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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
 Posted - 13 May 2007 : 04:57:47
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| Excellent! any word on formatting or content, other than what is on the WOTC site ? |
Edited by - scererar on 13 May 2007 04:58:50 |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2007 : 05:28:47
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From what I have read, they are sticking with the general set up of the MM IV, meaning that some entries will have sample encounters and encounter maps, the entries will have tactics and background information and the little knowledge check sidebars, and I believe that they have even said that they will still have more MM monsters with class levels of various challenge ratings statted out as well.
I liked some of those ideas last time around, but I don't think that they executed the good ideas in the right way last time. Too many of the statted humanoids were less useful or representitive and more "strange" and obviously recycled from minis stats rather than generic "niche" NPCs, which I didn't mind so much.
I also didn't mind the sample encounters and encounter maps, but I thought some of the monsters they chose to highlight these were a bit strange.
That and the overabundance of Spawn of Tiamat made the MM IV feel really off kilter. If they can make the statted monsters with class levels more useful, make the sample encounters a bit more interesting, and avoid such a big block of the book focusing on a new type of monster that may not be wholly embraced by everyone, then the new format might actually be kind of a cool thing.
I don't mind sacrificing a few monster entries if I get more in depth entries and better fleshed out monsters. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2007 : 05:35:18
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Agreed. So long as the expanded monster entries are maintained in this latest volume, much as they were for MMIV... I'll seriously consider the purchase of this sourcebook.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
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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initiate
Learned Scribe
Canada
102 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2007 : 05:18:12
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For those interested, I have just noticed, [in my obsessively frequent checking of the WotC site for "Shadowdale" excerpts], that the excerpts for MMV are now available.
Presented for download, [though not viewable directly on the website], are the table of contents, and three monster entries. At a glance, it appears that they have unleashed another dragon type upon the world, which is. . . well, I haven't looked at the entries yet. I shall be looking at these with interest.
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Matthus
Senior Scribe
Germany
393 Posts |
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EytanBernstein
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
704 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2007 : 21:15:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Matthus
And the link for this is here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070710a
First glance IMO the Sample encounters didn't get to much upgrade 
This actually depends a lot on how much the rest of the entry took. If there is space left over, you're more likely to see sample encounters (or in the Realms) sections. |
http://eytanbernstein.com - the official website of Eytan Bernstein |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2007 : 03:54:42
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I was reading through the dragon entry, and actually I can see this template working for Realmsian dragons rather well. We know that dragons in the Realms adopted rules of engagement to keep their number from dwindling after they lost control of Faerun, so this game could just be a more extreme example of those rules.
Now, there might be a greater schism forming between dragons that adhere to these rules and the dragons that are becoming more active as part of the Great Cycle coming around again, but that makes for some interesting back story. |
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Purple Dragon Knight
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1796 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2007 : 00:55:42
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Got it today. Very good book, with many "In Faerun" entries. I already asked this on Eric's thread, but here is my question again:
"Does anyone know who did the 'In Faerun' entries for Monster Manual V? and do you know who wrote the vampire section? I have both Realms and vampire stat block questions for Monster Manual V." |
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EytanBernstein
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
704 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2007 : 05:17:56
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| I wasn't involved in MMV, but my experience is that whoever wrote the monster entry also wrote the entry about the Realms or Eberron. |
http://eytanbernstein.com - the official website of Eytan Bernstein |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2007 : 22:54:04
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I really liked some of the monsters in the Monster Manual IV, but I felt like the new format was a bit thrown together, the monsters with level entries felt like recycled stat blocks from the minis game, the Spawn of Tiamat took up too much space, and there were a few too many, and too weak, sample encounters.
I feel like, while not perfect, that this book has really refined a lot of the things they were trying to do with the MM IV. It feels like the book has a better range of monsters for different tasks and niches, and the information feels a bit more pertinent.
I still wish that WOTC would go back and make sure that they have converted all of the old edition monsters, or a least a few more that should have been done by now, but I also like that they seem to be filling in the gaps (more evil elementals and fey, for example).
Overall pretty happy with the purchase. Not a must have, but not a regret either. |
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Sanishiver
Senior Scribe
USA
476 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2007 : 03:10:00
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I'm liking this book. It has some creature abilities that scream "Magic the Gathering Designer Wrote This!", but overall not too bad.
I like how some of the monsters that are ground-based/have no fly speed can attack fliers. I also like the creatures that can make area attacks as a full round action while moving.
More creatures need to be loosened up like this and designers need to be not afraid to 'go there' with creatures.
And the Wild Hunt (Master of the Hunt, Hounds of the Hunt): TO DIE FOR! This guy is a godsend for a DM like me with an Epic Ellistraee-worshipping character who (used to, heh heh) enjoy seasonal hunts with her followers and kin.
I can see this guy being the absolute bane of Crinti in southern Faerûn near Halruaa.
J. Grenemyer |
09/20/2008: Tiger Army at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz. You wouldn’t believe how many females rode it out in the pit. Santa Cruz women are all of them beautiful. Now I know to add tough to that description.
6/27/2008: WALL-E is about the best damn movie Pixar has ever made. It had my heart racing and had me rooting for the good guy.
9/9/2006: Dave Mathews Band was off the hook at the Shoreline Amphitheater.
Never, ever read the game books too literally, or make such assumptions that what is omitted cannot be. Bad DM form, that.
And no matter how compelling a picture string theory paints, if it does not accurately describe our universe, it will be no more relevant than an elaborate game of Dungeons and Dragons. --paragraph 1, chapter 9, The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2007 : 03:18:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Sanishiver
I'm liking this book. It has some creature abilities that scream "Magic the Gathering Designer Wrote This!", but overall not too bad.
I like how some of the monsters that are ground-based/have no fly speed can attack fliers. I also like the creatures that can make area attacks as a full round action while moving.
More creatures need to be loosened up like this and designers need to be not afraid to 'go there' with creatures.
And the Wild Hunt (Master of the Hunt, Hounds of the Hunt): TO DIE FOR! This guy is a godsend for a DM like me with an Epic Ellistraee-worshipping character who (used to, heh heh) enjoy seasonal hunts with her followers and kin.
I can see this guy being the absolute bane of Crinti in southern Faerûn near Halruaa.
J. Grenemyer
I got that MtG feeling from a few of them as well, so you are definitely not alone in that feeling.
I was reading the Design and Development column on this book on WOTC's site, and it seems like WOTC took a lot of the criticisms of the MM IV to heart (probably because the MM are always an "automatic" hit for them, and they don't want to loose that).
At any rate, one of the things they talk about is figuring out what they want the monster to do, and then explaining the official way for "breaking" the rules once the monster fills its role, rather than starting out saying, "monsters can't do this because of rule X."
The point wasn't so much to ignore or change the rules, but to say, "yes, the rules normally say this, but to make this monster work, they get special ability Y to compensate."
I'm really enjoying this one more than the Monster Manual IV (which did have its good points, but also made a few mistakes along the way). Its not perfect, but its much more satisfying. |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2007 : 03:16:38
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| There are plenty of monsters in here with info on where they are in FR which is good. MM4 was of more use to me, but that is only because of the Spawn of Tiamat, which plays a critical part in one of my campaigns ;) |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Monster Manual V
