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Message: <blockquote data-quote="sjmiller" data-source="post: 2981642" data-attributes="member: 17262">An Open Letter: 'Missing the Mark: Mike Mearls’s ‘Revised’ Ogre Mage'Mr. Mearls,While I respect the work you have done in the past, I honestly think that the ‘revised’ ogre mage is based on some wrong assumptions.  At the beginning of your article, you tell us to look at the ogre mage entry in the Monster Manual.  I did just that, and noticed a few things that should be brought up.Under Combat the SRD says, “Ogre mages rely on their spell-like abilities, resorting to physical combat only when necessary.”  To me, at least, this says that the ogre mage will most likely not be a “big, beefy monster” as you seem to feel they should be.  An ogre mage is described as being about ten feet tall and weighs up to 700 pounds.  A creature that tall and with that weight would not necessarily be big and beefy.  At that height they would have to be thinner and well muscled without looking too bulky.  Look at, for example, a Siberian Tiger.  Their average weight is 500-700 pounds, with a body length of 8-10 feet.  I doubt anyone would describe the Siberian Tiger as “hulking” and its body size is similar to that of an ogre mage.You comment on the artwork used in the Monster Manual, saying it is a “hulking monster with a massive sword and nasty looking fangs.”  But, as we all know, the artwork is not always the best source of information regarding a creature in D&D (look at the displacer beast).  If you are going to look at the artwork, look at all the previous versions of an ogre mage as well.  None of them have, until 3.0, depicted the ogre mage as carrying a massive weapon like the greatsword.  Using a greatsword seems to be an addition to the latest version of the ogre mage, without any good reason to do so.  The same can also be said for the muscle-bound look of the current artwork.  In the AD&D 1e Monster Manual, for example, I think you could safely describe the picture as portly, and nowhere near the “steroid abusing” picture from the v3.5 Monster Manual.You also state that, “while its attack does good damage, it fails to stack up to other big, beefy monsters at CR 8.”  Well, since the ogre mage is supposed to resort to physical combat only when necessary, one would think that its biggest “punch” would be in its spell-like abilities and not in physical combat.  The assumption that it has to have a physical attack equal to other CR8 monsters seems to be taking the ogre mage in a direction that contradicts the description.That being said, the spell-like abilities of the ogre mage should reflect this description.  Instead of charm person (which has been drastically weakened since 1st edition), perhaps charm monster, or suggestion, or the mass versions of either one would work better.  Instead of sleep use deep slumber.  If the ogre mage is supposed to be CR8 and it is supposed to rely on its spell-like abilities, why not use some that are more appropriate?Saying that “the ogre mage’s regeneration and flight make it hard to pin down, though its Large size can be a problem,” fails to take into account the Change Shape ability.  This supernatural ability, which replaced the once per day spell-like ability of polymorph, allows the ogre mage to assume the form of any Small, Medium, or Large humanoid or giant.  The Monster Manual v3.5 Errata seems to imply that this Change Shape ability is no longer restricted to one use per day, making it a handy element in the ogre mage’s arsenal of tricks.  Even if that is not the case (and the errata itself is changed) this is still a potent use of the Change Self ability, and would render moot the size problem.“The ogre mage does have a ranged attack t can use when flying above the party, but its +2 attack bonus with its longbow makes it nearly useless.”  If that’s the case, then change it.  Once again, if an ogre mage is not supposed to be a big and brutish front line fighter, then it should be equipped/skilled to handle this.  Perhaps a feat to increase the attack bonus, or a magical enhancement, or heck, just increase their Dexterity!  Any of those would work.Further into your article, when you are “revising” the ogre mage, you come out and say what I feel is the flawed premise of this revision.  First you say that you like the idea of an ogre mage as a tricky mastermind, then you go and say, “The ogre mage rules by intimidation, not by magic.”  These, to me at least, are contradictory statements.  The first statement is closer to what the ogre mage has been in the past, while the second one takes the ogre mage in a different direction entirely.  I personally think that direction is off on a tangent to what the ogre mage is supposed to be.You say that the ogre mage lacks focus, that it has an identity crisis.  Instead of trying to create a new ogre from thin air, skim a few ideas from Japanese mythology regarding the Oni.  They are at least part of the inspiration used in creating the ogre mage “back in the day.”  They are often depicted as living in the wilds, often in or near mountains, and they are thieves or highway men.  They are sometimes shown as guardians of hell.  One folk belief today is that oni cause thunder and lightning so that they can steal children's belly buttons. This is a common story told to get children to wear warm clothing in the rain.  Those are some great hooks for giving the ogre mage the identity you say it lacks.  I personally would switch out the cone of cold for something like call lightning, to bring in that bit of oni mythology, and to give it a bit more impact than the one shot cone.Looking at previous incarnations of the ogre mage in D&D, we find all sorts of clues and information that are helpful in giving the creature the identity you feel it is lacking.  Let’s start with the weapons.  Weapon choices in previous versions would lead one to drop the greatsword and use some more thematic weapons.  Sticking with weapons in the SRD (mainly because I am doing this at work during breaks) some sort of polearm is in order.  A glaive, halberd, or even ranseur would work.  If you have Oriental Adventures, (which I do not), a naganata is the preferred weapon.  For smaller weapons, the 2nd edition ogre mage comes equipped with a scimitar and whip.  A masterwork bastard sword would also work, or perhaps any of these as a magic weapon.  For armor, let’s again look at prior editions.  Banded mail, studded leather, or a chain shirt all work.  If alternative materials are allowed, try wicker or a something with a more exotic style to it.  I would go with either the banded or studded leather myself.I could go on, but you can see that referencing previous editions gives a good idea where to take the ogre mage.  Why ignore the past and reinvent the wheel?When the ogre mage was updated from 2nd edition AD&D to 3rd Edition D&D I believe the ball was dropped.  The effects of many of the spells and spell-like abilities changed, often for the worse.  This was the time to boost them, but that wasn’t done.  Redesigning the ogre mage now shouldn’t involve reinventing it, or changing the focus.  The creature had a focus before 3rd edition.  Just because the focus was lost in the conversion doesn’t mean you have to take the creature in a new direction.I sincerely hope that these articles do not reflect the direction that D&D is heading for in a 4th edition.  If it is, I feel it will change the game in ways I disagree with and will quite likely not support.  To me, it feels like the soul, the enjoyable essence of the game, is being removed and replaced with a glorified combat game.</blockquote>

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