Why an Assassins hand book?

[Gargoyle]

One of the WOTC guys at the D&D Q&A seminar mentioned this as one of the d20 products they liked. I flipped through it at GenCon and liked it. And I almost bought it.

But I didn't buy it because I don't really feel the need for it. I don't buy anything I don't actually use in my game. But I'm sure there will be lots of people who will use it.

 

[Tsyr]

Hi-
First off, I am not a fan of David zeb cooks work, I did not care for the way he handled AD&D2e nor Spelljammer. yup I am an old 1E grognard who has converted to 3e, pass the ammo and praise the lord.
Personally, I prefer to keep Assassins in the NPC only realm becouse what is so heroic or positive about playing a cold blooded killer?


Scott

One my favorite characters of all time that I played was an assassin who only took on targets that he deemed "deservining"... people who had commited great crimes but managed to buy their way out of trouble, tyranical dictators, etc.

 

[alsih2o]

what is so heroic or positive about playing a cold blooded killer?

Scott

who says n.p.c.'s are all supposed to be heroic or positive? isn't that why we get to choose alignment, just like choosing our class and race?

not to mention the good guys who could fall under the assasin range.

and most of what good guys do in a lot of games is just coldblooded killing anyway, it is just justified under a layer of xenophobia.

 

[bushfire]

My question to the community at large is this:
are people buying each and every product that comes out for d20?

Not even close

I don't think anyone but a diehard few are buying *everything* (or even close to everything).

But on the other hand I don't think most of the D20 publishers are expecting everyone to either.

A book like this Assassin's Handbook will probably sell several thousand copies. If it sells really, really, really good, maybe upwards of 8000+ copies. This is likely because of Green Ronin's name on it. We'B'd20 Company's "Handbook of Evil Killers for Hire" will probably not sell half as much.

If the company is smart (and Green Ronin is smart) they will be able to price the book to make enough money for thier needs. If for some reason the book is a runaway bestseller, they may reprint it, or they may just go on to the next book. In addition if We'B'd20 also plays it smart they will also make money (well enough for them anyway) selling thier less than acclaimed Handbook.

 

[shouit]

I bought the assasin book and the shaman's book at GenCon this year. I thought both were good purchases, I have skimmed through them both and they are very interesting reads. But, my favorite purchase has got to be the Customizable DM Screen and R&R2...

Anyways, the assasin book is interesting and worth reading. Don't know if I would allow them as a PC class... But, it will be fun generating bad guys..

 

[ForceUser]

Pet Peeve

I'm sure the book is good and all, but why do I need 64 pages for a DM supplement wholly dedicated to assassins? Surely it's not a player sourcebook

 

[Vrylakos]

After seeing the mechanical implementation of SCON, I would be more than a little dubious.

Not to mention I dislike the idea of a core assassin. I was so glad to hear that the core assassin that was in the playtest docs had been moved to PrC status.

Just curious Psion: I was thinking of getting SCON (I've got Hollowfaust, and there's a necromantic trade city in my campaign setting that might need some more necroinfo). What exactly did you not like?

Oh... hm... I guess I should go check and see if you did a review.

VRYLAKOS

 

[Vrylakos]

After seeing the mechanical implementation of SCON, I would be more than a little dubious.

Not to mention I dislike the idea of a core assassin. I was so glad to hear that the core assassin that was in the playtest docs had been moved to PrC status.

Just curious Psion: I was thinking of getting SCON (I've got Hollowfaust, and there's a necromantic trade city in my campaign setting that might need some more necroinfo). What exactly did you not like?

Oh... hm... I guess I should go check and see if you did a review.

VRYLAKOS

 

[TroyXavier]

I am not a big fan of Assassins(blackguards are cooler), and I definitely don't need a book dedicated to them, but some people will want it, and that's who they're targetting.

 

[Gargoyle]

Re: Pet Peeve

I'm sure the book is good and all, but why do I need 64 pages for a DM supplement wholly dedicated to assassins? Surely it's not a player sourcebook

I don't need a book about Romanian cooking, so I didn't buy that either. No one's forcing you to buy anything. Besides, this is really about what people want, not need.

On the other hand, I can see your frustration. If a good d20 publisher is creating lots of products that you don't want, then they're not spending time writing what you do want. What is it you're looking for?