Khisanth the Ancient
Explorer
Are there any updates on Vampire Bestiary 2 Temple of Death?
Current status?
- Thread starter Khisanth the Ancient
- Start date
deadmechapilot
First Post
I only joined this site to gain access to the massively incomplete Gods & Monsters
It makes me truly sad that the Immortal's Handbook series is no more. I only just discovered them this year and showed them to my group yesterday.
It makes me truly sad that the Immortal's Handbook series is no more. I only just discovered them this year and showed them to my group yesterday.
Upper_Krust
Legend
Hey Khisanth amigo - sorry for the slow reply, I just don't seem to get email updates anymore. 
I'm currently working on a videogame project.
However, that has yielded some great insights into Photoshop which has shown me that making maps for Vampire Bestiary is actually relatively easy (I had bought things like Campaign Cartographer but, while detailed, they are very longwinded to use and don't create the results I necessarily wanted).
The only thing to do for Temple of Death is finish the Maps/Adventure portion (actually that's been the only thing that needed done for a year now...to my shame).
While relatively easy, its still 15 maps per Vampire Bestiary. So its going to take me a while getting it all sorted. But I will get it sorted eventually.
I'm currently working on a videogame project.
However, that has yielded some great insights into Photoshop which has shown me that making maps for Vampire Bestiary is actually relatively easy (I had bought things like Campaign Cartographer but, while detailed, they are very longwinded to use and don't create the results I necessarily wanted).
The only thing to do for Temple of Death is finish the Maps/Adventure portion (actually that's been the only thing that needed done for a year now...to my shame).
While relatively easy, its still 15 maps per Vampire Bestiary. So its going to take me a while getting it all sorted. But I will get it sorted eventually.
Upper_Krust
Legend
Howdy deadmechapilot! 
Yes my apologies for that.
3rd Edition (in particular epic material) is an absolute nightmare to design for, I simply wasn't enjoying myself. I doubt many would comprehend the work that goes into the rules for something like the Epic Bestiary or Ascension, its extremely laborious and draining.
4th Edition is great to design for but with the then market sundered into three (3rd, Pathfinder and 4th) and with 4th Edition seemingly being the least popular by gamers, the slow sales really dampened my enthusiasm...case in point, my Epic Bestiary still outsells the Vampire Bestiary.
With the Market now divided into 4, I can't see things getting any better.
Post Vampire Bestiary, the only sensible option might be for rules neutral products but I am not sure I would find those fun to design.
It makes me truly sad that the Immortal's Handbook series is no more. I only just discovered them this year and showed them to my group yesterday.
Yes my apologies for that.
3rd Edition (in particular epic material) is an absolute nightmare to design for, I simply wasn't enjoying myself. I doubt many would comprehend the work that goes into the rules for something like the Epic Bestiary or Ascension, its extremely laborious and draining.
4th Edition is great to design for but with the then market sundered into three (3rd, Pathfinder and 4th) and with 4th Edition seemingly being the least popular by gamers, the slow sales really dampened my enthusiasm...case in point, my Epic Bestiary still outsells the Vampire Bestiary.
With the Market now divided into 4, I can't see things getting any better.
Post Vampire Bestiary, the only sensible option might be for rules neutral products but I am not sure I would find those fun to design.
Alzrius
The EN World kitten
A few of us might have some degree of insight.
Personally, I'm not surprised. Whatever else can be said about it, 4E never seemed very friendly to third-party publishers.
With the Market now divided into 4, I can't see things getting any better.
Post Vampire Bestiary, the only sensible option might be for rules neutral products but I am not sure I would find those fun to design.
So no plans for D&D 5E? If not, I can't say that I blame you too much. While it might be my 3.X/Pathfinder bias showing, the game seems to have some pretty strong connections to those systems, so that designing for it might be little different than continuing the older projects...on the other hand, the capped bonuses that make up "bounded accuracy" might turn that expectation on its head.
Upper_Krust
Legend
Hey Alzrius amigo!
Well that was never my problem with it but I can see how that definitely hurt the fanbase.
At this precise juncture no. But I'll wait until I have studied all the Core Rulebooks first. Not overly impressed as yet.
I sort of want to do a book that fixes 4th Edition along the lines of my one-page classes.
The one thing (in my early opinion) 5E has going for it is Bounded Accuracy. But its improvement will probably be negated by the whole spell lists (for monsters) are back thing - in terms of designing for 5E.
Not very impressed by the 5E Monster Manual at all.
A few of us might have some degree of insight.
Well that was never my problem with it but I can see how that definitely hurt the fanbase.
At this precise juncture no. But I'll wait until I have studied all the Core Rulebooks first. Not overly impressed as yet.
I sort of want to do a book that fixes 4th Edition along the lines of my one-page classes.
The one thing (in my early opinion) 5E has going for it is Bounded Accuracy. But its improvement will probably be negated by the whole spell lists (for monsters) are back thing - in terms of designing for 5E.
Not very impressed by the 5E Monster Manual at all.
beej
Explorer
The one thing (in my early opinion) 5E has going for it is Bounded Accuracy. But its improvement will probably be negated by the whole spell lists (for monsters) are back thing - in terms of designing for 5E.
Not very impressed by the 5E Monster Manual at all.
I've often wondered how 4E would play if hacked to get rid of the "+1 to everything / 2 levels" thing. Maybe bump it down to +1 per tier or something.
5E monster design is meh. But I do love the fluffiness of it. That plus the art makes 5E MM a good book for me. But to each their own.
Upper_Krust
Legend
Hey Beej mate!
Lack of anything really epic makes me sad. Yes I know it has the Tarrasque but that's basically it bar a few Dragons.
Plus there doesn't seem to be many (if any) 'new' monsters. ...which means I am basically paying for the same book I already have 4 copies of.
Don't like the art direction at all. Its nice illustrations but there is nothing especially good about it. I actually much prefer Piotr's art in the Vampire Bestiary - far more evocative and (dare I say it) much better art direction.
Bounded Accuracy is the only good idea in the whole Edition.
Disappointing.
I've often wondered how 4E would play if hacked to get rid of the "+1 to everything / 2 levels" thing. Maybe bump it down to +1 per tier or something.
5E monster design is meh. But I do love the fluffiness of it. That plus the art makes 5E MM a good book for me. But to each their own.
Lack of anything really epic makes me sad. Yes I know it has the Tarrasque but that's basically it bar a few Dragons.
Plus there doesn't seem to be many (if any) 'new' monsters.
...which means I am basically paying for the same book I already have 4 copies of.Don't like the art direction at all. Its nice illustrations but there is nothing especially good about it. I actually much prefer Piotr's art in the Vampire Bestiary - far more evocative and (dare I say it) much better art direction.
Bounded Accuracy is the only good idea in the whole Edition.
Disappointing.
Upper_Krust
Legend
Howdy beej amigo!
On lack of Epic: I never did enjoy WotC's take on epic. I always prefered yours.
In my opinion (and its just an opinion) few people working at WotC ever played/liked epic gaming and it shows in their design which was a bit sterile (although the Epic Level Handbook was a half decent book with some good monster ideas). Always better to get people who are passionate on something to work on it.
I'm just sad you won't tackle 5E, I guess.
I don't know yet. On first impressions I don't like it (or more specifically don't see it being an improvement). But I haven't played it yet so I may change my mind...
