Just wanted to offer my opinions on the upcoming products (just because its what's done now):
D&D Gift Set: I'd have been happier if they offered this right when the new books were released at GenCon, since thats where I'm buying them. Other than that, I don't have much to say about this; the slip-cover with original art is nice, but nothing I'm falling over myself for, and the price is the same as buying the three books separately would be. I expect people will be buying this for themselves more than for other people.
d20 Menace Manual: Sounds somewhat like the
Book of Vile Darkness meets
Dark Matter. Nothing too surprising there.
D&D Miniatures Handbook: Okay, now this I'm excited about. I've always seen the appeal of the use of miniatures, but never wanted to get into that scene due to cost and a lack of painting skills. This, more than the miniatures packs themselves, could be what finally draws me in to that. Even if I still didn't care about that, I'd get this anyway, since its going to not only have the usual new slew of stuff, but also three-dimensional combat rules, rules for skirmishes to mass battles (finally!), and new base classes, the first we've seen since the
Psionics Handbook. This is a "must have" item.
D&D Miniatures Entry Pack: Now, like I said, I was never a miniatures fan, but between the above product and this, I think I will be from now on. My biggest gripe, having to paint them myself, has finally been answered. No more having to buy paints, primer, brushes, sealant, and going through the agonizing process fo painting them, waiting for them to dry, making sure they're in a well-vented area, etc (not to mention the whole lead-free bit is solved at last). Add to that a rulebook, a handy checklist, a free d20, stat cards for the miniatures (thank you!), plus terrain mapsheets and cards (thank you thank you!)...all that, and sixteen minis, for just $20? Oh yeah, I'm buying that.
D&D Miniatures Harbinger Expansion Pack: The obvious expansion to the Entry Pack. The value does seem to drop somewhat here. I'm glad they'll have the stat cards though, since those are good, but here the randomized feature makes me wonder a bit. How many packs will I have to buy before I get that displacer beast mini? I'm sort of hoping that the packs will have some small place on the packaging where they list what's inside...but somehow I doubt it. Also, despite both the number of figures and the price being directly halved, it doesnt seem like the same value, since things like terrain mapsheets and such are gone. Still, its something I'll be buying to compliment the Entry Pack. Though...given that its the same set of miniatures as found in the Entry Pack, and you get more bang for your buck with that (a free d20, terrain mapsheets, and more), I may just buy several Entry Packs and be done with it.
Book of Exalted Deeds: I gotta admit, I'm having flashbacks to the
Hero Builder's Buidebook here. Nothing in this blurb seems to explain why this is a mature title, even though it tries very hard to justify the "Mature" label. And things like "tips and information for running heroic campaigns and characters"? I'm sorry, here I was running that campaign for those damn neutral characters again, I just can't seem to make D&D a game about heroes no matter how hard I try! Aaargh! I'm pretty skeptical of this one. I imagine I'll need to thumb through it first.
Forgotten Realms: Underdark: Okay, I like drow as much as (oh heck, more than) the next D&D fan...but I think its gone a bit too far here. My most sincere hope is that this book is like
The Silver Marches in that its more flavor than crunch, because this is one time when I think more crunch just isn't needed. If they are going to focus on the drow, I wish it would be after the Silence of Lolth ended so it could sum up and build on the changes, but it won't, since the War of the Spider Queen books won't end until 2005. I want this one to be good, but I must admit to being somewhat dubious.
Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons: I'm glad the subtitle is there, since I had no idea what "Draconomicon" meant.
Seriously though, I'm a bit confused by how much they mention the art and the "prestige" format. I sort of took it for granted this book would have art...is this the first of a new line of D&D coffee table books? I'm glad there will be more given on how to play dragons, especially after their rather sparse coverage in
Savage Species, but still, unless they're bringing back Io's Blood Isles (that is, the
Council of Wyrms setting - please bring it back!), then I foresee some problems on using this with an otherwise-normal party. I also hope that when they say "dragons of every type" that they mean it. Make sure to include those gem dragons (and their god, Sardior), obsidian dragons, Steel dragons, shadow dragons, and what have you. Maybe the rest of the linnorms will make an appearance. I expect the
Draconomicon to be somewhat holistic in this regard. Please don't prove me wrong.
D&D Miniatures Dragoneye Expansion Pack: I can't wait for the Dragonhand expansion after this, since then we'll have the Hand and Eye of Dragons.
Jokes aside, the blurb here confused me somewhat. Some packs will have dragon miniatures and others won't? Given that they'll be of various sizes, won't you just be able to tell by looking at the boxes? I hope it won't be "some assembly requires" with glue and all...that'd be bringing back that miniature prep stuff that I dislike. Also, I'm actually discouraged to hear that this will have new miniatures from other products mixed in with the original set of 80. If I want more of that first set, I'll go buy more Entry Packs of Harbinger packs. When I buy the Dragoneye pack, its because I want new miniatures from the newer books, not more of the older ones. This one should be the start of a new set of miniatures, separate from the previous 80.
Complete Warrior: I found this blurb to be quite heartening! Despite the fact that a full one-fourth of it is old material, I for one am glad that its been revised and updated. I like updates, and I like having it all in a single book where its much more useful. But most of all, I especially like it that this doesn't sound class-specific. The blurb makes it sound useful for Fighter, Paladins, Sorcerers, Clerics, Rogues, or what have you. It's about combat, and every class takes part in combat (and its even going to have new combat-oriented base classes to boot). I'm definately looking forward to picking up this one.
And that's my hefty two cents.
