I liked the 3e game stats for the diaboli. They seem completely usable and balanced, at least in my game. I liked that their favored class was sorcerer - it kind of fits the chaotic image that I've had of diaboli since the original Immortal's gold box.
It was interesting that even thought they have a natural, poison attack with their tails, they didn't have an ECL adjustment. I don't think they need one, but it seems that usually when a creature has a natural attack they seem to get an automatic ECL adjustment.
The actual writeups on diaboli society and culture were very well written. I liked the idea that the diaboli don't really have patron deities but instead worship ideas and philosophies. I don't know if that was an intentional nod to the fact that according to Wrath of the Immortals there were few diaboli Immortals and they were all recent additions, but I took it that way.
I enjoyed the way the demiplane of nightmares was fit into the current view of 3e cosmology - sandwiched between the Region of Dreams and the Far Realm. I had a similar thought when I read the Manual of the Planes, so it was neat to see that someone else had the same idea.
The sidebars were a welcome nod to older version of the game. I appreciated the mention of Mystara both in the "Diaboli in other worlds" and (especially) in the "History of the Diaboli" sidebar. I especially liked how the history sidebar tracked through the different versions of the Dimension/Demiplane of Nightmares to the current version used in the article. (The sidebar made me want to see an article on the Neh-thalggu in D&D - I've always thought that these guys were some of the creepiest D&D creatures).
Finally, I thought the artwork was quite nice. The different diaboli heads for each subgroup of diaboli was quite neat. I had forgotten about the 2e Compendium addition of the hirsute and common versions of the diaboli in addition to the gold box "bare diaboli" version until I saw these. I thought the artwork in the article captured the creepiness of the diaboli quite well, especially the first shot with the two-dagger weilding hirsute on the first page.
Overall, I thought the article was quite fun. I plan on working a group of diaboli adventurers into one of my games sometime in the future - perhaps during the revamped "Castle Amber" adventure I'm running this month. I enjoyed the lupin article too and I hope to see some more Mystara-related race articles in the future. Mystara always seemed to have the best non-human, non-typical D&D races to play with, so seeing them show up here is fun.
It was interesting that even thought they have a natural, poison attack with their tails, they didn't have an ECL adjustment. I don't think they need one, but it seems that usually when a creature has a natural attack they seem to get an automatic ECL adjustment.
This is something we fretted about as well. In the end, Wizards of the Coast approved it as a +0 ECL so we ran with it. ;)
I enjoyed the way the demiplane of nightmares was fit into the current view of 3e cosmology - sandwiched between the Region of Dreams and the Far Realm. I had a similar thought when I read the Manual of the Planes, so it was neat to see that someone else had the same idea.
Great minds think alike, Jer!
(The sidebar made me want to see an article on the Neh-thalggu in D&D - I've always thought that these guys were some of the creepiest D&D creatures).
That sounds like a cool idea; I'd like to see that article too.
Overall, I thought the article was quite fun. I plan on working a group of diaboli adventurers into one of my games sometime in the future - perhaps during the revamped "Castle Amber" adventure I'm running this month. I enjoyed the lupin article too and I hope to see some more Mystara-related race articles in the future. Mystara always seemed to have the best non-human, non-typical D&D races to play with, so seeing them show up here is fun.
Let us know how the diaboli adventurers work out for you. My quest to bring more Known World goodness to Dragon continues unabated. ;)
I liked the piece quite a bit- some minor quibbles with it, but those stem from my own interpretation of Mystara cosmology as opposed to the cosmology presented, so naturally they will differ.
The one thing I was curious about, though, Mike, is what prompted you to have sorcerer as the favored class for the diaboli? The way they were always presented, to me, was that they were the human equivalent in the Nightmare realm, and should thus have "Any" as a favored class.
I liked the piece quite a bit- some minor quibbles with it, but those stem from my own interpretation of Mystara cosmology as opposed to the cosmology presented, so naturally they will differ.
Quibble away, good sir. Quibble away. I can't hope to make sure Mystara stuff in the magazine appeals to Mystara's fans unless I hear from y'all what you like and dislike.
The one thing I was curious about, though, Mike, is what prompted you to have sorcerer as the favored class for the diaboli? The way they were always presented, to me, was that they were the human equivalent in the Nightmare realm, and should thus have "Any" as a favored class.
In my original writeup they did have "Any" as a favored class. For balance reasons (we didn't want to make them ECL +1) we had to knock that down to a single class. Having a natural attack, darkvision, a few other goodies and favored class "Any" would make them too good for ECL +0. Right now they are at the upper limit of what an ECL +0 race should be. It would not be unbalanced to house-rule a diaboli variant that grants them favored class "Any" in exchange for ECL +1, but that's up to you as the DM.
We ended up going with sorcerer because it's a class that leans toward chaos and diaboli just seem to have an affinity for magic.
In my original writeup they did have "Any" as a favored class. For balance reasons (we didn't want to make them ECL +1) we had to knock that down to a single class. Having a natural attack, darkvision, a few other goodies and favored class "Any" would make them too good for ECL +0. Right now they are at the upper limit of what an ECL +0 race should be. It would not be unbalanced to house-rule a diaboli variant that grants them favored class "Any" in exchange for ECL +1, but that's up to you as the DM.
Gotcha. I guess I didn't realize quite how powerful an advantage Any favored class was.
We ended up going with sorcerer because it's a class that leans toward chaos and diaboli just seem to have an affinity for magic.
In light of the ECL issue, I agree that sorcerer is the best possible choice for them. As you say, there's the chaos issue, plus I think it's interesting to have a race that actually has sorcerer as its base (there's a race for just about every other class- not too many with sorcerer).
(Not to mention that I once created a diabolus NPC as a PCs mentor in the vein of Aahz from the Myth series by Robert Asprin. Sorcerer would fit in well with that concept.
I think I prefer the tail attack as you have it as opposed the the "original" paralyzing effect- both for game balance purposes as well as just a different flavor.
I think I prefer the tail attack as you have it as opposed the the "original" paralyzing effect- both for game balance purposes as well as just a different flavor.
Perhaps a paragon class could be created, making the tail attack more dangerous in higher levels?
I like the idea of linking Sorcerers to the Nightmare Realm. I am wondering whether it shouldnt be redefined anyway, since we have long since moved away from the Dimension effects set down by Mentzer... (*ducks in case Frank is reading this...)
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