[KoK] Two free monster previews!

[Gez]

 

[Mark Plemmons]

And you thought I wasn't listening...

===
Mark Plemmons
Kenzer and Company
www.kenzerco.com
===

 

[DragonLancer]

oooggghhhh.... *Drools over his keyboard*

 

[coyote6]

That's a nice looking cover.

So how much will I be subtracting from my bank account for this?

 

[Mark Plemmons]

Coyote6,

The standard retail is $24.99, not counting tax, of course, or any discounts you might get online or from your local game shop. Oh, and yes, it is hardcover.

===
Mark Plemmons
Kenzer and Company
www.kenzerco.com
===

 

[V_Shane]

Eaten ones may moan and groan, but do not speak or otherwise attempt to communicate.

I can see a cartoon now with players attempting to communicae and getting P-O'd say "Jeez, whats eating him?"

Bada-boom.....Love bad jokes

 

[Felon]

The Eaten One looks too nasty for a CR 5 monster, and has some questionable design issues.

The Aura of Hopelessness radiates the effects of an 8th-level spell to all characters with a 60 foot radius (i.e. just about everyone), and the 20 DC is very high for 5th-level characters (and for that matter, I'm not sure how the 20 DC came about, since 10 + HD + Cha. mod. = 16). On top of all that, it's a nonmagical Extraordinary ability, which seems inappropriate if not impossible to justify (e.g. the ooze secretes a fume that acts as a depresent).

The Acidic Corpse ability is also a bit heavy-handed for a 5th-level group, many of whom will lack sufficient spellcasting firepower to take it out from a distance. The party members that don't succumb to hopelessness (if any) will likely wind up assaulting it with weapons, which will take 2d6 acid damage each time they hit it and quite likely leave them weaponless even if they manage to destroy the eaten one.

Personally, I'd tone down the aura to sane levels, giving it the appropriate saving throw of 16 and making it a gaze attack, and allow a creature striking the Eaten one a Reflex save to avoid the acid damage.

Noitced that that the Sturmwulf gets +4 to Survival checks for purposes of tracking. I don't know how tracking by scent works in 3.5e, but in 3e it doesn't use a skill check (just a Wis. check). Wouldn't mind seeing that change though.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Very sharp cover indeed. Keeps the feel of the other Kalamar books but I'm surprised it's not a black cover like the Villian's book.

 

[DragonLancer]

The Aura of Hopelessness radiates the effects of an 8th-level spell to all characters with a 60 foot radius (i.e. just about everyone), and the 20 DC is very high for 5th-level characters (and for that matter, I'm not sure how the 20 DC came about, since 10 + HD + Cha. mod. = 16). On top of all that, it's a nonmagical Extraordinary ability, which seems inappropriate if not impossible to justify (e.g. the ooze secretes a fume that acts as a depresent).

20 I think is fair for a challange. The Eaten One is not a creature you would attack a party in groups with, so that by itself helps account for the CR. 16 is too low, and too easily passed.

The Acidic Corpse ability is also a bit heavy-handed for a 5th-level group, many of whom will lack sufficient spellcasting firepower to take it out from a distance. The party members that don't succumb to hopelessness (if any) will likely wind up assaulting it with weapons, which will take 2d6 acid damage each time they hit it and quite likely leave them weaponless even if they manage to destroy the eaten one.

Personally, I'd tone down the aura to sane levels, giving it the appropriate saving throw of 16 and making it a gaze attack, and allow a creature striking the Eaten one a Reflex save to avoid the acid damage.

I agree with this. A reflex save to avoid the acid damage would have been better. I'd keep the aura as an aura though personally.

 

[Alzrius]

I was sold on this book as soon as I saw the listing for the monsters that would be in it; any book with an Aquatic Tarrasque is something I absolutely must have!