New Ampersand from Bill Slavicsek

[DandD]

Angels in mythology had four faces, six (or eight?) wings, and shooted death-beams around (yeah, I'm talking about the Cherubim). Or they were giant snakes made of flame with many eyes (yeah, the Seraphim). And everybody who saw them and had one speckle of impurity was instantly turned into a salt statue. They alternatively could transform themselves in a being with six faces, ten wings, and a voice of utter doom and destruction.

Good-looking humanoid angels who are nice and stuff are rather modern.

 

[Klaus]

Angels in mythology had four faces, six (or eight?) wings, and shooted death-beams around (yeah, I'm talking about the Cherubim). Or they were giant snakes made of flame with many eyes (yeah, the Seraphim). And everybody who saw them and had one speckle of impurity was instantly turned into a salt statue. They alternatively could transform themselves in a being with six faces, ten wings, and a voice of utter doom and destruction.

Good-looking humanoid angels who are nice and stuff are rather modern.

Not to veer too close to the no-no territory of religion, you're wrong. In Islamic and Christian art, angels have been portrayed as... well, angelic, for over a millenia. More than that, if you count the Malach Adonai (Angel of the Lord) of pre-monotheistic Israel, which mas man-shaped. Angels in the Hebrew Bible can pass for humans.

 

[Rechan]

Angels in mythology had four faces, six (or eight?) wings, and shooted death-beams around (yeah, I'm talking about the Cherubim). Or they were giant snakes made of flame with many eyes (yeah, the Seraphim). And everybody who saw them and had one speckle of impurity was instantly turned into a salt statue. They alternatively could transform themselves in a being with six faces, ten wings, and a voice of utter doom and destruction.

Good-looking humanoid angels who are nice and stuff are rather modern.

I recall that the seraphim are the multi-winged ones.

 

[Vigilance]

Man the hype machine is on.

Previews of previews.

Previews of previews.

I'll be so glad once June rolls around.

Yeah, how dare they market their product aggressively! That sort of thing is only for dumb video gamers and their video gamey games, not us intelligent, serious gamers who only want real mechanics and don't need any build-up.

They should give us actual mechanics that we (as hyper-intelligent, ultra-knowledgable gamers) would understand and interpret correctly out of context, or slink around in total silence.

They should also never, ever imply that their game is good and might improve on 3e in any small way.

These guys are standing on the shoulders of giants.

How dare they use words like "cool" and imply that THEY might be able to design a good game too.

/Rant

 

[JoeGKushner]

I get ya but with all the blogs and boards they have, does one of the 'official' editorial style articles have to be hype about hype? And based on what he's saying, it conflicts with what we've heard from other sources that said not much would be revealed in these early books.

What's next? Next month talking about how right they were about the hype? "Remember when I told you about how this book would have the eighth race? Man was I right or what! Rock on America! Rock on you Shinning Star!"

Yeah, how dare they market their product aggressively! That sort of thing is only for dumb video gamers and their video gamey games, not us intelligent, serious gamers who only want real mechanics and don't need any build-up.

They should give us actual mechanics that we (as hyper-intelligent, ultra-knowledgable gamers) would understand and interpret correctly out of context, or slink around in total silence.

They should also never, ever imply that their game is good and might improve on 3e in any small way.

These guys are standing on the shoulders of giants.

How dare they use words like "cool" and imply that THEY might be able to design a good game too.

/Rant

 

[Vigilance]

I get ya but with all the blogs and boards they have, does one of the 'official' editorial style articles have to be hype about hype?

I don't interpret a lot of what these guys are saying as hype. I realize that's totally subjective on my part, but I see this as enthusiasm.

This is literally (especially for the guys in charge of the new edition) a once in a career opportunity. If I was them, you would not be able to shut me up with a straightjacket and a gag.

And based on what he's saying, it conflicts with what we've heard from other sources that said not much would be revealed in these early books.

I don't think much mechanics WILL be released in these books. The only thing he confirmed was "you'll find out the 8th race". I don't consider that much.

But certainly, SOME stuff will be revealed.

I see these books as part of a trend recently to offer very select marketing to the hardest of the hardcore in your fanbase.

EA did a pay per view special about the new Madden game last year. A lot of folks were appalled at that too, just like these books. But I don't see any harm. If they were bundled with the PHB, at an increased price, it would be one thing. But these are strictly optional items.

What's next? Next month talking about how right they were about the hype?

I think what's next is, as Bill alluded to "the beginnings of more concrete information". I suspected that they were waiting for the holidays to be over and everyone to be un-distracted before they started the big reveals.

Turns out they were waiting to incorporate playtest info.

Either way, I think we're now heading into the "this is what we're doing" stage and away from the "I can't tell you anything concrete, man am I *pumped*" stage.

 

[Clavis]

Not to veer too close to the no-no territory of religion, you're wrong. In Islamic and Christian art, angels have been portrayed as... well, angelic, for over a millenia. More than that, if you count the Malach Adonai (Angel of the Lord) of pre-monotheistic Israel, which mas man-shaped. Angels in the Hebrew Bible can pass for humans.

Not in Ezekiel...
And Islamic angels routinely have wings covered in eyes. Creepy.

 

[Tewligan]

Could it be Catgirls?

4e is too anime!!!1!!One hundred eleven!!!!!!

 

[Ahglock]

If the new race is warforged, I'm going to be extra grumpy.

Out of all the possibilities dancing in my head this one would make me the least grumpy. But all of them make me grumpy, but I'm Grumpy by nature.

 

[William Ronald]

Not in Ezekiel...
And Islamic angels routinely have wings covered in eyes. Creepy.

Sometimes, angels or messengers of divine beings have been portrayed as appearing perfectly human or very non-human. So, alternate forms would work easily.

Klaus, it was the mother of Dionysus who died on seeing Zeus in his true form.