August 2006 Releases

[Jupp]

You never are, and you won't be until the announcement is either Greyhawk Campaign Setting hardcover or Oriental Adventures Revised: Now With 110% Kara-Tur Content!.

You meant "Greyhawk Pre-War Campaign Boxed Set", no?

 

[MulhorandSage]

This is exactly why I dislike the Realms: it's really not about the pcs, it's about the npcs (and perhaps the player characters from Ed's game) that are in the background. 3e has made great strides forward in this respect (imho), but the Realms still reeks of Elminster, Drizzt et. al. to me. :\

And this is (along with people who want neat, tidy, and unrealistically small pantheons) where I part ways with the critics of the Realms.

If, on a continent as physically large as North America, with vast numbers of monsters, ruins, and conspiracies in play, a GM can't find enough for the PCs to do without feeling constrained by the presence of other heroes (particularly ones from a novel who are probably half a continent away or on another plane) it's not the fault of the world, it's the fault of the GM.

A GM doesn't have to have the KoMD in his version of the world; or they could be retired adventurers relegated to the past, or he could fit the PCs into that role and steal the story hooks from their saga. Or he can make the KoMD into rival adventurers and set them in competition against the PCs (but make sure the PCs win if they're halfway competent). There are many ways to intelligently exploit NPCs as part of the PCs' story (including published NPCs) or credibly ignore them if the story calls for it.

 

[Staffan]

You never are, and you won't be until the announcement is either Greyhawk Campaign Setting hardcover or Oriental Adventures Revised: Now With 110% Kara-Tur Content!.

Personally, I would be highly annoyed if WOTC released a revised OA without doing an Arabian Adventures/Al-Qadim thing first.

 

[Nightfall]

M-Sage,

Uhm SL had a small panethon and it worked out pretty well for most everyone else.


As for me, my FR dislike stems my realization that Magic DESERVES to have either a very neutral god/goddess of magic OR none at all. I say this because it felt like everytime something evil stirred, Mystra would send out a chosen or a chosen would interfere, because "The Lady said so!". That's why I moved out. That plus Finder becoming a god along with Cyric going nuts....didn't do much for me.

 

[Ranger REG]

As for me, my FR dislike stems my realization that Magic DESERVES to have either a very neutral god/goddess of magic OR none at all. I say this because it felt like everytime something evil stirred, Mystra would send out a chosen or a chosen would interfere, because "The Lady said so!". That's why I moved out. That plus Finder becoming a god along with Cyric going nuts....didn't do much for me.

Well, either you stop reading FR novels, or your DM better stop sending out Chosens left and right.

But other than that, I still like my FR.

 

[Ranger REG]

Personally, I would be highly annoyed if WOTC released a revised OA without doing an Arabian Adventures/Al-Qadim thing first.

Only if we find designers of Arabic ethnicity. It's too sensitive these days, all we need is one cleric or a group harping on WotC for the "poor portrayal of Arabs and muslims."

 

[Ranger REG]

You meant "Greyhawk Pre-War Campaign Boxed Set", no?

I dunno, is that the Gygax or Sargent version of GH?

 

[Ranger REG]

It was the Horde, Maztica and Marco Volo, all in quick succession, that ruined it for me.

Realms can be great, but the mass of information to absorb about it makes it a lot less friendly than it felt when it was first released... in those days, it was all about Cormyr and the Dales.

Cheers!

Then stick to Cormyr and the Dales. And stop using notable figures in your campaign. You make the PC's looks like guest stars or extras in FR. I mean, do you think I run a Star Trek session without having Kirk or Picard popping up? It's a friggin turn-off for my players who wants to be the star in the series.

 

[Nightfall]

Well, either you stop reading FR novels, or your DM better stop sending out Chosens left and right.

But other than that, I still like my FR.

I stopped reading the novels a long time ago. Trouble is, it seems not everyone complies with that logic.

 

[Staffan]

Only if we find designers of Arabic ethnicity. It's too sensitive these days, all we need is one cleric or a group harping on WotC for the "poor portrayal of Arabs and muslims."

I haven't heard many people complain about the portrayal in Al-Qadim.

I think a larger barrier would be the similarity between the names Al-Qadim and Al-Qaeda.