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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 12:58AM
#41
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I don't see how skipping over several paragraphs of text equates to work.
Because first you have to find all of those paragraphs. Sure, the ones explaining what alignment is are simple enough to skip over, but then you also have to remove the Paladin's Detect Evil, the non-chaotic restriction for the Monk, pretty much any spell that affects creature of some alignments but not others. Then, if there were balance reasons for this sorts of features, you need to come up with some way of replacing them or otherwise making them work. That's not always easy.
I didn't read about any of those things in the article. I did see the part where they said it would be easy to remove and would only be related to things that were "dealing with powerful, elemental forces of alignments." But hey, if things that are easy to remove are not easy to remove for you, then you may not want a modular game at all.
Reflavoring: the change of flavor without changing any mechanical part of the game, no matter how small, in order to fit the mechanics to an otherwise unsupported concept.
Retexturing: the change of flavor (with at most minor mechanical adaptations) in order to effortlessly create support for a concept without inventing anything new.
Houseruling: the change, either minor or major, of the mechanics in order to better reflect a certain aspect of the game, including adapting the rules to fit an otherwise unsupported concept.
Homebrewing: the complete invention of something new that fits within the system in order to reflect an unsupported concept.
Default module =/= Core mechanic.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 1:02AM
#42
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Date Joined:
Aug 28, 2005
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I didn't read about any of those things in the article.
We don't know anything about DDN. The only thing that we have to go on is experience from how things were handled in previous editions. Again, it doesn't matter to me whether they say it would be easy to remove, because (a) they haven't exactly given me good reason to trust them, and (b) I don't think that I should have to bother with removing it anyway.
Why, yes, as a matter of fact I am the Unfailing Arbiter of All That Is Good Design (Even More So Than The Actual Developers) TMSpeaking of things that were badly designed, please check out this thread for my Minotaur fix. What have the critics said, you ask? "If any of my players ask to play a Minotaur, I'm definitely offering this as an alternative to the official version." - EmpactWB "If I ever feel like playing a Minotaur I'll know where to look!" - Undrave "WoTC if you are reading this - please take this guy's advice." - Ferol_Debtor_of_Torm "Really full of win. A minotaur that is actually attractive for more than just melee classes." - Cpt_Micha Also, check out my recent GENASI variant! If you've ever wished that your Fire Genasi could actually set stuff on fire, your Water Genasi could actually swim, or your Wind Genasi could at least glide, then look no further. Finally, check out my OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE article, an effort to give unique support to the races that WotC keeps forgetting about. Includes new racial feature options for the Changeling, Deva, Githzerai, Gnoll, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc, Kalashtar, Minotaur, Shadar-Kai, Thri-Kreen, Warforged and more!
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 1:13AM
#43
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I didn't read about any of those things in the article.
The only thing that we have to go on is experience from how things were handled in previous editions. Again, it doesn't matter to me whether they say it would be easy to remove, because (a) they haven't exactly given me good reason to trust them, and (b) I don't think that I should have to bother with removing it anyway.
Those are all personal issues and experiences. Mine differ. Good luck with trying to deal with those.
Reflavoring: the change of flavor without changing any mechanical part of the game, no matter how small, in order to fit the mechanics to an otherwise unsupported concept.
Retexturing: the change of flavor (with at most minor mechanical adaptations) in order to effortlessly create support for a concept without inventing anything new.
Houseruling: the change, either minor or major, of the mechanics in order to better reflect a certain aspect of the game, including adapting the rules to fit an otherwise unsupported concept.
Homebrewing: the complete invention of something new that fits within the system in order to reflect an unsupported concept.
Default module =/= Core mechanic.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 1:31AM
#44
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So you make all your enemies true neutral and give them abilities that make them resistant to anything that isn't true neutral.
Alignments are the dumbest part of D&D, and they always have been.
A speeding driver runs over someone with a car, they have performed a chaotic neutral act.
They stop and render aid, they have performed a lawful good act.
They lie to the police about what happened, they have performed a chaotic evil act.
They get drunk afterwards, they are performing a neutral act.
All in the same hour... so what is their alignment?
We know that WotC are lawful evil, they are trying to legally take our money for offering bad product.
We know that the designers are trying to be neutral good, doing whatever it takes to give us a good game.
We know that the players are chaotic neutral, because they argue about whatever system they think they want, rather than going with what WotC are telling us is the right system to use.
So how do we bring them all together?
If they manage to do it, they have broken their own alignment system.
My thoughts on what works and what doesn't in D&D and how D&D Next may benefit are detailed on my blog, Vorpal Thoughts.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 1:44AM
#45
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Date Joined:
Dec 12, 2011
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Your hyperbole is hyperbolic.
Playtest or get off the playtest boards.
---
I want justice for the voice that can't be heard
Vindication for every suffering and hurt
Let retribution hold dominion over earth
--Nemesis, VNV Nation
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 1:58AM
#46
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Alignments are the dumbest part of D&D, and they always have been.
A speeding driver runs over someone with a car, they have performed a chaotic neutral act.
They stop and render aid, they have performed a lawful good act.
They lie to the police about what happened, they have performed a chaotic evil act.
They get drunk afterwards, they are performing a neutral act.
All in the same hour... so what is their alignment?
Acts don't have alignments.
Somnia, the Evanescent Plane -- A 3-set Block
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Theora, A World of Modern Science
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Build Around This
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 2:02AM
#47
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Date Joined:
Aug 28, 2005
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Acts don't have alignments.
That's one of the problems with alignment. Is it what a person does? If so, then it ignores their intentions and circumstances. Is it their desires? If so, then it ignores the reasons behind them or their suppression thereof. When does doing something evil for the greater good cross the line from one to the over? These things don't have answers, because actual morality isn't that simple, and yet having alignment as a mechanic necessitates these things having answers.
Why, yes, as a matter of fact I am the Unfailing Arbiter of All That Is Good Design (Even More So Than The Actual Developers) TMSpeaking of things that were badly designed, please check out this thread for my Minotaur fix. What have the critics said, you ask? "If any of my players ask to play a Minotaur, I'm definitely offering this as an alternative to the official version." - EmpactWB "If I ever feel like playing a Minotaur I'll know where to look!" - Undrave "WoTC if you are reading this - please take this guy's advice." - Ferol_Debtor_of_Torm "Really full of win. A minotaur that is actually attractive for more than just melee classes." - Cpt_Micha Also, check out my recent GENASI variant! If you've ever wished that your Fire Genasi could actually set stuff on fire, your Water Genasi could actually swim, or your Wind Genasi could at least glide, then look no further. Finally, check out my OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE article, an effort to give unique support to the races that WotC keeps forgetting about. Includes new racial feature options for the Changeling, Deva, Githzerai, Gnoll, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc, Kalashtar, Minotaur, Shadar-Kai, Thri-Kreen, Warforged and more!
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 2:13AM
#48
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Acts don't have alignments.
That's one of the problems with alignment. Is it what a person does? If so, then it ignores their intentions and circumstances. Is it their desires? If so, then it ignores the reasons behind them or their suppression thereof. When does doing something evil for the greater good cross the line from one to the over? These things don't have answers, because actual morality isn't that simple, and yet having alignment as a mechanic necessitates these things having answers.
Dungeons and Dragons has historically described alignment mostly akin to motivations, and circumstances (not intentions), with the interpretation that groups of people with the same motivations, and circumstances generally take the same types of actions. But an act itself would not be described in D&D as having an alignment. It doesn't matter if actual morality isn't that simple (I'd argue it is, though, depending on whose morality you subscribe to), what matters is that alignment in D&D is that simple.
Somnia, the Evanescent Plane -- A 3-set Block
Show
Theora, A World of Modern Science
Show
Build Around This
Show
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 2:31AM
#49
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Date Joined:
Mar 17, 2012
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Acts don't have alignments.
That's one of the problems with alignment. Is it what a person does? If so, then it ignores their intentions and circumstances. Is it their desires? If so, then it ignores the reasons behind them or their suppression thereof. When does doing something evil for the greater good cross the line from one to the over? These things don't have answers, because actual morality isn't that simple, and yet having alignment as a mechanic necessitates these things having answers.
I agree.
Role playing is fun. My character is a bad liar, afraid of water, deep thinker, and likes to play with his hair when he thinks no one is looking. He is good at riddles and has never killed a man, but if he had to, he just might.
What is not fun is trying to explain to the DM how he's chaotic good.
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1 year ago ::
Mar 20, 2012 - 3:09AM
#50
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Date Joined:
May 12, 2009
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I am thrilled about the return of The Nine, but i am even more excited by the mention of Combat Maneuvers.
Yan
Montréal, Canada
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