Monster Manual III Announced

[Shade]

In case anyone missed it, the MMIII is slated for a September released date.

Other upcoming releases that should contain new monsters:

Serpent Kingdoms (includes the FR creator race) in July
Libris Mortis: The Book of the Undead in October

Some others that might have new monsters:
Races of Stone in August
Frostburn ("an environmental sourcebook") sometime in the future

Here's a link to the MM3 cover:
http://www.gamingreport.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=1047&orderby=dateD

 

[BOZ]

So is that official? September is a long time from now…

Wonder if there will be any conversions. regardless, we’re going to keep on doing what we do…

 

[Shade]

Yep, it is official. The blurb just mentions "over 200 new monsters", but doesn't state whether they are "new to 3.5" or truly new. My bet is that it will be the usual mixed bag of conversions, reprints, and some new creatures.

I really hope at least one yugoloth and rilmani make it in, so that they may "right their wrongs" for the prior ones they released. You know, if they put in a rilmani they'll have to have the little overview blurb, and could state that all rilmani have telepathy.

 

[BOZ]

you never know...

 

[Alzrius]

Serpent Kingdoms (includes the FR creator race) in July

I'm sure I don't need to remind anyone of this, but the Creator Race was already given the full treatment in (IIRC) Dragon #303.

 

[Shade]

I'm sure I don't need to remind anyone of this, but the Creator Race was already given the full treatment in (IIRC) Dragon #303.

No reminder necessary.

From the impression I got from posts on the WOTC messageboard, the creator race will be much different. I believe the one in Dragon was based on the designers of Neverwinter Nights interpretation of the creator race, and that the WOTC team took a different approach.

 

[Krishnath]

Anyone caare to fill me in on the creator race?

 

[Alzrius]

Anyone caare to fill me in on the creator race?

The creator race are a primordial reptilian race from Faerun's prehistory. They were the ascendant species long before humans, elves, dwarves, etc. ever first walked around in the Realms. From what I understand, they warred with dragons, and their kingdom eventually declined (not as a result of the war, necessarily). Today, they're the ancestors of the reptilian races such as the yuan-ti, etc.

The Creator Race are featured in the computer RPG Neverwinter Nights, and got written up, along with some other creatures, in Dragon #303. In it, it mentioned that since they couldn't win the war against dragons (though they weren't losing either) many of them put themselves in magical hibernation, and now they're beginning to awaken, and they want their world back.

Personally, I liked their depiction as it was seen in that article in Dragon. It fit the entire idea of the Creator Race well, making them arrogant, evil, and magically powerful.

 

[Krishnath]

Sounds intriguing, also I wonder how they will react to the Ophidians and Saurials, as neither of these two races where in existance when they last walked Toril.

Let's see, that brings the total to three 'new' evil groups to contend with in the Realms now that the shades have returned, and the phaerim have started to free themselves.

The balance is shifting towards neutrality people! The reign of good in the realms is over!

 

[BOZ]

had it ever really begun? i always assumed that the balance always was more neutral than not, but with a lot of good and evil heavy hitters trying really hard to swing it one way or the other.