Not much interest in the Draconomicon?

[pawsplay]

Not a 4e player, but I had the chance to page through it. My impressions:

- Descriptions of dragons take up a few pages in the front. Bloodied breath gets an in-game explanation.
- "Brown dragon" is never going to sound scary. Also, brown is not a chroma.
- "Purple dragon" ... time for a healthy snack?

Then you have the rest of the book, which mainly consists of oodles and oodles pre-made encounters. There appeared to be some attempt to make ready to play versions of each dragon at various ages, but in the new scheme, with different dragons of the same color having different roles, I'm not sure it's entirely comprehensive. Maybe someone else can comment on that.

"Dragonkin kobolds" are statted out with next to no flavor.

To me, it really looks like about thee super-modules smooshed together, with all the plot taken out.

 

[I'm A Banana]

So far, it's my favorite 4e book, and I'm working some monsters into my game today.

It has some pretty good fluff in a lot of parts. I like the alternate abilities as a way to bring back some of the old dragon flavor. The monster philosophy seems to have shifted, at least a little bit, and that's a very good thing.

But there's still plenty of groan-moments. Dargototh is one of the more brilliant "rob anything interesting from this creature" times.

Martial Power I have bigger complaints about, but it does what it set out to do.

Draconomicon is all right. It gives me some faith that future monster books will be better than the MM. I actually want to USE some of the monsters in there.

 

[Zaukrie]

Great book. Many, many pages of new monsters, making this book significantly more useful around the table than the last version.

I was not going to buy it, but once I saw it, I wanted it and am happy to have bought it. I did not feel the same way about the last version.

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

I liked the 3e one and did use it in my games (although not that much) but I'm not sure whether or not to get the 4e one. Can anyone summarise the contents? More opinions needed too!

Cheers


Richard

 

[Derren]

Hi,

I liked the 3e one and did use it in my games (although not that much) but I'm not sure whether or not to get the 4e one. Can anyone summarise the contents? More opinions needed too!

Cheers


Richard

Someone posted a (small) table of contents some days ago.

1: Dragon Lore--pgs 4-42
2: DM's Guid to Dragons--pgs44-88
3: Dragon Lairs--pgs90-164
4: New Monsters--pgs166-254

1. Mostly the same than in the 3E Draconomicon. Dragon Physiology is nearly identical except for some changes to justify encounter powers. Dragon Psychology has a few nice bits in it and about 2 pages of information about each chromatic dragon type (again like in 3E except for changed fluff and the new chromatics)

2. A mishmash of treasure guidlines like in 3E with suggestion how to use piles of gold coins as special terrain (a option all sample hoards don't use as they don't have enough coins in them), adventure seeds and a few artifacts.

3. A discussion about how lairs are chosen and some sample lair mini adventures

4. Lots of new monsters, I think most things the 3E Draconomicon had. A lot of skeletal dragons variations if you ask me. Also some related monsters like Abiashi and special kobolds.
It also has a small list of famous dragons from various sample dragons (which butchers any fluff they had) and a few sample dragons (although I don't know if they are different from standard MM dragons).

That is all from memory so I might have missed or misplaced something, especially as I was not interested much in monsters and miniadventures.

For more information look here:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...what-do-you-want-know-about-draconomicon.html

 

[evilgenius8000]

I thumbed through the book at my FLGS... Can't say there was much I'd use in it... I cannot remember a time when I used anything from the old Draconomicon, save a single fang dragon wyrmling that accompanied a party of PCs for a while.

 

[davethegame]

My full review on Critical Hits will be up next Friday.

Short review:
It's different than the 3e version in that it's solely for DMs, but clearly it's in the same spirit. First half has things taken from older Draconomicon, like dragon anatomy descriptions. Last half more monster stat block focused, including famous dragons, new colors of dragons, and dragon-kin. It also includes some monsters that debuted in one of the later Monster Manuals.

From strict rules perspective, useful if you want more monsters in 4e. From non-rules perspective, probably the best book so far that is useful outside of its edition.

 

[Shroomy]

I'm in the process of reading the book right now and have only got through Chapter 1. Can't say that I have too many complaints (and I'm not normally one for fantasy physiology) so far.

 

[Jack99]

I guess that means that you will write a full review when you get your copy?

Nah, I am incapable of such a thing. I will stick to my short-form-"reviews", and leave the real reviewing to others.

I think it is great that you, as a self-professed dragon-fan post your opinion - I have nothing against that. I just wouldn't call it a review (Which mr. planescape did), especially since it seems that you merely browsed through it at the store.

/shrug

 

[Soel]

I've just never been big on the Dragons part of Dungeons and Dragons. I'm sure one of my group will pick this book up, and then I'll have a look.

That said, I hope our group fights Tiamat somewhere in/near the end of our campaign! Sounds like a really cool event to have happen!