The Book of Exalted Deeds - It's Here! (merged - full ToC posted)

[Kobold Avenger]

I'm pretty sure that the Tome Archons were replaced with Owl Archons as Tome Archons look like winged humanoids with bird heads. And the seven named Tome Archons were changed to the Celestial Hebdomad.

So they have have Queen Morwel and her husband, but who's the third named member, Gwynharwyf of the Court of Stars?

I'm wondering though if the Shiradi Eladrin are just the Shierre Eladrin renamed? Are they described as the knights or defenders of the Eladrins who ride flying horses or anything like that?

 

[Darrin Drader]

I'm pretty sure that the Tome Archons were replaced with Owl Archons as Tome Archons look like winged humanoids with bird heads.

Actually no. Owl archons are new, and one of my contributions to the book. Tome archons are different and have just not been dealt with yet.

 

[Gez]

How many new spells (not reprinted from another book like DotF) are there in the book?

 

[Darrin Drader]

Most spells are original. I personally didn't pull anything from DotF. That isn't to say that James or Chris didn't do a few. The only ones that I did rework were from the 2nd edition book Warriors of Heaven, by Chris Perkins. It was actually very cool to be re-doing another author's previously released material when that author was also working on this same book; he did give me the approval to do it. Also, quite a few spells were designed specifically to counter the spells from the BoVD.

Some other stuff that I designed that I'm particularly happy with are the Skylord, the Vassal of Bahamut; spells: armageddon, the various rain spells, luminous armor and winged mount. In fact, I was just looking at luminous armor again and it really in that sweet spot between too powerful for a standard 2nd level spell and not quite a 3rd level spell. Between the +5 armor bonus you get to AC, the radiant light it emits that causes enemies to suffer a -4 to hit with no armor check penalties or chance of spell failure, and a duration that lasts 1 hour per caster level, this is an excellent spell to cast on monks, wizards, and sorcerers, provided that they don't mind looking like walking lanterns.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I'm curious what the ECL (HD and LA) of some of the monsters are, which ones do they recommend for players. Bariaur are a given based on the fact they were a PC race in Planescape. Some of the monsters were given monster class progression in Dragon, despite the inaccuracies in that article (such as lack of natural armour progression for all but the Asuras, or the insistence that Quesars get no skills or feats as constructs when they in fact do). I could see Coure getting an LA as they're the weakest variety of Eladrin and are essentially a more powerful version of a Pixie, and all of the others except for the Tulani are weaker than a Ghaele. Equinals probably fall in the range of being less than ECL 20, and probably most of the other varieties given that they're supposed to be weaker than the Leonal.

 

[Olive]

I'd be interested to know how many of the pro, Book of Vile Darkness, fans are nay-saying this book? Interesting thought? Its funny how when the BoVD came out all the supporters it had, now a book that supports strong morals comes out and people are turning a nose up to it. Another interesting thought?

Well count me in as another fanactically pro-BoVD person saying yes yes please to this book.

The archons, guardinals, and eladrins have their rulers, leaders, and exemplars on the celestial planes where good holds sway. These celestial paragons share much in common with each other and also bear certain similarities to their archfiend counterparts on the Lower Planes.

How much detail is given about them in terms of beliefs and aims etc. I guess in comparison to the BoVD's write ups of the archfiends.

Two questions:
1) Can anyone describe the Vassel of Bahamut in greater detail?
2) Is there any particular reason that the bariaur has been redone in comparison to the original 3e version in MotP as a +3 ECL race?

 

[Darrin Drader]

Two questions:
1) Can anyone describe the Vassel of Bahamut in greater detail?

This was one of my babies. To be honest, Chris and I were sitting in a meeting room trying to come up with an idea for one more prestige class when this erupted from our overworked and sleep deprived brains, surprising both of us with both its usefulness and quirkiness. Among other features, they get: spells, platinum armor (improved scale mail made from the scales of slain red dragon), shared trove (a lump sum of platinum pieces as a reward from Bahaumut for their service at levels 2, 5, and 8), and dragonwrack (additional damage against evil dragons).

2) Is there any particular reason that the bariaur has been redone in comparison to the original 3e version in MotP as a +3 ECL race?

I don't know. I wasn't the one who did it, but I would assume that it has something to do with compatibility issues between 3.0 and 3.5.

 

[Olive]

This was one of my babies. To be honest, Chris and I were sitting in a meeting room trying to come up with an idea for one more prestige class when this erupted from our overworked and sleep deprived brains, surprising both of us with both its usefulness and quirkiness. Among other features, they get: spells, platinum armor (improved scale mail made from the scales of slain red dragon), shared trove (a lump sum of platinum pieces as a reward from Bahaumut for their service at levels 2, 5, and 8), and dragonwrack (additional damage against evil dragons).

Sounds cool... Bahamut is a important god for one particular group of humans in my campaign, and so this might get some use.

 

[Moulin Rogue]

What new cleric domains are there?

 

[Darrin Drader]

What new cleric domains are there?

The new cleric domains are celestial, community, endurance, fey, glory, herald, joy, pleasure, and wrath.