WotC and D&D
- Thread starter MerricB
- Start date
Gothmog
First Post
I voted generally unhappy with WotC, although I should say my true sentiments are neutral to slightly negative. I enjoy 3.5 and think the revision was necessary and made many good changes to the game, making the game more playable and less prone to powergaming abuse. However, all of the other WotC products over the last year have been very lackluster IMO. WotC focuses too much on production values, making a pretty product, and "crunch", while ignoring the possibility of taking their supplements in a truly interesting and innovative direction. Other D20 publishers consistently outshine them IMO (Green Ronin, FFG, Atlas, Mongoose, Kenzer, and MEG are the consistent high quality companies), making more innovative and useful products for my gaming purposes. While I am somewhat anticipating Unearthed Arcana, I'm also not going to get my hopes up about it- I've been burned by WotC in that manner too many times before. Plus, they have a habit of releasing full color hardback books that should be B&W softbacks simply to jack the price up (Arms & Equipment Guide, Complete Warrior, and if I bought FR stuff like Underdark and Unapproachable East). While the pretty full color books are nice, if they don't have much bang for my gaming $ (which I don't think they do), I'd much rather have a less pretty book with better ideas.
Scarbonac
Not An Evil Twin
What does "Wants to kick WotC in the Corporate junk" translate into? 
I think that many of my complaints mirror Gothmog's (that saved some space...oh, but that wasted some of the saved space...uh...I like swords.)
An RPG book simply needs sturdy construction, a reasonably attractive (or at least not over-produced) cover, plain white interiors with black text, B&W illustrations with maybe a few color-plates and to be chock-full of useful "crunch" and interesting "fluff"...like the 1e books or the Complete line of softcovers from 2e.
Plus the plastic minis and 3.$ are just teh money-suck.
I think that many of my complaints mirror Gothmog's (that saved some space...oh, but that wasted some of the saved space...uh...I like swords.)
An RPG book simply needs sturdy construction, a reasonably attractive (or at least not over-produced) cover, plain white interiors with black text, B&W illustrations with maybe a few color-plates and to be chock-full of useful "crunch" and interesting "fluff"...like the 1e books or the Complete line of softcovers from 2e.
Plus the plastic minis and 3.$ are just teh money-suck.
WayneLigon
Adventurer
In total, I'm happy with the way things are done, but I could be happier. Unfortunately, my ideas of what would make me really happy with them are probably not conducive to running a profitable business. 
THose would be:
1. Staying with 3.0 and presenting a different 'official' Ranger class. Really, that's the only thing I'd change about 3.0, period. Everything worked the way I wanted, and I didn't see a problem with things like Haste and Harm. But that's in the past
2. The thing that would probably drive me to bankruptcy would be my unwillingness to release a hardback book of less length than than the PHB. I'd have combined all the 'splat books' into two hardbacks (one for magic using classes, one for non-magic-using classes, added some base classes and cut some of the equipment out); put 'Monsters of Faerun' into the FR Campaign Guide; combined Stronghold Builders Guide and Book of Challenges; etc, etc.
THose would be: 1. Staying with 3.0 and presenting a different 'official' Ranger class. Really, that's the only thing I'd change about 3.0, period. Everything worked the way I wanted, and I didn't see a problem with things like Haste and Harm. But that's in the past
2. The thing that would probably drive me to bankruptcy would be my unwillingness to release a hardback book of less length than than the PHB. I'd have combined all the 'splat books' into two hardbacks (one for magic using classes, one for non-magic-using classes, added some base classes and cut some of the equipment out); put 'Monsters of Faerun' into the FR Campaign Guide; combined Stronghold Builders Guide and Book of Challenges; etc, etc.
A'koss
Explorer
I'm not quite sure how to vote...
Since our group has decided to go the low-magic route, most of the books we pick up now are used more for inspiration. As far as the handling the game itself, I find it difficult to answer. I'm quite looking forward to books like Unearthed Arcana, however I certainly miss all the adventures they used to put out. Eberron is geared for a style of gaming that is completely 180 degrees in the opposite direction to the style our game is heading in. So am I happy? Well I'd be happier if they came out with a low magic D&D book.
I think d20 gaming, on the whole, has been very good for the industry (with a few notable exceptions of course...) so I have to give them props there.
Cheers,
A'koss.
Since our group has decided to go the low-magic route, most of the books we pick up now are used more for inspiration. As far as the handling the game itself, I find it difficult to answer. I'm quite looking forward to books like Unearthed Arcana, however I certainly miss all the adventures they used to put out. Eberron is geared for a style of gaming that is completely 180 degrees in the opposite direction to the style our game is heading in. So am I happy? Well I'd be happier if they came out with a low magic D&D book.
I think d20 gaming, on the whole, has been very good for the industry (with a few notable exceptions of course...) so I have to give them props there.
Cheers,
A'koss.
MrFilthyIke
First Post
I voted very happy, as they created this entire entity called "d20".
I'd be VERY, VERY happy if they supported Greyhawk and kept the
hardback=core book and softback=supplement format, but hardback
make more $$$.
And this is business, NOT a hobby for them.
I'd be VERY, VERY happy if they supported Greyhawk and kept the
hardback=core book and softback=supplement format, but hardback
make more $$$.
And this is business, NOT a hobby for them.
I'm a 'don't like where they are headed' kind of guy.
The revision is part of it, for reasons I went into rather extensively in that thread. Basically I'm not opposed to a revision, but I personally feel that the way they went about this revision was bad. For me anyway.
As far as their books they've been failing to impress me for quite some time. The ELH is pretty much 180 degrees from what I'd want in epic rules, savage species I had no interest in as I don't allow monsterous PCs. Complete Warrior almost sounds good, as I like getting new base classes. But I already own a lot of the material from here, and 'updated to 3.5' has no value to me. I didn't like the approach the BoED took, consisting of a lot of "power-ups" for good characters.
I do like some of their stuff. The Manual of the Planes and Fiend Folio are great. I love the BoVD - this is the approach I prefer. It doesn't power-up the villians, but gives them flavor and makes them feel "more evil". And I'm a big fan of the minis line. I don't use minis all the time and I have no interest in the board game, but dirt cheap prepainted minis are hard to beat.
But of course my favorite thing they did was to release the d20 license. Since that was done if they go in a direction I don't prefer, that's okay. There's a ton of other companies out there that do things differently than WotC.
The revision is part of it, for reasons I went into rather extensively in that thread. Basically I'm not opposed to a revision, but I personally feel that the way they went about this revision was bad. For me anyway.
As far as their books they've been failing to impress me for quite some time. The ELH is pretty much 180 degrees from what I'd want in epic rules, savage species I had no interest in as I don't allow monsterous PCs. Complete Warrior almost sounds good, as I like getting new base classes. But I already own a lot of the material from here, and 'updated to 3.5' has no value to me. I didn't like the approach the BoED took, consisting of a lot of "power-ups" for good characters.
I do like some of their stuff. The Manual of the Planes and Fiend Folio are great. I love the BoVD - this is the approach I prefer. It doesn't power-up the villians, but gives them flavor and makes them feel "more evil". And I'm a big fan of the minis line. I don't use minis all the time and I have no interest in the board game, but dirt cheap prepainted minis are hard to beat.
But of course my favorite thing they did was to release the d20 license. Since that was done if they go in a direction I don't prefer, that's okay. There's a ton of other companies out there that do things differently than WotC.
Arnwyn
First Post
I'm generally unhappy with what they're doing.
Tired of all the splatbooks ("do you know what this book needs? More feats and prestige classes!"
) and constant regurgitation ("updates" - whatever) of previous edition/version material.
It's sure saving me some money and time, though!
Tired of all the splatbooks ("do you know what this book needs? More feats and prestige classes!"
) and constant regurgitation ("updates" - whatever) of previous edition/version material.It's sure saving me some money and time, though!
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MonsterMash
First Post
I would have been happier to have voted Content rather than happy, but went for the mostly happy option. I don't really buy a lot of WotC products apart from the core rulebooks. Eberron does nothing for me. I already collect and use metal (largely) miniatures so I don't want to buy incompatible plastic figures which though they seem to be improving are still fairly poor.
I prefer to buy adventures and settings from 3rd party publishers notably Necromancer Games and Judges Guild.
Of course if in a years time we get a 4e is coming announcement I think I'll join the rabid WotC = bloodsuckers faction.
I prefer to buy adventures and settings from 3rd party publishers notably Necromancer Games and Judges Guild.
Of course if in a years time we get a 4e is coming announcement I think I'll join the rabid WotC = bloodsuckers faction.
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