Are you excited about the Forgotten Realms setting changes?

[The Ubbergeek]

...Tieflings were right there in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. They've BEEN a player race since the beginning of 3rd edition!

SInce second in fact, at least in lore and semi-core race; the Wheel, Planescape...

 

[Green Knight]

SInce second in fact, at least in lore and semi-core race; the Wheel, Planescape...

Yep, they were one of the main player races in Planescape. I was talking about the Realms in specific, though. The FRCS has them down as one of the main player races, alongside Humans, Moon Elves, Sun Elves, Gold Dwarves, Shield Dwarves, Genasi, etc. Which is why I was more then a bit surprised by that particular complaint, as they've been one of the main PC races in the Realms for the past 8 years or so.

Anyway, the upcoming Forgotten Realms Player's Guide is going to have two races written up. One of them will be Drow, and the second will be a mystery race. I REALLY hope the second are Aasimar/Celestials. That's been one of my favorites ever since the Planescape days (Hell, I bought the Planescape Monstrous Compendium II just to get their stats).

 

[The Little Raven]

YAnyway, the upcoming Forgotten Realms Player's Guide is going to have two races written up. One of them will be Drow, and the second will be a mystery race. I REALLY hope the second are Aasimar/Celestials. That's been one of my favorites ever since the Planescape days (Hell, I bought the Planescape Monstrous Compendium II just to get their stats).

My money is on the genasi.

 

[Green Knight]

My money is on the genasi.

Nah, they said there's one mystery race. The Genasi are four. And the differences between Air, Earth, Fire, and Water Genasi are FAR greater then the differences between Elves, Eladrin, and Drow, for instance. So I doubt we'll see them get mashed together into one race.

 

[Set]

I find the changes reinvigorate the setting and move more freedom into the hands of DMs instead of leaving it in the hands of the FR lore-addicts. Good move, if you ask me.

"The Realms has a wildly enthusiastic, passionate and loyal fanbase who've spent thousands of dollars individually, and millions collectively, on Realms-branded products. Clearly the best course of action for the health of our bottom-line is to *punish them,* make them regret their loyalty to the brand and discourage them from buying new products from us."

 

[Arnwyn]

Well currently the poll has 368 responses, so, that's not a bad sample.

A terrible sample, considering it's a self-selecting internet poll, at ENWorld, in the 4e forums.

Looks like WOTC knew what they were doing huh?

No evidence either way, of course.

What, is the semi-annual ENWorld statistics refresher needed so soon? Looks like it should be changed to monthly. :\

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I would prefer to keep things positive.

I'm afraid your post was decidely negative, to my mind In a further irony, was filled with the very kind of assumptions (about the 4E FR, about the validity of fan reactions, etc.) you seem upset about others making. If you keep things positive, your posts will be replied to in a positive and constructive way, no doubt. However, claiming (as you seem to) that they've already failed to keep the FR "spirit" is patently ludicrous and negative.

The FR spirit is one of the most subjective things I can think of, as the FR is a setting that has gone through many phases, been influenced by many many authors, and been "spun" in several different ways. However well WotC did, if they actually made changes, they would be accused of "failing to keep the FR spirit", because for someone, somewhere (on Candlekeep) the FR spirit was all about sexiness in Silverymoon, and Silverymoon being hit by a comet (I can dream!) has broken the FR completely and oh god he can't play it any more. I mean, clearly for me, the FR had already lost the "FR spirit", had it not? From my entirely subjective perspective, definately, it lost it at the end of 2E and continued that path in 3E, only with megatons (like, more than I'd ever seen) more PC/NPC-oriented crunch.

Hey, on one hand its a game. Sure... But on the other, people invest alot of time and money in being fans of something they love. There is change coming, and in some of those people's minds that change isn't good. I personally am interested in understanding that from a persecptive of the market as a whole. It is important to me personally and professionally when the movers and shakers of the hobby industry do things right and wrong, and what the reaction of the fans are. Everyone is intitled to their opinion, and although the reactions of some fans are extreme, I am listening to them and doing my best to understand what it is that is upsetting them. My previous post only attempts to reflect that.

That's lovely talk, but I see nothing in your posts genuinely about "understanding the market as a whole", and a lot based from various specialist forums on the internet. You seem to assuming that, from these specialist forums, you're getting a better picture of the market than WotC did.

That seems a little... um, I dunno, dodgy to me.

Also, why are you "listening" to "extreme" fans? They're the least useful source of opinion on any kind of financial or "market as a whole" deal. You go on and on about how "in some people's mind it isn't good", but I've not seen a word from you about how in many people's, it is!

"The Realms has a wildly enthusiastic, passionate and loyal fanbase who've spent thousands of dollars individually, and millions collectively, on Realms-branded products. Clearly the best course of action for the health of our bottom-line is to *punish them,* make them regret their loyalty to the brand and discourage them from buying new products from us."

Apparently, it is, because, a few dozen individuals who have, over twenty-odd years spent "thousands" of dollars (more likely hundreds) is utterly meaningless in the face of a gigantic casual fan-base who spend a few dozen dollars every year.

If you can't understand that, well, I'm sorry for you, but it's very simple and straightfoward economics.

"Extreme" fans are few in number, loud in voice, and incapable of supporting this kind of product line by themselves. How hard is this to understand? Impossible for some, apparently. It really blows my mind.

What makes it even funnier, is that these extreme fans are in utter 100% denial that anyone has ever gotten bored with the 2E/3E realms and their tendencies, and stopped spending. I'm pretty sure WotC aren't in denial about this, however.

 

[Arnwyn]

Apparently, it is, because, a few dozen individuals who have, over twenty-odd years spent "thousands" of dollars (more likely hundreds) is utterly meaningless in the face of a gigantic casual fan-base who spend a few dozen dollars every year.

If you can't understand that, well, I'm sorry for you, but it's very simple and straightfoward economics.

"Extreme" fans are few in number, loud in voice, and incapable of supporting this kind of product line by themselves. How hard is this to understand? Impossible for some, apparently. It really blows my mind.

You seem shocked and confused that no believes you, what with your complete lack of evidence and all. (Just as you don't believe others due to their lack of evidence.)

Really - without hard numbers (which no one has), you're blowing just as much of the next guy.

No wonder you're so confused.

 

[Shazman]

Let's just say, that after reading Richard Baker's article on the Spellplague, I would like to get all of the FR design team together and smack them all three stooges style. After reading this garbage, I think that WotC should start giving it's employess random drug tests. I really can't express how ill-conceived, moronic, and insulting these changes are to fans of the Forgotten Realms. They should now be called the Totally Forgotten Realms, because this will probably be the death of the FR cash cow.

 

[Green Knight]

They should now be called the Totally Forgotten Realms, because this will probably be the death of the FR cash cow.

Given something that Rich Baker said a while back, I think it's been a while since it's been a cash cow. Seriously, if the Realms were a cash cow, do you really think they'd be instituting these changes?