Got Practical Guide to Monsters...

[Scott_Rouse]

What ages would you say its appropriate for? I've got a bunch of nieces and nephews these might make good gifts for.

I read the PGt Dragons book to my 4 1/2 YO. I'll wait 6 months or so on PGt Monsters though.

 

[JoeBlank]

I picked up the Practical Guide to Dragons for my son's 7th birthday, and he loves it. Of course, he has played D&D for almost 2 years now, but has not encountered many dragons.

Practical Guide to Monsters will probably be a Christmas present.

And I need to get him into the Dragonlance New Adventure books. Anyone have any experience with these? I think the narrator in the PGtD is from those books.

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

Dont see the point in it. If I was suddenly very wealthy i'd get it.

 

[bento]

I'm getting it for my son for his seventh birthday. He's always taking out my Monster Manuals and DDMs to look at the cool monsters.

We were discussing the physiological differences between a flesh golem and a zombie just this weekend.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Dont see the point in it. If I was suddenly very wealthy i'd get it.

What's the point of the Draconomicon, Libris Mortis, Lords of Madness, Fiendish Codices or Drow of the Underdark?

Same point here, just less crunch, more bring-them-into-the-hobby kid friendliness.

 

[dogoftheunderworld]

My son (11) picked both PGt Dragons & Monsters up at GenCon. He loves them. He has prevously read a lot of the "Dragonology" books. These are similar, except with a slant toward the realms of D&D. Lots of fluff and background, the perfect start for new D&D players (especially younger ones). It gives them a nice look at monsters through the eyes of their characters, without the overt metagaming of flipping through the Monster Manual(s).

Two thumbs up!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Don't the -ology books have a lot of tactile stuff, like pop-ups, items glued to the page, and so on? Does your son prefer that approach, or is it not a big deal? (Obviously it adds to the cost of the books.)

 

[Felon]

While the news is out of the bag that 4e is on the way and has been in the works for two years or so, this book isn't (wasn't?) a "predictor" for 4e. It's a sequel, or rather follow-up, to the "Practical Guide to Dragons". These books aren't filler between 3e and 4e but rather they are targeting a different demographic and aren't even gamebooks at all.

Now, the "Wizards Presents" line slated for later this year, that is definitely a 4e "predictor"!

I think you missed the point. The guide served as a "predictor" (or, to use the actual word that was likely intended, precursor) of 4e specifically because it and other books on the fall/winter/spring 2007-2008 line represented an edition-neutral product. In that respect it is indeed filler material for a release schedule where "crunchy" material had been conspicuously absent.

 

[dogoftheunderworld]

Don't the -ology books have a lot of tactile stuff, like pop-ups, items glued to the page, and so on? Does your son prefer that approach, or is it not a big deal? (Obviously it adds to the cost of the books.)

Yes, lots of tactile stuff. I think it adds a lot to the -ology books and is generally done well. They take a similar approach to the PGt books-- presenting fictional creatures from a "research" point of view.

As far as preference... I don't don't think he cares now.... but a couple of years ago (when he started getting the Dragonology books) the "extras" definately helped draw him in.

For the PGt books, it would be interesting to see what market Wizards is going for. That 8-10 yr old bracket is very specific, but would gain a lot of momentum with "bonus features". As is, the books may have a larger group that would pick them up.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think you missed the point. The guide served as a "predictor" (or, to use the actual word that was likely intended, precursor) of 4e specifically because it and other books on the fall/winter/spring 2007-2008 line represented an edition-neutral product. In that respect it is indeed filler material for a release schedule where "crunchy" material had been conspicuously absent.

Except that Mirrorstone releases don't seem to have any link at all to what's on the D&D schedule. If there were, we'd have likely seen D&D supplements spinning out of the New Dragonlance Adventures and the Knights of the Silver Dragon. Rebranded D&D Basic Games for each line seem like a lock and yet ... nothing.

Mirrorstone putting out a sequel to a successful book a year ago is a precursor to nothing except a third Practical Guide in 2008.