What Fluff would you like to see? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

What Fluff would you like to see?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Axiomatic_Badger
Jan 02, 2010 11:21:47 We've several thousand threads about classes and power sources, so what about fluff?

Do you want to see Pale Night cast as Tharizdun's Exarch-Consort, or the Divine Power source as a weapon created to battle the primordials?

Come on Lads and Lasses! Let's inspire us some Writers!
#2
grumpycelt
Jan 02, 2010 14:19:14 How about an entire book of poetry by WotC staffers, sonnets devoted to favorite childhood toys and the like.
#3
Hippolyte
Jan 05, 2010 3:23:29 I want to see articles which explain to dungeon masters how to reflavour dragonmarks, artificers, warforged, dragon shards et cetera for Point of Light or Forgotten Realms.
#4
ah_stormbringer
Jan 05, 2010 3:50:56 that would be nice, and a full fluffed out basic fantasy D&D world not forgotten realms would be nice.
#5
Marandahir
Jan 05, 2010 7:07:40
I want to see articles which explain to dungeon masters how to reflavour dragonmarks, artificers, warforged, dragon shards et cetera for Point of Light or Forgotten Realms.

Though there is an article for Warforged in FR, I agree with you.
#6
respectablehobbit
Jan 05, 2010 16:51:03 I would like to see a book about the Feywild for those of us who haven't read reams of European fairy tales.
#7
Duke5150
Jan 06, 2010 18:07:33 Everything and anything not already done. Anything already touched upon should be fleshed out in more detail. Especially the dawn war and what races existed where, when and how/who created each one. What was the world like pre dawn war and during the dawn war.

So far, there is a nice bit of fluff on the subject, but it lacks.
#8
Marandahir
Jan 06, 2010 18:17:33
Everything and anything not already done. Anything already touched upon should be fleshed out in more detail. Especially the dawn war and what races existed where, when and how/who created each one. What was the world like pre dawn war and during the dawn war.

So far, there is a nice bit of fluff on the subject, but it lacks.

This is where I somewhat dissagree. FR is no fun, because there's too much canon. As long as most of the history and geography and world politics and all that remains relatively unfluffed, there's room for creativity. That creativity is lost when the world is already mapped out for you. Might as well play a Campaign setting rather than a generic setting.
#9
Hippolyte
Jan 06, 2010 22:55:50
Here is my completely selfish reaction to this issue:

Official fluff is what compells my dungeon master to say no to dragon marks outside of Eberron, so I say less official fluff, please: it only makes people draw boundaries around things and defeats the motto of "everything" is core.

I have been rebuked by some posters for powergaming, that I want certain feats or powers from different books (reflavouring to fit). But for those of us who do read all the books and magazines, we do like to try out and use all the interestign stuff.
#10
Avin
Jan 07, 2010 4:41:30 Monster Ecology / Monster variants books, heavy on fluff, illustrations and a few crunch.

Yellow goblins, red goblins, where do they live?

Smart trolls.

Different kind of minotaurs.

Inspiration a lot, please.
#11
Duke5150
Jan 07, 2010 8:56:13
Everything and anything not already done. Anything already touched upon should be fleshed out in more detail. Especially the dawn war and what races existed where, when and how/who created each one. What was the world like pre dawn war and during the dawn war.

So far, there is a nice bit of fluff on the subject, but it lacks.

This is where I somewhat dissagree. FR is no fun, because there's too much canon. As long as most of the history and geography and world politics and all that remains relatively unfluffed, there's room for creativity. That creativity is lost when the world is already mapped out for you. Might as well play a Campaign setting rather than a generic setting.

I disagree, but I'm not going to post a reply beyond saying, I'd be happy with a core map of "middle world". I can do everything else, but I cannot draw or map.
#12
lazarus_creed
Jan 07, 2010 11:41:47
Monster Ecology / Monster variants books, heavy on fluff, illustrations and a few crunch.

Yellow goblins, red goblins, where do they live?

Smart trolls.

Different kind of minotaurs.

Inspiration a lot, please.

This.

Although I think we're going to get something sort of along these lines with the Dragonborn and Tiefling books this year, I'd love to see more ecology type books, especially on monsters. As of right now, all we have to go on in 4E is the "Lore" sections of the MM entries. Not NEARLY enough to get a real understanding of the monsters and monster races we as players are fighting. Off the top my my head, for example, try Cyclops. We know they're big, have one eye, and do most of the work for the Formorians... and that's about it. We know they treat the Fomorians as Gods, but we don't know why, or how that started, or if there are any who don't, or even what their lifespan is!

Or the the kuo-toa (Taking this as purely 4E, no info used from previous editions) - we know they live in the underdark, that they are amphbious, and that they tend to go insane. Not why or how orr what that might entail, just that they go insane.

DnD is about more than just crunch! What's the point of making your characters into more than just numbers if the only things they fight are cardboard cutouts of angry ugly things that can basically be completely interchangeable?
#13
Hippolyte
Jan 07, 2010 14:15:18
Although I think we're going to get something sort of along these lines with the Dragonborn and Tiefling books this year, I'd love to see more ecology type books, especially on monsters. As of right now, all we have to go on in 4E is the "Lore" sections of the MM entries. Not NEARLY enough to get a real understanding of the monsters and monster races we as players are fighting. Off the top my my head, for example, try Cyclops. We know they're big, have one eye, and do most of the work for the Formorians... and that's about it. We know they treat the Fomorians as Gods, but we don't know why, or how that started, or if there are any who don't, or even what their lifespan is!

Or the the kuo-toa (Taking this as purely 4E, no info used from previous editions) - we know they live in the underdark, that they are amphbious, and that they tend to go insane. Not why or how orr what that might entail, just that they go insane.

DnD is about more than just crunch! What's the point of making your characters into more than just numbers if the only things they fight are cardboard cutouts of angry ugly things that can basically be completely interchangeable?

It would seem to me that you who are interested in such things (as I am certainly not) would be most suited to invent such things and write about them. Sounds like an excellent third party publication which would fit in with the GSL. I am sorry that I would not be one to buy it, but perhaps there are more than a few more likeminded gamers who would buy your book.

(I am not being dismissive. I really think that a third party publication would be a better route for such a book, and I think that an enthusiast of monster ecology like yourself would do as good or better than any hack at Wizards. I also, however, think that the market for such a product does not merit the Wizards' attention.)

#14
lazarus_creed
Jan 07, 2010 21:02:10

It would seem to me that you who are interested in such things (as I am certainly not) would be most suited to invent such things and write about them. Sounds like an excellent third party publication which would fit in with the GSL. I am sorry that I would not be one to buy it, but perhaps there are more than a few more likeminded gamers who would buy your book.

(I am not being dismissive. I really think that a third party publication would be a better route for such a book, and I think that an enthusiast of monster ecology like yourself would do as good or better than any hack at Wizards. I also, however, think that the market for such a product does not merit the Wizards' attention.)

You're probably right about the market for such a product not being a big enough draw for WotC to invest in it, sadly. They've done a couple "The ecology of..." articles in Dragon, and have the two Races books due out this year, but with the exception of the Sharn and Rust Monsters, all of those are specific to PC races, most of which already have a good bit of fluff under their belt.

Believe me, I'd be glad to plunk money down for a third party Monster Ecology supplement, and have actually tried my hand at writing my own (I'm actually working on my own homebrew campaign setting now), but the downside to both of those options is that their not WotC-sanctioned or supported. Most of the folks i play with fairly new and tend to go "By the book" with their official material (No warforged outside of Eberron, for example). I'm not really sure if they'd go for third party material. Also, if I take the time to write out an ecology, say, for hobgoblins and a month or two later WotC prints something officially addressing hobgoblins, most of the people i play with would be conflicted as to what writeup to go with or if any of either could be allowed.

An official ecology book, or even just more articles like the ones we have, would be wonderful, but i don't see it happening...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Axiomatic_Badger Jan 02, 2010 11:21:47	We've several thousand threads about classes and power sources, so what about fluff? Do you want to see Pale Night cast as Tharizdun's Exarch-Consort, or the Divine Power source as a weapon created to battle the primordials? Come on Lads and Lasses! Let's inspire us some Writers!
#2 grumpycelt Jan 02, 2010 14:19:14	How about an entire book of poetry by WotC staffers, sonnets devoted to favorite childhood toys and the like.
#3 Hippolyte Jan 05, 2010 3:23:29	I want to see articles which explain to dungeon masters how to reflavour dragonmarks, artificers, warforged, dragon shards et cetera for Point of Light or Forgotten Realms.
#4 ah_stormbringer Jan 05, 2010 3:50:56	that would be nice, and a full fluffed out basic fantasy D&D world not forgotten realms would be nice.
#5 Marandahir Jan 05, 2010 7:07:40	I want to see articles which explain to dungeon masters how to reflavour dragonmarks, artificers, warforged, dragon shards et cetera for Point of Light or Forgotten Realms. Though there is an article for Warforged in FR, I agree with you.
#6 respectablehobbit Jan 05, 2010 16:51:03	I would like to see a book about the Feywild for those of us who haven't read reams of European fairy tales.
#7 Duke5150 Jan 06, 2010 18:07:33	Everything and anything not already done. Anything already touched upon should be fleshed out in more detail. Especially the dawn war and what races existed where, when and how/who created each one. What was the world like pre dawn war and during the dawn war. So far, there is a nice bit of fluff on the subject, but it lacks.
#8 Marandahir Jan 06, 2010 18:17:33	Everything and anything not already done. Anything already touched upon should be fleshed out in more detail. Especially the dawn war and what races existed where, when and how/who created each one. What was the world like pre dawn war and during the dawn war. So far, there is a nice bit of fluff on the subject, but it lacks. This is where I somewhat dissagree. FR is no fun, because there's too much canon. As long as most of the history and geography and world politics and all that remains relatively unfluffed, there's room for creativity. That creativity is lost when the world is already mapped out for you. Might as well play a Campaign setting rather than a generic setting.
#9 Hippolyte Jan 06, 2010 22:55:50	Here is my completely selfish reaction to this issue: Official fluff is what compells my dungeon master to say no to dragon marks outside of Eberron, so I say less official fluff, please: it only makes people draw boundaries around things and defeats the motto of "everything" is core. I have been rebuked by some posters for powergaming, that I want certain feats or powers from different books (reflavouring to fit). But for those of us who do read all the books and magazines, we do like to try out and use all the interestign stuff.
#10 Avin Jan 07, 2010 4:41:30	Monster Ecology / Monster variants books, heavy on fluff, illustrations and a few crunch. Yellow goblins, red goblins, where do they live? Smart trolls. Different kind of minotaurs. Inspiration a lot, please.
#11 Duke5150 Jan 07, 2010 8:56:13	Everything and anything not already done. Anything already touched upon should be fleshed out in more detail. Especially the dawn war and what races existed where, when and how/who created each one. What was the world like pre dawn war and during the dawn war. So far, there is a nice bit of fluff on the subject, but it lacks. This is where I somewhat dissagree. FR is no fun, because there's too much canon. As long as most of the history and geography and world politics and all that remains relatively unfluffed, there's room for creativity. That creativity is lost when the world is already mapped out for you. Might as well play a Campaign setting rather than a generic setting. I disagree, but I'm not going to post a reply beyond saying, I'd be happy with a core map of "middle world". I can do everything else, but I cannot draw or map.
#12 lazarus_creed Jan 07, 2010 11:41:47	Monster Ecology / Monster variants books, heavy on fluff, illustrations and a few crunch. Yellow goblins, red goblins, where do they live? Smart trolls. Different kind of minotaurs. Inspiration a lot, please. This. Although I think we're going to get something sort of along these lines with the Dragonborn and Tiefling books this year, I'd love to see more ecology type books, especially on monsters. As of right now, all we have to go on in 4E is the "Lore" sections of the MM entries. Not NEARLY enough to get a real understanding of the monsters and monster races we as players are fighting. Off the top my my head, for example, try Cyclops. We know they're big, have one eye, and do most of the work for the Formorians... and that's about it. We know they treat the Fomorians as Gods, but we don't know why, or how that started, or if there are any who don't, or even what their lifespan is! Or the the kuo-toa (Taking this as purely 4E, no info used from previous editions) - we know they live in the underdark, that they are amphbious, and that they tend to go insane. Not why or how orr what that might entail, just that they go insane. DnD is about more than just crunch! What's the point of making your characters into more than just numbers if the only things they fight are cardboard cutouts of angry ugly things that can basically be completely interchangeable?
#13 Hippolyte Jan 07, 2010 14:15:18	Although I think we're going to get something sort of along these lines with the Dragonborn and Tiefling books this year, I'd love to see more ecology type books, especially on monsters. As of right now, all we have to go on in 4E is the "Lore" sections of the MM entries. Not NEARLY enough to get a real understanding of the monsters and monster races we as players are fighting. Off the top my my head, for example, try Cyclops. We know they're big, have one eye, and do most of the work for the Formorians... and that's about it. We know they treat the Fomorians as Gods, but we don't know why, or how that started, or if there are any who don't, or even what their lifespan is! Or the the kuo-toa (Taking this as purely 4E, no info used from previous editions) - we know they live in the underdark, that they are amphbious, and that they tend to go insane. Not why or how orr what that might entail, just that they go insane. DnD is about more than just crunch! What's the point of making your characters into more than just numbers if the only things they fight are cardboard cutouts of angry ugly things that can basically be completely interchangeable? It would seem to me that you who are interested in such things (as I am certainly not) would be most suited to invent such things and write about them. Sounds like an excellent third party publication which would fit in with the GSL. I am sorry that I would not be one to buy it, but perhaps there are more than a few more likeminded gamers who would buy your book. (I am not being dismissive. I really think that a third party publication would be a better route for such a book, and I think that an enthusiast of monster ecology like yourself would do as good or better than any hack at Wizards. I also, however, think that the market for such a product does not merit the Wizards' attention.)
#14 lazarus_creed Jan 07, 2010 21:02:10	It would seem to me that you who are interested in such things (as I am certainly not) would be most suited to invent such things and write about them. Sounds like an excellent third party publication which would fit in with the GSL. I am sorry that I would not be one to buy it, but perhaps there are more than a few more likeminded gamers who would buy your book. (I am not being dismissive. I really think that a third party publication would be a better route for such a book, and I think that an enthusiast of monster ecology like yourself would do as good or better than any hack at Wizards. I also, however, think that the market for such a product does not merit the Wizards' attention.) You're probably right about the market for such a product not being a big enough draw for WotC to invest in it, sadly. They've done a couple "The ecology of..." articles in Dragon, and have the two Races books due out this year, but with the exception of the Sharn and Rust Monsters, all of those are specific to PC races, most of which already have a good bit of fluff under their belt. Believe me, I'd be glad to plunk money down for a third party Monster Ecology supplement, and have actually tried my hand at writing my own (I'm actually working on my own homebrew campaign setting now), but the downside to both of those options is that their not WotC-sanctioned or supported. Most of the folks i play with fairly new and tend to go "By the book" with their official material (No warforged outside of Eberron, for example). I'm not really sure if they'd go for third party material. Also, if I take the time to write out an ecology, say, for hobgoblins and a month or two later WotC prints something officially addressing hobgoblins, most of the people i play with would be conflicted as to what writeup to go with or if any of either could be allowed. An official ecology book, or even just more articles like the ones we have, would be wonderful, but i don't see it happening...