Anticipation is the big theme of this past week’s D&D news, with everyone waiting for new products like the Monster Vault and Heroes of Forgotten Kingdoms to hit store shelves, but most importantly, the anticipation of what form the new DDI Character Builder is likely to take.

Although there was a great Youtube video demonstration of the new Character Builder interface by Chris Youngs released this week, there are still so many things the 4E Community does not know about the new version being released.  The biggest question being most likely, “Will it work in a way I will like and how will it affect my ability to play D&D 4E?”

Change is not always a good thing, and all that we, as a gaming community, can do is hope for the best, and trust that WotC is making a change to the application that will be an improvement over the old program, or at minimum, offering an product and service that is no worse than the old application at the very least.  Many fans have already commented about this new version was a colossal “bait & switch”, making paying subscribers wait for Dark Sun and Essentials content for over three months while WotC developed a new application with a drastically profound effect on how it will be used (requiring online access).   Those of us who have paid their fees faithfully this quarter can only hope that our trust is not betrayed, and our angst over all this anticipation is unfounded.

Blogs at Neuroglyph Games This Week:

The State of the GSL (Part 2)

EN World Review – D&D Gamma World RPG by WotC

Review of Kobold Quarterly #15 (Fall 2010)

D&D 4E News This Week:

• In this new Dragon Magazine feature, Jeff Morgenroth discusses the Legacy of Nerath, with details on the history and backgrounds available to Nerathi characters, as well as legendary boons and feats!
• WotC’s newest Monster Vault Excerpts this week starts with the tricky tentacled panther, the Displacer Beast!
• Mike Shea at Sly Flourish.com has recommendations on Writing Awesome Read-Aloud Text.
• Ameron at Dungeon’s Master.com has the second installment of the Tomb of Horrors: Actual Play Podcasts (Part 2).
• Mark at Dice Monkey.com muses about the DDI changes in Wait & See: My thoughts on the online Character Builder from WotC.
• At-Will.com’s Ryven has a way to create Characters with Character: Random Personality Generator!
• Head in the Clouds is the newest Chaos Scar Adventure for characters level 7-9. It is available now in Dungeon #184!
• The new D&D Podcast is out for November, with discussions about Monster Vault, the new Character Builder, and the “email bag”.
• Nevermet Press has announced the release of their new adventure setting, Brother Ptolemy & The Hidden Kingdom!
• Dungeon’s Master.com ponders the question: Who’s Really In Control At Your Gaming Table?.
• Kobold Quarterly completes the trap series with Trap Themes (Part 5 of 5): Tricks of the Medusa Demilich.
• Bartoneus at Critical Hits.com analyzes the D&D Essentials and the 4.5 Edition Issue.
• The new Winning Races: Devas introduces two new Paragon Paths for members of this immortal race that walk the fine line between good and evil: check out Veilwalkers and Redeemed Devas.
• Necromancers of the Northwest has created two new Paragon Paths for paladins of good and for evil deities in Black Guards and Virtuous Knights!
• Wimwick at Dungeon’s Master.com offers a list of 27 Questions To Ask Your New Character.
• At-Will.com’s Ryven has still more ideas on using old skills in a new and exciting ways: check out Serious Skills: Intimidate.
• WotC’s Bart Carroll posts the November News, with a youtube preview of the new Character Builder and the new Ravenloft Contest.
• In Dungeon Magazine this month, Jeff LaSala pens a new Villains and Vendettas article for Eberron, when one might Explore Taer Lian Doresh!
• WotC’s Bill Slavicsek blogs about The Future… at Borders.com.
• This month’s Spotlight Interview focuses on the original creator of Metamorphosis Alpha and Gamma World: James M. Ward!
• Dungeon’s Master.com reports on the latest D&D Encounters: Keep on the Borderlands (Week 8.).
• There is another new Monster Vault Excerpts this week, with the deceptive shape-shifting Doppelganger!
• In the Art Gallery Archive this month, you can download the new Forgotten Kingdoms Art – now available to DDI Subscribers.
• In the new Class Acts, the Essential Paladin is offered new mounts in the Cavalier’s Steed!
• At-Will.com’s Ryven discusses D&D economics in Penniless But Not Powerless, Part 1.
• Wimwick at Dungeon’s Master.com discusses the Secrets of Eberron Revealed (Part 9).

Tags: D&D 4e, news, review

This entry was posted by Editor-in-Chief on Sunday, November 14th, 2010 at 6:02 pm and is filed under RPG News & Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.