Covers Preview for Elemental Evil Adventurer's Handbook and Princes of the Apocalypse!

So, it's official now. The Elder Elemental Eye has been somehow released from The World of Greyhawk to unleash havoc in the Realms. No fantasy world was described in more detail than the Forgotten Realms, and they still manage to produce not one, but two storylines in a row with themes and antagonists that have nothing to do with the Realms. Good job, Wizards.

 

[Jester David]

Three thoughts:

1) I expected the title to be "Elemental Evil Adventurer's Handbook" not just "Adventurer's Handbook". The latter sounds far too generic and not storyline specific with the title being so large and the little corner logo being so small. It will be harder to have an Adventurer's Handbook for other Adventure Paths without possible confusion.
I imagine this accessory *could* be a little more generic to serve as your standard splatbook in addition to player sourcebook on elemental evils. But that's a little lame when elemental power is such a cool theme in and of itself. There's nothing in the cover or title that screams "this is the book if you want to make an elemental themed character!!"

2) The covers are kinda bland. I'm not getting "phenomenal elemental power" from the Adventurer's Handbook. I'm getting pissed off druid. Ditto Princes of the Apocalypse. It doesn't seem very culty or Evil Elemental Eye-ish. Is that meant to be an evil sylph?

3) It's neat to see the covers. But what I *really* want to know is the pagecount, to see if they're large enough to justify the expense. Or if they're little tiny things. We know they're $40 and $50 respectively. As it's priced the same as the Core books, is the adventure a 320-page book? Or is it 200-pages, like two Tyranny of Dragons books combined? Is the Handbook at *least* 200-pages as well? (If so, why is it $10 cheaper.)

 

[Sir Brennen]

I expected the title to be "Elemental Evil Adventurer's Handbook" not just "Adventurer's Handbook". The latter sounds far too generic and not storyline specific with the title being so large and the little corner logo being so small. It will be harder to have an Adventurer's Handbook for other Adventure Paths without possible confusion.
I imagine this accessory *could* be a little more generic to serve as your standard splatbook in addition to player sourcebook on elemental evils. But that's a little lame when elemental power is such a cool theme in and of itself. There's nothing in the cover or title that screams "this is the book if you want to make an elemental themed character!!"

It's hard to make out in the low res images, but the black area in the upper left of both covers I think reads "Elemental Evil"... so perhaps the correct title IS "Elemental Evil Adventurer's Handbook"

 

[BrockBallingdark]

I'm not a Forgotten Realms setting fan and never played the Grewhawk setting but certainly remember the Temple of Elemental Evil. It can be ported to any setting, I would find a place for it in Eberron.

I can see where some are getting upset with either FR being diluted with other setting stuff or taking from another setting that you want an official release for.

For someone new to the hobby, they may think the "Adventurer's Handbook" is a supplement to 5E rules, not specific to Elemental Evil. I'm curious on what I could strip from it, if I'm not running Princes of the Apocalypse. I do love the cover art for both books though it certainly does not make me think of any Elemental Evil.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Cult_of_the_Elder_Elemental_Eye

It obviously didn't take the same form as it did in Greyhawk, but it's certainly a thing in the Realms.

Ouch. This whole "Abyssal Plague" story sounds like the kind of thing I used to enjoy as a 12-years old young nerd. Now I wish I had never learned about its existence. Ignorance is bliss, after all.

 

[Joe Liker]

Setting doesn't matter too much to me -- it's not that hard to transplant events from the Realms to another world.

What bothers me is that these are being created by an outside studio. The track record for such products for 5e has been astonishingly wretched so far.

 

[Parmandur]

Seems pretty clear that they are doing Realms stuff for OP and the Neverwinter MMO to tie into; more than OP, they should get a Sigil-based MMO to tie anything, anywhere together.

Covers are alright; if the setting is as central as it is inToD, which is to say not much, shouldn't be a problem to port or file the serial numbers off.

If the quality matches Rick Bakers other recent adventure, this should kick ass.

 

[Henry]

I hope it works for Wizards, but I didn't see the appeal with the Dragon Queen stuff, and I'm just not seeing the appeal here either. If I want Realms action, I'm busting out the Zhentarim; Manshoon; Halaster Blackcloak; Karsus and the Netherese Shades; Orcus; Moander or Tyranthraxus. I don't care about Tiamat (belongs to Krynn, really) or Tharizdun (belongs to Oerth in my mind). I kind of share Giltonio_Santos' sentiments in that respect.

 

[Sadrik]

It might be better to have these setting neutral for all there modules they bring out. Put in them how to attach them to all of the established settings (or popular ones at least). Not an issue for me.

Another thing is we have these long historical settings that have tremendous backstory (i.e. people to bitch about something not right). We need to see a new setting.

 

[the Jester]

Ouch. This whole "Abyssal Plague" story sounds like the kind of thing I used to enjoy as a 12-years old young nerd. Now I wish I had never learned about its existence. Ignorance is bliss, after all.

They couldn't even get the details right when porting Tharizdun into the Realms- he/it is NOT imprisoned in the Abyss, but rather in the "demiplane of imprisonment", hidden away deep deep deep in the ether.

Of course, 4e also took the "Tharizdun = Abyssal" approach. Sadly.

 

[Mad Zagyg]

These book covers need more lightning in them.