Lords of Madness Stuff (Update: Some folks have it!)

Psion · Apr 8, 2005

I was very pleased that they did full XPH support for the Illithid variants (though I think that with the monster advancement rules, ulitharids are not so much needed.) They even did rules needed to support Psionic Aboleths and Psulrons. Excellent!

Kobold Avenger · Apr 8, 2005

What are the monsters described in the book? The main ones and the secondary ones in the monster chapter?

What's a Tsochari supposed to look like or be? Are the they parasite-type that take over minds when attached, or are they the type that consumes a victims insides and takes over as something wearing their flesh?

Is the Half-Farspawn template to the pseudonatural template, basically like the half-celestial template compared to the celestial template

Pants · Apr 8, 2005

Damn, I want this book... now.

It'd be super cool if someone posted up a listing of all the monsters in the book.

Also, (to anyone in particular) how's the flavor text on the various aberrations? Have Grells and Neogi been completely divorced from Spelljammer?

AdmundfortGeographer · Apr 8, 2005

Neogi.

That's all I needed. That's all I needed...

Nightfall · Apr 9, 2005

Come on people. I need to know if I can spend the cash on this or not. Libris Mortis was alright but there should have been more!

Whizbang Dustyboots · Apr 9, 2005

Nightfall said:
Come on people. I need to know if I can spend the cash on this or not. Libris Mortis was alright but there should have been more!

I'm going out on a limb and saying no Orcus in this.

BOZ · Apr 9, 2005

people are teasing me. no fair.

Psion · Apr 9, 2005

Kobold Avenger said:
What are the monsters described in the book? The main ones and the secondary ones in the monster chapter?

Hmmm... they don't have a TOC up yet? I'm never the first to do any of these.

Brief summary:

What is an abberation (brief discussion on abberations in general. The most idea rich section here is the section on abberation origins.)
The Deep Masters (Aboleths) (Bold move here, they directly reference Lovecraft's works / cthulhu mythos as inspirations.)
The Eye Tyrants (Duh)
The Mind Flayers
The Slave Takers (Neogi)
The Eaters (Grell) (Surprised to see them featured centrally considering how neglected they have been. A classic and a staple monter race in my game.)
The Wearers of Flesh (Tsochar) (A new race)
New Monsters (Beholderkin, Cildabrin, Cloaker [Shadowcloak Elder], Elder Brain, Elder Eidolon, Gas Spore, Gibbering Mouther, Half Farspawn, Hound of the Gloom, Illithidae, Mind Flayer variants [Alhoon, Ulitharid, Vampire], Psuedonatural Creature, Psulron, Shaboath, Shadow Creature, Silthilar, Urophion, Zeugalak.)
The Abberation Hunter (Abberation related deities, feats, spells, PrCs, etc)

What's a Tsochari supposed to look like or be?

They are shapechangers that take the place of humanoid creatures. Sort of pod-people.

Is the Half-Farspawn template to the pseudonatural template, basically like the half-celestial template compared to the celestial template

Pretty aptly put.

weiknarf · Apr 9, 2005

Aw man, this book sounds sweet

Gothmog · Apr 9, 2005

I picked it up on Wednesday night, but due to having to write an exam for my Neuro class and being absorbed in the new WHFRP books I picked up last weekend, I haven't had a lot of time to look at it. What I have seen so far looks very promising though. The grell are really fleshed out and made much more interesting, as are the aboleth. Beholders, despited being an iconic D&D monster never did much for me- they seem too out there. When I first got the book, I read the mind flayers section, hoping for some great new ideas, but if you've seen the Illithiad, there is nothing new here. In fact, I much prefer Hellhound's view of the mind flayers in Unseen Masters. The real gem of this book are the tsochar, or the wearers of flesh- a new type of insidious abberation, which seem much more alien and sinister than anything up until now. The new critters section is pretty darn good too. I'll need to read more, but so far I'm liking this a lot better than Libris Mortis or Draconomicon, and it'll get a lot more use in my game than either previous book.