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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1268 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  03:22:59  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Details at link.

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus

Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  03:32:12  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Looks very interesting. I wonder if Ed had a hand in it. Thanks for the link, Delwa.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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Rymac
Learned Scribe

USA
315 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  03:36:33  Show Profile  Visit Rymac's Homepage Send Rymac a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Interesting, although I am wondering if it will be regurgitated lore from Dragon Magazine's "Ecology Of..." articles, especially the ones Ed wrote. But then again, regurgitated lore from prior edition material is to be expected.

- Ryan
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1268 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  03:37:20  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan

Looks very interesting. I wonder if Ed had a hand in it. Thanks for the link, Delwa.


No problem. I agree, it looks interesting. If I'm not grossly misinterpreting the description, it looks like a blend of Savage Species (monstrous races like orcs as playable races,) the old Monstor Ecology articles from Dragon Magazine, and a MM2. Hopefully they aren't trying to do too much in one tome, but we'll see. I'm excited.

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  04:04:34  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yes, they should have learned from the SCAG. At least this is 224 pages, rather than 160...

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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Rymac
Learned Scribe

USA
315 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  04:15:56  Show Profile  Visit Rymac's Homepage Send Rymac a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan

Yes, they should have learned from the SCAG. At least this is 224 pages, rather than 160...



That certainly explains why it's another $10.00 over the cost of SCAG. It's going to retail at $49.95.

- Ryan
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  04:32:41  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I find the lack of mention of the author rather odd...

Aside from that, though... Squee!

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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  04:36:54  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ed said this, after being asked if he had a hand in the book:

"Heh. I can neither confirm nor deny. ;} Yet."

Which may actually tell us something.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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farinal
Learned Scribe

Turkey
270 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  06:36:14  Show Profile Send farinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
just saw this! super excited!! 5E is going in a good direction I can tell.
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Caolin
Senior Scribe

768 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  07:12:52  Show Profile Send Caolin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'd say he's involved.

https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/738200939421532160
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  13:34:08  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I can't fathom Ed would not have been (heavily) involved in something by Volo.
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  17:56:25  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Might just be me, but it needs a new, more verbose title to sound Volo-ish. Like Guide to Beasts and Monstrosities... idk. I'm not much of a writer :)
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1268 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  19:33:37  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage

Might just be me, but it needs a new, more verbose title to sound Volo-ish. Like Guide to Beasts and Monstrosities... idk. I'm not much of a writer :)



I can kinda see that, but at the same time, why didn't he do it for Waterdeep? Something like, "Volo's Guide to the City of Splendors: A Purveyor's Guide to Waterdhavian Places and People," versus, "Volo's Guide to Waterdeep?

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus
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farinal
Learned Scribe

Turkey
270 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  21:10:05  Show Profile Send farinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
As I was two years old when Volo's Guide to Waterdeep was released yet I love the Volo guides and try to collect as much as I can find and archive them I wonder how other people who like D&D and the Realms but simply don't know much about pre 3.0E times will receive this book. I think depending on the sales numbers, if it's good we can hope that more books in this style would follow. After SCAG I didn't have high hopes for the upcoming books but I think if they manage this one justice all will be forgiven :)
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Brimstone
Great Reader

USA
3285 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  21:37:11  Show Profile Send Brimstone a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Sweet!

"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep
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Rymac
Learned Scribe

USA
315 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  21:38:48  Show Profile  Visit Rymac's Homepage Send Rymac a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa

quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage

Might just be me, but it needs a new, more verbose title to sound Volo-ish. Like Guide to Beasts and Monstrosities... idk. I'm not much of a writer :)



I can kinda see that, but at the same time, why didn't he do it for Waterdeep? Something like, "Volo's Guide to the City of Splendors: A Purveyor's Guide to Waterdhavian Places and People," versus, "Volo's Guide to Waterdeep?



I see your point, but those were travel/tourist guides. This one seems to be more like the wider-ranged Volo's Guide to All Things Magical.

- Ryan
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore

Canada
1265 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  22:09:57  Show Profile Send Seravin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
What was everyone's beef with SCAG? I thought it was a decent book.
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  22:26:14  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Seravin

What was everyone's beef with SCAG? I thought it was a decent book.



My beef is that it was *way* too short. A lot of the changes (most of the stuff that returned) were also barely explained--or explored--(likely as a result of its limited size), so it felt like some kind of weird in-universe retcon, if that makes any sense.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.

Edited by - Irennan on 02 Jun 2016 22:26:58
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  22:37:08  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Seravin

What was everyone's beef with SCAG? I thought it was a decent book.



I think most people would have preferred a longer campaign setting book.

I'm curious how many new critters we'll see in this book... And I hope they'll buck prior trends; up until now, WotC (and TSR before them) was unable make a monster book without including new variant dragons and new forms of undead.

Borrowing from a couple prior posts of mine...

The proliferation of dragons is one thing that's always bugged me about D&D.

Okay, so we've got the main bunch of metallics, and the main bunch of chromatics. I'm fine with that.

The gem dragons are okay, though it's obvious they were created for no more purpose than having neutral dragons.

Aside from those, I don't see a need for too many other breeds. A couple oddballs, like steel dragons, song dragons, or fang dragons, are fine, but that's it.

Instead, we've had lesser metallics, lesser gemstones, lesser chromatics, and a host of goofy dragon types created simply to have more dragons.

I realize that the name of the game is Dungeons & Dragons, but in my opinion, the main breeds of chromatic and metallic fill most of our draconic needs. We don't need all those niche dragons -- the true dragons overlap most of those niches.

It's the same with undead. We have all the classic ones, but then there are ones that have identical creation methods to others and yet are dramatically different, and then there are the really weird ones, like my theoretical green howling yodeler -- "a green howling yodeler is created when a heartbroken half-elven male name Frehd falls off a mountain while yodeling, lands in a pool of green Jell-O, and then freezes to death while a trio of dire penguins laugh at his struggles to get out".

Yeah, that's over the top, but I've seen some official undead that have really unlikely origins, to the point of being near-ridiculous.

I'd rather have something wholly new, rather than "bizarrely formed undead #43,612" or "highly-specialized niche dragon #309".

Instead of "Pokopo dragons are majestic dragons that evolved on and are only found on the north shore of this one tiny island that's barely bigger than a halfling's bed," how about some highly intelligent amphibious monkey found on temperate shorelines?

Or instead of "ice cube dragons that occupy the same spot as white dragons but look like ice cubes and have a Slurpee breath weapon," how about some critter that burrows in ice, can suck heat out of nearby creatures, and has a natural ability to magically shape ice?

I've got nothing against the creation of more monsters, I just get tired of seeing undead and dragons every time a new monster book comes out. Especially considering that with draconic dominance of the food chain, some of these niche dragons should be quickly killed or driven off by true dragons.

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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  22:57:20  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Dragons will almost certainly make into the lore part of the book. As for new monsters, I'm totally with you. New monsters with original traits is what I'm hoping to see.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1268 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  23:02:18  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan

Dragons will almost certainly make into the lore part of the book. As for new monsters, I'm totally with you. New monsters with original traits is what I'm hoping to see.


I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for Nyth, personally. I don't care about dragons. I've plenty of those.

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  23:24:53  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan

Dragons will almost certainly make into the lore part of the book. As for new monsters, I'm totally with you. New monsters with original traits is what I'm hoping to see.



I don't mind 5E versions of the main dragon types... I don't want to see them trying to shoehorn in sequined, polka-dotted, and fluorescent orange dragons, just to have new dragon types.

Or the Colorspawn Actionwords -- I hated those. Ye dancing gods, that was stretching a concept way too far.

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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  23:29:32  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
What are Colorspawn Actionwords supposed to be, lol!

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1268 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  23:35:41  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Bluespawn ambushers and their ilk?

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  23:41:50  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ahh, I see, thanks. I've heard of those, but I'm not really familiar with them.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.

Edited by - Irennan on 02 Jun 2016 23:42:03
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 02 Jun 2016 :  23:58:07  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
As Delwa said. They pushed a metric buttload of variations on that particular theme out during the 3E era -- 2-4 different spawn types per standard chromatic type. And a lot of them were just "dragonish version of existing critter" rather than something truly new and interesting.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1268 Posts

Posted - 03 Jun 2016 :  00:01:42  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Aye. I hope they don't do that. If they do, make it a template we can slap on and use the print space for something that's actually different.

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus
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moonbeast
Senior Scribe

USA
522 Posts

Posted - 03 Jun 2016 :  03:17:20  Show Profile Send moonbeast a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I like it! Possibly a combination of "Monster Manual 1.5 Light" and some lore similar to the Dragon magazine articles "Ecology of the Whatsubbidness…"

I call it MM 1.5 Light because it obviously will have entries for at least a handful of new 5E monsters, and maybe some new variants. Firbolg for 5th Edition! And a Player-Character goblin? Sweet! Insta-buy for me.

Edited by - moonbeast on 03 Jun 2016 03:19:03
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 03 Jun 2016 :  03:31:01  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It will have over 100 new monsters. It will also include monster mythology.

quote:
After SKT, in the fall, will be releasing Volo's Guide to Monsters. Volo Geddarm is an expert in realms lore, and share it with everyone. Elminster edited the document before it went to press. They don't like each other. Tons of lore and classic monsters, like Mind Flayers and Yuan Ti. Bringing more life to them - story details on their background, lore, and mythology. Will add over 100 new monsters for 5th edition. Also giving you options to play monstrous character races like tritons and firbolgs. Will be printing a limited run of books with alternate cover by "hydro74" (shows picture of B&W mind flayer art on screen). Alternate cover only available in game stores, but the text is the same.


Read more: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?487292-Transcript-of-Chris-Perkins-and-Mike-Mearls-talking-about-Storm-King-s-Thunder#ixzz4ASwgJKGc

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.

Edited by - Irennan on 03 Jun 2016 03:33:07
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1268 Posts

Posted - 03 Jun 2016 :  03:35:38  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'm loving the Hobby Store exclusive cover they are doing. I already called my FLGS to preorder that sucker.

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus
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Brimstone
Great Reader

USA
3285 Posts

Posted - 03 Jun 2016 :  03:47:10  Show Profile Send Brimstone a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa

I'm loving the Hobby Store exclusive cover they are doing. I already called my FLGS to preorder that sucker.


I saw that on ENWORLD. Nice...

"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep
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