D&D 5E Escapist article on SCAG is Brutal.

[Parmandur]

http://io9.com/two-major-rpg-books-came-out-this-month-and-theyre-bot-1742001057





SCAG got another bad review. I feel bad for Green Ronin, they're rep is being damaged, but its WotC's fault, Green Ronin was just taking orders.



I also think its messed up that the APs even got more pages then SCAG, insane.

The reviews, by and large, have been good; Amazon user ratings stand at over three stars average. It isn't a perfect book, and some actively dislike it, but both this linked review and the Escapist dislike the book for being set in the Forgotten Realms, which is kind of...petty.

 

[garnuk]

I don't buy into your arguement, I'm not saying your wrong about them not wanting release more, but feeling they can't, I'm saying that the issue isn't profitablity, they seemed to have made a profit on every 5e product so far, its the business model they're using that's the problem, if they utilitalized kickstarter for all, but key products they could make sure every such product is profitable and that they're is a large enough market for it.

But they don't and its a loss for everyone invovled.

I don't agree that they aren't publishing books because of profits. I think its much more subtle than that.
Its my opinion that they want the majority of options to be homebrews, 3rd party publications. Because the majority of players get overwhelmed by too many products, and the fans which want more products should feel OK getting them elsewhere.
Only those who demand more products from the official company and ignore the advice in the DMG to use homebrew content, lose out.

 

[garnuk]

When I read about deities, I want to know what sort of ideals they represent, and what sort of behaviors would indicate that somebody follows one diety over another. The Domain is the least interesting part because I can pick a domain without a diety if I want.

If the game I'm playing ever gets to the point where what happens to my character in the afterlife matters, then I can discuss with the DM what my character's exact feelings about the various deities are. But until then, it just doesn't matter.

 

[gyor]

The reviews, by and large, have been good; Amazon user ratings stand at over three stars average. It isn't a perfect book, and some actively dislike it, but both this linked review and the Escapist dislike the book for being set in the Forgotten Realms, which is kind of...petty.

That's not accurate, the Escapist didn't seem to be FR fans, but that had little to nothing to do with substance of thier complaints, and io9 wanted to explore FR beyond the Sword Coast, its a big exciting setting, I feel the same way and I've been an FR fan since I was a kid.

Look the book has it strengths, but it also has serious issues and hardcore FR fans, and those who wish for something other then FR have good reason to be disappointed. This book suits a small minority of FR players/fans needs, and does very little for anyone else.

Some are satisfied by crumbs, some of us aren't.

 

[pukunui]

Some are satisfied by crumbs, some of us aren't.

It's not a four-course meal, but I'd hardly say it's just crumbs. More like a light lunch.

 

[gyor]

I don't agree that they aren't publishing books because of profits. I think its much more subtle than that.
Its my opinion that they want the majority of options to be homebrews, 3rd party publications. Because the majority of players get overwhelmed by too many products, and the fans which want more products should feel OK getting them elsewhere.
Only those who demand more products from the official company and ignore the advice in the DMG to use homebrew content, lose out.

Then licience out the settings to other publishers, not as one offs, but as serious game lines.

Anyways all I was disappointed that some of my favourite deities were left out, the ones with the best stories, Sharess, Lurue, Nobanion, Gargos, Gaurath (may have missed spelled that), the Mulhorand Pantheon, the Untherite Pantheon, the Dragon Pantheon, the Giant Pantheon, the Gobliniod Pantheon, Finder, Ghuander, Moander, ect...

A few were given as Warlock patrons, but they should still be in the Pantheons.

 

[gyor]

It's not a four-course meal, but I'd hardly say it's just crumbs. More like a light lunch.

I'll compromise, its a granola bar and bag of peanuts .

 

[Jester David]

That's not accurate, the Escapist didn't seem to be FR fans, but that had little to nothing to do with substance of thier complaints, and io9 wanted to explore FR beyond the Sword Coast, its a big exciting setting, I feel the same way and I've been an FR fan since I was a kid.

Look the book has it strengths, but it also has serious issues and hardcore FR fans, and those who wish for something other then FR have good reason to be disappointed. This book suits a small minority of FR players/fans needs, and does very little for anyone else.

Some are satisfied by crumbs, some of us aren't.

In this case "small minority" being potentially anyone playing the Adventurer's League or one of the published storylines who wants to make a character that fits the setting...

 

[jayoungr]

[MENTION=69051]banana[/MENTION] and [mention=54629]pukunui,[/mention]

I just think that when a player has no desire to put even minimal effort into something that's meant to be a fairly significant part of a setting, that's a red flag that the game and/or the setting isn't going to be a good match for that player. But that's just me, and if you're working around it at your tables, more power to you.

 

[pukunui]

I'll compromise, its a granola bar and bag of peanuts .

The number of new character options is comparable to those offered in previous books, if you take out feats and prestige classes and other things like that. Thankfully, they just don't take up as much space.