Monte's newest Arcana Unearthed Design Diary

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

I'm glad you guys are liking the design diaries.

One thing that I did was make it easier for more classes (although not every class) to be at least a little sneaky. Because there's often a call for multiple characters to be sneaky. In fact, you could easily design a well-rounded sneaky party if you wanted, which I think is a good thing.

(I did that with other concepts as well. While it's not true of every class, there are more classes with at least some knowledge skills, and more classes with at least a little ability to interact with others, and so on.)

I'm very glad your making the design diaries. Being able to follow through the reasoning of a project like this is fascinating. And thank-you for the recommendation of the Fortean times.

It's a relief to know that sneaky and talky is an option for more people. I know noone in my party will miss the entire battery of tactics we had developed in response to the dwarf's amazing ability to alert everyone to our presence. Or the many emergency procedures for preventing people from talking to the Faust. Or the fabulous escape plan X for spiriting away the Drow when the local townsfolk realize he's one o'them dark elves.

I think it will be fascinating to run a game in which the well rounded individual class dynamics can help to create more specialized parties overall.

Mmm, flavor text. Some people are visual learners and other tend toward the gustatory. I've been known to embrace theories simply because the include the term eater of worlds.

Good lord, I love ENWorld.

edited to be yet more effusive.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

without a doubt this is my most anticipated RPG purchase of the year. Everything I read makes me want it more, and considering how much I wanted this book in the begining I think I'm breaking new grounds here.

 

[Merlion]

I'm looking forward to it as much as I am to 3.5....more a lot of the time. the magic system is going to rule.
I wonder what class would be best for a bard type character? The akashic most likely I guess.

 

[Ciaran]

I like everything I've seen so far, though I do question the info in the diaries about psionics. I generally dislike psionics and would like to be able to use the Arcana Unearthed magic system while avoiding psionics, and it's not clear just how feasible that will be without having to house-rule a bunch of spells.

- Eric

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

There is just so much to look forward to this year that each day I dedicate a small portion of time to constructing a memory that will serve to encapsulate the anticipation and nerdly delight of living in a year that has so many great things coming out and is supporting them so well with regard to the fanbase.

RPGs:

Arcana Unearthed

Three hardbound Exalted books

Several Oathbound Products

3.5

Movies:

The Whole Matrix Fandango

A Hulk movie made by the director of the finest Jane Austen film of all time. Alongside a couple of other Marvel comics films

Return of the King

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

And that's just two categories.

 

[Merlion]

From what I can see it should be quite easy. it looks like "psionic" is just going to be a descriptor for spells that create mind like effects...telekinesis and mind altering affects mainly. and that you can take a feat to use those spells as mental actions only. sounds like the most you would have to do would be to remove that feat. I dont like psionics either, but to me the AU stuff looks like just a colourful way of dealing with mind-type magic.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

yeah it seems to me the psionics will be in 3e terms more like a sorcerer with the silent spell still spell and no materials feat with spells that effect the mind and telekinetic spells.

IOW I don't think they will really be "psionics" just a funky innate spellcaster who uses a specific spell list and doesn't chant and dacne for spellcasting.

But I like psionics so I wouldn't mind if they were described as full on psionics.

 

[Staffan]

As long as someone can detect traps I suppose I'll be ok.

That's one of the things I'm not too fond of with core D&D: Only the rogue can detect traps (with higher DCs). Oh, and dwarves can detect stone traps and clerics casting Find Traps can detect regular traps (though they'll suck at it since they probably don't have a high Search skill). IMO, detecting traps is not something that should be a special class ability. Anyone with a high enough Search skill should be able to do it.

 

[Eldorian]

I'll admit I was wary of buying a book of alternate 3e stuff.. but after reading the design diaries, I came to the realization that I wanted to steal Monte's classes and make them my own! Especialy his spell casters. I'm looking forward to the guy with the staff, the guy with the sword, and the guy with the runes (Odin lives!). Now i gotta buy your book monte =)


Eldorian Antar

 

[MEG Hal]

This is one of the must haves for 2003, we are getting more goodies from Monte and Sue and this is one of the teams "I can't wait to see what happens" projects. GenCon will be amazing this year, and a lot of the reason will be AU!

We will have our cover art revealed for our AU item posted just after GTS, so late March.

And from an insiders perspective, you all will NOT be disappointed in this fantastic book.