Let me preface by saying, I was looking forward to this book, just as much (or more) than anyone here. It was the book I most looked forward too this year. Now...
OUTSIDE:
So what does the book LOOK like you ask? I got my copy sitting on my lap. First off, the cover. It's basically the same thing as the mock-ups you have seen, but with a more gritty "Ravenloft" feel to it (at least in my opinion it looks like a 2e Ravenloft book). And honestly, I think I would have rathered the cartoony mock-up as opposed to this cover. Maybe thats because I'm used to looking at it on the boards by now, and I'm sure several of you here will disagree when you see the book and think the cover is 100% better now. It's just my opinion. (I would have rathers the cover idea of stitched skin like the Necronomicon or something.)
The "Mature" sticker on the cover was also a pain to remove. It didnt' come off clean and easy, I had to use a nice bit of "Goo Gone" on it. But it's fine. No damage to the cover.
INSIDE:
The Chapter Covers / First pages are drawn by Arnie Swekel and are by far, some of the best work in the whole book. (You know, those yellow / parchment sketches we are used to? These pics are really sweet. Sacrifice. Nudity. Great stuff. Great feel to the book. I approve 100% of these pics
The Book itself - I hate to burst some people's bubbles here, but the artwork is NOT overall great as I had hoped. It is NOT up to par with the Forgotten Realms books for the most part. When I flipped through this book, I felt like the wind was knocked out of my sails. Imagine the quality is somewhere between Deities and Demigods and Epic Level Handbook.
Major Disappointments:
Cancer Mage - no pic of the PrC. (well, there is a nice sketch on the chapter cover. but no full color pic like the other PrCs. This sucks for me, because I invisioned a demformed knobby wart / tumor covered mage, ripping a large cancer from his arm or something (the cancer familiar). But alas.. oh well.
Demogoron - I don't know who drew this. His symbol is a circle with what looks like a backwards lower case "r" in it. The single biggest disappointment in the whole book. The pic is UNBELIEVABLY bad. You will see. Not to mention, he has been changed from 2 baboon heads to having 2 hyena heads. Sigh. I am bummed about this one. I do not understand why WotC allows such artwork to get into their books.
Jubilex - by Sardinha. It doesn't "totally suck" but I expected better than this. It's just mediocre artwork. Very "blah".
Orcus - by Arnie Swekel. Well, the Artwork isn't "Bad" really at all. Very detailed and nice pic. Except for the fact that everyone's favorite Undead Demon Prince is now Red Skinned, Muscular, and not fat at all. What gives? This is a makeover I don't particularly like at all. Maybe some of you will like this "Tough" Orcus. But give me the Orcus from the cover of Necromancer Games' "Rappan Athuk 3" anyday.
Asmodeus - it looks like Fisher. I just think he looks cheesy. Imagine Bram Stoker's Dracula with that big stupid bun hairdo. Blah.
now.. Brian Snoddy did some nice work. I like The Eye of Fear and Flame's picture. Baxa did some good Devils as well and Bel. The Demons and Mephistopheles look about the same quality as the Yugoloths in the Manual of the Planes. (The artist is Reynolds - WAR)
There is some blood in the book, I would hardly consider it "over the top". A severed head here and there. Most grusome is probably "Rapture of Rupture" spell - by Reynolds. The dwarf is semi-exploded and bleeding (eye is popping out - but that sound worse then the pic really looks). I also liked Waters pic of Leviticus trapped in ice.
Overall, the rest of the work is not worth mentioning. Not HORRIBLY bad, but nothing to write home about. The book is 32.95 and noticeably thin at 191 pages. Thats the most expensive book yet (page ratio). And I'm sad to say I feel let down. At least at first glance. I'll take it and read it and answer any questions you guys might have (give me a little time here).
GBDeluxe
P.S. - I am disappointed we did not see Zuggtmoy or Baphomet in this book (among others). Just add it to my list of complaints. Oh well, I don't want to sound like I'm totally anti this book, I just was expecting "more" quality.
OUTSIDE:
So what does the book LOOK like you ask? I got my copy sitting on my lap. First off, the cover. It's basically the same thing as the mock-ups you have seen, but with a more gritty "Ravenloft" feel to it (at least in my opinion it looks like a 2e Ravenloft book). And honestly, I think I would have rathered the cartoony mock-up as opposed to this cover. Maybe thats because I'm used to looking at it on the boards by now, and I'm sure several of you here will disagree when you see the book and think the cover is 100% better now. It's just my opinion. (I would have rathers the cover idea of stitched skin like the Necronomicon or something.)
The "Mature" sticker on the cover was also a pain to remove. It didnt' come off clean and easy, I had to use a nice bit of "Goo Gone" on it. But it's fine. No damage to the cover.
INSIDE:
The Chapter Covers / First pages are drawn by Arnie Swekel and are by far, some of the best work in the whole book. (You know, those yellow / parchment sketches we are used to? These pics are really sweet. Sacrifice. Nudity. Great stuff. Great feel to the book. I approve 100% of these pics
The Book itself - I hate to burst some people's bubbles here, but the artwork is NOT overall great as I had hoped. It is NOT up to par with the Forgotten Realms books for the most part. When I flipped through this book, I felt like the wind was knocked out of my sails. Imagine the quality is somewhere between Deities and Demigods and Epic Level Handbook.
Major Disappointments:
Cancer Mage - no pic of the PrC. (well, there is a nice sketch on the chapter cover. but no full color pic like the other PrCs. This sucks for me, because I invisioned a demformed knobby wart / tumor covered mage, ripping a large cancer from his arm or something (the cancer familiar). But alas.. oh well.
Demogoron - I don't know who drew this. His symbol is a circle with what looks like a backwards lower case "r" in it. The single biggest disappointment in the whole book. The pic is UNBELIEVABLY bad. You will see. Not to mention, he has been changed from 2 baboon heads to having 2 hyena heads. Sigh. I am bummed about this one. I do not understand why WotC allows such artwork to get into their books.
Jubilex - by Sardinha. It doesn't "totally suck" but I expected better than this. It's just mediocre artwork. Very "blah".
Orcus - by Arnie Swekel. Well, the Artwork isn't "Bad" really at all. Very detailed and nice pic. Except for the fact that everyone's favorite Undead Demon Prince is now Red Skinned, Muscular, and not fat at all. What gives? This is a makeover I don't particularly like at all. Maybe some of you will like this "Tough" Orcus. But give me the Orcus from the cover of Necromancer Games' "Rappan Athuk 3" anyday.
Asmodeus - it looks like Fisher. I just think he looks cheesy. Imagine Bram Stoker's Dracula with that big stupid bun hairdo. Blah.
now.. Brian Snoddy did some nice work. I like The Eye of Fear and Flame's picture. Baxa did some good Devils as well and Bel. The Demons and Mephistopheles look about the same quality as the Yugoloths in the Manual of the Planes. (The artist is Reynolds - WAR)
There is some blood in the book, I would hardly consider it "over the top". A severed head here and there. Most grusome is probably "Rapture of Rupture" spell - by Reynolds. The dwarf is semi-exploded and bleeding (eye is popping out - but that sound worse then the pic really looks). I also liked Waters pic of Leviticus trapped in ice.
Overall, the rest of the work is not worth mentioning. Not HORRIBLY bad, but nothing to write home about. The book is 32.95 and noticeably thin at 191 pages. Thats the most expensive book yet (page ratio). And I'm sad to say I feel let down. At least at first glance. I'll take it and read it and answer any questions you guys might have (give me a little time here).
GBDeluxe
P.S. - I am disappointed we did not see Zuggtmoy or Baphomet in this book (among others). Just add it to my list of complaints. Oh well, I don't want to sound like I'm totally anti this book, I just was expecting "more" quality.
