Ahhh...it'll be super interesting to see how this one upsets the applecart and pisses off all the purists.
Does it? As a member of the applecart, I assume you are referring to (old school gamers) I love this announcement, like I'm fairly sure this will be the first books I buy since Ghost of Saltmarshes. It looks awesome to me, hell I might run a 5e game just because of this book.
Quite a few older Spelljammer fans are complaining about the Phlogiston being replaced with the Astral Sea. I never played 2e or Spelljammer in any previous editions, but I played it a few years back with my own table while including the Phlogiston. The Phlo is easily the worst part of classic Spelljammer, and the Astral Sea is much more interesting than the Phlo (and I don't have the 4e-phobia that a ton of players seem to have), so I'm personally fine with it being replaced. But there are quite a few people out there throwing a fit about the worst part of Spelljammer being replaced.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Ahhh...it'll be super interesting to see how this one upsets the applecart and pisses off all the purists.
Does it? As a member of the applecart, I assume you are referring to (old school gamers) I love this announcement, like I'm fairly sure this will be the first books I buy since Ghost of Saltmarshes. It looks awesome to me, hell I might run a 5e game just because of this book.
Quite a few older Spelljammer fans are complaining about the Phlogiston being replaced with the Astral Sea. I never played 2e or Spelljammer in any previous editions, but I played it a few years back with my own table while including the Phlogiston. The Phlo is easily the worst part of classic Spelljammer, and the Astral Sea is much more interesting than the Phlo (and I don't have the 4e-phobia that a ton of players seem to have), so I'm personally fine with it being replaced. But there are quite a few people out there throwing a fit about the worst part of Spelljammer being replaced.
I always kinda liked the Phlogiston, but I'm willing to see what they did with the Astral Sea. I figure I can always homebrew the Phlogiston in if I want. There's really no reason to get mad about them changing one thing that is easily put back in.
I don't really care about the price point, or that there are astral bits in it, or that it include an adventure I won't use. It's 5e Spelljammer, so I will buy it with a smile.
Now just give us Planescape and/or something Manual of the Planes:ish. Then 5th edition is complete for me.
I don't really care about the price point, or that there are astral bits in it, or that it include an adventure I won't use. It's 5e Spelljammer, so I will buy it with a smile.
Now just give us Planescape and/or something Manual of the Planes:ish. Then 5th edition is complete for me.
I think this is why they're doing it. There are so many pieces across publicly accessible forums, and now that Wizards OWNS this one they can freely and legitimately use the data of everyone saying "Well its spelljammer, take my god damned money."
I'll buy it eventually because I own all the content on beyond for my group, but I'm not happy about the price. Still buying it though, which ultimately means my rubber stamp of approval exists. That being said, they don't care about my happiness. The reason D&D Beyond was purchased was because of profit margins. Hasbro estimates that 80% of players have played a digital version, and the Wizards unit basically funds Hasbro. They care about my dollars.
I just wish my dollars got more pages in this specific case. I've had no other issues with any of the other books, even the upcoming Tome of Foes.
I'm a full blown capitalist in every sense of the word and the simple truth is, if you make something good, I will buy it. I'm not going to squabble over a few extra bucks for a book.
Capitalism relies on you squabbling over a few extra bucks to maintain value for money. Otherwise, companies will keep jacking up the prices by a few a extra bucks until they bleed you dry.
But the point is that it's not just a few extra bucks. It's effectively more than trebling what's an already expensive price. I had misgivings when I saw the price (and thought it was a single, standard sized book), but when I looked at the sizes...if this is where WotC is going, I can't stay, I'm sorry. I'm really hoping that this is a one off, or what they've said is massively understating the quality of what they're providing.
I'm glad you have the setting that you like, that you can have your old style games but in 5e. But the massive change in content for money ratio is alarming for me, and if it's going to be part of their philosophy, then I won't be buying new books.
I get the sticker shock here, but we were overdue for a price hike. The PHB in 2014 cost $50. Eight years later, it still costs $50. IIRC 4e books cost about $50 as well when they came out, so it's actually been more than eight years since they raised prices. I'm sure that over that time, people have gotten raises, the rent has gone up, the costs of paper, ink and printing have gone up, etc. They can't keep producing books for the same price forever. It might be nice if they acknowledged this in some kind of announcement, that everything costs more than it did in 2014, so they will need to raise prices accordingly. That might get them a bit more understanding, but plenty of companies and industries just raise prices when they need to, so I don't think they owe it to us, really.
Sticker shock...that's applicable to logging in one day and finding that the price of books on D&D went from $30 to $35. For comparison, if DDB were around in 2014 and charged $30 then, if they kept in line with inflation it would be $34. That's passing on the costs. Jumping from $30 to $50 for half the content? That's...not just passing on the costs.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Sticker shock...that's applicable to logging in one day and finding that the price of books on D&D went from $30 to $35. For comparison, if DDB were around in 2014 and charged $30 then, if they kept in line with inflation it would be $34. That's passing on the costs. Jumping from $30 to $50 for half the content? That's...not just passing on the costs.
While I like lower prices, bread, you know one of the basics has risen in the last few months from €2.5 to €2.7 and now €3. Yes, the invasion of Ukraine has something to do with that, but so do a lot of other things. Prices will continue to rise.
I could see making Phlogiston the Astral Sea as a way to sorta merge Spelljammer with Planescape (sure there will still be a Sigil, maybe, and an Infinite Staircase, but reaching other planes via spell jammer craft, you see that in the Baldur's Gate 3 trailer.
Otherwise, I'm a little disappointed there may be changes to the Astral. Yeah, I get it that astral comes from astra = "stars", but the IRL lore and supernatural metaphysics D&D was drawing from when it invoked the astral plane wasn't star stuff (IRL mystics and psychics who claim the ability to astral project aren't traveling the stars). The astral plane also housed dreams in some editions, though I've seen a pretty good 5e multi plane compilation on DMs Guild that stays loyal to prior editions and also posits the shadow, fairy and dream planes as "echo planes" of the material plane, and keeping dreams more bound to the material plane is sorta cool.
Re: Pricing. I think a lot of the price in the physical edition reflects the mark up of having three book bindings plus a screen and a better be dang glorious map. I think D&D Beyond's pricing of the item can't undercut the MSRP of the physical edition by too much for sales reasons I can't really articulate but feel there's something there.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Unclear, all we know on that front comes from the current product description:
The Astral Adventurer’s Guide, a 64-page hardcover book for players and Dungeon Masters that presents the Astral Plane as a campaign setting and includes space-based character options, spells and magic items, deck plans and descriptions for spelljamming ships, and more
We know "character options" will include at least some of the multiverse races. "Character options" could include new subclasses and backgrounds, and feats as well; but nothing's been listed or discussed. Usually the contents of the book are pretty clear about a month back so I don't think there'll be firm answer till late June or early July.
I don't see Spelljammer introducing a whole new class to the game. The original spell jammer used the existing classes at the time.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
The video that DnDDirect showed several of the options for races though very little about them just sort of the cool designed sentence about them. I think I remember a subclass or two being mentioned. Admittedly a 30 minute video but if you are interested just check it out.
I remember there was an ectoplasm race, and a thri'kreen racial option but I don't remember the others off the top of my head.
The video that DnDDirect showed several of the options for races though very little about them just sort of the cool designed sentence about them. I think I remember a subclass or two being mentioned. Admittedly a 30 minute video but if you are interested just check it out.
I remember there was an ectoplasm race, and a thri'kreen racial option but I don't remember the others off the top of my head.
Those are the ones from the UA from a few months back. The UA that really started the speculations about the return of Spelljammer.
The video that DnDDirect showed several of the options for races though very little about them just sort of the cool designed sentence about them. I think I remember a subclass or two being mentioned. Admittedly a 30 minute video but if you are interested just check it out.
I remember there was an ectoplasm race, and a thri'kreen racial option but I don't remember the others off the top of my head.
The Yazarian, I mean Hadozee. That with the thri-kreen and the plasmoid round out the Star Frontiers legacy. There was also Giff as a playable race, Astral Elf, Clockwork Gnome, I think that was it.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
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Quite a few older Spelljammer fans are complaining about the Phlogiston being replaced with the Astral Sea. I never played 2e or Spelljammer in any previous editions, but I played it a few years back with my own table while including the Phlogiston. The Phlo is easily the worst part of classic Spelljammer, and the Astral Sea is much more interesting than the Phlo (and I don't have the 4e-phobia that a ton of players seem to have), so I'm personally fine with it being replaced. But there are quite a few people out there throwing a fit about the worst part of Spelljammer being replaced.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
I always kinda liked the Phlogiston, but I'm willing to see what they did with the Astral Sea. I figure I can always homebrew the Phlogiston in if I want. There's really no reason to get mad about them changing one thing that is easily put back in.
I don't really care about the price point, or that there are astral bits in it, or that it include an adventure I won't use. It's 5e Spelljammer, so I will buy it with a smile.
Now just give us Planescape and/or something Manual of the Planes:ish. Then 5th edition is complete for me.
I think this is why they're doing it. There are so many pieces across publicly accessible forums, and now that Wizards OWNS this one they can freely and legitimately use the data of everyone saying "Well its spelljammer, take my god damned money."
I'll buy it eventually because I own all the content on beyond for my group, but I'm not happy about the price. Still buying it though, which ultimately means my rubber stamp of approval exists. That being said, they don't care about my happiness. The reason D&D Beyond was purchased was because of profit margins. Hasbro estimates that 80% of players have played a digital version, and the Wizards unit basically funds Hasbro. They care about my dollars.
I just wish my dollars got more pages in this specific case. I've had no other issues with any of the other books, even the upcoming Tome of Foes.
I get the sticker shock here, but we were overdue for a price hike. The PHB in 2014 cost $50. Eight years later, it still costs $50. IIRC 4e books cost about $50 as well when they came out, so it's actually been more than eight years since they raised prices. I'm sure that over that time, people have gotten raises, the rent has gone up, the costs of paper, ink and printing have gone up, etc. They can't keep producing books for the same price forever. It might be nice if they acknowledged this in some kind of announcement, that everything costs more than it did in 2014, so they will need to raise prices accordingly. That might get them a bit more understanding, but plenty of companies and industries just raise prices when they need to, so I don't think they owe it to us, really.
Sticker shock...that's applicable to logging in one day and finding that the price of books on D&D went from $30 to $35. For comparison, if DDB were around in 2014 and charged $30 then, if they kept in line with inflation it would be $34. That's passing on the costs. Jumping from $30 to $50 for half the content? That's...not just passing on the costs.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
While I like lower prices, bread, you know one of the basics has risen in the last few months from €2.5 to €2.7 and now €3. Yes, the invasion of Ukraine has something to do with that, but so do a lot of other things. Prices will continue to rise.
I could see making Phlogiston the Astral Sea as a way to sorta merge Spelljammer with Planescape (sure there will still be a Sigil, maybe, and an Infinite Staircase, but reaching other planes via spell jammer craft, you see that in the Baldur's Gate 3 trailer.
Otherwise, I'm a little disappointed there may be changes to the Astral. Yeah, I get it that astral comes from astra = "stars", but the IRL lore and supernatural metaphysics D&D was drawing from when it invoked the astral plane wasn't star stuff (IRL mystics and psychics who claim the ability to astral project aren't traveling the stars). The astral plane also housed dreams in some editions, though I've seen a pretty good 5e multi plane compilation on DMs Guild that stays loyal to prior editions and also posits the shadow, fairy and dream planes as "echo planes" of the material plane, and keeping dreams more bound to the material plane is sorta cool.
Re: Pricing. I think a lot of the price in the physical edition reflects the mark up of having three book bindings plus a screen and a better be dang glorious map. I think D&D Beyond's pricing of the item can't undercut the MSRP of the physical edition by too much for sales reasons I can't really articulate but feel there's something there.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Are there going to be new classes for this?
Unclear, all we know on that front comes from the current product description:
We know "character options" will include at least some of the multiverse races. "Character options" could include new subclasses and backgrounds, and feats as well; but nothing's been listed or discussed. Usually the contents of the book are pretty clear about a month back so I don't think there'll be firm answer till late June or early July.
I don't see Spelljammer introducing a whole new class to the game. The original spell jammer used the existing classes at the time.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
The video that DnDDirect showed several of the options for races though very little about them just sort of the cool designed sentence about them. I think I remember a subclass or two being mentioned. Admittedly a 30 minute video but if you are interested just check it out.
I remember there was an ectoplasm race, and a thri'kreen racial option but I don't remember the others off the top of my head.
Those are the ones from the UA from a few months back. The UA that really started the speculations about the return of Spelljammer.
The Yazarian, I mean Hadozee. That with the thri-kreen and the plasmoid round out the Star Frontiers legacy. There was also Giff as a playable race, Astral Elf, Clockwork Gnome, I think that was it.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.