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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 1:32PM
#31
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Date Joined:
Jun 16, 2004
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The word from the R&D seminar was that changlelings may be in the PHB.
ENworld member who was there (confirmed by others who were there). It's on the front page now (search for changeling).
The page on En World says "may"
There may also be a changeling (from Eberron).
Can you confirm that "will" was used instead?
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 1:40PM
#32
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Date Joined:
May 23, 2003
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The page on En World says "may".[/quote]
I put "may be" in big bold letters. Isn't that enough emphasis for you?
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 1:53PM
#33
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Date Joined:
Apr 17, 2005
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You know, I have to ask . . . aside from mechanical advantages (racial bonuses & abilities), why is everyone clamoring for non-humanoid/monstrous races to be core? Or are we hearing primarily from the powergaming/munchkin community in this regard?
Because I'd rather play a small reptile or a wolf-man or something from another plane than a short human or a human with pointy ears.
It's like "Oh sure, you want to pretend to throw fire with your hands or slay a dragon, but why on earth would you want to do it looking non-human?" Because it's interesting.
Some of us have been playing Elves and Halflings for twenty years and are a little sick of them.
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 1:55PM
#34
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Date Joined:
Mar 25, 2001
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Because I'd rather play a small reptile or a wolf-man or something from another plane than a short human or a human with ears.
A human with ears! An abomination! :P
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 2:06PM
#35
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Date Joined:
Sep 10, 2006
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All I know is, my Gnomes better be there. Leaving out any of the core races presented in 3.0/3.5 runs the risk of ruining many campaigns.
DM: "Check it out, we all converted our characters over to 4.0! Oh yeah, you're character's a Gnome. Well, you can roll up a new character, make up Gnome rules, or the rest of us can keep playing with the old rules."
Player1: "Uh, I'd appreciate it if we could keep playing 3.0/3.5. I've put a lot of work into this character and would rather not ruin or get rid of him."
Player2: "Crap! I already threw away my old character sheet. Way to go, Gnome-lover! You ruined my favorite game."
Allow me to state that I'm not making any complaints about 4.0 already. We don't know much about it. I'm merely stating a worry.
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 2:07PM
#36
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Date Joined:
Jun 12, 2005
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I greatly appreciate the few replies to my post. It heartens me to know that there are still players interested in assuming racial roles as a challenge, or because they find them interesting.
I'm afraid I'm more than a little jaded, myself. I've been DMing almost exclusively for the last 8 years, and almost without exception, when someone requested to play a non-humanoid race, it was always, "Because they can do THIS!" Even players who, under different circumstances, were terrific RPers succumbed to this mentality. Again, thanks for the responses, and game on, ladies and gents!
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 2:08PM
#37
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Date Joined:
Aug 10, 2009
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One other interesting thing I've read is that it seems like Monsters are going to have two writeups with the LA mechanic no longer being used.
A minotuar statted for the DM to use is going to be different that a minotaur that is statted for players to use. Thus, depending on the creature, in the MM you might see two writeups.
My understanding/guess is that the DM-monster will be a typical member of the race you encounter whereas the PC version will have the monster's abilites broken down so that you can have a level 1 monster but it won't have all the abilities until you level up and choose them.
The advantage is that now even a lizardfolk can be chosen at level 1.
The disadvantage is that, unless the monster HAS a second Pc entry, it will be assumed by WOTC that this monster is NOT sutiable for PCs.
I can see the design team's POV. Trying to create a monster that is both balanced for an encounter and is ALSO balanced as a possible PC race is an exercise in frustration.
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 2:08PM
#38
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Date Joined:
Aug 20, 2007
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Unless they just ditch rolling dice for characters in favor of point buy. They don't allow stat rolling in online systems, they don't allow in Living campaigns. They don't use it in playtesting either. They use point buys because that ensures greater balance.
I'm guessing they will switch to some sort of point buy appropriate to the new system.
They might implement random ability generation as an optional method though.
I certainly hope they don't go this route. I like the fact that rules for point buy systems have been left as an option for those that prefer them but, personally, I've always enjoyed rolling up a new character. The total random nature of the numbers allows for a natural roleplaying options that point buy systems don't include. Putting together a character to compensate for a low stat has always been fun for me. If I plan out that weakness it wouldn't feel quite the same.
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 2:14PM
#39
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Date Joined:
Apr 17, 2005
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I greatly appreciate the few replies to my post. It heartens me to know that there are still players interested in assuming racial roles as a challenge, or because they find them interesting.
No prob.
For me, for instance, I love kobolds. Not for any game mechanic, but because of their reputation and their mindset. They're little paranoid tinfoil-hat survivalists with Napoleon complexes. The PCs AND the NPCs will underestimate them. So I'd jump at the chance to play one.
Or a tri-keen - because it's a FREAKING MANTIS. It's fun to look at your party members like they're lunch. "We gotta get the rogue raised fast, or the bug will eat his corpse."
Or anything anthro.
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6 years ago ::
Aug 20, 2007 - 2:18PM
#40
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Date Joined:
Mar 19, 2001
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All I know is, my Gnomes better be there. Leaving out any of the core races presented in 3.0/3.5 runs the risk of ruining many campaigns.
Assuming gnomes are in the 4E Monster Manual, they'll probably have (brief) PC-usage rules included in that book. That ought to tide you over until they get a full treatment (i.e. fluff) in PHB2 a year later.
Same will most likely apply for drow, or anything else popular that's left for later books.
Player2: "Crap! I already threw away my old character sheet. Way to go, Gnome-lover! You ruined my favorite game."
I don't know about you, but I've never in my life met a gamer who threw out their beloved earlier PCs' character sheets just because a new campaign was starting up. Sounds like Player2 wasn't that fond of the old character in the first place....
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