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2 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2011 - 9:33PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Oct 21, 2009
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Hello all, I am new to the Encounters section of threads, and figured you guys would be best to pose my question to. I am running the 4th season of Encounters here at home for my family. We have yet to create Essentials characters and have been using just the base 4E core books for character creation.
I am wondering if not using the Essentials characters will affect the difficulty rating of the encounters themselves. I am totally unfamiliar with the way Essentials characters function, and so I am not sure if not using them will "un-balance" the encounters.
Currently, the party consists of:
A Minotaur Avenger
A Dragonborn Fighter
A Tiefling Cleric
An Eladrin Wizard
An Elf Ranger
Please let me know if this will throw a wrench in the challenge level of the Encounters Season, and if so, perhaps (aside from outright switching to Essentials made characters) what you would do to adjust them.
Thanks!
P.S. Ahead of time, this is not an anti-Essentials thread. I own the Monster Vault, DM's Kit, Red Box, and Rules Compendium. I have just not purchased the two player supplements yet.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2011 - 9:45PM
#2
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Date Joined:
May 23, 2005
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Hello all, I am new to the Encounters section of threads, and figured you guys would be best to pose my question to. I am running the 4th season of Encounters here at home for my family. We have yet to create Essentials characters and have been using just the base 4E core books for character creation.
I am wondering if not using the Essentials characters will affect the difficulty rating of the encounters themselves. I am totally unfamiliar with the way Essentials characters function, and so I am not sure if not using them will "un-balance" the encounters.
Currently, the party consists of:
A Minotaur Avenger
A Dragonborn Fighter
A Tiefling Cleric
An Eladrin Wizard
An Elf Ranger
Please let me know if this will throw a wrench in the challenge level of the Encounters Season, and if so, perhaps (aside from outright switching to Essentials made characters) what you would do to adjust them.
Thanks!
P.S. Ahead of time, this is not an anti-Essentials thread. I own the Monster Vault, DM's Kit, Red Box, and Rules Compendium. I have just not purchased the two player supplements yet.
I am not sure how you got the materials to run it at home since it is restricted to retail locations.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 22, 2011 - 9:48PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Oct 21, 2009
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Hello all, I am new to the Encounters section of threads, and figured you guys would be best to pose my question to. I am running the 4th season of Encounters here at home for my family. We have yet to create Essentials characters and have been using just the base 4E core books for character creation.
I am wondering if not using the Essentials characters will affect the difficulty rating of the encounters themselves. I am totally unfamiliar with the way Essentials characters function, and so I am not sure if not using them will "un-balance" the encounters.
Currently, the party consists of:
A Minotaur Avenger
A Dragonborn Fighter
A Tiefling Cleric
An Eladrin Wizard
An Elf Ranger
Please let me know if this will throw a wrench in the challenge level of the Encounters Season, and if so, perhaps (aside from outright switching to Essentials made characters) what you would do to adjust them.
Thanks!
P.S. Ahead of time, this is not an anti-Essentials thread. I own the Monster Vault, DM's Kit, Red Box, and Rules Compendium. I have just not purchased the two player supplements yet.
I am not sure how you got the materials to run it at home since it is restricted to retail locations.
That doesn't answer the question, really. But thank you for replying.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 23, 2011 - 9:12AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Feb 12, 2009
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Well to answer the question. Essentials Classes are just as compariable to core Classes, playing at home you should have an advantage to setting up the encounters to challenge your group as they should remain the same. I make changes on the fly all the time, play more aggressive, be more forgiving -- my last groups encounter, they finished bloodied and one character was making death rolls. How it plays out depends alot on how you run the encounters. So if you run one encounter at a time, in the spirit of the enounter season, your group should have a very good time and that should leave you plenty of time to set up challenging enounters.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 23, 2011 - 9:39AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Mar 24, 2010
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I have run Essentials Characters and Main 4th Ed Characters in the same game side by side and had it work quite well. There are the issues of Essentials characters are VERY good at what they do, but are very focused. On the other hand, Main 4th Ed characters have LOTS more options and ways to make a more powerful character. Mixing the two systems makes for even more versatility and power. I have an Essentials Rogue and a Main Stream Rogue in the same game and the focused vs versatile issue has come up many times, but one Rogue does not trump the other. I see no reason that having Main Stream Characters in this adventure will be a problem.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 24, 2011 - 8:36AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Jan 27, 2011
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I agree with Ramses, non essential classes won't unbalance the encounters. However, if your playing by the rules only content from the two essentials players books and Dragon articles that support those two books is allowed. I suggest you go with essentials characters more or less as an introduction to them and what they can do.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 28, 2011 - 1:12PM
#7
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- Dragon Slayer
- If only he would apply himself
- Dammit Jim, this is Star Trek, not D&D!
Date Joined:
Jan 31, 2006
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That doesn't answer the question, really. But thank you for replying.
No, but it is important. You are breaking the rules and the store that provided the material can get in really big trouble with WotC. WotC staff have said in the past that they actively look at E-Bay sales and otherwise try to close down anyone that is using their material improperly. The materials should only be used in the manner designed for the program.
If enough people try to break the rules it can jeopardize the program, which hurts a lot of people. Most of us are arguing constantly for WotC to provide pdf versions of the adventure so DMs can prep the adventure more easily. What you are doing is exactly why WotC don't provide pdfs any more. You are hurting the program and our ability to have greater flexibility as organizers and DMs.
I really do recommend you run this at a gaming store, working with the store to do so.
Follow my blog and Twitter feed with Dark Sun campaign design and DM tips! Dark Sun's Ashes of Athas Campaign is now available for home play (PM me with your e-mail to order the campaign adventures).
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2 years ago ::
Mar 04, 2011 - 6:20PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Oct 21, 2009
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That doesn't answer the question, really. But thank you for replying.
No, but it is important. You are breaking the rules and the store that provided the material can get in really big trouble with WotC. WotC staff have said in the past that they actively look at E-Bay sales and otherwise try to close down anyone that is using their material improperly. The materials should only be used in the manner designed for the program.
If enough people try to break the rules it can jeopardize the program, which hurts a lot of people. Most of us are arguing constantly for WotC to provide pdf versions of the adventure so DMs can prep the adventure more easily. What you are doing is exactly why WotC don't provide pdfs any more. You are hurting the program and our ability to have greater flexibility as organizers and DMs.
I really do recommend you run this at a gaming store, working with the store to do so.
Thank you Alphastream, and I appreciate what I consider to be genuine concern on your part. To be frank, I work with a store, and do not DM at that store. I utilize the store copy of the adventure for a home group because it seemed like an interesting story. No harm, no foul.
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2 years ago ::
Mar 05, 2011 - 3:54PM
#9
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- Dragon Slayer
- If only he would apply himself
- Dammit Jim, this is Star Trek, not D&D!
Date Joined:
Jan 31, 2006
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That doesn't answer the question, really. But thank you for replying.
No, but it is important. You are breaking the rules and the store that provided the material can get in really big trouble with WotC. WotC staff have said in the past that they actively look at E-Bay sales and otherwise try to close down anyone that is using their material improperly. The materials should only be used in the manner designed for the program.
If enough people try to break the rules it can jeopardize the program, which hurts a lot of people. Most of us are arguing constantly for WotC to provide pdf versions of the adventure so DMs can prep the adventure more easily. What you are doing is exactly why WotC don't provide pdfs any more. You are hurting the program and our ability to have greater flexibility as organizers and DMs.
I really do recommend you run this at a gaming store, working with the store to do so.
Thank you Alphastream, and I appreciate what I consider to be genuine concern on your part. To be frank, I work with a store, and do not DM at that store. I utilize the store copy of the adventure for a home group because it seemed like an interesting story. No harm, no foul.
Not to beat a dead horse, but "no harm, no foul" is if you run the game at the store. Anything other than that is potential harm and foul.
Most stores are really working hard to run two tables at a store per Wednesday. Three tables should be seen as real success for most areas in the country.
You basically have one table more that should be taking place at the store, with those individuals creating a relationship with the store (being reported to earn the store WotC program points, buying stuff, learning about new offerings, liking the store, volunteering to DM if someone can't make it, shifting around to help a table of 3 get to play, teaching new players, acting as stewards for the program, etc.). This is simply a store-only program and the store is doing wrong by allowing you to have the adventure. It seems like a little thing, but everyone really needs to take a stand against it to protect the program.
Follow my blog and Twitter feed with Dark Sun campaign design and DM tips! Dark Sun's Ashes of Athas Campaign is now available for home play (PM me with your e-mail to order the campaign adventures).
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2 years ago ::
Mar 05, 2011 - 3:59PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2007
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That doesn't answer the question, really. But thank you for replying.
No, but it is important. You are breaking the rules and the store that provided the material can get in really big trouble with WotC. WotC staff have said in the past that they actively look at E-Bay sales and otherwise try to close down anyone that is using their material improperly. The materials should only be used in the manner designed for the program.
If enough people try to break the rules it can jeopardize the program, which hurts a lot of people. Most of us are arguing constantly for WotC to provide pdf versions of the adventure so DMs can prep the adventure more easily. What you are doing is exactly why WotC don't provide pdfs any more. You are hurting the program and our ability to have greater flexibility as organizers and DMs.
I really do recommend you run this at a gaming store, working with the store to do so.
Thank you Alphastream, and I appreciate what I consider to be genuine concern on your part. To be frank, I work with a store, and do not DM at that store. I utilize the store copy of the adventure for a home group because it seemed like an interesting story. No harm, no foul.
Not to beat a dead horse, but "no harm, no foul" is if you run the game at the store. Anything other than that is potential harm and foul.
Most stores are really working hard to run two tables at a store per Wednesday. Three tables should be seen as real success for most areas in the country.
You basically have one table more that should be taking place at the store, with those individuals creating a relationship with the store (being reported to earn the store WotC program points, buying stuff, learning about new offerings, liking the store, volunteering to DM if someone can't make it, shifting around to help a table of 3 get to play, teaching new players, acting as stewards for the program, etc.). This is simply a store-only program and the store is doing wrong by allowing you to have the adventure. It seems like a little thing, but everyone really needs to take a stand against it to protect the program.
Alphastream is completely right here. I didn't want to get into a pissing match about whether it's harm or foul but I can't agree with Alphastream more.
This is against the spirit of the program.
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