Warcraft Expansions

[JoeGKushner]

Well, I just finished playing the Frozen Throne and it adds a lot to the setting. I especially liked the bonus campaign although I'm still in the midsts of that one.

Looks like there is a lot of potential in this world.

One interesting thing is that almost everyone in the Frozen Throne is an anti-hero. Not a lonely, misunderstood hero, but a true anti-hero like Kane from Karl Edgar Wagner.

 

[Nightfall]

You know it would be nice if I a) Had the game... b) Finished the first one... c) played the expansion...

Btw Joe are you getting the RPG for Warcraft?

 

[JoeGKushner]

Even though I'm not on White Wolf's reviewer list (which is why there are never any SL reviews by me here), I'm leaning on yes. The only problem might be the price as it comes out the same time as about five other hardcover books I want to buy are coming out.

It does look fantastic from previews though and I know the art is going to be top notch. My only worry is that I bought all of the Everquest stuff and found it just different enough that I didn't want to use it with my standard d20 games and I'm hoping that this isn't the case here.

 

[DM_Matt]

Bah, the Frozen Throne's "anti-heroes" too often cross the line into being a bunch of evil jerks that are hard to root for.

I dont see why I ought to like Illidan, who cant even decide what side he's on but likes killing things in the meantime. Arthas is just the same old jerk he's always been. Stormrage/tigerchick(i forgot her name) are too emotional/naieve in letting Illidan go again (altohugh it coincidentally was for the better). Maiev is ok, I guess.

Kael and Silvanas had me going for a bit, but they went all-out darkside like all the others.

(NOTE: I am in the dragon level of the undead campaign, so I guess things might change)

They also seem to nearly always stupidly let their oponents live at the last minute.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I don't know if this belongs in the Software forum or not, since Warcraft is both an upcoming D&D campaign setting as well as a wildly popular series of computer games. Oh well.

I got the Warcraft III expansion two weeks ago (the day it came out) and I thought it was absolutly great. The new units and heroes really add a lot of variety to the game, and the single-player campaign has a great storyline.

Now, on to the characters...

Furion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind: I never did like these two, because they are both extremely self-righteous and stupid. Tyrande would have let the Burning Legion tear apart the world rather than ally with the orcs and humans, while Furion let Illidan go after he caused the deaths of countless night elves.

Illidan: Never did like him either. He's the kind of angst-ridden whiner who is only cool if you're a fourteen-year-old goth.

Maiev: The only night elf hero I don't hate. I can understand her desire to take vengence on Illidan, because she watched several of her friends die at his hand. I just hope we haven't heard the last of her.

Kael: I thought he was a fairly original character. He's a magic-addicted junkie who will do anything to feed his habit, even if he has to side with the Burning Legion.

Lady Vashj: I thought she was a fairly interesting right-hand for Illidan.

Rexxor: The best new character in the game. But I won't spoil it for DM_Matt, since I don't know if he's completed the orc campaign yet.

Blizzard is famous for making great expansion packs, and the Frozen Throne only proves it further.

 

[JoeGKushner]

One of the interesting things is that they're mercenary heroes, Rexxar, Vesh, and the female Night Elf/Undead, as well as a few others.

I hope that the RPG has some good rules for the hiring and use of mercenaries. That might be a make or break for me since I really haven't seen too much done with mercs.

 

[FDP Mike]

It does look fantastic from previews though and I know the art is going to be top notch. My only worry is that I bought all of the Everquest stuff and found it just different enough that I didn't want to use it with my standard d20 games and I'm hoping that this isn't the case here.

Well, the official title of the game is the Dungeons & Dragons Warcraft Roleplaying Game, so ....

Rest assured, Joe: the Warcraft RPG is "standard d20" through and through. There are some differences in which core classes are available, but that's to model the Warcraft world more closely. (For instance, druids, paladins, and rangers are handled as PrC's; the healer core class replaces the cleric, but there's also a priest PrC; the scout core class "replaces" the ranger, etc.) Any new mechanics, such as for handling technological devices, are built on d20 rules. Game play is exactly as you know it in D&D/d20.

I hope that the RPG has some good rules for the hiring and use of mercenaries. That might be a make or break for me since I really haven't seen too much done with mercs.

The core book does not have this stuff. I have not yet seen the Alliance & Horde Compendium manuscript, so I don't know if such rules are in there.

We'll see, I guess ....

For those who like -- or dislike -- some of the "anti-heroes," the upcoming Manual of Monsters will give you a treat or two. But that's all I can say for now. Honest.


Take care,
Mike

 

[MarauderX]

I am gonna get the RPG no matter what. I trust Blizzard to put forward kick @$$ products even though they annoyingly move the release dates back time and again, and I think the RPG will be the same. I don't have Frozen Throne yet, but I am anticipating the RPG much more anyway.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

I never even played Warcraft...

 

[Impeesa]

Can't wait for Warcraft campaign setting.... two.. more weeks...

Something I noticed in the campaign: I love how Blizzard manages to bring the characters to life. Even though Arthas has completely forsaken the light, you can still see the hints of his past life in how he's always polite and respectful to the allies he deals with in the campaign.

--Impeesa--