Is that a weretiger on the cover of "In the Claws of the Tiger"? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Is that a weretiger on the cover of "In the Claws of the Tiger"? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ksbsnowowl
07-16-06, 04:26 PM The title pretty much sums it up. It's hands are wrong for a rakshasa. Can anyone tell me what it is?
Modenstein
07-16-06, 06:15 PM It is a Zakya Rakshasa, from the ECS p.297 - 298: "A Zakya can twist its backwards hands, enabling it to wield a weapon normally." Essentially they are a warrior subrace of the usually more magic oriented Rakshasa types.
Dr. Benway
07-17-06, 03:56 AM What book is it that you are referring to? I have never heard of the claws of the tiger...

Thanks,
DocB
:88E: vs :coolcthul who shall prevail?
ksbsnowowl
07-17-06, 07:17 AM This book:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberronnovel/955437400
Edymnion
07-17-06, 07:50 AM Ah, see, thats your problem. You are assuming that artistic liscence actually has anything to do with what the gaming books say. Novel covers are pretty pictures to look at, you shouldn't be trying to get gaming statistics out of them.

Look at the horrible depiction of a Warforged thats on (I think) the Marked for Death novels. Looks nothing like what a WF should be. Doesn't mean it introduces a new kind of WF, it just means the artist took some liberties with the idea.

If the picture were in an actual gaming rulesbook, then there might have been cause to worry. But if its just the picture on a novel cover, don't worry about it. Nothing in or on that book is actually canon to the setting anyway, so they more or less do whatever they want.
ccerose
07-18-06, 01:12 AM I have to agree with modenstein on this one. I was bothered when I saw the cover of the book in question. Especially, since a Rakshasa was identified by its reversed hands in a different Eberron novel.

If the picture were in an actual gaming rulesbook, then there might have been cause to worry.
But the picture is in a gaming rulesbook. The ECS none-the-less. Imagine my shock when I looked at the picture of the Zakya Rakshasa in the ECS (page 298) and saw that its hands were not reversed. I was ready to cry foul until I read the description that Modenstein already listed.

It is a Zakya Rakshasa, from the ECS p.297 - 298: "A Zakya can twist its hands backwards, enabling it to wield a weapon normally." Essentially they are a warrior subrace of the usually more magic oriented Rakshasa types.
If a rakshasa were to twist its hands backwards, then they would appear normal.
ksbsnowowl
07-18-06, 07:04 AM Ah, that makes things more clear, thank you all for indulging my small bit of curiousity.
Kryptonian Scion
07-18-06, 09:52 AM If a rakshasa were to twist its hands backwards, then they would appear normal.

Incorrect. A rakshasa's backwards hands still have the thumb in the correct direction, so a rakshasa gripping a sword with hands twisted backwards would have his thumb located near the pommel, not the hilt.
ksbsnowowl
07-18-06, 11:07 AM I thought the same thing, but was going to let it slide.
ccerose
07-21-06, 06:05 PM A rakshasa's backwards hands still have the thumb in the correct direction, so a rakshasa gripping a sword with hands twisted backwards would have his thumb located near the pommel, not the hilt.

I stand corrected. Still though, the picture of the rakshasa (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82161.jpg) from the ECS appears to have a normal hand, with the thumb coming over the forefinger near the hilt of his sword.

To the OT, after taking another look at the cover of the book in question, I'm thinking those are weretigers. I guess once I get around to reading it, I'll have an answer.
Cutlass
07-21-06, 10:30 PM Well, whoever generated the cover art obviously hadn't read the novel because the locations where the various encounters took place were either in or on the edge of the Menechtarun Desert. Regardless, assuming that they were trying to illustrate the novel at all, then the creatures would be Zakya Rakshashas. Incredibly stupid Zakya Rakshashas because they never once seemed to make use of their abilities to change shape and detect thoughts.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ksbsnowowl 07-16-06, 04:26 PM	The title pretty much sums it up. It's hands are wrong for a rakshasa. Can anyone tell me what it is?
Modenstein 07-16-06, 06:15 PM	It is a Zakya Rakshasa, from the ECS p.297 - 298: "A Zakya can twist its backwards hands, enabling it to wield a weapon normally." Essentially they are a warrior subrace of the usually more magic oriented Rakshasa types.
Dr. Benway 07-17-06, 03:56 AM	What book is it that you are referring to? I have never heard of the claws of the tiger... Thanks, DocB :88E: vs :coolcthul who shall prevail?
ksbsnowowl 07-17-06, 07:17 AM	This book: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberronnovel/955437400
Edymnion 07-17-06, 07:50 AM	Ah, see, thats your problem. You are assuming that artistic liscence actually has anything to do with what the gaming books say. Novel covers are pretty pictures to look at, you shouldn't be trying to get gaming statistics out of them. Look at the horrible depiction of a Warforged thats on (I think) the Marked for Death novels. Looks nothing like what a WF should be. Doesn't mean it introduces a new kind of WF, it just means the artist took some liberties with the idea. If the picture were in an actual gaming rulesbook, then there might have been cause to worry. But if its just the picture on a novel cover, don't worry about it. Nothing in or on that book is actually canon to the setting anyway, so they more or less do whatever they want.
ccerose 07-18-06, 01:12 AM	I have to agree with modenstein on this one. I was bothered when I saw the cover of the book in question. Especially, since a Rakshasa was identified by its reversed hands in a different Eberron novel. If the picture were in an actual gaming rulesbook, then there might have been cause to worry. But the picture is in a gaming rulesbook. The ECS none-the-less. Imagine my shock when I looked at the picture of the Zakya Rakshasa in the ECS (page 298) and saw that its hands were not reversed. I was ready to cry foul until I read the description that Modenstein already listed. It is a Zakya Rakshasa, from the ECS p.297 - 298: "A Zakya can twist its hands backwards, enabling it to wield a weapon normally." Essentially they are a warrior subrace of the usually more magic oriented Rakshasa types. If a rakshasa were to twist its hands backwards, then they would appear normal.
ksbsnowowl 07-18-06, 07:04 AM	Ah, that makes things more clear, thank you all for indulging my small bit of curiousity.
Kryptonian Scion 07-18-06, 09:52 AM	If a rakshasa were to twist its hands backwards, then they would appear normal. Incorrect. A rakshasa's backwards hands still have the thumb in the correct direction, so a rakshasa gripping a sword with hands twisted backwards would have his thumb located near the pommel, not the hilt.
ksbsnowowl 07-18-06, 11:07 AM	I thought the same thing, but was going to let it slide.
ccerose 07-21-06, 06:05 PM	A rakshasa's backwards hands still have the thumb in the correct direction, so a rakshasa gripping a sword with hands twisted backwards would have his thumb located near the pommel, not the hilt. I stand corrected. Still though, the picture of the rakshasa (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82161.jpg) from the ECS appears to have a normal hand, with the thumb coming over the forefinger near the hilt of his sword. To the OT, after taking another look at the cover of the book in question, I'm thinking those are weretigers. I guess once I get around to reading it, I'll have an answer.
Cutlass 07-21-06, 10:30 PM	Well, whoever generated the cover art obviously hadn't read the novel because the locations where the various encounters took place were either in or on the edge of the Menechtarun Desert. Regardless, assuming that they were trying to illustrate the novel at all, then the creatures would be Zakya Rakshashas. Incredibly stupid Zakya Rakshashas because they never once seemed to make use of their abilities to change shape and detect thoughts.