Iron Lore: Malhavoc's Surprise?

[mearls]

Is this an OGL supplement, or d20?

And would this usable with D&D the same way as Arcana Evolved is, or different?

(Or should I just read the previews when they're posted? )

1. It's OGL.

2. Like AE/AU, it's an alternate player's handbook (I probably should have said this earlier!). It is just as useful with D&D in the way that AE is, though as I mentioned above the classes need some minor conversions to work in D&D. I suspect that people will get a lot more use out of IL's rules for skills, feats, and combat, where AE offers more options with races, classes, and magic. Still, IL's classes (and what passes for races) are also portable, though the classes need some conversion as mentioned above.

3. This is all kind of a weird space, because I'm not 100% sure if the S&S Insider thing was supposed to be released yet. Since the game has, by now, been announced at GTS, I can finally sort of talk about it. I'm trying to keep things general. As we approach the release date, I can talk about specifics.

It's funny, but we really do have to pace how we release stuff. It makes it more manageable to address each part of the game on its own, without muddling everything by info dumping the entire thing at once. Believe me, I really want to drill into this game! I've spent the past 6 months working on nothing but Iron Lore. We have an entire schedule of previews and material for the web site that we've planned out.

 

[mearls]

For budget purposes, how much should I expect to spend on this astonishingly enticing product?

This is utterly embarrassing, but I honestly don't know. They keep me locked in this game design lab 24-7...

This info should be up with the official announcement later this week at the website.

 

[mearls]

Though again, in the Iron Lore interview, the emphasis is on what players get, not what they loose.

I wanted to highlight this quote, because I think it summarizes what Iron Lore does vis a vis altering the role of magic in the game. The most important design goal of the book was to create game environment without magical items, yet the characters were still as powerful as D&D ones.

In design terms, D&D's magic items are a lot like a Hero or GURPS point buy system grafted on to a class and level system. You can think of the gold piece budget by level as a pool of points used to buy super powers or extra benefits to your attacks, skills, etc. Iron Lore ditches that, but it replaces it with something else.

The Iron Lore alternate PHB really emphasizes what you get, not what you lose.

 

[TerraDave]

1. It's OGL.


3. This is all kind of a weird space, because I'm not 100% sure if the S&S Insider thing was supposed to be released yet.

April to June Spring 2005. page 2. If someone orders from the WW website they will probably get it.

and in the past an online version is usually released as well.

 

[francisca]

This is utterly embarrassing, but I honestly don't know. They keep me locked in this game design lab 24-7...

This info should be up with the official announcement later this week at the website.

Well, I'd think there would certainly be worse kinds of labrats......'less Monte has a Fiendish Dire Half-Flumph Bugbear with a Whip +5 of Flaying standing behind you all the time.

This looks like a promising product, Mr. Mearls. Good luck!

 

[Turjan]

As a consequence of the changes to the core d20 engine, you can now stat up an 18th-level NPC from any class in about 5 to 15 minutes, tops, once you're familiar with the system. I estimate that Iron Lore adventure prep takes about half, if not less, time than adventure prep for D&D.

How cool is that ! That's something I've waited for for ages. I'm really curious how you will manage that .

 

[Turjan]

An admirable design goal.

Sounds familiar...

Hehe, I won't forget your product. In the end, WotC will choose what to plunder for 4E, anyway .

 

[Ace]

I was wondering when the word would finally get out. Iron Lore will be officially announced at the GAMA trade show in Las Vegas. Technically, the show has already started, so I can answer a few questions.

SNIP,


We'll be doing a lot of previews, design diaries, and other stuff on the website leading up to the game's release.

Its what I have been wanting --YES!

 

[DaveMage]

1. It's OGL.

2. Like AE/AU, it's an alternate player's handbook (I probably should have said this earlier!). It is just as useful with D&D in the way that AE is, though as I mentioned above the classes need some minor conversions to work in D&D. I suspect that people will get a lot more use out of IL's rules for skills, feats, and combat, where AE offers more options with races, classes, and magic. Still, IL's classes (and what passes for races) are also portable, though the classes need some conversion as mentioned above.

3. This is all kind of a weird space, because I'm not 100% sure if the S&S Insider thing was supposed to be released yet. Since the game has, by now, been announced at GTS, I can finally sort of talk about it. I'm trying to keep things general. As we approach the release date, I can talk about specifics.

It's funny, but we really do have to pace how we release stuff. It makes it more manageable to address each part of the game on its own, without muddling everything by info dumping the entire thing at once. Believe me, I really want to drill into this game! I've spent the past 6 months working on nothing but Iron Lore. We have an entire schedule of previews and material for the web site that we've planned out.

Thanks, Mike! I'll read the previews before I ask any more questions about the game.

 

[Stormborn]

Thanks for the info Mike. Now onto the questions:
1) Is this indeed the BIG THING that is supposed to "wow" us as much as AU/AE that Monte has mentioned? Or should we expect another? (oh dear, misparaphrasing the New Testament in a post about a Malhavok Product, I may have a problem)
2) Will there be other support for it? Setting, adventures, etc? Or can we take your comments about using any d20 Monster book as is to suggest that might be true of other things like adventures and settings?

Again, always great to hear from the creators, thanks.