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

[Gez]

Editing problem found:

Becoming a Darkrunner

The ranger class is the easiest path to becoming a darkrunner. Despite having to take cross-class ranks in Knowledge (dungeoneering), barbarians and druids both can qualify fairly quickly (unless they multiclass into a class that has this as a class skill).

OK. So, the "unless" part is there for the "despite", I guess; but it reads as if it were for the "can qualify fairly quickly". Clumsy wording.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

It is safe to say that I REALLY want this book.

 

[Psion]

While this is a book about a monster type, it is a much closer cousin to the "Races of" books than Draconomicon or Libris Mortis.

I would agree. I think it would have been a stronger book if it focussed on more options for monsters (which seemed somewhat anemic compared to Draconomicon) and less for players.

That said, it's nice that it isn't redundant with Unveiled Masters and Complete Guide to Beholders on this note.

 

[John Cooper]

Originally posted by Ryltar:

I'm looking forward to John Cooper's review of the statblocks, though .

And I'm looking forward to reviewing it. I haven't seen it yet in my area, though, and I've got a couple of other books ahead of it "in line," but I'll definitely be reviewing Lords of Madness before too long.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Some more questions of interest...
What are some of the grafts in this book?
Are a bunch of them reprints from the Fiend Folio?
Is there anything like tentacles that are attached to the arm, which allow the user to grapple from 5' away?
What about some sort graft that allows shapeshifting?
What are the other aberrations briefly detailed? All of the MM ones including Chuuls, Destrachans, and Chokers? What about the Avolakia? Since I found them to be one of the creapiest aberrations.

 

[Psion]

Is there anything like tentacles that are attached to the arm, which allow the user to grapple from 5' away?

There's an abberation blood feat like that.

What about the Avolakia? Since I found them to be one of the creapiest aberrations.

It only gets a paragraph in passing that I saw.

Mostly, this book is about the stars.

 

[jodyjohnson]

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?

They seemed to me very much like the alien creature in The Hidden. Small bundle of tentacles that enters through an opening (mouth, bellybutton, ear, ***) and then merges with the host. Tentacles writhing under the skin. hint of alienism in the mouth or eyes, and they reserve the option to just eat your entire insides and wear you like an 'Earl' suit.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093185/

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

Yes. Pseudunatural up one notch.

 

[Ketjak]

Eberron?

Is there any mention of Eberron? I've been more interested in abbies since ECS came out and they're good recurrent villains (especially there).

 

[Ryltar]

Ketjak: There's some Eberron sidebars, like "Using xyz in Eberron". Nothing major, though.

What are the other aberrations briefly detailed? All of the MM ones including Chuuls, Destrachans, and Chokers?

There's a Shadow templated choker in there but that's about it, IIRC.

 

[DMH]

Random comments

Good: Made aboleth and grell more interesting, added a very cool good aberration that I am using ASAP, has art of a mindspider and a deathspider, most of the art is top notch (and the illithid kin are going to cause parents to scream more than any other piece of art), tsochar are a interesting conversion of Star*Drive's teln, the fleshwarper (which should be weaver because they are masters of grafts) is pretty cool, and the anti-aberration prcs are well done.

Bad: Nothing on cloaker, naga, Ix rays or ethergaunt societies, doesn't mention how long aboleth mucus lasts, stupid new monster is a dog with a mane of tentacles, neogi have a aboleth like enslavement power (it should only affect umber hulks which are then used to kill disobedient slaves), not much new on beholders or illithids, miniadventures that waste space (space to devote to other aberrations), and a feat is now needed for a aboleth to read the memories of those they consume. Edit- no template for skum.

I doubt, but hope that they will make the aberrant feat type OGC in the future. I give it a 4.