C & C Questions

[JohnD]

Which one?

[Andraax]

Well, it's a Haunted Highlands map, so I guess the Haunted Highlands Kickstarter... :-D

Castles & Crusades Return to the Haunted Highlands

[Topdecker]

The Darlene map is on sale (50% off) at the TLG store. I am a sucker for a good map - good visual aids make me happy.

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[Topdecker]

That NPC could be following the Class and a Half rule. 5th is main class = 2nd in supporting class.

Yeah, that is how I eventually decided to interpret it. It works ok for me since I was leaning towards class and a half to handle any multi-classing. But "illusionist Rogue" isn't a thing; I decided to go with the caster class since spells were listed.

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[JohnD]

For multi-class I prefer the Enhanced Class option from Expanding Classes.

However, if someone wants to use a different (official) method, I generally go with it.

[Topdecker]

Expanding Classes... Somehow was not on my radar. Guess I'd better correct that.

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[Topdecker]

Added Expanding Classes.... Yeah, the Enhanced Class option has a really gentle way to get some extra customization without falling hopelessly behind in the power curve. Thanks for pointing me that way, John.



Plugging in the CK Guide to the Haunted Highlands is going nicely. The free 'Deities of the Highlands' will keep me from needing to replicate that info. Getting a living map is the primary goal - but honestly, I know the map pretty well now. (The CK Guide to HH is the first TLG product that I've really enjoyed reading, though I am about to hit the section filled with adventure modules.)

So TLG pulled the DB series of modules and dumped them all (and 3 that were never printed individually) into the CK Guide to the Haunted Highlands. What does that mean for an FG version? I figure that having DB1 and DB2 out there is basically blocking it out AND slinging together something with 9 modules in it would be a real bear.

I went ahead and grabbed the Aihrde Player's Guide - mostly to get the race-specific classes, but there is a lot of other extras. Is there any supporting material (i.e. not adventures) that someone aiming to implement a full-featured campaign set in Aihrde might want or need?

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[Talyn]

Technically @Mortar was "in charge" of doing all Haunted Highlands content for FG while I was doing the Aihrde stuff, etc. I was considering butting in and doing the Players Guide to the Haunted Highlands anyway, but we'll see. I have some C&C stuff coming that I haven't announced yet (plus the one that I did announce). However — TLG recently announced that they're going to do a whole new version of both Haunted Highlands books, and the DB-series will be removed from that and re-issued as its own boxed set. Having the DB-series in the CKG2HH was problematic for FG because — just like what may happen with M&T + Classic Monsters once M&Tv5 is released — SmiteWorks is rather hesitant to just remove DLC that people have paid for. One option was for @Mortar to not bother including those in the CKG2HH but remaster+update the existing ones and do the new ones and those could be a "package deal" included with the CKG2HH. The other would be to simply do it as one huge DLC and now the customers have two versions of some of the same content in their Library... Similarly, Rune Lore is still available on FG because it was the most expensive C&C DLC for who knows what reason, but TLG have officially discontinued it as a product. @Moon Wizard and I did some extremely "quick 'n dirty" hotfixing to make the DLC "good enough" (or at least passable) fixing the errors, etc. but all the class, rune spells, equipment, etc. will reappear in Adventurers Backpack once I do that. TLG is officially repurposing (and I think rewriting) the lore/adventure section of Rune Lore, so once that's done, there's another DLC that will, to a degree, repeat what some customers already own.

That's funny that the CKG2HH is the first book you've enjoyed. The HH books in particular have a reputation for typos, etc. More than usual from the Typo Lords.

As for more material to run an Aihrde campaign... eh... not really. After Winter's Dark is good for lore, but I'd recommend the PDF over the DLC (although I'm thankful for the commission if you buy the DLC! ) same with the Codex of Aihrde. Monsters & Treasure of Aihrde is ok as well. If you run the A-series, that's set in Aihrde. Or plug-n-play any favorite adventures from any other edition into Aihrde. I still haven't decided where I'd place Neverwinter in Aihrde, for example, if I wanted to run Lost Mine of Phandelver without doing too much work beyond renaming things. Same with any of the classic 1E adventures...

[Topdecker]

Well, I am actually glad to hear that a box set is in the works for the DB series. They've got their art game kicked-up and if they can get a handle on the cartography, they'll have a fine product. (The Bowbe Roadhouse has 21,000 square feet on the first floor - someone needs to get on that.)

Compared to The Free City of Eskadia, The CK Guide to the Haunted Highlands is a joy to read. The former is so bad that it is often...inscrutable. At least the adventure portion is rough - i really need level 5-7 material and it seems to fit the bill though I have seriously considered tearing the book into two parts a couple of times now. (Yeah - I have both print and digital and have misgivings that I hope the city proper will ease.)

Monsters & Treasure of Aihrde is the only one that is still on my radar. The Book of Familiars -Mystical Companions now (?) - is one that I would like to read, but having DLC seems overkillish given the rarity of familiars.

Thanks for all the info!

[Talyn]

I have the Mystical Companions PDF, it's pretty cool. Familiars and Companions rules for each class. Just not sure how well (if at all) the FG ruleset would currently support them, so it hasn't really been on my radar to build yet.