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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MerricB" data-source="post: 1752713" data-attributes="member: 3586">A couple of notes: if you want something as groundbreaking and massive as Magic, you're not going to find it here. It's going to be a surprise to almost everyone. Thus, I'm not really interested in such speculation.I'm more interested in things that have occurred recently that will affect gaming as we know it.Now, on to D&D Miniatures...I am not talking about the actual skirmish game. (The groundbreaker in that area was MageKnight). I'm talking about the actual effects of the miniatures on the RPG.Wizards' RPG division survives primarily on the sales of the core rulebooks. The bulk of their profits come from those sales. They make a small amount of money from each supplement they release, and even less from adventures. Supplements and adventures give the designers something to do, regardless (so they can update the core rulebooks when necessary), but they also keep people aware of D&D and buying the core rulebooks.Not everyone buys these supplements. Why not? In many cases, they're adding to the complexity and options of the game. My belief is that most D&D gamers run a campaign based primarily on the core rulebooks and a few additions they create themselves.  They don't actually need the supplements to improve the quality of their game play.However, there is a big difference between the supplements (which add complexity) and accessories (which aid the playing of the game). Character sheets, dice, DM screens and miniatures are all accessories. They help you play the game.Traditional metal miniatures only appeal to the really dedicated gamers. Well, casual gamers might pick a few up, but for a really good collection, you need to spend about as much time on the miniatures as the role-playing.The plastic miniatures appeal to the casual gamer - there's no additional time required. Obviously, they'd be even better if they were non-random, but see Merric's Law of Miniatures.There is actually another reason for them to be random, and it helps Wizards: you create a pointer to the D&D supplements.For your "core book" gamer, the Cleric of Lathander mini is just a pretty miniature of a cleric which can be used to aid their D&D game. However, on examination of the stat card that comes with the miniature reveals an unusual feat: "Divine Vengeance", and a note explaining that it comes from the Complete Warrior.Now, many "core book" gamers will just ignore that and move on, but some will say, "I wonder what that does" and thus buy the Complete Warrior. The sales of the supplements are improved because a miniature mentioned them as a source.This is an even more obvious link in the case of new monsters. A figure sourced from Monster Manual III sends a very strong pointer to its owner to investigate MM3.It's worth reading the design interview for MM3. Wizards used a new process in designing the book (a very good one, I think). One factor that was on their minds was that some of the monsters should make good miniatures.I'm sure that's one reason there are so few Huge or larger monsters in MM3: they are almost impossible to turn into miniatures.Related to this is the problem of getting people into D&D. The miniatures provide a convenient entry portal because they are very close to the board games which people play growing up. (That's an excellent reason for the grid in the mini game, btw - it makes it much more accessible to the beginner).So, those are my views on what Wizards is doing to try to help the future of Pen & Paper D&D.Against that, the main competitor is the MMORPG. Although the role of the DM is subsumed by the computer, one of the chief draws of RPGs, interaction with other players, is present in a MMORPG. With the speed of broadband, people can actually speak to each other whilst playing these games. Hmm.So, as to the future of D&D, that is a major factor looming: something that is almost a RPG, but with much less preparation time required.Sure, I know many of us like games with far more freedom than is possible in a MMORPG, but consider how many people play D&D simply as a "kill and loot" game! That's a major competing factor, I think.Cheers!</blockquote>

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