AMA (Thurs April 30): Wolfgang Baur (Kobold Press, TSR, DUNGEON Magazine, D&D 5E Tyranny of Dragons, Advanced Races Compendium)

Monkey King · Apr 25, 2015

Game designer and publisher. My best-known recent credits are with Kobold Press, WotC's Tyranny of Dragons adventures for D&D 5th Edition, Pathfinder, and the Midgard Campaign Setting.

My older designs include work for 3E and 2E D&D from WotC and TSR, such Frostburn, Planescape, Al-Qadim, and adventures for Dungeon Magazine, as well as Rise of the Runelords and the Kobold Guides to Game Design.

Coming soon on Kickstarter is Advanced Races Compendium for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game -- a book that gives players everything they need to play a monstrous, planar, undead, or underworld adventurer in Pathfinder. Kobold Press is working with RPG Superstar Steven Helt, Pathfinder Society developer Alistair Riggs, and superstar reviewer Endzeitgeist to sharpen and improve all of the new races from the successful Advanced Races PDF series. Full development, review, revisions, minor tweaks: every race is getting some love. Its pages are packed with PC racial feats, traits, spells, bloodlines, gear, magic items, archetypes and more for: Gearforged, Lizardfolk, Kobold, Ravenfolk, Shadow Fey, Tiefling, Tosculi (waspfolk), Aasimar, Centaur, Darakhul, Derro, Dragonkin, Lamia, Gnoll, Werelion.

This AMA will take place throughout the day on Thursday 30th April. Ask Me Anything! Among the “anythings”, I can talk about the upcoming Kickstarter, Kobold Press in general, and the new edition of D&D.

meomwt · Apr 30, 2015

OK, I'll pitch in while it's quiet.

Good day, Wolfgang, how are you?

What were the difficulties of designing Tyranny of Dragons at the time that the Fifth Edition ruleset was being finalised?

Which adventure - of the many excellent adventures you have designed - is the one which you are most proud of?
And which published adventure that you didn't have a hand in designing is your favourite of all time.

Thanks for taking part in this AMA!

Astrosicebear · Apr 30, 2015

Happy Avenger's day, Wolfgang! (Who's not super excited, amiright?!)

What would you like to see WoTC do to 5th edition in regards to three facets? - you as a player, you as a game designer/writer, and you as a businessman?

Azgulor · Apr 30, 2015

Hi, Wolfgang. I hope you’re doing well.

Setting aside the obvious choice of Zobeck, what area of the Midgard Campaign Setting is your favorite? What part of the Southlands is your favorite? (If you can say.) I don’t mean to ask you to pick a favorite amongst your children but I’m curious which regions appeal to you most as a GM.

In the Kobold Guide to Magic, you talk about issues with teleport and ways you’ve modified it in your home campaigns. As a GM, do you find that to be a contentious decision with your players? Do you have to “sell it” to them?

Best of luck with the Advanced Races kickstarter and keep the Midgard/PF goodness coming!

Thanks

Morrus · Apr 30, 2015

I'm curious about how the adventures for 5E are produced. Did you guys furnish WotC with a final, completed product, or did they put the finishing touches on it? How much oversight was there?

Azgulor · Apr 30, 2015

One of the tenets of the Midgard setting is that it's a dark fantasy setting of deep magic - I hope that I got that right. How do you evoke dark fantasy and deep magic in your games? Why do you feel the distinction is important vs. traditional high fantasy? Finally, any chance of a Kobold's Guide to Dark Fantasy?

Endroren · Apr 30, 2015

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what makes an appealing Kickstarter for a game product. Do you have any secrets or words of wisdom for other Kickstarter game publishers?

Will Doyle · Apr 30, 2015

Do you see any role for print magazines in the future of the hobby? What did your time with Dungeon/Dragon magazine and Kobold Quarterly teach you about running RPG periodicals? Is there any hope for KQ returning?

Monkey King · Apr 30, 2015

Good morning, everyone! I've got my coffee and am almost ready to dive into the questions.

I'm going to be popping in and out of the thread all day, but I like the questions so far.

CubeB · Apr 30, 2015

Hello Wolfgang!

I'm a huge fan of Kobold Press's products for 13th Age, especially Deep Magic.
I'm currently using the 13th Age edition of the Midgard Beastiary for my game, which has an excellent section on many of the races in the Advanced Race Compendium. However, the 13th Age edition of Deep Magic was so good that I was wondering if you had plans for a 13th Age Advanced Race Guide as well. I know the mechanics are different, but I'd love to see how these new races would adapt to 13th Age's more narratively focused style.