Monte reviews Dungeon

Piratecat said:
Jason, I got to run one of your Living Greyhawk adventures at GenCon a few years back. . . the one where "the voice" is first acquired. I was blown away by how good it was, and by how well the room art worked. I'm glad to see you in Dungeon.

That must have been "Forbidden Choice". I was very happy with that mod and it went over really well.. too bad it is retired now. This year, make sure to stop by the Castle Greyhawk Special Living Greyhawk Event. I wrote the half for lower level PCs. Not to mention, the sequel to "Mad God's Key"... but I will try not to get too off topic here..... :D

Jason Bulmahn
Author of Mad God's Key
Living Greyhawk Senior Campaign Administrator
 

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mearls said:
Jason wrote those mods?!? Oh man, I was so happy I play a CN halfling rogue when I went through that one.

I can't take all the credit for the Forbidden/Forgotten/Forlorn saga. Chris Tulach was my partner in crime for these. We split the writing (for the most part) and I did all the maps and illos...

Jason Bulmahn
Author of Mad God's Key
Living Greyhawk Senior Campaign Administrator
 

Well, I think Monte's wrong on both of the stat blocks and "heroes" counts, on the first point in general and on the second point for the adventure in question.

The main problem with stat blocks is that in 3E, they're too blasted long! I can see where they get to save a lot of space by just referring to the MM, but if they hadn't designed things so that the block had to be so long, then they wouldn't have to worry about so much space. So what do I do? I write up the blocks and print them out to use and mark up. It's a hassle, quite frankly. I do have a Filemaker Pro database of the monsters, laboriously cut and pasted from the SRD and entered by hand, that can generate my blocks more easily. But again, putting that together was a hassle.
I want more detailed stat blocks including, at least, their AC (including touch and FF), Initiative modifier, Movement rates, Attacks, Reach, Saves, and a listing of their SA and SQ, Feats, and relevant skills (Spot, Listen for most).

With respect to "The Mad God's Key" and use of the term heroes. It's a Living Greyhawk-approved/oriented module. Ergo, the PCs are assumed to actually BE heroes. That's one of the foundations of the LG campaign. Use of the term heroes whenever the PCs are described is totally appropriate. If they aren't heroes on at least some level, they don't belong in LG.
 

Stat blocks - 3e stat blocks IMO are far too long, the big problem is the use of both primary and secondary (derived) attributes (primary atributes are things like STR CON DEX, derived are things like BAB & saving throws) when only the derived attributes are ever used in play. A stat block that only listed the derived stats (AC, hp, Init, att & smg, saves) plus specia abilities & any skills & feats actually to be used **in-play** would be far shorter, it would take up less space and be much easier to read.
 

I really like the "Mad God's Key" and I'm beginning to try to figure out what I need to do to 'port it into Mithril: City of the Golem for my upcoming campaign!

Nice job!
 


romp said:
was it just me or did anyone else think that this column blew chunks?
My only disappointment with Wil Save was that I'd read it before. I'd have rather it not been recycled.

Re: stat blocks: I'd be all for stat blocks in adventures if they were laid out in useful fashion.
 

So if Erik Mona is reading this, and if you're lollygagging about the office with nothing to do, what would you think about stealing Mike Mearls's idea? Put a web supplement up for each Dungeon adventure containing the full stat-blocks for all creatures appearing in the adventure, with encounter key number and hit points, in the proper order?

I know for myself this would have two effects:
-It'd save me the work of, before running a Dungeon adventure, gathering all these statblocks myself; and
-It'd give me a reason to visit the Dungeon website far more often, giving you a chance to sell product to me.

Even if I weren't subscribing to Dungeon, this might be a good teaser for the magazine: folks might look at the statblocks for use in their own game, become intrigued, and consider a purchase.

Dunno if it's a workable idea, but I thought I'd mention it.

Daniel
 

Pielorinho said:
So if Erik Mona is reading this, and if you're lollygagging about the office with nothing to do, what would you think about stealing Mike Mearls's idea? Put a web supplement up for each Dungeon adventure containing the full stat-blocks for all creatures appearing in the adventure, with encounter key number and hit points, in the proper order?

I think it's a great idea that requires about one more staff person than we currently have.

--Erik Mona
 


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