Savage Species preview.

[thundershot]

I REALLY hope we see an updated "complete ECL list" in the book, or at least as a web supplement. It'd make it a lot easier to break down if we've already got an ECL to work with. I seriously can't wait for this book!


Chris

 

[Arani Korden]

Why do I think this product will be at the top of the list for any Dark Sun fan?

Or Taladas. Or Planescape. or anyone running a game based on greek myth.

 

[Michael Tree]

Woo hoo, half-ogres! It's about time they made official stats for them. Is there a monster class progression for half-ogres too?

 

[Malin Genie]

Looking at the minotaur sample class, why didn't they just give it cleric BAB progression, rather than +1/+2/+2/+3/+3/+4/+5/+6 ?

 

[I'm A Banana]

The one thing that gives me the most pause is this:

One way we deal with the problematic creatures is in costing. Some abilities aren't by definition the most powerful, but they shape or distort the adventuring model in ways we don't want. So those creatures receive a higher level adjustment than the easier-to-adapt trolls, giants, awakened animals, etc.

BAH! So just because the monster is cool, unique, and does things to a campaign that the disigners didn't like, they're going to be made weaker to be made less appealing? I don't like the sound of this...it smacks of using a flavor reason to make a mechanical adjustment, something 3e has stayed blissfully away from for a baseline.

I don't like the sound of it....

Of course, it's easy enough to house rule, but still...it's unnerving that I'll have to determine which creatures they artificially inflated in order to keep me and my players happy and balanced no matter the predetermined bounds for an adventure that WotC thought up.

Rant over.

 

[jester47]

Mike Tree--

Your sig is somthing I have thought! But I have never read that quote by Neil. Interesting!

Aaron.

 

[Olive]

Wait... if I read that correctly, and I think I did, they didn't do dragons?

Wow...

That sucks. That sucks hard.

they obviously do something about dragons, cos they're mentioned in the chapter 2 write ups...

maybe Eric could tell us what it says in there?

 

[Michael Tree]

Mike Tree--

Your sig is somthing I have thought! But I have never read that quote by Neil. Interesting!

I've definitely had the feeling too. The quote is somethig Neil wrote in his blogger a few weeks ago.

 

[EricNoah]

I gotta mention the art -- it's awesome. Lots of yummy WAR stuff, Sam Wood, etc. My favorite pic is the Yuan-Ti Cultist (he's a stylish dresser).

BTW, sorry for the typo, it's Slaad BROODER, not Slaad BROTHER.

Another neat feature -- each PrC has an NPC written up with stats.

I missed that Appendix 3 includes rules and one big chart for anthropomorphic animals. It kind of works like a template, and then you use data from the chart to fill in some of the blanks. You can put together furries!

 

[EricNoah]

they obviously do something about dragons, cos they're mentioned in the chapter 2 write ups...

maybe Eric could tell us what it says in there?

They provide level adjustments and ECLs for the younger age categories of each dragon type (so, for instance, a young silver dragon is 13 HD + 5 level adjustment = starting ECL 18). But, no, there's no 18-level "monster class" for the silver dragon ages wyrmling thru young.

Hmm, sounds like a good web enhancement to me...