Bestiary Pre-Release
 

I've never actually looked, but I sure hope that the Colon Worm has little resemblance to my lower GI tract. Yikes!

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Anybody else get a bounce from the email given to make comments?

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Ach, it's disappointing to see that only some of the beasties found in the pages ofHexagram are included.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

I guess length limits might have forced their hand. The goal here seems to be coverage of the core monsters from the LE book (because when they surveyed us we strongly voted in favor of that), plus some Hexagram beasts and some new things just to keep it fresh. If you met all three of those goals and didn't cut any corners you would probably end up with a 500 page book. Presumably they didn't like that, either as a writing task or a business decision.

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Nope; I've have no problem.

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After the Bestiary is released I might submit a sample Stone Ant hive for hexagram, complete with defensive towers. Along with some notes for bandits and other monsters to have moved in.

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60 pound Wolverine: chases off bears.
500 pound 2-hex Giant Wolverine: chases down bears.
3000 pound 4-hex Monster Wolverine: Usually found chewing on fresh dragon bones.

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I had had my email bounced, early am on the 15th. I emailed Phil and he said he'd have the team look into it. Seems to be working now.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Yes, but only because I spelled it "beastiary" rather than "bestiary."

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I like the sound of that 4 hex version but don't see it in the Bestiary. Is that tucked away somewhere I didn't see, or is this just a figment of your imagination?

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Yeah, I must have imagined reading "A four-hex creature." at ITL 93, last sentence of the second paragraph from the top in the left column. Sorry about that.

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Ah, you were merging things from the Bestiary (this thread) and things from the core book. The new Bestiary lists the same stats for a 2 hex creature, and makes no mention of a 4 hex creature. So, snarky comments aside, I think your list of 1, 2 AND 4 hex wolverines is misleading. The new 2 hexer is the same as the old 4 hexer.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Here's my current take:

Common Wolverine, small one-hex, 60 pounds
ST 6, bites for 1d, fur stops one hit, -2 to be hit due to evasiveness.

Giant Wolverine Cub, two-hex, 500 pounds
ST 18, bites for 2d-2, fur stops two hits

Adult Giant Wolverine, four-hex, 3000 pounds
ST 50, bites for 2d+1, fur stops two hits

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Based on the intro, I believe the Bestiary supersedes ITL stats. "This is the “big book of monsters” for The Fantasy Trip It covers the creatures of In The Labyrinth in more detail..."

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

If they usually weigh 500 lbs (Bestiary 183) then they wouldn't be adults for very long.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

That's the description of the FINAL version . . . some (most?) of the deviations from ITL should be reported to SJG.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

It is worth noting to SJG that the giant wolverine was described as a 4 hex creature in the core book, so unless there is a compelling reason to change things it should probably stay that way. But they may be deep enough into counter design that they would rather take the inconsistency and keep their existing artwork and layouts.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Sending in a check of critter sizes today. What others bother you'll?


All the big cats seem to be lacking HTH damage?

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Yes, I had sent this in:

Hello SJG,I like the Bestiary and here are some issues with consistency*regarding the big cats:
1) They do not have a separate damage listing for HTH.* In ITL, they do.* For example, in ITL the Jaguar does 1+1 damage, but in HTH it does 1+3.* Lion, Tiger and Sabertooth tiger as well do different damage in HTH.* But in the Bestiary, the HTH damage is missing from all the big cats.

2) The jaguar in ITL is specifically stated to be a 1 hex cat, while in the Bestiary it is listed as a 2 hex cat.* Jaguars are known for being both compact and muscular.* Unless you had a reason for this change, it makes sense that it should be 1 hex in size.

Also note the cougar was added (good addition), and it is a 2 hex creature, as it should be.* Nor does it have a HTH damage listed, and it is not known for having a powerful bite like the jaguar, so that should be good too.* I wonder if the size change to the jaguar was because the cougar is 2 hexes.* In real life a cougar is a long and thin cat, while the jaguar is a muscular compact creature with a very powerful bite.* So, no need to make changes to how the ITL had jaguars or how cougars are in the Bestiary.* Just need to change the jaguar's size and HTH damage back to how listed in ITL.

(note, the asterisks were added by copy paste)

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Did anybody else submit a list of missing potion ingredient body parts?


"Stone beetles have nothing to interest chemists or wizards."


Well, that's true for wizards and alchemists at least.

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With the Bestiary officially nerfing dragonets, will we see errata listed for ITL 92 that brings their breath and claw damage down from being equal to a 2-hex dragon's?

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Excellent Question. Following ITL makes for some abnormally powerful dragonettes as we have recently discovered.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

You two are a little whiny.

But it is a good question, Shostak.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Maybe a little. LOL!

Hey, we didn't say that you were wrong. If it's in ITL, it's fair game. I guess that they didn't double-check to see that the Dragonette damage in the Beastiary doesn't match what is in ITL.

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This is the first change in Dragonette damage in four decades. It reduces their threat level from Giant Scorpion to less than a wasp.

Off to summon a Wyvernette in order to have an endless supply of poisoned arrows.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

It reduces the dragonet damage from that of a two-hex dragon to less than a one-hex dragon, as Shostak desperately pointed out to me when his mighty adventurer went down in a nuisance battle. Too bad for him that I wasn't a recipient of the pre-publication Bestiary.

(By the way, did they change the spelling? Everyone keeps spelling it "dragonette", which makes sense but ain't the way it appears in ITL.)

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

"Desperately" might be a bit much; I merely shared cutting edge research, submitted to me and other experts in the field for peer review, so that we might follow the most up-to-date science. And Anzo didn't just "go down" --- he mostly-died with as much professional dignity as one can when tripping on their client and, whilst attempting to stand back up, getting clawed to bits by foot-long sausages with wings.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

That's definitely the ticket.

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There are several vermin slaying spells available. But with this nerf the balance tips a little bit more to the armored wizard.

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That was indeed the problem my group faced. They foolishly brought some characters who were not wizards. Frankly, I don't understand it.

But I'm not sure why lowering the damage gives advantage to the armored wizard. Surely, when the dragonets have 1d damage from each attack, the armored wizard is that much better off than the unarmored. Since the dragonets attack with DX 14, they tend to get the first lick in to begin with.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

When calculating dragonet's new firepower rating I assumed a hero with DX 16 and dual daggers. Wizardly occult zaps are at -8 (as thrown attacks via Special Spells apply as Thrown Spells at ITL 140) to hit the vermin so they need to do tricks like casting fire in their own leather-armored hexes.

Assuming you've got a Vet your dragonet can take 50% more damage in Legacy than in first edition and still live to fly another day. (6 hits reduce to dying at -2, Vet patches to zero, then care or healing potions. In first edition 4 hits kill the beast and it doesn't have the attribute points handy for Revival.)

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To my knowledge, Thrown spells are not described as suffering a penalty against flying or small targets. The occult zap should only suffer a range penalty. Both of these only make a wizard more effective against dragonets.

[EDIT: Under Special Spells on ITL 140 it reads "If a special method of DX adjustment for the spell is described, use it." The mechanics for making a staff attack are described under the Staff I description, and no range penalty is mentioned there, so it is simplest to leave it at that.]

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

I've never applied range to any of the occult zaps. If you do, then an attack at an adjacent figure is at -1 adjDX, which makes it a worse attack for a young wizard. On the other hand, this makes the Staff III and higher zaps a bit more reasonable, with a net +2 adjDX for adjacent figures and +1 adjDX for figures two hexes away.

But (and pardon me for repeating myself) the occult zap is described as an attack, not a spell, so it's not clear to me that the discussion of range for special spells is relevant. You cast the special spell called Staff when you create the item, not when you use it to attack, near as I can figger.

If this weren't the case, then an IQ 13 wizard using Staff I wouldn't even need to point the staff to use the zap (assuming the pointing is a "gesture", which may be up for debate even if we accept the zap is a spell).

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

I've come to think that this is correct in accordance w/Special spells on ITL 140. A specific attack roll is described under Staff I, as is a bonus to this under Staff III, and no range penalty is mentioned.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Any news on when a link will be available for this?
I know that this is the 'pre-release' chat, but not a bad place to start! ;-)
I only found out that this was going to be a thing ONLY from rummaging around here in the forums (at this time, this thread is 10 pages deep into the forums).

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

I found it!!!

We're all good. now just waiting for that email... :-/

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

I'm also looking forward to this. I understand that most of the creatures that appear in the Beastiary are present in some abbreviated form in the core book, but stand alone monster books with all the details, plus CARDS (!!!!) really fill a different role at the table. Plus they are expanding some types and adding others, so the final body of critters ('critters of body'?) will feel like a step up. Stacked with the Old School monsters book and the Book of Unlife, I'd say we are just about 'there'.

The only further additions/expansions that I have in the back of my mind are:
1) Give some proper love and attention to Demons. I can't really accept that the two basic, generic demon types are all that hell has to offer us.
2) Get your Giant game on point; the idea that the biggest giant/ogre/troll in the world is a 9-10' tall, 3 hex figure just doesn't sit right.
3) Ditto with dragons; bring us some big boys who can drop a proper MH or so of fire blast area.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Is now live, and that $80 gets you not just a book, but all of those counters and cards as well.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...stl-miniatures
(Wounder what the "defeated creature" counter sides look like.)

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

So no PDF only Bestiary pledge level available?

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Unfortunately it appears so. Probably the PDF will one day be available separately at Warehouse 23, at least I hope so.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

We'll always have the Pre-release.

I had submitted several errata corrections, but never received an acknowledgement or reply. Did others submit errata and hear anything back?

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

No replies that I can recall, but that doesn’t surprise me. I can only believe that reports of errata were received and were useful.

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I asked on Kickstarter about a PDF Bestiary level pledge and SJ games replied saying not at this time, but to pledge at the $1 level to have access to Backerkit, where they may release the Bestiary PDF as a Backerkit add-on.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Just as a follow-up to this, a PDF only level for the book has been added.

Re: Bestiary Pre-Release
 

Thanks for the heads up!

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And it comes with pdfs of the counters.