Greetings from ItalySo look for Heroes of Arcane or Heroes of Divine, ect..
They were cancelled due to poor sales.
Which seems crazy since I'd think that after the PHB, those would be the most popular books.
They were cancelled due to poor sales.
Which seems crazy since I'd think that after the PHB, those would be the most popular books.
I think it was PHB > DMG > MM > PHB2 > PHB3 > MM2 > MM3 > Powers stuff > Dragonborn/Thiefling books
Though i could certainly be wrong.
They were cancelled due to poor sales.
Which seems crazy since I'd think that after the PHB, those would be the most popular books.
I think it was PHB > DMG > MM > PHB2 > PHB3 > MM2 > MM3 > Powers stuff > Dragonborn/Thiefling books
Though i could certainly be wrong.
Honestly, I do not own a single power book thus far. Because all the info is in the old offline CB. I really think that is why they didn't publish any more power books; they were like big long Dragon articles.
Honestly, I do not own a single power book thus far. Because all the info is in the old offline CB. I really think that is why they didn't publish any more power books; they were like big long Dragon articles.
This is the reason we don't get nice things... You happy now?
I agree with you 100% thunder. I used the old CB for sure but I also puchased all the power books.
Honestly, I do not own a single power book thus far. Because all the info is in the old offline CB. I really think that is why they didn't publish any more power books; they were like big long Dragon articles.
This is the reason we don't get nice things... You happy now?
I agree with you 100% thunder. I used the old CB for sure but I also puchased all the power books.
For me, being unemployed meant that if I could get content for 10 bucks, or not get it at all, 10 bucks was the way to go. I only own about 10 or so books for the whole line before Essentials. I'd love more, but I am still unemployed.
Really, when the economy started tanking, they should have tamed back their release schedule. I'm surprised it took until after Essentials for them to do this.
Really, when the economy started tanking, they should have tamed back their release schedule. I'm surprised it took until after Essentials for them to do this.
This I agree with. Their expectations of sales during the worst depression sense the 1930's is unbelievable.
Trust me I know how much being unemployed sucks. I graduated my apprenticeship program last summer and haven't worked a day sense. The lack of building projects is killing me.
As of this past Monday, I have been unemployed for 2 years. I have a BA in Fine Art.
Guess what is one fo the first things to go when people tighten their wallet?
Really, when the economy started tanking, they should have tamed back their release schedule. I'm surprised it took until after Essentials for them to do this.
This I agree with. Their expectations of sales during the worst depression sense the 1930's is unbelievable.
Trust me I know how much being unemployed sucks. I graduated my apprenticeship program last summer and haven't worked a day sense. The lack of building projects is killing me.
As of this past Monday, I have been unemployed for 2 years. I have a BA in Fine Art.
Guess what is one fo the first things to go when people tighten their wallet?
United States Employment in favor of overseas 3rd world country employment. Your art employment went the way of my programming employment over to places like India...
Really, when the economy started tanking, they should have tamed back their release schedule. I'm surprised it took until after Essentials for them to do this.
This I agree with. Their expectations of sales during the worst depression sense the 1930's is unbelievable.
Trust me I know how much being unemployed sucks. I graduated my apprenticeship program last summer and haven't worked a day sense. The lack of building projects is killing me.
As of this past Monday, I have been unemployed for 2 years. I have a BA in Fine Art.
Guess what is one fo the first things to go when people tighten their wallet?
United States Employment in favor of overseas 3rd world country employment. Your art employment went the way of my programming employment over to places like India...
Mine'll need to be a non-dyed non-caffeinated soda. Still, the thought is there.
Man I don't like the idea of putting all kinds of mix and match stuff into a book. Unless all this 'Shadow' stuff is for Arcane classes feels like it means we'll be going back to the model where you need to buy ten books to scour for feats for the class you're playing.
Well, the Blackguard is mentioned to be a Paladin subclass, so there's atleast a few divine options in there. I think i've heard there's a Deathpriest cleric too.
Then there's the Executioner, but there's not alot martial it can benefit from without MCing.
WotC seem to have decided against publishing any more 'X Power' books. However, classes like the wizard and warlock are still being supported in other books. The Heroes of Shadow book (due out in April) will contain new powers for both those classes. Heroes of the Feywild (due out sometime in the autumn, IIRC) probably will as well.
A note, the builds released in Heroes of Shadow are Essentials-style subclasses or builds thereof, not O4e style classes, so while many of the powers both classes recieve in these books will be usable by O4e wizards and warlocks, many will not. 4eE content is not as modular as O4e content, so while any warlock could use a given warlock power from Arcane Power (albiet with varying levels of effectiveness) many of the new powers are granted by class features and do not come with levels, and/or require certain class features as prerequisites.
WotC seem to have decided against publishing any more 'X Power' books. However, classes like the wizard and warlock are still being supported in other books. The Heroes of Shadow book (due out in April) will contain new powers for both those classes. Heroes of the Feywild (due out sometime in the autumn, IIRC) probably will as well.
A note, the builds released in Heroes of Shadow are Essentials-style subclasses or builds thereof, not O4e style classes, so while many of the powers both classes recieve in these books will be usable by O4e wizards and warlocks, many will not. 4eE content is not as modular as O4e content, so while any warlock could use a given warlock power from Arcane Power (albiet with varying levels of effectiveness) many of the new powers are granted by class features and do not come with levels, and/or require certain class features as prerequisites.
And this is why wizards has failed yet again. When will they get the idea that people still want 4.0 stuff. essentials has been the worst thing to happen to D&D for sometime now.
WotC seem to have decided against publishing any more 'X Power' books. However, classes like the wizard and warlock are still being supported in other books. The Heroes of Shadow book (due out in April) will contain new powers for both those classes. Heroes of the Feywild (due out sometime in the autumn, IIRC) probably will as well.
The HoS book may have support for those classes, but thus far the previews have shown Kit Builds, which are mostly exclusive within that build with a few powers that can be use in the regular class.
Arcane Power 2, in my opinion, might make an appearence sometime in the future, but not this year.
Sure, an Arcane Power 2 would probably have a lot more stuff usable by pre-E wizards and warlocks, but how much do they really need? They're already two of the best-supported classes in the game. Actually, the main reason I'm disappointed that the necromancer and nethermancer are wizard/mage builds rather than new classes is that they're giving even more new spells to a class that already has access to 300+. I just hope we're not going to see a return to wizards being able to do absolutely anything.
I would love to see another Arcane Power book. As HoS seems to be another Essentials product, this doesn't count as book for new options for old arcanists.
I'd love one too... but I think the way things are going, we are prety likely to see a "Hero's of the Elemental Power" or some-such. THis would most likely cover quite a bit of an "Arcane Power 2."
*Shrugs* We've been told there is a new warlock pact for pre-Essentials warlocks in HoS, in addition to the hexblade and binder stuff. And pre-E warlocks can use any of the new daily and utility powers the hexblade gets (and there's no reason to believe binder powers will be any less usable). Likewise, pre-E wizards can use any new mage powers that don't explicitly require a particular class feature.
Sure, an Arcane Power 2 would probably have a lot more stuff usable by pre-E wizards and warlocks, but how much do they really need? They're already two of the best-supported classes in the game. Actually, the main reason I'm disappointed that the necromancer and nethermancer are wizard/mage builds rather than new classes is that they're giving even more new spells to a class that already has access to 300+. I just hope we're not going to see a return to wizards being able to do absolutely anything.
Its the problem of switching over to primarily this subclass system. Especially since its primarily based on the 'classic' classes, its just bloating them full of new options. Martial less so than others.
Quick question: Was Arcane Power 2 or any other Power sequel books ever announced?
Nope, and they pretty much led us to believe that we wouldn't get any more something about players only using 2% of it or something. Quoted from DDXP.
The arguement that HoS is not heroes of the shadowfell is a joke. If it were heroes of the shadowfell then I would expect it to be what it is now. Options for classes other than shadow to get some shadow power, you know from the shadowfell. As it is, its Heroes of Shadow as in the power of shadow itself. Also its unlikely another book will come out about the Shadow power source. This being the only book, means we are not going to get shadow dancers, real necromancers, or any other real shadow classes other than the already defunct Assassin, and a monster class that half the DMs out there will ban on sight...
I wonder if they will be able to be in the sunlight...
Quick question: Was Arcane Power 2 or any other Power sequel books ever announced?
Nope, and they pretty much led us to believe that we wouldn't get any more something about players only using 2% of it or something. Quoted from DDXP.
The arguement that HoS is not heroes of the shadowfell is a joke. If it were heroes of the shadowfell then I would expect it to be what it is now. Options for classes other than shadow to get some shadow power, you know from the shadowfell. As it is, its Heroes of Shadow as in the power of shadow itself. Also its unlikely another book will come out about the Shadow power source. This being the only book, means we are not going to get shadow dancers, real necromancers, or any other real shadow classes other than the already defunct Assassin, and a monster class that half the DMs out there will ban on sight...
Yeah, since most of the shadow classes are being expressed as subclasses. I highly doubt we're going to get another necromancer now.
I mean, sure, some people had an arguable case that shadow wasn't different enough before, but when a publushed book has already covered the themes of shadow as other classes, right down to the keyword, I would be very surprised if WoTC considered there to be room for full classes.
I still think the Vampire would have worked better as a theme, one that would be given from story or taken from first level.
I wonder if they will be able to be in the sunlight...
Don't worry Vampires will be able to go out into sunlight, but only if you take the class feat "Sparkling".
I still think the Vampire would have worked better as a theme, one that would be given from story or taken from first level.
I wonder if they will be able to be in the sunlight...
Don't worry Vampires will be able to go out into sunlight, but only if you take the class feat "Sparkling".
Since burning in sunlight was a movie directors idea just like sparkling.... and not part of the Vampire of legend of myth ....no not even Dracula...
Bursting in to flames is a hollywoodism..just like sparkling It deserves no more respect.
That's why I said we weren't going to get an Adventurer's Vault 3 but instead Mordenkainen's Mystical Emporium, back when that book was slated for this year. You buy AV3, and you feel like you're required to buy AV1-2 as well. So, instead of releasing further entries into already started series, it's better to have individual books that stand alone, but work in tandem with each other. This is the same design philosophy for reprinting the same rules in both Player's Essentials books. The two are companions, rather than a Player's Essentials 1 and a Player's Essentials 2 (though prerelease information called them those names in rare, vague places).
I doubt we'll have Heroes of the Wild or Heroes of the Mind; the Player's Option series seems less tied to power sources and more tied to story location, in my opinion. Just like how there was a story behind the two Player's Essentials books (Heroes of the Fallen Lands features the races and classes most often encountered in the fallen remnants of Nerath; Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms features the rarer races and classes who draw their traditions and descent back to the great empires of old, such as Arkhosia and Bael Turath), I see the Player's Options series having a story of place – Heroes of Shadow features heroes that draw upon or live in the Shadowfell and murk in the dark places of the world; Heroes of the Feywild would feature heroes that draw upon or live in the the Feywild and the magical crossingplaces of the world.
I must be one of the tiny minority who would like to see the restoration of the power series books. Essentials is a dead duck as far as I'm concerned.
Minority perhaps but tiny? No way!
I want my Divine Power 2, even if its named 'Heroes of Divine Smithing' or something else. I want my friggin' STR Cleric Paragon path!
I've always thought that psychological resistance to increasing number was a reason here too.
That's why I said we weren't going to get an Adventurer's Vault 3 but instead Mordenkainen's Mystical Emporium, back when that book was slated for this year. You buy AV3, and you feel like you're required to buy AV1-2 as well. So, instead of releasing further entries into already started series, it's better to have individual books that stand alone, but work in tandem with each other. This is the same design philosophy for reprinting the same rules in both Player's Essentials books. The two are companions, rather than a Player's Essentials 1 and a Player's Essentials 2 (though prerelease information called them those names in rare, vague places).
Funny enough, but I don't feel the need for previous items in a 1,2,3,X line. Commonly I do buy 1,2,3,X in order though, provided that whatever number it is has anything I want in it. Otherwise, I have no porblem with having 1,3,X or what-have-you in my library. If I didn't think this way, I would own Final Fantasy 8 out of compulsion. ;)
I must be one of the tiny minority who would like to see the restoration of the power series books. Essentials is a dead duck as far as I'm concerned.
I me to I am going to skip heros of shadow unless i get info that say it is not a Essentials Book
It's not an essentials book.
(that's about as much evidence as anyone else gives)
First we had Heroes of fallen lands, Then we were given heroes of Forgotten Kingdoms.
Now were getting "Heroes of" the Shadow. No Reason to think that is in Essential format?
I must be one of the tiny minority who would like to see the restoration of the power series books. Essentials is a dead duck as far as I'm concerned.
I me to I am going to skip heros of shadow unless i get info that say it is not a Essentials Book
It's not an essentials book.
(that's about as much evidence as anyone else gives)
First we had Heroes of fallen lands, Then we were given heroes of Forgotten Kingdoms.
Now were getting "Heroes of" the Shadow. No Reason to think that is in Essential format?
Ah, but you're missing the essential word difference! The first two are "Player's Essentials: Heroes of the Fallen Lands" and "Player's Essentials: Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms." The later is "Player's Option: Heroes of Shadow." Obviously not essentials, since it doesn't have the word written anywhere on the cover.
in addition, they could release the content of that book that's supposed to bridge the gaps between essentials and pre-E, which would allow custom 4e chars access to everythign we like about essentials without having to sacrafice what makes 4e so wonderful.
Source: www.wizards.com/dnd/files/HoS_ToC.pdf
Ah, but you're missing the essential word difference! The first two are "Player's Essentials: Heroes of the Fallen Lands" and "Player's Essentials: Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms." The later is "Player's Option: Heroes of Shadow." Obviously not essentials, since it doesn't have the word written anywhere on the cover.
This is because what WotC calls Essentials and what everyone else calls Essentials are very different things. To most of us, "Essentials" is "the new format and design philosophy as defined in the Essentials line." while to WotC, Essentials is a just the first few products in the new paradigm, the new "core".
I'm sure WotC doesn't like it, but "Essentials" has a different meaning than they intended: WotC's term for the concept is "Essentials+". Heroes of Shadows is certainly Essentials+.
Essentials was successful. So they're going to stick with that product design for a while, especially since they said that Essentials would point the way design would be taken in the near future.
They also said they weren't necessarily going to provide new support for older class options that have already far too many options, like the old Fighter or old Wizard. Yet they're still updating those options up to the new format, so it's all good, right?
My only hesitation here is that WotC seemed to be saying in the most recent free column that they're not going to release new powers for anything for a while. Which is very silly, in my opinion. Seeker and Runepriest and Artificer need it, dang it!
The majority of it is essentials builds it would appear, however in the second portion of the book they start providing a few pages of O4E material and then some corresponding pages for essentials classes as well.
I myself am also in the boat of not buying the X power # books because they were put into the offline character builder.
It's just silly to spend $19.77 on Amazon (or $29.95 without any discounts) for a book when I can pay $9.99 and get all the same information.
I think a better option for Wizards would have been to include a key in the books that allowed you to unlock the content after you purchased the book (of course, with that I would hope they didn't charge for the character builder service).
In any case, I hope to see some more support come - either in the form of Dragon articles or book releases - for some of the lesser supported classes. I don't want more new classes, it's just not needed. Between Race, Class, Feats, Paragon Path, there is more than enough options.
If I didn't think this way, I would own Final Fantasy 8 out of compulsion. ;)
I though 8 was pretty good, not as good as 7 or 9, but good. 10 was ok. 10-2 sucked, and i don't have any after that.
If I didn't think this way, I would own Final Fantasy 8 out of compulsion. ;)
I though 8 was pretty good, not as good as 7 or 9, but good. 10 was ok. 10-2 sucked, and i don't have any after that.
8 was strictly meh. 9 was amazing. And 12 was engaging. I don't have a PS3, or I'd probably own 13. I see no point in owning the online ones. Besides that, I own 1-7, 9-102, and 12, along with Tactics.
Anyhoo, Heroes of Shadow. I think it's a no-brainer that it was originally intended to be an Essentials product, but the edition split between Essentials and Classic 4e was more divisive than they were expecting, so they tweaked or cancelled all their Essentials related products. Hence the delay on HoS, to make it look more like a non-Essentials book.
Heroes of Shadow and the future books change things up. They add a readable level of fluff which makes the book interesting after the content has been updated or even the edition changes. That's something I'll buy and keep on the shelf.
I, too, would like a few more options for the less-supported classes, but I still see the designers' point: There's a lot already. Good grief, just look at the warlock: Regular, Hexblade, and now Binder, and even after that decision you still have to choose a pact! Since most people have specific needs, it makes more sense for the designers to put new stuff out in Dragon as they create it, since that stuff, like the Power books, will end up in the CB. I'm with you- I want more support for Runepriests, because I think they're way cooler than clerics (especially the Seven Gates of Death daily power series!)
Also, there were going to be 8 power sources initially, and I think there still are, just a slightly different list:
Martial, Arcane, Divine, Primal, Psionic, Shadow, Fey, Elemental
All of these (although we don't know about elemental yet) have at least 1 book for them. Okay, so they won't be introducing it as Shadow Power, but it covers the same ground with the lessons learned along the way. Heroes of the Feywild will be, I'm guessing, equivalent to what Fey Power might have been before the designers re-thought the process.
Okay, we're not getting the physical hard-bound books. But we are getting the stuff, as long as we know how to ask, and are patient for the designers to develop it.
I, too, would like a few more options for the less-supported classes, but I still see the designers' point: There's a lot already. Good grief, just look at the warlock: Regular, Hexblade, and now Binder, and even after that decision you still have to choose a pact! Since most people have specific needs, it makes more sense for the designers to put new stuff out in Dragon as they create it, since that stuff, like the Power books, will end up in the CB. I'm with you- I want more support for Runepriests, because I think they're way cooler than clerics (especially the Seven Gates of Death daily power series!)
Also, there were going to be 8 power sources initially, and I think there still are, just a slightly different list:
Martial, Arcane, Divine, Primal, Psionic, Shadow, Fey, Elemental
All of these (although we don't know about elemental yet) have at least 1 book for them. Okay, so they won't be introducing it as Shadow Power, but it covers the same ground with the lessons learned along the way. Heroes of the Feywild will be, I'm guessing, equivalent to what Fey Power might have been before the designers re-thought the process.
Okay, we're not getting the physical hard-bound books. But we are getting the stuff, as long as we know how to ask, and are patient for the designers to develop it.
Just to pick nits;) There is no Fey power, never was. It was all part of Primal. There was going to be a Ki power but it got folded into Psionic, as it really should. I am hoping for a Feywild Boxed set, like they are doing for the Shadowfell... and then I assume that there will be an Elemental Power book and hopefully a boxed set to follow that one too...
Quick edit: Wow, only took me 6 years to get to 100 posts!
Okay, we're not getting the physical hard-bound books. But we are getting the stuff, as long as we know how to ask, and are patient for the designers to develop it.
Those of us who are not DDI subscribers certainly won't get the stuff without the books. As an avid player I am upset not to see more X Power books. I also don't like the restrictive nature of the essentials classes (though my hexblade was fun, I chaffed at the inability to hand pick many of my abilities). The maligned classes like the seeker, artificer, runepriest and the like may be more palatable if they had adequate support. I just don't see that coming.
As for Arcane Power 2 I don't really see a need. The problem with the presentation of the power books is that they're 99% powers and crunch, which is too easy to get from the Builder. I stopped getting new ones after Primal Power then sold the rest becuase they had nothing worth reading and the content was always suspect with the Updates. They just sat on the shelf looking useless.
Heroes of Shadow and the future books change things up. They add a readable level of fluff which makes the book interesting after the content has been updated or even the edition changes. That's something I'll buy and keep on the shelf.
. . . Do people actually read the fluff? I usually read it once, then skip over it in subsequent reads to get to the crunch.
Yes, I am totally serious.
Crunch... I'll skim and then only look at when making a specific character of that type. I've sat down and read maybe three 4e books because of the lack of fluff in other books (Primal Power, Monster Vault, and MM3).
I'll actually read the fluff, and, long after the edition is over, re-read for ideas. I still read 1e and 2e books to see how the fluff has evolved. Fluff makes the books worth having. Even something as core as the PHB doesn't get glanced at any more, surplated by the Compendium and Rules Compendium and other online tools.
Crunch... I'll skim and then only look at when making a specific character of that type. I've sat down and read maybe three 4e books because of the lack of fluff in other books (Primal Power, Monster Vault, and MM3).
I am the exact opposite. I constantly go back into the books to read the statblocks and powers of characters to get ideas.
I'll actually read the fluff, and, long after the edition is over, re-read for ideas. I still read 1e and 2e books to see how the fluff has evolved. Fluff makes the books worth having. Even something as core as the PHB doesn't get glanced at any more, surplated by the Compendium and Rules Compendium and other online tools.
Crunch... I'll skim and then only look at when making a specific character of that type. I've sat down and read maybe three 4e books because of the lack of fluff in other books (Primal Power, Monster Vault, and MM3).
I am the exact opposite. I constantly go back into the books to read the statblocks and powers of characters to get ideas.
The Powers books and the phbs are nice ... I love using the Offline Character builder but it doesnt inspire as much.