WotC RPG Dept. Re-Orgs

[Shroomy]

Just read this here. So it looks like Mike Mearls assumed Bill Slavicek's old job (though as a Senior Manager instead of a Director) and Rich Baker in turn filled Mike's old position.

Also, there's a tidbit in there about a new sorcerer build appearing in Elemental Power.

 

[Saracenus]

And now the other shoe has dropped.

This makes me a very happy panda. I figured that it was either Mearls or Perkins that would get the top spot. That Rich Baker is now in Mearls old spot is also good news.

I would have been gutted if someone from outside where brought in to take over R&D...

WOOOOOOT!

 

[Tharian]

Hasn't Chris Perkins been there much longer than Mike Mearls, though?

 

[The Little Raven]

Hasn't Chris Perkins been there much longer than Mike Mearls, though?

Rich Baker has been there longer than Bill Slavicsek was. I'm quite surprised he wasn't the successor.

 

[Neverfate]

What bothers me in all of this? That Robert J, Schwalb is writing 75% of the Elemental sourcebook. Talk about a downer. I hope the work Baker did was to make Schwalb's work actually fit in D&D 4E instead of us getting another awful Heroes of Shadow.

 

[Incenjucar]

Whose been where longest is hardly the only thing that matters. An individual's personal preferences and professional talents are rather important to deciding what position they fill. Administration and design are very different things.

 

[Daern]

[MENTION=93685]Neverfate[/MENTION]
What did you dislike about Heroes of Shadow?
I do agree that RJS seems to right the lions share of DnD stuff these days.
I am happy to see Mearls as top dog. I like the way he thinks out loud. I never did care for Slavisek's writings. Alternity is not the best resume jewel in my eyes.

 

[Argyle King]

I can't speak for Neverfate, but the some of the epic destinies were mechanically terrible. The fluff was great; the crunch not so much. That's weird for me to complain about since I'm normally a very story oriented player, but I hate when I want to choose an option in D&D because it sounds cool only to find that my character seems to have trouble keeping up with others at the table.

I've only had a few passes at the book, but that's been my initial impression.

 

[Marshall]

I can't speak for Neverfate, but the some of the epic destinies were mechanically terrible. The fluff was great; the crunch not so much. That's weird for me to complain about since I'm normally a very story oriented player, but I hate when I want to choose an option in D&D because it sounds cool only to find that my character seems to have trouble keeping up with others at the table.

I've only had a few passes at the book, but that's been my initial impression.

And its been further born out by play and testing. The book is a mish-mash of bad design, awful mechanics and mediocre fluff. From the unplayably poor mechanics of the Shade(racial penalties and worthless racial power) and Binder(horrible fixed encounter powers and a curse boon mechanic that is improbable at best) to the failure of design that is a Railroad Vampire(If any class called for a full suite of AEDU....) to the waste of time and space that is reprinting the Executioner for the 4th? time, HoS is the worst product released for 4e and thats saying something after the HBG debacle

 

[Klaus]

I can't speak for Neverfate, but the some of the epic destinies were mechanically terrible. The fluff was great; the crunch not so much. That's weird for me to complain about since I'm normally a very story oriented player, but I hate when I want to choose an option in D&D because it sounds cool only to find that my character seems to have trouble keeping up with others at the table.

I've only had a few passes at the book, but that's been my initial impression.

If your problem is with the Epic Destinies, Rob had pretty much nothing to do with them. I wrote the Keeper of the Everflow, Marshal of Letherna and Twilight Tribune. I'd be happy to have your feedback.