3.5 vs. Arcana Unearthed: Which One are You More Excited About?

[Voadam]

Arcana Unearthed is D20 in any sense except the legal one. One might argue that it isn't D&D, though.

Me, I'm more exc... well, ok, I'm more excited about AU for what it represents. An alternative PHB is something pretty much unheard of, for what I know. It's a marvel of the OGL.

Been done before. Everquest RPG PH is OGL as well. WotC did it themselves with the Wheel of time d20 game.

Both have alternative magics and use core d20 mechanics to build setting specific classes and whatnot.

Not knocking AU, just saying it's not the first "alternative d20 mechanics PH for fantasy gaming".

 

[Enceladus]

The next nearest game store with appreciable stock is about an hour and a half drive away in any direction.

That stinks dude.

Did I mention that 2 of those mom and pops are both within 5 minutes of my house? And within 10 minutes of each other?



The more I read about it the more I think I will have no use for UA, other than its "Kewl" factor it really doesn't provide me with anything usable. But, I will wait and see. Like I said, "book whore", besides I own everything else Monte's done and have been more than impressed why stop now?

3.5 will be definitely first though.

 

[JeffB]

Just thinking out loud here to promote discussion…

I see a lot of folks saying something to the effect of a “variant” D&D is what is so appealing/exciting re: AU..

IME, variant D&D is still D&D. Back when there were all the vastly different variant worlds and rules systems to 1E & 2E: Planescape..Dark Sun…Al Quadim, SpellJammer, Ravenloft, etc. all with their own spins, and rules and on top of that the various rules options books…When all was said and done it was still D&D. At least to me: even stuff like the original Arduin series, as variant as it was, still played and “felt” like D&D to me, and does so to this day. Games like Mutants & Masterminds & Star Wars D20 as cool & different as they are (love both games myself) seem like D&D in tights/space respectively.

My group and I prefer on the other hand to go about variety another way: different RPG systems…games like Hero Wars, Exalted, Earthdawn, and LA IME are far more exciting as a different feel to the fantasy genre/game…where concepts and styles are wholly different from one game to the next.

I’m just curious if folks deep down (maybe even subconsciously) are more excited about AU, because it’ll be more familiar and easy to grasp rules-wise rather than for it’s “variation”

Again, I'm not looking for arguments..just some of these thoughts hit me while reading this thread..

 

[Geoffrey]

I couldn't care less about 3.5, but I'm very excited about AU.

3.5 is going to be just more of the same, but AU is a breath of fresh air.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

I couldn't care less about 3.5, but I'm very excited about AU.

3.5 is going to be just more of the same, but AU is a breath of fresh air.

Yep a catman hunter is SOOOOO much more exciting than an elven ranger and such a breath of fresh air.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Ivoted Arcana Unearthed because it's going to be different. I'm looking foward to 3.5 but I'm not really 'excited' about it. I fear that like many WoTC products, the editors and proofreaders will have to be shot as there are massive holes due to typos, misprintings and left out material (again).

 

[Henry]

I’m just curious if folks deep down (maybe even subconsciously) are more excited about AU, because it’ll be more familiar and easy to grasp rules-wise rather than for it’s “variation”

Exactly on the money - it allows for "variation," but not too much of it. Because AU will use all the most basic d20 concepts, it will be easier for me to find gamers willing to play it, than if it were a completely new system.

The only way I can get my game group to try a really variant system is if it is dirt-simple to do. The only way I got Continuum RPG players, for instance, is because the rules system is very easy to grasp, and combat resolutions are really quite simple. Were it as rules heavy as a d20 game, I likely wouldn't have found as much interest.

But because they know the rules, they like the mechanics, they can jump into a new game without feeling completely lost.

Basically, I'm buying it because of Monte's track record. Anything he gets excited about, I usually enjoy. Only in rare cases (Return to the Temple, Dead Gods) have I disliked something he wrote or complimented favorably.

 

[Oni]

For those of you that keep citing new races just for the sake of having new races I think your off the mark a bit. I think part of what is going to make AU successful, in fact part of the whole driving force behind it seems to be allowing people that have played standard dnd to death to get a change of pace. The default dnd races come with a lot of baggage, expectations, stereotypes, and assumptions, setting them aside and creating a new racial palette allows AU more opportunity to bring something new to the table instead of rehashing the status quo.

 

[TalonComics]

Interesting discussion! It's too bad we're just a small slice of gamers compared to the D&D community as a whole. I'm really curious as to how Joe Blow Gamer views the ideas of what AU is offering.

I'm just speculating but I think your average player wants straight D&D and isn't really looking for diviant system and setting books. Heck, I've talked to a few folks who haven't even played 3E yet and are still actively playing 2E. Granted, that's rare but it's still happening.

Overall, I think AU is exciting to those who are active in the gaming community and actively play a fair amount of RPGs. "A breath of fresh air" is usually very welcomed to those who play the same system on a regular basis.

~D

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Heck, I've talked to a few folks who haven't even played 3E yet and are still actively playing 2E. Granted, that's rare but it's still happening.

I know a few as well, citing that they have no interest in 3E for various reasons (although "flavorless dirt" is a common theme). Oddly, most of these same people are playing Wheel of Time, Call of Cthulu, Star Wars and other d20 Games... It would be interesting to see if some of these folks take to Arcana Unearthed; I'll have to loan them my copy after I get it.