Quote from: Omega;1128820This in part why I passed on getting their Critical Role book WOTC put out.

Greetings!

Wait, Omega! Can you elaborate on what you mean here more?

What do you think of the Critical Role book? I leafed through it briefly at my game store, just to take a look. Ehh. I didn't really see anything that leaped out at me as worthwhile. and you know I can't stand whiny, SJW politics being shoved down my throat, either. I'm not really clear on what the Critical Role book is actually trying to accomplish--for a game to really be like Critical Role, you need cameras and mics and people that are really good at acting, and super-interested in the drama of the campaign and all that. Am I making any sense? Maybe I am interpreting it wrong though.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: Omega;1128820This in part why I passed on getting their Critical Role book WOTC put out.

I know people tell me not to judge a book by its cover, but I judged that book by its cover.

Could they not afford to get one of the decent DnD artists?

Quote from: SHARK;1128823Greetings!

Wait, Omega! Can you elaborate on what you mean here more?

What do you think of the Critical Role book? I leafed through it briefly at my game store, just to take a look. Ehh. I didn't really see anything that leaped out at me as worthwhile. and you know I can't stand whiny, SJW politics being shoved down my throat, either. I'm not really clear on what the Critical Role book is actually trying to accomplish--for a game to really be like Critical Role, you need cameras and mics and people that are really good at acting, and super-interested in the drama of the campaign and all that. Am I making any sense? Maybe I am interpreting it wrong though.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

I have a friend that loves to watch Critical Role. He wasn't impressed with Explorer's Guide to Wildemount in the least. He simply said that, while he likes listening to the voice actors (including Mercer himself) for entertainment, the book offers none of that. Instead, it's about as interesting as any random DM's homebrew setting--which is to say not too interesting at all when that DM is not actively running it.

Quote from: trechriron;1128809#believeallwomen really means "believe me when I want to destroy someone with a twitter mob".

The actual purpose behind Believe All Women was to speak against the constant denials of people in a woman's orbit and people of authority she came to for help. It was about doing the rape kit AND then pursuing the evidence in court. It was about treating the woman with sincerity and concern, getting her help, and helping through the process. It was sparked by the consistent denials like;

"Uncle Frank would never do that, he's a good person."
"You shouldn't be walking alone."
"You shouldn't have been dressed like that."
"Boys will be boys."

Believe All Woman was not a blank check to be written to the public at large to simply drop all reason, due process, or individuals rights. It was not a blank check to form up a posse, locate someone with a penis, and then burn them alive. Believe All Women is not a justification to erase personal liberty or worse, shit all over the founders of America's wishes that we don't behave like a monarchy beholden to the unproven whims of one person - or even a few people.

Of course, because I refuse to join or support the inquisition, I'm a "rape apologist" heathen who... wait for it... should be burned at the stake.

I know many here understand this. I just reiterate for the looky-loos who lurk across theRPGsite lacking the courage to jump in and participate in meaningful conversation.

"You shouldn't be walking alone." isn't a denial, it's a piece of solid advice to prevent bad shit happening to you whatever your sex or sexuality may be.

"Boys will be boys." BULLSHIT, show me where this has ever been a denial for rape!

As for the rest of your unproven and unsupported by the evidence claims...

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions"

And that's granting you all of the claims about the motivation behind the witch hunt.

Quote from: HappyDaze;1128826I have a friend that loves to watch Critical Role. He wasn't impressed with Explorer's Guide to Wildemount in the least. He simply said that, while he likes listening to the voice actors (including Mercer himself) for entertainment, the book offers none of that. Instead, it's about as interesting as any random DM's homebrew setting--which is to say not too interesting at all when that DM is not actively running it.

Greetings!

*Laughing* Interesting, HappyDaze! Yeah, I looked through it, and it just seemed kind of bland. *shrugs* If I can point to an example, 3E's Campaign Book for Forgotten Realms, the huge hardcover that covered the whole campaign setting, right? I don't even *run* my campaigns in Forgotten Realms, and I looked through that in the game store for like, 10 minutes, and aid to myself, "Fuck! I gotta get this!" And I bought it immediately.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: GeekyBugle;1128827"You shouldn't be walking alone." isn't a denial, it's a piece of solid advice to prevent bad shit happening to you whatever your sex or sexuality may be.

"Boys will be boys." BULLSHIT, show me where this has ever been a denial for rape!

As for the rest of your unproven and unsupported by the evidence claims...

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions"

And that's granting you all of the claims about the motivation behind the witch hunt.

I could be mistaken but those reasons could be given as examples of stereotypical excuses, not reasonable statements.

SHARK, Wildemount looks neat and I like the videos I’ve seen on it (I don’t have it). Now, what I do want is Mythic Odysseys of Theros, sight (mostly) unseen. It looks straight-up dope as fuck!

Watching people play D&D is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I can't quite articulate the why yet. Actually playing D&D is fun, but watching it being played isn't.
And I do like watching minatures and board games being played.

Quote from: Alderaan Crumbs;1128830I could be mistaken but those reasons could be given as examples of stereotypical excuses, not reasonable statements.

SHARK, Wildemount looks neat and I like the videos I've seen on it (I don't have it). Now, what I do want is Mythic Odysseys of Theros, sight (mostly) unseen. It looks straight-up dope as fuck!

Greetings!

Hmmm. Interesting, Alderaan. Mythic Odysseys of Theros? I wonder what that's all about? Anything Greek, Roman and such is awesome in my book!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1128834Watching people play D&D is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Yeah, I have exactly zero interest in watching people play D&D. I don't understand the appeal at all. Can't say I'd want to watch a board game, either. While unlikely, I *might* watch a miniatures wargame, though, if it covered subject matter and time periods that interest me. (No interest in sci-fi or WH40K stuff, mild interest in D&D-related fantasy like Greyhawk Shield Lands vs. Horned Society, main interest would be historical from ancients up through the American war between the states.)

Quote from: SHARK;1128837Greetings!

Hmmm. Interesting, Alderaan. Mythic Odysseys of Theros? I wonder what that's all about? Anything Greek, Roman and such is awesome in my book!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Agreed! I love AC: Odyssey and have wanted to run a fantasy "Greek" epic for a while now. Theros is a MTG setting brought to 5e (like Ravnica) and everything I have been able to glean looks great. Another "not-Greek-but-Greek-D&D" thing is Odyssey of the Dragonlords.

Quote from: SHARK;1128837Greetings!

Hmmm. Interesting, Alderaan. Mythic Odysseys of Theros? I wonder what that's all about? Anything Greek, Roman and such is awesome in my book!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Oh hey I can tl;dr this one for you if it helps.

Theros is a plane/setting from Magic: the Gathering, originally released in 2015 or so. It's broadly based on Greek mythology with a pantheon aligned along Magic's color wheel: Erebos, God of the Dead (black); Heliod, God of the Sun (white); Thassa, Goddess of the Sea (blue); Purphoros, God of the Forge; and Nylea, Goddess of the Hunt (green). More of the pantheon was introduced later along multicolor lines, such as Ephara, Goddess of the Polis (blue/white, INT/WIS focused lawful type). The gods' portrayal was pretty good; they didn't shy away from making them demanding, sometimes petty, often temperamental in the way the Greek gods can be portrayed. The art and story for the set had a solid Greco-Roman feel to it, and they brought back Terese Nielsen who produced some truly gorgeous pieces for the set, as she does.

The major conflict of the original Theros story was upheaval and destruction caused by Xenagos (chaotic evil?), an upstart planeswalker, trying to become part of the pantheon of gods of Theros through sacrifices and general do-baddery and usurping. The power of the gods was waning and struggling because their power derives from belief of the people of Theros. Another planeswalker, Elspeth (lawful good) also arrived on the plane, seeking sanctuary and maybe the chance to settle down after some long battles with one of Magic's overarching big bads. She went on a quest to stop Xenagos and protect the plane,

Spoiler

made some bargains with the gods (Erebos and Heliod, if I remember right), and ultimately died in the attempt, along with her friend/maybe lover from the plane, Daxos of Meletis (neutral good, scholar-warrior type).

I remember Heliod behaving in an absolutist and demanding way that was frustratingly befitting for the source mythology.

It was a solid set and story, and something I quite enjoyed. Magic is supposed to be returning to Theros soon, or maybe it already has. I'm not sure I'd trust today's WotC with the material (mainly because I don't really trust them with anything at this point). There was also a stupid cancel culture mob that went after Terese Nielsen that makes me not optimistic that the 5e book would have her work in it, but maybe more reasonable heads prevailed.

Theros was the last? (one of the last?) sets before WotC discontinued the lore novels again. They are available cheaply on Kindle for a couple of bucks, and the writing was pretty good. Hard to say if that'll be predictive of the quality of the 5e book, but it's a relatively cheap option to get a taste for whether Theros-the-setting might appeal to your sensibilities.

Sorry I guess that's a rather long tl;dr.  But, hope it's useful. Cheers.

Quote from: trechriron;1128809The actual purpose behind Believe All Women was to speak against the constant denials of people in a woman's orbit and people of authority she came to for help.

That's a cute rewrite of history.

PoundMeToo was always a sham. The laughable "Believe All Wahmens" was brain dead virtue signalling to rally the Twitter mobs.

And in the end, the sham and the hypocrisy has done damage to real victims of abuse...and will continue doing damage for a decade to come.

Quote from: Spinachcat;1128871That's a cute rewrite of history.

PoundMeToo was always a sham. The laughable "Believe All Wahmens" was brain dead virtue signalling to rally the Twitter mobs.

And in the end, the sham and the hypocrisy has done damage to real victims of abuse...and will continue doing damage for a decade to come.

Greetings!

"Poundmetoo"!!!:D Fucking hilarious, Spinachcat!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Hypocrisy is one of the defining characteristics of liberalism.  Also water is wet and things fall downward.

Quote from: SHARK;1128823Greetings!

Wait, Omega! Can you elaborate on what you mean here more?

Far as I know theres nothing wrong in the book itself. Its Mercer himself that was the turnoff. Same as if I'd known Sarkesian and Quin were part of the Betrayal at House on the Hill, I'd have likely considered passing on it.