Can you tell me what other stuff for Gothic Earth is out there?
Thanx
I recently (finally, since I've been playing this for quite a while) bought the old 2nd edition Box and the GE Gazzetteer.
Can you tell me what other stuff for Gothic Earth is out there?
Thanx
The complete list is on The FoS site, in the reviews section.
(We need to build a FoS golem ;) )
Joël
But other than that there are just the three 2E books.
Anyone out there who has played a bigger MorRD campaign?
For 2E the Guide to Transylvania is the only "official" product you don't have. Its excellent and worth buying.
I have to confess that I'm a bit disappointed with the 3.5 version of MotRD. I think the Dark Duo missed the feeling of the setting again but I could just be too critical due to how much I love Claire Hoffman's (free) 3.5 version from the living death campaign (and yahoo group) - its pretty much the yardstick by which I measure gothic. I found much of the writting flat. I didn't see any expanded mechanics that imporved upon Claire's work and, despite some very strong work by Pozas, on the whole the art is worse IMO than the 2.0 version. Things like art don't necessarily make or break something for me but its difficult to be supportive for something that seems (to me) to be going backwards on several fronts.
Wish I had better things to report. If its still available on the yahoo group I recomend downloading Claire's version instead. Lots of nifty links through there too.
-Eric Gorman
I've played in a somewhat truncated home camapaign set in the MotRD Universe (based in Washington DC), have played for many years in the Living Death campaign and recently just purchased the 3.5 version of MotRD.
For 2E the Guide to Transylvania is the only "official" product you don't have. Its excellent and worth buying.
I have to confess that I'm a bit disappointed with the 3.5 version of MotRD. backwards on several fronts.
-Eric Gorman
I tried to do some home campaign for MoRD, but's just too much work compared to what you can do by downloading some *default* adventure and have fun.
That's what the game lacks: good adventures - the ones in the box were quite interesting, but how shall I prepare an entire setting if I am conscient that it will be over after 3 sessions?
I personally don't think of buying the 3.5 edition as long as this problem exists...
The guide to Transylvania however, is on my *rpg books to buy* list for a long time. ;)
And yeah, Kartagane rocks. Their books were one more reason to buy the old box, although I can't exactly remember if there were entire MoRD adventures in them.
One of the nice things is it easy to go to the library and look at old newspapers on microfish to brainstorm for adventures. Also possible to steal ideas from all the living death modules published through the rpga living death campaign...which I'm very partial to since I've not only been playing it since 1998 or so but because I've had the oppertunity to write one set in Portland Oregon (the Rose City) more people were shanghaied out of there than from San Francisco's infamous Barbary Coast. There are still tunnels under downtown that were used to smugled people to the ships riddled with trap doors people would be dropped through and mugged (usually after being drugged).
-Eric Gorman
As long as there is no more info, I fear that I'll have to wait until S&S brings out some module WORTH BUYING.
I personally thought of making something out of the WWI stuff I found somewhere. Especially in Germany, where I come from, the must be some tale *gothic* enough to scare my players...
Can you recommend me a good living death site still on (that means, the DOWNLOADS are still available ;) )?
Thank you
Scrolls down to the bottom and find the Great War Project
http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/Library.htm
However, thank you!
Jackie Cassada and Nicky Rea, Ravenloft Developers (Dark Duo)
I have to confess that I'm a bit disappointed with the 3.5 version of MotRD. I think the Dark Duo missed the feeling of the setting again but I could just be too critical due to how much I love Claire Hoffman's (free) 3.5 version from the living death campaign (and yahoo group) - its pretty much the yardstick by which I measure gothic. I found much of the writting flat. I didn't see any expanded mechanics that imporved upon Claire's work and, despite some very strong work by Pozas, on the whole the art is worse IMO than the 2.0 version. Things like art don't necessarily make or break something for me but its difficult to be supportive for something that seems (to me) to be going backwards on several fronts.
Wish I had better things to report. If its still available on the yahoo group I recomend downloading Claire's version instead. Lots of nifty links through there too.
-Eric Gorman
Can you tell if there are plans for some future campaign modules for MotRD?
This surely would increase the interest of the players - as we commented earlier, it's not that the setting wasn't intriguing, it's just the time you have to spend on designing homebrew adventures for it.
BTW, I only own the 3rd ed. stuff for Ravenloft; I don't have any idea if the older stuff was better. But I can assure you that if it was that bad as most people say (no offense, please), I would never have started playing. ;)
Find out more at:
http://www.livingdeath.org/
If you sign yourself and a few buddies up to the RPGA, you can start downloading modules. Now, you will have to go to at least -one- convention. But after that, you can continue to play the modules from home if you like. \
P.S. This is one of the ways I got my foot in the door for writing for the Ravenloft line, too.
See Rucht's post on the Living Death campaign modules. That's one route to take.
Another is to create your own adventures. Yes, it's a lot of work, but most fantasy players do that anyway, it seems. Also, it's not as much work as it seems. Since MotRD is set in an alternate Earth, you can work with real history to create your adventures!
I'm not sure who's saying the old Ravenloft material was bad. Ravenloft had enough fans to warrant Sword & Sorcery's licensing it from Wizards of the Coast for resurrection after it was cancelled, so it must have had something going for it. The old Ravenloft material had some of TSR/Wizard's best writers: John Rateliff, Skip & Penny Williams, Harold Johnson and many others. Why don't you see if you can't download some of the old material from the Wizard's web site "www.wizardsofthecoast.com" and check it out for yourself!
Jackie Cassada and Nicky Rea (Ravenloft developers)
Some, mind you. Hit or miss with some products. For example, I rather think the Grand Conjunction series has a number of faults to it. Same with House on Griffin Hill.
Of course, that's contrasted by stuff like Carnival or Domains of Dread. Both of which are some of the best stuff for the setting, 2nd edition or otherwise.
Same with the current Ravenloft stuff. Hit or miss. Some's better, some...not so much.
The Gazetteer's are rather nifty. But then you have stuff like Champions of Darkness, which give shame to the Ravenloft line.
Hit or miss, as I've said. Anyone who goes so far as to say that absolutely nothing out of a certain series or line or what have you is bad isn't someone whose opinion I'd pay much mind, at least if it was about any series of books that numbered at least six or so.
I also wouldn't expect to see any modules in Masque of the Red Death until you see any in the Ravenloft main line itself. Which isn't very likely. As I see Masque having potentially dubious profits, I wouldn't expect to see much official support for it, anyway. Module or otherwise. Campaign settings are already a risky thing to produce and Masque is, to a degree, a campaign setting within a campaign setting. Thus it possesses a relatively small audience. I also will trust to HvF's assessment that Jackie and Nicky missed the feeling of the setting; so we have another strike against Masque and the possibility for support in the form of modules, as low quality books will, eventually, translate to lagging sales later down the line.
I also will trust to HvF's assessment that Jackie and Nicky missed the feeling of the setting; so we have another strike against Masque and the possibility for support in the form of modules, as low quality books will, eventually, translate to lagging sales later down the line.
Ah, well. I suppose it doesn't matter that John Rateliff, who worked on the original Masque of the Red Death and still works for Wizards of the Coast, said that he thought the new book was better than the original and that he really liked the original!
What do YOU think is the feel of the setting?
J&N
I've only glanced at it so far, so I cannot comment on the flaws others have mentioned.......but so far, I am really impressed! This is a great campain with some great potential!
Alas, I do not expect it to be anymore sucessful than the last one was though.....as there will be few products for it, and many D&Ders will not want to change settings enough to explore it's possibilities.
Still, it is a great setting, and finally there is a role playing game to explore many of the scenarios of some of my favorite movie eras. I would love to see something similar from a 1940s time frame as well. Think Indiana Jones meets Ravenloft.
Still many ideas can be adapted to this era........definate thumbs up!
Ah, well. I suppose it doesn't matter that John Rateliff, who worked on the original Masque of the Red Death and still works for Wizards of the Coast, said that he thought the new book was better than the original and that he really liked the original!
What do YOU think is the feel of the setting?
J&N
Well, I didn't actually much like the original setting book, anyway. I'd have to go back and reread it for specific comments, but it came off as a bit sloppy and hokey in its implementation. Conceptually, great. But I felt it a bit lacking, at least if you just stick to the original boxed set. I believe that if something is a relative first it can be good even if it's bad simply for getting the idea out there, which I'm of the opinion is the case with the original Masque. Perhaps not bad, but not great, either.
So no, it doesn't matter.
As for the feel, Victorian Gothic would probably be the best two words for it. And that isn't to say the new Masque book doesn't have that as its aim; however, that doesn't mean that aim was met or necessarily met adequately.
...
Since MotRD is set in an alternate Earth, you can work with real history to create your adventures!
Don't the people at S&S get that MotRD might be the only setting for which people really want to buy campaigns and adventures?
Most players today rely on free or cheap stuff from the web; most campaigns I do are rough conversions of some downloaded material; be it the classic modules or some fan work.
MotRD is the only setting where nearly nothing alike exists.
With what I found on the Amigo website (former D&D distributor in Germany) I could DM a campaign that lasted a year in any gaming world, while it's not so easy to insert an adventure like *The Burning Plague* as a sequel to *Red Jack*.
So, I personally can say that with some adventure stuff, S&S would gain me as a loyal customer! ;)
I'm not sure who's saying the old Ravenloft material was bad. Ravenloft had enough fans to warrant Sword & Sorcery's licensing it from Wizards of the Coast for resurrection after it was cancelled, so it must have had something going for it.
Many people ranted (does that word exist?) the RL line mainly for becoming far too trashy - it may be true in some part, but never prevented me from enjoying my home games.
If you sign yourself and a few buddies up to the RPGA, you can start downloading modules. Now, you will have to go to at least -one- convention. But after that, you can continue to play the modules from home if you like.
...
P.S. This is one of the ways I got my foot in the door for writing for the Ravenloft line, too.
My problem is that I live in Europe. As far as I know, there is no LD community here and I simply can't afford it to go to USA to play RPGs (Anyway, I follow LD since the time of its beginnings.)You're writing for the RL line?!
Wanna give me a job as a creative consultant?! -Seriously, how do I get such a job? Filling out that e-document from wizards?
Personally, I'm of the belief that there were no bad 2nd Ed. products. Even the bad ones contained valuable npc's and story ideas that could be extrapolated and expanded upon. Anything with Vecna, though, was trash simply for being about Vecna.
As for the dire need for modules and campaigns. That's never bothered me before, because the stuff I come up with on my own is usually far more enjoyable. I do severely enjoy canon modules, though. Something that advances the metaplot of the game world is always exciting in my opinion.
-VNM
I appreciate your responses on this list and though I disagree, sometimes strongly, with the choices you are making I know you are deep fans of the game. That holds some weight with me. I agree with you that there are some very good parts to the book you've published and I'm not displeased that John Rateliff enjoys the new work. I really liked Chapter 8 (A practicle guide to the era) which generally expands on what has been printed before in 2E. For someone who hasn't looked at Masque since the boxed set there is plenty of material they ought to find of value.
But in my mind the bar isn't the original 2E material anymore and hasn't been for several years. The world of Masque has been busy over the last seven years and (again in my mind) the 3.0/3.5 material designed by Claire Hoffman for the Living Death campaign is both extraordinary and the "gold standard" against which any new material ought to be judged. In my opinion the current Masque of the Red Death Book isn't significantly improved over it. And in presenting "atmosphere" I feel it generally falls short.
Ther are two ways I could have been wowed with the product. The first and far harder would have been to improve upon Claire Hoffman's material with "new engine" mechanics for the game. I didn't expect that. The second could have been along the lines to enrich and expand the material presented in the LD world with more bells and whistles. I don't feel I've gotten enough of those to really advocate this product over the version available at the LD site.
7 Areas where my expectations weren't met:
(1) Almost no new material. There is a little tinkering with the mechanics at the edges of the LD model. I like your simplified explosives better. I like your guns a little worse. "Weavings" are intersting to me. Taking "10" to cast spells (for me) isn't. All minor adjustments.
(2) Cover. There is no comparison between the evocative train image from 2.0 and the borring Red Cover of the new 3E. The font is also hard to read on the Spine. It's not a huge thing but I'd be interested in knowing why you chose this option rather than (say) Pozas's drawing from page 291 which might have made a terrific cover.
(3) Interior Art. Despite a world of free clip art from the time period that could have helped convey the setting (and is even seen in miniscule above the chapter pages) we have a number of uninspired line drawings. The art in RL products has always been up and down but I feel the interior art was sooooo good in 2.0 that this was something I wanted to see. Agaisnt the current line of RL products ist not too bad. Against the 2.0 material it is a long step backward. Since the LD material has no art this could have been somewhere to shine. Again, Pozas has a strong collection of work but it isn't enough to cary the whole book. Even Talon's depiction of Dracula seems uninspired to me compared to other material that might have been used. Alas you mentioned the Gibson girls which was worth a point in your favor but did not provide an illustration of one. Finally (again) some of the fonts, including the page numbers can be hard to read at a glance.
(4) Flavor Text. It started off on a good foot with Miriam van Helsing's introduction but quickly became stilted. Not good Victorian stilted just not enrichning the section its supposed to illuminate. For reason's I can't put my finger on now the flavor text in front of the explosive section particularly irked me when I read it. I can't help but think how this part suffers greatly in comparison to the usually inspired work on the Doomsday Gazateers.
(5) Wordiness. Sometimes, especially when dealing with the mechanics, too much verbage is used in simple ideas. To go back to taking 10 on spells as one example it shouldn't take 90% of a column to say you can take 10 on Forbiden Lore checks to cast spell in non-stressful sistuations but you can never take 20. (pg.141) At other times in the chapter of magic I felt you were almost apologising for the way magic works in this setting belaboring point after point.
(6) Bad Stats. These come in two types. First is bad math/editing. For example Dracula, an ancient Nosferatu Vampire with 20 character levels isn't CR: 20. Second is subjective, but more important to me. In 2.0 Dracula was a 13 HD monster well crafted by his history and unique in his salient powers. I'm sadened that Dracula in 3.0 has been transformed into the CR: 20 "uber stat monster" that (supposedly) is now waiting at the end of many long MotRd adventures.
(7) Wrong Flavor: I thought that you pushed hard that MotRD was about "mind games" between the villians/monsters of the world and the heroes. While I don't think that's inacuarate of many encounters, I don't think its the heart of the setting. The heart of the setting are the "evils" repressed in Victorian society but lurking under the surface. Seven deadly sins stuff. Wrath, Lust, Vanity, Greed etc. Its not coincidence that most things a player will face have the ability to pass itself off as human in bad lighting or with a little help from disguises and embody one of them. Like man made sin they lurk under the surface.
I was ready to love this product. I'm sorry I can't be more supportive of it.
-Eric Gorman
I appreciate your responses on this list and though I disagree, sometimes strongly, with the choices you are making I know you are deep fans of the game. That holds some weight with me. I agree with you that there are some very good parts to the book you've published and I'm not displeased that John Rateliff enjoys the new work. I really liked Chapter 8 (A practicle guide to the era) which generally expands on what has been printed before in 2E. For someone who hasn't looked at Masque since the boxed set there is plenty of material they ought to find of value.
While I'm very happy (as is the writer of Chapter 8) that you liked the society/culture chapter, overall opinions of that chapter are mixed. Some people think it's the best thing in the book; others don't see any use for it at all.
But in my mind the bar isn't the original 2E material anymore and hasn't been for several years. The world of Masque has been busy over the last seven years and (again in my mind) the 3.0/3.5 material designed by Claire Hoffman for the Living Death campaign is both extraordinary and the "gold standard" against which any new material ought to be judged. In my opinion the current Masque of the Red Death Book isn't significantly improved over it. And in presenting "atmosphere" I feel it generally falls short.
As I said, Claire Hoffman wrote the character creation chapter and was in contact with the other writers throughout the process. The writers did, in fact, share their information.
Ther are two ways I could have been wowed with the product. The first and far harder would have been to improve upon Claire Hoffman's material with "new engine" mechanics for the game. I didn't expect that. The second could have been along the lines to enrich and expand the material presented in the LD world with more bells and whistles. I don't feel I've gotten enough of those to really advocate this product over the version available at the LD site.
I'm not sure what you mean by "new engine" mechanics. And, seriously, if you prefer the LD material, there's no reason why you can't continue to use it.
7 Areas where my expectations weren't met:
(1) Almost no new material. There is a little tinkering with the mechanics at the edges of the LD model. I like your simplified explosives better. I like your guns a little worse. "Weavings" are intersting to me. Taking "10" to cast spells (for me) isn't. All minor adjustments.
We decided to go for depth of coverage, for example, in both the history and atlas chapters. The "masque" concept is a fairly significant piece of "new material" as are is the chapter on creating lairs of evil. I'm sorry we didn't come up with the bells and whistles you wanted.
(2) Cover. There is no comparison between the evocative train image from 2.0 and the borring Red Cover of the new 3E. The font is also hard to read on the Spine. It's not a huge thing but I'd be interested in knowing why you chose this option rather than (say) Pozas's drawing from page 291 which might have made a terrific cover.
The covers of Ravenloft books are designed by the S&S art department. All the Ravenloft covers follow a similar graphic style. We changed the cover from black with red to red with black to highlight the RED death theme. Picture covers are actually less successful than classic style covers. They are easier on the eye and they don't get "old" as fast. Trust me, my 1st edition AD&D Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide are so faded that you can hardly make out the pictures. I finally had to cover them with fake leather covers just so they'd look decent.
(3) Interior Art. Despite a world of free clip art from the time period that could have helped convey the setting (and is even seen in miniscule above the chapter pages) we have a number of uninspired line drawings. The art in RL products has always been up and down but I feel the interior art was sooooo good in 2.0 that this was something I wanted to see. Agaisnt the current line of RL products ist not too bad. Against the 2.0 material it is a long step backward. Since the LD material has no art this could have been somewhere to shine. Again, Pozas has a strong collection of work but it isn't enough to cary the whole book. Even Talon's depiction of Dracula seems uninspired to me compared to other material that might have been used. Alas you mentioned the Gibson girls which was worth a point in your favor but did not provide an illustration of one. Finally (again) some of the fonts, including the page numbers can be hard to read at a glance.
This is purely a disagreement of style. I think we had excellent artists and superior art in the book. Looking back on the pictures while answering this, I wouldn't change any of them or the artists used! And the choice of artists, again, lies with the art department. If you have complaints, please direct them to the Art department at Arthaus/Sword&Sorcery, 1554 Litton Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083.
(4) Flavor Text. It started off on a good foot with Miriam van Helsing's introduction but quickly became stilted. Not good Victorian stilted just not enrichning the section its supposed to illuminate. For reason's I can't put my finger on now the flavor text in front of the explosive section particularly irked me when I read it. I can't help but think how this part suffers greatly in comparison to the usually inspired work on the Doomsday Gazateers.
"Flavor text" serves two purposes, to create an atmosphere and to provide an illustration of what's to come. Sometimes, it's not possible to create an atmosphere AND illustrate what the forthcoming chapter covers. Again, a matter of taste.
(5) Wordiness. Sometimes, especially when dealing with the mechanics, too much verbage is used in simple ideas. To go back to taking 10 on spells as one example it shouldn't take 90% of a column to say you can take 10 on Forbiden Lore checks to cast spell in non-stressful sistuations but you can never take 20. (pg.141) At other times in the chapter of magic I felt you were almost apologising for the way magic works in this setting belaboring point after point.
Better too many words, sometimes, than too few. Please remember that much of the material in the book is designed to help DMs run a game, including adjudicating certain aspects of the rules. Some things need to be explained so that a DM can explain it to the players. Better language that may be a little repetitive but makes it point than beautiful, succinct language that leaves people scratching their heads wondering what they just read. We're probably guilty on both counts, but we try to be as clear as possible, even if we have to repeat ourselves by saying it first one way and then phrasing it a little differently.
(6) Bad Stats. These come in two types. First is bad math/editing. For example Dracula, an ancient Nosferatu Vampire with 20 character levels isn't CR: 20. Second is subjective, but more important to me. In 2.0 Dracula was a 13 HD monster well crafted by his history and unique in his salient powers. I'm sadened that Dracula in 3.0 has been transformed into the CR: 20 "uber stat monster" that (supposedly) is now waiting at the end of many long MotRd adventures.
We're sorry for any errors we made in stats. Our authors checked them, we checked them, our editor checked them and the managing editor for S&S checked them. Errors always creep in somehow. If you notice something that's out of kilter, please feel free to correct it in your own games. (Even if it's not wrong and you just prefer a different stat, it's yours to do with what you will!)
As far as Dracula, he SHOULD be a terribly tough character. And he isn't something that low level characters should be able to face and survive! Dracula is a legend. Let him be one in his proper context.
(7) Wrong Flavor: I thought that you pushed hard that MotRD was about "mind games" between the villians/monsters of the world and the heroes. While I don't think that's inacuarate of many encounters, I don't think its the heart of the setting. The heart of the setting are the "evils" repressed in Victorian society but lurking under the surface. Seven deadly sins stuff. Wrath, Lust, Vanity, Greed etc. Its not coincidence that most things a player will face have the ability to pass itself off as human in bad lighting or with a little help from disguises and embody one of them. Like man made sin they lurk under the surface.
Everyone has his or her own idea as to what the heart of the setting is. For us, the heart of the setting is the presence of the Red Death in the center of it all, tainting everything supernatural on its way to conquering the world, or destroying it. Those who choose to fight the Red Death are laying themselves open for corruption, and that's their danger.
This is all well and good, but characters don't fight "EVIL." They fight the people who embody evil, the mad killers, the vampires, the dread doppelgangers, the demons, the twisted remnants of some crazed scientist's experiments....Characters fight the embodiments of Lust, Greed, etc., not the qualities themselves. In this, we do in fact capture the flavor. At least as we see it.
I was ready to love this product. I'm sorry I can't be more supportive of it.
Eric Gorman
I'm sorry too. Maybe it'll grow on you!
Sincerely,
Jackie Cassada (and Nicky Rea) Ravenloft Developer
Thank a veteran today!
The covers of Ravenloft books are designed by the S&S art department. All the Ravenloft covers follow a similar graphic style. We changed the cover from black with red to red with black to highlight the RED death theme.
The covers of all Ravenloft books (and Masque of course) are great!
I have a question that you might consider very straightforward but that is not really intended to be:
I assume that know that you wrote this book together, you may have a knowledge of the setting that exceeds that of most others.
So, would you mind to detail one or two adventure ideas for a campaign set in the 1890s in Europe or North America?
BTW, and don't get me wrong, but I'd like to know if you ever played MotRD with the new rules you created. ;) And what was your playtest/campaign resumée?
Hello again Dark Duo,
I have a question that you might consider very straightforward but that is not really intended to be:
I assume that know that you wrote this book together, you may have a knowledge of the setting that exceeds that of most others.
So, would you mind to detail one or two adventure ideas for a campaign set in the 1890s in Europe or North America?
A couple of scenarios come to mind:
1.The 19th century saw a burst of archaeological activity, including Schliemann's discovery of the ruins of Troy and other sites mentioned in ancient Greek & Roman mythology. You can set a Red Death campaign around a group of adventurers/archaelogists who travel to some of these ancient sites (or to the pyramids in search of tombs of pharaohs). They can encounter monsters thought to be mythical, mummies, various undead, priests of ancient religions and other minions of the Red Death. Various political and social groups could be wanting them to fail (groups under the control of the Red Death's servants) or succeed (secret societies dedicated to the defeat of the Red Death. This could be a lifelong quest...
2. The characters could come upon a series of murders in their home city and be drawn into the investigation because the killer seems to evidence some unusual characteristics. Either the murders stop or the characters find someone who purports to be the killer (controlled by the real killer and forced to confess). Soon the murders start up again in another city; the party recognizes the killer's modus operandi and know that they are the only ones who can try to stop him. This could go on for a few more cities until the characters realize that not only is the killer a supernatural foe but that he's part of a larger conspiracy of evil -- leading to the knowledge of the Red Death.
3. The characters are part of a 19th century X-files-type organization that investigates unusual crimes that the normal police won't touch. This could involve everything from mad scientists' rampaging creations to a family of not-quite-humans who live on the fringes of society and feed off its derelicts...
Anything in that spark your interest?
BTW, and don't get me wrong, but I'd like to know if you ever played MotRD with the new rules you created. ;) And what was your playtest/campaign resumée?
Unfortunately we don't have time for long campaigns, just one-nighters. For your information, we didn't create the new rules -- the various chapter authors did, and did a superb job of doing so in our opinion.
What do you mean by our "playtest/campaign resumé?"
Sincerely,
J&N
In 2.0 Dracula was a 13 HD monster well crafted by his history and unique in his salient powers. I'm sadened that Dracula in 3.0 has been transformed into the CR: 20 "uber stat monster" that (supposedly) is now waiting at the end of many long MotRd adventures.
Eric, I like most of your criticisms. They're pretty fair, and constructive, IMHO.
I disagree with the above assessment, however. When I designed Dracula, I had the option of going with the "13 HD" model, but decided against that. Why? Because a well-trained, well-equipped, and tactical party of 8th level MotRD characters could take out a 13 HD vampire.
And...after you've beaten Dracula, what else is there really? Defeating Dracula is sort of the "end" of everything. It should be a feat that is not impossible but a pretty far stretch for most parties.
If you look, he's not really optimized as well as he could be. He's got to other non-primary classes that hurt his BAB and give him a little more flavor at best. But I gave him those other classes because it fit the character.
Finally, I was actually raked over the coals by other fans for making Dracula too weak! His two secondary classes actually weaken his firepower in exchange for more flavor and flexiabilitiy. Let this be a lesson to those so eager to write for a roleplaying product line: "You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't."
All told, Dracula's definately not undefeatable by a smart, tactical party. But he's not supposed to be undefeatable. Now, Imhotep? He's supposed to be undefeatable. (I jest, I jest....) :D
I liked the new Masques, and I stated so on my Amazon review. However, I think it should have been tied less to Ravenloft and tied some to D20 Modern, as they seem to be the ones most likely to use the Masques setting.
That was certainly an option in the planning stages, but since it IS connected to Ravenloft, albeit obliquely, we wanted to keep to one system as much as possible.
It wouldn't surprise us at all if some folks decided to use D20 Modern, and if theywant to do it, no one is going to stop them.
J&N
By the way, thanks for your good comments on Amazon!
I went ahead and reviewed the old 2nd Ed. books as well, while I was at it.
Boy I wish I could find my copy of the Gazeteer.
A couple of scenarios come to mind:
...
Anything in that spark your interest?
...
What do you mean by our "playtest/campaign resumé?"
J&N
Yeah!
I am thinking of some archeological/ Indy campaign for MotRD at the moment. As my players currently enjoy the mists of Darkon, I am unlikely to host such thing, but I will consider to put the adventure hook on the boards to share it with others! 
I am mean: If you write a new RPG book, don't you test it some way? Don't you gather with the other developers and start playing just to see if the different charcter concepts are working, some spells are too mighty, and apart from the stats, if you get some other inspiration?----------------------------------------------------
Besides, I am glad if the 3rd ed Dracula is stronger than in 2nd ed.
The adventure *Red Tide* was really original, but I had to power Draki up, because my group was to butcher him right at the end of the story, and I made him 20+ for the *short* sequel...
I disagree with the above assessment, however. When I designed Dracula, I had the option of going with the "13 HD" model, but decided against that. Why? Because a well-trained, well-equipped, and tactical party of 8th level MotRD characters could take out a 13 HD vampire.
And...after you've beaten Dracula, what else is there really? Defeating Dracula is sort of the "end" of everything. It should be a feat that is not impossible but a pretty far stretch for most parties....
Finally, I was actually raked over the coals by other fans for making Dracula too weak! His two secondary classes actually weaken his firepower in exchange for more flavor and flexiabilitiy. Let this be a lesson to those so eager to write for a roleplaying product line: "You're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't."
Yeah I'll grant you that beating Dracula is pretty hard to top from a storry point of view, and I understand from that perspective why it might be desirable to set him up at 20th level. The "mythology" that has built up around him, especially in video games, also tends to suport him as an epic or near epic creature. Finally I'll grant you that trying to represent iconic characters is always going to bring detractors from all flanks.
Gaahhh. Even if I recognize and understand this, I don't have to like it.
In Brahm Stokers novel, Dracula *is* beaten by a bunch of non-optimized guys who (I'd argue) probably never saw the north side of 8th level (A minor noble, a psycologist, a young solicitor, a Texan, and a doctor/scholar of the occult). Only VanHelsing even knew that vampires were real, and Quincy was probably the only character who could be described as a "tactical" specialist. The other characters were "everymen" and got by with a mantra along the lines that "honor does not cringe before power". The only supernatural equipment or abilities avaialble to them was Mina's clairvoyance at the end, far less than the typical MotRD party. From this perspective (which I admit is the one I am biased toward) Dracula's power isn't in the same ballpark as some other villians like Imhotep.
A CR 24 Dracula would eat Stokers heros like a scoobie snack. I'll stick to my assertion Dracula is too powerful in this rendition. That doesn't mean he's less scarry to face, or that he is what's waiting at the end of the campaign - just that the PCs might be facing him sooner, and camapaign might be ending, well before 20th level.
-Eric Gorman
#55:
SEA WOLF, THE
AD&D RAVENLOFT Masque of the Red Death adventure, 3-4 characters of levels 4-6
Written by: Lisa Smedman
Artwork by: Mark Nelson
River or Coastal, any climate
7 pages
Description: The PCs track down a werewolf while the beast commits murders aboard a riverboat.
#61
JIGSAW*
AD&D RAVENLOFT Masque of the Red Death adventure, for 4-6 characters of levels 4-6
Written by: Dan DeFazio & Christina A. Stiles
Artwork by: Tony DiTerlizzi
Town/mountains, temperate to sub-arctic
20 pages
Description: A female scientist's sinister creation thwarts her attempt to start a new life.
#67
FALLS RUN
AD&D RAVENLOFT Masque of the Red Death adventure, for 1st-level PCs
Written by: James Wyatt
Artwork by: Bradley McDevitt
1890s Continental U.S.A.
16 pages
Description: A train ride ends in disaster when a restless spirit causes the train to derail, leaving its passengers stranded outside a small West Virginian coal town in the dead of winter.
probably:
71 Dark Magic in New Orleans Randy Richards AD&D RL 5-7
Edit: Found mroe info on this one:
DARK MAGIC IN NEW ORLEANS
AD&D Ravenloft The Masque of the Red Death Adventures for levels 5-7
Description: A forgotten terror has resurfaced in 1890's Louisiana.
Speaking of using d20 Modern, what about the d20 Pulp rules?
(originally from Dungeon 90/Polyhedron 149)
There`s some material for that on the web and even published AFAIK.
Try a google search or these:
http://www.paratime.ca/d20/pulp/
http://members.aol.com/wwapulp/notebook.htm
http://www.battlefieldpress.com/pulpfantasy.htm
There shoudl be lots of things in it useful and adaptable to MotRD, for example in indy style archaelogical advtenrues
#55:
SEA WOLF, THE
probably:
71 Dark Magic in New Orleans Randy Richards AD&D RL 5-7
As a note, yes, "Dark Magic in New Orleans" is a MotRD adventure. "The Sea Wolf" is not -- though it would arguably fit better there than in Ravenloft.
Yeah!
Good! Glad they were of some help.
Unfortunately, gathering with the other developers is only possible if you live in the same area. The Ravenloft developers (me and Nicky) live in western North Carolina; the Gamma World developer lives in the Northwest, I think; so does the Scarred Lands developer; the Everquest developer is in Atlanta; the Warcraft developer lives in Canada...so NO, we don't gather with the other developers. Most playtesting involves several playtest groups that are signed off on confidentiality statements and take place long before the books go to press. Other playtests take place informally, among the writers and their gaming friends.
----------------------------------------------------
Besides, I am glad if the 3rd ed Dracula is stronger than in 2nd ed.
The adventure *Red Tide* was really original, but I had to power Draki up, because my group was to butcher him right at the end of the story, and I made him 20+ for the *short* sequel...
The characters are given stats so that you have something to go by. You are always free to change those stats as necessary for your campaign, as it seems you've already done.
Jackie & Nicky
In Brahm Stokers novel, Dracula *is* beaten by a bunch of non-optimized guys who (I'd argue) probably never saw the north side of 8th level (A minor noble, a psycologist, a young solicitor, a Texan, and a doctor/scholar of the occult).
Exactly. Which is why a 13th level Dracula is still too powerful if you want to go strictly by the literature. In my mind, Van Helsing of the novel is about 5th level...maybe 7th? Remember also that Reinfield gives Dracula a run for his money - a random insane dude. So Dracula from the book should be about 9th level, in my opinion.
Remember that the Dracula in the MotRD book is not supposed to be the Dracula from the novel. That much is said at the beginning of the chapter. The Dracula in MotRD is an amalgam of the Warlord Vlad Tepes mixed with the Dracula of the movies and the novel.
Good thoughts, by the way, HvF. Well crafted commentary.
L5 is a tad low for him.
On an semi-unrelated topic if you sign up for RPGA membership do you get access to all past modules? Living Death or non-LD?
I've always wanted to look through a few of them. The Ravenloft ones of course...
Going to cons though might be a tad trickier...
Unfortunately, gathering with the other developers is only possible if you live in the same area. The Ravenloft developers (me and Nicky) live in western North Carolina; the Gamma World developer lives in the Northwest, I think; so does the Scarred Lands developer; the Everquest developer is in Atlanta; the Warcraft developer lives in Canada...so NO, we don't gather with the other developers. Most playtesting involves several playtest groups that are signed off on confidentiality statements and take place long before the books go to press. Other playtests take place informally, among the writers and their gaming friends.
Jackie & Nicky
And have you already found the time to play MotRD? If, then, what was your adventure, maybe the idea you offered me earlier?
What characters have you played/would you like to play?Thanx
Rafael
On an semi-unrelated topic if you sign up for RPGA membership do you get access to all past modules? Living Death or non-LD?
I've always wanted to look through a few of them. The Ravenloft ones of course...
Going to cons though might be a tad trickier...
When you join the RPGA, you get access to modules that have not expired. Modules have about a year+ before they expire. But that still would give you plenty of modules to work with. Trust me.
As far as convention going...remember that all you need to do is to go to one convention. Just one, to get signed up. I do know for a fact that there are RPGA conventions in Europe, because I've played with people from Europe who just happen to be visiting in the U.S. I've met people from Germany, Sweden, and England.
And have you already found the time to play MotRD? If, then, what was your adventure, maybe the idea you offered me earlier?
Thanx
Rafael
I've played a detective character named Abigail, who is a very proper Anglo-Irishwoman. I enjoyed playing her very much. I would love to play an archaeologist type as well, but I haven't had the chance yet.
Jackie
It's good to see that the developers don't *hide* from their own creations. :D
Can I ask something more of personal character?
Is it so that you all that work on the d20 stuff are developers from S&S Press or are you just *people with an idea that came to the publishers and said: Hey, we want to make you a 3.5 ed Ravenloft!*?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another idea for MotRD gaming:
Get the Guide to Transylvania + get Bleak House --> Combine it! It may be a bit of conversion work, but it can be worth the while!
Thank you Jackie!
It's good to see that the developers don't *hide* from their own creations. :D
Can I ask something more of personal character?
Is it so that you all that work on the d20 stuff are developers from S&S Press or are you just *people with an idea that came to the publishers and said: Hey, we want to make you a 3.5 ed Ravenloft!*?
Actually, we're freelance writers/game designers who've worked for White Wolf for more than 10 years. When S&S acquired the license to publish Ravenloft, they asked us to be the developers since they knew we had a long history with D&D and since they knew that Nicky had worked on the original Masque of the Red Death Guide to Transylvania and on the Monstrous Compendium for Ravenloft (the old looseleaf version).
The third ed. Ravenloft Campaign Setting was written by the gentlemen of the Kargatane. The 3.5 revision (Ravenloft Players Handbook) was done by us at the request of both S&S and Wizards of the Coast to bring Ravenloft into synchronization with the revised D&D 3.5.
Hope that clears things up a bit.
J&N
Thank you! Actually, we're freelance writers/game designers who've worked for White Wolf for more than 10 years. When S&S acquired the license to publish Ravenloft, they asked us to be the developers since they knew we had a long history with D&D and since they knew that Nicky had worked on the original Masque of the Red Death Guide to Transylvania and on the Monstrous Compendium for Ravenloft (the old looseleaf version).
What work did Nicky do for the original RLMC?
What work did Nicky do for the original RLMC?
Let me correct my statement -- it wasn't the looseleaf Monstrous Compendium but the Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (Ravenloft). She did many of the creatures in that, among them the various golems (flesh, mist, snow and wax) and the figurines (ceramic, crystal, ivory, obsidian, porcelain), the kizoku and a number of others as well.
Jackie
Help would be graciously appreciated.
#1. On page 88 the Tradesman’s class ability Related Profession or Craft gives the class a bonus skill at select levels with no experience cost.
This, as they answered in their reply, is because other classes pay experience to gain a new craft or profession. BUT nowhere is it said how much experience the other classes pay. Or is this just a free skill without costing skill points or regardless if the new craft/profession is cross-class or not?
#2. This is just a confirmation. All mystic classes have a default starting domain such as All or Divination. And apparently gain access to a new domain each level or improve on an existing domain (Igor at the Fraternity of Shadows site coined the term Domain Slot to explain how they’re gained with one slot giving minor access and a second slot being spent to gain major access). These rules are not specified (or even hinted at) in the book.
But is there an extra ‘Domain Slot’ gained at the first level of the Mystic classes? In addition to the automatic domain they get minor access to at first level do they get to choose a second domain? Or do Mystics only gain minor access to a single domain at 1st level? And if they can choose an additional domain at first level do the standard rules for gaining new domains apply (ie if they do not gain major access to their free starting domain they cannot ever improve on it)?
So since the Duo seem to be here alot I'll have to leap and the chance for rule clarifications from MotRD. They answered one fan's e-mail a little while ago (it can been on both the Fraternity and S&SS message boards) but some questions were still unanswered.
Help would be graciously appreciated.
#1. On page 88 the Tradesman’s class ability Related Profession or Craft gives the class a bonus skill at select levels with no experience cost.
This, as they answered in their reply, is because other classes pay experience to gain a new craft or profession. BUT nowhere is it said how much experience the other classes pay. Or is this just a free skill without costing skill points or regardless if the new craft/profession is cross-class or not?
By experience, read "skill points." The Tradesman class gets a bonus Profession or Craft as a freebee. Other classes have to pay skill points for such Skills (either as a class skill or as a cross class skill). The Tradesman gets a new Profession or Craft -- or can add to one he already has -- without paying the cost.
Does that make sense now?
#2. This is just a confirmation. All mystic classes have a default starting domain such as All or Divination. And apparently gain access to a new domain each level or improve on an existing domain (Igor at the Fraternity of Shadows site coined the term Domain Slot to explain how they’re gained with one slot giving minor access and a second slot being spent to gain major access). These rules are not specified (or even hinted at) in the book.
But is there an extra ‘Domain Slot’ gained at the first level of the Mystic classes? In addition to the automatic domain they get minor access to at first level do they get to choose a second domain? Or do Mystics only gain minor access to a single domain at 1st level? And if they can choose an additional domain at first level do the standard rules for gaining new domains apply (ie if they do not gain major access to their free starting domain they cannot ever improve on it)?
This wasn't made clear. I believe that since all Mystics start with the ALL domain, they should continue to advance in it regardless of other domains. Otherwise, all starting Mystics would be unbearable alike.
Jackie
Let me correct my statement -- it wasn't the looseleaf Monstrous Compendium but the Monstrous Compendium Appendix III (Ravenloft). She did many of the creatures in that, among them the various golems (flesh, mist, snow and wax) and the figurines (ceramic, crystal, ivory, obsidian, porcelain), the kizoku and a number of others as well.
Jackie
Thanks, I never got RLMC III, it was one of those products that always aluded me