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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 11:58AM
#191
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Date Joined:
Dec 22, 2006
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SKILL CHALLENGES ... have been roundly criticised. I've a different point. (although the math on this has not been modeled, neither for nor against) Party of 4 can win most skill challenges, in spite of not having the 5th PC. Party of 3 can not win some skill challenges, and most likely need a Companion Character. Party of 2 can not win ... a n y ... skill challenges without getting lucky.
my kitty avatar's Royale Lineage ---> http://static.neatorama.com/images/2009-09/original-keyboard-cats.jpg
new helpful bg/mmx refugee locale ---> http://www.ruleofcool.com/smf/index.php/topic,632.0.html
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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 12:37PM
#192
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Forgot to include:
Confusing - Extra Damage and Keywords: Does extra damage with a specific type add they keywords to the power?
-Example 1: A Warlock has Gloves of Eldritch Admixture and using them to turn his Curse's extra damage into fire damage. Does this add the Fire Keyword to any powers he uses while applying the extra fire damage from his Warlock's Curse?
-Example 2: A Deva Wizard with the Radiant Power feat can take a -2 penalty to attack rolls when he makes an implement attack. If the attack hits, they deal 2 extra radiant damage. Does this add the radiant keyword to the power?
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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 12:46PM
#193
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In my opinion here is what works in 4e:
1. The character builder - and getting better all the time; it would improve by offering it complimentary for folks that purchase a sourcebook; say PHB 1 and inputting a code to unlock PHB 1 content in the OCB.
2. The number of classes/races/powers etc is at a satisfactory amount
3. The campaign settings are robust - Some of the best the game has seen
Here is what doesn't work in 4e:
1. There aren't enough adventures - seriously, focus on DS, Eberron, FR adventures for the next few years - my local game store should have shelves of D&D adventures for each Campaign setting.
2. Fleshing out the myriad of new races - time for some race books; We don't want just a picutre and a paragraph, we want some in depth material to give them the same level of mythology as say dwarves or elves.
3. Issuing rules/material via magazine - This never was a good idea and should cease -- try running a source filter in the new monster builder and you will see what I mean when a ton of periodical issues pop up. It's disorganized, disunified, and downright messy way to issue game content. Save the magazines for articles.
"If it's not a conjuration, how did the wizard
con·jure/ˈkänjər/Verb
1. Make (something) appear unexpectedly or seemingly from nowhere as if by magic.
it?" -anon
"Why don't you read fire·ball / fī(-ə)r-ˌbȯl/ and see if you can find the key word con.jure /'kən-ˈju̇r/ anywhere in it."
-Maxperson
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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 1:00PM
#194
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Date Joined:
Oct 18, 2009
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I will throw my two cents into the ring asking for Rune Priest support! The concept of "bonus equal to +1 per Rune Feat you have" is cool and thematic, but the Rune Feats currently stink, with very few exceptions.
Paragon Paths for this class, as well, are sorely lacking. Something with 'divine leader' as a requirement, so many Strength Clerics could share the love would be amazing, as well.
So many PCs, so little time...
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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 1:08PM
#195
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Date Joined:
Mar 25, 2009
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1. The character builder - and getting better all the time; it would improve by offering it complimentary for folks that purchase a sourcebook; say PHB 1 and inputting a code to unlock PHB 1 content in the OCB.
Taken to an extreme, that could be a very lucrative business model. (Require online registration and receipt to receive a unique CB code. Require fully CB-built characters for promotional tournament play.) Sort of the electronic equivalent of M:tG deck-building.
But my stars and garters the ruckus that would be raised ...
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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 1:37PM
#196
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Date Joined:
Aug 28, 2005
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Slow - Effect should include "Can not charge".
Why?
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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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 1:40PM
#197
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Date Joined:
Feb 24, 2011
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What Works
- Power formatting - It's simple and effective, and easily understood (in most cases)
- Surges - Easily the best improvement of 4e!
- Powers and Speed of encounters - Combat can be fast and simple, and that's a great thing for an old AD&D2e player like me. Also all classes having roughly equivalent choices per turn is a great improvement!
Honestly, mechanically, most of the game is fine as is; it's in the compatibility, errata and individual minutia details where things get shaky.
Issues
Essentials to Original Cross Compatibility - There needs to be a better and more universal system to denote what features a class has fixed, which are swappable between builds, and which are not. There are several options to work on that, but the problem largely comes up when a player wants to build a non-essentials character, but likes a specific essentials feature, such as the Wizards Spellbook vs the Mages. Errata or supplementary material could help fix this. Similarly, Wild Knacks, the Summonable Mounts, and other essentials intended abilities which are attractive for non-essentials characters could use some clarifications such as prereqs and other compatibility clarification. Erratta clarifying their place in AEDU selection would help a ton. Adventure Supplements - Every supplement (whether in store or digital) should include any and all appropriate maps for that adventure, and at playable 1 inch scale. Giving only one map that covers half the content in an adventure without the other half is HIGHLY frustrating, or worse yet, only tiny pictures of maps which are not available. Not everyone can draw or has the set up to make maps on the fly, and tiles are there for custom map making for most players, not for using the modules they paid a premium for. Similarly, any official supplement should include either rigid token sheets, or at least a simple copyable/printable page to make tokens from. At $25 a set, you should get all the important parts, not 75% of them. Class Support - Most of the PHB3 classes (Runepriest and Seeker in particular) are vastly underrepresented in supplements. People do want to play these classes, but a lack of content can easily leave players frustrated, and leave some classes (even PHB1/2) feel underpowered, or abandoned by the development team. Heroes of Shadow/Heroes of _____ - Why make a new power origin, and not bother making actual classes for it? Additional support for existing classes is as always appreciated, but a lot of us were hoping for more new classes than the vampire or assassin. Something to heavily consider for the next books... And at a more personal/minor level I miss official minis 
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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 1:45PM
#198
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Date Joined:
Jan 29, 2008
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Here's a thought: A slowed creature has its speed reduced to 2, and cannot shift.
Oh Content, where art thou?
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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 1:50PM
#199
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Date Joined:
Jan 29, 2008
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I disagree. Their lack of good power selections and pps are already trade off. Con to damage is limited to only one paragon, namely blightbeast, which is like the only one of a few good PPs for druids (currently). Besides, what about those Int class (Int to Attack and AC and Ref, not matter what the pp is, which makes them less ability dependent than most of the other builds and opens more options), or those proficient with heavy armor and use Cha as the main attribute and can use Cha to determine HS (Chaladin with that ring)?
Or simply...Conlock?
Its the combination of AC and DR. I don't think they should have terrible AC to balance out the DR because that doesn't work at all. Being auto-hit does not balance with the DR, you take waaaay more damage if you basically can't be missed than the DR provides. Between their powers reducing damage (though they don't have to take them), and having good AC (which is not a problem, everyone should have tolerable AC), but having Con Mod DR out of the gate against a large number of things is quite frankly an insane amount of durability right at level 1. Like I said, its a house rule and it has proven to work quite well in our games. As I also said, I don't really have a good suggestion, but I still don't think that Con Mod DR with no downside is really a well thought-out mechanic, nor is having terribad AC, but the DR is flavorful as a swarm druid, and our houserule not only fits the flavor, it provides a decent counterbalance without seeming to overly hinder the druid in the game. YMMV, and of course it always depends on both how many enemies are using area vs single target and how they choose their targets based on the DM.
Anyway, back to the thread at hand. I think we are seeing a lot of the same trends here. We all mostly are highlighting the same things. The one thing I really want to re-emphasize is that it isn't that the Tax Feats are too boring. Boring feats that give mechanics are not inherently bad. It is that they are boring, and too powerful to ignore (and the math issues to boot). Something like Warforged Tactics is a good feat, provides an easy to achieve +1, and is purely mechanical. The thing is though that since the +1 doesn't scale as the expertise feats, it becomes a more interesting choice because you may not feel the need for just a +1 when you have something else. I have sometimes taken it on warforged, sometimes not, and that is the whole point. Expertise, Improved Defenses, usually a Superior Defense Feat are pretty much always in my first set of feats because they are so good, and it makes the list of choices get smaller and smaller as time goes on.
A note to all who think I am being aggressive or angry- 99% of the time, I do not intend to be. I apologize if you think I am attacking you, odds are very strong that I am not. The only exceptions are when people become extremely uncivil to me, and even then I usually ignore them. I think it is very obvious when I am really mad; if I just seem generally abrasive, it is a reflection of my thought process rather than a state of emotion. I have the greatest respect for those who can debate rationally, even if we come to different conclusions.  I am Blue/White Take The Magic Dual Colour Test - Beta today!Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.I'm both orderly and rational. I value control, information, and order. I love structure and hierarchy, and will actively use whatever power or knowledge I have to maintain it. At best, I am lawful and insightful; at worst, I am bureaucratic and tyrannical.
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2 years ago ::
Apr 16, 2011 - 2:20PM
#200
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Date Joined:
Jul 16, 2010
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A proposal. We know themes are coming to the non-DS settings, we know everybody hates math tax feats. Therefore, every single theme grants a free Expertise feat out of the Versatile/Essentials pool, which could be limited to a smaller subset of choices depending on what the theme is (though Versatile should always be an option). Make it a level 5 class feature. Errata Versatile Expertise to scale at 11/21 like the Essentials feats at the same time. All the themes (or at least the Defendery ones) get free Improved Defences at the same level.
This way, we avoid having to errata every single class (and Essentials subclasses) to grant scaling bonuses (which would have to be worded to avoid stacking with the Expertise feats anyway), feat tax denialists are free to just ignore themes, etc., etc. Biggest problem is with games that want to disallow all themes, but if somebody is going to arbitrarily ignore a mechanic, that's their problem. (See also: DMs who outlaw the Essentials expertise feats.)
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