Blackdragon's page

It's been a while since I posted here, about three and a half years I think. But now that 4E is dead, has anyone heard what's going to happen to Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance or any of the other settings? Up until the Spell Plague and the Destruction of Forgotten Realms, I read every FR novel that came out, but the changes made to the setting and the mass kill off of so many established characters made me walk away from the book series (For which I was thankful for the Pathfinder fiction line). I have noticed that since the 4E roll out, the number of novels being put out has declined, and i'm not seeing alot of stuff from established D&D authors (Except Salvator, but I'm not even going to touch the whole good Drow/evil Drow catastrophy that played out during the crossover to 4E).

So I guess what I'm asking is if anyone's heard anything?

I'm done. WIth this post, I'm deleating all of my bookmarks to these boards. Sebastian, you've won. You have managed to drive another away with your venom. Go and celebrate with that person in your mirror. He's your biggest fan.

I've preordered, any word when we'll get to see a picture?

Last week I was at the local B&N in the game section with their huge pile of 4E book on an endcap. next to it is a selection of other RPG stuff as well as The Complete Idiots Guide to Dungeons and Dragons, and The Complete Idiots Guide to Being A Dungeon Master. The punchline. THe guides were all 3.5. Imagin some newbee buying a full core set and then picking up the guides. Pricless!

So,I'm at the Local Barns & Noble a few days ago, and what do I see on the shelf? Pathfinder's Clasic Monsters Revisited! Awesome! I had thought It was only Borders that was carying Pathfinder? (Even though the one local doesn't.)

I'm preping a game and I want to use for my badguys a group that I've read about somewhere in all my 3.5 stuff that is an Elven Supremisis group. It was kinda like the KKK with bows. I've been tearing my gameroom apart, and I can't find where I read it. I think it was FR, but at this point, I'm not sure. Please help! A book and a page number would be great!

I was at the local bookstore and my wife picked up a 4E players handbook. While she was looking through it, the text ink smudged under her fingers. Is this a common problem?

Is the print version of Kobold Quarterly 5 in yet? The website says preorder, but the discussion makes it sound like it's in. Any idea?

Why is there a sudden shift away from death magic and save or die effects? I feel that this is an important part of building suspense in a game. It's the idea of having to make the save. I know alot of players hate it, but they hate it when they fail. When they succede their is a true moment of relief. Personally I would rather see more Resurrection than less death magic.

A 20 is always a hit, a 1 is always a fumble. Now this is an optional rule for 4E. What the hell?

So according to 4E, you don't really need a DM to run a game. Now a DM can be replaced by a series of Combat cards, that you draw from to pick your random encounter..........If I had read this on a message board pre-release I would have thought someone was wanking with me. This really is a sick joke.

Is this Ap going to be six parts like the other two or just five? I'm not sure if this question has been answered somewhere else.

I was just looking over my copy of THe Guide to Korvosa, and I'm noticing a pattern here. Why are the populations of these huge cities so small? Korvosa 18,000, Magnimar 16,000. This number seems very small for the size of the city by the map. I know that the general view is that in the past cities we smaller, but Rome at it's height had over a million people living in it, swelling to two million when Hannibal lay seige. Magnimar is comperable in size to the city I live in and we have 250,000 people. Any thoughts?

Is their any chance of Pathfinder doing their own version of Challenge of Champions like you guys did for Dungeon? My wife has run the last two, and it has become a competition between our Two different gaming groups. I would love to see this continue.

Any word as to what happened to the Pathfinder Goblin warriors? I could have sworn on monday they were listed as in stock, but now they are back to preorder. When are they comming? (I hope this takes the website ate the first post.)

Hey, has Paizo given any thought about doing a full set of all seven of the Runelords. I figure that you guys will do Karzog for Spires of Xin Shalast, but what about the rest? I would love to have a full set!

The Scene: The Graul Homestead. The party is doing recon of the area and watch several Ogres enter the barn.
Halfling: We should just lock the door and torch the place.
The rest of the group, stunned by the suggestion.
Halfling: Well, it's not like they're humans.

Plan ensues, barn is sealed, and lit on fire and is quickly a blaze.

Party: Do you think any of the rangers might be held captive?

DM: ROFLMAO after checking to see where the rangers are kept!

Rescue mission ensues

The halfling in question is played by my 75 yr old mother-in-law, who is a school teacher with a masters degree in Christian Education! She was angry when I informed her of her alignment change.

Any word on when the RotRL Mini's will finally arive? March is getting short and I need my Goblins.

How about the Idea of including Pathfinder Goblins as a PC Race! Think about how cool that would be! (Yes, I'm serious. I love playing goblins and goblinoids when I play.)What do you think?

DOes anyone else allow or use Goblins or Goblinoids as PC's and what are the most popular if you do? If not, why?

Hey, I ordered the goblin warband, but I was wondering if there was a pic for them? It's the only mini without one.

Over the last few months I've had many people on these boards tell me that 4.0 is comming and that fighting against the system isn't going to change that. That Everyone will follow suit eventually, it's only a matter of time.
This is why we fight. Because sometimes someone listens. We stand up for what we believe is best for ourselves and the gaming comunity.

Thank you Paizo for hearing us.

I was just reading over the teasers for these modules and I like what I've read. The problem is I don't play 3.5 (our group plays 2E) so playing them at a Con of the local game shop isn't an option. Will these games be available for sale to just anyone, or do I have to be a member?

Is there a map for Turtleback Ferry? I'm just starting to run HMM and I was thinking that if the PCs are going to be based in the fort, it would be best to have a map of the closest town.

Something that I've seen a lot on these boards is people complaining about how adult some of the storylines are (Hook Mountain Massacre, Scuttle Cove). I've found some of these posts laughable, given my home brewed game is WAY darker, and more disturbing. So, I'm curious, how dark is too dark for you? I draw the line at rape and Pedophilia, but other than that, most everything else is fair game.

What is Mhar? I'm feeling like I missed something. I gather it being released would be bad, but why?

So, I just finished glancing through Part six and I have had an idea. Karzog had destroyed Alzanist before the runelords went into hibernation. THe PCs at the point in the game where I'm at (We're in the middle of Skinsaw murders)thinks that Alzanist is the runelord being brought back due to the Wrath rune and the catacombs of wrath in burnt offerings. What if by comming into contact with Alzanist's rune in the first game has turned the PC's into the instrument of her revenge against Karzog, and then by killing Karzog at the end of RotRL they inadvertently resurrect Alzanist by becoming the Catalyst of her return? I haven't read anything of the next 2 AP's so I don't know if Alzanist will play a part in any of them. What do you think?

I just got done reading what 4E has planned for Forgotten Realms and all I can say is: I'm out. I buy every FR novel every month. Last time I counted I have over 150. I have three trilogies that I will finish reading, then I will never buy another novel again. Screw up the game mechaninc, fine. trash FR, Ok what ever. jump the story a hundred years and kill off every @#%$ing character that isn't an elf from every author? Bull $#!+! If I was one of these authors I'd be pissed! My wife and I figured it up and we were spending over $500 a year on WoTC products. We're out.

I just finished going through Wizards Presents: Worlds and Monsters 4th Edition Preview. And I’ve got to say It is a sad ill advised experiment. The restructuring of the cosmology is fine, but to make it asymmetrical just for the sake of doing it is stupid. Their goal of throwing out anything attached to the literature that helped form D&D (Tolkien, Elric, Conan, Etc.) and creating a fantasy world that has never appeared before is a leap that I feel is bound to fall on it’s face. Life is about balance. From what they have described, they intend to make a game world that is skewed, and if run the way they have laid it out, will quickly become lopsided and hard for a DM to manage. They talk about ending absolutes and racial alignments and racial hatred, but they blinked when they then list all demons and devils as evil because of a fear of backlash from the Christian Coalition.
They mention that first level PC’s will have a lot more power, and a lot of abilities, but isn’t the fun in running a low level character they fact that they are less than perfect? Isn’t it this imperfection what establishes the PC's personality? Isn’t a hard fought battle more rewarding than routing an enemy? They talk about PC’s in 4E like they are super heroes, when PC’s should only be heroes.
Whatever this game is, It is not D&D. Hasbro has been a poor caretaker of a game that I have played for almost twenty years. And while Hasbro has brought D&D into the 21st century with 3.5, 4E looks to take the setting too far away from it’s roots. I looked upon 4E and found an alien world steeped more in Lovecraft than Tolkien, More in Cthulu than in Elric. They have destroyed one of my favorite settings (Forgotten Realms: The Spell Plague is something that lasts for at least 100 yrs) and I fear that they will ruin the game for future generations. Irresponsible people driven by ego and money who have lost a simple truth. D&D is a living entity. It belongs to each and every one of us, and means something different to each person it touches. It existed before Wizards of the Coast, and it will exist after they are done.

I just got done running TSSM Saturday (Breaking with the group getting ready to head to Magnimar. So, here's the problem that had my players making fun of the descriptions: Foxglove manor is full of stainglass windos that show old man Foxglove trying to become a lich...step by step...What?! It even shows what his Phlactery looks like! Isn't that supose to be a lich's most carefully guarded secret? The other thing is that the room descriptions describe stainglass windows in the basement!

I just opened the PDF for SotS an I've got to tell you, when I saw this demon, All I could think was: Aw Isn't it cute! It'll be like getting your ass beaten by a Muppet. Love the artwork. I can't wait to use this critter.

I bought at Borders the most unusual and some what disturbing OGL book I've ever seen. It's called The Book of Erotic Fantasy by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel & Duncan Scott. Now, I'm not a purde by a longshot, but for some reason, I'm not sure my D&D world needs two types of necrophilia, nor do I need the sexual habits of Gnomes, Dryads, or Bugbears. The sheer giggle factor of this book was enough to make me buy it. It's very intelligently writen, but It is definitely not for children (All illustrations are real pictures morphed to look like different races.) But for the twisted, it is something to check out.

I was reading through Pathfinger #1 and noticed that some of the monsters were listed as being from the Tome of Horrors put out by Necromancer Games. I was excited to see this, since it was Swords and Sorcery Creature compendimums and the Tome of Horror's 1&2 that really got me looking at 3.5 products because of it's darker feel. We still play 2E, but convert alot of OGL 3.5 stuff to our game. My question is, is Necromancer Games and Sword and Sorcery the same company? The Tome of Horror has a Sword and Sorcery logo on it, but the S&S creature collections don't say that they are Necromancer.

Also, I read the anouncement that Paizo and Necromancer will be working together, and My guess is this is how Paizo got permission to use ToH monsters. That said, which Necromancer books will Pathfinder be using? I'd like to know if there is anything else I'll need?

I have been pouring over the download for Burnt offerings and I have to say everyone did an awesome job! The new formate is excelent, I love the beastiary, and the setting has some great flavor. Especially after running Savage Tide, I think my players will enjoy the shock of having to play in a little town like Sandpoint.
I got my last issue of Dragon on Tuesday and spent most of the day depressed, but that night I downloaded the first Pathfinder, and was happy to see the Spirit of Dungeon and Dragon Magazine still lives on. I Can't wait to get the paper book.

What is the date the first part will ship? I've been looking over the boards, but I can't find it. I know it says August, but any Idea what day?

What does Obox Ob look like? I've been reading through Enemies of my enemy, and I haven't found a physical description. Granted, there is ALOT to digest in this modual, so I could have just missed it. Can anyone help me out?

Has Dungeon ever done Venger from the old D&D cartoon as a Critical Threat? If not, Maybe food for thought in these final issues?

I Really wanted to Say thanks to the Paizo staff for having their plan in place before announcing the end of the two magazines. Emotions are running high about this, I know I'm one of the ones pissed at Wizards, but the transition would be that much worse if I wasn't looking forward to seeing what you guys have planned for Pathfinder. I've been playing for 22yrs and Dungeon and Dragon Magazines have always been there. I'm not happy about the loss, and Wizards response to questions about it have been less than inspiring. But with Pathfinder at least we know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you.

I've been trying to find an E-mail address for the Colbert Report to see if we can get Wizards put 'On Notice' On his show. I think it would be pretty funny, and given that Colbert himself is a self admited gamer, he might go for it. Any thoughts? Or better yet, Does anyone know the E-mail. I've tried Comedycentral.com, and thecolbertnation.com. (Colbert Nation I can't get to load. Comedy central has a link to the other site.)

Please tell me I'm counting right, the last part of Savage Tide comes out in the last issue of Dungeon, Right?

Hey, do you guys think that you could time the Ecologies in Dragon a little better? The Kopru Came out the Month AFTER lightless Depths, and the Devourer A month later. It would have been nice if the Kopru one had been in sync.

Does anyone know how adult the Scuttle Cove setting for Serpents of Scuttle Cove will be? My wife ran the Adults only Modual from when the Book of Vile Darkness came out and it was awesome! Will this suplement be the same, or will it be toned down?

I had a cool idea, that kind of stunned my players at the Barbas Trading Post in the Mongrelfolk village. Because of how thier city is described, nothing in the trading post could be bought with money (Except silver which to them, I gave the value of gold because they could use the silver for making arrow and spear heads. Everything that they bought had to be traded for something usefull, especially food and tools. Weapons came next, magic, and Misc. Gold and Platinum were worthless. I figured with how on the fringe their society was and how far they were from any place that they could spend cash at, that they would put a higher value on practical items and no value on money. It really threw my players for a loop.

So, my players decided they want to dig up Vanthus and have a conversation with him...Any thoughts?

I just did my first read through on Lightless Depths, and I have a scientific question:While the part can survive the air pressure two miles down, how will they survive the water pressure when they flood the city when maximum dept for a human diver is about 900 feet (313 meters). I understand the whole suspend disbelief thing, but most of my players are either college students or college graduates, and I know this number won't fly. Is there a spell or magical item that will help them survive the pressure or do I need to come up with something on my own?

I know that with Sea Wyverns Wake, there is alot of NPC interaction with the way that it is writen, but this is how I'm use to running games all the time anyway. I always put an NPC into a group as one of the members. I find that this is an easy way to guide the group through an adventure. The NPC is treated just like any other PC getting a full cut of treasure (Though I tend to fudge their leveling to keep them comprable with the PCs). OVer the years I've created hundreds of NPCs, some with full character sheets, most with just a blurb to help me remember who they are and what they do.
I'm curious how many other DMs are heavy on their NPCs, VS those that only use the ones that are key to the modual?

I'm just getting ready to start Tides of Dread. I was wondering if anyone out there has gotten farther than this, and if so, how did the game go? I've made some major changes to ToD, so I'm curious as to how it went being run by the book?

Aside from that, I'm also curious as to which parts of the game your PC's had the most trouble with?

I was at a game shop in Santa Cruz on vacation, when I found something that will help if you are running ship to ship battles. The is a card game called Pirates that has two snap together ships of various sizes and styles. When I ran the Scarlet Brotherhood blocade in SWW, my PC's got into ship to ship combat, but i didn't have any minis out to show the battle, and they got confused a couple of times. These are perfect, plus they have alot of styles of ships to give the DM ideas. I just wanted to pass this along. I thought it was cool.

Five ships? That's the invading force? Give me a freaking break! Why would the PC's even bother with all of the side quests when they will have two battle ready ships to fight them with (More if they capture one of the ships from the CBH ambush in SWW). I'm going to have to at least double the number.