The Complete Mage & The Complete Scoundrel

[Drowbane]

I'm rather looking forward to Complete Mage. I want my Warlock fix!! ::taps veins:: I'm thrilled that Warlocks are getting some love. I was fairly convinced they've never get any support (although they got a few invocations in MoI... but nothing to jump up and down about).

But, as always... I shall reserve judgment of to buy or not to buy when I have it in my hands. Same goes for Scoundrel and Tome of Battle...

 

[Odhanan]

Complete Mage is on my list of "We'll see". I'm not particularly excited about a book adding yet more spells and such to the D&D game (that's not like we ever have enough, but I'm not particularly eager for that kind of material at the moment). The new invocations are a good thing though. Like I said: we'll see with the previews.

 

[Li Shenron]

So, the fact that Gary Gygax gave us new spells with Unearthed Arcana means that no new spells have ever been fresh or interesting since? Seriously?

And if you want innovation, there's the Tome of Magic and Tome of Battle. Not every WotC book is going to add new systems to the game, which is something most folks are thankful for.

Look, I don't mind if a book has nothing truly new (in fact the most normal crunch is also the easiest to use), but I don't like to be fooled with expressions like "takes a fresh look".

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Look, I don't mind if a book has nothing truly new (in fact the most normal crunch is also the easiest to use), but I don't like to be fooled with expressions like "takes a fresh look".

If they're new spells, new prestige classes and new feats, that is a fresh look. Since they spell out what's in the book, how is it that you're going to be fooled?

 

[FireLance]

Hopefully, the new spells aren't going to be along the lines of:

Dwarfshape (Sor/Wiz 1)
Elfshape (Sor/Wiz 1)
Gnomeshape (Sor/Wiz 1)
Goblinshape (Sor/Wiz 1)
Halflingshape (Sor/Wiz 1)
Humanshape (Sor/Wiz 1)
Koboldshape (Sor/Wiz 1)
Orcshape (Sor/Wiz 1)

Gnollshape (Sor/Wiz 2)
Lizardfolkshape (Sor/Wiz 2)

Sahuaginshape (Sor/Wiz 3)
Troglodyteshape (Sor/Wiz 3)

etc.

 

[glass]

Hopefully, the new spells aren't going to be along the lines of:

Dwarfshape (Sor/Wiz 1) etc.

I quite agree. Dwarfshape should be much higher level than that!


glass.

 

[Aloïsius]

compare :

Complete Mage takes a fresh look at arcane magic in the D&D game. With 100% original material, it provides new ideas that put arcane magic into the hands of the players and Dungeon Masters in interesting ways. It also provides new types of feats, spells, warlock invocations, prestige classes, and magic items for characters that cast arcane spells, in addition to material for classes not normally associated with arcane magic.

with

This supplement for the D&D game provides everything you need to expand the power of arcane magic for characters of any class. Along with new base classes, prestige classes, feats, spells, monsters, and magic items, Complete Arcane provides guidelines for spell duels, arcane organizations, and other aspects of a campaign world imbued with magic.

It may not be the same, and Ari says it's not the same but it looks similar.

 

[Li Shenron]

If they're new spells, new prestige classes and new feats, that is a fresh look. Since they spell out what's in the book, how is it that you're going to be fooled?

I don't want to argue... Let me just say that I think the wording is inappropriate. It's all part of the marketing, and it is a fully legal thing because "fresh" may mean anything (you could reprint a previous book with new fonts and say it is a "refreshment"). Can I say at least that it makes me sad? It feels the same as going to the supermarket and seeing 80% of the products presented as "NEW!", bordering to 100% when it comes to washing machine soaps... I just don't like the whole marketing practices, that's it.

 

[Xath]

and magic items for characters that cast arcane spells, in addition to material for classes not normally associated with arcane magic.

*Gasp* Does this mean that we'll finally see some items that improve spell penetration? Because there's a bit of a lack.

Also vests? For an item slot that's all it's own, there aren't many items out there to fill it.

 

[JoeGKushner]

compare :

with

It may not be the same, and Ari says it's not the same but it looks similar.

Yeah but now the PrCs take up six pages each and the spells have physical description fluff that's longer than the actual spell! Innovation I tell you!