by Cain.rpgorg in Mar 30,2012

   A new NPC supplement arrived from Rite Publishing to continue their Faces of Tarnished Souk series : FotTS Gobseck Vaultwright, Meister of the Golden Anvil. The new NPC is no other, than the personal banker of the Khan of Nightmares.

The character

   Gobseck Vaultwright is a very powerful - both in combat or with his financial/political powers - and tragic character at the same time. While he is a ruthless banker his true love's betrayal left him heartbroken and cold. As his specialty he has a living vault, filled with riches (both his own and for his business partners)

   On it's recommended version Gobseck is an air-infused smoke duergar fighter (unbreakable) 3/magister 16, CR 20 creature. Of course, as always we receive several versions of him, ranging from CR 6 up to CR 23.

   Speaking about the recommended version, it's a very powerful character, but I think it's appropiate for his CR. He has a lots of spellcasting power and Channel Positive Energy from hos Magister levels and Feats, and he also has some interesting abilities like a breath attack and some unique resistances.

Equipment and other assets

   In it's base the character's weapon, his most powerful equipment, Cheater's Bane is equal to an adamantine magic weapon with a +8 enchantment bonus with multiple additions. It's special Greater Bane ability works against "cheaters" and also triggers a Daylight and a Faerie Fire effect, and also a new weapon enchantment, equal to a +6 enchantment bonus.  In a long battle this weapon could provide up to +16 attack and an extra 4d6+16 damage with improved critical range, so I'm not sure that is should cost less than a +10 weapon. His helm is also a very interesting and powerful item, but I don't ant to spoil all the fun things!

   Interestingly I find his much cheaper magic item the Day Ring much more problematic, as I think such item should not exist, especially not for this cheap cost. It's basically a cheap item to completely negate light sensitivity. With it's cost at only 1500 gp I think most medium to high level light sensitive character would have one.

   There is one thing I find really problematic in the book : the Vault of the Golden Anvil itself. Why ? Well, maybe because it's a CR 33 construct (created by a CR 20 character), so it's equal or greater than many already published Demon Lords and Arch-Devils, and at +8 CR compared to the dreaded Tarrasque.  The most ridiculous part is, that it has a TPK ability (area Imprisonment) with a DC 58 Will save. Ouch.

Additional content

   The book also features several new weapon and armor properties, feats, some new spells and some creature templates. I think most of these thing are really good, but I think Exemplar Creature is too powerful for even as a +3 template.

   From the additional content I think I will surely use the Zone of Parley spell, as it's really appropriate for many encounters. Feats like Cosmopolitan, Prodigy or Stone-Faced are really good to personalize many non-combat oriented characters.

Final words

   I think Gobseck Vaultwright is an interesting character, who could fill many roles in a campaign. On the other hand several things (especially the Vault) is not something I could really get behind, so I give a final score of 4/5.

For those who are interested in Gobseck Vaultwright, Meister of the Golden Anvil is avaialble on DriveThruRPG  here as a single product, or as a part of the Faces of the Tarnished Souk NPC bundle.

Zoltán "Cain" Mészáros

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