Warcraft Expansions

[FDP Mike]

Can anyone tell me where I could find that Warcraft D20 preview?

I'm not sure exactly which one you mean, but Blizzard did put up a preview, offering a few pages from the core book, including the stuff for the new Scout core class. Go here.

There was also an interview with E. Deirdre Brooks, the developer, recently posted on WolfSpoor. Go here.

WoolSpoor also has a handy page that's collected most of the information regarding the Warcraft RPG so far, including an interview that Deirdre, along with Andrew Bates, did with HomeLan. Check out the page here.

Originally Posted by Coik:
Does that mean it uses alignment and fire-and-forget magic?

If so, it won't be enough to keep me from buying it...but the spring in my step as I go to do so will be noticably smaller.

And if so, it's not really a big deal...axe alignment for faction allegance, axe wizards for sorcerers (and mebbie give them a slightly more generous spell progression). Done and done.

Yes to alignment and fire-and-forget magic.

That said, affiliation/allegiance is a central component of the Warcraft RPG, particularly regarding the make-up of PC parties. Alignment remains important, as the battle between Good vs. Evil is, of course, key to the RTS itself, but the relationships between the different affiliations (i.e., Alliance and Horde) should make for some great roleplaying.

Wizards still have a key role in the game, so don't go axing them too soon!


Take care,
Mike

 

[Coik]

Alignment remains important, as the battle between Good vs. Evil is, of course, key to the RTS itself, but the relationships between the different affiliations (i.e., Alliance and Horde) should make for some great roleplaying.

Wizards still have a key role in the game, so don't go axing them too soon!

Well, I guess you're right...I shouldn't go about changing the thing until after I've had a chance to read through it, should I?

Okay then. Just how pervasive is alignment? As bad as in D&D, in that there's some absolute but vaguely defined system of morality in place? Worse? Better?

And I was gonna say that wizards don't fit the system of magic in the game (yeah, yeah, I know, there's no way they'd be perfectly matched, but still), but I got to thinking that the difference between a wizard and a sorcerer is primarily one of training, neh? Something that wouldn't come up often in the context of the game. And there was the Kirin Tor...

But dern if being sensible doesn't take all the fun out of pre-judging something!

 

[ShadowX]

**************Spoilers***************
Well I personally hated the expansion campaign. Most of the game added so very little to the plot that it made it feel artificially elongated. The characters were also annoying. Maive was to similar to Arthas, Tyrande and Furion letting Illidan go was completely out of character, and Kael joining Illidan even though he serves the demons who destroyed his original source of magic was just dumb. Its even worse that Illidan does seemingly nothing to help the Blood Elves with their hunger for magic. And then Sylvannas just shows up as a Dark Ranger for no apparent reason when turning her undead was completely optional in the original, and even then she was only a banshee. And then when she gets free will you would think she would revoke her dark path, but no she proceeds to start her own empire. The only character I really like was Lady Vashj, even though the naga seemed rather bland on the whole.

As for the warcraft campaign setting, I have to agree that I fail to see how good it could be. Warcraft 1 and 2 added very little to the setting and barely had any plot of its own other than "kill orcs\humans." This leaves 1 game and now an xpack to create a setting. Admittedly the current composure of the world leads to an interesting setting, but the setting has always been rooted in war, this doesnt fit well with the small adventuring parties of an RPG. I really hope Warcraft is similar to Diablo in that it has a lot of history to it that just never made it to the games, as I can not see how the games themselves could create a compelling setting.

Oh and Orcs rule!! Best part of warcraft.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Glad to see theres some discussion about the pros and cons of the old Warcraft series.

It'll be very interesting to see how this all comes into play via the RPG.

 

[dreamthief]

I also hope it brings in some new PnP gamers into the fold. D&D was influential in Warcraft's design, and now it's Blizzard's time to expose them to RPGs. Not all of 'em, but some of them should be intrigued enough by it. I know I am.

 

[der_kluge]

I guess all I'm saying is that, in my opinion, Warcraft the RPG, doesn't really add anything more to the game that I can create with my PHB, DMG, and MM. The MM already has rules to play orcs as a PC race, as well as goblins. I already have all the spells in the PHB, and all the other D20 mechanics. So, it would seem to me that I already have everything I need to be able to go out and make my own Warcraft-like world, which from what I can tell, just isn't really much different from Greyhawk, or Forgotten Realms.

I mean, Planescape, or Al-Qadim, or even Oathbound - now that's unique and different, and those books put forth a lot of creative energy that can stir the imagination. Warcraft? I'm just not seeing it. Sorry.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Curtis, I can agree with the main point you're saying, that Warcraft doesn't have a lot of 'original' material to bring to the game. But that's really only a surface look because Warcraft orcs are different than D&D orcs. Warcraft Taurens are not D&D Minotaurs.

Can you emulate it?

Yes.

Is it the same thing?

No.

I think that the one preview with it's new core class, the Scout, also proves that this game will have a lot to offer to Dungeons & Dragons players, not only those who want to add Warcraft elements. The faces may be the same but the material underneath looks very different. It'd be like seeing two fish that look the same but not knowing that one of them is a deadly flesh eater.

And I hate to say it, but if this book has steampunk material, despite Fantasy Flight Games and Privateer Press having the ideas and ads for this type of source material long ago, White Wolf will beat them to the printing press. The reason I hate to say that is because I'm anxiously awaiting both books and would've liked to see what they had to offer.

 

[Nightfall]

Just want to say thanks to Mike for the stuff...and I certainly think I'll be looking VERY hard at getting the Dungeons and Dragons Warcraft Roleplaying Game. (There. I said it right. )

Btw Joe, I hope you pick up the books. Along with a few I did as well.

 

[JoeGKushner]

So Nightfall, what books exactly do you have material in?

Inquiring minds want to know.

And heck, I bet if you do get the Warcraft book, you'll probably do the same thing as me and just pop those classes,races, PrCs, Feats, Spells, Magic Items, feats and other goodies right into your standard campaign.

 

[MasterLich]

Personally i cant wait till this comes out. Been looking forward to it fer awhile now.

As fer campaign ideas: Well i believe that at the end of the Reign of Chaos, The night elves retreated back into the forest and the orcs and humans had a truce set up. You can easily mish mash a group together and watch the player conflicts run wild. You think an orc and a human can get along? I forsee a lot of fist fight's happening. A night elf attempting to retrain itself from beating on the High elf every time it cast a spell. Everyone not trusting that knome....er.... Goblin. Gonna be fun trying to deal with that as the DM Hell, you can even bring back Guldan and make the orcs all evil again. w00t!!

From a warcraft player that has played it from the begining and read the novels, is that the story line is pretty good, not great but good.

I am gonna have great fun, espicially when the see that Red Dragon settle down by them and chit chat with them politely and not eat them. Gonna scare the piss out of them.