-colour entry in Pathfinder's Player Companion line of softcover books.  As the title indicates, it covers the First World, which in the official campaign setting of Golarion, refers to a sort of "first draft" of reality from which the fey originate.  I've never really gotten much into the fey during my years playing Pathfinder, but there's some intriguing stuff in this book and I could imagine trying to work more into my games.  As with too-many books in this line, Legacy of the First World is essentially a collection of several (15) two-page sections assigned to several (10) different freelancers, with the predictable result that there's some wide disparities in writing quality, consistency between sections, and understanding of what's makes for useful gameplay mechanics.  In other words, there's certainly some good material in this book, but it has to be sifted out of plenty of dross. The interior artwork is pretty solid, and I like the bold and vibrant use of color.  You can judge the cover art for yourself--it looks pretty cool to me (it's reproduced without text as the inside back cover).

As for those two-page sections, they're a real hodgepodge of new spells, archetypes, magic items, character options, and more.  There's no way I can cover everything, but I'll try to hit the high- (and low-) lights quickly.

* "Introduction": Along with a bit of background about the First World and a Rules Index, this section discusses specific regions of Golarion that have been particularly influenced by fey, like Darkmoon Wood in Andoran.  Each of the region descriptions is accompanied by a new regional trait, and they're all really good--useful and flavourful.  I thought the Witchmarket was a fantastic concept (a travelling fey merchant caravan that buys and sells particularly unusual commodities like the buyer's middle name or the ability to see dogs!).  I'll surely work it in somewhere.

* "Fey Origins": This section adds new fey-themed alternate racial traits for all of the Core races. Some of them are pretty powerful, like a constant detect magic for elves.  There are also a few new story feats (a concept originated in Ultimate Campaign), but frankly what you get for accomplishing the goals is rarely worth it.

* "Legacy of Gnomes": Here we get an alternative racial trait allowing gnomes to play as a Bleachling, and two related feats (pretty mild in effect).  There's a new alchemist archetype called the First World Innovator, which looks interesting: fewer bombs, but more variations on what they do.  There's also some new alchemist discoveries and alchemical items.

* "Legacy of Gathlains": These humanoid plant-flesh creatures receive several new alternate racial traits (good and balanced), favored class options, and some new feats (hydroponic adaptation is good, but the rest aren't).  

* "Touched by the First World": A new "fey-touched" creature template is added here, but the best parts are a new "Pranked" curse for oracles and a "Whimsy" oracle mystery--both are great!  There's a new archetype for bards (First World Minstrel), but it's pretty forgettable.

* "Fey-Scarred": The theme here is how to fight evil fey, and the section introduces several new alternate racial traits.  There's also a really good new hunter archetype ("Feykiller") and some new spells.

* "Scions of the Traitor": This section is for worshippers of Count Ranalc, an interesting member of The Eldest (powerful fey figures).  It contains a new slayer archetype called "Ankou's Shadow" which is potentially super-powerful (but with little flavour) and a new rogue archetype called "Shadow Scion" (looks solid).

* "Grown of the Feasting Flower": The Green Mother (another of The Eldest) is the theme of this section.  There's a new shaman archetype called "Gasping Vine", but I found it mostly duplicative of existing options.  A new witch archetype called "Seducer" isn't bad.  There are also several new hexes and spells--thirsting entanglement could be good.

* "Beneath the Towering Twins": A weird member of The Eldest called Imbrex is the premise for a new summoner archetype called the "Twinned Summoner" and . . . I don't get it.  There are also some additional evolutions and new teamwork feats, with "conduit casting" a standout.

* "Illuminated by the Lantern King": This section contains what's probably my favorite archetype in the book, the "Fey Prankster" for bards.  I could see a lot of creative fun to be had with this one.  The section also has a new bloodrager bloodline called "shapechanger" and a separate sorcerer bloodline with the same name but different effects.

* "Servant of the Melancholy Lord": I really like the feel of the Lost Prince, the member of the The Eldest around which this section is themed.  There's a new oracle archetype called "Hermit" which doesn't really fit well, but I like the oracle curse "Reclusive."  A new psychic discipline, "Sorrow", is okay, but the 13th level ability doesn't really fit the theme.  An interesting new feat type for characters who usually adventure solo is introduced, which is a smart idea--there are a lot of play styles out there, and one GM and one PC is a quite-common one.

* "Born of the Three": Magdh the Three is The Eldest here, and the section contains a well-designed new monk archetype called "Nornkith."  There are also several interesting new spells and items.

* "Devotee of the Hooded": Followers of Ng the Hooded may be interested in a new cavalier archetype called "Hooded Knight" (frankly, it's not that good), but a new cavalier order called "Order of the Blossom" is an attractive, interesting option.

* "Child of the Water Lord": Followers of a serpentine beast named Ragadahn could choose a new barbarian archeype called "Deepwater Rager", which is useful on land and water and comes with an awesome ability called "Spiraling Charge".  There's also an okay new skald archetype called "Serpent Herald" and some new rage powers and bardic masterpieces.

* "Timekeeper of the Many": Last up is a wizard archetype called "Chronomancer".  I was really excited to read this and it does turn out to be kinda good, but it needs some more gonzo (yet somehow not unbalancing) stuff to really be memorable.  The section has some new time-themed spells, of which, temporal divergence could be fun.

And that's the book. Like I said, a real mix of stuff.  It'd be worth a buy if you plan on having a fey-themed character or you're a GM planning on running a campaign that involves the fey.  Otherwise, it's not a must-have.