Kobold Press
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Back from Gen Con and the first thing I see about the new issue is a 5-star review! There's 96-pages of goodies in this one, meaning that it is as long as a Pathfinder Adventure Path --- at less than half the price!
Lots to enjoy here, but I'm also open to criticism. What do you all think of the newest, biggest KQ yet?
I loved the Pathfinder setting content! I'd like to see more stats of novels down the line, both to promote Pathfinder Tales and to more easily incorporate new elements from them into my games.
Love it. Even though I'm not into 4E I can still find plenty of inspiration from the 4E articles. I also like seeing characters from novels statted out, as it really shows how you can use the system to capture a character concept. Sometimes in ways you wouldn't have thought of yourself.
The article on alternate Paladin codes is a great type of article too, because its purely edition neutral.
p.s. I stopped by the booth at Gencon and hand't gotten my email to you soon enough to have my copy picked up there. It arrived in my mailbox Monday!
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Kobold Press
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I love it when the kobold mail carriers are efficient. :)
I'm also a fan of statting up some characters from novels, and I think Paizonian James Sutter did an excellent job with Radovan. I hope to see more like that for Pathfinder Tales, or for other books. Any that someone would like to see?
Oh, and before I forget, some cool free Pathfinder stats for rooster, crane, and seagull tengu on the award-winning KQ blog today.
The article on alternate Paladin codes is a great type of article too, because its purely edition neutral.
Hi drkfathr1, glad you liked my article :-)
I love editionless stuff like this (although in this case I'm horribly biased), not least because I can come back to it for reference whether I'm playing Pathfinder,4e, OD&D, or any game featuring pirates, swashbucklers, vikings, or martial artists. If the Code of the Viking section struck a cord with you, then we'd love to see you over at Frozen Empires: Glories of the North [/author's shameless plug].
- Dan
yes...I need to get over there. I loved Sunken Empires, and in my own homebrew I've neglected the north a bit...so inspiration is needed!
yes...I need to get over there. I loved Sunken Empires, and in my own homebrew I've neglected the north a bit...so inspiration is needed!
Plenty to inspire, I promise... and plenty of opportunities for you to add your inspiration to our corner of the north, too!
What happened to the Pathfinder Swordmage that was in the early ads for this issue?
Is it the upcoming Magus that made you say forget it?
Contributor
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By far the best part of the magazine, in my objective opinion, was the warm review of Prince of Wolves. My only complaint is that James chose Charisma as Radovan's dump stat. What the hell is that about? :)
Seriously, I love Kobold because it evokes the fun of the early days of Dragon while remaining contemporary.
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Kobold Press
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What happened to the Pathfinder Swordmage that was in the early ads for this issue?
Is it the upcoming Magus that made you say forget it?
Yeah, that was placeholder text on a mockup cover somewhere, but the Magus does make me think it might not be a great idea. Why run a KQ bladesinger/gish/swordmage when Paizo is doing the official one in 7 months or so?
Anyway, I've got an editorial meeting tonight where we talk about that one AGAIN. The fact that the article just won't die is a point in its favor, but also super-annoying.
What happened to the Pathfinder Swordmage that was in the early ads for this issue?
Is it the upcoming Magus that made you say forget it?
Yeah, that was placeholder text on a mockup cover somewhere, but the Magus does make me think it might not be a great idea. Why run a KQ bladesinger/gish/swordmage when Paizo is doing the official one in 7 months or so?
Anyway, I've got an editorial meeting tonight where we talk about that one AGAIN. The fact that the article just won't die is a point in its favor, but also super-annoying.
i would love to see some more martial classes or perhaps a Pathfinder Noble class if that means anything to ya
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What happened to the Pathfinder Swordmage that was in the early ads for this issue?
Is it the upcoming Magus that made you say forget it?
Yeah, that was placeholder text on a mockup cover somewhere, but the Magus does make me think it might not be a great idea. Why run a KQ bladesinger/gish/swordmage when Paizo is doing the official one in 7 months or so?
Anyway, I've got an editorial meeting tonight where we talk about that one AGAIN. The fact that the article just won't die is a point in its favor, but also super-annoying.
Heh ... just imagine how supremely bummed the author was when Paizo announced the Magus a few months after he had already submitted his article! ;)
What happened to the Pathfinder Swordmage that was in the early ads for this issue?
Is it the upcoming Magus that made you say forget it?
Yeah, that was placeholder text on a mockup cover somewhere, but the Magus does make me think it might not be a great idea. Why run a KQ bladesinger/gish/swordmage when Paizo is doing the official one in 7 months or so?
Anyway, I've got an editorial meeting tonight where we talk about that one AGAIN. The fact that the article just won't die is a point in its favor, but also super-annoying.
Heh ... just imagine how supremely bummed the author was when Paizo announced the Magus a few months after he had already submitted his article! ;)
you?
alright, I've changed my mind. Publish the Pathfinder Swordmage. Marc's ranger rocks I wanna see his gish
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Kobold Press
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His ranger did indeed rock. The editors got through 80% of the slush pile for #15 last night but.... I think I'm getting off-topic here.
KQ#14 has a lot of Pathfinder treasures, class materials, and official content like the Radovan stats and the like. I'm curious to hear what your favorite Pathfinder article was, and whether any of the Systemless articles were of interest (interview, Monte Cook's column, etc).
Monte's column is always a 'must-read' and the first thing I read.
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Kobold Press
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Part 2 in the Tengu Obsession series is now up, expanding on the Ecology of the Tengu from this issue.
OH, I also liked the article by Monte. Had some really good points that made me think on my own campaigns. Sometimes the purely random "sandbox" style can be alot of fun.
I've kind of neglected random encounters for years now, and think I need to introduce them back into my life!
I also liked the Healing Hands article with the feats that add to the Paladins Mercies. Seemed very well balanced and make a nice addition to the standard.
Haven't made it all the way through yet, so I can't comment on Ed Greenwood's article, but I did skim the article on designing Feats, and I found it to be very informative. Makes some good points that I think alot of folks would benefit from. Especially those considering writing for 3PP.
I found the interview with Rob Hiensoo to be interesting and informative. Very interesting to see some of the process behind the design of 4E and the things he wish he'd done differently. And nice to see an admission that the release of 4E led to some elements of the game being rushed. That kind of candor from one of the 4E designers was quite refreshing.
I'm curious to hear what your favorite Pathfinder article was, and whether any of the Systemless articles were of interest (interview, Monte Cook's column, etc).
you have to ask if there is interest in a Monte Cook column? really?
Your magazine I think strikes a good balance between PFRPG and 4E along with a nice selection of systemless stuff. I have noticed some Dragon Age RPG content. I like that. I havent bought the game but I'm thinking about it.
I totally think you should print the Swordmage conversion. I was really, really looking forward to this, and to not do it now would really *insert colorful expletive here*.
Director of Narrative
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I really like that the magazine contains a wide array of articles. I like that you represent different systems and particularly enjoy the systemless articles. Keeping the content open like that paves the way for fans of all games to get support for their favorite, be it Pathfinder, D&D, Dragon Age, M&M, CoC, Mouseguard, or even Dogs. Having other content is also good because it turns folks onto things they might not have tried.
Keep it up, Wolfgang!
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I totally think you should print the Swordmage conversion. I was really, really looking forward to this, and to not do it now would really *insert colorful expletive here*.
LOL, no need for colorful expletives!
Not to worry, I think we have to trust Wolfgang and company over at Kobold Quarterly Central to do what they feel is right for the magazine and its' readers. I was certainly really bummed at first, since I put a huge amount of work into the class BUT I also respect Wolfgang a hell of a lot so I was able to come to terms with the class not running in this issue with a minimum of anguish and tears - HA HA (oh, and by the way, it's a new base class, not a conversion). I haven't picked the new issue up yet but it sure sounds like it has tons of great stuff in it!
And who knows, the class just might see the light of day yet ... :)
if the decision is to not put it in the mag, can we see it on the website?
if the decision is to not put it in the mag, can we see it on the website?
Oh, I think some genius will pick up what Marc did and get his work out in one form or another. :D
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Kobold Press
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Yep, I have no doubt that if it doesn't make it into the Fall issue, the Super Geniuses will be all over it.
But we're kinda off-topic. I'm still curious about KQ14. It's by far the largest issue we've ever done. In fact, it's bigger than KQ #1 and #2 put together.
Is the sheer size good? Does it feel like an amazing deal to get an extra 32 pages or so for the same price? We worked very hard to pull it off, but I haven't really heard any one say "Yeah, more is always better, duh".
Maybe small is beautiful?
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More is not always better but I personally think #14 is a really nice size. I was in fact a little surprised by its heft when I pulled it out and started glancing through it. I haven't had a chance to read all of it (my son has it at the moment) but I liked what I saw. :)
Also, I appreciate that this cover did not cause my wife to give me dirty looks like the green god's cover did. She really, really, was not happy with that particular cover. I must admit, her feelings aside, as someone with kids who like to read their Dad's gaming books, I prefer "heroic" themed covers or "monster" themed covers to covers that are designed to be more provocative.
Small is beautiful, but a bigger issue every now and then is great!
I think the size was nice, because for example, I don't really need the 4th edition articles, but there is enough of both, that fans of both systems have enough material to enjoy. I liked the issue, and I will continue my sub as long as the quality continues.
As for content, i think you have a good mix. The articles I am enjoying the most right now: Are the ones featuring discussion on role-playing games, information about the hobby, from the prominent names like Monte.
Is the sheer size good? Does it feel like an amazing deal to get an extra 32 pages or so for the same price? We worked very hard to pull it off, but I haven't really heard any one say "Yeah, more is always better, duh".
More isn't always better. If you can maintain this amount of quality each time though, that is decidedly better. As a subscriber, I feel I have already gotten my money's worth out of this year's renewal.
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Getting a bigger issue of KQ is NEVER a bad thing!!! I also agree that the issue walks that line nicely of Pathfinder vs 4E content with system neutral material to round things out. A larger issue just means there is even more of that balance to go around!
If you can maintain the larger page count, I'll bet it even attracts new subscribers - it's pretty hard to argue the value for the price!
Can't wait to get my copy of the issue!
I wish small was beautiful but my wife always says bigger is better
I have this slightly odd habit of thumbing through magazines back-to-front the first time through. When I saw Corey's beautiful map inside the back cover, I knew this was going to be an exceptional issue.
There is some terrific stuff in here. Thanks for expanding the page count. It just seems to go on and on with more good stuff on each page.
Hmm, my sub must be coming due soon. I'll have to make sure that's taken care of.
Yeah I think #14 is the last issue of my current sub. I'll be remedying that asap.
Yep, I have no doubt that if it doesn't make it into the Fall issue, the Super Geniuses will be all over it.
But we're kinda off-topic. I'm still curious about KQ14. It's by far the largest issue we've ever done. In fact, it's bigger than KQ #1 and #2 put together.
Is the sheer size good? Does it feel like an amazing deal to get an extra 32 pages or so for the same price? We worked very hard to pull it off, but I haven't really heard any one say "Yeah, more is always better, duh".
Maybe small is beautiful?
Well done is beautiful, and KQ is that. With 32 more pages, that's just more beautiful. Thanks, indeed.
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I really enjoyed the issue myself... Tengu are a favorite of mine, so that was very nice. Due to the mail gods loving irony, I got this in the mail the same day as Prince of Wolves, so seeing the stats for that really enriched my experience. I LOVED the codes of honor, and the magic items, especially the Scoundrel's Gambit. The increased size was a real plus.
Count me as a Yay for seeing the swordmage... I love new base classes, and the concept sounds solid. Personally, I'd be thrilled to see Wolfgang adapt his Assassin base class from the Assassin's Handbook for Pathfinder here someday too.
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I really enjoyed the issue myself... Tengu are a favorite of mine, so that was very nice. Due to the mail gods loving irony, I got this in the mail the same day as Prince of Wolves, so seeing the stats for that really enriched my experience. I LOVED the codes of honor, and the magic items, especially the Scoundrel's Gambit. The increased size was a real plus.Count me as a Yay for seeing the swordmage... I love new base classes, and the concept sounds solid. Personally, I'd be thrilled to see Wolfgang adapt his Assassin base class from the Assassin's Handbook for Pathfinder here someday too.
I agree - the Prince of Wolves content is a great idea! I think a lot of people are very excited for the new Pathfinder line of fiction (I know I am!) so having the additional Prince of Wolves content sounds great!
anyone else getting a HTTP 500 internal server error at www.koboldquarterly.com? did someone forget to pay the electric bill?
Same message. No idea why. Hopefully they'll be back up soon.
They are up.
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I totally think you should print the Swordmage conversion. I was really, really looking forward to this, and to not do it now would really *insert colorful expletive here*.LOL, no need for colorful expletives!
Not to worry, I think we have to trust Wolfgang and company over at Kobold Quarterly Central to do what they feel is right for the magazine and its' readers. I was certainly really bummed at first, since I put a huge amount of work into the class BUT I also respect Wolfgang a hell of a lot so I was able to come to terms with the class not running in this issue with a minimum of anguish and tears - HA HA (oh, and by the way, it's a new base class, not a conversion). I haven't picked the new issue up yet but it sure sounds like it has tons of great stuff in it!
And who knows, the class just might see the light of day yet ... :)
I ordered my copy of this issue today. In the mean time, I was able to get a good long look at a friend's copy and ... Wow! This issue might be the best one yet, both from a quality and size standpoint!
It even made me go and order a copy of Prince of Wolves!
Really well done!
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Kobold Press
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Um, wow: another 5-star review for KQ #14, and from a skeptic, no less!
I appreciate both the pros and cons mentioned here in the Paizo review, and the impression from someone entirely new to the magazine. Thanks, JBfort!
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I finally got my hands on this issue and the first word that came to my mind was … WOW.
Although Kobold Quarterly has always been considered the spiritual successor to Dragon magazine, issue 14 truly hammers this home. As I paged through the issue, I honestly felt like I was paging through a new issue of Dragon, even more so than with previous issues. It’s just that good. The production value, the writing, the layout, the content … everything is turned up to 11!
Great job!!!
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Thanks for the great reviews, everyone!
JBFort, while everyone was off at GenCon, a web enhancement for the "Hoard Magic" article - converting it to OGL/PFRPG - was posted at koboldquarterly.com. You can find Part 1 and Part 2 behind the links. Glad you enjoyed the article!