New Podcast Posted!

[Rechan]

The only thing I worry about when it comes to 3rd party material is balance.

I can look at my 3.0 creature collection (S&S) and... some of the monsters in there are... youch. Either badly constructed, or the CRs just aren't good.

 

[Zaukrie]

Do people really use the CR? I mean, I use it as a guide, but if it looks off, I just don't use it.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

I know it's anicdotal - but I know my DM has thrown Rocs, Hill Giants and Fire Giants against us (lots and lots of Fire GIants). I do not recall any Frost Giants. (I know a fight where they might have been Frost Giants but it was a case that they were 'giants of the appropriate CR' more than anything else.)

 

[Mad Mac]

Yeah, the new level scales will take some getting used to. For starters, if Azers are level 15, because they want to hang out with Fire Giants, Fire Giants are only CR 10 in 3.5, and they'll almost undoubtly be stronger than Azers on a one for one basis.

Throw in the other examples, and it does seem that they've stretched most of the monsters out to make 30 the new 20. You've got a couple Hobgoblins facing 3rd level PC's on a one for one basis, for example, or the Owlbear jumping from CR 4 to 8th level Brute.

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

delete, wrong thread

 

[Kunimatyu]

While I'm really not happy about Frost Giants not being included (classic norse myth ftw!), I suspect it may have something to do with the monster combos -- that is, perhaps there weren't enough monsters that DMs could combo with them and still have it make sense.

 

[Rugger]

Welp, they kept mentioning Fire Giants...so something tells me that it is in the MM1 and its base stats will work fine for a Frost Giant... If monster design and stat blocks are as slick as they say, most beasties should be easily created by "winging it".

I like this.

-Matt

 

[Korgoth]

That sounds like a reasonable asesessment... and I find it worrying.

I don't mind the basic concept of "all MMs are equally core" or waiting for the frost giant until MMx. But I'd hate to see 4E MM1 padded out with crappy, silly monsters the likes of which can be often found in 3E MM2+, just so they don't have to put the frost giant in, just so they can lend legitimacy to 4E MM2 by putting him there.

Plus, didn't they say at one point that they found themselves with a bunch of extra space in the MM?

Gotta catch 'em all, eh?

 

[DragonBelow]

The whole frost giant thing makes it sound to me like they really want to turn it into a collectible RPG of sorts, which doesn't make me happy at all. From AD&D to 3.5, Frost Giants have been in the MM (or MC).

Makes me wonder what other iconic monsters are not making the cut.

 

[BryonD]

How's this for one of the truth bombs:

"What are these Hit Dice you speak of?" - James