What Should My Next 4e Project Be? (Round 3)

So I've been pondering what my next 4e project should be and I wanted to see what ENWorlders would like to see for 4e. My first project, the Auxiliary martial controller class is now in playtesting and currently being shopped around for possible publication. I also have another major project in the works, but I'm still waiting on the next GSL FAQ before starting it. As such, I've got a bit of free time and I'm looking to fill it up with a 4e side project.

So in Round 1, I asked ENworlders to come up with proposals for my next 4e Project. Ten proposals were made.

In Round 2, I asked ENWorlders to vote for the proposals they would most like to see me do as my next 4e Project.

The top three vote getters were:

1) Traps and Hazards Book (20 votes): Design interesting and devious traps and hazards for 4e games (puzzles, word games, plain of fashion death traps, etc.).

2) Fantasy Backdrop Book (19 votes): Design generic and unique adventure locations for use in any campaign (rope bridges, volcanic cavern, etc.).

3) Monster Design Book (17 votes): Design new monsters for use with the 4e rules including crunchy statblocks and fluffy back stories (book of new aberrant, elemental, fey, etc. creatures).

Honorable Mention: Detailed Organization Book and “Points of Light” Mini-Setting Book (16 votes).

I’ll be choosing one of the top three proposals to be my next 4e project. However, I would like to do so after a “tribal council” of sorts. I’m giving you the next 24 hours to convince me which one of these proposals deserves to be my next 4e project.

Which brings us to:

Round 3 (From Monday August 4 until Tuesday August 5):

1) I have compiled a list of the top three proposals.
2) Everyone makes their case for the proposal they would like to see me adopt, why they want me to adopt it, and what they would like to see done with it in the coming weeks and months. Please remember to be kind to your neighbor and that you catch my designers with sugary sweets, than vinegar
3) This “tribal council” will go until I wake up on Tuesday morning, read the posts over, and make my final decision.

Following Round 3, I plan on having a Round 4 in which I will discuss some initial ideas for the project and allow for further suggestions.

For those who are unfamiliar with my work you can check out my sig for more details.

Thanks in advance to everyone at ENWorld who participates in this thread. I've been a member here for a long time and I figured this would be a cool way to involve you all in my design work. I look forward to seeing your comments and making my final decision on Tuesday.

Traps & Hazards: That sounds interesting, but maybe the next Dragon Article will cover this a lot (might be a good reason to do it - because you might get more guidelines - or _the_ guidelines for traps? Or it is a reason against it, since we don't need that much more)

Fantasy Backdrop: Sounds interesting. Might combine well with some of the above, doesn't it? (If I think of hazards, rope bridges and volcano caverns seem a natural fit). I think this might be better then the former - because it sounds a little more solid.

Monster Design Book: Depends a lot on the monsters contained. More monsters can't be bad, but somehow I feel, I won't use them that much.


So, my vote goes to Fantasy Backdrops, with Traps & Hazard a close second.

Definitley Fantasy Backdrops.

Why, well you can incorporate the other two into this formula. I imagine several backdrops having hazards/traps and/or monsters. There aren't a lot of other reasons for PCs to interact with them otherwise

C

I actually have little preference (all of the top three were my suggestions!). However, I will say that the only thing I would like to see, above all else:

A trap or three for the outdoors. A type of nasty, round-by-round effect that can be rigged up in a forest by a bugbear or any other sort of woodsy-type trapsmith. The reason I say this is, traps can be built into walls (Blades that come out every round and sweep through squares, nozzles that blow flame, etc), but I can't think of a good multi-round outdoor trap beyond "Pit" or "Snare". So, someone doing the thinking for me would be real nice.

I'd also like some more molds/fungi drawn up as hazards, but that's simply because I need them soon, and I'll have to do them if someone else doesn't.

Otherwise, I think that the Backdrop book will have the most utility. Because you can drop a rope bridge anywhere, or send your PCs to a volcano for multiple reasons, but unless the monster appeals to the DM, the DM isn't going to use it. Also, there's an entire book of monsters, quite a few traps and hazards, but no iconic Backdrops (Escaping a burning building, dealing with a crumbling floor, jumping across logs on a quick moving River).

Mustrum_Ridcully said:

Traps & Hazards: That sounds interesting, but maybe the next Dragon Article will cover this a lot (might be a good reason to do it - because you might get more guidelines - or _the_ guidelines for traps? Or it is a reason against it, since we don't need that much more)

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Good points about the Dragon Article... both for and against.

Fantasy Backdrop: Sounds interesting. Might combine well with some of the above, doesn't it? (If I think of hazards, rope bridges and volcano caverns seem a natural fit). I think this might be better then the former - because it sounds a little more solid.

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I like the idea of using the Fantasy Backdrop Book to work in the other elements mentioned (traps, hazards, monsters, etc.). It might also be interesting to work in the organizations and an underlining POL setting too. Definately worth thinking about.

Monster Design Book: Depends a lot on the monsters contained. More monsters can't be bad, but somehow I feel, I won't use them that much.

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Thanks for you honest opinion. What kind of monsters would you like to see? As mentioned in the other thread I like to write up unique story driven monsters (with lots of fluff and adventure ideas/hooks).

Connorsrpg said:

Definitley Fantasy Backdrops.

Why, well you can incorporate the other two into this formula. I imagine several backdrops having hazards/traps and/or monsters. There aren't a lot of other reasons for PCs to interact with them otherwise

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So what you're saying is we can have our cake and eat it too? I like the way you think!

Rechan said:

I actually have little preference (all of the top three were my suggestions!).

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Yeah, thanks for the suggestions

However, I will say that the only thing I would like to see, above all else:

A trap or three for the outdoors. A type of nasty, round-by-round effect that can be rigged up in a forest by a bugbear or any other sort of woodsy-type trapsmith. The reason I say this is, traps can be built into walls (Blades that come out every round and sweep through squares, nozzles that blow flame, etc), but I can't think of a good multi-round outdoor trap beyond "Pit" or "Snare". So, someone doing the thinking for me would be real nice.

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Interesting idea... I'll have to think about it... sounds like this could work as either a fantasy backdrop or a trap/hazard.

Another thing to keep in mind is that whichever project I choose I will be giving people a place to make suggestions (in Round 4) about what should appear in the book. So if I do choose the fantasy backdrop or trap/hazard book, then feel free to repost this as one of the suggestions. Or I could just slap it in my first post for round 4

I must commend you, Jaldaen. You are a posting fiend, good sir! The enthusiasm and quick response is good.

then feel free to repost this as one of the suggestions.

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Don't forget the molds/fungi I edited into my post! Because I'm lazy!

Actually, that does give me an idea. A sort of "Savage Garden". Be it underground, or on the surface, but things like mantraps (Venus fly traps taht use hypnotic pheremones), tri-fond flowers (from 2e), and other threatening flora, interspersed with a plant-monster or two.

jaldaen said:

Thanks for you honest opinion. What kind of monsters would you like to see? As mentioned in the other thread I like to write up unique story driven monsters (with lots of fluff and adventure ideas/hooks).

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Surprise me?

Okay, here are some ideas. A lot go around the "epic" and "encounter" type of monsters.
- There is still the unresolved issue with the "Sea Serpent" for D&D. It's an old topic (I am not sure, it might also have been Rechan who reminded me of it a few months ago). Build a monster that can attack a ship, and make it interesting. One (3e) idea was to make it a "encounter monster", being representing by possible more then one monster and some enviromental hazards. But don't let that constrain you.

- A "Hell Mouth" (Buffy) might be interesting - something tentacled that lives underground.

- Epic monsters. I remember someone talking about a mythological fight where the hero killed so many foes that all the blood flowing into it angered a river and had him attack. A write-up for that alone would be awesome. But generally, monsters that really fit the epic scope.

- Xenomorphs/Aliens. We really need Face Hugger (Minion?), Alien and Queen.

- A Discworld Troll - a being made of "stone".

- A Discworld "Wee Free Man". Blue guys, very short. Definitely some feyish creature, with inappropriate strength for their size.

- A Monolith (Clarke/Cubricks Space 2001). Could also be just a "rock" with some intellect. Doesn't move, but teleport, and uses telekinesis or telepathy.

Okay, admittedly, these are the kinds of monsters I like to write up, not necessarily find a way to use them. Some are pretty outlandish or might come off as a cheesy, but if you reflavor them and just keep the basic inspiration, they should still work.

Mustrum_Ridcully said:

Build a monster that can attack a ship, and make it interesting.

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Psst.

I agree with Ol' Mustrum. Some real epic situations would be nice. For instance, take a fight with an Earth Titan. Don't do much to his stats, but create some set pieces like the earth tearing apart in a jagged line across the battlefield, or pillars of rock and iron that suddenly thrust upwards forty feet into the sky (anyone on top is separated from the party, and in perfect slapping distance for the titan). Then the next round the pillars fall over.