Have you been disillusioned by the latest WotC books?

[ColonelHardisson]

Of the three mentioned, the only one I have (so far - I plan on getting at least one of the other two, and possibly both) is the DMGII. I think it's a very strong book, and I've enjoyed reading it.

Random charts? Well, those are things I was specifically hoping to see, and was only disappointed that there weren't more than there were!

Saltmarsh? Normally, I would dislike so much of a book being devoted to a setting; I'm still irritated by the "epic city" in the Epic Level Handbook. In the case of Saltmarsh, though, it makes sense for it to be there. The DMGII is aimed towards beginning DMs, and providing an example of a good "base" for the PCs is logical.

I have to say that there is little, if anything, that I dislike about the book. The advice is aimed at novice DMs, but I'm not so taken with my own "1337 DM skillz" that it isn't worth refreshing them occasionally. I think this material is some of the most interesting to read and re-read.

 

[Vascant]

When I first seen the write up of what was going to be in DMG II, I pretty much said pass on the idea of getting it. After 22 years of DM'g, I think I have a grasp on it just maybe. Due to some requirements in NPC Designer and the new official stat block, I needed the book I could make sure my program could handle it. So I got it. How wrong I was, the book has been an assault of new ideas, some interesting concepts addressed and some readdressed. It is one of the first new rule books I can say I found something useful in every chapter. In a day when we have a few d20 publishers coming up with their own new DMG and PHB, WotC took the prize in this one and came up with something pretty impressive.

Waterdeep I have not managed to read yet, sits in my ever growing "Unread" stack, what can I say, some people get more food then they can possible eat.. I get more books then I have time to read.

 

[diaglo]

i thought the DMG II was a decent book for actual help to a DM. not that i haven't done those things over my career. but for all of the n00bs to the game. it was a needed thing. something i'd hoped the D&D for DUmmies book was gonna do.


HoB... meh

Champions of Ruin... blah


WotC is just not hitting all cylinders for me.

 

[Turanil]

I still hope that someone comes up and shows me that I'm wrong.

Sorry, but you are right. Fortunately, the d20 OGL lets you take a look at good third party publishers.

Myself I am almost completely disappointed and disillusioned about WotC books. Too many of their releases, such as Weapons of Legacy, look like useless crap to me; and many others such as the "fabled" Dungeon Master's Guide II looked promising at first, but then disappointed me. Lastly, I had expectations for this Spellbook Compendium, but after having read carefully all the little available info, I think I will better dismiss it completely.

On the other hand, I still must get a look at d20 Past and d20 Apocalypse, as maybe these books are still worth it...

 

[GlassJaw]

Have you been disillusioned by the latest WotC books?

I became disillusioned with WotC a long time ago. The last WotC book I bought was Unearthed Arcana. I'm debating whether to break down and get some of the Complete books, but only because my current group is using them.

 

[MerricB]

Wouldn't it have been more useful if it presented the DM with 100s of good ideas for battles and guidelines for crafting good ideas for battles? The way you describe it makes it sound as if the book is only useful to DMs that have already spent a lot of time thinking about how battles will affect their campaign and the players.

Battles have a peculiar problem in D&D: they are massively different for each campaign depending on magic availability, character levels in armies and so forth.

A battle between mediaeval troops changes utterly the moment you introduce a dragon onto the battlefield. The number of options in D&D warfare - and they grow with every new release - are unchartable.

So, instead, the DM must decide how he or she wants the battle to go.

HoB helps show the DM how to plan out the battle, and then to translate that into an exciting adventure for the players involving their PCs. It doesn't go into the little details of the battle, because such things are too manifold to be dealt with in any book that still wants to keep the game focussed around the PCs.

What it doesn't do is turn the game into a wargame where the PCs are reduced to bit players.

 

[diaglo]

I became disillusioned with WotC a long time ago. The last WotC book I bought was Unearthed Arcana. I'm debating whether to break down and get some of the Complete books, but only because my current group is using them.

save your money. borrow them or browse them at the table.

they are a waste of good plant life. how many trees died so they could print that junk?

 

[diaglo]

What it doesn't do is turn the game into a wargame where the PCs are reduced to bit players.

that is the whole point of D&D from its beginning as a spinoff from Chainmail.

 

[ZeroGlobal2003]

I really enjoyed Heroes of Battle and Lords of Madness... I'm a hard back junky though, other then campaign setting books I have all but the Planar Handbook and Weapons of Legacy...

Heroes of Battle wasn't exactly what I expected... its not mass combat rules. Instead its rules for mass combats... thats not the same thing. Its taking D&D rules and adventures and putting them in the framework of a battle or a war. It breaks down things PCs can do, gives advice on making interesting dynamic battles, and inspired a lot in me. If you've got it, give it another read, especially part where it talks about the types of adventures that can happen in a battle, if it doesn't fill you with ideas then somethings wrong.

I know its not for everyone, but what I do is decide that I want to buy a book every 2-3-4 weeks or so. I go to my FLGS and look around, if the latest WotC book looks good, I buy it. If not I look at what else is there... thats how I found DragonMech and Denizens of Avadnu, two of the most inspiring and interesting books I've purchased.

Zero

 

[Turanil]

they are a waste of good plant life. how many trees died so they could print that junk?

This is the meanest review I did ever read about WotC products!