MCDM monster book “Flee Mortals!” KS is live!

[Urriak Uruk]

Honestly, I'm more interested in the setting book they were talking about on the stream. That would be interesting.

You mean the Timescape? I believe it's essentially a different version of Planescape, more in line with things that Colville is most interested in (stuff like Elric of Melnibonne).

Not too interested in that myself. Monte Cook has Planebreaker coming out, and D&D itself is likely coming out with Spelljammer this year. Plus Avernus exists, and Kobold Press has some pretty in-depth stuff like Book of Ebon Tides and Courts of the Shadow Fey... plus there's all the older edition stuff.

But this... I suppose if you have the Monster Manual Expanded books, which are now getting refreshed art, this wouldn't be as useful. If you don't though, this preview essentially says "Hey, are you bored with your Monster Manual? This book is the same Monster Manual, if it was better." It's meant to replace it, which is kind of cool. I don't really think that's necessary for some monsters (orcs for example got some good expansion in Volos), but goblins are a great example of this.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

You mean the Timescape? I believe it's essentially a different version of Planescape, more in line with things that Colville is most interested in (stuff like Elric of Melnibonne).

Not too interested in that myself. Monte Cook has Planebreaker coming out, and D&D itself is likely coming out with Spelljammer this year. Plus Avernus exists, and Kobold Press has some pretty in-depth stuff like Book of Ebon Tides and Courts of the Shadow Fey... plus there's all the older edition stuff.

But this... I suppose if you have the Monster Manual Expanded books, which are now getting refreshed art, this wouldn't be as useful. If you don't though, this preview essentially says "Hey, are you bored with your Monster Manual? This book is the same Monster Manual, if it was better." It's meant to replace it, which is kind of cool. I don't really think that's necessary for some monsters (orcs for example got some good expansion in Volos), but goblins are a great example of this.

Although I don't have it and have just seen previews, I'll plug @Morrus and the Level Up Monster Book, it is in some ways a similar concept to Flee Mortals, and those previews looked excellent. I loved the design of the Green Dragon, and even thought the art of it was superb (like a dragon that actually sits in a pond of poison!)

 

[dave2008]

Huh. I just don't get that. He seems rather personable and friendly and doesn't take himself too seriously and drops a joke every now and then. He speaks like a real person and not a marketing talking head. And he lays things out in a rather matter of fact way. Here's what we like, here's what we don't like, so here's a book to fix some issues we have with the monsters in 5E.

All you have to understand is that people are different.

 

[CubicsRube]

I really like what they've done with the goblins.

I'm a big fan of lair/site based enemies and having a variety of features. While i can cobble things together, this takes a lot of work out of my hands and they (being not I) will come up with ideas I haven't thought of.

 

[Mannahnin]

All you have to understand is that people are different.

Yup. Matt has a particular high energy "presenter" affect and voice when he's on a script. Editing of his videos sometimes enhances the effect. This is very normal for some kinds of professionals, especially in sales.

I enjoy his presentation most of the time, but different people enjoy or are put off by different things. The rock band Live has sold over 20mm records, but for some undefinable reason singer Ed Kowalczyk's voice has always been unpleasant to me, so I've never been a fan despite enjoying the genre. Nothing against Ed. Millions of people evidently enjoy him.

 

[Rabulias]

In the video he says if they meet the stretch goals, it will be almost 500 pages for $70 plus shipping for a book and PDF? Seems low, frankly, if it is that big....

I will probably back this as I love monster books; however, I am a bit put-off by the funding goal of $600,000. IMO, the funding goal should be the break even goal and I have a hard time believing they need $600K to break even.

I think they planned the ultimate size of the book to be 500 pages or so (along with any as-yet unseen stretch goals), and set the price accordingly. Even before the Kickstarter began, people were talking about it hitting at least $1 million. Do we think the folks at MCDM did not have this same assessment?

 

[Zaukrie]

I think they planned the ultimate size of the book to be 500 pages or so (along with any as-yet unseen stretch goals), and set the price accordingly. Even before the Kickstarter began, people were talking about it hitting at least $1 million. Do we think the folks at MCDM did not have this same assessment?

I'm not sure who you are asking? I think they absolutely planned that.....but I'm not sure why you are quoting me?

 

[Rabulias]

I'm not sure who you are asking? I think they absolutely planned that.....but I'm not sure why you are quoting me?

You had pointed out the possible page count increase for the book and that the price was more in line with a larger book. I am quoting you (and Dave2008's observation) to support my statement that the book will be larger and offer more bang-for-the-buck than the initial KS campaign sets out.

Edited to add: My question is a rhetorical one to the thread at large and any who may balk at the cost.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Paying people is breaking even. I never intended to suggest otherwise.

It has been a while, but I ran a KickStarter several years ago and at the time they explicitly said the funding goal should be the bare minimum to get the project made. So that is where my stance originates.

I you make more than that, and clearly MCDM has, that is great. You can use the extra funds as you see fit.

It is really a silly point to get worked up about, it just rubbed me the wrong way - like Matt himself (at least the Matt in the video - I don't know him personally).

Yeah, it's typically smarter to set the bar low... after all, if you don't meet it, then the project doesn't get made.

I assume MCDM picked that amount not because it's break even, but because they want a certain profit margin as well. Which to be clear, is their right; if they don't feel the product is worth making without a certain profit margin, they should set the goal there.

And I think KS is actually wrong; you probably shouldn't set your goal at break-even if you want to run a growing business on KS. But the platform is incentivized to get as many projects funded, so recommend the bare-minimum.

 

[Malmuria]

It's odd that MC doesn't talk about pathfinder 2e at all. It sort of goes along with his channel, until recently, not talking about non-official-dnd except maybe as relics of the past. But it's odd to have products like this occupy the space of more complex, more gamist dnd, yet not even acknowledge that other systems exist.