GenCon WotC Report, Day 2

[pukunui]

This one excites me:

August: Revenge of the Giants super-adventure (boxed, including tokens for all monsters needed to play the adventure; an homage to Against the Giants).

A return to the boxed sets of old? They didn't do any for 3rd edition. I thought this was because that kind of thing was uneconomical now. They're really getting quite ambitious with 4th edition. It's cool that it says they're including tokens. That's something people have been clamoring for for some time.


I want to know about E3 though. I guess it's coming out later than next August. I'm really hoping it will culminate in a battle with Orcus. Judging from the titles of E1 (Death's Reach) and E2 (Kingdom of the Ghouls), I might very well get my wish. Sounds like PCs might have to fight Doresain first then Orcus.

 

[thundershot]

* August: Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, a comprehensive look at the setting, advancing the storyline 100 years. Also includes a threat chapter that treats what in the past would have been NPCs as unique creatures (e.g., warlock knights).

Not for me. I don't like the realms. Homebrew all the way.

* August: H3 Pyramid of Shadows.

Definite buy. So far, I love the new adventure format. I'm not flipping all over the place for stats and such.

* September: Adventurer's Vault, full of magic items and equipment for characters, including alchemy, weapons, armor, tools, and plenty of useful tables listing them out.

DEFINITELY a buy. I've already preordered it. The previews made me feel even better about it.

* September: Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, targeted at (naturally) players, with new races (the drow, updated from the version listed in the Monster Manual, and genasi), a new class (swordmage), a new warlock build (the dark pact), character backgrounds, feats, and rituals. All of it will be useful not just for players in the Realms but for players in any campaign.

I doubt I'll get it, but I will sift through it. The races and class intrigue me.

* October: Martial Power, with new powers and builds for the fighter, ranger, rogue, and warlord, plus new paragon paths, epic destinies, and feats.

Yep. Definitely gonna get it. My wife is playing a Ranger, and sister is playing a Rogue, and another friend playng a Warlord.

* October: P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens, for levels 11-13, and the first adventure (in print) to take players to a new realm of existence.

So... this is separate from the other series? Hmm... Again, if the adventures continue with the layout they have now, I'm in.

* November: Draconomicon, featuring chromatic dragons for all levels, new draconic monsters, ready-to-use lairs, hoards, rituals, magic items, and artifacts.

I doubt I'll be getting this. I barely got any use out of the 3.5 one. We'll see...

* December: Manual of the Planes, exploring the planes of existence with details on the feywild, shadowfell, elemental chaos, and astral sea.

This was a definite buy. I'm intrigued by the new cosmology. I hope this has more than just those planes... I want NEW planes and the hints of a further Spelljammer/Planescape hybrid.. yes...

* December: P2 Demon Queen's Enclave with the drow as key players in the world.

Hopefully it's a sequel. If so, it's mine.

* January: Open Grave, with undead creatures at all levels of play (Acererak!).

Never really that interested in undead... pass.

* March: Player's Handbook II, with eight new classes, five new races, and the primal power source. September's Dragon will preview a build from one of the new classes for folk to playtest.

Woo hoo! BUY! BUY BUY!

* March: P3 Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress.

3rd in the series...

* April: Arcane Power, with new powers, feats, and builds for arcane classes from the Player's Handbook and Player's Handbook II (such as the bard).

If Martial power turns out well, I'll probably get this too. Hopefully familiars will return.

* April: E1 Death's Reach (just finished in design).

Another series? Anything on it? Levels?

* May: Monster Manual 2 (including the frost giant at last!).

Definite buy.

* June: Eberron Campaign Guide (from yesterday's seminar).

Nope. No settings unless they put out Dark Sun or Spelljammer.

* June: E2 Kingdom of the Ghouls.

Just curious, but are all of the adventures being set up as trilogies?

* July: Eberron Player's Guide.

Will definitely look through it to see if it's worth mining. More than likely will get used.

* July: Divine Power.

Once more, I'll wait to see how the others go first...

* July: Seekers of the Ashen Crown (adventure).

What series is this in?

* August: Adventurer's Vault 2.

*moistens with anticipation*

* August: Revenge of the Giants super-adventure (boxed, including tokens for all monsters needed to play the adventure; an homage to Against the Giants).

While it sounds really intriguing, it will all depend on level... My group will be Paragon or higher at this point...




Chris

 

[Dedekind]

I'm so excited about the Revenge of the Giants, I might do a little dance. I loved Against the Giants so much! And did it say boxed? Heck yes!

 

[Ginnel]

In answer to thundershot I believe the
H 1-3
P 1-3
E 1-3

are Heroic, Paragon and Epic tier aiming to take a party from start to finish and they should all losely link along with each other with suggestions in each of the adventures how to, so when you're done with H3 you go on to P1

I'm probably gonna pick up everything, because even on my meager wage £20-£35 a month is quite manageable.

On announcement of the 2 weapon fighter and the box set adventure with tokens very intriguing (I love my planescape box sets)

 

[the Jester]

Damn, there's a lot of stuff there that I want want want...

 

[pukunui]

Not for me. I don't like the realms. Homebrew all the way.

Just because it's FR doesn't mean you can't use it in a homebrew. That's actually how WotC has been marketing the setting books -- hence why they have given the FR books the "default" trade dress: to make it clear to people that you don't have to be playing in FR or Eberron or whatever in order to get some use from the books. I'd like to get it for this purpose but I'll admit it's not very high on my list.

I doubt I'll get it, but I will sift through it. The races and class intrigue me.

Again, the book is being marketed as useable and useful for non-FR players.

So... this is separate from the other series? Hmm... Again, if the adventures continue with the layout they have now, I'm in.

As Ginnel pointed out, it's all one big series. The letter stands for the tier of play, and there will be three adventures for each tier. While there's no real over-arching plot, there will be hooks from each adventure to the next so that you can use all nine of them to take PCs from level 1 to level 30.

This was a definite buy. I'm intrigued by the new cosmology. I hope this has more than just those planes... I want NEW planes and the hints of a further Spelljammer/Planescape hybrid.. yes...

I don't know why but something tells me you're going to be disappointed with this one.

Hopefully it's a sequel. If so, it's mine.

It won't really be a sequel in terms of plot, I don't think, but it will start at the level at which P1 ends.

Never really that interested in undead... pass.

I'm actually quite keen on this one.

Another series? Anything on it? Levels?

Should be levels 21-24 or thereabouts.

Just curious, but are all of the adventures being set up as trilogies?

No. Just the first nine.

What series is this in?

It is the Eberron adventure. Just as Scepter Tower of Spellguard is the FR adventure. WotC has stated that they will only be putting out three books for each setting (a DM's campaign guide, a player's guide [incidentally, the setting player's guides will be the only books outside of the annual PHBs that will feature new character classes], and an adventure -- all of which are intended for use by homebrewers as well as people actually wanting to use the setting).

*moistens with anticipation*

Umm ... that sounds rather unwholesome.

While it sounds really intriguing, it will all depend on level... My group will be Paragon or higher at this point...

Considering it's going to be about giants, it'll undoubtedly be paragon and/or epic. Who knows, maybe it'll be a 1-30 adventure all on its own. It certainly sounds feasible, if it's going to be a boxed set. I hope that means there will be lots of color battlemaps in it!

 

[blargney the second]

Those harsh, angular features on a definitely masculine face with 5 o'clock shadow...

FIFY.

Really, the only things that make them potentially female are the flesh-coloured watermelons in their armour.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

So PHB II will not have psionics? I find that astonishing as next year's setting, Eberron, sports more psionics than most other stuff.

Jan van Leyden

 

[MerricB]

So PHB II will not have psionics? I find that astonishing as next year's setting, Eberron, sports more psionics than most other stuff.

It's surprising, certainly. I think that Wizards being ready to admit that they're not happy with Psionics yet rather than pushing them out too early is a good sign, though, that when Psionics are released they'll be worth the wait.

Cheers!

 

[Carnivorous_Bean]

FIFY.

Really, the only things that make them potentially female are the flesh-coloured watermelons in their armour.

Where are these female dwarves everyone is talking about? The only picture I saw on that page was one of a dragonborn ....