Vampire Bestiary - Now Available (feedback, errata in this thread)

[beej]

Hey there, U_K!

I finally got this volume - cost me most of my remaining RPGNow savings, but so far I have no regrets from the purchase. Everything looks cool and would make for a good encounter in my own tropical setting that is inspired by Philippine elements.

In that vein, I plan to make two blog posts related to this product. The first would be a review, and the second would be an adaptation to the Buan setting. Among other things, I have a feeling that Dire Crocodiles fit the Philippines really well. I might get lazy and combine the two posts, though.

I'll let you know when either or both posts are up.

Anyway, sorry for getting away from your Print on Demand talk. I just wanted to say good job! Although you really should hurry up with epic content before Next arrives, IMO.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey there, U_K!

Howdy beej mate!

Hope you have been well?

I finally got this volume - cost me most of my remaining RPGNow savings, but so far I have no regrets from the purchase.

Sorry I didn't get the Manannanggal in there, I promise it will be in a later volume...fittingly the Vampire Bestiary: Forest of Intestines.

Everything looks cool and would make for a good encounter in my own tropical setting that is inspired by Philippine elements.

I really have to start adding other people's blogs to my Eternity Publishing website.

In that vein, I plan to make two blog posts related to this product. The first would be a review, and the second would be an adaptation to the Buan setting.

Thanks very much.

Among other things, I have a feeling that Dire Crocodiles fit the Philippines really well. I might get lazy and combine the two posts, though.

You be careful out there!

I'll let you know when either or both posts are up.

Thanks.

Anyway, sorry for getting away from your Print on Demand talk.

No worries mate, this is the thread for ANY and ALL feedback.

I just wanted to say good job! Although you really should hurry up with epic content before Next arrives, IMO.

Maybe have a surprise in a month or two. *Shush*

 

[Deinos]

But in the meantime, I am just wondering if anyone here has experienced the Print on Demand quality or any of their formats (softback, hardback etc.)?

I have Masters of Jade, the Exalted book of Economics, which was Print on Demand. I have no problems with the physical quality of the book.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Howdy Deinos mate!

I have Masters of Jade, the Exalted book of Economics, which was Print on Demand. I have no problems with the physical quality of the book.

Was that black and white or colour, also may I ask how many pages and how much it cost you? Thanks.

 

[NexH]

I just bought the book yesterday; the apparent lack of progress had made me loss hope for the release of this book, and I had stopped checking the blog regularly. I would be extremely happy if the next volumes were finished this year.

Some comments:

I didn’t pay much attention to the mechanical nuances, but here are some minor typos I noticed in that respect:
Pg 22. Giant Cooking Pot, under HP, “a missed attack never damages a minion" should be removed.
Mass grave, under Hit, the disease contracted is missing.
Not a typo, but automatic "helpless(save ends)" for entering the mass grave seems excessive.
pg 32 Chon-chon. I think it should have the undead subtype.

Beyond the monsters themselves, I liked particularly:
* The real-world diseases
* The rituals
* The terrain features
* The general layout of the document
* The ideas for solo monster design
* The descriptions and flavor text (including the many ´story elements´ that are transmitted via the stat blocks), which is one of the main reason I buy these products.
* The alternate stats (elite or standard versions of the same monster, at appropiately different levels)
* The table of advancement for wendigos, depending on the number of kills.
* The notes including the real-world mythology origin of the monsters.

Please keep up the good work

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey NexH!

I just bought the book yesterday;

Thanks very much for the support, greatly appreciated.

the apparent lack of progress had made me loss hope for the release of this book, and I had stopped checking the blog regularly.

Apologies for that.

I would be extremely happy if the next volumes were finished this year.

Part two should definitely see release sometime this summer. Its so far along that even I can't mess that up (fingers crossed).

Part three isn't far behind it. Maybe 6-8 weeks after Part two.

Some comments:

I didn’t pay much attention to the mechanical nuances, but here are some minor typos I noticed in that respect:
Pg 22. Giant Cooking Pot, under HP, “a missed attack never damages a minion" should be removed.
Mass grave, under Hit, the disease contracted is missing.
Not a typo, but automatic "helpless(save ends)" for entering the mass grave seems excessive.
pg 32 Chon-chon. I think it should have the undead subtype.

Thank you very much for the errata. I'l be sure an fix that for the update in a few weeks time.

Beyond the monsters themselves, I liked particularly:
* The real-world diseases
* The rituals
* The terrain features
* The general layout of the document
* The ideas for solo monster design
* The descriptions and flavor text (including the many ´story elements´ that are transmitted via the stat blocks), which is one of the main reason I buy these products.
* The alternate stats (elite or standard versions of the same monster, at appropiately different levels)
* The table of advancement for wendigos, depending on the number of kills.
* The notes including the real-world mythology origin of the monsters.

Remember that the Vampire Bestiary was initially meant to be all one book. So the things you liked about the first volume will no doubt show up in the rest...the only main difference is that the levels start to get higher.

Please keep up the good work

I'll try my best.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

Bought it! About halfway through...

Looks very "pulp" inspired, which is cool. I like the enemy territory type stuff.

one question - on page 22, Ant Hill, under 'countermeasures' it says "a square of sticks can be automatically uprooted/destroyed by an adjacent character using a standard action". This doesn't seem relevant - is it a copy paste from the Sharp Sticks, page 26?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey there Khisanth mate!

Bought it! About halfway through...

Thanks very much for the support.

Let me know what you think when you finish it - I'm interested in all feedback; good or bad.

Looks very "pulp" inspired, which is cool.

That's true, in fact in the next part* (with the Thuggee Cult and Hindu Vampires) I specifically state I wanted to evoke a 'pulp' influence.

*Which was initially all meant to be one book lets remember.

I like the enemy territory type stuff.

That will be expanded by another page in the next update as per Deinos' suggestions.

one question - on page 22, Ant Hill, under 'countermeasures' it says "a square of sticks can be automatically uprooted/destroyed by an adjacent character using a standard action". This doesn't seem relevant - is it a copy paste from the Sharp Sticks, page 26?

It must be a copy and paste that I missed. Thanks for clearing that up. I'll fix that in the next update.

 

[Deinos]

Howdy Deinos mate!



Was that black and white or colour, also may I ask how many pages and how much it cost you? Thanks.

The cover was color, contents weren't. It was 10.99 and 84 pages.

That will be expanded by another page in the next update as per Deinos' suggestions.

I'm very excited!

I'll see if I can do a 3.x conversion for the book on Saturday, by the way.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Howdy Deinos mate!

The cover was color, contents weren't. It was 10.99 and 84 pages.

Okay that's interesting thanks (I assume the $10.99 was for Postage too?). Paper quality nice and glossy?

I'm very excited!

I'll see if I can do a 3.x conversion for the book on Saturday, by the way.

Well, start with one of the cannibals (Impaler for instance) and see what that's like.

Plus I agree with Alzrius in that a Pathfinder conversion (rather than 3.x makes more sense).