Unearthed Arcana for 3.5 from WOTC!

[Technik4]

.02

Not that I was privy between anything between WotC and Mr Cook but I recall upon hearing about his getting the name that it was specifically because he didn't want a title WotC might do.

In other words, Mr Cook had foresight or a feeling that WotC would do an Unearthed Arcana and he knew that if he asked for that name he wouldn't get it, so he asked for an alternate.

While I am very disappointed with the Tome of Horrors vs Fiend Folio disaster, I dont think this is the same situation.

Technik

 

[EarthsShadow]

Whats a MIMIR?

I asked my question, now on to my statements.
I may be wrong, and Monte's company may be much smaller, but I think WotC is trying to take some of the thunder from Monte's AU books. The rage for AU is all set, the changes have been spelled out for us, and so far the majority are clamoring for it to be out NOW, I know I am. WotC told him he could use it because they probably didn't think it would get all the attention it is getting, and now they are trying to take back some of that attention by announcing this.

It's already working. One person has already stated that they would rather purchase a UA book from WotC instead of AU from Monte, so their plan is working.

Will this be just a update from the old 1e book? Very unlikely, since somebody already established that they did all those old revision in other products, so what would the new UA book contain? Who knows, probably some of the options that many of us have been asking for for 3 years.

I will give credit to WotC, they are smart. I wont' buy into it. I am all for Monte's AU and not for UA. To me, this just shows how low WotC will go to keep the thunder and rage in their corner.

They claim that they were working on the revised editions for a year, but their announcement came how soon after Monte released his announcement for AU. Yeah, right WotC.

 

[Grazzt]

My guess for UA is that it falls along the lines of the Option books (UGH!!!) that TSR did way back. Remember those? Lots of combat, ability score (and sub-ability score), etc.

Variant classes perhaps, variant spellcasting rules (point buy maybe...akin to psionics). Perhaps variant armor rules (but I doubt it as having armor soak damage requires hit points and other stuff to be reworked quite a bit).

Perhaps Andy Collins metamagic system that he mentioned on his site (and hit on in Dragon) will be in there.

Should be interesting to see...

 

[MThibault]

Well, Mr. Cook's book will be on store shelves long before the WotC book.

They are probably going to be so different in content so as to be unrecognizable. Monte's will be more ambitious, and polarizing. Either you love it or will hate it. WotC's will be more middle of the road, and generally adaptable. The two books won't be competing except in the most general way that any RPG book competes with others. I don't see customers deliberately not buying Monte's book because they want to wait and see if WotC does it better. They're really doing two different things.

I've heard that the vast majority of an RPG book's sales occur in the first 3-4 months, so AU might even have run its course and be off store shelves before UA is released.

Cheers

 

[I'm A Banana]

I'd actually be kind of excited for a book on changing things up...it'd be sweet. WP/VP....alternate magic...scaling up or down the 'magic level' and 'fantasy level', adjusting some classes, some races, toying with setting (cultural/temporal)...I'd buy it.

Oh, and you see that skull thing in Aaron's avatar? THAT'S a Mimir. They're talking objects in Planescape that basically serve as tape recorders, and so have a lot of lore about a lot of things. Most commonly depicted as floating skulls, because it's pretty bad ass.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Exactly. I don't think the two books will share anything more than two words in common.

It isn't going to be a case of one or the other. Most likely, you will be able to buy and use them both together. After all, Monte says that AU is completely compatible with 3.5.

 

[Cam Banks]

Mimir was a giant in Norse mythology whom Odin used as an oracle. Mimir's head sat beside the World Tree and uttered prophesies and other omens, and Odin would go off and make use of it.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[BOZ]

I figured they'd at least change the name since Monte's doing Arcana Unearthed. Those will look interesting on the book shelf together.

WotC doesn't really care what the d20 companies do, as long as they're not doing it without permission.

 

[BOZ]

note that they're not sticking entirely to 1E books titles: we've already had the psionics handbook and arms & equipment guide, plus the draconomicon is coming out. so, now that all of the useful 1E titles have been used, which other 2E titles are coming up next? Drow of the Underdark? Tome of Magic?

 

[Sonny]

I will give credit to WotC, they are smart. I wont' buy into it. I am all for Monte's AU and not for UA. To me, this just shows how low WotC will go to keep the thunder and rage in their corner.

They claim that they were working on the revised editions for a year, but their announcement came how soon after Monte released his announcement for AU. Yeah, right WotC.

Unearthed Arcana hasn't even been announced. A small blurb on a personal page was reported. Nothing more. It's not like they made a press release on it the night that AU was going to be released.

And do you actually doubt they had been working on 3.5 for a year? SKR himself said he had been working on it, and he left last year.

Seems like you're jumping the gun a bit there cowboy. Why not wait till you find out more instead of giving us your rant on how WOTC is an evil soulless company who stifles competition, feeds off the flesh of the dead, and leaves the toilet seat up.