I cite Dungeon Magazine #122 "Root of Evil" as proof.
This particular little gem take 19th level players and squeezes them real nice. Some good ideas in there I hadn't thought of before. One of my more powerful players started to get very serious toward the end of the evening.
Mearls really is a good game designer, and could become one of the greats. His stuff really appeals to me. Iron Heroes is a great example, but his various adventures and Dragon articles over the years really laid a foundation of coolness in my book. What cemented my fanboyishness was two books - the Book of Iron Might, the precursor to Iron Heroes, and the Psionics Toolkit. The Psionics Toolkit was the more significant of the two, simply because I had no real interest in psionics prior to it and this book actually made me want to use 'em in my campaign world.
What is the "psionics toolkit"?
Quote from: the ultimate nullifierWhat is the "psionics toolkit"?
Psionics Toolkit (http://www.fierydragon.com/products/prod-psitk.htm); it's from Fiery Dragon.
CM
Quote from: Harry JoyMike Mearls is one the few game designers that I inherently trust. I won't automatically buy one of his books, just 'cause, but if the cover blurb interests me even a smidgeon, I will buy it. He hasn't disappointed me yet.
His Books of Hallowed Might and Iron Might may as well be iconic.
He's dissapointed me. The three Faces of Evil in dungeon #125 was pisspoor writing and editing, with nothing interesting or even mildly unique about it.
Thankfully, that's the low spot of Mearl's writing, and everything else of his that I've seen has actually been worthwhile.
Everybody has their off days. Especially when they're writing filler for Paizo.
Mearls isn't perfect, but he's got a great track record. I bought Iron Heroes because he wrote it. And it isn't perfect, but it's pretty darn nifty. :)
I was a player in 3Faces of Evil. It was a blast! Straigthforward fun, with the evil ebon aspect, great believable humanoid NPCs. As a german saying goes:
"really great Tennis"
Thanks Mr. Mearls for these great two evenings.:bow:
Mearls has several products on my top shelf. Portals & Planes, Monsters Handbook, Quint Wizard (one of the few great quints), just to name a few.
He's not perfect however. I found Empire and Dungeoncraft(FFG book) disappointing.