Immortals Handbook - Godsend

[Kerrick]

UK, question. I'm combining all the celestials (angels, archons, eladrin, and guardinals) into one blanket subtype: celestial, and all the fiends (demons and devils) into the fiend subtype. Now, I want to split the celestials into angels (LG, which covers angels and archons) and something else (CG, covers eladrin and guardinals), but I can't think of what to call the CG celestials. You're the angel expert here... what do you think?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Kerrick matey!

UK, question. I'm combining all the celestials (angels, archons, eladrin, and guardinals) into one blanket subtype: celestial, and all the fiends (demons and devils) into the fiend subtype. Now, I want to split the celestials into angels (LG, which covers angels and archons) and something else (CG, covers eladrin and guardinals), but I can't think of what to call the CG celestials. You're the angel expert here... what do you think?

How about Devas?

While I'm here, just a word on progress. The good news is I think I am on course for having the 40 pages of Vampires & Demons written by the end of the week. The bad news is that I have expanded the size of the pdf to 56 pages, so there will still be a little bit to do. However, all the remaining pages are half finished already, and I think by the end of the week I'll be far enough along that I can trust myself to commission the art, since that will likely take a month or possibly two. Once the art is underway, I'll send Alzrius the pdf (for editing at his leisure) and once thats done I'll let the guys start the 3.5E conversion.

In a week or so I'll start up a new thread here for Vampires & Demons. It'll probably end up about 60 pages (56 pages of written content, contents page, index/monster list by level, cover, GSL etc.)

 

[Kerrick]

Hey Kerrick matey!

How about Devas?

That could work, but people might confuse them with the astral deva angel. Didn't they have deva in 2E? I don't have any of the base MM supplements for 2E, just Greyhawk and some Undermountain stuff.

 

[Rhuarc]

Hiya UK!

Guess there is no chance to purchase the pdf before the art is added already and get an update later once it is done? As I'm much more interested in the stats and descriptions than the art itself, I'd have no problem with paying upfront for an unfinished product. And even if the art wouldn't be completed at all, judging by your former products I know it will be worth it nevertheless

Let me know!

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

Weirdly enough I actually replied to this post yesterday - seems it didn't load.

That could work, but people might confuse them with the astral deva angel. Didn't they have deva in 2E? I don't have any of the base MM supplements for 2E, just Greyhawk and some Undermountain stuff.

I am wondering why you are going out of your way to condense the angels and fiends, only to divide them again. Seems a bit self-defeating.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya UK!

Howdy Rhuarc dude!

Guess there is no chance to purchase the pdf before the art is added already and get an update later once it is done?

No chance at all. I got burned doing that before and I vowed never to do it again.

As I'm much more interested in the stats and descriptions than the art itself,

It'll be an actual artist doing most, if not all the art, rather than my journeyman efforts.

I'd have no problem with paying upfront for an unfinished product. And even if the art wouldn't be completed at all, judging by your former products I know it will be worth it nevertheless

I appreciate the confidence, and (if I do say so myself) totally warranted - the new pdf is shaping up really nicely.

Not only will it be Monster Manual 2 compliable, but I have also been doing a lot of snooping around the forums finding out a lot of the do's and don't's of 4E monster design. Also, unlike other books (stacked in favour of lower levels) its got a fairly even spread over levels 11-35 and a few surprises after that.

Let me know!

Sorry to have to nix the idea but I think its for the best. Also, if the art is finished within 4-6 weeks it'll be finished at the same time as the book anyway, so the point is probably a bit moot. Although I should have the majority of it written by the end of the week, I will be back to work next week, so that will slow progress from then on. However, the more I delve into 4E design, the better I am getting at it and the faster things are going.

I'll also have 3E hit dice figures for the guys doing the 3.5E conversions.

 

[Kerrick]

I am wondering why you are going out of your way to condense the angels and fiends, only to divide them again. Seems a bit self-defeating.

Well... what I'm doing is giving all celestials and all fiends the same abilities - the only thing that really differentiates them, beside their forms, is their alignment. Right now, we've got four different kinds of celestials and two different kinds of fiends (not counting daemons and demodands, which aren't OGC), all with different sets of abilities - it's goofy and pointless. I went over them all, compared abilities, and came up with a generic set for celestials and fiends.

I didn't do anything else with demons and devils, but I didn't see the need for four different types of celestials, especially when "eladrin" and "guardinal" are PI, so I can't use them (this results in those 5-6 monsters being scattered all over the MM, instead of nicely gathered together with the others).

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

Just a few minor things of note. Contacted the two artists today and (pending replies) hopefully they can start within a week or two.

I'm still not sure about the final name for this pdf. It may revert to simply Vampire Bestiary. It covers levels 1-40. I think this will be my last sub-epic pdf. I just wanted to start lower than usual because I have less experience with 4E than 3/3.5E. So after this I expect any monster books will be primarily covering levels 21+.

Last night I laid out an early build for the Legendary Tier expanded Fighter Class (Levels 31-40 for the Fighter). While I initially wanted to replace Classes with portfolios, the more I worked on that format the more confusing it became trying to shoehorn certain portfolios into certain roles. Instead, portfolios will now replace Paragon Paths at the Legendary Tier. Each Portfolio will have four 'paths' one for each role. I'll maybe type up the Class and make it available as a free pdf., just to gain some feedback. At the moment I don't have the War Portfolio Path written though...just the expanded Fighter Class. Actually, now that I think about it I do have the Fire Portfolio Paths pretty much finished. So I could type those up and then you would have a vague gauge of power for the Legendary tier.

 

[Pssthpok]

I know what we're getting for Christmas!

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

A few minor things of note.

Should have the website sorted out by the end of this week. Contacted the new provider last week, they got back to me on Saturday, but I have to work Saturday to Tuesday this week (4 nights this week, only 2 next week). Soon as I have some free time I'll get it all sorted.

As for the Vampire Bestiary, contacted a few artists and I have the cover and 4-5 interior pieces being handled. However I need to find a few others (was looking for about 16-20 interior illustrations). One problem may be that for a number of illustrations I was hoping for some group shots (ie. for the Nosferatu image I was hoping it would contain the Feral Nosferatu, Nosferatu, Nosferatu Shadow Knight and Shrouded Nosferatu (and possibly Sated Nosferatu as well). The only problem may be that artists will charge more for group shots. If so, I'll basically have to do all the group shots myself (about 8-9 images myself) because I'll not be able to afford anymore. So I may still have to do some of the art...which will add about a month on to the release date, which I would otherwise pencil in for around Gencon-ish.

Been toying about with my initial Immortals Handbook: Legendary Tier ideas. At first I sort of thought the class extensions seemed a bit too much like extensions (which may or may not be a good thing). However, when used in tandem with the Portfolio rules it all starts to look pretty swish. More or less have the Fighter Class (31-40) and Fire Portfolio Paths sorted (give or take one or two powers) and currently brainstorming for the cleric Class extension and Death Portfolio.

With Class Extensions and Portfolios being a bit bigger than my earlier plans (where Portfolios would replace Classes), I may have to reduce the number of portfolios in the first (touch wood) book, I'm curious to know what Portfolios you would all want to play? I was initially hoping to do 14, but I think I'll limit myself to 8 for this first IH: Legendary Tier. That would be the 8 Class Extensions from the PHB (PHB1 that is) and 8 Portfolios.

Looking over the old Legends & Lore (1E book) the 8 most common Portfolios are:

War
Death
Rulership (in the guise of the Skyfather)
Storms/Thunder
Sun
Sea
Fertility/Love
Fate/Luck
...with the Fire Portfolio being the 9th most common.

However, I can't imagine the above would be the most voted for portfolios, as I suspect a few out there would want to see a magic portfolio. I also want to throw in the Fire Portfolio, as I think it makes a nice default.

What about:

Death
Fate/Luck
Fire
Magic
Protection/Stoicism
Sky/Rulership
Travel
War

Any thoughts?

The Storm/Thunder, Nature and Love/Fertility portfolios all seem a bit more appropriate for a potential second book where I have class extensions of the PHB 2 classes.