Mordenkainen's Tome Of Foes Showing Up In The Wild -- See These Preview Shots!

doctorbadwolf · Apr 19, 2018

Parmandur said:
Is it, though? I know the style isn't to everybody's tastes, but I've never heard anybody outside if a form who objected to the current D&D Halfling style.

It’s terrible, and I’ve encountered several new players who are reluctant to play halflings because the art looks so stupid. It’s like a silly cartoon character in a book of characters you’re supposed to be able to take seriously.

lowkey13 · Apr 19, 2018

*Deleted by user*

TwoSix · Apr 19, 2018

A wild Mordenkainens appears!

You've caught Mordenkainens!

Gradine · Apr 19, 2018

lowkey13 said:
EXCELLENT!

Now we just need terrible art for the gnomes and Paladins, to better reflect their core essence.

I forgot which archetype won the Gish Subclass survivor thread... Lowkey can you remind me?

lowkey13 · Apr 19, 2018

*Deleted by user*

Superchunk77 · Apr 19, 2018

doctorbadwolf said:
It’s terrible, and I’ve encountered several new players who are reluctant to play halflings because the art looks so stupid. It’s like a silly cartoon character in a book of characters you’re supposed to be able to take seriously.

I agree, not a fan of the bobble-headed halflings, and the tieflings shown aren't very well drawn either. I bought Volo's and Xanathar's but I'll be passing on this one for sure.

pming · Apr 19, 2018

Hiya!

dave2008 said:
What is your issue with the appearance of Mordenkainen?

I guess the closest I can come is this: WotC seems to be trying to focus attention on THEIR characters and not YOURS/OURS.

I don't want to be constantly reminded of how great Mordenkainen is, or how awesome Elminster is, or how super-secretive-but-everyone-knows-him-and-is-afraid-but-not-really that Xanathar floating orb monster is, etc. I don't want to hear "Oh, Mordenkainens Foes book has those guys" because it ever so slightly denigrates the monsters in it to be somehow related to Mordenkainen. If I write a series of adventures centered around some creature to be found therein, no matter how unique and memorable my adventure is...both the players and I will ALWAYS "know" that "Mordenkainen knew all about those guys first". Supplemental books for AD&D were generic. They were tools for us to use to tell our own stories and have our own tales of heroics. Now? Well...

I don't want to be reminded of how cool and wonderful WotC's IP is. I want WotC to produce products that focus on US...the DM's and the Players of D&D. I don't much care for this constant "Tooting of their own horn" with every supplement they put out. To me it seems like WotC has taken on the role of those annoying parents who attribute all the success of their wonderkind's success at [insert sport or ability] to themselves more than their kid. Yeah, you know the type. That's WotC now. "Look how great my kid is! Aren't I an amazing Parent!? See what I have done? I am the one who really deserves the credit because without me my kid would just be so-so...sorry honey, but it's true. You should thank me for making you great! And everyone watching my kid should thank me too!".

WotC: Please stop trying to be *that* parent.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

GloomyGus · Apr 19, 2018

pming said:
Hiya!

I guess the closest I can come is this: WotC seems to be trying to focus attention on THEIR characters and not YOURS/OURS.

I don't want to be constantly reminded of how great Mordenkainen is, or how awesome Elminster is, or how super-secretive-but-everyone-knows-him-and-is-afraid-but-not-really that Xanathar floating orb monster is, etc. I don't want to hear "Oh, Mordenkainens Foes book has those guys" because it ever so slightly denigrates the monsters in it to be somehow related to Mordenkainen. If I write a series of adventures centered around some creature to be found therein, no matter how unique and memorable my adventure is...both the players and I will ALWAYS "know" that "Mordenkainen knew all about those guys first". Supplemental books for AD&D were generic. They were tools for us to use to tell our own stories and have our own tales of heroics. Now? Well...

I don't want to be reminded of how cool and wonderful WotC's IP is. I want WotC to produce products that focus on US...the DM's and the Players of D&D. I don't much care for this constant "Tooting of their own horn" with every supplement they put out. To me it seems like WotC has taken on the role of those annoying parents who attribute all the success of their wonderkind's success at [insert sport or ability] to themselves more than their kid. Yeah, you know the type. That's WotC now. "Look how great my kid is! Aren't I an amazing Parent!? See what I have done? I am the one who really deserves the credit because without me my kid would just be so-so...sorry honey, but it's true. You should thank me for making you great! And everyone watching my kid should thank me too!".

WotC: Please stop trying to be *that* parent.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

Well I've got great news for you, because those books aren't like that at all. The characters in question pop up occasionally to provide brief, entertaining quips, and that's about all you see of them. They're very, very loose narrators at best, and there's no real self-congratulatory tone to speak of.

MonsterEnvy · Apr 19, 2018

pming said:
Hiya!

I guess the closest I can come is this: WotC seems to be trying to focus attention on THEIR characters and not YOURS/OURS.

I don't want to be constantly reminded of how great Mordenkainen is, or how awesome Elminster is, or how super-secretive-but-everyone-knows-him-and-is-afraid-but-not-really that Xanathar floating orb monster is, etc. I don't want to hear "Oh, Mordenkainens Foes book has those guys" because it ever so slightly denigrates the monsters in it to be somehow related to Mordenkainen. If I write a series of adventures centered around some creature to be found therein, no matter how unique and memorable my adventure is...both the players and I will ALWAYS "know" that "Mordenkainen knew all about those guys first". Supplemental books for AD&D were generic. They were tools for us to use to tell our own stories and have our own tales of heroics. Now? Well...

I don't want to be reminded of how cool and wonderful WotC's IP is. I want WotC to produce products that focus on US...the DM's and the Players of D&D. I don't much care for this constant "Tooting of their own horn" with every supplement they put out. To me it seems like WotC has taken on the role of those annoying parents who attribute all the success of their wonderkind's success at [insert sport or ability] to themselves more than their kid. Yeah, you know the type. That's WotC now. "Look how great my kid is! Aren't I an amazing Parent!? See what I have done? I am the one who really deserves the credit because without me my kid would just be so-so...sorry honey, but it's true. You should thank me for making you great! And everyone watching my kid should thank me too!".

WotC: Please stop trying to be *that* parent.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

So you don't actually know anything about Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes/ Volo's Guide to Monsters/ Xanathar's Guide to Everything. And are just judging them harshly because they are featuring D&D lore in books. Despite the fact that the books don't do anything you mention.

Like this is possibly the most petty and minor complaint about a D&D book I have heard, along with a bunch of stuff that is blatantly false. Of course you would not know it's false cause you decided to just judge it by some crazy standard and never give them chance.

MonsterEnvy · Apr 19, 2018

Jacob Lewis said:
Good news, everyone! D&D came out with a new product this year, which can be purchased multiple times in multiple formats! And as always, it's not really D&D unless it skews common perceptions of classic races, displaces iconic characters into a catch-all setting that has become a distant echo of it's former glory, and has been preceeded by more sneak peeks and tantalizing previews than a traveling showgirl troupe performing an outside show in the park. Let's move on already to the next item hinted at for release and begin the 6+ month journey of hype and speculation for another collection of uninspiring and recycled ideas! 5e 4evar!!

Jacob Lewis said:
Can't an old grognard poke fun at his least favorite edition? I'd comment on other products so as not to pick on one all the time, but I can't wait that long for the next one to appear! Ba-dum! Ching!! *rimshot*

Yeah but next to none of this stuff is true.