4E Creature Collection from Fiery Dragon

[JoeGKushner]

Given the strengths of FD, a counter collection seems a no-brainer.

For Relics and Rituals, what's the focus going to be on? The first one has numerous PrCs as well as spells and magic items.

With the methodology of 4e, 'spells' aren't necessarily just a spellcaster's thing anymore.

Rituals, magic items, paragon paths and epic destinies on the other hand... Might be a good place to put a lot of the crunch for the player's side. Heck, make it "Relics & Rituals: The Player's Guide To the Scarred Lands" and make it the equivalent of the FR or Eberron Player's Guide book with lots of crunch and things that all players are going to want.

 

[Twowolves]

TwoWolves - I'm kicking around some ideas, but most rely on 4E to really sell the product. There's so much great material available for 3E that I wouldn't know what to add in terms of being rules neutral that would add to the setting... and not be a false start. What about a big map of the Scarred Lands, similar to the one we did for Ptolus? Big, prestige vinyl wall art? Anyone?

- JB

Hey, I like those initials you got there

Well, look at the timeline of releases for the 3.0/3.5 setting. First was R&RI, and the "setting" was in the spell description intro fluff, the magic item descriptions, and the PrCs. Then a gazeteer, thin on everything. Then Mithril/Holofaust/Burok Torn gave us microcosms of the setting. The Campaign setting book for Ghelspad had a lot of info in it, but by then, the details for any given region were spread out between the Campaign Setting book, the Gazeteer, the Player's Guide books, two Relics & Ritual books, 3 novels, and a dozen City/Regional books.

Take the Vigils, for example (why Vesh wasn't make THE "point of light" campaign example I'll never understand). There is info about them in R&RI, the gazeteer, the CS, the Player's Guide to Rangers and Rogues and even more in the Player's Guide to Wizards, Bards and Sorcerers! Not to mention the two "Vigil Watch" sourcebooks. When I want to use these guys, I have to cross referrence almost a dozen books (I've taken to using notecards with page references on them).

A 4th ed "clean up" of this would still be of value to me. So much information on this setting is scattered to the winds, dished out in dribs and drabs over 2 dozen books and several years. Tying it together, using something like the 3rd ed Forgotten Realms CS as a guide to layout perhaps, would be awesome. The 4th ed rule bits ought to (IMHO) bring things like the 9 major gods and their clerics, the defeated titans and their druids, Vigilants, RuneMasters, Blood Witches, Holofaust Necromancers, Calastian Dragon Riders and Black Dragoons, all these major flavors of the setting up to date. The essential elements to play the sorts of characters (and their foes) that make the setting unique should be the "crunch", but the consolidation and perhaps the advancing of the timeline (if you were so inclined) would be of value no matter what edition rules we play with.

 

[Klaus]

DRENDARI! (just a picture, I don't need stats hehehe)

Vertigens.

Believe me, I voted for Drendari to be in this book.

 

[catsclaw227]

I would buy a consolidated Ghelspad Campaign Setting book in a second. Like Twowolves said, the information is all over the place. A crunch light book would be OK, but I would want to know there were books coming that had stats for Paragon Paths, Organizations, wilderness hazards, etc.

I liked SL's regional sourcebooks as well, but they need more cohesion tying them together, maybe referencing sections in the Campaign Setting book. Hmmm, maybe not... just thinking out loud.

 

[timbannock]

Hey, I like those initials you got there

Well, look at the timeline of releases for the 3.0/3.5 setting. First was R&RI, and the "setting" was in the spell description intro fluff, the magic item descriptions, and the PrCs. Then a gazeteer, thin on everything. Then Mithril/Holofaust/Burok Torn gave us microcosms of the setting. The Campaign setting book for Ghelspad had a lot of info in it, but by then, the details for any given region were spread out between the Campaign Setting book, the Gazeteer, the Player's Guide books, two Relics & Ritual books, 3 novels, and a dozen City/Regional books.

Take the Vigils, for example (why Vesh wasn't make THE "point of light" campaign example I'll never understand). There is info about them in R&RI, the gazeteer, the CS, the Player's Guide to Rangers and Rogues and even more in the Player's Guide to Wizards, Bards and Sorcerers! Not to mention the two "Vigil Watch" sourcebooks. When I want to use these guys, I have to cross referrence almost a dozen books (I've taken to using notecards with page references on them).

A 4th ed "clean up" of this would still be of value to me. So much information on this setting is scattered to the winds, dished out in dribs and drabs over 2 dozen books and several years. Tying it together, using something like the 3rd ed Forgotten Realms CS as a guide to layout perhaps, would be awesome. The 4th ed rule bits ought to (IMHO) bring things like the 9 major gods and their clerics, the defeated titans and their druids, Vigilants, RuneMasters, Blood Witches, Holofaust Necromancers, Calastian Dragon Riders and Black Dragoons, all these major flavors of the setting up to date. The essential elements to play the sorts of characters (and their foes) that make the setting unique should be the "crunch", but the consolidation and perhaps the advancing of the timeline (if you were so inclined) would be of value no matter what edition rules we play with.

Agreed here! I loved Scarred Lands but couldn't keep up with the volume of releases, so it dropped off my radar shortly after I picked up the big hardcover Ghelspad book.

If you can tighten up the releases something like this, I'd be game:
- Creature Compendium 2+: more monsters, not too much setting specific stuff (but maybe some obvious references here and there if necessary)
- Relics & Rituals: all the rituals, magic items, and cool gear. Sequels are fine.
- Campaign Book: mostly rules-lite or rules-non-existent; just compile all the setting material from the 3.0/3.5 books into one source and bam!
- Players Guide: turn all the Prestige Classes into Paragon Paths and Epic Destinies, compile and convert the feats (get rid of the ones we don't need in 4e), toss in whatever other odds and ends are necessary for players (the race write-ups) and you're set.

The new bar for updating & compiling has been set -- IMHO -- by the Earthdawn compendiums by Redbrick. They literally stuffed info from a bazillion books all into like 2 or 3 books. With a little streamlining and some good layout, you can cut down a LOT of info into much more concise entries and make some good books like that. Pleases the purists, gives the n00bs everything they need without having to sift through a million different books, and you can charge a higher cover price.

At least, that's my view. Not sure if it bears out to reality or not...

 

[Fiery_Dragon]

Excellent points. Thanks guys!

 

[Glyfair]

Our goal was similar to the initial release of Creature Collection - providing a monster book that could be used in anyone's campaign, with just enough hints about the Scarred Lands to keep people intrigued and wanting more.

And may I say that I approve of this approach. When I buy a monster book I don't want too much campaign specific information. Just enough to add flavor, and not so much I feel the book loses value when used for a different campagin setting.

 

[Fiery Todd]

There are over 50 pieces of new artwork. Just from me there are two new Aasatthi, a new Bat Devil, Angler Ooze, Vengaurak, Ratman, Spider-Eye Goblin, Valraven and Charfiends. FDP's Todd Secord did a lot of new pictures, including two new Proud, Narleth, Wrack Dragon, Crown and Hollow Naga and more. Rich Thomas contributed a few pictures as well.

...and don't forget the contributions of our new friend to FDP, Mr. John Wilson, who did 5 new illustrations as well as the layout for the front cover. And then we have David Sourwine who is the main magic man behind said cover. Just want to make sure that everyone is covered.

 

[haaz]

If you can tighten up the releases something like this, I'd be game:
- Creature Compendium 2+: more monsters, not too much setting specific stuff (but maybe some obvious references here and there if necessary)
- Relics & Rituals: all the rituals, magic items, and cool gear. Sequels are fine.
- Campaign Book: mostly rules-lite or rules-non-existent; just compile all the setting material from the 3.0/3.5 books into one source and bam!
- Players Guide: turn all the Prestige Classes into Paragon Paths and Epic Destinies, compile and convert the feats (get rid of the ones we don't need in 4e), toss in whatever other odds and ends are necessary for players (the race write-ups) and you're set.

+1

In the R&R (or the Player's Guide), it would be really great to have a Penumbral Lord (or Shadowmancer, or whateveryouwantsir!) PC class...

 

[VictorC]

Big, prestige vinyl wall art? Anyone?
- JB

Yes please.