So anyone pick up the Dungeon Master's Guide II?

[thalmin]

Saltmarsh as in the Saltmarsh from adventure U1 - Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh???


-Brund the Curious

Yes, several years after the adventures in U1, U2, and U3. Has a very brief mention on what happened since those adventures. Also, no spoilers about those adventures.
There is also info to help insert Saltmarsh into Eberron, Forgotten Realms, as well as its Greyhawk location.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

The burning question on everyone's mind a few weeks ago was whether or not it was a vlue cover or a brown cover.

It's old news that it has a blue cover.

 

[Nebulous]

I paged through it today at my FLGS. Steve wouldn't sell it because the release date is tomorrow, but honestly, after looking it over, I wasn't in a buying mood. It's not that it's a bad book for what it is, I just don't need it. It's a how to GM book... I've been GMing for 25 years, if I don't get it by now there isn't a book out there that can help me.

New magical items, prestige classes, fully fleshed out Saltmarsh (anyone recal the U module series?) and articles on how to do this and how to do that. Frankly, not anything that will improve on my collection of D20 books. I have GM Secrets, Robin's Laws, and the Gamma World GMG (which was poorly received and deserved better than it got from the game community). If you are a new GM... I'd say go ahead, looks like a good read... otherwise... meh.

This is sorta what's turning me off. i've been DMing a long time too, and there's probably very little in there that hasn't been covered somewhere else at some time. I'll definitely flip through it though at some point and see if something changes my mind.

 

[the black knight]

"Mmmmmmm. Saltmarsh. Arrrrggghhhhh....."

 

[Silveras]

What are the guild/organization rules and how useful are they - could they be used to run a Village, a Barony, a Kingdom?

No, they are pretty much an attempt to put a structure around the traditional Guild idea. PCs can join, and become senior members, perhaps even Guildmaster, but the organization is very much limited to a social club or professional association type of thing.

There are 2 sections. One is for PC Organizations, the other specifically for Guilds. PC Organizations are clubs/groups that might act as agents to get the PCs "assigned missions", or might otherwise provide adventure hooks. They may also provide discounted equipment or services to members, or membership may bring an improved social standing that allows the PCs to get to see important people quickly.

The Guilds are more like trade guilds, collecting dues and offering loans. It does discuss gaining status in the Guild, and perhaps even becoming Guildmaster.

All of the content is from the same "It is all about adventuring in the Dungeon" perspective that the Core books have.


Neither set really scales up or generalizes to cover ruling an area.

 

[Silveras]

This is so hilarious Someone must be a _real_ newbie to need help to use miniatures. What is it like? "First, open the box with care, be careful not to break it because you might need it later to store the minis between games! Then carefully plan what you are going to use as a support for them, the best choice is a table..."

Now if WotC would have liked to write something really revolutionary, we would have got a paragraph about how we can play 3.5 without miniatures or map. That would be a challenge enough to deserve a mention in the DMG2

Actually, it is more along the lines of: Keep the minis out of sight until needed so the players are not forewarned of what is coming. Use the same mini for the same character so that the players get to recognize it. When the time comes, try to reveal the mini with a little flourish to heighten the drama.

 

[Silveras]

Here's some more questions

Can Unique Abilities be something that PCs can get through feats or a level adjustment?

What do Guardian Spirits do? In fact to they have rules for creatures that don't physically exist and are conceptual? What about the opposite of a Guardian Spirit?

Unique Abilities are meant to be flavor things that stand out and make NPCs memorable. They do bring a benefit, however.
Things like:

• You are so deformed and ugly that merely showing your face acts as a fear spell.
• The head and partial limb of a vestigial twin growing out of your body. It gets one extra action per round.
• A trace of divine blood. You can use one Domain's granted ability. If you are a cleric with that domain, your spells are cast at +1 caster level.

They also carry CR and Level adjustments. These are not intended for use with PCs, but they could be, I suppose.

It is not Guardian Spirit, really, Companion Spirit. These build on the Teamwork Benefits rules. The spririt can be tailored by the PCs, in that they decide the 2 types of qualities they want from it and shape the ritual to attract that type of spirit.
The team members each "bond" to the spirit by spending money and giving it some of their life force (XP). After the initial bonding, the PCs can decide to strengthen the bond. Each level of strength brings a new benefit, and each spirit brings 2 benefits per "tier" (one for its general character, the other for its specific focus). The benefits' value is often based on how many members of the team there are, but can be divided as the team wishes (so a total +10 bonus could be divided among 5 characters as +5/+1/+1/+1/+2 if they wished).

The spirits are not a monster type, and a sidebar indicates that the designers did not give them personalities because, generally, they are not interacted with. If the DM chooses to have some interaction, they DM can give the spirit any personality desired.

 

[Silveras]

This is sorta what's turning me off. i've been DMing a long time too, and there's probably very little in there that hasn't been covered somewhere else at some time. I'll definitely flip through it though at some point and see if something changes my mind.

Well, yes, for example the section of Laws and Justice (part of the chapter on adding meat to cities) is nowhere near as complete and thorough as Crime & Punishment from Atlas Games. Of course, it is also not a stand-alone book, either. The systems presented are simple and easily used to add flavor to a game. As another example, a simpler system for Contacts than the one in Unearthed Arcana is presented. It is given as an alternative for DMs who do not want the paperwork of the UA one (not that I find it all that much, but "your mileage may vary").

 

[the Jester]

Got it, but I've barely had time to glance in it yet. I'll report back later.

 

[Wycen]

Saltmarsh as in the Saltmarsh from adventure U1 - Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh???


-Brund the Curious

Shame on me for not knowing, but I never played those modules. What was the sinister secret of the Saltmarsh?