New Excerpts - Tome of Battle & Dragons of Faerun

[Geoff Watson]

Warblades aren't proficient with missile weapons, so if they can't get to melee (eg flying enemies), a warblade would be a LOT worse off than a fighter.

Geoff.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well, Dragons of Faerun certainly isn't for me. I was curious about it and considered picking it up, but the Faerun part of the title seems to be getting a lot of weight -- if the preview is any indication, it's a major chunk of lore. Great for FR players, not so great for people cherry-picking content from books. But that's OK.

I really have to wait and hear more about Tome of Battle before buying. I like the idea of uber-swashbucklers, but not so much so that they make every other melee class in the game obsolete, unless we want to play an all-ToB game. (Which, of course, just raises the question of why I wouldn't just play IH instead.) Maybe it's a case of "reads bad, plays good," which will come out eventually if that's the case.

 

[SteveC]

Wow.
In looking at this, all I can say is wow.

Great ideas, very creatively executed. Very cool.

Completely out of balance with the rest of the game. Out of balance especially with recent products. The Tome of Magic is towards the low end of the power scale if it is anything, and the PHB II classes seem to be smack dab in the middle of things.

I think this looks like something that would make a great basis for an entire campaign where everyone had these abilities, but to balance in a campaign with a normal fighter or rogue...

Nope.

--Steve

 

[Nightfall]

My only comment stems from the History section of Dragons of Faerun. Mainly the fact that a) Orcus didn't get his wand destroyed. It was just lost. b) It appears Faerun's dragons will indeed be going to war...just for divine purposes. I hope Orcus gets involved. He deserves it after the hell he's been through because of FR.

 

[blargney the second]

I like the stuff in the ToB preview. In the fighter-warblade analysis last page, the fighter should have had a big shield. High AC is where it's at for fighters, not DPS.

 

[BryonD]

Warblades aren't proficient with missile weapons, so if they can't get to melee (eg flying enemies), a warblade would be a LOT worse off than a fighter.

Geoff.

Don't know that this is enough to offset the rest.

I also get this vision of a wizard holding up a crossbow and saying: "Dude, you just look down the sight and pull the trigger. It really isn't anything special." :\

 

[VirgilCaine]

Warblades aren't proficient with missile weapons, so if they can't get to melee (eg flying enemies), a warblade would be a LOT worse off than a fighter.

Geoff.

Note that the "sample equipment" wastes money on a Shortbow.

This is a big disadvantage.
NO MISSILE WEAPON PROFICIENCIES AT ALL.

With Power Throw (CAdv) a Fighter or Barbarian can lay the smackdown even at range.

I also think knocking down the HD a peg or two would be a good idea. I mean, Rangers get along with d8s nowadays, don't they?

 

[BryonD]

Note that the "sample equipment" wastes money on a Shortbow.

That is an amusing gaff.

This is a big disadvantage.
NO MISSILE WEAPON PROFICIENCIES AT ALL.

With Power Throw (CAdv) a Fighter or Barbarian can lay the smackdown even at range.

Actually, it says they are proficient with melee weapons that can be thrown. So Power Throw is still in.

I also think knocking down the HD a peg or two would be a good idea. I mean, Rangers get along with d8s nowadays, don't they?

It'd be a good start. In my mind d10 for Knight and d8 for Warblade would be improvement on both counts.

 

[VirgilCaine]

That is an amusing gaff[e].

Actually, it says they are proficient with melee weapons that can be thrown. So Power Throw is still in.

That CAN be thrown, not that they can throw them. I dunno. It still means the worst they could get is...hmmm. PBS+Far Shot means you've got 30' feet on a spear or trident at first level, adding in magic spells or magic weapons would mean, say...60'? 90'? Not that far at high levels.

 

[Faraer]

Great for FR players, not so great for people cherry-picking content from books. But that's OK.

Especially as there's Draconomicon and Dragon Magic which aren't about Faerûn.