Stormwrack: Buying?

[ForceUser]

If they were splatbooks, then they probably wouldn't be environment books.

I see what you meant, though, and it's an interesting point. I don't think I agree, though. At their best, they're pivotal sourcebooks, covering pivotal aspects of the game. If/when they fall short, of course, that's something else entirely, but I don't think they have so far (at least not Frostburn or Stormwrack).

Happy gaming.

--
CAS

Frostburn was useless to me. I don't want a book detailing more feats, skills, spells, races, and prestige classes. I never want to see another prestige class again. I want a book that covers in detail the cultures and lifestyles of those that live in such an environment, the (nonmagical) environmental hazards, and creatures native to the region. While the creature section of Frostburn was decent, the book fell woefully short on the other counts. That's why I bought Frost & Fur; the crunch in F&F sucked, but it decently conveyed the Norse, Inuit, and Slavic cultures.

[/rant]

Now that I think of it, I'd much prefer a series more akin to the Avalanche Press LTD splatbooks that briefed the reader on cultures such as the Greenland Norse and Mythic China. Also now that I think of it, my real beef is with WotC's focus on crunch-heavy products, when I'd much prefer books chock-full of environmentally-themed story elements that inspire me. Not overwrought, generic crunch such as exists in every freaking non-campaign specific WotC book, but truly inspired writing that draws from our rich heritage of real-world lore, such as what TSR published in droves in its heyday (Planescape comes to mind).

WotC, take heed: WE DON'T NEED MORE FREAKING RULES, RULES, RULES, RULES.

[/rant]

 

[Psion]

I can see how the concepts in each might do so, but here's the thing: The reason I feel the way I do about Mongoose is because the quality is so very low. As a result, the two books don't actually complement one another nicely, because one is WotC and well-written and the other is neither WotC nor well-written. That's m'logic.

We'll leave "well written" aside, as you being the author on one side of the fence, I daresay there might be a little room for bias. (And further, writing is a measure of author not company, and one of the best Mongoose freelancers is now working at WotC full time -- an AFAIC, he's now the best writer on the WotC staff -- so trying to pin authorial quality on one company should be pretty apparently a flawed way to look at things.)

So to one being WotC and the other not being -- that is pretty much precisely why they complement each other so well. WotC books live under the dictate of WotC's R&D and developers, so there are certain things that WotC books won't do. One of those things is re-invent their mass combat and vehicle combat systems. That's one of the places that I give the nod to Seas of Blood, because OMCS still remains one of the best d20 mass combat systems out there. It fills a hole that WotC won't be filling.

That said, the WotC style and experience has turned out what I consider to be a better book when it comes to character centric options.

 

[Psion]

WotC, take heed: WE DON'T NEED MORE FREAKING RULES, RULES, RULES, RULES.

We who?

Isn't this a bit like a vegetarian telling McDonalds they should only serve salads?

 

[Buttercup]

I want to thumb through it before I decide to purchase it. Plus I need to game a little bit more before I start buying a bunch of books. I just moved and my schedule doesn't fit gaming right now. But it will very shortly.

What? Something you need to tell me, Brian? The players dragged your character's semi-conscious body along with them last session, so you can "wake up" any old time.

In an effort to avoid highjacking the thread further though, I'm definitely going to buy Stormwrack. So little of what WotC produces these days appeals to me that when they do release something that I'm even remotely interested in, I feel it necessary to vote with my wallet.

 

[ForceUser]

We who?

Isn't this a bit like a vegetarian telling McDonalds they should only serve salads?

No, no, no....you're supposed to say "Preach it, brother!"

 

[Psion]

No, no, no....you're supposed to say "Preach it, brother!"

Heh... well, I don't totally disagree with you in that I do like products that give me ideas.

I just think that we can rely on those sorts of products being the ones WotC best provides. Third party publishers have a bit more room to be adventurous.

That said, I think you have a false dichotomy going here. I like some of the crunch in Stormwrack precisely because it's more flavorful crunch. The Sea Witch in Stormwrack is a bit more that a "spellcaster specialized in sea magic." It sort of has a theme going. This is just the sort of thing I like to see in PrCs, because I can hang NPC concepts off of it.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

Are there any reviews for "Stormwrack" available?

 

[JPL]

Do we know what the next enviornmental book will be?

We don't know. I don't, anyway. And I usually know this stuff.

Gotta do jungle next, I would think. A huge amount of potential there.

And then, I dunno...Subterraria has kind of been done to death. Forest or mountain don't strike me as likely candidates.

GC, there's a review over on rpg.net.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

We don't know. I don't, anyway. And I usually know this stuff.

Gotta do jungle next, I would think. A huge amount of potential there.

And then, I dunno...Subterraria has kind of been done to death. Forest or mountain don't strike me as likely candidates.

I think jungles/swamps would be a great choice, but I disagree that forests and mountains don't need this sort of treatment.

GC, there's a review over on rpg.net.

More like a product summary, really.

 

[Pants]

Also now that I think of it, my real beef is with WotC's focus on crunch-heavy products,

ForceUser... welcome to 2004.

They're actually moving away from 'crunch heavy' products lately. Weapons of Legacy (no matter your feelings on the book), Lords of Madness, DMG II, and Heroes of Battle, the crunch was secondary to the advice and flavor, IMO at least.

Not overwrought, generic crunch such as exists in every freaking non-campaign specific WotC book, but truly inspired writing that draws from our rich heritage of real-world lore, such as what TSR published in droves in its heyday (Planescape comes to mind).

That's not quite a fair comparison here. You specifically singled out PS as being flavorful with good writing, but that's a campaign setting. It would only be fair to compare campaign setting material against other CS material.

Or at least, compare tSR's 'generic' D&D books with WotC's generic D&D books. And what generic D&D books was tSR releasing? Oh yeah, the 'complete' books.

WotC, take heed: WE DON'T NEED MORE FREAKING RULES, RULES, RULES, RULES.

Technically, we don't need anything other than the core books.