MM2 Excerpt: Pod Demon

[chaotix42]

If the demon has fewer than 4 spawn, it will generate one new one at the start of its turn (probably after things like ongoing damage). I would say it is not an action at all, but something that occurs spontaneously, independent of the demon's actions, like the adamantine dragon's thunder echo after it uses its breath weapon. I imagine a blister swelling & bursting, releasing a podspawn while the demon goes about its evil work.

 

[Ycore Rixle]

You... do know what a typo is, yes?

I'm an admirer of your wit, Hong! But, all snark aside, this is not a typo. A typo is a typographical error, resulting from hitting the wrong key, some mechanical failure, or some physical mistake. It does not include mental errors, such as choosing the wrong word. That is what happened here.

It looks like you're searching for reasons to criticise. It would be like me pointing out the awkward use of "stick" and "it" as related to words, as a sign of confusing plural and singular. I am sure you will agree that this is not a very important issue.

Actually, no, I think it is an important issue. RPGs, including D&D, are my favorite hobby. I like good writing. I don't like bad writing. I really would like to see good writing in my favorite hobby.


As for Dragon and Dungeon, Chris Youngs is an excellent editor. The background material etc. is great. But you're right, that's unrelated to my argument.

My argument is that the craft of writing is poorly practiced by many of the folks at WOTC. Poor diction, mixed metaphors, failure to pay attention to the meaning of words - these are all signs of bad writing. Now, the game is good, and that's super. More important than the writing, even. But the writing detracts from the game, for me.

 

[hong]

I'm an admirer of your wit, Hong! But, all snark aside, this is not a typo. A typo is a typographical error, resulting from hitting the wrong key, some mechanical failure, or some physical mistake. It does not include mental errors, such as choosing the wrong word. That is what happened here.

Then the word to use is "thinko", but the point remains that it is still a trivial thing to get upset about.

Actually, no, I think it is an important issue. RPGs, including D&D, are my favorite hobby. I like good writing. I don't like bad writing. I really would like to see good writing in my favorite hobby.

Everybody would like to see good writing in their favourite hobby. The question is what priority you put on good writing, over all the other things that make up that hobby, such as design, development, playtesting, marketing, and so on. This is not a pursuit where the words are important as things in themselves; the text is a means of communication, not a work of art. To elevate it to the level of a work of art is to mistake the map for the terrain.

My argument is that the craft of writing is poorly practiced by the folks at WOTC. Poor diction, mixed metaphors, failure to pay attention to the meaning of words - these are all signs of bad writing. Now, the game is good, and that's super. More important than the writing, even. But the writing detracts from the game, for me.

It certainly doesn't detract from the game, for me. If anything, the 4E material has some of the best writing I've seen in a D&D book for at least 9 years. At last we have stuff that doesn't look like it was cut out of an accounting or law textbook.

 

[hong]

Spawn happens automatically at the start of its turn. It can use Generate Spawn as a standard action twice. This means it is pretty darn hard to clear out the minions and keep them cleared out.

If the demon has fewer than 4 spawn, it will generate one new one at the start of its turn (probably after things like ongoing damage). I would say it is not an action at all, but something that occurs spontaneously, independent of the demon's actions, like the adamantine dragon's thunder echo after it uses its breath weapon. I imagine a blister swelling & bursting, releasing a podspawn while the demon goes about its evil work.

But if that's so, why does "generate podspawn"... well, generate podspawn? Okay, I get that it's another attack, but if the spawn would be generated anyway, it seems superfluous to mention it separately for this ability.

 

[Zaukrie]

spawn only spawns one.

generate spawn can spawn up to 4.

 

[chaotix42]

Nope, since the demon only automatically generates one at the start of its turn, and the Generate Podspawn attack makes a bunch at once, they're both distinct & useful. It's harder to deal with a surge of minions than those that appear one at a time.

 

[Jack99]

I noticed that, like the Adamantine Dragon, the Prince of Frost (in the Court of Stars article) is also x4 hp (instead of x5 for paragon and epic tier solos).

And the pod demon, interestingly, is 1.5x hp, instead of x2. Is this a trend, or a few isolated tweaks for specific monsters? After all, the pod demon does spawn minions, and 4 podspawn are considered part of its XP budget.

I really like the MM2 monsters they've previewed so far -- the adamantine dragon seemed so much nastier than the chromatics, the maw of Acamar was just too cool, and this demon looks creepy and has interesting game mechanics to back it up.

Yep, it's starting to look like a trend. Awesome. Will make things much easier when WotC start making monsters as I do

Fear the Print On Demand Demon!!!

I kid! This guy looks mighty neat! It reminds me of the Legion of One from Scarred Lands (which got the 4e treatment earlier this month in Creature Collection 4e).

Yeah, that's what i was thinking, but i forgot that things name until now. I remembered the picture though, it was badass too. I love me that 4e Creature Collection.

I just want to point out that I even called the awesomeness of the LoO in my "review". I should get a prize or something.

Usually monsters my players hate are the ones i love most.

So true that you get a shiny xp for that!

I'm an admirer of your wit, Hong!

/boggle

 

[chaotix42]

I also must thank WotC for previewing all of these sweet paragon monsters! My PCs are 14th lvl, so I can test out a lot of these guys on them. They're heading into the Underdark to find a portal to the Elemental Chaos, so xorns & pod demons will be making an appearance for sure!

 

[hong]

spawn only spawns one.

generate spawn can spawn up to 4.

Nope, since the demon only automatically generates one at the start of its turn, and the Generate Podspawn attack makes a bunch at once, they're both distinct & useful. It's harder to deal with a surge of minions than those that appear one at a time.

Ah, I missed that.

 

[Ycore Rixle]

The text is a means of communication, not a work of art. To elevate it to the level of a work of art is to mistake the map for the terrain.

We just disagree here. I think RPGs are art. Whether or not they want to be. In their text, in their layout, in their design, in their art (...), RPGs are artistic creations.

I do agree that poor prose is far less important than making a good game. And WOTC did make a good game.

And I'm happy for you that you aren't bothered by the poor writing. That way I can keep reading your cheerful and clever posts (which I really do enjoy). I'm only complaining because I could enjoy 4e even more without mistakes like this.