Hi guys,
The second book in the all new Classic Play series, The Book of Dragons, is now at distributors and will be available in your local stores next week.
Written by new Mongoose writer, Gareth Hanrahan, the Book of Dragons is a 256 page hardback that kicks off with The Desolation of the Dragon, a look at the domains in which dragonkind live, the amount of land just one can dominate and how adventurers can likely tell there is a wyrm in the area. Here, each the effect of each race of dragons on the environment is looked at, along with articles on the use of Draconic as a language and how it is actually spoken.
Watchers on the Mountain presents a system of Alert Stages that GMs may use to monitor the effect of stealthy players infiltrating a dragon's lair with stages ranging from Unwary to Alerted (not a good thing. . .). Each level of alert is detailed along with what both the dragon and its guards might be doing, along with the chance for the dragon sleeping and what the players might do to increase or decrease their chance of being discovered.
Servants of the Dragon inspects the dragons ability to seize control or be worshipped by lesser begins - agents, guards, warriors, serfs, servitors and cultists. This includes draconic versions of the Leadership feat and how it applies to the domain of dragons. From simple information networks and cults to fiefdoms and armies, everything you need to add a draconic organisation to your campaign is here, as well as what will happen if the players (inevitably) slay the dragon leading them. Many different races can end up serving a dragon - from doppelgangers to the undead, they are all here, and Gareth has added several new servant races designed specifically to aid dragons. These include the Alchemical Servant, Draconic Cuckoo, Hoblizard, Scaler, Slithering, and Vessel Golem. Add to this new templates, such as the Bought Undead, , Dragonbonded, Goldghost and Weredragon, and you have a veritable army to place between your players and the dragon's hoard.
A dragon is awesome enough to confront, but in its own home it will be deadly. Dragon Lairs looks at putting the willies into players who fancy themselves as dragonslayers and begins by looking at common features of a lair such as the entrance, gauntlet, killing ground, audience chamber, etc, as well as what players might expect to confront there. A new listing of typical draconic traps and defences is provided (a dragon will not simply let players just walk in to slay them!) and both natural and conquered lairs are detailed. Fed up of sticking your dragons in caves? Try a wrecked ship, cathedral or lighthouse. . .
Flattery and Riddles is a chapter that will give players another way to defeat or, at least, confront a dragon by a means other than slaughter, relying on a dragon's innate vanity and superiority. Gareth has provided a Dragon Conversation Matrix so a player's attempt at parley can be monitored accurately. Praise, flattery and outright grovelling can all have a beneficial effect on players attempting to escape with their lives.
Players being what they are, however, swords will get drawn sooner or later - this is where Tactics and Warfare comes into play. Ploys and strategems are inspected, as well as what a canny dragon is likely to do long before a fight in order to gain yet greater advantages. Whether fighting adventurers, dragonslayers, armies or other dragons, details here on the changing tactics of a wyrn are all covered. Included is a quick and dirty aerial combat system for those who do not like messing around with flying miniatures and the nastiest tricks employed by each race of dragon (such as the kill zones and organised formations of followers used by blue dragons). Another aspect rarely touched upon with dragons is their rare use of weapons - true, most their teeth and claws, relying on their thick scales to protect them but, as a GM, have you ever wanted to give a dragon just a little bit 'more'? In that case, try draconic barding, doombows, wing whips, wing razors, blundercones - and the dreaded Wyrmsword!
A look at Draconic Anatomy then commences, beginning with an actual excerpt from a discourse written by the foremost authority of dragons in your campaign world. This is backed up by rules that detail the potential of using draconic body parts in magical items, boosting their effects far beyond the norm. For those more interested in destruction than creation, a new system of critical hits against dragons can give the players the chance to at least slow an attacker down.
Now we come to a player's favourite chapter. Hoards. Beginning with a look at why dragons hoard treasure, there are rules for stealing from sleeping dragons, fighting amidst piles of gold, encrusted treasures in a dragon's underbelly, what unusual and very old jewellery may be found, and the curses more powerful dragons can lay on their treasure. PLenty to keep your players guessing.
Age Advancement expands on the idea that dragons grow stronger with age and takes a look at the effect of age on ability scores, special ability lists, breath weapons and, of course, magic. A new system of advancement is provided that can subtly change the emphasis on a dragon's powers and abilities - so, instead of just having, say, an adult white dragon, you may choose to use the Combat Age, Learned Age, Charismatic Age, Arcane Age, Swift Age, Mystical Age, Tough Age or Devastating Age Advancements instead. Some examples of dragons like this are provided and some are fairly terrifying - such as Sklaroth, a red dragon who used the Cmbat Age Advancement since he was a wyrmling.
Drgaon Feats provides yet more ways to surpirse and dismay your players. These are divided into Breath, Physical, General and Organisation feats.
You will have endless fun with the next chapter, Dragon Design. Here, you can quite literally create your own dragon, starting with a number of Creatiopn Points that are then spent on its abilities, Hit Dice, breath weapons, etc. . . There are plenty of variations squeezed in for you to try - two-legged dragons for example, or additional heads (nasty!).
We here at Mongoose like dragons. A lot. There is no finer creature from myth and legend, and we could not let this book go by without taking the opportunity to add some new dragon types to harass your players. We begin with a new family of dragons - you have been given chromatic, metallic and gem dragons in the past. Now witness the Sin Dragons - Greed, Sloth, Envy, Pride, Lust, Gluttony and Wrath. I cannot think of any of those you would willingly want to meet. However, there are also Riding Dragons, War Dragons and those taken from classic legend - the Lambton Worm, Swamp Dragon, and Heraldic Dragon. If that were not enough, the chapter ends with something potentially very scary, the Planar Dragon. . .
Dragon Magic will give GMs new ways to use the high draconic language (as well as begin speaking its lesser version!) and some tasty new spells - Bend Lances and Break Swords has some real potential. . . There are also new domains for draconic clerics and their followers (Chromatic, Metallic and Draconic), and the magical items that have been created by gold dragons throughout the centuries and how all dragonkind have the potential to imbue their scales with magical potency. Last, the arcane nature of a dreaming dragon is looked at, complete with a Dream-Avatar template that can be applied to them in order to create some very different scenarios.
On the Heritage of Dragons looks back at the history of the wyrms, which is likely to be no more than a myth in your campaign world - their old culture, their ancient cities and expanded ideas for the Moot. A look at the beliefs of the dragons themselves, that stem from such times, may also give the dragons in your scenarios a new angle that the players can stumble upon.
Another favourite chapter for the players comes next - Hatching and Raising Dragons. From the egg, through rearing and training, players can now fulfil a long-held dream. Their very own dragon. The problems of stealing anything from a dragon's lair, let alone an egg, has been covered in previous chapters but now players will have the nightmare of hatching them (not the easiest thing in the world), and then raising/training the little beast thereafter.
Campaigning gives the GMs some new hints on how to approach dragons in his games, starting by choosing to give them common, uncommon or legendary status within his campaign world. From here, there are plenty of world creation and scenario writing tips that can make dragons a central theme in any campaign. There are even some notes on games where dragons can be Player Characters. . .
The Book of Dragons winds up with A Mortal Miscellany (a quick look at how the lesser races can benefit via dragons - rules for riding the wyrms, the Dragon Rider and Dragon Binder prestige classes, and spells and equipment designed specifically for dragonslaying), and a full Index.
The Book of Dragons is priced at $34.95 and will be in your local stores next week.
The second book in the all new Classic Play series, The Book of Dragons, is now at distributors and will be available in your local stores next week.
Written by new Mongoose writer, Gareth Hanrahan, the Book of Dragons is a 256 page hardback that kicks off with The Desolation of the Dragon, a look at the domains in which dragonkind live, the amount of land just one can dominate and how adventurers can likely tell there is a wyrm in the area. Here, each the effect of each race of dragons on the environment is looked at, along with articles on the use of Draconic as a language and how it is actually spoken.
Watchers on the Mountain presents a system of Alert Stages that GMs may use to monitor the effect of stealthy players infiltrating a dragon's lair with stages ranging from Unwary to Alerted (not a good thing. . .). Each level of alert is detailed along with what both the dragon and its guards might be doing, along with the chance for the dragon sleeping and what the players might do to increase or decrease their chance of being discovered.
Servants of the Dragon inspects the dragons ability to seize control or be worshipped by lesser begins - agents, guards, warriors, serfs, servitors and cultists. This includes draconic versions of the Leadership feat and how it applies to the domain of dragons. From simple information networks and cults to fiefdoms and armies, everything you need to add a draconic organisation to your campaign is here, as well as what will happen if the players (inevitably) slay the dragon leading them. Many different races can end up serving a dragon - from doppelgangers to the undead, they are all here, and Gareth has added several new servant races designed specifically to aid dragons. These include the Alchemical Servant, Draconic Cuckoo, Hoblizard, Scaler, Slithering, and Vessel Golem. Add to this new templates, such as the Bought Undead, , Dragonbonded, Goldghost and Weredragon, and you have a veritable army to place between your players and the dragon's hoard.
A dragon is awesome enough to confront, but in its own home it will be deadly. Dragon Lairs looks at putting the willies into players who fancy themselves as dragonslayers and begins by looking at common features of a lair such as the entrance, gauntlet, killing ground, audience chamber, etc, as well as what players might expect to confront there. A new listing of typical draconic traps and defences is provided (a dragon will not simply let players just walk in to slay them!) and both natural and conquered lairs are detailed. Fed up of sticking your dragons in caves? Try a wrecked ship, cathedral or lighthouse. . .
Flattery and Riddles is a chapter that will give players another way to defeat or, at least, confront a dragon by a means other than slaughter, relying on a dragon's innate vanity and superiority. Gareth has provided a Dragon Conversation Matrix so a player's attempt at parley can be monitored accurately. Praise, flattery and outright grovelling can all have a beneficial effect on players attempting to escape with their lives.
Players being what they are, however, swords will get drawn sooner or later - this is where Tactics and Warfare comes into play. Ploys and strategems are inspected, as well as what a canny dragon is likely to do long before a fight in order to gain yet greater advantages. Whether fighting adventurers, dragonslayers, armies or other dragons, details here on the changing tactics of a wyrn are all covered. Included is a quick and dirty aerial combat system for those who do not like messing around with flying miniatures and the nastiest tricks employed by each race of dragon (such as the kill zones and organised formations of followers used by blue dragons). Another aspect rarely touched upon with dragons is their rare use of weapons - true, most their teeth and claws, relying on their thick scales to protect them but, as a GM, have you ever wanted to give a dragon just a little bit 'more'? In that case, try draconic barding, doombows, wing whips, wing razors, blundercones - and the dreaded Wyrmsword!
A look at Draconic Anatomy then commences, beginning with an actual excerpt from a discourse written by the foremost authority of dragons in your campaign world. This is backed up by rules that detail the potential of using draconic body parts in magical items, boosting their effects far beyond the norm. For those more interested in destruction than creation, a new system of critical hits against dragons can give the players the chance to at least slow an attacker down.
Now we come to a player's favourite chapter. Hoards. Beginning with a look at why dragons hoard treasure, there are rules for stealing from sleeping dragons, fighting amidst piles of gold, encrusted treasures in a dragon's underbelly, what unusual and very old jewellery may be found, and the curses more powerful dragons can lay on their treasure. PLenty to keep your players guessing.
Age Advancement expands on the idea that dragons grow stronger with age and takes a look at the effect of age on ability scores, special ability lists, breath weapons and, of course, magic. A new system of advancement is provided that can subtly change the emphasis on a dragon's powers and abilities - so, instead of just having, say, an adult white dragon, you may choose to use the Combat Age, Learned Age, Charismatic Age, Arcane Age, Swift Age, Mystical Age, Tough Age or Devastating Age Advancements instead. Some examples of dragons like this are provided and some are fairly terrifying - such as Sklaroth, a red dragon who used the Cmbat Age Advancement since he was a wyrmling.
Drgaon Feats provides yet more ways to surpirse and dismay your players. These are divided into Breath, Physical, General and Organisation feats.
You will have endless fun with the next chapter, Dragon Design. Here, you can quite literally create your own dragon, starting with a number of Creatiopn Points that are then spent on its abilities, Hit Dice, breath weapons, etc. . . There are plenty of variations squeezed in for you to try - two-legged dragons for example, or additional heads (nasty!).
We here at Mongoose like dragons. A lot. There is no finer creature from myth and legend, and we could not let this book go by without taking the opportunity to add some new dragon types to harass your players. We begin with a new family of dragons - you have been given chromatic, metallic and gem dragons in the past. Now witness the Sin Dragons - Greed, Sloth, Envy, Pride, Lust, Gluttony and Wrath. I cannot think of any of those you would willingly want to meet. However, there are also Riding Dragons, War Dragons and those taken from classic legend - the Lambton Worm, Swamp Dragon, and Heraldic Dragon. If that were not enough, the chapter ends with something potentially very scary, the Planar Dragon. . .
Dragon Magic will give GMs new ways to use the high draconic language (as well as begin speaking its lesser version!) and some tasty new spells - Bend Lances and Break Swords has some real potential. . . There are also new domains for draconic clerics and their followers (Chromatic, Metallic and Draconic), and the magical items that have been created by gold dragons throughout the centuries and how all dragonkind have the potential to imbue their scales with magical potency. Last, the arcane nature of a dreaming dragon is looked at, complete with a Dream-Avatar template that can be applied to them in order to create some very different scenarios.
On the Heritage of Dragons looks back at the history of the wyrms, which is likely to be no more than a myth in your campaign world - their old culture, their ancient cities and expanded ideas for the Moot. A look at the beliefs of the dragons themselves, that stem from such times, may also give the dragons in your scenarios a new angle that the players can stumble upon.
Another favourite chapter for the players comes next - Hatching and Raising Dragons. From the egg, through rearing and training, players can now fulfil a long-held dream. Their very own dragon. The problems of stealing anything from a dragon's lair, let alone an egg, has been covered in previous chapters but now players will have the nightmare of hatching them (not the easiest thing in the world), and then raising/training the little beast thereafter.
Campaigning gives the GMs some new hints on how to approach dragons in his games, starting by choosing to give them common, uncommon or legendary status within his campaign world. From here, there are plenty of world creation and scenario writing tips that can make dragons a central theme in any campaign. There are even some notes on games where dragons can be Player Characters. . .
The Book of Dragons winds up with A Mortal Miscellany (a quick look at how the lesser races can benefit via dragons - rules for riding the wyrms, the Dragon Rider and Dragon Binder prestige classes, and spells and equipment designed specifically for dragonslaying), and a full Index.
The Book of Dragons is priced at $34.95 and will be in your local stores next week.
