D&D 4th Ed Discussion

[Narf the Mouse]

More like Cthulhu.

[Vaporisor]

Well, going to be picking up the books this weekend to give a good read over. With a better picture on the basis of the new classes/races, I am pretty sure that I can come up with an awesome world setting. If I cannot, I shall forever hang up my dice bag and pass my title of unstumpable to another.

(the players in one game decided to try and get me as a dm into a setting which I couldn't have an answer, they failed)

[Narf the Mouse]

Mind posting your world setting here, once you have one? *Curious*

[Vaporisor]

No problem, in fact if it was not for the creation of worlds,story lines and characters, I would problably never even play DnD. Which is why statistics for any character for anything never really matters. Actually, my second to last campaign, never really took off due to people moving and such for university was so well received, I am currently re-writing it as a graphic novel. Although initial progress is slow, as I am doing it all in 3d generated art. Once I get done with modeling props and figure out more of the nuances of the program I use, I can begin actual production. Actually, the avatar I use is a quick cell I did (for the avatar) of a prop that I was in the middle of working on.

... ooh, the mind is churning already of ideas....

[Narf the Mouse]

Oh, quick question: Did I change your mind on Warlocks?

[Vaporisor]

Lol, no. Went fanboy about dnd since I have been playing it so long. Been visualizing working and ways to work it. Throwing my old dnd ideals out the window and will probably do everything from scratch with fourth. Good times for a DM!

[Narf the Mouse]

On the subject of half-orcs, I've got an idea for one once they re-release them for 4e - Hulking, missing half his teeth, face scarred and smashed, body bearing visible signs of massive wounds, including broken bones, armor that's been repaired more than he has...

...Paladin.

Because that says 'Paladin' far more than some clean-faced, noble-looking poster-guy who probably hasn't been closer to a fight than the cheering section in town duels.

Most D&D paladin art is too 'clean'. I'm not talking W40K; my paladin inspiration runs to David Eddings' Sparhawk, David Webers' Bahzell Banakson (And Judge Kerry)...No "Halt in the name of the light or I shall punish you!" Yeah, those bandits are going to stop. And laugh...Now, "Friend, I wouldn't do that if I were you..." while subtly unslinging a sword that's clearly been used and used well...

[Susan Calvin]

Yeyh! More noir paladins. ^^

[Narf the Mouse]

My first paladin had no problems whatsoever working with a kobold rogue. He wasn't evil, so what's the problem?

Other than that, he was a bit unfinished, being one of my first characters. I had, however, read enough 'Lawful Stupid' stories to know I didn't like that alignment.

I like paladins who are noble and just...And sometimes noble and just messily, bloodily and all over the place.

(Re: The 'incident' that got Kaeritha Seldansdaughter of David Webers' War God series renamed 'Judge Kerry' on the Baen forums...)

[Levi Kornelsen]

On the subject of half-orcs, I've got an idea for one once they re-release them for 4e - Hulking, missing half his teeth, face scarred and smashed, body bearing visible signs of massive wounds, including broken bones, armor that's been repaired more than he has...

...Paladin.

I've seen this idea built in 3.5 (but not played, sadly). It showed every sign of working well - Notably, there's a feat that lets you use your (crappy) turn attempts to gain temporary hit points. While that's not the biggest feature rules-wise, it's very, very cool cinematically, especially with lay on hands available... You just can't keep a good guy down.

[Khayankh]

I've only ever played 3.5 and now 4th editions, so I can't really speak to how 4e compares to the earlier stuff. But it seems less complicated and crunchy than 3.5, which is a really, really good thing as I found 3.5 ridiculously complex. I kind of don't care about the fighting-related number-y stuff - I want all that sort of thing to be straightforward enough to get out of the damn way so that the story can be told.

[Vaporisor]

And that is what they were aiming for, a new system so that players who have not played, or only played a little can get right in and enjoy. Having read the system, I find that it offers alot. But having 18 years of previous dnd experience, I had to get my mind separated from the old school stuff. In most sense, it really isn't DnD, but more of a whole new game with some DnD themes.

Oh, and I want to know where my metallic dragons are!

[Narf the Mouse]

Metallics will be in a future book.

[Narf the Mouse]

I made a 30th-level fighter - 2:20 minutes, which is fast for me. 30th-level Fighter

Basically, he comes charging out of the shadows, right into a wave of enemies, smashes everybody around him, dancing through the enemy forces like they aren't even there and when they finally take him down...He's back up to full health. And then he keeps on going, turning everybody around him into mincemeat...And when they finally wear him down and corner him again...

...He teleports back to his allies for healing.

This is awesome.

...Did I mention he has a Lifedrinker greatsword? +15 HP every time he kills a minion. Army-smasher, possibly literally.

Of course, like all optimized characters, he has a weakness - In his case, single, or only a few, enemies. In which case, he's merely effective.

[Punstarr]

Metallics will be in a future book.

As will Sorcerers, Monks, Rangers and Bards? o.O

[Narf the Mouse]

There's already rangers - They're just not half-druid anymore. As for the others, that's what the buzz says.

As I understand it, they'll release a core PHB each year, most likely with eight more races and classes.

[Vaporisor]

I really hate cash grabs...

[Tom the Fanboy]

Yeah, I'll be sticking to ebooks for now. Chopping my pdfs up and puting the classes and races I want all together.

[Tom the Fanboy]

The most convincing defense of 4th Edition I've ever seen.

[Thenodrin]

The talk at Origins concerning 4E was not encouraging. A lot of older gamers (those of us who started with 1st or 2nd ed D&D or AD&D) felt insulted and talked down to by the 4E books.

And, I'm wondering who the target audience is. The first half of the DMG is all about finding players and getting a group together. Great stuff for a seminar at Gen Con, come to think of it I think I've attended this seminar before, but kind of wasted space in a rule book. I mean, are snacks at the gaming table so important as to devote space in the DMG to explain their need and to list them as gaming supplies?

I feel like the books are written so that a person who has never played any role playing game before, and who knows no one who plays role playing games, can read the PHB and DMG and feel confident about running a game. I think that's great. But, I'm wondering who it is who has never played, and who knows no one who plays, who wants to play?

I could see it in, say, a Star Wars RPG, or Serenity, or LotR. Something that has fans of the subject matter who aren't necessarilly role players. But, I can't comprehend that there would be a market of fans of D&D who have never role played. And, those are the people the books are written for.

Theno