Ravenloft is back. I have to say that the Ravenloft campaign in general is pretty amazing. It's survived every single edition of the game, unlike many other settings. I guess you can't keep a good setting down.
October will also see the Domains of Dread return to D&D, with the long-time Ravenloft concept being folded into the core now. Meanwhile we’ll also be trying out a new rules concept that allows you to multiclass into classes that don’t really exist, like gladiator. I should probably stop now before R&D gets forbidden from feeding me previews.
Please understand that they are talking about material to be releases on their on-line magazine. Still, there's something there. Here's hoping it leads to a source book.
It is said that whomsoever the gods wish to destroy they first make mad. In fact, whomsoever the God's wish to destroy they first hand the equivalent of a stick with a fizzing fuse and acme dynamite company written on the side of it. - Terry Pratchett
i khnow and i wait for october to see what will be the domains of dread in the 4 edition.
i haven'nt any prejudices about it, i think that the best behaviour to be adopted is to accept the
changes. As i said it previously, we shall have to fit or ravenloft will disappear.
My choice is to accept the changes and adopt the fourth edition.
But after all, it is only my opinion...
I'm excited and queasy about it at the same time. On the one hand, I think great things can be done with Ravenloft using the 4E rules set. On the other hand... Forgotten Realms...
Man lives in the sunlit world
Of what he believes to be reality.
But, there is, unseen by most, an underworld,
A place that is just as real,
But not as brightly lit.....
A DARKSIDE.
Yes! It sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it? At last, Ravenloft will be folded! Into the core! They are not just folding Ravenloft into anywhere, at random! You can tell they've put a lot of thought into this plan.
Personally I can't count the number of times I've said to myself, "Ravenloft is a great concept, but... something's missing. If only it were 'folded into the core,' somehow. There definitely needs to be more folding action." And now it seems as though my dream is coming true at last. The day of core folding has miraculously arrived. There is a core, eager and ready to have Ravenloft folded into it, and we are all privileged to watch.
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. We will, however, discard all characteristics responsible for your survival to date lest they complicate or otherwise introduce disharmony into our online collective . . .
Folded into the core And now it would seem that we discover what the "Time of Unparalleled Darkness" really is.
It is said that whomsoever the gods wish to destroy they first make mad. In fact, whomsoever the God's wish to destroy they first hand the equivalent of a stick with a fizzing fuse and acme dynamite company written on the side of it. - Terry Pratchett
lol it's gonna be bad- 1% chance they won't muck it up- 99% chance of Elf Pirate of Lake Baratok transporting halfling vistani and a hag.
I'll be honest though- a lot of what Wizards does, IMO, is promote a silly playstyle that might appeal to sillier players and DM's. Not to say it's the rules they create but the fluff around them and how they're presented.
It should also be noted that I DM Midnight campaigns and that setting is as far from what Wizards does it's not funny. I like my RPG's to be logical, meanigful, dark, semi-realistic and brutal with plenty of RP opportunity. 2nd and 3rd edition Ravenloft> what Wizards will come up with.
yes, halfing vistani... but after all what we prefer ?
To be adapeted of a way which do not invite you, certainly. But isn't this better than to be forgotten ?
I seldom look at the forum of WotC, but when i do, what I see there pleases me hardly, especially when it is of a saying message: the Ravenloft fans are the worst of all...
Why ?
the fans of greyhawk, planescape, al-quadim, dark sun... no one howls in scandal, at least on the forum of wizard. If they make it, they make it between them. Then do negative comments move forward thing?
Last edited by kourkenko on Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I like to see experienced authors for ravenloft at the helm, instead of new talent given a point form sheet and a copy of expedition to castle ravenloft to go with. I do not mind new authors but like better guidance and respect for the setting.
uhh sorry to say Kourkeno, the setting isn't going to be forgotten even if it doesn't get the fancy 4E treatment - we have the Fraternity netbooks. You mention all these campaign settings but the thing is- look at Dark Sun for example: the fans are doing fine without having been published in 3rd edition.
So why are we the worst fans? Just because others, like me, want the setting to keep the dark feel, seriousness and Gothicism that makes it great? You have to stay vocal to keep people/companies accountable.
I don't want Ravenloft dumbed-down and corrupted for the 4E crowd (no offense to the 4E players here, I mean the non-RL ones) and given the special Wizards lets-change-everything-for-the-heck-of-it-hey-look-lets-add-a-dragon-and-throw-glitter-on-it treatment.
I'd rather have no 4E Ravenloft than have a high-fantasy, non-gothic version that probably won't acknowledge what's come before.
Kourkenko- I'm glad you aren't disagreeing with me on my main point but I do disagree with you: Ravenloft doesn't need 4E because it will not be forgotten. It's a shame 3rd Ed RL wasn't able to have a few additional books published, but I don't feel that Wizards can come close...at all.
This is.... considerably more than I am expecting. And much earlier than I am expecting. But I am happy.
You might notice I disagree with a wide majority of the previous posters. I prefer living settings to dead ones.
Ravenloft GM: Eye of Anubis, Shattered City, and Prof. Lupescu's Traveling Ghost Show Lead Writer & Editor: VRS Files: Doppelgangers; Contributor: QtR #20, #21, #22, #23, #24 Freelance Writer for Paizo Publishing
Archedius wrote:
I'd rather have no 4E Ravenloft than have a high-fantasy, non-gothic version that probably won't acknowledge what's come before.
Oh, come on. You're basically saying "I don't think I'll like this, so no one is allowed to have it."
I'm looking forward to it. I've seen Ari Marmell about the site, I liked his story in DT&DL, and since Gleemax had him writing a Ravenloft Book its not a far cry to say he'll be in on the project, so I'm not worried about writers. And if I don't like it, I won't use it. Easy.
"No, but evil is still being — Is having reason — Being reasonable! Mousie understands? Is always being reason. Is punishing world for not being... Like in head. Is always reason. World should be different, is reason."
According to Mangrum, (see his post in the "RL to get 4e treatment?" thread), this is going to be a new domain, together with a 4e explanation for how domains work and what Ravenloft is. (There might be other Ravenloft-specific mechanics information, too, but it's not clear to me if that will be included or not.)
This is actually one big design advantage of Ravenloft; the "domain" concept means it's almost perfectly modular, so you can add pieces to the setting without worrying too much about how they integrate into the whole. (This is also often a design flaw, but that's how these things go a lot of the time.)
And now it would seem that we discover what the "Time of Unparalleled Darkness" really is.
