Previews for May and Beyond is up

[Knight Otu]

Fair enough. I actually find the concept of classed monsters useful enough that I don't want to wait until Fourth Edition is released to get some more varieties of off-the-shelf orcs, hobgoblins or whatever. Substitute your favorite monster race (I personally like hobgoblins).

True, which is why I'd prefer to see an updated Enemies & Allies book (Thanks Teemu for the link). And a bit better executed.

I wouldn't even mind covering human adversaries in the Monster Manual series, but that may be just me.

I am firmly of the opinion that Human should have been an entry in the Monster Manual, just like Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, and Halfling.

 

[BryonD]

Even in the core MM, most of the humanoids (orcs, goblins, etc.) are presented as 1st level warriors. MM IV takes it to the next step and presents them as they would actually be fond "in the wild", so to speak. For instance, if you re-wrote MM I today, the stock goblin might be a 1st level rogue, with a 3rd level fighter/rogue chieftain and a 3rd-level wizard as a shaman, and the racial info there to let you build whatever you want. The assumption in that entry is that the off the shelf goblin tribe has those guys in it.

I think you are correct when you say "late to the party".
If you created a new race and instead of tossing out a default Warrior 1 you went with the new idea of more typical encounters, then that would be cool. But going back to the well just doesn't bring the added value when I've got my goblin stats ready to go with a lot more variations than this offers.
And either I buy into the idea that the 3rd level fighter/rogue keeps turning up or I don't have much use for that stat block. Give me a book with 6 different goblin chiefs and 4 different shamans and a handful of other supporting cast types over a range of levels and I'm there.
But the idea of same old - same old "off the shelf" is unappealing to me.

Clear up some space for monsters and give me a book that lets me feel comfortable that the level range I need and the variety I want are there and you will sell me two books instead of zero.

 

[BryonD]

True, which is why I'd prefer to see an updated Enemies & Allies book (Thanks Teemu for the link). And a bit better executed.

Agreed.

I am firmly of the opinion that Human should have been an entry in the Monster Manual, just like Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, and Halfling.

I am firmly of the opinion that the Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, and Halfling entries in the Monster Manual are redundant and the pages could have been put to much better use.

 

[Razz]

And either I buy into the idea that the 3rd level fighter/rogue keeps turning up or I don't have much use for that stat block. Give me a book with 6 different goblin chiefs and 4 different shamans and a handful of other supporting cast types over a range of levels and I'm there.
But the idea of same old - same old "off the shelf" is unappealing to me.

Clear up some space for monsters and give me a book that lets me feel comfortable that the level range I need and the variety I want are there and you will sell me two books instead of zero.

That's great!

Just make sure it doesn't end up in a Monster Manual. Let it be on its own.

 

[BryonD]

That's great!

Just make sure it doesn't end up in a Monster Manual. Let it be on its own.

I agree.

Though, I don't really care what they call it.
If they want to do a book with a strong range of classed creatures and call that MMVI and release a book of "monsters" called MMVII, then I'll buy both.
But a book with a significant fraction dedicated to one size fits all classed creatures will be a pass.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

I heard the 15th also. And the 8th for Wilderness Tiles.

Those are my two babies till August. I might even get two of the wilderness tiels. i ahve one each of the first three sets

But then I will probably stop buying them, unless WOTC is smart enough to print different sizes of times. I would love some 3x3 or 9x9 tiles. or 2x3 and such. 2x4 is not always the room size, WOTC!!!! I mean three sets and only ONE 1x4 tile. Sheesh.

All the May RPG products (tiles et all) come out on May 15th. Some of the earlier dates published were incorrect and persist today.

 

[Jdvn1]

All the May RPG products (tiles et all) come out on May 15th. Some of the earlier dates published were incorrect and persist today.

In fact, isn't it a good rule of thumb that all products in a given month are released on the same day?

It's also, I think, usually the second Tuesday of the month, but this month is different.

 

[sedarfaery]

WotC has already published a rogue's gallery type book, Enemies and Allies. That was in 2001, 3.0 of course.

Still a handy resource IMO.

 

[Glyfair]

In fact, isn't it a good rule of thumb that all products in a given month are released on the same day?

It's also, I think, usually the second Tuesday of the month, but this month is different.

However, this is the RPG products. The miniature products, for example, seem to have different dates (Fridays, IIRC). Of course, this means the tiles are considered RPG products.

The idea of the Monster Compendium in 2e (a binder that new monsters could be slipped into) wasn't a bad idea, but it's totally impractical. What would everyone say to monster trading cards?

I agree that it was a great idea, that was bad in practice. However, I'm pretty sure we eventually will see it when electronic format becomes commonplace. Eventually Monster Manuals will be databases and the new "Monster Manuals" will add to the database.

Of course, that day is a long way off.

 

[Jdvn1]

However, this is the RPG products. The miniature products, for example, seem to have different dates (Fridays, IIRC). Of course, this means the tiles are considered RPG products.


I agree that it was a great idea, that was bad in practice. However, I'm pretty sure we eventually will see it when electronic format becomes commonplace. Eventually Monster Manuals will be databases and the new "Monster Manuals" will add to the database.

Of course, that day is a long way off.

Hm, I didn't know that about the miniatures.