2005 January-April Wizards products

[buzz]

I'm pretty sure one of the other two was in an older Poly issue...don't remember which setting or issue, though.

Shadow Chasers appeared in the form of a preview of the d20M rules prior to its release. Genetech was originally slated for inclusion in d20M, but was cut and then released in Poly.

Checking the Wizard's d20M site, I can find no mention that any setting other than UA was intended to be released as a seprate campaign book.

 

[PatEllis15]

I mean, I could see holding off on the Moonsea, or Cormyr, or even the Dalelands, but the Western Heartlands and Dragon Coast desperately cry out for sourcebooks.

Hmmm... I'd say that the Sheldomar River Valley "Desperatley" cries out for a sourcebook...

Pat E

 

[Arnwyn]

What was the last full sourcebook that covered the Western Heartlands again (that wasn't a guide to what inns were good/bad)? Dragon Coast?

Gah! It's Staffan and the Western Heartlands again!

Both were covered adequately in the Old Grey box, FRA, a whole heckuva lot in the 2e box set, and the FRCS. The Western Heartlands were furthered detailed in Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast (not just about inns, of course - that book introduced so many adventure sites and additional history and locations it hurt). With those books, I have full details on every single settlement and named geographical feature in those regions - as well as maps and heavy details for every single city in those regions. Not sure what more can be said about the Misty Forest, for example, than what's been detailed already... "it's got, uh, more shadowtops than oak. Teh awesome!".

(But then again, I would have loved a "Volo's Guide to the Dragon Coast".)

I think the much more obvious and appropriate question would be: "What was the last full sourcebook on Lantan, Nimbral, and Tharsult? Or Sossal? Or Murghom? Or even Semphar?" Any takers? I thought not.

 

[Staffan]

Gah! It's Staffan and the Western Heartlands again!

You'll never get rid of me!

Both were covered adequately in the Old Grey box, FRA, a whole heckuva lot in the 2e box set, and the FRCS.

Not sure about the grey box, but:
Forgotten Realms adventures had 2 pages each on the cities of Baldur's Gate, Elturel, Scornubel, Berdusk, and Iriaebor. Nothing on what's in between.
The 2e box set has a full 19 pages on the WH - not bad, for an overview of the entire setting. Though almost two full pages of those are taken up by an overview of various merchant costers, so it's more like 17 pages.
The 3e FRCS has 8 pages on the WH.

The Western Heartlands were furthered detailed in Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast (not just about inns, of course - that book introduced so many adventure sites and additional history and locations it hurt).

OK, Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast is OK. Rather light on mechanics though - I don't mean prestige classes and stuff, but as in NPC stats and the like. I'd prefer to see something more along the lines of Silver Marches.

I don't mean that WOTC should disregard the outlying areas entirely when they make new FR books. I think a 50/50 mix would be perfect - every other geographical sourcebook would be on somewhere in the Heartlands (Waterdeep, The North (other than the Marches), Western Heartlands, Sembia, Cormyr, Dalelands, Moonsea, the Vast, the Dragon Coast), and every other would be on one of the outlying areas (Old Empires, Amn, Anauroch/Shade, Calimshan, etc.). That would be a nifty mix.

The thing is that while the outlying areas are interesting, I'm certain that the vast majority of FR campaigns take place in the Heartlands, not in Halruaa or Thay.

 

[Creamsteak]

Throwing aberrations/oozes/vermin together could be an interesting mix. I don't think that it will be demons/devils... but then again I'm just throwing out my opinions. Demons/Devils/Celestials already have so much, and with Eberron calling on a number of aberrations to take more prominent page in this setting, it might be a good fit.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Hmmm... I'd say that the Sheldomar River Valley "Desperatley" cries out for a sourcebook...

Pat E

A-f***in'-men to that!

 

[reanjr]

Are you talking about the settings in the d20M book? IIRC, Urban Arcana was the only setting book WotC had planned to do, and the only one they ever announced (it was the inspiration for d20M in the first place, actually; i.e., it came first, development-wise). I seem to remember people asking about full books for Shadow Chasers and Agents of PSI, and WotC specifically saying there were no plans to do so, barring runaway sales.

If you can point me to a link that shows otherwise, though, I'd be very interested.

Dark*Matter. They need to redo Dark*Matter. Or someone should at least update the timeline and history of the setting to about 2010. Make that 2009 or else it sounds too much like space oddyssey (there's too many of SOME letter in that word)

 

[d4]

Dark*Matter. They need to redo Dark*Matter.

i thought they already did.

or do you mean more than the Poly minigame?

 

[humble minion]

Well, I was really hoping for a Mulhorand/Chessenta/Unther sourcebook, but London to a brick on that they'll be covered to at least some extent in Ancient Empires. With this and Serpent Kingdoms, it looks like WotC is moving away from the geographical focus (Silver Marchs, Unapproachable East) in their Realms sourcebooks and towards more themed material, presumably to help make the books more applicable to people running non-Realms campaigns, or campaigns not set in the chosen area. Could be a good idea, but I'll let time tell on that one. I'm still dark that they spent more words in the FRCS on a 5th-level bully in Shadowdale than they did on the capital of the entire Mulhorandi empire. Priorities, people!

One thing that really bothers me about this release schedule, however, is the complete lack of any Star Wars RPG material. With the cancellation of the space stations book the increasing focus on the SW miniatures, the death of SW material in Polyhedron, and the utter lack of any sign of the desperately-needed updated starships book, it really looks like d20 Star Wars has been left to rot on the vine. Hopefully we'll get thrown a bone or two when Episode 3 comes out...

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

I'm still dark that they spent more words in the FRCS on a 5th-level bully in Shadowdale than they did on the capital of the entire Mulhorandi empire.

My point exactly.

For crying out loud, more time was spent on stuff that happened years ago (in game) in Shadowdale that was spent about Mulhorandi beating the bejuzaes out of Unther. Mulhorandi waking up and opening the cans of whoop (deleted) it has been saving for 2000 years should get more attention.

At the very least, Thay should have been preparing for war with Mulhorand and the Chessentian city-states should have been trying to get over centuries-old rivalries to fend off Mulhorand.

But what did we get...

Same ol', same ol'. Drow from below harassing the Dalelands. Zhents from the north harassing the Dalelands. Monsters from Myth Drannor harassing the Dalelands. Greedy Sembian merchants from the south harassing the Dalelands.Same ol', same ol'.

What are we getting…

Information on Netheril, Narfell, Cormanthyr, etc, all dead and gone.

I Want Pseudo-Egytian Chariot Drivers Running Down Red Wizards, dagnabit!

Hopefully we'll get thrown a bone or two when Episode 3 comes out...

Or maybe just thrown down some sort of deep industrial shaft.