WotC Summer 05 Product Lists

[Troll Wizard]

Did you notice that included with the Deluxe Eberron DM's screen

"Produced by popular demand, this DM screen is useful to Dungeon Masters running campaigns in the Eberron setting. It includes all the tables from the D&D Deluxe Dungeon Master’s Screen, with modifications and additional material appropriate for game elements unique to the Eberron setting. The front showcases a beautiful widescreen-format piece of Eberron artwork. Also included is a poster map of Khorvaire, the primary setting of the Eberron campaign, with borders, trade routes, and other details not printed on any previous full-sized map."

That should make the Eberron fans happy.

 

[Knight Otu]

That should make the Eberron fans happy.

Of course, that doesn't change the fact that it should have been in the ECS in the first place.

 

[stevelabny]

they all sound pretty good to me...

The Eberron books for an Eberron campaign.

The Waterdeep book can probably be picked up and dumped down anywhere.

Champins of Ruin is worth a flip-through to see if theres any useful info.

Battlefield Adventures might be useful, especially for those who shy away from 3rd party books.

I like Frostburn a lot, so Maelstrom goes right to the top of the list.

Weapons of Legacy should be fun.

DMG2 sounds like a great read.

My only problem is I hate the fact that theres always at least one more book in the pipeline that you know would be useful NOW. (I'm probably startign an Eberron campaign in January or February...that 5 kingdoms book would come in handy)

 

[Shemeska]

Drat. I'd been hoping that Champions of Ruin would be a Big Book o' Tanar'ri. However, given the list of people who wrote it I'll likely buy it on that alone, even if its using the 3e FR cosmology which I can continue to easily and happily ignore, like lots of folks.

 

[Faraer]

There was already a book devoted to evil campaigns, and it was fairly setting-generic, what's the point of making a FR-specific one?

Because 37 years of Realmslore has generated a different and far richer situation than the Book of Vile Darkness describes. But I'm irked that we get this before getting a book on Realms adventurers and adventuring companies, a very rich area covered sketchily in print.

With the current trend in 3E publishing I'd hazard to guess that this is actually a book of Waterdeep-specific spells, feats, prestige classes and magic items - with a map and some dungeon-tiles.

That would have been fair to say a year ago, but Serpent Kingdoms has shown that Wizards realizes Realms books have to be based on Realms content, and Eric Boyd ain't no rules toys writin', Realmslore neglectin' lackey.

 

[Sammael]

I am a bit worried about the relatively small size of the Waterdeep sourcebook. It's much smaller than the City of Splendors boxed set, and with the recent trend of not including poster maps with FR sourcebooks, at least 7 pages of the book will be maps (area overview, city overview, five maps for wards).

I hope it'll be crunch-lite, but we can probably expect the 3.5 version of the Guild Wizard, and a dozen feats, as well as a few of Khelben's unique spells that haven't been converted yet.

Beyond what's already in City of Splendors, I'd like more info on the Moonstars and the recent events.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

"Champions of Ruin

Richard Baker says it will have info on a fiend lords named Malkizid & Eltab & Also the 2 headed Slaad Lord Bazim-Gorag.

He's recently clarified this to say that he's no longer sure what will be in it. The demon thing he got from a preview copy of the book that was briefly on his desk several months ago, but since a) it was a preview copy, b) he only saw it briefly, and c) he's not working on the thing, he isn't willing to say with any degree of certainty what will be in the book when it comes out.

 

[Arnwyn]

Looks to (yet again, or still) be another year that I'll be saving more money. I'll only be getting (starting at April):

- Codex Anathema: though I am a little wary about this one, due to my big disappointment over Libris Mortis, and how little value it was to me.

- Champions of Ruin: only for the ability to create villains for my FR campaign. There have been some very good FR books lately (SK, SS), but I don't have high hopes for this one... the focus doesn't seem to be all that useful, especially for a FR game.

- City of Splendors: Waterdeep: again, for my FR game - however, I'll be pretty iffy on this one until I can flip through it. Really now - how many more Waterdeep books do I need, after Waterdeep and the North, City System, Volo's Guide to Waterdeep, City of Splendors, blah blah blah blah blah. Looks to be probably full of regurgitation. Not promising.

So three, or maybe even just two, books. Not much there for me. The rest of the stuff is either d20 re-hash (look, more ship rules! Look, more battlefield rules!) or Eberron stuff.

 

[Nightfall]

Well I still say if they are doing evil, I want Orcus involved. Orcus helped FR.

 

[Sammael]

Gah, no Orcus, please. Except as a passing reference to his debacle in the Bloodstone Lands.