The environmental books were 224+ pages, yet Dungeonscape and Cityscape, two environments that needed at least 224+ pages considering how common those areas are explored, got the shaft!
[tangent] Frostburn and Sandstorm were so darn good, too. Just dripping with useful stuff. Stormwrack was, IMO, still great, but not quite as amazing, and then Cityscape and Dungeonscape just fell flat, for me. They spoiled us with the early stuff. Indeed, that happened quite a bit. Draconomicon and Libris Mortis felt much more densely packed with good stuff, compared to Lords of Madness and Drow of the Underdark. [/tangent]
Likewise. I thought Lords of Madness was pretty good though, but it did lack a "general aberration" kind of chapter, but aberrations aren't as uniform as dragons and undead. Which fits their style, anyway. Covering the big, bad aberrations, and adding a new one, plus a PC chapter, was done pretty well I thought.
As for Drow of the Underdark, I must've groaned angrily loud enough to awaken Cthulu. I was already sick of the drow emphasis WotC did, and to see a whole book dedicated to one elf subrace that had more than enough attention and material devoted to it instead of a much needed "Fey" or "Giant" monster book made me want to kick a kitten almost.
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Likewise. I thought Lords of Madness was pretty good though, but it did lack a "general aberration" kind of chapter, but aberrations aren't as uniform as dragons and undead.
There are, IMO, too many types.
Elementals and Fey should be subtypes of Outsider. Giants and Monstrous Humanoids should be subtypes of Humanoid. Vermin should be a subtype of Animal. Getting rid of the 'Beast' type was a nice step from 3.0 to 3.5, and turning the Giant type into the Humanoid (giant) subtype in PF was also a nice step, but, IMO, they were baby steps.
Too many types, and it took too long, again, IMO, to introduce the notion that a creature could have one type, and a different subtype, like making Tieflings into Humanoid (extraplanar) instead of arguing over whether or not they gained all the features of Outsiders, or allowing for an 'amorphous' subtype, so that one could have an undead or aberration or outsider that is also an ooze (or has ooze traits, in addition to those of it's 'other' type).
But I do agree that I would have rather seen a good book on Giants and giant-kin (Ettins, Cyclops, Athach, various other deformed 'fomori' like giant-kin), and on Fey, than on the Drow.
But I won't criticize WotC for selling to their audience. Drizzt is a best-seller. Paul Bunyan and Rumplestiltskin, not so much.
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loved FRostburn... it contained my favorite wizard/sorcerer prc
the Frostmage.
I'd love to see a pathfinder form of it.....(as long as it wasnt directly tied to iresin)
cant say much for stomrwrack or sandstorm
but cityscape never did anything for me...
Look at the Genius Guide to Ice Magic - it's got both a sorcerer bloodline and a wizard specialization that will take the edge off of not having a true Frostmage conversion available.
I just hope there's something for sorcerers that's actually not new bloodlines. Yes, new bloodlines are cool and all, but there's got to be something else or it'll just get boring after a while.
I am going to ask this again, does this book have any magic items? I had heard that it will not, so I wish to confirm this information if it is true or not.
When can we expect previews?
No magic items in this one.
This thing is well and truly at the printers, so barring pirates or trouble at sea the release date should not shift any further.
Hopefully it'll stay away from the coast of Africa and avoid both :)
Pre-order in!
May! G*#!&@nit!
It and Ultimate Combat are going to be a lot closer together now.
Still wanted to get my hands on it earlier than summer though! Drat!
Pushed back again? The only good thing about this is that my bank account can breathe a sigh of relief. I'm not happy about it, but I've seen enough that I put this on pre-order and I'll wait for it to come out. Now I need some players by that time and if the promise of a reanimator option for alchemists proves as good as I hope it will be...I'll have some fun being EVIL!!!
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If they're pushing it back to perfect it I'm all for that. I really need more USEFUL spells for my paladin’s inventory. And I personally feel that Words of Power needs work, it was announced at neoncon as "a way for wizards to cast on the fly" To me that means spontaneous casting, and since most players I've seen aren't preparing spells and just flip through the core rule book on their turn, "on the fly" rules should be set.
Pushed back to May!? Ugh...what are these, popular PS3 titles now? Well...if it's for improvements, then I guess I'll bare with it.
But now they owe us early previews! :P
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If they're pushing it back to perfect it I'm all for that. I really need more USEFUL spells for my paladin’s inventory. And I personally feel that Words of Power needs work, it was announced at neoncon as "a way for wizards to cast on the fly" To me that means spontaneous casting, and since most players I've seen aren't preparing spells and just flip through the core rule book on their turn, "on the fly" rules should be set.
There are plenty of useful and flavorful paladin spells in APG, I think; and most of them can be cast as a swift action. As a Favored Son of Asmodeus I deeply loathe and despise them, but reading through just a few of those spells made me want to play a paladin. ;)
I'd be stoked to see something akin to the Binder from Tome of Magic, or a Truenamer Done Right (which seems to tie in nicely with the Words of Magic thingie). Binders were just weird enough and creepy enough to (look to) be a blast, but I have never managed to get into a game that let me play one...
Still, to stay a little closer to on-topic, the Magic class that has seemed to get the least amount of "support material" is the Druid. Feats and spells that allow them to augment Wildshaping and Companions would be toit like a toiger.
(Yes, I know that the Bestiaries can be seen as Druid support docs, but not really)
I think its time that we get some spoilerific new infos on Ultimate Magic. It's at the printers. After delays. Our collective and fragile patience is worn thin with gleeful expectations. Just some new goodies from this release, to tide us over.
Please? :)
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No magic items in this one.
This thing is well and truly at the printers, so barring pirates or trouble at sea the release date should not shift any further.
Really? That kind of surprises me, I'm no less eager for its content, just head scratchingly surprised. I would have thought of at least a handful of items to augment the magus, as the previews for ultimate combat include things for the gunslinger.
I shall unofficially put this on my shelf under P for penultimate until the complimentary Magic Item Compendium comes out :)
Also, to help us plan characters, will the classic "support" feats also exist for the Magus (specifically "Extra Arcane Pool" and "Additional Major Arcana")?
thanks :)
Why can't I put this in my shopping cart? I can put ultimate combat in my shopping cart, which is further out.
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Also, to help us plan characters, will the classic "support" feats also exist for the Magus (specifically "Extra Arcane Pool" and "Additional Major Arcana")?
thanks :)
On that same note, in the Ultimate Combat there is an "Amateur Gunslinger" feat that allows non-gunslingers to use grit to perform deeds like a gunslinger. Will there be a feat like that but for the magnus to allow non-magni to use an Arcane Pool like a magnus?
Why can't I put this in my shopping cart? I can put ultimate combat in my shopping cart, which is further out.Are you saying you don't have an "Add to Cart" button? What do you see below the price?
I see the "Add to Cart" button, and it does add a copy to my cart. No idea what he's seeing. I'm using Firefox 3.6.15 on WindowsXP.
Why can't I put this in my shopping cart? I can put ultimate combat in my shopping cart, which is further out.Are you saying you don't have an "Add to Cart" button? What do you see below the price?
Im using google chrome. The add to cart button is there, but no matter how many times i click it, it isnt going into my cart, doesnt matter if i hit update, refresh, nothing, it's not there, but if i hit ultimate combat, poof, it's there.
Senior Software Developer
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Pendagast, I think this was a temporary glitch for your cart only and should be fixed now. If it isn't please email webmaster@paizo.com.
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Pendagast, I think this was a temporary glitch for your cart only and should be fixed now. If it isn't please email webmaster@paizo.com.
Paizo staff to the rescue, you guys are awesome!!!
yea it works now, got it in my save for later box... Question, if I select it now, does it charge me now, and send it when I ask for it (according to which button I choose) or does it charge me when it ships?
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Chief Technical Officer
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yea it works now, got it in my save for later box... Question, if I select it now, does it charge me now, and send it when I ask for it (according to which button I choose) or does it charge me when it ships?
We only ever charge when things ship. (PDFs and other downloads "ship" immediately).
We only ever charge when things ship. (PDFs and other downloads "ship" immediately).yea it works now, got it in my save for later box... Question, if I select it now, does it charge me now, and send it when I ask for it (according to which button I choose) or does it charge me when it ships?
So last question, does pre-ordering (seeing as I wont be charged until it ships) help you guys out any?
So last question, does pre-ordering (seeing as I wont be charged until it ships) help you guys out any?We only ever charge when things ship. (PDFs and other downloads "ship" immediately).yea it works now, got it in my save for later box... Question, if I select it now, does it charge me now, and send it when I ask for it (according to which button I choose) or does it charge me when it ships?
It helps them be sure their print run is big enough.
I think its time that we get some spoilerific new infos on Ultimate Magic. It's at the printers. After delays. Our collective and fragile patience is worn thin with gleeful expectations. Just some new goodies from this release, to tide us over.
Please? :)
+1
Yes, I think previews are in order here :D
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Chief Technical Officer
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It helps them be sure their print run is big enough.So last question, does pre-ordering (seeing as I wont be charged until it ships) help you guys out any?We only ever charge when things ship. (PDFs and other downloads "ship" immediately).yea it works now, got it in my save for later box... Question, if I select it now, does it charge me now, and send it when I ask for it (according to which button I choose) or does it charge me when it ships?
In the case of hardcover RPG books, we're already printing enough that customer preorders don't generally make a difference in the print run.
Honestly, just do whatever makes the most sense for you. (Personally, I'd do the preorder just to ensure that I don't forget to order it later.)
want it and put on preorder, I usually play rangers but the APG gave me something I am intrigued to play, especially in certain games in the alchemist. I like a lot of where that class is going and is this book will give that class some more options, I'm all for it.
Any idea when we might be seeing some previews for the book?
I have a 2nd level Sorceror and am interested in what feats there will be for casters as well as new spells.
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Chief Technical Officer
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Any idea when we might be seeing some previews for the book?
I have a 2nd level Sorceror and am interested in what feats there will be for casters as well as new spells.
Generally, previews are more likely to translate into preorders if they're done fairly close to the release date. So while we occasionally drop hints at stuff that's a few months out, we usually keep the detailed previews for the weeks immediately prior to release.
Ok, thanks Vic.
If I don't see previews by the beginning of May, I'll start bugging again. :)
Is there any chance of seeing a Lycan(thrope) Bloodline for Sorcerers? I mean we have Dragons, Undead (Vampire), Devils, etc. It seems the werewolves need some love too.
What about team Jacob? *cough*
Gaining scent, a bite attack and/or rage/regeneration. Pretty cool.
I understand that complete lycanthropes would be completely uncontrollable, but what about those with traces of tainted blood?
^_^
I was also wondering about that ways the channel energy will be changed. since paladins gain Channel energy will there be a way clerics can gain layon hands? lol turnabout being fair play and all. I'd also love to see feats that allow you to channel negative energy without having to be evil, i mean sometimes a cleric needs to mess up a group of bandits even if they arnt an outsider or elemental! i'd love to see it turn into something akin to ranger's favored enemy list. or even provide ways for good clerics to use some negative energy sometimes or vice versa for evil clerics. because currently the best way to get the most bang for your buck is a half vampire anti paladin or evil cleric. "One for me, one for you, healing for me, harm for you."
Also i'd love to see Heirophant for pathfinder along with Archmage. and see them more on the same level instead of heirophant being "ok" and archmage being complete win. there needs to be more full caster progression prestige classes for some divine love. i felt like druid and oracle got all the love with the Adv guide.
Magus is a great step! now we need a divine version! Paladin with better spell progression? lol
cant wait for the next preview! Silly push backs. :(
I noticed that in the description it says "new oracle curses and revelations" but does not mention new oracle mysteries! Will there be any new mysteries in Ultimate Magic?
I hope there are new Mysteries for the oracle as well as Curses and revelations.
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Creative Director
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I noticed that in the description it says "new oracle curses and revelations" but does not mention new oracle mysteries! Will there be any new mysteries in Ultimate Magic?
Let's just say that it would be pretty weird to do new revelations but not new mysteries.
AKA: Yes; there are new mysteries in Ultimate Magic.
Alchemist and Oracle are the two classes I am most keen on allowing in my own homebrews.
I really hope we get a healing focused witch patron. My witch totally needs some way to heal ability damage/drain before level 14. Oh, and I wouldn't mind getting Breath of Life and/or Raise Daed either.
Please? Pretty please?
im really hoping for some good summoner love. i will keep up the dream of my pocket army