Me? I want to see Race specific handbooks. Stuff with all sorts of tasty lore and crunch for Eladrins, Tieflings, Dragonborns, Goliaths, and Shifters etc. as currently I feel they are lacking a bit.
I was thinking as a DM I'd appreciate Paragon, Heroic, and Epic Handbooks too. Stuff with all kinds of nice traps, monsters, hazards, and storyline arcs to throw at PC's of the appropriate tier. Sample adventures, maps, and such could be used to fill out the three.
A primordial paradise themed book. Dinosaurs, giant insects, carnivorous plants, long lost tombs, etc. Could make for a great Draconimican or MoTP type book.
Miniature supplement packs for modules would also be pretty cool! And more dungeon tiles that fit for the adventures would be sweet too.
What type of material do YOU want to see?
>_> Two or more new martial classes, one of which is a controller.
And for the second one, anything OTHER than a striker. Probably a Defender would be a good bet... maybe have it be a ranged defender... the only one that really comes close to that is the Swordmage.
Or maybe some sort of non-divine knight or warrior character that doesn't wear heavy armor, and gets huge bonuses to hit points and surges instead of AC... basically a PC version of a Brute.
Though, honestly, WotC could very easily beat this Martial Controller thing by just releasing a new version of the Rogue that has more AoE attacks, charm powers, and more powers that let him deal damage if the enemy does stuff he doesn't want them to do.
Honestly, look at the Rogue's powers... if you replaced Sneak Attack with the ability to do Martial Practices, the Rouge would BE the Martial Controller. He's a mezzer with AoE and ranged capability already, all you'd need to do is give him more area-restriction support and you've got a Strikontroller good to go.
Agreed, I'd also like to see more martial classes, particularly non-strikers.
Concept, replace the rogues sneak attack bonus damage with control effects, instead of 2d6 damage, sneak attack does Daze/Stun/Incapacitate for some duration...
Me? I want to see Race specific handbooks. Stuff with all sorts of tasty lore and crunch for Eladrins, Tieflings, Dragonborns, Goliaths, and Shifters etc. as currently I feel they are lacking a bit.
I was thinking as a DM I'd appreciate Paragon, Heroic, and Epic Handbooks too. Stuff with all kinds of nice traps, monsters, hazards, and storyline arcs to throw at PC's of the appropriate tier. Sample adventures, maps, and such could be used to fill out the three.
A primordial paradise themed book. Dinosaurs, giant insects, carnivorous plants, long lost tombs, etc. Could make for a great Draconimican or MoTP type book.
Miniature supplement packs for modules would also be pretty cool! And more dungeon tiles that fit for the adventures would be sweet too.
What type of material do YOU want to see?
Hey some of that is already coming!
Look for Player's Handbook Races: Dragonborn next year (known info is here)
The DMG series is what you're looking for in the second request, for the most part.
I don't know if a primordial paradise would need to be its own book - it might be cool to make as an adventure though - hearkening to the Isle of Dread.
I've noted elsewhere that Module packs of minis are pretty unfeasible, unless you want to pay $200 or so for the packs.
The Dungeon Tiles sets are often directly used for map making these days too - and the Dungeon Tiles Master Set coming out next year will make a great baseline for the adventures to use too.
I want more race specific class builds to include paragon paths/epic destinies, also actual powers, there doesn't have to be a lot. Couple powers here and there, I honestly wouldn't mind if these applied only to the recommended classes it would still be interesting. Thankfully, since WotC is making the race books so it looks like my desires will be met. Of course, I could be horribly wrong and the race books not have anything like that.......
I want Necromancers!!!
Agreed, I'd also like to see more martial classes, particularly non-strikers.
Concept, replace the rogues sneak attack bonus damage with control effects, instead of 2d6 damage, sneak attack does Daze/Stun/Incapacitate for some duration...
That's somewhat overpowered, I think. If you've got a dude to flank with you you could basically stunlock the enemy ad infinitum, while your buddy makes ranged attacks without fear of provoking AoOs. I think a better alternative would be something that would let you slide the enemy, or punish them for doing certain things. For example:
Intimidating Attack: When you hit a target granting you combat advantage, you may slide the target one square. Enemies consider each square adjacent to the target to be a zone of difficult terrain, and enemies which enter the zone are weakened until they leave the zone. The zone lasts until the end of your next turn.
Anyway, more on topic, I want to see more magic item powers that have charges, or recharge via Healing Surge. Honestly, not a big fan of Item Dailies. There've been so many times I've read a crappy power and been left scratching my head thinking, "Why the HELL is this a daily?"
Also, I'd like to see more support for Druids who don't use Beast Form, or (even though I highly doubt it), add in an updated version of the "Natural Spell" feat so that Druids don't have to keep morphing back and forth between beast form and normal form. Or, barring that, I'd like to see a feat (I don't care what tier), that removes the "once per round" limitation on Wild Shape. That, combined with Quick Wild Shape, would also fix the problem.
Third, I'd like to see more Swordmage spells that are Close Blasts or Area Bursts. Giving them a ranged powers with a range greater than 5 would be great too. Also, some magic armor that augments the other two Aegis powers, like the Armor of Aegis Expansion does with the Aegis of Shielding. Oh, and a new build based on Strength would be nice, just to balance things out.
Finally, I'd like to see more classes that use Orbs, Rods, and Tomes. They're very underutilized compared to the other Implement types. Orbs and Tomes in particular I could easily see being important to the Psionic classes or, barring that, the Shadow or Elemental ones.
A Feywild book.
A new CON primary class would be nice.
Powers with race (or origin) specific riders.
The asian themed material that was intended for the ki power source and then fell by the wayside. In particular, the weapons that would allow characters to more easily create asian themed PCs using regular classes.
Its no good to claim that a samurai is best represented by a fighter, but then to not even include a katana. We already have a khopesh, after all. I have trouble believing that there was more need for an egyptian broadsword than there was for the katana.
*casts Magic Circle vs. Extended Debate About Katanas and Other 'Special Azn' Weapons*
It really shouldn't require a debate. They should be there for those who want them. Theoretically, in a fair and reasonable world, even people who don't like them should agree with that.
The asian themed material that was intended for the ki power source and then fell by the wayside. In particular, the weapons that would allow characters to more easily create asian themed PCs using regular classes.
Its no good to claim that a samurai is best represented by a fighter, but then to not even include a katana. We already have a khopesh, after all. I have trouble believing that there was more need for an egyptian broadsword than there was for the katana.
A katana is just a sword. Longsword, maybe bastard sword. The Khopesh qualifies for its own statblock because its shape qualifies it for the Axe group as well as Heavy Blades. We do not need a return of 'Japanese Weapons Must Be Superior'.
Please people, keep in mind that this is a thread for people to post what they want; this thread is simply a wishlist of what player want WotC to put into the game, it's not about what they should put in the game.
If you don't think another person's fluff and/or crunch desires are not pragmatic, justified or even logical, please keep it to yourself.
It's all just wishful thinking, really quite harmless
You are more than welcome to start a rant thread about whichever topic, I for one love a good rant thread, but this is not the venue for that.
Following in the footsteps of the 4e race books for 10 bucks, I'd also like to see the same treatment for the gods/primordials and primal spirits.
I'd like between 3 and 5 different class books, like martial power 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, each containing new builds, powers, feats and updated mechanics.
I'd like as many monster manuals as I can get.
I'd like them to do books on each plane, like the astral sea and such that will come out. Although I'd love more detail in those books. I need to see them before I can add to this.
I want lots of adventurers vaults. We need far more magical items and artifacts.
I'd like more settings (obviously), including a "core" setting book with maps of all the locations.
I want a far realm book.
I want a book of nothing but new races and racial paragons, including new feats.
I want a book of nothing but new classes, paragons, and epics. including new feats.
more players handbooks (phb4, 5, 6, elemental power, shadow power, psionic power, whatever)
more dungeon master guides, with more detailed creation rules on powers, classes and such. Also updated rules and new conditions.
Basically, I want plenty of new resources and after those come out, I want more until everything that could be done with 4e has been done and they push out 5e, which I will skip as 4e will remain my focus. (ending my D&D consumer status with the release of 5e and sticking with 4e) so give me all the books you can, wotc!
I would like if the Dragon Annual 20** would be split into two products, one with setting specific articles, and the other with general articles. It seems that the only way that we will get any new material for settings is through Dragon and Dungeon magazine, so this would be a nice way to organize things.
Also, I'd like to see Power Card Sets for the Swordmage and the Artificer.
What type of material do YOU want to see?
Bring back PDFs. I'm new to D&D PnP and quite frankly, lugging around sixty pounds of books sucks. I excited when I found out that you could buy PDF versions on-line, only to find out for some inane reason that WoTC had ceased sales of them. Please bring them back.
I want more adventure modules. But I do not want any more modules where the roleplaying aspects consist of diplomacy with monsters and the servants of evil (Thunderspire Labyrinth, Pyramid of Shadows, Demon Queen's Enclave). The Scales of War at least have logical allies in dwarves and priests. How about pixies? 
I want the virtual tabletop.
I want the friar class from Dark Age of Camelot.
I want much more art like the Holy Shrine from the second Adventurers' Vault. Evocative, whistful, imaginative. Enough of the armour and weapons which no functional creature could wear or wield!
They're doing fine so far, so I don't really have much to request. Wouldn't mind some official anthropomorphic animal races, but the only thing that'd send these forums into a bigger ****-retentive overreacting s**tfit than 'they're catering to the MMO crowd' would be 'they're catering to the furries'.
And at least as far as I'm concerned, they could have stopped printing Campaign Settings after Eberron. 
After the power source books I would like to see a multiclass book with feats and paragon paths devoted to multiclass characters.
Rangers having advantages while learning primal
More then a couple AV2 holysymbol/totems to too deal with clerics of nature
Divine and primal characters with STR attacks getting more out of Martial training
Druids getting more from Bard or Wizard MCs
I was slightly disapointed that Arcane Power did not have an Epic Destiny that was like Martial Archetype. The idea of a "magic user" who learns a new way to use magic is very classic.
They're doing fine so far, so I don't really have much to request. Wouldn't mind some official anthropomorphic animal races, but the only thing that'd send these forums into a bigger ****-retentive overreacting s**tfit than 'they're catering to the MMO crowd' would be 'they're catering to the furries'.
Well if they do asian it will hopefully be Karatur and they had Hengyoki shapeshifters
And we do have Kenku as playable in MM2
"I'd like more settings (obviously), including a "core" setting book with maps of all the locations."
This.
Wouldn't mind some official anthropomorphic animal races
*coughhorseshoecrabfolkcough*
Wouldn't mind some official anthropomorphic animal races
*coughhorseshoecrabfolkcough*
Refresh my memory, what were the Horseshoe crab folk?
I know that it is not just random dumbness.
Wouldn't mind some official anthropomorphic animal races
*coughhorseshoecrabfolkcough*
Refresh my memory, what were the Horseshoe crab folk?I know that it is not just random dumbness.
Horseshoecrabfolks, or Limulians, live in settlement carved on seaside cliffs, with half their habitations hidden underwater.
Unearthed Arcana, 4e.
That is all.
I thought about it while I was falling asleep last night, and I'd really like to see some more love for Genasi and Eladrin in the form of more classes/builds that utilize Intelligence and either Strength or Dexterity. As is, there's what, ONE Dex/Int build in the game? (Part of me is like "No, crazy, you're wrong, there's more than that!" but I'm pretty sure. And it's the (ew) wand wizard. XD
Which Book? Which edition?
They were born of Undrave's madness. I mean genius. I mean both.
They were born of Undrave's madness. I mean genius. I mean both.
You shouldn't have told him we could have strung him along a bit longer and get some following XD
They were born of Undrave's madness. I mean genius. I mean both.
You shouldn't have told him we could have strung him along a bit longer and get some following XD
*sobs and flogs himself for his foolish error!*
I'd like:
a) More monster manuals & DMGs
b) An all new setting (not a make-over of an old one)
c) A 4e Book of Heroes of Horror, or something similar
d) A whole book on Goblinoids, like Open Grave for Goblins
e) 4e Ravenloft?
f) Suprise me!
Modrons.
Noble Draconions and a pc option for all draconions. I don't need Dragonlance redone, I just want them for my homebrew world.
Modrons.
That would be fun
Now that Gnomes are just fairy folk, we have to use Dwarf as the new techie race, and I think Dwarves have enough on their plate already
We could use a qwerky tinkerer type race and I think Modrons would be perfect
Now that Gnomes are just fairy folk, we have to use Dwarf as the new techie race, and I think Dwarves have enough on their plate already
No you don't. Gnomes in my campaign are still the most techie race in existence.
I personally don't want Modrons back.
They misappropriate the name of the Welsh Goddess, whose name, meaning Mother from Matrona, is the prototype for Morgan le Fey. I don't like the idea of Morgan le Fey being a mechanical creature from a Clockwork Nirvana instead of a Faerie Queen from a Misty Isle in the Feywild. She's an Archfey in my setting.
We do need a qwirky tinkerer race... maybe the fabled CON/INT race?!
I want a dragonlance player's guide and a dragonlance campaign setting and lots of new adventures (please not again "war of the lance").
I want a savage species handbook filled to the brim with lore about Goblins, Hobgoblins, Forestkith Goblins, Bugbears, Horseshoecrabfolk, Kobolds, Chimney Imps, Gnolls, Orcs, Plowbeasts, Raptorans, and the like...maybe even rules for playing one of the large races.
Fill it with lore and give them a bunch of racial feats, paragon paths, weapons, etc. for those who want to play with them. It would sell big, bet on it!
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That sounds like a predator head, well, besides the eyes.
I third the motion for Modron!
I'd really like to see Bariaur make an appearance, as well as Fey Heritage feats, and a Bard build that focuses on using instruments as implements, as well as expertise feats for Chainmail...
...I wish lots of things!
Have to say that 4E hasn't failed to deliver, so I trust that all I seek is sure to come.
Cunning Bard uses Instruments quite effectively as implements. As do some Prescient Bards.
Wish-list thread, remember!
Cunning Bard uses Instruments quite effectively as implements. As do some Prescient Bards.
I guess it all depends on how you define effective, but wielding an instrument as an implement in combat comes at a cost that other Bards don't have to pay.
Arming oneself with an instrument as an implement in combat is possible, it's just not plausible (once one considers the pros and cons). There's so many different combinations of implement, weapon and shield-use that instrument-use is way, way, way down at the bottom of the totem pole (abysmally way, way down).
If we only consider your basic Bard, only weighing capability based on out-of-the-box proficiency:
- A Bard wielding a one-handed simple melee weapon, longsword, scimitar or short sword can also wield a light shield --> Melee weapon attacks and AC bonus
- A Bard wielding a dagger can also wield a light shield --> Melee weapon attacks, Ranged weapon attacks and AC bonus
- A Bard wielding a one-handed simple ranged weapon can also wield a light shield --> Ranged weapon attacks and AC bonus
- A Bard wielding two-handed ranged weapon --> Ranged weapon attacks
- A Bard wielding a wand gets the wand's special attack and can also wield a light shield --> Implement attacks, special attack and AC bonus
- A Bard wielding a one-handed simple melee weapon, longsword, scimitar or short sword can also wield a wand --> Melee weapon attacks, Implement attacks and wand's special attack
- A Bard wielding a dagger can also wield a wand --> Melee weapon attacks, Ranged weapon attacks, Implement attacks and wand's special attack
- A Bard wielding an instrument as an implement cannot wield a shield and can only access the instrument's special attack out of combat --> Implement attacks
So far, instruments as implements stink a stink that's on par with wielding a bow. The only difference is that bow-wielders were thrown a bone that smells as sweet as the bone given to light and heavy blade-wielders:
- A Bard wielding a qualifying one-handed simple melee weapon, longsword, scimitar or short sword with a Songblade enhancement can access the Songblade's special effect/attack and also wield a light shield --> Melee weapon attacks, Implement attacks, Songblade special effect/attack and AC bonus
- A Bard wielding a dagger with a Songblade enhancement can also wield a light shield --> Melee weapon attacks, Ranged weapon attacks, Songblade special effect/attack and AC bonus
- A Bard wielding two-handed ranged weapon with a Songbow enhancement --> Ranged weapon attacks, Implement attacks and Songbow special effect/attack
- A Bard wielding a qualifying one-handed simple melee weapon, longsword, scimitar or short sword with a Songblade enhancement can also wield a wand --> Melee weapon attacks, Implement attacks, Songblade's special effect/attack and wand's special attack
- A Bard wielding a dagger with a Songblade enhancement can also wield a wand --> Melee weapon attacks, Ranged weapon attacks, Implement attacks, Songblade special effect/attack and wand's special attack
- A Bard wielding an instrument as an implement cannot enhance it in any way and can only access the instrument's special attack out of combat --> Implement attacks
The instrument as implement further stinks.
Once we start considering feats options, multiclass options, etc, the viability of wading into combat with your trusty lute is eclipsed many times over.
There is precedence for instrument-wielding Bards in the history of the game, and it would not be difficult to offer viability through build options, feats or new class features.
Umm... if a bard uses a lute or other musical instrument, he should not be thinking of wading into combat. The image of a bard with an instrument is a fine, romantic, legendary one: but it is not one that evokes combat. Now a bard could put away his instrument and fight: that fits. But I think the current mechanic for a bard with an instrument fits well with most people's ideas of such a build.
I hope I never see the day when someone tells me they can play his lute or flute with one hand and swing a sword with the other.
We could use a few more instruments and Instruments could use the support to make them stand out. Including an ocarina XD you know everybody would like that.
Maybe a Bard Essential or Class Act article?
What I want to see most is more Forgotten Realms material - not novels, but adventure modules and campaign lore. Cosmology information would be great, since it seems that the Spellplague changes brought the cosmology a bit closer to the 'core' setting, but not exactly the same. Religion, too. I'm sure a whole book could be managed on the deities and churches of Toril.
Umm... if a bard uses a lute or other musical instrument, he should not be thinking of wading into combat. The image of a bard with an instrument is a fine, romantic, legendary one: but it is not one that evokes combat. Now a bard could put away his instrument and fight: that fits. But I think the current mechanic for a bard with an instrument fits well with most people's ideas of such a build.
Many a Bard-player spent years wading into combat with an instrument in previous editions and much of the fluff written into the Bard's 4E attacks is infused with singing, rhyming, humming, etc. It should make perfect linear sense that an implement-focused Bard, who is abstaining from physical combat for all intents and purposes, could augment his singing, rhyming, humming, etc, with instrument-use.
The current implementation of instruments is sensible, I simply seek ways in which build options can be made to further support/augment instrument use.
I hope I never see the day when someone tells me they can play his lute or flute with one hand and swing a sword with the other.
I hope so too.
But I wish for the day when a Bard can play his lute or flute with both hands and use it for implement attacks in a manner that is on par with his other wield options.
We could use a few more instruments and Instruments could use the support to make them stand out. Including an ocarina XD you know everybody would like that.
Ocarina, yes!
Maybe a Bard Essential or Class Act article?
Sounds good to me!
"But I wish for the day when a Bard can play his lute or flute with both hands and use it for implement attacks in a manner that is on par with his other wield options"
They can, you don't have to pick melee and ranged weapon attacks for your Bard.
According to your totem pole, you feel that the instrument should be usable for other kinds of attacks, seeing how that's the only way one can climb the the totem pole.
I don't actually think you want it so that Instruments can be used as weapons, so I'm guessing you just have a bad totem pole for explaining what it is you want.
What exactly is it that you want Instruments to do?
Umm... if a bard uses a lute or other musical instrument, he should not be thinking of wading into combat. The image of a bard with an instrument is a fine, romantic, legendary one: but it is not one that evokes combat.
This guy begs to differ.
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"But I wish for the day when a Bard can play his lute or flute with both hands and use it for implement attacks in a manner that is on par with his other wield options"They can, you don't have to pick melee and ranged weapon attacks for your Bard.
According to your totem pole, you feel that the instrument should be usable for other kinds of attacks, seeing how that's the only way one can climb the the totem pole.
I don't actually think you want it so that Instruments can be used as weapons, so I'm guessing you just have a bad totem pole for explaining what it is you want.
The totem pole wasn't an explanation, it was a representation of the numerous things that can be done with a Bard and the lack of equal scope of effect that choosing to wield an instrument dictates.
The listing of attack access was meant to convey breadth of capability on the battlefield and the pursuant effects and/or riders that are accessible due to the breadth of such capability.
I was assuming (my mistake, I know, I know) that those who read my response would understand the implications of weapon enhancements, selections, masterwork qualities, feat options, multiclass options and other such possibilities that could easily optimize my bare-bones list of effect potential.
Bards can do amazing things with tiny investments. A Bard who takes Arcane Implement Proficiency (Light Blade) and wields a Vicious +X dagger is performing Melee weapon attacks (largely vs. AC bolstering and piñata effects), Ranged weapon attacks (largely vs. AC damaging and dice/number manipulation effects) AND Implement attacks (largely vs. NAD control effects) -- all with a +Xd12 damage on a crit. He can also carry a shield and boost his AC. That's pretty awesome for a single feat+weapon enhancement combo, and that's only one example. Add more feats and he's potentially dual-implement casting, two-weapon defending and accessing multiclass attacks with little limitation. Why would you carry an instrument into battle with such options?
What exactly is it that you want Instruments to do?
Gain options that permit me to choose their use in place of other options without feeling as though I'm missing out on a whole lot. As is, the use of instruments is suboptimal (at best).
Perhaps it's a versatility thing? Bards are intended to be highly versatile, yet the choice of instrument-weilding largely nullifies that versatility. Maybe that's an underlying reason?
Either way, I think it would be cool, flavorful, true to class and in honor of game history if Bards could more viably wield an instrument in combat. It just seems odd that the Bard is an implement-based class (50% Implement attacks, 25% Ranged weapon attacks, 25% Melee weapon attacks) and the use of a wand far outshines the use of an instrument. When I think Bard I don't automatically think "Wand!"; ya know?
I'd really just like the option to be a singing, instrument-playing, not-so-useful yet oh-so-useful, happy to have along Bard, to great effect. Is that so much to ask? 
This guy begs to differ.
Yes!
Why didn't I think of him while crafting my avatar!?
Perhaps it's time for a change? Hmm...
"Gain options that permit me to choose their use in place of other options without feeling as though I'm missing out on a whole lot. As is, the use of instruments is suboptimal (at best)"
Yet once again, you explain in detail that the issue is weapon attacks, you tell me that dagger is better because it can be used for weapon attacks, you are telling me that the thing you are "missing out on" is weapon attacks; it sounds to me like you want to use instruments for weapon attacks
and the answer is not more Instrument enchantments or more Implement Bard Powers, because keep in mind no matter how many of those things they add, daggers are still going to have more options (because you can hit people with them)
I think what you want is like a feat or something that makes instruments better than other implements, to distract you from this obsession with versatility.
"Gain options that permit me to choose their use in place of other options without feeling as though I'm missing out on a whole lot. As is, the use of instruments is suboptimal (at best)"
Yet once again, you explain in detail that the issue is weapon attacks, you tell me that dagger is better because it can be used for weapon attacks, you are telling me that the thing you are "missing out on" is weapon attacks; it sounds to me like you want to use instruments for weapon attacks
and the answer is not more Instrument enchantments or more Implement Bard Powers, because keep in mind no matter how many of those things they add, daggers are still going to have more options (because you can hit people with them)
I think what you want is like a feat or something that makes instruments better than other implements, to distract you from this obsession with versatility.
I think the thing is that some weapons (like the Dagger or Drow Long Knife or any thrown weapon you want to be proficient with really) can be used in Melee AND Ranged, all the while using a shield AND you can even get a songblade later on.
Wands have innate powers that give you interesting encounter or daily choices (like Wizard or Warlock powers) AND you can still strap a shield to your hand or grab an off hand weapon if you wish. Or go dual implement.
With an instrument... you got an instrument. And that's it. There's not 'you can do this and this too', it doesn't open new options. You can use a second implement, or get to fight in melee or even get to strap a shield on. They interact with a few of your features but mostly outside of combat.
So either the instruments suck or they are supposed to be the out of combat master's implement?
Personally I'd give the Bards a blast at-will and some instruments that interact with at-wills or arcane encounter in interesting ways.
Yet once again, you explain in detail that the issue is weapon attacks, you tell me that dagger is
better because it can be used for weapon attacks, you are telling me that the thing you are "missing out on" is weapon attacks; it sounds to me like you want to use instruments for weapon attacks
I did not tell you that the dagger is better because it can be used for weapon attacks. I used the dagger as an example to exemplify my point that instruments used as implements are comparatively lacking in terms of wield options, application and effect.
The dagger was just on my mind at the time of posting (I had just returned here from a Rogue-centric thread).
and the answer is not more Instrument enchantments or more Implement Bard Powers, because keep in mind no matter how many of those things they add, daggers are still going to have more options (because you can hit people with them)
Harp as improvised weapon for the win!
I think what you want is like a feat or something that makes instruments better than other implements, to distract you from this obsession with versatility.
You really took that from my post?
Really?
I think the thing is that some weapons (like the Dagger or Drow Long Knife or any thrown weapon you want to be proficient with really) can be used in Melee AND Ranged, all the while using a shield AND you can even get a songblade later on.
Wands have innate powers that give you interesting encounter or daily choices (like Wizard or Warlock powers) AND you can still strap a shield to your hand or grab an off hand weapon if you wish. Or go dual implement.
With an instrument... you got an instrument. And that's it. There's not 'you can do this and this too', it doesn't open new options. You can use a second implement, or get to fight in melee or even get to strap a shield on. They interact with a few of your features but mostly outside of combat.
This is exactly what I'm saying.
Thank you!
And I'm not emphasizing the "you can do this and this too" as much as I'm emphasizing the "instruments simply suck as implements, all things considered, and that's a shame".
So either the instruments suck or they are supposed to be the out of combat master's implement?
My optimistic nature is inclined towards them being the out of combat master's implement... but nobody cares about the out of combat master's capabilities while we're all engaged in combat.
The issue is, the romantic, legendary, poetic action of the instrument-playing Bard is relegated to short rests. As a player of Bards, I'm obviously interested and inspired by the romantic, legendary, poetic action of instrument-playing, but who roleplays a short rest? The requisite short rest contribution of "I play my lute, everyone add +X HP per surge spent" thing is flavorful, useful and invited, but it doesn't fully satisfy.
Personally I'd give the Bards a blast at-will and some instruments that interact with at-wills or arcane encounter in interesting ways.
Anything!
Perhaps add another virtue-based build (Dex?) in Arcane Power 2 that comes equipped with a new roster of attacks that have the Instrument keyword, focusing on blast effects that permit allies extra actions, buffs, or what-have-you. Any mundane instrument could produce these attacks, but magical instruments can produce these attacks as well as attacks with the Implement keyword.
...or something.
Anything!
There's not even an instrument-based Paragon Path. How am I the only person who finds that odd?
tiles: a desert or wastelands set and a water / ship/ coastal set
minis: firebeetles
characters:seems to be going okay IMO
monsters: lions, dire lions. I want my lions and tigers and bears - well mm1 got bears, mm2 got tigers, mm3 will have??
watermarked pdf for purchase [same price as books] or online viewing of books [same price per book as hard copy?] or register your purchase of each book [wizards store, amazon, etc] and have online viewing option so as not to have lug them all around. I like to look at hard copy at home for planning, but gameday it's nice to only have to bring laptop, map, dm screen, charcter sheets, dice and minis. I even use starter set tokens instead of some monsters cuz easier to carry. if a printer is nearby, the character sheets can be printed on site.
minis: firebeetles
This. Due to a series of hilarious incidents, firebeetles will probably forever be a part of D&D for me. XD
-Already mentioned: A book about the Far Realms and all kinds of creatures and things going on there that would be cool (Dragon n. 330 had an article about it).
-More fluff for basically everything. From monsters in the manuals to more books about existing settings. Build upon what you started. For example: I liked the section "Monster Ecology" on old Dragon Magazine.
-Better eye-candy in some areas: New Dragon Magazines are, IMO, a bit bland: every page background is white, it makes me remind of a mathematics book or something. More love is needed to integration of text/pictures/pages artwork to make an interesting and captivating magazine for the reader. Of course the content is importent too, and I already mentioned the need for more fluff, interesting and immaginative stories, but that other aspect is important too.
-Focus on making a map creator tool with the Adventure Tools, it doesn't need to be 3D, but something we could use to: roll dice, view info on everyting on the world when possible, play upon a map generated by the books you bought like if you have DU1-5 you would be able to create random dungeons, maps and locations with that, move around your character, DM moves monsters and NPCs and manages the rounds and turns, rewards, etc. that kind of super useful and addictive, easy-to-use program, just as you created the Character Builder. Of course all that possible at the same time with connection to a host (like people already do in Fantasy Grounds II but with less D&D resources there and it is a paid program) and I'd become a D&D insider.
-Necromancer class as Controller, that is: summoning 1 or more minions and casting curses/debilitating shadows or something related to that with some striker capabilities. I saw someone suggesting a Necromancer that could affect terrain too and use it against the enemies, good idea to be integrated too. No healer Necromancer.
-IMO there's a overuse of Dragonborn and Tieflings in artwork in all areas. It's like we have to like them and accept them. I don't find Dragonborns that cool, they need more fluff and personality. I want more of the traditional races, like dwarves and drow, too.
-Better eye-candy in some areas: New Dragon Magazines are, IMO, a bit bland: every page background is white, it makes me remind of a mathematics book or something. More love is needed to integration of text/pictures/pages artwork to make an interesting and captivating magazine for the reader. Of course the content is importent too, and I already mentioned the need for more fluff, interesting and immaginative stories, but that other aspect is important too.
It might looks like a mathematics book but its easy to read. Parchement pattern pages with line artwork under the text look nice but are a pain to read.
Furthermore the white space is actually a GOOD thing for us, since it doesn't drain our ink cartridges when we want to print an article. Didn't you notice the outcry for them to remove the ink draining black bar at the top of articles? You'd get the same complaint if there were more artwork and colored backgrounds. That I'm affraid is FAR more important than some silly strain on your eye layout. Clean, crisp and airy layout are really underrated nowadays...
When I think of a Bard with a Wand, I think of a Baton. Like the Wind Waker. Or any conductor, really. It's another way of practicing your art.
I also think of a paint brush, and it's an interesting spin on the idea - a Bard that's not actually a musician, but a painter. You could easily refluff the material to be more fine artsy than performing artsy.
But a conductor's Baton is what they're going for, according to the official fluff, and it makes sense.
It's like how Artificer implements are more like wrenches and other tools.
-Better eye-candy in some areas: New Dragon Magazines are, IMO, a bit bland: every page background is white, it makes me remind of a mathematics book or something. More love is needed to integration of text/pictures/pages artwork to make an interesting and captivating magazine for the reader. Of course the content is importent too, and I already mentioned the need for more fluff, interesting and immaginative stories, but that other aspect is important too.
It might looks like a mathematics book but its easy to read. Parchement pattern pages with line artwork under the text look nice but are a pain to read.
Furthermore the white space is actually a GOOD thing for us, since it doesn't drain our ink cartridges when we want to print an article. Didn't you notice the outcry for them to remove the ink draining black bar at the top of articles? You'd get the same complaint if there were more artwork and colored backgrounds. That I'm affraid is FAR more important than some silly strain on your eye layout. Clean, crisp and airy layout are really underrated nowadays...
Well the printing part you are correct but I don't really care about that, since I'm used to read the magazines on the computer (in my friend's house were we gather to play) and don't print Magazines. The things I have I prefer to have on my hand, like core book rules, setting books and monster manuals that I bought. However white spaces and blank pages are not a good thing, unless you like to spend money for nothing or less than you thought you would get. Spending money for nothing is not a good ting, no matter how you try to rationalize it, sorry. Also I see no difficult in reading the way you said.
The artwork on the Dragon Magazines I read when I go to play on my friends house is actually good, as is the artwork from the books. However I think that immersiveness and seducing layouts is a good thing and right now the Dragon Magazines don't offer a complete seductive immersiviness for me, the artworks, that are good, usually have no connection to the rest of the page content making us wonder that they did not took their time to design a best product they could for us. Frequently I feel character classes and stories have no personality and no connection to each-other, as the stories are currently being offered. Also, I'd like to say that this is a feedback/opinion, and as a costumer I'm allowed to not like something. The actual layout we see now on Dragon Magazines has been around since issue 360 and if you compare with previous issues can you honestly say that, at least visually, they were not more captivating? Not to mention many things that were given second priority like fluff itself and little details that make a mere good product an excelent one like the cartoons, the mails with answers, convention pictures, fluff and artwork combined, etc.
And you are wrong when you say my preocupations are silly. You are saying that all marketing departament of all companies are silly and secondary. They have neither silly or underrated preocupations. Let me tell you something: marketing brings money and more costumers so making a product more appealing is very important for the survival of the company. They took their time to change the design philosophy for the magazine after issue 359. Marketing and appealling is important to keep costumers and expand the costumer base so they pay attention to such things, that I grant you. They adopted the philosofy that they should publish the content that would satisfy the most readers in every pulication through the divulging of core/rule-like essential information and new content related to that. However the information divulged is more solidly available on their related original sources, like core rule books not to mention the Character Builder. With that program one has acess to all races and powers anyway with the regular updates so why focus on publishing that? Like people can't wait a little to get the update. Why repeat published content?
Some people may be content with a more blank and rule-focused Dragon Magazine, but I'm the kind of costumer that prefer the more fluff, visually appealing ones for it gives a better and more interesting reading experience, along with intelligent discussion of powers and strategies, not only tables, descriptions of powers and such that you get with the Character Builder and relevant rule books.
Don't know if this has been stated but I'd like to see further support for the already released campaign settings. More details on certain areas, or orginizations of the world.
Huh... I never criticized your taste in content as far as I know. I merely stated that a complex and 'busy' layout was detrimental to the enjoyment of the magazine for many people.
When it comes to graphic design I'm mostly an amateur, not having a real formation myself, but my father helmed the graphic design of about 4 different magazines and countless advertisement as well as a few CD releases. I've been neck deep in graphic design of all sort since my childhood and I now work surrounded by magazines so I've developped a certain sensibility for design if not the ability to pull it off.
Quite frankly a LOT of UGLY junk gets put on store shelves. Seriously a lot of the more popular trashy magazine have equally trashy design with no sense of coherence, no continuity in font, amateur layout and picture overload. Its quite jarring (it gets really jarring in the tween girl section where every magazine has like 20 different Dis-com star faces and the dude from Twilight lot in there and a ton of cheap font). Its like if Paladium could put photographs in their books XD
I find the current Dragon and Dungeon to be aesthetically pleasing. They're easy to read and easy to print. You know they weren't just concerned with how good it look but also how well it functions.
Now you might want more fluff articles and I do think there is space for that... personally I just think it would be lame for them to go back to an ink-draining layout.
I'm actually a big fan of the layout found in Dragon and Dungeon.
Crisp, clean, tailored and engaging.
The wide-open white spaces and limited art also help with iPhone viewing of the PDFs. I don't like sitting at the game table with a laptop screen dividing my attention from the action, so referencing things on my phone is awesome. I also like reading issues while I'm waiting for class to begin, my appointment time, or whenever I have a bored moment to kill, and lots of visual background noise would detract from my experience (as well as put stress on the general health of my eyesight).
Another vote here for clean, crisp magazine layout. Easier to read and scrolls more quickly on my computer. Again, most of us print out the useful stuff, and it prints much more qucikly and uses much less ink this way.
As for more fluff. No. Absolutely not.
A little fluff helps me place the creature, class, thingamajig.
More fluff just makes me wince at the cruddy half-baked ideas. More fluff does not help me run a module. On the other hand, when I design my own adventure, I set it in my own world of my own imagination. And as a player, fluff just gets in the way of my own character concepts.
For example the genasi are interesting and make great warlords, but I do not want to play a crystal headed monster who struggles with his emotions. So I asked my dungeon master to let me play the exiled son of a Hindoostan princeling, who is the descendant of a genie (an earth elemental in another guise). I stole the idea from watching a movie about the Mahabarata. Much more fun than a blue half-crystal man, but that is because I prefer history and legend to Saturday morning cartoons.
Huh... I never criticized your taste in content as far as I know. I merely stated that a complex and 'busy' layout was detrimental to the enjoyment of the magazine for many people.
When it comes to graphic design I'm mostly an amateur, not having a real formation myself, but my father helmed the graphic design of about 4 different magazines and countless advertisement as well as a few CD releases. I've been neck deep in graphic design of all sort since my childhood and I now work surrounded by magazines so I've developped a certain sensibility for design if not the ability to pull it off.
Quite frankly a LOT of UGLY junk gets put on store shelves. Seriously a lot of the more popular trashy magazine have equally trashy design with no sense of coherence, no continuity in font, amateur layout and picture overload. Its quite jarring (it gets really jarring in the tween girl section where every magazine has like 20 different Dis-com star faces and the dude from Twilight lot in there and a ton of cheap font). Its like if Paladium could put photographs in their books XD
I find the current Dragon and Dungeon to be aesthetically pleasing. They're easy to read and easy to print. You know they weren't just concerned with how good it look but also how well it functions.
Now you might want more fluff articles and I do think there is space for that... personally I just think it would be lame for them to go back to an ink-draining layout.
I suppose it's a matter of taste in the end from our perspective. From their perspective (company) right now the magazine is more an online acessory you get on a package as DDI so they don't worry as much about selling it as in the past. I do miss the design it had in the past but anyway, the previous post was more to respond to the editor of Dragon Magazine issue 379 that asked on the end of his editorial: "Tell us what you want". I maybe a minority here for my preferences then, but to my taste current magazine needs to improve. However now I see there's little chance for that happening since they take their feedback data from insiders and people that already like the magazine, so it has become a product built for them.
Boxed sets. I donn't care what.
More specific environmental dungeon tiles: desert (sand); mountains and cave openings, possibly a snow themed one; marshes and moors; waterfront locations.
I understand they are going to make a Master Tile Set which won't go out of print. This is an excellent start.
I would like to see more help for the Artificer... so i now have to wait until AP2 ... (insert sarcastic yipee)
Actaually i know its not something i want but something that has really impressed me... is that everything from 3e is slowly getting converted to 4e
My original wish list included the whole ranger
the 3e ranger got broken into little parts and i think it works a little better that way (please don't hurt me)
but look at it Bow, TWF, and Beast ranger ... but what about their ability to use divine spells well that would look silly with the martial ranger but I think it works fantastically as the Seeker
So good work wizards
I would like to see more help for the Artificer... so i now have to wait until AP2 ... (insert sarcastic yipee)
I recall something about a third build for the Artificer supposedly coming in DDI at some point. I can't remember the exact specifics at the moment though.
The build is coming later this month. Check the content calendar.