I'll let you guys know if it sucks horribly. I am expecting an increase in the quality, regularity and such of modules though. I am not paying to wonder where the module I want to read is every week.
From the OP
Other races expected to show up: Goliaths, Aarakocrabird, Bugbear
Goliaths, Shifter, Daeva, Goblin (I think, this one is 50/50 from what I remember), gnome and some other random thing are confirmed races in PHB II. Shifters are especially odd. This was confirmed in a thread at the official forums from a PHB 2 playtest, with people playing races and classes from the PHB2. It's worth noting that this is confirmed by the racial entries for many of these in the Forgotten Realms books.
As far as I know, the confirmed races are goliaths (giant PC race), shifters, deva (reskinned aasimar), gnomes and half-orcs.
I think deva is simply a better name for "good" planetouched than aasimar, really.
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
edited October 2008
Daeva = Aasimar. This is in the Forgotten Realms book where it mentions that Daeva are sometimes also known as Aasimar in the realms. They are the opposite of tieflings in some respects. FR seems to think they are actually proper angels, who got "left behind" so to speak when the area that they were protecting got obliterated during the spellplague. Now they are wandering around the realms, doing good things and such forth. When I have my book in my hand again I'll post the rest for anyone curious. They do not appear to have flight from the get go, despite apparently having wings (that's about all I know though).
I believe most of the zany new races are there to be "zomg choices" and make the PHB II similar value-ish to the first book.
"Even now I struggle to type that word without spelling it like buttocks. I'm one of the designers who argued that we should stop using the word aasimar."
Sorry if this has been brought up before, but does anyone else's core books smudge like crazy? Like, if my hand is even slightly moist I smear a big chunk of text.
My books are going to look like crap in a few years.
Sorry if this has been brought up before, but does anyone else's core books smudge like crazy? Like, if my hand is even slightly moist I smear a big chunk of text.
My books are going to look like crap in a few years.
It's widely agreed that the ink is shit.
I don't think it's even just moisture, I think heat has something to do with it too.
Probably from China or something.
--
So far the only DDI thing I see we get is the Monster tool.
Here's hoping it is snazzy.
--
The Monster thing produces a text printout like so:
THE BLARGH
THE BLARGH Level 1 Brute
Gargantuan Shadow Animate XP 100
Initiative +1 Senses Perception +6;
HP 30; Bloodied 15
AC 13; Fortitude 15, Reflex 13, Will 13
Speed 6
Basic Melee (standard; at-will)
Reach 2; +4 vs AC; 1d10 + 3 damage
YOU GET SMIDGED
Limited Power 1 (standard; encounter)
+4 vs AC; 2d10 + 3 damage
Alignment: Chaotic Good Languages: C++
Skills: C++
Str 16 (+3) Dex 13 (+1) Wis 13 (+1)
Con 10 (0) Int 10 (0) Cha 10 (0)
Equipment: TOOLS
And then lets you print it. HOWEVER, the printout looks like it's all in bold, which I hope they fix, since Bolding is what they do to seperate things.
Also it's only set up for normal monsters.
On the plus side, the designer has a thread open on the WotC forums and is taking feedback directly while he develops it further.
The thing with WotC is that they're mostly going to attract D&D enthusiasts who know how to code more than coders who don't mind working for what WotC is paying.
I don't think it's even just moisture, I think heat has something to do with it too.
Its actually oil. Some people body chemistry smudges the ink. Other peoples doesn't.
Let that be a lesson to not be a greasy person.
I'm calling the ACLU, I'm sure there's money to be had here somewhere.
Additionally, I want to do the iconic zombies rising out of the water encounter at about level 2. But the problem is around that level all there are are gravehounds (which I don't like to use) and the standard zombies. Think I should create a freaky waterbloated zombie? Or maybe throw in an Ooze?
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INeedNoSaltwith blood on my teethRegistered Userregular
I don't think it's even just moisture, I think heat has something to do with it too.
Its actually oil. Some people body chemistry smudges the ink. Other peoples doesn't.
Let that be a lesson to not be a greasy person.
I'm calling the ACLU, I'm sure there's money to be had here somewhere.
Additionally, I want to do the iconic zombies rising out of the water encounter at about level 2. But the problem is around that level all there are are gravehounds (which I don't like to use) and the standard zombies. Think I should create a freaky waterbloated zombie? Or maybe throw in an Ooze?
An ooze inside of the zombies and when the zombies die they keep moving and why do they keep moving they keep moving because there is an ooze inside of them
On the topic of the poll:
If you buy a 1 year subscription and they add additional features in the next year, will they make you pay more to access them?
AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
edited October 2008
So, the first subscription only adventure was released, Ziggurat Beyond Time. It's actually fairly good this one to be honest. It has one of the most incredibly annoying traps I've seen thus far. This will drive people nuts.
Overall 7/10.
Still no tagless maps Wizards.
Edit: If anyone would find it useful, I'll review modules and other stuff released in dungeon/dragon in some depth when I have time. This is to help people decide if it's actually worth subscribing or not. I must admit, this module has two of the most horribly annoying encounters I can think of. The blackfire Dracolich is really cool though (nicely set up creature, though how it will avoid being proned to death I am not sure).
Edit2: Just pointing this out if nobody realised this:
If you subscribe to Maxim, Windows World, Dog Fancy, National Geographic, or Popular Mechanics, do you get the past issues of that with your one year subscription?
If you subscribe later on, you won't be able to get articles from past issues in any sort of "digital vault". The reason for this does make sense though, but it does suck I have to admit.
If you subscribe later on, you won't be able to get articles from past issues in any sort of "digital vault". The reason for this does make sense though, but it does suck I have to admit.
What? This was one of their selling points for me. Fuckers.
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
If you subscribe later on, you won't be able to get articles from past issues in any sort of "digital vault". The reason for this does make sense though, but it does suck I have to admit.
What? This was one of their selling points for me. Fuckers.
Seriously, what?! Miserable... Now I'm torn - 6$ a month for both dungeon and dragon, even without the tools, is nice, but I was going to wait until they released most of the bonus stuff before I took the plunge... now I feel like I have to buy now so I don't miss out on something. Which makes me not want to buy at all :P
If you subscribe later on, you won't be able to get articles from past issues in any sort of "digital vault". The reason for this does make sense though, but it does suck I have to admit.
What? This was one of their selling points for me. Fuckers.
Seriously, what?! Miserable... Now I'm torn - 6$ a month for both dungeon and dragon, even without the tools, is nice, but I was going to wait until they released most of the bonus stuff before I took the plunge... now I feel like I have to buy now so I don't miss out on something. Which makes me not want to buy at all :P
Yeah, but their logic for why they are doing this is solid I have to admit. They basically don't want people just going and paying for one month, downloading everything and then canceling.
So it makes sense they would do this.
Edit: Of course, if I did it, this is just me of course and maybe I'm just a monster or something, I would give a 1 month subscription and 1 month "vault" access. If you paid for a years subscription, you get a years backissues as well. Then again, this might still be seen as unfair to people who put their money in straight away, but I personally (having already got a subscription) couldn't care less so long as I get stuff each month on time and it's decent quality rather than waiting.
true, but that assumes the backlog is even worth downloading. I don't think it is, to be honest... but that may just be my pessimism bleeding out, but I took a snoop through the adventure content thus far before they monetized it... and, well, I just don't think their content warrants their fee. admittedly, it was cheaper than I expected, but to be frank, I can make adventures of the same quality that they've been posting online.
I'm willing to pay for full published adventures though, because they're pretty meaty. but ehh... 4e has made encounter design easy, which was the HARD part in previous editions. making adventures now is just a matter of deciding on who the antagonists are, and letting your players loose to solve the problem in whatever manner they see fit.
Yes, this is planned much like Paizo publishing do. You'll be able to buy back issues, but you cannot get a subscription to current issues and get back issues for free with it.
TBH, I'm not sure why people expected that though. Otherwise who would sign up for more than a month?
Seriously, what?! Miserable... Now I'm torn - 6$ a month for both dungeon and dragon, even without the tools, is nice, but I was going to wait until they released most of the bonus stuff before I took the plunge... now I feel like I have to buy now so I don't miss out on something. Which makes me not want to buy at all :P
Yea. Well I can understand the previous analogy when you're dealing with a printed product. But this is an entirely digital product we're talking about here. At best they're saving on the bandwidth on a pdf/data that would get occasionally referenced.
Website aside, what does this mean for the monthly PDF compilations? Would a day-1 subscriber, who would technically be entitled to the monthly PDF "back-issue", have to pay an additional fee if they no longer have it?
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
Website aside, what does this mean for the monthly PDF compilations? Would a day-1 subscriber, who would technically be entitled to the monthly PDF "back-issue", have to pay an additional fee if they no longer have it?
well, as for the blackfire dracolich... it sounds neat, but it doesn't sound like a 'meat and potatoes' monster.
If wizards wanted to get people paying for their content, they would put up some EXCLUSIVE, appetizing content, things that DMs and players alike could sink their teeth into. For DMs, lots of 'meat and potatoes' monsters, things that you can fill up encounters with. we don't need a statblock for fucking demogorgon, because you won't fight demogorgon more than once (i hope).
For players, I'd strongly think about releasing whole classes online. Not just like they did with the barbarian, which is just a preview, but say perhaps taking cut content from books, classes that didn't make it, and developing them into whole classes. I mean, it may or may not throw the notion of balance out of whack with a negligence of playtesting, but that's not the issue here.
they need to focus on the people who are on the fence, some kind of REAL treat for their subscribers. adventures are great, but we can make those with ease from scratch. give us something MEATY, and something we can't replicate ourselves.
TBH, I'm not sure why people expected that though. Otherwise who would sign up for more than a month?
People who want to use the virtual tabletop?
Oh, wait, those people already have MapTools, and it's better. Are we finally done pretending that WotC is going to put out anything resembling a halfway decent software product, ever?
yeah, Than has it right... Wizards' online department, with the exception of a few people (Worth Wollpert), pretty much sucks. look at MODO 3. Look at the new Magic mothership. seriously? their online department is pretty out of touch with how to make things that are both aesthetically pleasing AND functional. and sometimes, they even manage to fail at both.
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
well, as for the blackfire dracolich... it sounds neat, but it doesn't sound like a 'meat and potatoes' monster.
It's an epic level solo, so no. Everything else in there is however (there are about 7-8 new monsters, actually an entire monster race, plus a new artifact that's pretty good).
or DMs, lots of 'meat and potatoes' monsters, things that you can fill up encounters with.
Uhhh that's what is in this module. They are epic level (20th and above) though, but there are 5 new monsters with full MM like entries (and pictures, the ape is disturbing to look at I must concede). There is also the blackfire dracolich and some new traps to steal too.
we don't need a statblock for fucking demogorgon, because you won't fight demogorgon more than once (i hope)
TBH, I'm not sure why people expected that though. Otherwise who would sign up for more than a month?
People who want to use the virtual tabletop?
Oh, wait, those people already have MapTools, and it's better. Are we finally done pretending that WotC is going to put out anything resembling a halfway decent software product, ever?
Basically. I never intended to use any of that either, because I rather like maptools, even if it's very new and intimidating (It's not easy to get used to unfortunately). I only want Dungeon/Dragon really and I have the lowest possible expectations for the other shit. I mean, it's pretty obvious they are going to be terrible.
Website aside, what does this mean for the monthly PDF compilations? Would a day-1 subscriber, who would technically be entitled to the monthly PDF "back-issue", have to pay an additional fee if they no longer have it?
Good question.
Yea. Information as a commodity is a pretty iffy thing. You lose a printed copy, there's a physical loss involved. It's a trip to the store, a backorder reprint. It's understandable that you'd have to pay for a new copy... But if you lose lose data... well, it's data. They'd be paying to keep the data around for the day-one subscribers regardless of if they allow newer ones to access it, and it is unlikely that 100% of the new subscribers are going to go back and dig through all of the content. So it's a silly restriction.
Maybe they'll allow you to download the old compilations a few times like with the e-Books from some sites?
edit: forum speed burst!
tastydonuts on
“I used to draw, hard to admit that I used to draw...”
I was just using demogorgon as an off-the-cuff example of the sort of stuff that you have only very narrow use for, Aegeri
stop doing that annoying thing that you do sometimes. you know damn well what I'm talking about. stop it, or we will stop being BFFs.
at any rate, my point still stands: artifacts are not really useful. fun, but not useful. also, pinching shit from adventures is not what I'm talking about. it's smart, obviously, but what I am saying is a series of articles just focused on monsters, with info on where to put them or whatever. fluff is mutable, obviously, but shit in a published adventure is obviously there to support the adventure and is probably mired in the adventure itself.
this is all conjecture, and i hope i'm making sense
EDIT to clarify: I guess what I am saying is I shouldn't have to pay to scavenge shit from Wizards' often mediocre adventures.
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
I was just using demogorgon as an off-the-cuff example of the sort of stuff that you have only very narrow use for, Aegeri
I want to use him all the time actually. One version of demogorgon for every level muaahhahahahahaha.
My players in my IRL campaign will be getting the worst surprise possible I assure you
Muahahah etc.
stop doing that annoying thing that you do sometimes. you know damn well what I'm talking about. stop it, or we will stop being BFFs.
at any rate, my point still stands: artifacts are not really useful.
I disagree here, they can be useful plot and story elements. Having one pre-made that drops into my lap as being perfect is just icing on the cake. Especially because 4E mechanics make them a temporary thing to be used as a part of a plot, but not something that overpowers a game.
also, pinching shit from adventures is not what I'm talking about. it's smart, obviously, but what I am saying is a series of articles just focused on monsters, with info on where to put them or whatever.
This is there though, in the article. They have an independent section of their own. They are basically explained as creatures that are like a fantasy version of the Mi-go from the Far Realm. They have the same MM like entry as everything else in the MM does. Including lore checks etc.
Edit: It's sort of more of an adventure + new monsters + new artifact combination. None of these things are required for the other, they are just all there and put together into an adventure. The creatures work in any campaign however.
yeah, but they're not as useful as, say, enemy statblocks. every DM will use monsters (in some form or fashion, unless you run into a DM who makes every encounter out of traps. which would be terrifying) but not every DM will use artifacts.
also, I didn't know about that. interesting. Still, I wish it weren't attached to a Wizards adventure... because their online adventures are so mediocre it hurts.
what I am saying is that Wizards should make articles covering more iconic monsters, with cool awesome variants, and start publishing more classes. we need more beholders and orcs, and new classes. that's my point.
The thing is, with the Compendium model, they'll be giving us really easy access to all of these new monsters that would otherwise just be hidden inside of adventures.
Artifacts can be useful. Not everyone will use them, sure, but not everyone will use a lot of specific things. They're just a highly specialized magic item/plot hook. No worse than all the Far Realms crap I have no interest in (because Far Realm creatures bore the crap out of me).
Also: Classic monsters will be done to death by 3rd Party Publishers, as will new races. An experienced DM may be quite bored with the first by now, and has little use for the latter. Players are much less likely to care about DDI, and you can only play so many races at once.
The most needed stuff is going to be the most expendable stuff: Monsters, Abilities, and Equipment, because you're always progressing past them.
yeah, but they're not as useful as, say, enemy statblocks. every DM will use monsters (in some form or fashion, unless you run into a DM who makes every encounter out of traps. which would be terrifying) but not every DM will use artifacts.
also, I didn't know about that. interesting. Still, I wish it weren't attached to a Wizards adventure... because their online adventures are so mediocre it hurts.
what I am saying is that Wizards should make articles covering more iconic monsters, with cool awesome variants, and start publishing more classes. we need more beholders and orcs, and new classes. that's my point.
I read that every "encounter out of traps" line and thought to myself... what if? :P
I think the point of connecting and embedding it to the adventures is that they want to avoid the separation of the system and game found in 3.5E. 4E isn't just a system, it's "Dungeons and Dragonsâ„¢".
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
yeah, but they're not as useful as, say, enemy statblocks.
I'll give you that. The only artifact I'm currently using is one based on the DMG, which burrows itself into the bones of the unfortunate person who picks it up and then they have to figure out how to get rid of it.
also, I didn't know about that. interesting. Still, I wish it weren't attached to a Wizards adventure... because their online adventures are so mediocre it hurts.
It's not a terrible adventure actually, it's still not great though. It has one incredibly abusable trap, so abusable they make sure to mention that you shouldn't abuse it.
Iconic "monsters" will be in the MM2 from what I understand. Lots of the other monsters that aren't in the MM originally will be in that book.
Posts
I think deva is simply a better name for "good" planetouched than aasimar, really.
I believe most of the zany new races are there to be "zomg choices" and make the PHB II similar value-ish to the first book.
My books are going to look like crap in a few years.
It's widely agreed that the ink is shit.
I don't think it's even just moisture, I think heat has something to do with it too.
Probably from China or something.
--
So far the only DDI thing I see we get is the Monster tool.
Here's hoping it is snazzy.
--
The Monster thing produces a text printout like so:
THE BLARGH
Gargantuan Shadow Animate XP 100
Initiative +1 Senses Perception +6;
HP 30; Bloodied 15
AC 13; Fortitude 15, Reflex 13, Will 13
Speed 6
Basic Melee (standard; at-will)
Reach 2; +4 vs AC; 1d10 + 3 damage
YOU GET SMIDGED
Limited Power 1 (standard; encounter)
+4 vs AC; 2d10 + 3 damage
Alignment: Chaotic Good Languages: C++
Skills: C++
Str 16 (+3) Dex 13 (+1) Wis 13 (+1)
Con 10 (0) Int 10 (0) Cha 10 (0)
Equipment: TOOLS
And then lets you print it. HOWEVER, the printout looks like it's all in bold, which I hope they fix, since Bolding is what they do to seperate things.
Also it's only set up for normal monsters.
On the plus side, the designer has a thread open on the WotC forums and is taking feedback directly while he develops it further.
Its actually oil. Some people body chemistry smudges the ink. Other peoples doesn't.
Let that be a lesson to not be a greasy person.
I'm calling the ACLU, I'm sure there's money to be had here somewhere.
Additionally, I want to do the iconic zombies rising out of the water encounter at about level 2. But the problem is around that level all there are are gravehounds (which I don't like to use) and the standard zombies. Think I should create a freaky waterbloated zombie? Or maybe throw in an Ooze?
An ooze inside of the zombies and when the zombies die they keep moving and why do they keep moving they keep moving because there is an ooze inside of them
I once threw ninjas at the PCs that just had Wolf stats with Katars instead of Bites.
If you buy a 1 year subscription and they add additional features in the next year, will they make you pay more to access them?
GREASE ME UP SCOTTY.
Never letting anyone else touch my books again
Especially the Scots.
Overall 7/10.
Still no tagless maps Wizards.
Edit: If anyone would find it useful, I'll review modules and other stuff released in dungeon/dragon in some depth when I have time. This is to help people decide if it's actually worth subscribing or not. I must admit, this module has two of the most horribly annoying encounters I can think of. The blackfire Dracolich is really cool though (nicely set up creature, though how it will avoid being proned to death I am not sure).
Edit2: Just pointing this out if nobody realised this:
If you subscribe later on, you won't be able to get articles from past issues in any sort of "digital vault". The reason for this does make sense though, but it does suck I have to admit.
Nintendo Network ID: AzraelRose
DropBox invite link - get 500MB extra free.
What? This was one of their selling points for me. Fuckers.
It is updated with errata, but otherwise nothing.
Yeah, so if you don't subscribe relatively early, you'll miss out on a large amount of content that you'll have to pay for again.
I figured they would do this to be honest.
Seriously, what?! Miserable... Now I'm torn - 6$ a month for both dungeon and dragon, even without the tools, is nice, but I was going to wait until they released most of the bonus stuff before I took the plunge... now I feel like I have to buy now so I don't miss out on something. Which makes me not want to buy at all :P
http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
Yeah, but their logic for why they are doing this is solid I have to admit. They basically don't want people just going and paying for one month, downloading everything and then canceling.
So it makes sense they would do this.
Edit: Of course, if I did it, this is just me of course and maybe I'm just a monster or something, I would give a 1 month subscription and 1 month "vault" access. If you paid for a years subscription, you get a years backissues as well. Then again, this might still be seen as unfair to people who put their money in straight away, but I personally (having already got a subscription) couldn't care less so long as I get stuff each month on time and it's decent quality rather than waiting.
I'm willing to pay for full published adventures though, because they're pretty meaty. but ehh... 4e has made encounter design easy, which was the HARD part in previous editions. making adventures now is just a matter of deciding on who the antagonists are, and letting your players loose to solve the problem in whatever manner they see fit.
It also justifies my intention to DL every single thing I can every month to store it away on my computer.
I expect to have an absolutely massive digital monster manual and magical item drive in a few years.
Yes, this is planned much like Paizo publishing do. You'll be able to buy back issues, but you cannot get a subscription to current issues and get back issues for free with it.
TBH, I'm not sure why people expected that though. Otherwise who would sign up for more than a month?
The new adventure is actually pretty good, has some new monsters and I've already pinched the artifact from it.
Edit: And I think the blackfire dracolich is a new monster as well.
Website aside, what does this mean for the monthly PDF compilations? Would a day-1 subscriber, who would technically be entitled to the monthly PDF "back-issue", have to pay an additional fee if they no longer have it?
Good question.
If wizards wanted to get people paying for their content, they would put up some EXCLUSIVE, appetizing content, things that DMs and players alike could sink their teeth into. For DMs, lots of 'meat and potatoes' monsters, things that you can fill up encounters with. we don't need a statblock for fucking demogorgon, because you won't fight demogorgon more than once (i hope).
For players, I'd strongly think about releasing whole classes online. Not just like they did with the barbarian, which is just a preview, but say perhaps taking cut content from books, classes that didn't make it, and developing them into whole classes. I mean, it may or may not throw the notion of balance out of whack with a negligence of playtesting, but that's not the issue here.
they need to focus on the people who are on the fence, some kind of REAL treat for their subscribers. adventures are great, but we can make those with ease from scratch. give us something MEATY, and something we can't replicate ourselves.
Oh, wait, those people already have MapTools, and it's better. Are we finally done pretending that WotC is going to put out anything resembling a halfway decent software product, ever?
It's an epic level solo, so no. Everything else in there is however (there are about 7-8 new monsters, actually an entire monster race, plus a new artifact that's pretty good).
Uhhh that's what is in this module. They are epic level (20th and above) though, but there are 5 new monsters with full MM like entries (and pictures, the ape is disturbing to look at I must concede). There is also the blackfire dracolich and some new traps to steal too.
Demogorgon is in MMII.
Basically. I never intended to use any of that either, because I rather like maptools, even if it's very new and intimidating (It's not easy to get used to unfortunately). I only want Dungeon/Dragon really and I have the lowest possible expectations for the other shit. I mean, it's pretty obvious they are going to be terrible.
Yea. Information as a commodity is a pretty iffy thing. You lose a printed copy, there's a physical loss involved. It's a trip to the store, a backorder reprint. It's understandable that you'd have to pay for a new copy... But if you lose lose data... well, it's data. They'd be paying to keep the data around for the day-one subscribers regardless of if they allow newer ones to access it, and it is unlikely that 100% of the new subscribers are going to go back and dig through all of the content. So it's a silly restriction.
Maybe they'll allow you to download the old compilations a few times like with the e-Books from some sites?
edit: forum speed burst!
I'm not sure about that. The Deluxe Edition usually is leather-bound but otherwise has the same content.
"Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
Oh yes, it has fancy pages, quilting and other shit etc etc.
But the major difference is that it is updated with all the errata.
stop doing that annoying thing that you do sometimes. you know damn well what I'm talking about. stop it, or we will stop being BFFs.
at any rate, my point still stands: artifacts are not really useful. fun, but not useful. also, pinching shit from adventures is not what I'm talking about. it's smart, obviously, but what I am saying is a series of articles just focused on monsters, with info on where to put them or whatever. fluff is mutable, obviously, but shit in a published adventure is obviously there to support the adventure and is probably mired in the adventure itself.
this is all conjecture, and i hope i'm making sense
EDIT to clarify: I guess what I am saying is I shouldn't have to pay to scavenge shit from Wizards' often mediocre adventures.
I want to use him all the time actually. One version of demogorgon for every level muaahhahahahahaha.
Muahahah etc.
I disagree here, they can be useful plot and story elements. Having one pre-made that drops into my lap as being perfect is just icing on the cake. Especially because 4E mechanics make them a temporary thing to be used as a part of a plot, but not something that overpowers a game.
This is there though, in the article. They have an independent section of their own. They are basically explained as creatures that are like a fantasy version of the Mi-go from the Far Realm. They have the same MM like entry as everything else in the MM does. Including lore checks etc.
Edit: It's sort of more of an adventure + new monsters + new artifact combination. None of these things are required for the other, they are just all there and put together into an adventure. The creatures work in any campaign however.
also, I didn't know about that. interesting. Still, I wish it weren't attached to a Wizards adventure... because their online adventures are so mediocre it hurts.
what I am saying is that Wizards should make articles covering more iconic monsters, with cool awesome variants, and start publishing more classes. we need more beholders and orcs, and new classes. that's my point.
Artifacts can be useful. Not everyone will use them, sure, but not everyone will use a lot of specific things. They're just a highly specialized magic item/plot hook. No worse than all the Far Realms crap I have no interest in (because Far Realm creatures bore the crap out of me).
Also: Classic monsters will be done to death by 3rd Party Publishers, as will new races. An experienced DM may be quite bored with the first by now, and has little use for the latter. Players are much less likely to care about DDI, and you can only play so many races at once.
The most needed stuff is going to be the most expendable stuff: Monsters, Abilities, and Equipment, because you're always progressing past them.
I read that every "encounter out of traps" line and thought to myself... what if? :P
I think the point of connecting and embedding it to the adventures is that they want to avoid the separation of the system and game found in 3.5E. 4E isn't just a system, it's "Dungeons and Dragonsâ„¢".
I'll give you that. The only artifact I'm currently using is one based on the DMG, which burrows itself into the bones of the unfortunate person who picks it up and then they have to figure out how to get rid of it.
It's not a terrible adventure actually, it's still not great though. It has one incredibly abusable trap, so abusable they make sure to mention that you shouldn't abuse it.
Iconic "monsters" will be in the MM2 from what I understand. Lots of the other monsters that aren't in the MM originally will be in that book.