Collected DDXP Preview Pages

[Lonely Tylenol]

Hey, what's that yellow junk running down the side of every page? Is it some kind of copy-protection watermark, or is it actually part of the layout? If the latter, yech.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

More importantly, how did they manage to paint that warmage in such an interesting fashion? It looks kind of like someone spattered the mini with resist, then painted over in blue and peeled the resist afterwards. Neat. I'll have to experiment with that technique.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

They fit four levels of spells on one two-page spread?? Put another way, there are only four 13th level spells???

And apparently no 11th and 12th level spells at all. Weird.

edit:

Hey, has anyone already noticed the editing error on the choker? The statblock says that the Feygrove Choker has the Body Shield ability, but the flavour text calls the ability Living Shield.

It's also worth noting that it seems the way they included 500 pages worth of monsters in the MM was to pare the fluff text down to one or two sentences, maximum.

Compare the Chuul entries:

3.5e: Like some large insect or monstrous crustacean, the creature rises from the still pool, its pincerlike claws snapping angrily as torchlight reflects off its mottled, armored carapace. Its small dark eyes fix you with a hungry stare, and the tentacles dripping from its mouth squirm excitedly as it emerges from the water. A horrible mix of crustacean, insect, and serpent, the chuul is an abomination that lurks submerged or partially submerged, awaiting intelligent prey to devour. Although amphibious, chuuls are not good swimmers and actually prefer to be on land or in very shallow water when they attack. They love to prey on lizardfolk. Chuuls are known to collect trophies from their kills. Although unable to use weapons, armor, or most other belongings, chuuls keep these items in their lairs. If a victim has no interesting possessions, the chuul takes its skull. Most chuuls live in swamps and jungles, but some have adapted to subterranean life, hunting in and near underground streams and lakes. These underground varieties often prey on troglogytes and unwary drow. They are sometimes found as thralls of beholders or mind flayers. A chuul is about 8 feet long and weighs 650 pounds. Chuuls speak Common (or Undercommon, for the underground variety).

4E: A chuul lurks in underground lakes, still ponds, dank grottos, and murky cesspools, patiently waiting for prey to happen by.

Also of note: no treasure entries anywhere.

 

[Scholar & Brutalman]

And apparently no 11th and 12th level spells at all. Weird.

I think spells are listed by the level were they become accessible. My guess is that the wizard progression looks something like this:

lvl 10: Choose a utility spell. Perhaps a feat as well?
lvl 11: paragon path?
lvl 12: ? feat?
lvl 13: Choose an encounter spell
lvl 14: ? feat?
lvl 15: Choose two daily spells (the wizard has the spellbook, so chooses two powers)
lvl 16: Choose a utility spell and a feat

So something to choose every level, but not too many things.

 

[Benimoto]

So something to choose every level, but not too many things.

I suspect something similar. You'll also notice that all the spells at one level are the same type of spell. Level 10 Utility, Level 13 Encounter, Level 15 Daily, Level 16 Utility again. So at those levels you probably pick one of those spells, and over the next 5 you pick a few more. Then, 6 levels later, you get a new tier of them.

Or something like that.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Though description fluff (of their appearance) doesn't need to be included in the text. Since I am pretty sure they have said every species of creature has a picture.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

I wonder if the choice between chain, scale and plate armor is purely movement speed vs AC, or if there's something else to it.

Well, part of the tradeoff would seem to be that you have to take feats per type of armor, not just "light armor proficiency" or "heavy armor proficiency." This is judging from the fact that rogues are only proficient in leather, and not hide.

I'm guessing among heavy armor wearers, clerics and warlords will start with chainmail proficiency, fighters will start with scale proficiency, and paladins will start with plate. For light-armor folks, wizards wear cloth, rogues and warlocks wear leather, and rangers wear mail. (This is all judging from the playtest characters and stuff in Races & Classes).

 

[Sonny]

I would just like to add my thanks on the terrific job you did. These pics are the best I've seen on the net, bar none. Maybe we should buy you a mini cam and send you into WoTC headquarters.

 

[_sheepy_]

Portability is good. But If I read it correctly, the portable astral diamond (ad?) doesn't seems to be an acceptable currency on the earthly mortal realms. :\

Very nice pageshots, by the way. I can actually read it by taking 10 not 20 and without using my masterwork photoshop.

 

[Stalker0]

Well, part of the tradeoff would seem to be that you have to take feats per type of armor, not just "light armor proficiency" or "heavy armor proficiency." This is judging from the fact that rogues are only proficient in leather, and not hide.

I'm guessing among heavy armor wearers, clerics and warlords will start with chainmail proficiency, fighters will start with scale proficiency, and paladins will start with plate. For light-armor folks, wizards wear cloth, rogues and warlocks wear leather, and rangers wear mail. (This is all judging from the playtest characters and stuff in Races & Classes).

This is my feeling as well, though my biggest question is how does a defender in heavy armor get more AC?

Most believe that you get a +1/2 bonus to AC per level, but so far that seems to be through stats (ie, your effective dex mod and int mod increase by 1/2 per level). If that's the case, then very quickly a ranger in light armor will out AC the paladin in plate.

I'm assuming there's more to it than that.