Immortals Handbook Epic Bestiary (now available)

[Anabstercorian]

Do the rest of you still think the Beta release is a good idea? I mean personally, I know people aren't buying these things for the art, but its always much, much nicer to have the art completed, it softens the text and lends more personality to the book.

I don't really think you can afford NOT to release it. Plus, I freakin' want Ascension and I want it now.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey dante dude!

How compatible is the epic bestiary with the various dice freaks templates.

Well you'd first have to tell me which specific templates you were talking about. Dicefreaks has loads, and even though I have read most of them trying to remember specific details about them enough to make an informed judgement off the top of my head is probably just going to boggle me.

Which dicefreaks templates would be good to use with the epic bestiary? the reason I ask is because I kinda need the official stance you have on this. Admittedly many of the dice freaks templates seem like they would be acceptable, but many more seem like they would not mesh very well with you system... particularly those with cosmic ranks. They do some things differently.

If you give me links to the specific templates you want me to analyse, I'll be more than happy to do so.

I am of the basic opinion that you generally shouldn't add divine power templates to most of the deity type monsters* in the Bestiary, because they already benefit from such things.

*Any with a Divine Bonus (or Insight Bonus in the case of the Akishra and Cogent).

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

U_K!
Well, in the event you missed all of my emails, I am interested in playtesting / editing. I definitely like the Idea of a Beta / or Art-"lite" version, though your artwork really helps clarify and accents some of your information (at least it did in the besitary) (Point of note: Nexus Dragon ).
I have run quite a few "epic" level games, and I can definitely tell you which powers/feats are "must-haves" or "Too good as written" compaired to everything around their powerlevel. I do tend to pick up a lot of typos too. (except in my own work)
Perhaps you are more accurately a Mindflayer Rogue 21/Illithid Savant 20.
Good luck finishing up Ascension (though luck has nothing to do with it... but a +20 luck bonus to Craft: Gamesystems never hurts)

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Anabstercorian mate!

Actually, on a slightly more goofy note: Krust, does this seem ballpark-balanced as a minor artifact? http://d20npcs.wikia.com/wiki/Rod_of_the_Inviolate_Sanctum_(Minor_Artifact)

I love the idea.

As to whether its balanced. The term Minor Artifact, to me at least, simply denotes that more than one of such items exist, rather than how powerful it is.

One thing I don't like is that the tower height is linked to the caster level of the Rod Bearer (instead of the Rod Creator). Which means if a lower powered spellcaster gained the rod, a tower initially built three miles high might have its top third collapse!

Also I don't necessarily understand why the wielder should gain true strike at will with what is essentially an arcane spellcaster item. Seems a bit out of sorts.

If I was tweaking it I would probably specify that the gate could only access one plane. Each rod could access one plane, hence the minor artifact part. With others opening gates to different planes. Therefore you would have one for the Nine Hells, one for the Seven Heavens and so forth.

It may also be somewhat more balanced to extrapolate the tower dimensions based upon a Daern's Instand Fortress, rather than making it 1/10th of a mile, it might be 30 ft. tall/level etc.

But thats all just off the top of my head.

As an artifact for a 30th-level character (same level as the creator) I suppose it is balanced enough).

I don't really think you can afford NOT to release it. Plus, I freakin' want Ascension and I want it now.

I know, I know.

 

[Upper_Krust]

U_K!

Hello again mate!

Well, in the event you missed all of my emails,

I got two emails from you, I was about to reply to them. However, I anticipated the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one in terms of prioritising my responses today...and since I have now covered everything in your emails over the past few posts I may, for the sake of brevity, not reply...I hope you don't take offence.

I am interested in playtesting / editing. I definitely like the Idea of a Beta / or Art-"lite" version, though your artwork really helps clarify and accents some of your information (at least it did in the besitary) (Point of note: Nexus Dragon ).

I have run quite a few "epic" level games, and I can definitely tell you which powers/feats are "must-haves" or "Too good as written" compaired to everything around their powerlevel. I do tend to pick up a lot of typos too. (except in my own work)

Count yourself on the short list.

Perhaps you are more accurately a Mindflayer Rogue 21/Illithid Savant 20.

Far too low level.

Good luck finishing up Ascension (though luck has nothing to do with it... but a +20 luck bonus to Craft: Gamesystems never hurts)

I think 'god speed' is the more apropos blessing.

 

[Alzrius]

Do the rest of you still think the Beta release is a good idea? I mean personally, I know people aren't buying these things for the art, but its always much, much nicer to have the art completed, it softens the text and lends more personality to the book.

I think the Beta release is a good idea, so long as you keep a few things constant. For one, it shouldn't cost much less (if less at all) than the full version. This is predicated on the idea that people who buy the Beta will get any updates for free. As such, buying the Beta'd essentially be buying the full release early, at a discount price. Also, make sure it's pretty clearly marked as a Beta release, so no reviewers think to critique the product before it's final form.

I'm also taking it on faith that I'm one of the editors.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

I got two emails from you, I was about to reply to them. However, I anticipated the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one in terms of prioritising my responses today...and since I have now covered everything in your emails over the past few posts I may, for the sake of brevity, not reply...I hope you don't take offence.

No problem , I just wasn't sure if they were sent or lost in transition or whatever.

Far too low level.

True, true...

I think 'god speed' is the more apropos blessing.

Just 'god'-speed? What ever happened to Transendental-Speed? (Yes, I just butchered the phrase for the sake of a lame joke)

 

[dante58701]

I was more referring to their undead templates than anything. But I do wonder about the Gates of Hell templates too. Two other questions...Nephillim, what do they look like. Im interested in playing one of those in my next campaign. Id always envisioned each nephillim as being different, depending upon their heritage. The second question...are you releasing a preview as well. Im just dying to get my hands on a Nephilim. Ive already got plans to buy the whole book...but Im going nutz here with anticipation. I know...I know...Rome wasnt built in a day and all that.

 

[Fieari]

Don't know U_K's specific interpretation, but we know nephilim are going to be really big, at the least...

Wikipedia entry for Nephilim

 

[Fieari]

Fieari, you going to attempt to bring that game together again or have you accepted it as another victim of Katrina?

Hm. I had been writing it up, but perhaps we could pull it together again...