Book of Vile Darkness

Son_of_Thunder · Aug 20, 2002

Howdy fellow ENWorldites!!!

I'm not going to post a poll on this but I would like to know who plans on buying this book and why. Is it just because Monte wrote it? Is it for the feats, spells, prestige classes? Is it just for the Demons (this one tempts me)? Or, if you are not going to buy it why? Is it because you don't really need to have the depravities of evil spelled out for you? Are you sick of 'mature audience' books like what black dog puts out?

Anyway, I'm curious, tell me.

Son of Thunder

Nightfall · Aug 20, 2002

Without a doubt, it's because of my favorite Demon Princes and Arch Devils being in the book.

That said, Tome of Horrors will fill out the rest nicely.

El Ravager · Aug 20, 2002

I am planning on purchasing it, although Kenzers Villian builders guidebook looks tempting as well. I may opt to go with Kenzers rather than the BoVD. I am just looking for a book that will help me to create really compelling villians and give me ideas and rules for really evil things for them to do. Without seeing either book and just going by the blurbs, I would say that Kenzers book might give me more plothooks, background and other story ideas, while the WotC book will have rule mechanics for Evil things such as diabolica rituals and such and rules for the demons. Not sure wich I want. I will probably have to wait until they are both out and I can see what is actually in them.

Well okay. I will probably buy the one that comes out first.

Or buy both.

I am not too worried about the "Mature Audience" thing. I really don't see the book containing much content that is terribly offensive. I don't know if anyone else is familiar with it, but I think it is kind of like Cartoon Networks "Adult Swim" programing. They make a big deal about how it is not for kids, despite the fact that the content is not any worse than what is on most any other network at the time of night. Cartoon Network just has to make more warnings because most people automatically assume cartoons = for kids. Most of WoTCs products are pretty kid friendly (pokemon for example) so they just don't want any confusion that this is not a "kid thing" but I imagine for a teen or adult the content is likely to be fairly mild.

YMMV. Could be wrong. Won't know until it comes out I guess.

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El Rav

thundershot · Aug 20, 2002

I'm buying it because it's something DIFFERENT. Something D&D has never truly tried before... and they're not trying to make it "child friendly". Being the first D&D "Mature Audiences" book, I just have to give it a shot. My wife and other players will fear for their characters lives... BWAHAHAHAHAAA! <ahem>

Chris

ForceUser · Aug 20, 2002

I intend to buy this book because I have trouble understanding and developing villains' plots. Also, I want to know how to effectively run cults and evil organizations. There are places in my campaign world where this book will come in quite handy, more's the pity for my players.

jester47 · Aug 20, 2002

El Ravager Says:

I am not too worried about the "Mature Audience" thing. I really don't see the book containing much content that is terribly offensive. I don't know if anyone else is familiar with it, but I think it is kind of like Cartoon Networks "Adult Swim" programing. They make a big deal about how it is not for kids, despite the fact that the content is not any worse than what is on most any other network at the time of night. Cartoon Network just has to make more warnings because most people automatically assume cartoons = for kids. Most of WoTCs products are pretty kid friendly (pokemon for example) so they just don't want any confusion that this is not a "kid thing" but I imagine for a teen or adult the content is likely to be fairly mild.

Catalog Says:

Elements such as moral dilemma, slavery, human sacrifice, and other sensitive issues will be treated in a mature fashion to allow players to add a level of complexity to their campaigns.

Monte Says:

Well, the book handles horrible things ranging from torture to drug addiction. Sadism, self-mutilation, and selling one's soul. Sacrifice and disease. Spells so awful that they corrupt you when you cast them--in body and/or soul.

Some of these topics (and more that I haven't even mentioned) are "mature audiences" material. You'll find frank discussions of the evil that men (and women) do. This isn't there to encourage such things, even as player characters, but so that it can be used for villains. There is a section on playing evil characters, but that's not the main focus of the book.

I says:

I am getting it mainly because it is a book that deals with what the D&D writers have long been trying to deal with but were simply blocked from attempting to do. That is truely understand evil and darkness. I think this book was needed 20 years ago. That is why I am buying it, and monte wrote it. He has become a name I associate with very high quality and therefore trust. He Sean and Bruce are writers whose things I disect and try to do better than. If I can't do equal or better, its not good enough to be published. Also I know it will give me some fuel to come up with some very original ideas.

Aaron.

the Jester · Aug 20, 2002

As a dm, if a published work aids my ability to make good games, I'm interested. Conflict is essential to a good campaign, and evil is one of the main adversaries. Ergo, books on evil may come in handy indeed; I'm always making evil npcs, societies, dungeons with vile stuff going on, etc.

We've had demon worship for _ages_ in dnd, it's good to have 3e stat blocks for everything I've been assuming exists anyway. We've had torture chambers in prolly as many published adventures as not and never _any_ rules for torture (except maybe in one of the old Dragonlance modules?). Etc.

Yeah, I'm buying it; I wanna see Demogorgan 3e.

Alaric_Prympax · Aug 20, 2002

Son_of_Thunder said:
I'm not going to post a poll on this but I would like to know who plans on buying this book and why. Is it just because Monte wrote it? Is it for the feats, spells, prestige classes? Is it just for the Demons (this one tempts me)?

...

Anyway, I'm curious, tell me.

Son of Thunder

Yes, for all of the above.

Bodah · Aug 20, 2002

I want to buy it for just about everything about it. I'd like to see some of the evil prestige classes so I can further my own insidious goals in game

and I'd like the rest for when I am DMing..info is always good..I am also curious to see how it will turn out because of the whole 'mature' reader only thing.

kenjib · Aug 20, 2002

El Ravager said:
I am planning on purchasing it, although Kenzers Villian builders guidebook looks tempting as well. I may opt to go with Kenzers rather than the BoVD. I am just looking for a book that will help me to create really compelling villians and give me ideas and rules for really evil things for them to do. Without seeing either book and just going by the blurbs, I would say that Kenzers book might give me more plothooks, background and other story ideas, while the WotC book will have rule mechanics for Evil things such as diabolica rituals and such and rules for the demons.

My impression from the pre-release hype around these books is that the Kenzer book focuses more on the complexity of villains -- their psychology, how a good aligned person can still be the party's villain, etc. The WotC book is about truly evil villains and the despicable things they do. It seems like both books focus on different types of villains. I guess we'll find out for sure when the books hit the shelves, although I hear that the Kenzer Book was already available at GenCon so it should be showing up any day now.