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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11701 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Dec 2021 : 00:17:15
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Got my Strixhaven book in yesterday. I haven't had much of a chance to review it yet. I will say that offhand, it seems the backgrounds it offers give a TINY bit more power than other backgrounds (which honestly, as much as I like game balance, I'd rather see this to give SOME kind of true in game meaning to taking a background other than "I want X skills"). They also have a feat and they get some cantrips. They also introduce a new race (the Owlin), which is something I've seen many people introduce ... and which I wanted for Anchorome, (Seethyr put some in a forest).
Haven't gotten much further in, but because I've been intrigued with running a school based campaign (haven't done it) and what you might do to make it different from most d&d games, I'm interested to see what they do.
So, that said, throwing out for discussions... anyone have any likes or dislikes so far?
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7971 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2021 : 02:23:30
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"Strixhaven" is a cool-sounding word.
It's also linguistically improbable. Old Latin (o)strix combined with proto-Germanic kap(a) or haba(n). I kinda prefer invented pseudo-archaic words to have somewhat plausible etymologies. |
[/Ayrik] |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2021 : 09:44:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
"Strixhaven" is a cool-sounding word.
It's also linguistically improbable. Old Latin (o)strix combined with proto-Germanic kap(a) or haba(n). I kinda prefer invented pseudo-archaic words to have somewhat plausible etymologies.
I prefer my D&D to NOT be a MTG spin-off.
One would have thought when the FR MTG set bombed they would have learned their lesson.
Round 2! :P :P |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4430 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2021 : 10:13:43
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quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
I prefer my D&D to NOT be a MTG spin-off.
One would have thought when the FR MTG set bombed they would have learned their lesson.
Not sure what you mean by bombed? Was there some consensus that the cards don't sell well? I got a couple of packs and while I didn't get anything amazing (I don't think I had any Legendary things, maybe just the Death Tyrant beholder), I thought it was still fun as a Magic set. Better than the usual stuff anyways.
Also, I like that they're combining more of their IPs together, especially when they're SO closely linked in terms of concepts (magic is - essentially - just another D&D-esque game/setting). As someone who's currently running the Adventures in the Forgotten Realms series with my players, I'm finding the crossover pretty cool. It's actually given me a really cool idea for a bigger picture on another campaign I'm running.
See, the PCs need a number of artifacts and items to help overcome Orcus push to God-hood (siphoning divine 'essence' from a chained and beaten Tyr in the Nine-Hells). One item that will help them is the Void Blade (an Artifact I made) that was forged on Dominaria by one 'Dakkon Blackblade'. They'll need to find/defeat him to obtain it. With Planeshift articles for Dominaria and D&D/M:tG integrated, this is far easier and more plausible to achieve. |
Edited by - Diffan on 10 Dec 2021 10:59:13 |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2021 : 10:42:10
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Reportedly it was the worst selling set they have released in a very long time (underselling targets by about 20%) and the theoretical follow up sets were cancelled. Rumors were that Hasbro execs went so far as to actually comment on their displeasure.
This of course is just what the MTG Youtubers were saying. I don't have first hand info. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11701 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2021 : 12:04:48
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That's interesting, but I wonder if they're only looking at AFR from a physical card sales standpoint (if the source is even real or has valid data, I'm always skeptical of people who claim to be in the know on sales figures). I can honestly say I hadn't bought any MTG sets in over ten years. I only in the past two years bought any of the art of MTG books because people here were talking about some of their worlds (my favorite of which was the one with the dinosaurs, jungle, etc...) being converted to D&D. But for this AFR set, I started playing their MTG Arena a couple months before AFR released. I built up a decent deck finally after realizing a few things, then I spent about $150 over maybe 4 months (I created two accounts to see if there would be much difference, so I was spending more). They then released their new deck set (some Innistrad related deck) and I willing plopped out another $100 or so prior to its release. Based purely on me, I thought the AFR set was pretty well done, and I was really liking Theros as well (I think Kaladheim was another one that I was interested in). I haven't played arena now for about 2 months, but I really enjoyed the time that I did play for about 5 or 6 months. But, I did buy a couple more art books as a result of the interest for Santa to deliver.
But on the idea... if anyone has the new rulebook for D&D, did you see any concepts you liked? I have the day to spend today, so I'll probably delve it more.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 10 Dec 2021 12:42:45 |
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Eldacar
Senior Scribe
438 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2021 : 23:32:35
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I picked it up, actually. I haven’t really looked at it too hard yet, and there was no Forgotten Realms material in it at all that I spotted (no small hints or nods to my glances, so not even the Witchlight or Fizban level of engagement), so I also haven’t said anything about it here yet. I did see that a big chunk of it is taken up by an adventure.
And yes, the backgrounds are deliberately intended to be a bit stronger than normal backgrounds. That was something Chris Perkins said on various interviews leading up to it, I think. They field tested some feats and subclasses with Unearthed Arcana, but when those weren’t as well-received they went with backgrounds instead. |
"The Wild Mages I have met exhibit a startling disregard for common sense, and are often meddling with powers far beyond their own control." ~Volo
"Not unlike a certain travelogue author with whom I am unfortunately acquainted." ~Elminster |
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Strixhaven - Anyone look at it yet?
