July 2006 WotC Releases--MM IV, Secrets of Xen'Drik, d20 Super Heroes

[Alzrius]

A new Weis & Hickman Dragonlance series?

Hmmm...

I didn't really like their last trilogy, though I do love the original 6 books.

We'll see...

That might make a difference, here. The Dark Chronicles are a retelling of the original trilogy, from the standpoint of the villains.

I'd also like to raise a big ? in regards to the Ravenloft novel. I'm glad WotC is actually doing something with the license, but why lead with the worst novel of the line? Also, what's up with the subtitle "The Ravenloft Covenant"? And why the new page count? Really, my major hope here is that this might be a gateway for new Ravenloft novels (please oh please give us Shadow of the Black Rose!)

 

[Knightfall]

Did you count the introductory and ad pages?

Nope.

320.

 

[DaveMage]

That might make a difference, here. The Dark Chronicles are a retelling of the original trilogy, from the standpoint of the villains.

Ugh. That doesn't sound appealing to me at all. How good can it be if you already know how it ends? None of the villains (that I recall) were really that interesting in and of themselves.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

So what, us divine spellcasters should just chomp our teeth and accept what few dribblets come our way? I mean what's the point in that? If Artificers, Warforged and hell Xen'drik get some love why can't clerics, paladins, druids and rangers get a little respect?

Well, no of course not. But, you have two halfs to such a book. The spells would only take up anywhere between one fourth and one half of the book. The rest would focus on divine rites, customs, celebrations, roleplaying ideas, and the histories of those religions.

As an Eberron fan, I think its a GREAT idea and would make a GREAT book. The lack of gods walking the earth means no need for rediculous divine stat blocks.

I'm just trying to come at it from the WOTC perspective (if past books are any indication).

 

[MadMaxim]

Uhh, more monsters and more Eberron! Huzzah!

 

[Alzrius]

The lack of gods walking the earth means no need for rediculous divine stat blocks.

You haven't read the "Lords of Dust" article in the latest Dragon, have you?

 

[MrFilthyIke]

You haven't read the "Lords of Dust" article in the latest Dragon, have you?

But, I think Keith intended those a Epic Level baddies...proving Eberron's not just for low-level adventurers. At least that was the implied idea I got from his posts at the WotC forums.

 

[Alzrius]

But, I think Keith intended those a Epic Level baddies...proving Eberron's not just for low-level adventurers. At least that was the implied idea I got from his posts at the WotC forums.

He did. What I'm saying was that the Overlords have a lot of powers that were equivalent to those of deities, such as remote sensing, their aura, having domains spells and powers they could use, etc. Sul Khatesh is basically a divine rank 7 creature...hence why so many of her abilities work in 7's.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

You know, I just didn't see the MMIII as all that bad.

Certainly not on par with the errors in the Complete Divine, for example.

Heck, the art was great, the monsters were refreshing and nasty (loved the Giants) and I get a lot of mileage out of that book.

Here's to hoping the MMIV is more of the same, and not like the MMII, which IMNSHO is the runt of the MM litter.

J. Grenemyer

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I sure hope they're leaving Xen'Drik mostly undefined (except for the starting city where the D&D MMORPG will be set) and making this more of a toolkit than a campaign setting.