What's the best that Monte Cook and Mearls have done so far?

[Jawsh]

I was going to be helpful and list all of Monte Cook's and Mike Mearls' writing credits, but seeing your attitude, I just don't feel like it.

foolish_mortals, I like you and I agree with you on a lot of stuff, but you're just plain rude. Name-calling was one thing, I don't care about that, and I doubt Monte or Mike care that much either, but now you're just being rude to other forumers.

Do your own Googling.

 

[Sanglorian]

Because Arcana Evolved and Iron Heroes were third party books and whole player's handbooks, they're probably the best source of Monte and Mike's design philosophies. I think both were brilliant d20 books, but I worry that neither Monte nor Mike had much design experience with non-d20 or non-Dungeons & Dragons games (do correct me if I'm wrong).

I think experience of games like Fiasco, Ghost/Echo, Lady Blackbird, Savage Worlds would be really handy for the D&D 5E designers. Those games represent a different way to play and I think they have something to teach all gamers (just as each edition of D&D has something to teach all gamers).

I also really enjoyed Tome of Battle, which I believe Mike played a lead design role on.

And I thought Requiem for a God (one of Monte's first third party books) had some great ideas in it.

 

[delericho]

I was of the impression that Monte worked extensively on Rolemaster before coming to D&D?

Also, while I like "Iron Heroes", I tend to prefer Mearls' work on the "Book of Iron Might", from the same company.

 

[Sanglorian]

I was of the impression that Monte worked extensively on Rolemaster before coming to D&D?

Ah, you're right - for about six years. I'm still worried that it's been heavily D&D/d20 focused for almost two decades, but it's good to know he's also worked outside that field.

 

[avin]

This isn't school were we have to call people Mr. Cookie or Mr. Mervel.

In my grown up world, in my job, out of school, there's no way I call something Mr. Cookie.

 

[delericho]

Ah, you're right - for about six years. I'm still worried that it's been heavily D&D/d20 focused for almost two decades, but it's good to know he's also worked outside that field.

It's a valid concern - there's definitely a danger of an echo chamber mentality setting in. That said, I think the WotC team are conscious of this risk (and, indeed, may recognise that it affected 4e quite a bit), and are therefore trying really hard to avoid it.

Honestly, though, I'm not all that worried about the rules. I expect we will, at the very least, get an adequate set of rules from them. (Whether it is better than what we currently have or not... well, that's a whole other question.)

But where my biggest concern lies is with adventures. Who is writing them? What is their pedigree? Because of the names on the team, the only one I recognise as an "adventures guy" is Bruce Cordell, and I'm afraid I've been less than impressed with his work for the last... well, since "The Heart of Nightfang Spire", to be honest.

 

[Wormwood]

well, since "The Heart of Nightfang Spire", to be honest.

Oh that was pretty bad.

But I expect we'll end up with an intro adventure that features a small humanoid monster that the party can adopt---Meepo and Splug being the most memorable bits from the last two.

 

[malkav666]

In my grown up world, in my job, out of school, there's no way I call something Mr. Cookie.

I name all of my pets after foods to reinforce to them where they sit in the grand scheme of things at Casa de Malkav. I actually had a volitan lion named Mr. Cookie for many years. I eventually had to break that aquarium down when I had my son to make room a for a play area for him. I kept him with a pair of fuzzy dwarf lions named General Tso, and Anchovy. I miss them still.

love,

malkav

 

[avin]

I name all of my pets after foods to reinforce to them where they sit in the grand scheme of things at Casa de Malkav. I actually had a volitan lion named Mr. Cookie for many years. I eventually had to break that aquarium down when I had my son to make room a for a play area for him. I kept him with a pair of fuzzy dwarf lions named General Tso, and Anchovy. I miss them still.

Bad wording, I wanted to say "someone" not "something". At work. At home I got a beagle named Banana

 

[D'karr]

I have a friend that has two cat, Moo Shoo Pork, and Kung Pao Chicken. His reasoning behind the naming is funny, but offensive.