The Shadar-kai are NEVER going to be the next drow

[Nifft]

Only a lot later (well after the Scourge) they started to take pride in their change and started feeling superior to other races. I think the change in their mentality was triggered by the negative reaction of the other races towards their transformation.

Erp. That actually does sound "emo" -- as in, they sound annoyingly like teenagers.

:\, -- N

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

[hijack]For the record...I know some don't call Grunge "Metal," but it really is. Pretty much all heavy popular music can trace at least some critical influence back to bands like Black Sabbath.

As for blistering arpeggiated solos- those weren't really a feature until the 80's- up until that point, most hard rock was essentially Blues turned up to 11 with distortion and some additional seasoning from around the world.

The 70's shredders like Montrose, Blackmore and Roth were emulated by guys like Van Halen, Malmsteen, Rhoads, Satriani, Lane, Vandenburg, Skolnick and almost anyone you could name in a Glam band in the 80's.

Grunge just took back some of the dirgelike constructions of early metal and gave it a new lyrical direction, away from mysticism/supernatural evil and into social commentary and the evil man does to himself and his surroundings- never more evident than in Soundgarden's "Into the Void (Sealth)."

For more, check out
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=194991&page=1&pp=30
[/hijack]

 

[Derro]

Some worked, some did not, ratio was better than the orginal FF
Any nominations for the worst concept in the book?

I can't say the absolute worst but what is the point of the terror bird? Maybe it's just the stupid name.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Actually, the Shadar-Kai are from the Fiend Folio. Which, if I'm not mistaken, is the same book in which the Kaorti appear.

Well, they're no kaorti or nerra, but honestly, they're not intrinsically any better or worse than the githyanki, who are ridiculously popular, and were even before they appeared in a single module.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Terror Bird is a dumb name. But I like big raptors, ever since the Axe Beak.

I'd go with the giant magic eating lizardmen as the worst. There was just something about them. They're really good in combat, basically immune to magic. Just too convenient and too tough. They smack of mary-sue.

I think the Nerra are my favourite, just waiting for the right time to use them.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

But I do think that someone over on the dev team has some kind of an irrational boner for them.

"Rational Boner" would be a great name for a band.

 

[Derro]

Terror Bird is a dumb name. But I like big raptors, ever since the Axe Beak.

I'd go with the giant magic eating lizardmen as the worst. There was just something about them. They're really good in combat, basically immune to magic. Just too convenient and too tough. They smack of mary-sue.

I think the Nerra are my favourite, just waiting for the right time to use them.

Heh. Axe Beak.

I kinda like the sarkrith. Kinda. I adapted them for a pseudo-Mechwarrior game. Them and the GARGANTUAN CHUUL. They are a little contrived though. One of those "f-you spellcaster who's ruining the game" races. My biggest problem is their CR. Even if I wanted to use one it pretty damn rare that I'm running a party that high level. Same with the ethergaunts.

I've often wished there was a comprehensive way to reverse engineer monsters. Savage Species comes close but it's so much work. Then you could use high CR monsters for lower level parties.

And yeah, the nerra are pretty cool. Weird, but cool.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

If I want to reduce the power of critters I just reduce the numbers. AC20 goes to AC15, that sort of thing. The exact reduction based purely on what I think will work for a given group. I realise my ad hoc approach does not appeal to many folks. I may even be accused of breaking the rules. But I consider them more guidelines to help ensure everyone has fun.

And now, a musical interlude: "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Rational Boner and their new hit song 'Hard for Descarte!' "

 

[haakon1]

Grunge was as much about attitude as sound. And location. If you were from Seattle, Olympia, or Tacoma you were a grunge band like it or not.

Nod, that's why Hendrix and Queensryche are grunge.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Nod, that's why Hendrix and Queensryche are grunge.

If you add time to that equation, I think it's pretty close to accurate. Queensryche, Hendrix, and Heart, among others, were obviously products of different times.