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D&D Brand Manager of Fluff
- Thread starter Scott_Rouse
- Start date
BiggusGeekus
That's Latin for "cool"
I'm trying to think of this in a "what might I buy" sense and not a "what I think would be cool". My gaming budget this year has been very, very limited. I've spent most of it on donation drives, magazines, and PDFs. So I think my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt because I don't feel I'm a likely purchaser.
That said:
Known World/Glantri 3.5 - If Bruce Heard's name was on this, I think I really would purchase it. But I'm probably in an insignificant demographic with regards to my Bruce Heard fandom. The Glantri nation stands on its own. I would move away from the huge statblocks that occupied the Monte Cook version and place the emphasis on the mid-level range. To minimize mechanics, I would gave some kind of NPC wizard generator. I would not spend much time on the rest of the Known World, again I'd do this as a stand-alone. A few short adventures of 3 encounters each to span levels 1-15 to help DMs use the book would make it complete.
Campaign Template Books - Monte Cook had a couple of these (e.g. Requiem for a God). Pop Quiz: What's the most popular RPG setting? No, not the Forgotten Realms. Not Eberron. Not even the much admired but seldom purchased Murchad's Legacy. The most popular game setting is ... "my homebew". Yes, this was a trick question. Have a book that overlays a campaign onto any fantasy setting. A great example of how this could work is -- stay with me now -- Dragonlance. The War of the Lance is a draconic invasion that more or less pops up out of nowhere. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's all sorts of history. But the PCs don't know any of that until the middle of the novels/game. So how would you take the concept of a dragon war and integrate it into any homebrew? Background on bad guys, a history that can be tweaked here and there, and the ever popular Evil Scheme. Flying Islands work great for this because that way you can just move the flying island wherever you need it on any setting map. If flying islands aren't your speed, you can always have things pop up from deep underground or dimensional portals. The idea is not to alter the setting map. Now throw in a few short adventures and encounters. Viola! ENnie awards and groupies are yours!
Big Book of Planescape - because Sigil is where it's at and only wimps go to Union. If you go this route please, please, please highlight how people from different factions would work together. Also, if anyone wants to work on it, force them to play Planescape Torment at gunpoint. No, I don't need to see Annah, Dak'kon, Morte, and Nameless (Floyd lives!) in the book. But PT captured the feel of the setting. There's so much background here, I don't know where to begin. So let me just say about the mechanics: I advise using the defense bonus rule in Unearthed Arcana.
The Positive Material Plane - why? Because of the constant healing. This would be a challenge. The meta-concept is to migrate core D&D from a per-day game to a per-encounter game. Because this book is going to take place on or near an endless fountain of life, people get their spells back faster, are always slowly regenerating hit points, and spells like raise dead are easier to cast. You can still die at 0 or -10 or whatever, but while alive there is less "downtime". The setting in this case would serve to support the game mechanics. This would also act as a bridge product between the PnP RPG crowd and the MMORPG crowd. But the flavor text would be absolutely crucial because you have to show the PnP guys that you aren't selling out to the computer gamers. To be honest, I think a book like this would either be a hit or a bomb.
That said:
Known World/Glantri 3.5 - If Bruce Heard's name was on this, I think I really would purchase it. But I'm probably in an insignificant demographic with regards to my Bruce Heard fandom. The Glantri nation stands on its own. I would move away from the huge statblocks that occupied the Monte Cook version and place the emphasis on the mid-level range. To minimize mechanics, I would gave some kind of NPC wizard generator. I would not spend much time on the rest of the Known World, again I'd do this as a stand-alone. A few short adventures of 3 encounters each to span levels 1-15 to help DMs use the book would make it complete.
Campaign Template Books - Monte Cook had a couple of these (e.g. Requiem for a God). Pop Quiz: What's the most popular RPG setting? No, not the Forgotten Realms. Not Eberron. Not even the much admired but seldom purchased Murchad's Legacy. The most popular game setting is ... "my homebew". Yes, this was a trick question. Have a book that overlays a campaign onto any fantasy setting. A great example of how this could work is -- stay with me now -- Dragonlance. The War of the Lance is a draconic invasion that more or less pops up out of nowhere. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's all sorts of history. But the PCs don't know any of that until the middle of the novels/game. So how would you take the concept of a dragon war and integrate it into any homebrew? Background on bad guys, a history that can be tweaked here and there, and the ever popular Evil Scheme. Flying Islands work great for this because that way you can just move the flying island wherever you need it on any setting map. If flying islands aren't your speed, you can always have things pop up from deep underground or dimensional portals. The idea is not to alter the setting map. Now throw in a few short adventures and encounters. Viola! ENnie awards and groupies are yours!
Big Book of Planescape - because Sigil is where it's at and only wimps go to Union. If you go this route please, please, please highlight how people from different factions would work together. Also, if anyone wants to work on it, force them to play Planescape Torment at gunpoint. No, I don't need to see Annah, Dak'kon, Morte, and Nameless (Floyd lives!) in the book. But PT captured the feel of the setting. There's so much background here, I don't know where to begin. So let me just say about the mechanics: I advise using the defense bonus rule in Unearthed Arcana.
The Positive Material Plane - why? Because of the constant healing. This would be a challenge. The meta-concept is to migrate core D&D from a per-day game to a per-encounter game. Because this book is going to take place on or near an endless fountain of life, people get their spells back faster, are always slowly regenerating hit points, and spells like raise dead are easier to cast. You can still die at 0 or -10 or whatever, but while alive there is less "downtime". The setting in this case would serve to support the game mechanics. This would also act as a bridge product between the PnP RPG crowd and the MMORPG crowd. But the flavor text would be absolutely crucial because you have to show the PnP guys that you aren't selling out to the computer gamers. To be honest, I think a book like this would either be a hit or a bomb.
Last edited:
Terraism
Explorer
Hrm. Eight products, huh? Well, let's say we define our focus first, shall we?
In any given year, we want to include both generic sourcebooks and those that are world-specific. The two current WotC worlds being Faerun and Eberron, let's give the same number to each - two. That leaves us with four (half) of our initial total for generic sourcebooks, while not neglecting either of the fanbases (despite my inclination to giggle and give Faerun a book ending the setting.
)
As for the generic supplements, I'm thinking we need at least one book on critters - the primary debate here is whether it's giants or fey. I prefer the latter, myself, but I suspect the former would be more useful to the majority of campaigns. So let's go with giants, and push fey back to next year.
For another sourcebook, fluff-centric (with a bit of tasty crunch,) how about we address the time-constrained DM with a book that provides interactable things. I figure, we could go with places (towns or more specific locations, like taverns,) or groups. Because I think it's easier to pull things from the latter, I'll take a page from Complete Champion's organizations, and put together a book of societies, guilds, and the like.
Moving on, let's put in one of the ever-popular "how to" type series, especially since they're among the most portable. Intrigue and mystery, as pointed out, are the two big ones currently open.
So, our fourth open product. Hrm. Let's do something big, shall we?
Generic Products
Eberron Products
Forgotten Realms Products
In any given year, we want to include both generic sourcebooks and those that are world-specific. The two current WotC worlds being Faerun and Eberron, let's give the same number to each - two. That leaves us with four (half) of our initial total for generic sourcebooks, while not neglecting either of the fanbases (despite my inclination to giggle and give Faerun a book ending the setting.
)As for the generic supplements, I'm thinking we need at least one book on critters - the primary debate here is whether it's giants or fey. I prefer the latter, myself, but I suspect the former would be more useful to the majority of campaigns. So let's go with giants, and push fey back to next year.
For another sourcebook, fluff-centric (with a bit of tasty crunch,) how about we address the time-constrained DM with a book that provides interactable things. I figure, we could go with places (towns or more specific locations, like taverns,) or groups. Because I think it's easier to pull things from the latter, I'll take a page from Complete Champion's organizations, and put together a book of societies, guilds, and the like.
Moving on, let's put in one of the ever-popular "how to" type series, especially since they're among the most portable. Intrigue and mystery, as pointed out, are the two big ones currently open.
So, our fourth open product. Hrm. Let's do something big, shall we?
Generic Products
- Rock and Sinew - The Book of Giants: The fourth book in the Draconomicon/Libris Mortis/Lords of Madness series, this would cover giants, from the lowly ogres up to the storm giants and titans. Include cultural notes, notes on how the interact with the more humanocentric world around them, interrelations, and the like. Include options for giant fighters (though we all gnome dwarven rangers do it best ) as well as a small selection of feats for larger-than-normal characters, including some sort of "giantblood" template that provides for normal (human/demihuman) characters to grow so as to take advantage of the crunch bits included. Short (8 page each) appendices or web enhancements that detail differences between the presented material and how it fits into Eberron and the Forgotten Realms. 224 pages.
- Guilds and Fellowships - An Organizational Guidebook: Including a thorough overview on the affiliation rules, as well as discussion on how to create new organizations, this sourcebook presents detailed groups for the players to befriend or oppose. Divided by type, it covers thieves guilds, adventuring societies, mystical associations and military orders, at around 10 pages per. Include at least one map per organization, a half-page/column of plot hooks, notes on introducing it to the players, and prominent members (stats limited to name/race/class/level). Each organization should also include a tiny bit of crunch, such as a specific feat or two, substitution levels, or similar abilities. 224 pages.
- Heroes of Intrigue: Covering adventuring in political situations, this, the third of the Heroes of... line, addresses the fact that social situations can be just as conducive to adventures as dank dungeons or blood-soaked fields. Include discussions on the underlying themes of political campaigns, how to implement political overtures into an existing game, ideas for how the core classes (at least) tend to handle, and contribute, to political games. Make a point to cover uses, abuses, and intentions behind the social skills (Bluff/Diplomacy/Intimidate/Sense Motive,) as well as the ones that'll likely see more use in such a game, such as Forgery. Probably provide methods for either adjudicating the uses o such skills in extended opposed checks, as well as notes on experience provided for it. 160 pages.
- Greyhawk Campaign Setting - From the Ashes: Full-sized, self-contained Greyhawk sourcebook that pushes the timeline several years past the war, assuming that nations have begun rebuilding, thus providing a very open future for DMs looking to utilize it. Cover racial locations, nationalities, and the like, importing a lot of material from the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Include regional feats and a hefty section on how to adapt the generic, 'pseudo-Greyhawk' material presented in 3.5 books to the setting, when necessary. 320 pages.
Eberron Products
- Rising Nations: Sourcebook covering, similar to how Five Nations did, of the non-Galifarn nations; specifically, Darguun, Droaam, The Eldeen Reaches, Lhazaar Principalities, Mror Holds, Q'barra, Valenar, and Zilargo. Almost no crunch, not even the bit located at the end of the nations in Five Nations - we've got a lot of material to cover, and very little space to do it in. 160 pages.
- Planes of Eberron: Planar sourcebook written by Keith Baker that discusses the specific role of the planes in Eberron, including touching on their relationship with the moons, manifest zones, coterminous/remote information, and planar descriptions using the format presented in the Manual of the Planes. Specific focus on extraplanar adventures in Eberron - why do the locals choose to go somewhere else? Do extraplanar beings come to them? Who can do it? 224 pages.
Forgotten Realms Products
- Beyond Faeurn: Stealing an entry from Razz, this would cover the three primary non-Faerun locations on Toril: Kara-Tur, Al-Qadim, Maztica. Location information, advice on running campaigns either set in those locations or short journeys there from a more Faerun-focused campaign, as well as adaptation notes to adapt mechanics to reflect the feel of the lands (eg, "arcane casters in x are more likely to be wu-jen, CA, then sorcerers or wizards). 224 pages.
- ? I'm honestly not sure what to place here. I'm reasonably familiar with the FR, but not with their recent product line, so I'm really a bit unsure of what areas haven't been covered. Regional sourcebook of some kind, though, located much closer to home than the above entry to appeal more to the fans who like their Faerun right where it is, thank you very much.
s.j. bagley
First Post
personally, speaking simply of 'fluff' books, i think it would be very interesting to see a 'grand history of oerth' or some such book about greyhawk.
(interestingly enough, i've never been that big a fan of the setting but i really like the 'grand history of the realms' and i think something like that would be bought by me in a heartbeat and might revitalize interest in d&d's core setting.)
(interestingly enough, i've never been that big a fan of the setting but i really like the 'grand history of the realms' and i think something like that would be bought by me in a heartbeat and might revitalize interest in d&d's core setting.)
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
Scott_Rouse said:
I'm far more comfortable with the idea of Marketing setting the line from a fluff perspective than I am with a multi-class grognard/marketer setting the line via crunch.
"We need more books with tables and charts!"
I hope Greg brings more to the table than that. I hope he's right up there in mearls' grille, man, fact-checking his mechanics.
RangerWickett
Legend
Psst. "Greg Nard" is a pun.
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
RangerWickett said:
As noted in my reply...
Arnwyn
First Post
Let's see...
Forgotten Realms: The Demon Lands: Regional sourcebook in the vein of Unapproachable East and Shining South that covers Vaasa, Damara, Impiltur, and Narfell (and the completely-untouched-even-in-2007 Sossal if it can be fit in).
Forgotten Realms: The Island Kingdoms: Regional sourcebook in the vein of Unapproachable East and Shining South that covers Nimbral, Lantan, Moonshaes, Tharsult, and the northern Sword Coast islands (Mintarn, Orlumbor, etc).
Fiendish Codex III: The Yugoloths: What everyone else said.
Book of Fey: As what others said. In the same vein as Draconomicon and Lords of Madness (and less-so, Libris Mortis), it covers The Seelie and Unseelie Courts, the Queen of Air and Darkness, etc.
Book of Giants: What others said.
Forgotten Realms: The Demon Lands: Regional sourcebook in the vein of Unapproachable East and Shining South that covers Vaasa, Damara, Impiltur, and Narfell (and the completely-untouched-even-in-2007 Sossal if it can be fit in).
Forgotten Realms: The Island Kingdoms: Regional sourcebook in the vein of Unapproachable East and Shining South that covers Nimbral, Lantan, Moonshaes, Tharsult, and the northern Sword Coast islands (Mintarn, Orlumbor, etc).
Fiendish Codex III: The Yugoloths: What everyone else said.
Book of Fey: As what others said. In the same vein as Draconomicon and Lords of Madness (and less-so, Libris Mortis), it covers The Seelie and Unseelie Courts, the Queen of Air and Darkness, etc.
Book of Giants: What others said.
dmccoy1693
Adventurer
Greyhawk
1. Royalscape (working title): A book devoted to the upper class and interacting with them. This book focus on the "human aspect" of role playing and give ways for DMs to encourage role playing. Oprah's audiance and Kelly fans (Regis and Kelly) will find this book of particular interest. Examples of various royalties throughout time to show how kingdoms are set up.
2. Plane of Earth Gazetter: Settings book solely for the Plane of Earth. What Living Grayhawk Gazetter did for Greyhawk, this series of books does for each plane. Crunchy bits should include: List of "standard" races (rock humans, dwarves, gnomes, golithians, and several new ones), new earth spells, variations on new spells (summon nature's ally=>summon earth ally), new CR 1/2-12 monsters, etc. Fluff should focus on 2-3 signature mega-cities, history of nations, unique gods, etc. EN World regulars would find this of particular interest because this series would provide a whole new direction and feel for D&D. New Plane of _____ Gazetter books should come out once every 6-12 months, each detailing a different plane with much more detail then Planescape/MotP ever did. This is similar to the FC I and II, but the other planes should also be developed.
3. PoEG Adventure (title TBD): This adventure should focus around players that were born and raised on the Plane of Earth. It should focus around some of the unique aspects of life there. Starting with level 1 players it takes the group to level 5. An appendix should appear in the back on how to vary the adventure for players born and raised on the material plane that were transported here. All Po_G books should be followed by an adventure.
4. Hero Gods: - This should be a book of only hero-gods, some well established, some new. It should not be a list of Name, alignment, typical followers, and domains, but give the stories of what made the gods stand up and take notice of him and decide to add him to the ranks, a song the bards sing about said god, how clerics that follow this god dress, behave, etc, basic doctrine, and how followers should live their lives, maps of temples. Some names should be serious, others less so, but all should be presented serious. Example god: Colbertus, CG god of Freedom. The tale should talk about how he singlehandedly fought off invaders from another plane. It should recount how he dropped his flaming sword and had to tumble beneath the feet of one of the monsters to retrieve it. The focus of the tale should be on how he spent the remaining years of his life trying to cleanse his land of what he felt were the evils of his time and fought for freedom of the people.
Unfortunately, I do not know FR and Eb well enough to post ideas for new material at this time. Offer me a real job and I will be happy to correct that. The remaining 4 titles should be split evenly between the two settings.
1. Royalscape (working title): A book devoted to the upper class and interacting with them. This book focus on the "human aspect" of role playing and give ways for DMs to encourage role playing. Oprah's audiance and Kelly fans (Regis and Kelly) will find this book of particular interest. Examples of various royalties throughout time to show how kingdoms are set up.
2. Plane of Earth Gazetter: Settings book solely for the Plane of Earth. What Living Grayhawk Gazetter did for Greyhawk, this series of books does for each plane. Crunchy bits should include: List of "standard" races (rock humans, dwarves, gnomes, golithians, and several new ones), new earth spells, variations on new spells (summon nature's ally=>summon earth ally), new CR 1/2-12 monsters, etc. Fluff should focus on 2-3 signature mega-cities, history of nations, unique gods, etc. EN World regulars would find this of particular interest because this series would provide a whole new direction and feel for D&D. New Plane of _____ Gazetter books should come out once every 6-12 months, each detailing a different plane with much more detail then Planescape/MotP ever did. This is similar to the FC I and II, but the other planes should also be developed.
3. PoEG Adventure (title TBD): This adventure should focus around players that were born and raised on the Plane of Earth. It should focus around some of the unique aspects of life there. Starting with level 1 players it takes the group to level 5. An appendix should appear in the back on how to vary the adventure for players born and raised on the material plane that were transported here. All Po_G books should be followed by an adventure.
4. Hero Gods: - This should be a book of only hero-gods, some well established, some new. It should not be a list of Name, alignment, typical followers, and domains, but give the stories of what made the gods stand up and take notice of him and decide to add him to the ranks, a song the bards sing about said god, how clerics that follow this god dress, behave, etc, basic doctrine, and how followers should live their lives, maps of temples. Some names should be serious, others less so, but all should be presented serious. Example god: Colbertus, CG god of Freedom. The tale should talk about how he singlehandedly fought off invaders from another plane. It should recount how he dropped his flaming sword and had to tumble beneath the feet of one of the monsters to retrieve it. The focus of the tale should be on how he spent the remaining years of his life trying to cleanse his land of what he felt were the evils of his time and fought for freedom of the people.
Unfortunately, I do not know FR and Eb well enough to post ideas for new material at this time. Offer me a real job and I will be happy to correct that. The remaining 4 titles should be split evenly between the two settings.
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