races of destiny --has D&D 3.5 jumped the shark?

[Haffrung Helleyes]

OK, reading about races of destiny has got me thinking that WoTC has just run out of creative energy.

First of all, these illumians (or whatever) just sound ridiculous. A race like humans, but with glowing runes revolving around their head? who needs that?

And I just read Andy Collins writup on the WoTC page...where he outlines a scenario for introducing the illuminans (this race with GLOWING RUNES AROUND THEIR HEAD that no one has heard of until now) that is a total railroad job.

I mean, I haven't read anything like this since 2E. He suggests introducing this new race through an NPC that is a spy who automagically knows everything about the parties tactics -- because he has charmed their friends or something to that effect. And the PCs are supposed to make a DC 23 listen check to notice him sneaking up on them (-10 if they are sleeping). And then he steals some magic item that his race cares about. I suppose it gets even funner after that but I was too annoyed to read any more.

And then I'm reading a thread on this board and see that they've introduced a city god named 'Urbanus'. Groan.

in film, when a tv series should have ended a few seasons ago but just degenerates into lameness it is said to have 'jumped the shark'. Has 3E/3.5 done so?

Ken

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Do you honestly think that one writer's work having "jumped the shark" - and I by no means agree that it has - reflects upon the game as a whole?

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Well, from what I've seen and read so far, the concept of the Illumians is pretty darn lame. I'll agree that this seems to have shown a slump in the creative energy from WotC. Does this indicate shark jumping? I don't think so. If we're staying with the television analogy, every series has to have a clunker episode (not on purpose, I'm sure. But they do happen... ie, "Spock's Brain").

Quite a lot of what I see on the up and coming releases from Wizards has me very intrigued. Items like the DMG2 really has me curious. So no, they've not jumped the shark...yet. Maybe some of Merric's optimism has rubbed off on me, but I still see good things ahead.

 

[Crothian]

Well, the game is not a TV show so it can havea bad book or three and still be going good. Plus with allth e third party books it will be very hard for d20 to reach that.

 

[Jolly Giant]

It's at least a very close thing, IMHO! Neither the Complete... or Races of... series has impressed me very much! The Chameleon PrC was an exception, both fun and original, but I'm not sure if I'd allow it in a campaign. Just a little weird, maybe too weird for my taste. The jury is still out on that one.

 

[Toras]

Races of Destiny: the font of creativity that is Andy Collins introduces us to the god of cities known only as Urbanis...

Who's children include Streetis (God of Road Ways), Buildis (Goddess of Sky Scrappers),and Dungis (Demigod of Dung carts)

 

[Christopher Lambert]

I think the shark was jumped with Complete Warrior.

 

[Nightfall]

I have hated that saying since its inception and the website.

If ANYTHING has jumped the Shark its the internet.

 

[Crothian]

I think the shark was jumped with Complete Warrior.

odd, I'd say that is probly the best class book wizards has ever put out

 

[Wil Harvey]

Yeah, hasn't "jumped the shark" kind lost its zing? I mean, can you really gripe about creativity when you're using a (mainly) internet phrase that was cool for about 4 months a couple years ago?

I agree that the Illumians are a horrible race, but it's hardly the sign of creativity declining.