[RPG]: Wizards Presents: Worlds and Monsters, reviewed by Failed Saving Throw (4/2)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/13/13606.phtml

James A. Quirk's Summary:

A strange yet illuminating \"preview\" of the sweeping changes to come in the Fourth Edition of Dungeons and Dragons, this book should have been subtitled \"Breaking What Didn't Need Fixing.\"

Go to the full review for more information.

[Sylevus]

For every grognard like the reviewer, there is a grognard like myself that will totally disagree with him. I like the changes, I like the fluff, I am excited to play DND for the first time in years.....

[knik]

Originally Posted by Sylevus

For every grognard like the reviewer, there is a grognard like myself that will totally disagree with him. I like the changes, I like the fluff, I am excited to play DND for the first time in years.....

You know, I read the review fairly carefully, being one of the few who is completely "on the fence" with regards to fourth edition, and I didn't find it to be grognardy at all. I thought it was fair, well-written and di8dn't have any snarkiness to it at all. After reading it, I'm STILL on the fence, but thats not the reviewers issue.

Kurt

[Cam Banks]

I couldn't stand the Great Wheel. I hated how in 2nd edition they attempted to cram every existing campaign setting into it, and I loved how in 3rd edition they practically ignored it for the Realms and Eberron. I agree with Worlds and Monsters that it was ridiculously symmetrical and, for the most part, a kludge. The new cosmology shows actual thought and makes a lot more sense, at least to me.

Still not going to use it, but I prefer it to the old one.

Cheers,
Cam

[capnzapp]

The real mystery to me is how Wizards are able to get people to pay good money for what essentially is a worthless piece of teaser ad...

[Beckett]

Originally Posted by capnzapp

The real mystery to me is how Wizards are able to get people to pay good money for what essentially is a worthless piece of teaser ad...

Pretty pictures. And pretty words that sometimes even conveyed pretty ideas.

Well, that, and a near-half year headstart on thinking about my 4E campaign.

Oh, and some insight into how the WotC designers think and why things in 4E are going to end up like they will. Which is nice to have when I get around to houseruling, as knowing the why for a rule is helpful when deciding whether and how to change it.

Huh. Guess I got a pretty good value for my dollar on these books.

(And I love how the planes are shaping up this time around. Sounds like something I'll actually use, as opposed to, "Infinite plane of fire. Solid fire. No, I'm not sure how a City of Brass fits in all that fire," to say nothing of remember which is the Lawful Good plane, and which is the Lawful Good Neutral plane, and which is...)

[devlin1]

I'd like to buy this book, but I'm just so damn busy dodging these chunks of falling sky I can't seem to fit it in my schedule.

Why Wizards feels the need to fuck with this to no end makes absolutely no sense.

Neither did the Great Wheel.

[AusJeb]

Originally Posted by Sylevus

For every grognard like the reviewer, there is a grognard like myself that will totally disagree with him. I like the changes, I like the fluff, I am excited to play DND for the first time in years.....

Yeah, I enjoyed W&M, and I'm getting increasingly interested in the changes that they're making in 4e.

Originally Posted by Cam Banks

I couldn't stand the Great Wheel. I hated how in 2nd edition they attempted to cram every existing campaign setting into it, and I loved how in 3rd edition they practically ignored it for the Realms and Eberron. I agree with Worlds and Monsters that it was ridiculously symmetrical and, for the most part, a kludge. The new cosmology shows actual thought and makes a lot more sense, at least to me.

Agreed. WotC staff has been quoted as saying that they've been pleasantly surprised to discovered how happy people are about the removal of the Great Wheel.

I've always thought that the Great Wheel was an interesting idea that was poorly implemented. One of the big themes in W&M is how the structure of the Great Wheel dictated the creation of a number of redundant and/or useless creatures and some really oddball creatures, like Ooze Mephits. Now, the design principal is that creatures must be interesting and usable. There is plenty to like about that. And, planar travel will be more interesting. More win.

The new cosmology will give GMs both more guidance and more flexibility in how to design their campaigns. It's hard to disagree with that.

[wraith428]

One of the reasons to consider as to "why" they changed the planes and how they work is the mechanics. A lot of the old magic system was tied to the planes in some way shape or form. Teleportation and the plane of shadow, cure spells and the positive energy plane, planar travel and the astral plane. If they were making mechanical changes to these and other areas the planes would need to change as well.

Also for all those people who see this as the death of the great wheel... there's two editions worth of fluff on the great wheel. Its right there if you want it in your campaign. It shouldn't be that hard to implement.

Wraith428

[E.T.Smith]

I don't care about 4E one way or the other, but this was a execrable review. Nothing better than a profanity-laced rant of the author's enraged disdain with very little real facts or insight to back it up.