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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Jul 2005 : 05:47:03
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There were a few preview spells and monsters from Stormwrack in the latest issue of Dungeon Magazine. While not on my must buy list, I have actually liked the "environment" books. Heck, it was nice to see how much of the Realms was alluded to in Frostburn.
Does anyone else look forward to Stormwrack?
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2005 : 06:32:52
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| Rich Baker mentioned his author profile interview in WotC that he was going to be part of this project. |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2005 : 09:03:11
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
There were a few preview spells and monsters from Stormwrack in the latest issue of Dungeon Magazine. While not on my must buy list, I have actually liked the "environment" books. Heck, it was nice to see how much of the Realms was alluded to in Frostburn.
Does anyone else look forward to Stormwrack?
I am, but it has been tempered due to how "lame" Sandstorm was compared to Frostburn. |
News of the Weird
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36916 Posts |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2005 : 12:54:22
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
There were a few preview spells and monsters from Stormwrack in the latest issue of Dungeon Magazine. While not on my must buy list, I have actually liked the "environment" books. Heck, it was nice to see how much of the Realms was alluded to in Frostburn.
Does anyone else look forward to Stormwrack?
I believe one of the latest updates at the WOTC site also posts some information about this item. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2005 : 14:17:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Not I. I ignore the environment books.
I was thinking about purchasing this particular tome, but only because I thought it might prove useful for the next stage of my DL campaign.
I'll have to hear more about it though, before I actually make my decision.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Crennen FaerieBane
Master of Realmslore
USA
1378 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2005 : 18:03:37
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I will pick it up since I buy my books not only to game with, but have a complete collection - and since I bought Frostburn and Sandstorm, might as well pick up Stormwrack (whose orignal name, Maelstrom) was much better.
C-Fb
P.s. - any one else out there collector's for collecting sake? |
Still rockin' the Fey'ri style. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2005 : 20:25:30
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| That would be the Codex Anethema complex . . . the really cool name might be too difficult for the purchasing agents of the various book stores to understand, so they rename them as best they can . . . |
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Crennen FaerieBane
Master of Realmslore
USA
1378 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2005 : 23:30:45
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
That would be the Codex Anethema complex . . . the really cool name might be too difficult for the purchasing agents of the various book stores to understand, so they rename them as best they can . . .
Seriously, if people working in book stores don't understand the word Maelstrom, we are in a sad state of our union!
C-Fb |
Still rockin' the Fey'ri style. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2005 : 00:21:31
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Heh heh . . . This was a long discussion that I had back when Codex Anethema was changed to Lords of Madness (you'll notice in that case, Codex Anethema fit with Draconomicon and Libris Mortis, while Lords of Madness does not). The buyers for various book chains are actually the ones that they are worried about. They are worried that the purchasing agents will see a complex sounding name and assume that the book is some obscuse geek reference book and only order small quantities of it. In a way its not so much that WOTC is doubting our intelligence, nor the intelligence of the buyers, but rather they are trying to offset the fact that the buyers assume that we cannot comprehend complex names, and thus will avoid them (except for the geeked out extreem).
In other words, the buyers don't realize that all of us are the geeked out extreem! |
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Snotlord
Senior Scribe
Norway
476 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2005 : 09:58:35
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quote:
Originally posted by warlockco
I am, but it has been tempered due to how "lame" Sandstorm was compared to Frostburn.
I do not know much about Sandstorm, but Wolfgang Baur has written som every cool stuff in the past. I really want to get Frostburn based on his involvement alone. Unfortunatetly the topic is not what I need right now.
Stormwrack looks promising, and much easier to use for me at the moment. Sea-adventures are cool, I just hope that the underwater stuff don't eat up to many pages. As a bonus, Rich Baker usually delivers good stuff, so I am confident it is a solid tome. |
Edited by - Snotlord on 09 Jul 2005 10:00:50 |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2005 : 12:05:42
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quote:
Originally posted by CrennenFaerieBane
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
That would be the Codex Anethema complex . . . the really cool name might be too difficult for the purchasing agents of the various book stores to understand, so they rename them as best they can . . .
Seriously, if people working in book stores don't understand the word Maelstrom, we are in a sad state of our union!
C-Fb
I'd get ready to grab some tissues then based on some of my experiences with book store employees. |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2005 : 02:44:03
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by CrennenFaerieBane
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
That would be the Codex Anethema complex . . . the really cool name might be too difficult for the purchasing agents of the various book stores to understand, so they rename them as best they can . . .
Seriously, if people working in book stores don't understand the word Maelstrom, we are in a sad state of our union!
C-Fb
I'd get ready to grab some tissues then based on some of my experiences with book store employees.
Shoot employees at any store for that matter. They should know the very basics of what they are selling.
Was at Media Play yakking with the girl in books, and the guy in music came over asking a question about the soundtrack for American Wedding, she had to show him how to look up the track selection on the computer. |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2005 : 01:41:15
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| I wasn't really interested in purchasing it but now that I suddenly find myself with a brand new campaign on my hands, and one of my players is not only playing a pirate but desperate for some water-based action, I may have to think about it now. Although perhaps as he's the one so keen on it, maybe he should be the one buying it. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Xysma
Master of Realmslore
USA
1089 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2005 : 19:44:50
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quote:
Originally posted by CrennenFaerieBane
I will pick it up since I buy my books not only to game with, but have a complete collection - and since I bought Frostburn and Sandstorm, might as well pick up Stormwrack (whose orignal name, Maelstrom) was much better.
C-Fb
P.s. - any one else out there collector's for collecting sake?
I am a completist, I will certainly buy every book that comes out. This one however, I am very interested in. I thought Frostburn was excellent, and Sandstorm was even better. I do agree that Maelstrom was a much better name, just as Codex Anathema was a far better title than Lords of Madness for the aberrations book. Not to mention the naming structure fit perfectly with Draconomicon and Libris Mortis, and Lords of Madness does not even atempt to fit. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36916 Posts |
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Gray Richardson
Master of Realmslore
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2005 : 00:18:22
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I got my Stormwrack today.
I grinned from ear to ear when I saw pages 9& 10: Planar Seas! 
There are several new planar monsters of interest as well, including a new breed of yugoloth: the echinoloth.
A couple of the new races look cool. The Darfellans are like killer whale people, they are air-breathers but they can hold their breath for a long, long time. Cool picture. The Hadozee should give Planet-of-the-Apes fans a thrill.
Some of the prestige classes look cool. I like how they now give sample NPC's for each prestige class, which makes them handy for adapting as NPC's in my own game. The Sea Witch picture is cool. I believe he has a pet octopus on his arm. Either that or he seems awfully nonchalant about the tiny cephalopod that is trying its best to eat him. 
The rules for aquatic terrain, naval combat and weapons all seem really awesome. Something which 3E has needed for years.The floor plans of various ship types seem like they would be a great boon in a lot of situations. They could probably be enlarged to make serviceable battle mats for use in play.
I haven't read all the spells yet, but the 9th level spell Planar Navigation caught my eye. It moves an entire ship to another plane! There was a nod to new Epic spells and new psionic powers as well.
As for magic items, the living figureheads looked cool. Animated constructs that bring to mind the movie Golden Voyage of Sinbad.
You can even have a dragonhead on the prow of your ship, a construct that looks like a real dragon head and even has a breath weapon!
Also the new magic item Planar Helm looks like it might make ships the preferred way to travel the planes, even over portals! This magic item is so cool that I already have adventures in mind that could use just such a thing!
The selection of creatures is quite nice, as well as an ambhibious creature template you can slap on critters to make them into underwater beasties. Want to use a medusa in an underwater maze? Slap the template on the old bitty and bingo! Amphibious Medusa! An easy way to increase the available number of aquatic encounters.
The nereid, sea wolf and hippocampus stand out as other favorites.
Page 49 has a list of sea deities, including both new ones and old ones from Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms and Eberron.
There is a ton of cool encounter tables in the back of the book, that should be really useful to a DM running an aquatic adventure.
And there are several adventure locales in the last chapter of the book that should give any DM a leg up on begining an aquatic adventure or campaign.
I am right pleased with Stormwrack! I have wanted a book like this for gosh, it seems like forever, and now that I have it I think it was worth the wait! Many congrats to the designers of a very nice book!  |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36916 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2005 : 00:51:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Gray Richardson
The Hadozee should give Planet-of-the-Apes fans a thrill.
Hadozee? As in, the "deck apes" race from Spelljammer? |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2005 : 01:46:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Gray Richardson
I grinned from ear to ear when I saw pages 9& 10: Planar Seas!
This indeed makes the tome sound even more of interest to me  .
Gray, what position do the echinoloths hold in the main yugoloth hierarchy?
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
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Gray Richardson
Master of Realmslore
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2005 : 06:26:06
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Gray, what position do the echinoloths hold in the main yugoloth hierarchy?
They make up the rear echelons of yugoloth armies. A CR 8, so I would say pretty low on the totem pole.  |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2005 : 15:08:23
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| An art gallery for this product is now available. |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2005 : 05:16:28
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| I recently picked up Stormwrack, well it does live up to my expectation of water-combat and the art images in the book were very well drawn. A good purchase I say. |
We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
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At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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Lady Kazandra
Senior Scribe
Australia
921 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2005 : 05:45:05
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Just skimming over it Shadovar, where would you see this accessory working in the Realms?
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"Once upon a time the plural of 'wizard' was 'war'." -- The Last Continent, by Terry Pratchett |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
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Crennen FaerieBane
Master of Realmslore
USA
1378 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2005 : 15:21:37
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I really liked the book. It updated a few rules and brought up some new concepts that were neatly done. I'm not too sure about the art, and the sailing the planar seas part, but overall, I thought the book was cool. Plus, I would have bought it anyway since I have Frostburn and Sandstorm... I really wish they would have kept the name Maelstrom, though.
C-Fb |
Still rockin' the Fey'ri style. |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5696 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2005 : 17:25:43
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Well met
To be honest, I was quite disappointed in this particular tome. Whilst I enjoyed Frostburn and Sandstorm, I somehow expected more from Stormwrack. The chapter on vessels was perhaps a fifth of the size I had hoped. Mayhaps I was looking for a good comparison against the old 2nd edition Of Ships and Sea tome.
The abundance of spells, PrCs etc. sadly did not appeal  More informatin on actual sea-faring and ships would have 
In my opinion, the whole planar seas section felt out of place and unnecessary. |
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khorne
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1073 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2005 : 19:36:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
In my opinion, the whole planar seas section felt out of place and unnecessary.
Why? |
If I were a ranger, I would pick NDA for my favorite enemy |
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Stormwrack
