Bladelings? Of all the planar races they could have picked, bladelings? Their 3e counterparts can be found in the Monster Manual II (and their lesser cousins, the spikers, are in the Planar Handbook).
Edit: Alright, looking at the ToC, it looks like this will be somehow more like the 3e "Monster as Character" sidebar than a full racial write-up. Makes a bit more sense, though I hope 4e injects something of interest into this otherwise bland race.
Their 3e counterparts can be found in the Fiend Folio (and their lesser cousins, the spikers, are in the Planar Handbook).
Edit: Alright, looking at the ToC, it looks like this will be somehow more like the 3e "Monster as Character" sidebar than a full racial write-up. Makes a bit more sense, though I hope 4e injects something of interest into this otherwise bland race.
I say I welcome the introducing of the Bladelings in 4th edition, their "Razor Storm" ability sounds like it will easily be a Racial Encounter power for them of course. Of course, the Bladelings are also in the 3.5 Monster Manual II, and the 3.0 Adventure "Lord of the Iron Fortress" (probably my favorite adventure I own).
Although there are fan created monster variations of these guys on the Enworld Forums, I still do hope to see them as a race all the same. It better be a full writeup, or I'll find that to be a rather disappointment if ye ask me. Also, I don't find them to be a bland race all that much really. In fact the Lord of the Iron Fortress, and MMII both gave them a little detail, being xenophobic, and superstitious among other things. Although those qualities make it hard for them to be characters, so I'd imagine they're probably going to change them up.
I do wonder what class they'll favor, hard to say, I know in 3rd edition, they favored being fighters, cleric-esque and assassins. So it's hard to tell really, as Fighter didn't really fit them all that well.
Oh and to hell with the spiker race by crom.
By the way, I hope to see the writeup for Baphomet, this should be interesting, the demon lord of the bulls.
IIRC the authors have stated that it won't be a full race write-up, but rather more along the lines of MM races.
This, plus a single racial feat and a brief sidebar for PC Bladelings.
It's probably a combination DM/PC handbook. No reason for them to realease the planar-oriented rituals and PP in a separate book
Looks like 20-30 pages of player info. Dunno if that is worth the price for non-GMs.
Looks like 20-30 pages of player info. Dunno if that is worth the price for non-GMs.
I think the only non-DMs who will pick this book up will be the guys who purchase every book, as well as fans of eladrin, shadar-kai (anyone?) or planar adventuring in general.
def not players who have access to the compendium. one more point for DDI
Yeah, in January .. *if* WotC keeps their word on doing the updates at the end of each month. What with the recent lay-offs, I have a hard time seeing that happen.
I think the only non-DMs who will pick this book up will be the guys who purchase every book, as well as fans of eladrin, shadar-kai (anyone?) or planar adventuring in general.
I <3 shadar Kai