quality of recent WotC products

[Fester]

It's poor. Really poor. Complete Divine was still the worst (that I have) with all those missing spells and references to page XX 'n all. I mean, it's not just that I sit there shaking my head; it actually makes me think about whether I want (or need) to buy the most recent releases and I know I am not alone in this (indeed, I know many people who have become very discerning in their purchases).

It's one thing to release a horde of books in order to maintain revenue, but it's entirely another to release books that are editorially sub-standard. Eventually, that's just gonna hurt, surely?

 

[Eremite]

When I consider the quality of rules material that Wizards has been putting out recently, I'd say it's been extremely high. The new feats, spells and so forth have generally been excellent.

However, the editing of the stat blocks has been letting them down. Also, little development problems like setting flesh to ice (in Frostburn) as a 5th level spell. (Huh?)

One of the things I have learnt in life (particularly in business) is that people who take shortcuts in one area, even a small area, generally take shortcuts in larger areas. I see these editing problems, which many only see as a small thing, as symptomatic of larger problems with the development process: WotC keeps getting things "wrong". Flesh to ice is 5th level when stone to flesh is 6th level?

Check out the various numbers in MMII and compare them to similar creatures in MMI: there's a lot of power creep. MMIII has vermin that are more properly Magical Beasts according to the RAW. Prestige class balance is, all too often, a joke. I mean, I don't think it will be too longer before we see a product produced by WotC that has the same QC issues that the first edition of Conan had.

I just want books that I can use straight from the shelves without having to reconstruct things for balance reasons. However, I know it won't happen because, basically, people don't care. The products still sell reasonably well; an improvement in quality won't translate to higher sales in what is, after all, a niche hobby.

I suppose all there is to do is simply post complaints on messageboards such as these....

 

[GlassJaw]

Check out the various numbers in MMII and compare them to similar creatures in MMI: there's a lot of power creep. MMIII has vermin that are more properly Magical Beasts according to the RAW. Prestige class balance is, all too often, a joke. I mean, I don't think it will be too longer before we see a product produced by WotC that has the same QC issues that the first edition of Conan had.

Well said. Typos and errors aside, I think the quality of the crunch WotC has been releasing (their speciality) has been declining in quality as well. Many of the developers just don't seem to have a good grasp of the mechanics. Complete Divine and the Book of Exalted Deeds were just ridiculous. In Complete Warrior, they nerfed some PrC's that just didn't need nerfing and then added some insane PrC's (Dervish).

The last couple of WotC books I bought I had to go through with a fine tooth comb. I just don't take any WotC released "as-is" anymore. I don't trust them to be completely honest.

 

[berdoingg]

avuncular or vascular

I haven't read the book yet so could be spouting crap, but in John Cooper's recent review of Libris Mortis the unpleasant vein-sprouting spell is quoted as being called 'Avuncular Mass'. Last time I checked, the word avuncular had more to do with friendly unclehood than gory, blood-soaked peril.

 

[hong]

The last couple of WotC books I bought I had to go through with a fine tooth comb. I just don't take any WotC released "as-is" anymore. I don't trust them to be completely honest.

D00d, I stopped trusting them with S&F, which was 3 years ago. Doesn't mean Libris Mortis, Frostburn and MM3 haven't been excellent value for money IMO.

 

[diaglo]

D00d, I stopped trusting them with S&F, which was 3 years ago. Doesn't mean Libris Mortis, Frostburn and MM3 haven't been excellent value for money IMO.

d00d,

i haven't trusted editing in any RPG product ever.

but the decline of the whole industry really made me stand up and take notice in 1985 with T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil. it just hasn't been the same since then.

but i take that into account before i purchase the products.

diaglo "an informed buyer" Ooi.

 

[hong]

d00d,

i haven't trusted editing in any RPG product ever.

Good point. I had erased the memory of pre-3.5E harm from my mind.

but i take that into account before i purchase the products.

diaglo "an informed buyer" Ooi.

Yup.


Hong "even if you ARE still impersonating my evil twin" Temporado

 

[GlassJaw]

I stopped trusting them with S&F, which was 3 years ago. Doesn't mean Libris Mortis, Frostburn and MM3 haven't been excellent value for money IMO.

Well let's just say I trust them a lot less. And those books might be decent enough but WotC has left a bad taste in my mouth with other products that I don't really care anymore. I also don't want books that I have to go through page by page because I'm concerned any glaring errors or broken mechanics. I have better things to do with my time.

 

[Liquidsabre]

How about a simple campaign of letters of complaints to WotC general? Figure a few thousand letters or so might get someones attention eventually hmmm?

 

[Faraer]

I would doubt it. If you want higher editorial standards, don't buy incompletely edited books. Problem is the portion of the audience that has access to that information is probably too small to make a significant difference in the short term.