Hey Guys! I'm Doğa the Creative Director of Metis Creative. Thank you for all of your kind words. This video came out nowhere and really made our day! Thank you Jorphdan for the amazing video!❤❤❤
Had to pause the video just to say. I love Metis Creative and the Historica Arcanum! I backed the most recent Kickstarter and own the city of crescent! Good stuff and good people.
yeah, they are talking about "outclassing" but they are comparing a purely mechanic subclass, devoid of lore so you can apply yours (the TCoE genie) to the deep lore of other content. They are comparing mechanics to lore, which aren't the same thing. You can be sad that there isn't any lore, but it doesn't cancel the whole subclass because you aren't provided with intricate and very specific lore… that's setting dependent.
So while I agree that these classes deliver the Genie flavour better, I definitely have gripes with them from a game balance point of view. And I think that's the stumbling block all 3rd parties need to get past to see some acceptance in play. If there were independent reviewers (or some kind of peer review process) for 3rd party content which could tell DMs what was and wasn't game breaking against the typical 5e subclass I think they'd be a lot more popular.
@@backcountry164 Perfect balance is impossible, but I'd say that in general WOTCs balance isn't too far off from where it should be with most new releases. 3rd parties publishers have a far worse reputation for balance, whether that's earned or not they need to find a way to show DMs that they are worth allowing at the table.
@@dungeondr There are many who would disagree with you. In addition I see "balance" thrown around like a bugbear and/or strawman to justify any number things. One needs to define what they means by balance and what things you are comparing or it is a pointless argument limited by personal perception and bias.
@@Silkspar An important distinction. Especially if the convo about power creep is recognized to be relative to a DM's use of Challenge Rating and/or evolutions in monster or encounter design. The hope is that both DM's and players are having fun during combative encounters.
I really like Jon Hild's Maztica source book - another part of Faerun WotC won't touch with a 10' pole. It's detailed, inspiring, and isn't neutered "for modern sensibilities" like I imagined a WotC equivalent would be.
I’m not surprised in that WoTC depends on player feedback, a few thousand or so. 3pp content creators have maybe 20-30 tops so things aren’t as likely to get watered down. I’ll have to check these out, sounds fun!
So firstly WOTC works on appealing to the masses. So each release power creeps the previous book for more sales. Meanwhile a 3PP can specialize in a set of subclasses that are thematic maintain a good tone.
I actually like a lot of the stuff in TCoE, but I was also a little underwhelmed with the genie archetype. That said the Jedi-er-um-Bladesinger is my favorite class archetype that I have played in 5e.
The Warlock subclass made by Knight Vision Creative in their book Creeds Codex: Arcane Secrets of the Summoner is really cool if you want a well built subclass. The Summoner class is also really cool in that book but, of course, that isn't a subclass haha
The last genuinely interesting and (sort of) risk-taking content out of WotC was Van Richten's. Everything since then has been blandly unoffensive. My hope is that the Black Flag effort will push Hasbro to the side as the "holder of 5E" and liberate a stable set of open mechanics that can support the kind of herioc fantasy stories people want to explore at their table.
I can't believe it you left us you turned on us I am saddened and feel betrayed but I will get over it and still watch your stuff with a broken 💔. What about the new hiest adventure it looks excellent don't you think.
I wouldn't say "better" or "outclass". You are kinda comparing mechanic on one side to lore on the other. Personally think both kinds are good. The ones you prefer have a lot of heavy (and interesting) lore built-in, but they are not as much of a free-thinking canvas. It is amazing for players who dig to read and then apply a pre-existing intricate lore. I like the official ones too because of that, because it is more blank, it is better for players like the ones at my table, who like to take a mechanical skeleton and embellish it with their own lore, description, visuals, etc. So, I don't think either is bad in this regard. In pure mechanic, Genie warlock is very good, it has a lot of very interesting features to create shenanigans or epic moments at the table, and it is VOLUNTARILY blank of a deep lore in order to be setting-free and to propel player's own creation (which I am all for). On the other hand, the ones you love have very developed lore that directly take you in and stimulate a desire to roleplay something that interacts with this lore. Two kinds of fun. Comparing them seems a little pointless…
Slavery, and bad stereotypes. They could release an updated setting but with OneDnD happening I don't see it. WotC has more popular settings too they'd utilize first probably. Which is why that DMS guild product is so great!
My wife and I just finished a Zakhara campaign. It was awesome! I incorporated much of the D&D lore, and made up my own as well. It was so much fun. The setting was simply amazing. Thanks for covering this Jorphdan.
The Al Quadim sourcebooks for 2nd edition were some of the nicest printed books ever released, in terms of artistic design & quality. The DM screen was beautiful, the golden filigree on the pages...just exquisite in ever way, alongside being an iconic & enjoyable setting all around. I'll check out that DM's Guild supplement.
Synchronicity galore! I just ordered the Campaign Guide to Zakhara. I have collected quite a few Al Qadim books and box sets over the years and looking forward to dive in! One of those old Al Qadim books is the Complete Sha'ir Handbook - it's very interesting.
Nice! I am running a game and one of my player's is a warlock who made a pact with an efreeti. I don't think any of these existed at the time we started the campaign and the player went with hexblade warlock as their archetype, but we have been tweaking the abilities to make them better fit the theme we're going for. I think this will provide some useful inspiration for further tweaking. Thanks!
How can you call pact of the lamp better when it is ridiculously broken? Players stacking bonuses on a check they can anticipate will make even a DC24 CHA save trivial, especially if the rest of the party get in on it. At level 6, using abilities only the warlock has (Intellect fortress to cancel out the disadvantage on the saving throw), the warlock has a 35% chance of success. With two party members that have the right abilities, that chance of success can be push north of 80% chance of successfully casting wish at level 6.
This is personally the start of my looking into third party content and it's made me quite wary. The first subclass covered immediately feels like an unbalanced power fantasy when you look at other subclasses for the warlock
![Tee Grizzley - Blow for Blow (feat. J. Cole) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wNLN5xsx5dc/mqdefault.jpg)
Hey Guys! I'm Doğa the Creative Director of Metis Creative. Thank you for all of your kind words.
This video came out nowhere and really made our day!
Thank you Jorphdan for the amazing video!❤❤❤
The title question: How can they not?
"The Guild of Calamitous Intent - which incidentally I only joined to get the full dental and partial health package ."
The Monarch
Amazing hoodie!
Had to pause the video just to say. I love Metis Creative and the Historica Arcanum! I backed the most recent Kickstarter and own the city of crescent! Good stuff and good people.
I loved Al'Qadim on the 2nd Edition, I'll take a look at the book. And I agree, 3rd party content is almost always better than WOTC's.
I backed Historical Arcanum and can't wait for the book. Looks awesome in Alchemy
I’ve been playing a TCoE genie warlock in a campaign for a year and love it. The Bottled Respite feature is awesome
yeah, they are talking about "outclassing" but they are comparing a purely mechanic subclass, devoid of lore so you can apply yours (the TCoE genie) to the deep lore of other content. They are comparing mechanics to lore, which aren't the same thing. You can be sad that there isn't any lore, but it doesn't cancel the whole subclass because you aren't provided with intricate and very specific lore… that's setting dependent.
Some Top Tier 3rd Party books.
1. Odyssey of the Dragonlords
2. Wired Wastelands
3. Cuthlu Mythos for 5e
So while I agree that these classes deliver the Genie flavour better, I definitely have gripes with them from a game balance point of view. And I think that's the stumbling block all 3rd parties need to get past to see some acceptance in play. If there were independent reviewers (or some kind of peer review process) for 3rd party content which could tell DMs what was and wasn't game breaking against the typical 5e subclass I think they'd be a lot more popular.
You're not getting that from WotC either. It's pretty obvious that playtesting isn't a part of their process.
@@backcountry164 Perfect balance is impossible, but I'd say that in general WOTCs balance isn't too far off from where it should be with most new releases. 3rd parties publishers have a far worse reputation for balance, whether that's earned or not they need to find a way to show DMs that they are worth allowing at the table.
@@dungeondr There are many who would disagree with you.
In addition I see "balance" thrown around like a bugbear and/or strawman to justify any number things. One needs to define what they means by balance and what things you are comparing or it is a pointless argument limited by personal perception and bias.
@DungeonDr ?? They don't even try to disguise the power creep. Half of the subclasses from the core book are basically obsolete.
@@Silkspar An important distinction. Especially if the convo about power creep is recognized to be relative to a DM's use of Challenge Rating and/or evolutions in monster or encounter design. The hope is that both DM's and players are having fun during combative encounters.
Awesome review. I'm always surprised/disappointed that WotC has not come up with cool subclasses for Warlocks and Sorceress. Such great classes.
I had to pause just after the intro sequence because I was laughing so goddamn hard. "Shhhhhhh" That is absolute gold.
😎
I really like Jon Hild's Maztica source book - another part of Faerun WotC won't touch with a 10' pole. It's detailed, inspiring, and isn't neutered "for modern sensibilities" like I imagined a WotC equivalent would be.
I love the idea of your familiar retrieving spells for you
I’m not surprised in that WoTC depends on player feedback, a few thousand or so. 3pp content creators have maybe 20-30 tops so things aren’t as likely to get watered down.
I’ll have to check these out, sounds fun!
Thanks
Great video! Thank you for spotlighting 3rd party creators!
You should look up the draconomicon on dms guild vs what we got for Fizbans. It came out a year or two before Fizbans but blows it out of the water.
So firstly WOTC works on appealing to the masses. So each release power creeps the previous book for more sales. Meanwhile a 3PP can specialize in a set of subclasses that are thematic maintain a good tone.
I actually like a lot of the stuff in TCoE, but I was also a little underwhelmed with the genie archetype. That said the Jedi-er-um-Bladesinger is my favorite class archetype that I have played in 5e.
I really like the official genie warlocj
The Warlock subclass made by Knight Vision Creative in their book Creeds Codex: Arcane Secrets of the Summoner is really cool if you want a well built subclass. The Summoner class is also really cool in that book but, of course, that isn't a subclass haha
Yes.
A sandestin wizard of the dying earth?! Twist my arm why don't you?
yeeesss
The last genuinely interesting and (sort of) risk-taking content out of WotC was Van Richten's. Everything since then has been blandly unoffensive. My hope is that the Black Flag effort will push Hasbro to the side as the "holder of 5E" and liberate a stable set of open mechanics that can support the kind of herioc fantasy stories people want to explore at their table.
I have found that the longer an edition is out the more op they get. 3rd party and WotC are the same.
What's that Zakhara one?
I can't believe it you left us you turned on us I am saddened and feel betrayed but I will get over it and still watch your stuff with a broken 💔. What about the new hiest adventure it looks excellent don't you think.
I wouldn't say "better" or "outclass". You are kinda comparing mechanic on one side to lore on the other. Personally think both kinds are good. The ones you prefer have a lot of heavy (and interesting) lore built-in, but they are not as much of a free-thinking canvas. It is amazing for players who dig to read and then apply a pre-existing intricate lore. I like the official ones too because of that, because it is more blank, it is better for players like the ones at my table, who like to take a mechanical skeleton and embellish it with their own lore, description, visuals, etc. So, I don't think either is bad in this regard. In pure mechanic, Genie warlock is very good, it has a lot of very interesting features to create shenanigans or epic moments at the table, and it is VOLUNTARILY blank of a deep lore in order to be setting-free and to propel player's own creation (which I am all for). On the other hand, the ones you love have very developed lore that directly take you in and stimulate a desire to roleplay something that interacts with this lore. Two kinds of fun. Comparing them seems a little pointless…
My biggest problem with WotC's sub-classes has always been their "one size fits all" design making them powerful but lacking any favor or character.
The whole OGL mess has opened my eyes to the third party content that's out there.
What's wrong with the old school (2E) Zakara setting? You dance around it the whole video but never talk about any problems.
Slavery, and bad stereotypes. They could release an updated setting but with OneDnD happening I don't see it. WotC has more popular settings too they'd utilize first probably.
Which is why that DMS guild product is so great!
second!
Wotc is creatively bankrupt. The d&d adjacent stuff, especially OSR, is superior in every way - design, presentation and ease of play.
My problem with Geni warlocks is how can a being that lives to serve ever have someone else call it Master.
3rd party does everything better. WotC has been skating by on name recognition alone for quite a while now.
This guy can't even get the difference between Tiamat and Takhisis. Can we really trust him? He's probably one of those Ionthas worshippers
Same entity different name
My wife and I just finished a Zakhara campaign. It was awesome! I incorporated much of the D&D lore, and made up my own as well. It was so much fun. The setting was simply amazing. Thanks for covering this Jorphdan.
The Al Quadim sourcebooks for 2nd edition were some of the nicest printed books ever released, in terms of artistic design & quality. The DM screen was beautiful, the golden filigree on the pages...just exquisite in ever way, alongside being an iconic & enjoyable setting all around. I'll check out that DM's Guild supplement.
Synchronicity galore! I just ordered the Campaign Guide to Zakhara. I have collected quite a few Al Qadim books and box sets over the years and looking forward to dive in!
One of those old Al Qadim books is the Complete Sha'ir Handbook - it's very interesting.
Nice! I am running a game and one of my player's is a warlock who made a pact with an efreeti. I don't think any of these existed at the time we started the campaign and the player went with hexblade warlock as their archetype, but we have been tweaking the abilities to make them better fit the theme we're going for. I think this will provide some useful inspiration for further tweaking. Thanks!
How can you call pact of the lamp better when it is ridiculously broken? Players stacking bonuses on a check they can anticipate will make even a DC24 CHA save trivial, especially if the rest of the party get in on it. At level 6, using abilities only the warlock has (Intellect fortress to cancel out the disadvantage on the saving throw), the warlock has a 35% chance of success. With two party members that have the right abilities, that chance of success can be push north of 80% chance of successfully casting wish at level 6.
Interesting stuff. I just don't play enough to make 3PP material worth buying.
Even tho I've loved playing the 5e Genie. This gives some incredible Role Play potential of playing a character with D.I.D.
On point thumbnail, Jorphdan! Zakhara! Anytime you want to run it!
If 5e is now under creative commons, aren't all publishers just first-party publishers now?
I mean, nothing has changed.
So if we didn't consider them such before, we won't now.
first
First what?? Not to leave a comment since you didn't actually do that...
This is personally the start of my looking into third party content and it's made me quite wary. The first subclass covered immediately feels like an unbalanced power fantasy when you look at other subclasses for the warlock
Ah, two books that I have and love!
Indeed set in Victorian Istanbul (Not Constantinople).