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Whizbang Dustyboots |
Malhavoc 4E? |
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I know it's unlikely, but is there any chance that Malhavoc's 3E works, or at least the best of, will be updated to 4E?
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Taurren |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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I certainly hope not.
AE, Ptolus, Eldrich Might and all the other wonderful books are great as they are. I certainly can't see 3.5 disappearing with 4E on its way, and I'm hoping that some great publishers can take up the leadership role now that the 800 lb gorilla is stalking new prey. |
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Zimriel |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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Malhavoc has such a huge base of literature and of people who've bought that stuff already, that the former can't be easily upgraded.
Ptolus in particular was so tied in with 3e that even if there is a 4e "next generation" of the setting, there is a serious danger the upgrade would ruin the spirit of the place. This has happened over and over again. Greyhawk was the 1e showcase. When it went to 2e, it went by way of Carl Sargent's "From The Ashes" revision. FtA Greyhawk was a work of powerful drama but it just wasn't Greyhawk anymore. And before that, there was Blackmoor; which the DA series somehow turned into some kind of Great Game frontier epic. Again: a great place to campaign in, but not in the spirit of the original. And of course the Diamond Throne has already gone its own way with its own ruleset: AU/AE. I will however mention that among the Beyond Countless Doorways planes, Carrigmoor is ideally poised for conversion and expansion into a new setting for whatever edition. I'd also say Yragon could become part of an "event book" of Plagues, or else the antagonist of a DS9-style campaign arc. |
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Whizbang Dustyboots |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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I have to disagree about the dangers of updating Ptolus -- although that's too massive a tome to expect more than a conversion guide over on Delver's Square. People are able to very happily play AE or True20 games without losing anything, despite it being created as the seminal 3E setting.
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Taurren |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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Conversion between AE, True 20 and 3.5 are a relatively easy thing to do. From the announcements made by WotC reps at Gen Con regarding 4E, there will not be a conversion between 3.5 and 4 and despite the fact they will still use the D20 mechanics, the systems will be significantly different.
<shrug> At the end of the day its up to Monte et al. Knowing me, I'd buy anything Malhavoc published, even if I didn't buy 4E. |
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Aegir |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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Given what I've heard regarding 4E so far, its based in large part around new mechanics presented in Tome of Battle (which of course is basically Iron Heroes altered to fit in D&D), and Star Wars Saga Edition. Those two facts by themselves are enough to get me interested, and given the past of Malhavoc (taking existing rules and and improving them), I'd love to see what a 4E Arcana Evolved would look like.
As for a simple conversion of existing material... I would think something like that is *exactly* why Diamond Throne and Delvers Square exist. |
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Trance21 |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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i hope not, i like AE the way it is, as it stand, 4E might be the destruction of my role-playing experience.
"All you need is a focused mind"
My Art Work |
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Hrothgar Rannulfr |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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I'm torn between 3.5 and 4.0, now. I like what little I've seen of 4.0 and I have a feeling that Monte's work on his version of World of Darkness might also have bits, pieces, and chunks of what 4E will be. But, I'm still getting ready to run Ptolus. And, I definitely want to run it probably with 3.75 which means that I'll probably get 4E and use any ideas that I can adapt to 3.5 that compliment the game. I probably won't get to actually running a 4.0 game until a couple of years from now.
All that said, I love the products that I got from Malhavoc for 3.5. If they were updated to 4.0, I would be very tempted to buy the updated versions. But, even if they're not updated, I'll be using them when I play 4E... At least the ideas if not the exact mechanics. I read on the Enworld front page that Mike Mearls (Book of Iron Might and original Iron Heroes) was the lead developer of 4E. So, for me, that's very promising. I don't think that I'm alone in remembering that at least a few of us on the Iron Heroes board surmised that the reason he left Malhavoc to go to WOTC was to work on 4E. So, if anything, I like to think that Monte Cook and Malhavoc had some part in shaping the direction of 4E through Mearls. But, that's my thought... And, I don't know very much. In a way, I'm a little sad to see 4E come along because I don't know what that means for 3.5 D20 products. Will the 3.5 publishers be required to stop selling and distributing 3.5 d20 stuff that is not OGL? I don't know how that works. I mean could there come a day when Malhavoc won't be allowed to sell certain PDF's of 3.5 d20 material? Hrothgar Rannlfr
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Dub79 |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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And once again our worlds begin to crumble even as our hopes dare to rise. I started playing D&D with the advent of 3rd edition, so I don't have the scope of perspective that some others have. I do remember what it was like for some of my AD&D play friends to thumb through the new manuals. They really like some stuff, and other things they found nigh unto blasphemy. A DWARF mage?! PONDEROUS! Simply ponderous, they'd exclaim. The resale value of a lot of AD&D materials shot up for a bit because so many balked at the new rules system. Then things smoothed over and we all gamed on.
Although WOTC is truly a corporate powerhouse when it comes to the gaming industry, I think many of us are forgetting about the true 800lb gorilla of gaming...me...and you! If 4th Edition is the best thing since the Dread Turbonium Dragon, we'll buy it and play it. If not, we'll keep rocking Ptolus, AE, and the other great White Wolf and Green Ronin products that are out there. Companies and their systems do us all a great service in providing rich source material, systems and frameworks, and inspiration, but gamers are what the hobby is really about. Friends, Game Masters, Players, and the desire inside each person to have an arena in which to shine...no rules mod can change those things. Peace be to my gaming brethren...and of course the sistren, too. |
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Wiz of Ice |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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Reply moved to Gamer's Lounge. Off-topic.
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Kaladhan |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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I hope there is a new version of Arcana Evolved. If not done by Monte, then licensed to FDP. Or perhaps a Lands of the Jade Oath for 4E.
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varianor |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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Who knows if they will or not? I for one intend to keep playing AE/IH and Ptolus as is and see what 4E looks like. Then I'll decide if I need any conversions or not.
My latest works: Faces of Serran: Radinemus and Dark Houses
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Lord Tirian |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
Quote: Same here! Arcana Evolved is great and was my personal REAL 3.5 for quite a while, but it shares some problems with D&D: Magic item dependacy, running out of spells (i.e. thumb-twiddling spellcasters), preperation-heavy. Due to the re-designs, these issues are less problematic than with D&D... but they're shared problems. 4E, on the other hand, has certainly learned from AE and other Malhavoc products a bit (well, Mearls was here and HAD to learn about AE for Transcendence and Ruins of Intrigue), but has to keep certain D&D-isms, like the Arcane/Divine split, the D&D races (of course), and possible other sacred cows. A 4E-ified AE could keep all the cool things from 4E, but put in the distinctive flavour and non-adherence to D&Disms from the current AE. And that would be GREAT (thankfully, AE and 4E are OGL, so there's room for fan-conversions on dt.com if neither Monte, nor FDP do anything about it... though I'd love to hear Monte's opinion about that, once 4E is released) For other Malhavoc books: Hmm... the Books of Might have interesting stuff and flavour as well... I'd also like to see that updated - but AE is far more interesting, from my point of view. Cheers, LT. |
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RBB |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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Well said, Lord T. I don't know if Monte will decide to re-enter (though with the WoD thing he just barely left...) RPG design, but maybe he could be a playtester for Arcana Transcendent, 4th Dimensional Arcana, or whatever it was called.
Though I think IH is very cool, and I'm intrigued by the "anti-Xmas tree" claims for 4E, so far in my AE game I don't mind the need for magic items. In fact I've tried to turn the volume up even more, in a way. Though at this point without more info I think my players would argue they are under-equipped. |
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mahogani |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
Quote: Wouldn't that make the Ritual Warrior obsolete? It seems to me 4e makes all warriors similar to the RW class. |
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Wiz of Ice |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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Was wondering when someone would just come out and say it. Though it might be possible to create a class that focuses on that more than the core fighter.
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carmachu35 |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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I was wondering this myself. One of the big reasons of whether I switch editions is if some of the 3rd party products, most especially Monte's convert over to 4e. Even if I have to buy the damn big book again.
But if Monte isnt really interested in doing so...good chances I wont want to switch over. Too much already invested in the 3.5 game. |
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Armorlord04 |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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Not switching over myself. As far as D&D goes I'm sticking to my collection of 3.5 books. Had hoped when I started buying into 3.5 it would stick around awhile, somewhat disappointed in WotC's timing with their last batch of hardcover splatbooks still warm from the presses. Fortunately I'd already moved on to Malhavoc's greener pastures of toys to play with, so it doesn't affect me as much as it would have before.
Personally hope they stay with 3.5 based materials here, good quality fun. If they don't.. I'll have to make do with what they already have out (which, with the Big Book on hand, is enough to keep me going for awhile yet |
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rycanada |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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If Monte decides he's really out of the game for this edition, my perfect wish would be for some of the older stuff being made OGL so other publishers/fans could update it without hiding their updates in the dark corners of home games.
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Prince of Fire and Thunder |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
Quote: If Monte never updates to 4e, the groundwork for a platform capable of hosting conversion material is already being laid. -cough- Coming soon - ![]() Your ultimate community resource. |
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rycanada |
Re: Malhavoc 4E? | ||
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I eagerly await the emergence of the Akashic record.
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