Really should have gotten more art for these

@CleoPinto4317

3 жыл бұрын

I know

I wish we had some of the other starspawn with art- because idk wtf the hulk is gonna look like

@LCommando19

6 жыл бұрын

I pictured if The Hulk was made of worms personally, kinda like Durge from star wars the clone wars.

@Angalatooq

6 жыл бұрын

Try looking up some Eldrazi Artwork from MTG they always look great and get some inspiration from that

@Millstone1985

6 жыл бұрын

TheMemitim -- And the 4e foulspawn are, in turn, very similar to the 3.5 ushemoi.

The Monster Manuel hinted, Volo's tossed in a bit more with neogi etc, but the Tome of Foes has tons of Spelljammer-esqe and otherworldly, far-realm, space-themed, and beyond the spheres type monsters and monstrosities. That along with the high attention to squidfaces in Volo's, I'm thinking we have a Spelljammer adventure on the horizon.

@TheRelevantusername

6 жыл бұрын

Jeremy Griffin can I ask what this means? I have no idea. What is starjammer? I keep hesringnabout it but I have no idea what it is

@jeremygriffin620

6 жыл бұрын

Spelljammer was a setting from, I think 2E, that basically took place in what passes for space in D&D worlds. All the worlds of D&D, Krynn (the world of Dragonlance books), Aber/Toril (Forgotten Realms), Eberron (Very magic heavy world - like magic is their tech) etc are all planets along with their solar systems and these solar systems are held in great crystal spheres like something out of medieval cosmology. Some peoples on various worlds elves, humans, mindflayers and neogi etc. figured out how to make ships, which can go from world to world - most of which look like giant bugs or actual pirate style ships set with specialized magic control systems called spelljammers. A spelljammer required either an arcanist or priestly magic user to engage with it and send commands to control the ship. Thus PCs were allowed to troupe around and have space-style adventures.

@sanddry738

6 жыл бұрын

Jeremy Griffin I believe the next adventure will heavily invoke Sigil considering the little hints and such in Tomb of Annihilation concerning certain things about it. settings like spelljammer and planescape are for sure getting some attention so perhaps it’ll combine those things or maybe just involve them more in the upcoming stories. Either way I’m glad they’re moving out from just Toril and the Forgotten Realms

@TheOnlyArtifex

2 жыл бұрын

Well. you weren't wrong!

@zhanusheaperd5728

Жыл бұрын

We finally got that Spelljammer adventure, just took four years.

For people who want art for the star spawn, look up Foulspawn from 4e or the Ushemoi from 3.5, and the Worm That Walks from a bunch of sources. The Star Spawn are a mashup of those. It's a shame there's no art in the book for them in the book itself for sure, but yeah, you can find art for them.

Fun fact the star-spawn larva mage is basically Hastur from the Lovecraftian Mythos

Who else wants to see a return of Kyuss, The Worm Who Walks!?

@evanwhite5704

4 жыл бұрын

he's one of my favorites for sure

Yay, new video! And Jeremy's way of speaking always makes me think and dream, great fantasy RPG designer

I was hoping for an explanation of how Elder Evils relate to Great Old Ones.

@TheDumbCow1

6 жыл бұрын

Millstone1985 im not sure but i think they're sort of the same? Idk tell me if im wrong

@Arkatox

6 жыл бұрын

From what he said concerning Warlocks, it sounds quite different in that functionality.

@majestyc0359

6 жыл бұрын

In your campaign, they can be whatever you want.

@RashidMBey

6 жыл бұрын

Millstone1985 They are a direct rip from lovecraftian lore adapted to the D&D setting. Though I am unamused, it seems like the trend nowadays is injecting that IP wherever you can fit it- even the world of GoT has it.

@brosephnoonan223

6 жыл бұрын

Rashid M. Bey I mean, they were the same thing in the 3.5 Elder Evils and Spelljammer and if you're familiar with those I doubt youd be so dismissive, since lovecraft isn't as trendy as you'd like to believe.

GIVE ME SOME ART, PLEASE! Why does non of these but the worm mage have any pictures??

@jbroderick9083

6 жыл бұрын

Seriously though, if I wanted to watch someone talk I'd ask a nerd at my LGS to go on and on about them, where is the bloody artwork?

@OnimeYannick

6 жыл бұрын

In the book, buy it! :D

@PierceArner

6 жыл бұрын

I feel the same way. With a book that has two different two-page spread pieces of art, I was gutted that we barely got ANY artwork for these fantastic creatures - _especially_ since there are so many different kinds of them.

@LegendaryStory

6 жыл бұрын

well yeah, they want you to buy the book

@PierceArner

6 жыл бұрын

LegendaryStory - *_IN THE BOOK_* there is no artwork of them.

Awesome video! 💯🙏🙌

I was already planning on using Atropus as a major figure in my Spelljammer campaign! Seeing him name-dropped and having the star spawn brought back are gonna be a HUGE resource!

@brosephnoonan223

6 жыл бұрын

Austin Ryder There's actually not too many star spawn in the book.

@austinryder2622

6 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I noticed it wasn't actually all that many, but messing with the stats of Solars, Planetars, Deva, and Empyreans and giving them the cultist abilities goes a long way to fill out the Cult of Atropus' more eldritch and powerful figureheads.

YASSS more info for my warlock!!

I am actually so pumped to get this book. I literally just ordered it online and I am elated - My fitbit says so.

Oh fudles.... This is exactly what I'm going to need in my campaign.

Just got tome of foes and I love the new elf and tiefling subraces

Love that the larva mage looks like Hastur the king in yellow

I’m sure this comment probably will not be read, but I just wanted to say that despite the negativity of these comments, there are a lot of people I know (including myself) who were extremely excited about the Star Spawn and all the monsters in Mordenkainen’s Tome. You guys are doing a great job, much love 💙

This needs more likes.

This is so cool

Fun Fact: TSR and D&D originally put Lovecraft's Mythos into the D&D's lore, including Cthulhu. The Star Spawn were the servants of Cthulhu, slightly smaller versions of the Great Old One. Of course they got sued so they were removed later. This seems like an attempt to rectify those old rules. Or maybe an attempt to allow a Lovercraftian element into D&D along with the "Blood War", the "Wheel" and numerous other lore elements they have been trying to develop. Personally...I don't use such lore, since my campaign world is so world those ideas would require massive retcons. And nor should you have to. Books and ideas like this are tools, nothing more. NEVER let a game dictate your story. Take the information if you want, and re-write what you wish. The Golden Rule of Role-playing has always been "If the Rule interfere with the Game, Drop the Rules". You bought the game. It is now your world. Do as you wish, and have fun.

Maybe the dark forces from ravenloft could have a description there for elder evils.

Wish they spared 5 more pages for artwork, or at least do what they did for the Loths in the MM. (Rough sketches, enough to carry the basic idea of what they are.)

Blood Incantation in 2016: *it’s free real estate*

Atropus? Have you finally returned to us?

5e Star Spawn Alienist prestige class plllleeeaaassseeee one that lets you go all-out Elder Evil pact, and a Malconvoker-type Star Spawn control class would both be outstanding

Another chance to integrate with M:tG - the Eldrazi (who even have stat blocks in the Planeshift: Kaladesh supplement)

what previous edition were they in? i remember something about tsr being sued because chthulu was in the ad&d monster manual.

Why don't any but Larva mage have art?

@nicholascerillo4000

6 жыл бұрын

Gabriel Russell the others were to horrific for them to show to mortal eyes. We would all go mad if they showed them :P

@CMShuckle

6 жыл бұрын

So you buy the book.

@gabrielrussell5531

6 жыл бұрын

Only the Larva Mage has art in the book.

@Seahes14

6 жыл бұрын

My take is that they are so alien each individual is different looking.

where can i find todds jacket?

No one ever talks about the Elder Goods. Not a single of these entities old as time are benevolent?

@InquisitorThomas

6 жыл бұрын

GilroyIronheart Papa Nurgle loves all.

@sylph8005

6 жыл бұрын

Well, with Lovecraft at least (who these guys are heavily based off of), the gods are usually neutral. Humans are just ignorant and arrogant, and think anything they can't understand is automatically evil. They usually aren't really, though, with the exception of Nyaralathotep, who is just pure evil, plane and simple. Cthulhu is just a priest, Yog-Sothoth is the gate (and key) of the universe, and Azathoth sleeps in the center of the universe. If they ever hurt a human, it's because they didn't see them there, and/or they didn't care about them because of how small they were, and/or they just needed a snack at the moment, and/or just looking at them can drive you so mad your brain just shuts down. (Azathoth, on the other hand, is the dreamer of the universe, so when he wakes up, every single thing in existence except for him will stop existing)

I hear "Lovecraftian" and check out pretty immediately if there's no mechanics to pack them into that spot. I hope I think Lovecraftian when I look at the statblock, not a loredump on "Well you can't understand them, end of story"

@lordnichard

6 жыл бұрын

Ash of Creativity Not just incomprehensible, but something your heroes have absolutely no chance to defeat. It's supposed to be immense, and you are powerless against it.

@jackgooding5808

6 жыл бұрын

If you give it stats, your players will find a way to kill it.

@ashofcreativity7585

6 жыл бұрын

Nah, d&d is a heroic game. There are any number of ways for smart people to include Lovecraftian elements while not making them the end - all of the universe. Stop them by hitting things? Maybe that doesn't work, but that's not all you have access to. "Lovecraftian" elements can't be directly translated to games you play by saying "well they're incomprehensible". There's no story to be had in that.

@PaladinsFury

6 жыл бұрын

Ash of Creativity I don't think you're going to get stat blocks for diety level things, the old adage of "If it has hit points, you can kill it" preventing that from happening, plus once you give things like God's specific mechanics then you restrict what DMs can do

@stefanb6539

6 жыл бұрын

David B DMs want mechanics to restrict what they can do. That is what makes DMs spend so much money on RPG books and rules. If all they wanted was to be free of restriction, they could just dump all those books and rules and freestyle the whole evening. Following rules and restrictions is a lot easier than freestyling.

why is this not in your Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes' play list?

Isn't that The Worm That Walks

Sooooo lovecraftian, i love it. (there is a lovecraftian story that talks about people with a wax-like mask, full of rotten and flayling flash. A festering ground for vermin

There's only one kind of star spawn and those are star spawn of Cthulhu!

I was lowkey hoping that the Eldritch Stars from 4th edition would make their way into 5th edition because they perfectly encapsulate a lot of the themes while keeping them fresh. It was one of my favorite parts of 4th edition lore and although it's technically canon in the Forgotten Realms through the Abolethic Sovereignty trilogy and the 5E Curse of Strahd, I still dislike how MToF discredited the idea. I understand 5th edition aims to offer a template for players and DMs and is much more generalized in order to offer content for any setting, but this should have included more obvious support for the Eldritch Stars themselves. The concept is in line with some of Lovecraft's writing too (Polaris etc) and it just makes sense to include it alongside the more mainstream/general elder evils lore. I appreciate that the star spawn are included but I would have preferred for all concepts, including those in 4E, to be embraced.

Are there any adventures that are based on the elder evil and star spawn?

@Madwanderer1234

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ill check it out!

@brosephnoonan223

6 жыл бұрын

Bayley Shipley Elder Evils and Spelljammer are where these creatures have the most spotlight. 4e had a monster manual that included some new ones iir, but no campaigns that feature them specifically.

Yeah, I can't put them in my campaign if I can't describe how they look lol

It may just be me, but these Star Spawn sound a lot like Omen from Killer Instinct.

@chimneysocks9933

6 жыл бұрын

I think it's because it's a trope.

Are the Dark Powers of the Shadowfell elder evils?

@mochristie5419

6 жыл бұрын

Its purposefully vague, but they aren't from the far realm

@brosephnoonan223

6 жыл бұрын

projectrallus Not exactly. Those powers date back to the creation of the planes and are therefore just as old as them. The elder evils predate that.

@sylvnfox

6 жыл бұрын

if you look back at the 2E campaign setting "Ravenloft" the dark powers were an interictal part of the "demi-plane of dread" (now referred to as the shadowfel)

hu ? What are the slaught doing in DND

The star spawn feel so half arsed because its just kinda slapped in there with no real placement or care. Same with the Giff, a lot of the monsters in tome of foes just don't fit the theme of the books other chapters at all. I'd rather have seen the giff and star spawn in maybe a spelljammer book since they seem very spacey where they could be given better focus, lore and the star spawn won't feel out of place without its missing and unexplained masters.

@mochristie5419

6 жыл бұрын

I think they could be good even in mordenkainens but the worm mage is the only one with art so its hard to know wtf they look like

@SaruvaViolin

6 жыл бұрын

Well, this expansion on the monsters are for the next adventure book, in the context of the MToF they seem out of place, but I'm pretty sure at the end of the week the inclusion of these monsters will make sense for the next adventure campaign.

@evangregory14

6 жыл бұрын

But then you wouldn't but the spelljammer related book when it comes out. Gotta spread out that juicy lore between 3 $40 books ya know

@brosephnoonan223

6 жыл бұрын

Evan Gregory >implying literally any RPG is any different Lmao

just discovered these Star spawn,- make for fantastic foes. But are you joking there's only art for the larvae mage? tf?

Beware the Elder Weevils!!!!

It's kind of weird to say that Star Spawn return when they're completely unrelated to the creatures from 4e (the only edition to have star spawn). The former are gross cultists with no art, and the latter are eldritch abominations, the avatars of evil star-like Old Ones capable of obliterating a city. Honestly, I can accept that they decided to ditch an interesting creature concept for yet another variety of "gross monster" for this book. It's their property, and they get to choose how to go about incorporating it into this edition, as much as I hate their choice. After all, the Nightwalker does a decent job of approximating the older creatures. However, having a single piece of art for six creatures who are only loosely tied together is just disappointing. I mean, you made space for twenty different versions of "like a person, but lumpy," and you can't have three star spawn, just to show a range?

They are a direct rip from lovecraftian lore adapted to the D&D setting. Though I am unamused, it seems like the trend nowadays is injecting that IP wherever you can fit it- even the world of GoT has it.

Star spawn of Cthulhu?

so dnd version of hp lovecraft

Moonlord-ish things, eh?

Elder evil warlock patron when?

@ozajasz6079

5 жыл бұрын

Just use Great Old One patron.

Elder Evils are essentially the Torril equivalent of Great Old Ones, but those sort of literally lovecraftian. Like, why aren't you just playing Call of Cthulhu at that rate. In any case I personally can't wait to throw a star spawn at my overly edgy warlock character and see just how far into evil they're willing to go before stopping or being stopped by the party.

When the art budget it gone...

...whitening strips...

Can you guys please properly mic this guy? The volume drop is really annoying!

Are they classified as Abominations then?

@Millstone1985

6 жыл бұрын

Aberrations.

So... Are you guys covering all these spelljammer monsters because Spelljammer is on the horizon? Or like, just because they're INSANELY out of place in the book and you need to explain why theyre in there, as opposed to more fitting monsters?

@whiskeyhound

6 жыл бұрын

How are they out of place? There's not really a theme for the monster manual portion of the book.

@brosephnoonan223

6 жыл бұрын

WhiskeyHound You mean besides them being literally the only selection of creatures in the entire book literally from Space? Or the fact they are the only entries from Spelljammer in any core book from this edition? The Giff arent just "hippo men" they are "hippo men from outer space with guns" (the only published creatures for 5e that do so), the Star Spawn arent "spooky demons from who knows where" they literally from outer space _thats why theyre called _*_star spawn_*

@whiskeyhound

6 жыл бұрын

There's the Neogi and the Illithid Nautiloids from Volos so not really the only Spelljammer material, also there's a bunch of other monsters from this book that don't really have any connection to anything in the first half of the book like the tortle, kruthik, troll and ogre variants.

They are Lovecraft ripoffs. There saved everyone some time, but if you make a Beholder or Mindflayer we will sue because we are bitches

Lovecraftian lore is classic material. Now it's parsley for fantasy worlds that dabble into horror and thrill; that is, it's easy garnish that anyone can use to decorate their world and IP, which tends to make for lazy world-building when free becomes more attractive than cohesion. Also, Lovecraftian works have amassed a large cult following, so they're harnessing this IP similarly to how shows and cinema use cameos. I guess I'm just dismissive because it's a cheap injection of recognizable IP and I'd rather D&D build a coherent world in lieu of their quilted, God-gumbo multiverse. IP adaptations shouldn't preclude or militate coherence and cohesion. That being said, I recognize the D&D worlds are regarded as a toolbox for limited fantasy powerplays with no need for logic and only rules, so much of my critique comes from my intellectual interest in a unique and logical world to which good fantasy normally subscribes and not my "just roll with it" attitude I usually bring to children's stories and comedies and other things of the absurd. I hope I didn't offend. ❤

There is a lot of malcontent regarding art here. Use your imagination, describe it as you imagine it, these images are merely suggestions of one interpretation. These tomes act as the ether to get you started, they are not supposed to create the world for you.

@brosephnoonan223

6 жыл бұрын

TMOFApollios Its completely justified though, since past entries have had art for them. They commissioned art of literally hippos, something you can completely imagine, but not of something fantastic that a player or Dungeon Master may have a hard time picturing or describing to others? Thats ridiculously dumb, since yes, IN GAME these things may defy describition but OUT OF GAME the players need a point to build their reaction from. "As you approach the robed figure you begin to hear a soft squelching sound beneath your feet. As curiosity takes hold you look below to see hosts of worms turned to paste beneath your boots, and following them to their source isn't hard, as a cluster falls directly atop them from the Worm Mage! Roll for initiative!" "Wait... Worm Mage? Is it like... A worm in a bed sheet? Is he a dude dropping worms on my boots? Whats the deal?" "No, not like that. The figure is robed and is seemingly made out of worms. Here let me show you." Now you have a point of reference for literally any player that could interpret "worm mage" in a way that is wholly contrary to the intent of the monster. But many of the star spawn DONT have art in this book, even though giving them art in 4e was no problem? And yet "Hippos with guns" gets art...

@ekuliyo

6 жыл бұрын

When my players encounter a monster, I always hold up the book for them to see what they're looking at. It really helps everyone's imaginations. Monsters always have art, with the exception of NPCs and real-world beasts.

they're called Great Olde Ones... not "Elder Evils"... sigh ... and they aren't "evil" ... they are inscrutable

@ohwowitsthatguy9154

6 жыл бұрын

grymhild From the sound of it, they can also be beings from the Abyss or the Lower Planes in general. Generally speaking, malicious and freaky fucks. With tentacles.

@xenoblad

6 жыл бұрын

grymhild They could be making a distinction between the original "great old ones" and the new DND "elder evils". In H.P. Lovecraft they're inscrutable, but in DND they have something closer to a mortal motivation. Kind of like in World of Warcraft, the void lords and their old god servants are driven by hunger and a desire to consume non stop. Lovecraft great old ones didn't view consumption as an absolute necessity. Different franchises just put their own spin.

@ZYR47

6 жыл бұрын

Exactly, because Lovecraftian Horror done right means you CAN'T beat it. That's the point. Inevitable, unknowable, immense un-reality. They have to make it their own inspired thing to use it any other way, and I'm glad they have.

@AdriusFrostglare

6 жыл бұрын

Arkham House is actually responsible for creating the 'mysterious and inscrutable' mythos. In Lovecraft's actual work, his monsters were most definitely evil... at least by our subjective standards. After all, they were stated to be beyond good and evil, but this account is spoken from the view of Castro, a cultist interviewed in 'The Tale of Inspector Legrasse'... right before he states how when the Old Ones return, they 'would teach them new ways to shout and kill and revel and enjoy themselves, and all the earth would flame with a holocaust of ecstasy and freedom.' Sure, we can debate all day about how good and evil are entirely subjective and how we mere mortals ... but c'mon, let's not beat around the bush. Few sane people would look at that and go 'Well, but it's not really bad'... and therein lies the key word *sane*.

@ReadingDave

6 жыл бұрын

I think one of the great old ones is an elder evil. There was a great book with the elder evils for d&d. I don't think they included elder races of lizardmen, or the nethril, or a number of things I would describe as elder evils. They were common to uncommon and were great villains your party might not expect. The great old ones are more unknowable and up to the DM's desire. Although in time we might have good ideas about some of them.

I so tire of the Todd Kendrick endcaps.