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AICN TABLETOP: Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual 2 exclusive sneak peek!
Hola all. Massawyrm here.
Today Wizards of the Coast is beginning their blitz to ramp up to the release of MONSTER MANUAL 2 (heretofore referred to as MM2). Those of you lifers, lifelong players like myself, already know how special this is. The second Monster Manual is historically the single most interesting of the bunch. The first MM2, released in 1983 for the 1st edition of AD&D, is one of my prized D&D possessions, one of only 4 1st ed books I keep on my shelf. In its Preface, Gygax wrote the following passage:
Besides being larger than Monster Manual I, this volume contains all sorts of valuable material. There are new entries for such classes as devils and dinosaurs, demons and lycanthropes, dragons and giants; there are dozens of brand new creatures; and there are even more entries of the best of creatures which have appeared in limited circulation elsewhere. This volume puts them all together for easy reference. You will also notice the hundreds of new illustrations.”
As of that writing, the philosophy of MM2 remains the same. And aside from the part about it being longer (and the part about dinosaurs – people have REALLY come to hate dinosaurs in their D&D) it could easily describe this book. The first Monster Manual has so much tied to it to establish the core universe. There are a large number of critters that NEED to make an appearance for it to still be D&D. With 4th Edition there were a number of us bothered by the exclusion of a number of what many consider CORE monsters. But now many of those see the light of day along with some brand new beasties and some old cult favorites. I’ve been reading it for the last few days but I’m not allowed to spill the beans until next week. I can however show you this.
That’s the artwork for the new Warforged entry. You’ll be able to find the stat blocks later today my main man Emil as well as Katie at this page and finally this page. I’ll a more in depth look next week once the muzzle’s off.
More news coming later in the week. Lots of interesting things happening as summer ramps up and Gencon releases draw near. See you guys then!
Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
Massawyrm
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Fuck you nerds
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let's say I was only interested in the Fighter builds from the Martial Power book. If I buy the upcoming Martial Power Cards for Fighter, is that a worthwhile substitute, or will it be confusing without the accompanying text from the hardcover? Thanks
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Klytus you ignorant fuck, they are geeks...not nerds...for fuck's sake try to get it right next time!
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I looked at the free rules and everything, but I got a head ache after 5 minutes and gave up. I'll just wait for thew new Pathfinder instead.4E is the new Coke!
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Aww MAN.. what a friggin RIP!!
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Hopefully less news from WoTC. Seriously, there's so much more out there in tabletop games and RPGs than D&D.
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List of excerpts available here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dndacc/9780786951017 (remove spaces)
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i think i'll be the first TB'er to express my utter excitement for MM2. i think the only person i know who is more excited is my current DM, that sadist bastard. i also can't wait for the draconomicon 2, though its far more into the future.
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Some good stuff in the new MM2 based on the previews so far (Iron Golem is back!). But since I won't likely be picking it up, I can't get too excited.
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from a guy named after the campest sc-fi movie ever made.
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at the bottom of the article: two for twitter and one for facebook. I still have no idea what the hell I was looking at. I guess I'm old, but twitter is made of ass.
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That cartoony style puts me off.
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http://tinyurl.com/wotc-mm2
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with new stats and image links
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4th paragraph, between the phrase LATER TODAY and MY MAIN MAN EMIL is hidden "over here on the D&D Facebook page. A number of sites have each been given artwork, all of which will find their stat blocks posted today. You can keep track of what’s going on by checking out the twitter pages of..." I don't know how that got buried in the coding. I'll try to have that fixed.
To answer your question Chrth, I'm pretty certain the power cards only have the original PHB material. But I could be wrong - the demo set I was for the Paladin, who has not gotten additional powers yet outside of the new cards from the Heroes mini sets. The cards Do however have everything you need to use them - all of the necessary wording from the book is there. -
"Lost World"-style settings. IIRC there was a 1st Edition adventure or two that took place in one.
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In the PHB, you have Paragon path choices. Do the Power Cards for the powers granted by paths indicate that only characters that have chosen that Paragon Path can use the powers, or are you expected to know that in advance?
PS: The martial power cards are coming out this month I think -
But if I comment on the Facebook link back to here, will I cause a rift in the Internet?
The Iron Golem pic shown at www.wired.com/geekdad is pretty badass. -
as a temple guardian in one of my 3E adventures and isn't Turok a kind of fantasy dinosaur vs. mythic prehistoric natives in a lost world type of setting? Dinosaurs fit in D&D like anything else.
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Galstaff, you have entered the doorway to the north. You are now by yourself, standing in a dark room. The pungent stench of mildew emanates from the wet dungeon walls.
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BRING BACK THE AURUMVORAX !!!... one of my favorite old monsters. and i hear rust monsters are in the MM2... looking forward to that too. lots of players will charge a dragon, but they shit right down the greaves of their magic armor at the sight of a rust monster :)
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Everything from epic fantasy, classic horror, sci fi (see Blackmoor), the Old West, and pulp adventure has come together in the RPG stew, since the 70's.
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Can't forget the post-apocalyptic, mutant setting.
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I could read people's thoughts on D&D all day. There's something so fantastic about grown men discussing the new Monster Manual. Please continue, this has been a bright spot in an otherwise uneventful day.
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I know, I know, everyone thinks they're emo. I prefer not to play them that way (er, if I were to actually play the game, that is). Maybe I do need to pick MM2 up.
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record one of your group's adventures and post it in text. It would be cool to read, and only take like 80 hours to type up. It'd be nice to have some content to go along with this press releases.
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...of a column that basically tells us it can't tell us anything? Why not just wait till next week to write a column that can actually...tell us something?
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It was part of an Internet-wide event originating on Facebook that had stats and linked to pics at various sites
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Thanks for that, Wizards. A sneak peak of three variations on a monster we already have.
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I think it had dinosaurs.
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You meant HEREAFTER, which is the opposite.
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