The catalog is here!

[Ed Stark]

The New Phone Book's Here! The New Phone Book's ---

Wait a minute ... that's not right. It's the 1998 Wizards of the Coast
Catalog that's here! Yay!

It looks pretty nice. We have a big ol' color catalog with product shots
for everything Wizards/TSR/L5RPG and a nice poster/release calendar. You
know what this means, don't you? I CAN TALK ABOUT 1998 PRODUCT!

Gee, it's so exciting ...

The online catalog should be up any time now (if it isn't up already--check
the website).

I thought I'd post a really quick run-down of the BIRTHRIGHT release
schedule (since you've all been patient and all).

As many of you know or have guessed, we're delaying the release of any new
BR product (after TRIBES) until next July--when we proudly bring you the
Revised BIRTHRIGHT CAMPAIGN SETTING! It's listed at 256 pages (for some
reason the catalog says B&W illustrations--they're all color as far as I
know), and it's HARDCOVER. It has been updated and revised to emphasize
adventuring and legendary quests, but all the domain rules, etc. are still
there. There is a revised battle system, however, that does not employ the
use of cards--but you'll see that the systems are remarkably similar. In
essence, this is the same BR as in the boxed set, but with a few tweaks and
clarifications (remember that's why I asked for your rules input).

In August, we have the long-awaited BOOK OF REGENCY. This is the third in
our popular Books of Scions series, and it covers kings and queens, lords,
and knights. It doesn't stop at regency, though--there are new blood
abilities and a few other surprises.

In September, we start our long-awaited Shadow World story arc (Essence of
Evil) with SHADOW MOON. I'm still working on this book, but I can tell you
it involves adventure and some very flexible rules for running Shadow World
adventures.

In October, Carrie Bebris presents ;-) BLOOD SPAWN: Minions of Cerilia.
This is the second in the Essence of Evil series and is a cross between a
BR Monstrous Compendium (with lots of Shadow World creatures) and an
adventure collection. Even if you aren't playing in the Shadow World,
there's plenty of critters and adventures to trouble your PCs with.

November brings us the CHARGE OF THE COLD RIDER adventure. This concludes
the Essence of Evil series by pitting the hero-kings against the biggest,
baddest denizen of the Shadow World, the Cold Rider himself.

We are also reprinting the BR boxed set (a short run only) that should be
available in stores any time now. There may be other reprints (BOOK OF
MAGECRAFT, for one) depending on distributor, retailer, and customer interest.

As you can see, this'll be a busy year for BR. Only five products, sure,
but I challenge you to find a tighter, more focused set of products in
gaming. We are also preparing articles for DRAGON, DUNGEON, and a few
specials for the RPGA and POLYHEDRON that I can't talk about yet (hey,
where would be the surprise), but at least I can let you know about the
1998 schedule.

Any questions?


-- ->-- ->-- ->--@
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
(soon to be http://www.tsr.com)

[Eric Dunn]

>As many of you know or have guessed, we're delaying the release of any new
>BR product (after TRIBES) until next July--when we proudly bring you the
>Revised BIRTHRIGHT CAMPAIGN SETTING!

Ahh, it's a long wait, but it sounds totally worth it!!!

It's listed at 256 pages (for some
>In August, we have the long-awaited BOOK OF REGENCY. This is the third in

I'm dyin for this one :)




>As you can see, this'll be a busy year for BR. Only five products, sure,
>but I challenge you to find a tighter, more focused set of products in
>gaming. We are also preparing articles for DRAGON, DUNGEON, and a few
>specials for the RPGA and POLYHEDRON that I can't talk about yet (hey,
>where would be the surprise), but at least I can let you know about the
>1998 schedule.

I do agree with you..they are focused, and they sound very
Useful...(something some of the other products (non BR of course) were
known to lack at times..usefulness :) I could certainly see myself buying
all of them. I love seeing the BR articles in the Dragon..practically the
main reason I get it!

>Any questions?


Please please, try to put out a few Brechtur Domain Booklets? :)

Eric Dunn
eric@cyberserv.com

"It has just been discovered that research causes cancer in rats."

[Bryan Ruther]

Ed Stark wrote:



> ... As many of you know or have guessed, we're delaying the release of any new
> BR product (after TRIBES) until next July--when we proudly bring you the
> Revised BIRTHRIGHT CAMPAIGN SETTING! It's listed at 256 pages (for some
> reason the catalog says B&W illustrations--they're all color as far as I
> know), and it's HARDCOVER. It has been updated and revised to emphasize
> adventuring and legendary quests, but all the domain rules, etc. are still
> there. There is a revised battle system, however, that does not employ the
> use of cards--but you'll see that the systems are remarkably similar. In
> essence, this is the same BR as in the boxed set, but with a few tweaks and
> clarifications (remember that's why I asked for your rules input).

What can you tell us about the contents of the new hardcover's contents. Rivision
of
the battle system seems like a good idea, the cards have been kinda irratating
becaused the
information on them in nowhere else (including the combat tables, what a sin!).
Will there
be some BR specific kits, or rules for races not covered in the original box set?

Bryan

- --
Mankind being originally equals in the order of creation,
the equality could only be destroyed by some subsequent
circumstance...
Thomas Paine, Common Sense

[Ed Stark]

At 03:04 PM 12/18/97 -0500, you wrote:
>>>Please please, try to put out a few Brechtur Domain Booklets? :)

Believe me, I'd love to, but the only chance for BR Domains this coming
year is in DUNGEON, DRAGON, or POLYHEDRON (in much-abbreviated,
adventure-driven forms). I recommend submitting these sorts of things
regularly, so that we'll see more BR publications.


-- ->-- ->-- ->--@
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
(soon to be http://www.tsr.com)

[Ed Stark]

>Will this "new" battle system include rules for battle involving castles and
>use of siege weapons (not against small moving creatures as they did in
>PO:C&T, I still wonder what they smoked while writing it). I think a good
>battle system with siege rules will get none BR DM's to buy it.
>
As with the card-based battle system, this will be a tool for use by the DM
to resolve battles quickly and easily--it is NOT intended to be a game in
and of itself. I do think it may readily accept optional rules and
expansions (perhaps more than the card system ever did), but it is not that
much more involved. I hope it is more flexible and still easy to use.

-- ->-- ->-- ->--@
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
(soon to be http://www.tsr.com)

[Ed Stark]

At 03:51 PM 12/18/97 -0600, you wrote:
>What can you tell us about the contents of the new hardcover's contents.
Rivision
>of
>the battle system seems like a good idea, the cards have been kinda
irratating
>becaused the
>information on them in nowhere else (including the combat tables, what a
sin!).
>Will there
>be some BR specific kits, or rules for races not covered in the original
box set?
>
>Bryan
>
There are a few BR specific kits, and continuing guidelines for using
existing kits on Cerilia. Right now, there are no more PC races included
than in the boxed set, though we may consider goblins. Any comments on that?


-- ->-- ->-- ->--@
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
(soon to be http://www.tsr.com)

[Eric Dunn]

At 02:56 PM 12/18/97 -0800, you wrote:
>At 03:04 PM 12/18/97 -0500, you wrote:
>>>>Please please, try to put out a few Brechtur Domain Booklets? :)
>
>Believe me, I'd love to, but the only chance for BR Domains this coming
>year is in DUNGEON, DRAGON, or POLYHEDRON (in much-abbreviated,
>adventure-driven forms). I recommend submitting these sorts of things
>regularly, so that we'll see more BR publications.
>
>
> -- ->-- ->-- ->--@
>Ed Stark
>Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division


When you say submit them, where do you wish to have them submitted..and for
that matter what do you wish us to submit? :)
(reqeust for more publications to TSR? our own ideas for domains to those
specified magazines?)
E

(eric@cyberserv.com)

[David Sean Brown]

> There are a few BR specific kits, and continuing guidelines for using
> existing kits on Cerilia. Right now, there are no more PC races included
> than in the boxed set, though we may consider goblins. Any comments on that?

You know, I've never been a big fan of the "monster" PC. I've always felt
humanoids like goblins, orcs, ogres, etc should be left in the domain of
NPCs, and generally "bad guys". This is not to say I never permit it, but
only rarely (sort of the Drizzt of the campaign, so to speak). Maybe I'm
limiting my PCs roleplaying somewhat, but to be honest, I find it
difficult to identify with the heroic goblin :)

Sean

[Oyvind Gronnesby]

>> Right now, there are no more PC races included
>> than in the boxed set, though we may consider goblins. Any comments on that?
>
>You know, I've never been a big fan of the "monster" PC. I've always felt
>humanoids like goblins, orcs, ogres, etc should be left in the domain of
>NPCs, and generally "bad guys". This is not to say I never permit it, but
>only rarely (sort of the Drizzt of the campaign, so to speak). Maybe I'm
>limiting my PCs roleplaying somewhat, but to be honest, I find it
>difficult to identify with the heroic goblin :)
>

Well, in my campaign a friend of mine played the goblin ruler of Thurazor.
Here he started a Reneissance(?) of culture and construction (though they
were still goblins and much of the culture collapsed). Since there are no
goblin race description in the BR set we used the goblins of Humanoids
Handbook, which worked pretty well. Except that it all ended in a silly war
with Talinie.
Goblins worked out well as a player concept and I think that it should be
included in the 2nd edition.


Oyvind Gronnesby

[James Ruhland]

> There are a few BR specific kits, and continuing guidelines for using
> existing kits on Cerilia. Right now, there are no more PC races included
> than in the boxed set, though we may consider goblins. Any comments on
that?
>
I think BR-specific Goblins as a PC option is an interesting idea. Folks
don't *have* to allow them as a PC race in their own campagin (perhaps even
designate it as an optional race, for thouse purists who think that if it
is official, it is automatically required).