Ultimate Toolbox of Ideas
When Toolbox for d20 by AEG came out I scooped it up right away and have found it very useful over the years. Now, in 2009, its big daddy has arrived on the Prime Material Plane and it’s awesome. While some might scoff at a book of tables, I see the Ultimate Toolbox, like its predecessor, as a tome of ideas. The Ultimate Toolbox is physically heavy too, but not just because it has 400 pages, but because it’s made out of Tyrannosaur Rex meat.
Sometimes I’m stuck and need inspiration. Other times I have a great idea and want to evaluate it against another to test its mettle or take it even further. While I’m predisposed to enjoy a book of tables – as you can tell – what I like best about Ultimate Toolbox is the thousands of hooks, seeds, and concepts it has. There are definitely many pure data tables inside its covers, such as Table 3-62: City Smells I or Table 4-28: Rope Knots, but there are also many wonderful tables like Table 6-15: Magic Item Histories, Table 2-35: Weather 1, and Table 7-29: Brute Details.
Ultimate Toolbox Contents
By my rough count there are 900+ tables in seven themed chapters and an appendix:
Chapter 1: Character (Example sections: Backgrounds, Character Paths, Local Color)
Chapter 2: World (Example sections: World Builder, Religion, Environment)
Chapter 3: Civilization (Example sections: Crime, Fanfare, Contacts)
Chapter 4: Maritime (Example sections: Ports ‘o Call, Ships, Pirates)
Chapter 5: Dungeon (Example sections: Trappings, Books and Labs, The Dead)
Chapter 6: Magic (Example sections: Arcana, Druids and Witches, The Planes)
Chapter 7: Plot (Example sections: Villains, Urban Inspiration, Quests and Secrets)
Original Toolbox owners take note: there is little overlap between that book and Ultimate Toolbox. Ultimate contains mostly new tables. In addition, while Toolbox was geared toward GMs, Ultimate has 6 chapters usable by GMs and players, with just chapter 7 labeled as DM’s eyes only. There is also a Table of Contents and an index of all the tables. In addition, sprinkled throughout the book are notes, advice, and guides – well done, authors.
Favourite Tables So Far
It’s going to take more than a couple days of pouring through the book to discover uses for all the tables, but here are my favourite ones to date:
- Tables 1-9 to 1-15: Character Motivations
- Table 1-22: Nightmares
- Table 1-41: Bard Performances
- Table 2-20: Evil Realm Names
- Table 2-26: State of the Nation
- Table 3-64: Monument Description
- Table 3-65: Statues Description
- Tables 3-95 to 3-106: Pick Pocket Yield (perfect for my Carnus campaign)
- Tables 4-6 to 4-10: Dockside Diversions
- Tables 5-21 to 5-23: Dungeon Tiles (tile shapes)
- Table 5-53: Dungeon Captives
- Tables 6-xx Various magic item descriptions (great way to spruce up treasure piles and NPC equipment)
- Table 7-13: MacGuffins
- Table 7-68: Surprise Endings
- Table 7-89: Secret Handshakes
- Appendix: Ambushes
Kudos to the books authors for what must have taken hundreds of hours researching, brainstorming, and compiling: Dawn Ibach, Jeff Ibach, and Jim Pinto.
Campaign Mastery readers, pick a number between 9 and 391. I’ll tell you a table that’s on that page!
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March 3rd, 2009 at 11:03 pm
52!
March 3rd, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Table 2-38 : Tribal Realm Names :)
March 4th, 2009 at 5:36 am
99!
(Many I wish I had the fundage for this book right now).
Zachary’s last blog post..In Your Own Words: Remembering Gary
March 4th, 2009 at 6:24 am
243!
Sounds like a great supplement to have on hand. Is it specific to any sort of system, or are they general ideas without stats/mechanics that can be used for anything?
Rafe’s last blog post..Survival of the Scrawniest
March 4th, 2009 at 7:02 am
I’ll admit that I’ve never heard of the Toolbox or Ultimate Toolbox. They sound pretty friggin’ sweet. I’m going to head over to my local gamin store and see if I can pick them up.
Random number… 907.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
I’m with Ameron, I hadn’t heard of them before, but that’s why I love reading the various blogs. I learn about all sorts of awesome resources.
Random number – 13
Wimwick’s last blog post..Familiars Have Arrived
March 4th, 2009 at 8:44 am
page 39 !
Never heard of it before, but you’re review sounded so good that I just bought it on the rpgshop, now I can’t wait to receive it !
March 4th, 2009 at 9:11 am
@Zachary: Table 3-40: Punishment
@Rafe: 5-105: Empty Rooms 2 (descriptions and concept ideas)
It’s fantasy oriented, though many tables would be useful for any genre. To the best of my knowledge, there are no stats in the tables. Yeah, a quick flip through just now and I saw no stats.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:16 am
@Ameron: The tables are numbered by chapter, so I don’t have an overall table number to match #907. For example, chapter 1 tables are numbered 1-[table#], chapters 2 tables are 2-[table#], etc.
Let me know what you think if you get the book.
@Wimwick: Table 1-12: Character Motivation 4. Item #16 = inspire rebellion. There’s a whole campaign for you right there. :)
@Cadors: Table 2-6: Continental Maps 2. Think Settlers of Catan tiles with landmasses on them. They are good, but don’t come out as well in black and white, imho.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:16 am
@Cadors – oh, and drop me a comment when you get the book and let me know what you think.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Awesome, just like the original. For $50, it should have been a hardback, however.
March 4th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
You gotta love tables, they’re awesome for inspiration and improvisation.
Jack Crow’s last blog post..New Featured Posts
March 8th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Sounds pretty cool man.(This book) I know I could use the crap out of it in some of my games.
Thanks for commenting on my stuff, too, I never know whether people like it or hate it or whatever.
Ambrose’s last blog post..Give Peace a Chance: Negotiating Peace Treaties in Role Playing Games
March 8th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Welcome to Campaign Mastery, Ambrose.
March 9th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Sounds awesome!
pg. 111
March 11th, 2009 at 10:12 am
[…] just found the first review of Ultimate Toolbox! LINK -DM […]
March 11th, 2009 at 10:32 am
[…] just discovered a new review of Ultimate Toolbox! DA LINK -DM […]
March 11th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Page 111 has Special Market Items I & II! Sorry, back to Johnn…
Jeff Ibach’s last blog post..Plot
March 11th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Hah ha. Thanks Jeff!
March 18th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Just received the book yesterday !
From what I’ve seen I’de give it a 4/5 since it should definetly be hardcover.
At the moment I’ve given a look at 30-40 table which is only a fraction of the book but I can already tell that a lifetime would’nt be enough top use all these ideas ingame !
I’ll write another comment once I’ve seen more of the book, I’ll try to do a top ten table ! How about you guys doing the same ?!?
Have fun !
March 22nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
@Cadors: glad you liked the book. Do you own the first book, Toolbox, as well? If not, I recommend it too.
August 10th, 2010 at 8:31 am
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