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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Adlon" data-source="post: 1862453" data-attributes="member: 1972">Yes, the forums are moving. Still hosted by Mortality, but, in their entire separate location.......Like Psion said, on art, one man says 'who needs art' while others say 'we NEED art'. Well, I can see both sides.Art is what initially got me into D&D in the first place. A friend of mine was hammering me to play D&D, and I kept brushing him aside. Finally, I broke down, and tried it. At that session, I saw an Elmore. Hooked from that point on. But, the Elmore wasn't in a book.In my opinion, when Oathbound was in the concept stage, it appears that BP wanted to have a different style of art to stand out with. Most everyone else was drawing regular, standard, day to day, can find in most any book art. I think they have a very unique art style. I DO agree on the maps, they could be better, but, they are still functional.Art to me, doesn't matter too much. The Elmore I saw wasn't in a book, it was a picture on a wall. I care most, for border art that imposes too much. The border art that stomps all over the content on the page. You can listen to just about any Mortality Radio show, to know my tastes in art.....But, I don't have issue with anyone who feels art IS important. Thats how THEY feel.Like has been said already, OB is a way to have ANYTHING in your game. Some say SOME Mongoose stuff is unbalanced, for instance. In OB, IF you feel that way about product X from Mongoose, then, you can STILL use it.You can easily drop in any 3rd party source. City books, regional sourcebooks from most publishers. You can easily stick Hamunaptra in a realm of your choice, where, perhaps, for whatever reason, the Fowl act as those egyptian deities, but the populace think it's actually a true deity they are worshiping.ANY dungeon crawl can be dropped in.Well, enough of the total portability of OB.The heavy handedness of the adventures, IMO, was necessary, in order for BP to 'teach' the feel of the setting. New DM's, who have never played PlaneScape, or Ravenloft, probably needed that extra direction, in order to show how the setting feel shoud be. One can easily use any Necromancer Games or most any other module with ease in OB.I look at OB as a Planescape/Ravenloft type of cross. The PS side, is essentially, where ALOT more than normal goes. One can easily sit at a bar in say, Sigil. In walks a Nabassu, and sits right down next to you, orders his very different than yours beverage. One is not trapped in Sigil/other planes, but, it can be difficult to get around none the less.Like PS, OB has realms (planes in PS) associated with it. You get the grit of Sigil, the exposure to a multitude of realms, each different, similar to the planes.....The Ravenloft aspect, to me, is the 'prison' feel. OB is as much as a prison, as Ravenloft was. The DM is the one who decides on how long you are there in OB, as in RL.The sweet irony, though, is that when one goes about the OB setting in the recommended way, entering your group at average 7th level, they get wonderful boons/gifts from the Fowl who brought them there. So, on one hand, you have the 'we gotta get out of this place', but, you also have a PC who can suddenly fly. If, perhaps, cutting ones own kingdom out is difficult at 'home', it's can be much more attainable in OB.Intrigue. Man, is OB full of it. Using the 'carve a kingdom' from above....The getting the kingdom might be pretty easy. The keeping it part might not be so easy. Alliances come and go in OB. Daily, sometimes. There you are, with your 2000 acre kingdom, all alone in the wilderness. Allies will help you, if you seek them, or, if your kingdom suits their needs. But, those same allies might be sieging your gates next week. It's every bit as cut throat as say Freeport.The races. Honestly, I did a double take on a few of them myself, when I first saw OB at GenCon 02. I have a habit of going to race/class sections first when i get a new book. Then, after I THOROUGHLY read the entire book, I saw where these races are most welcome. My fav is the Asherake. Lean, mean (looking), I can see my group buffing for three rounds when their first Asherake is seen in the distance, heading their way. When he stops for directions, well, I can hear the sigh of relief/terror. Relief that this dreadfully powerful looking creature didn't attack them, and in terror, as they knowingly blew half or more of their useful spells for that day.Oathbound obviously isn't for everybody. If you are entrenched in your fav CS, and have an investment, it's hard to look at much else.I find it a wonderful CS, full of diversity. As heavy handed, or as free form as one might like. As gritty as one can imagine. And, as 'drag and drop' as you can get.</blockquote>

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