Perhaps we could ask active Twitters round here to ask them for us ?
I would be willing to tweet stuff if people have questions.
Yeah ask him about swappable casting systems for me would you?
What about them? He covered this in the L&L recently, didn't he?
Several articles back before the latest play test he said they might try them out. Haven't heard a word about it since then.
Ask "Will casting systems be swappable between Warlock, Sorcerer, Wizard, and other classes or have you abandoned that idea?"
If he decides to respond it should be interesting...
I am interested in this as well. I sent a tweet asking. I, personally, think that if they go the route they are talking on L&L this week, with having the wizard prepare their spells for each level, and then have them be able cast spells of that level in any combination a set number of times, that there might not be a huge need for alternate systems. However, I do think there will still be a desire to have them.
All in all, this week's L&L really assuaged a great deal of my concerns regarding the wizard. Of course, so did a lot of the L&L that preceeded the last playtest (which was a new low for the playtests).
I'm sorry, but I feel that the fix they are talking about it pitiful and still leaves the Wizard without many spells at the end of the day. I want a Wizard that is magical, not a Wizard that runs out of spells and is left with a weak spell that is almost worthless at higher levels...
I, personally, think that if they go the route they are talking on L&L this week, with having the wizard prepare their spells for each level, and then have them be able cast spells of that level in any combination a set number of times, that there might not be a huge need for alternate systems. However, I do think there will still be a desire to have them.
All in all, this week's L&L really assuaged a great deal of my concerns regarding the wizard. Of course, so did a lot of the L&L that preceeded the last playtest (which was a new low for the playtests).
The changes to the wizard are an improvement IMO, but they don't really do the right thing (because it leaves out the traditional vancian option for those who want it, despite the fact that I personally loathe it). The right thing is for all of us to be able to choose our "spells per day" mechanic (wizard slots, sorcerer slots, points, etc) and not have it forced on us depending on the class we choose.
so why even play a fighter if you can play the paladin the exact same way behaviorally and get added power to boot. "Paladin" is about accepting better game-enhancing mechanics at the price of more rigid in game behavior.
Really? So it goes something like this?
Fighter: "I want to be a paladin." NPC: "Really?" Fighter: "Yes." NPC: "Very well." Starts reading from a holy book while still in-character "Do you accept having to choose and stick to the lawful good alignment, eventhough neither of us actually knows that it exists or what it is?" Fighter: "I do." NPC: "Do you reject good game balance because you accidentally rolled a high Charisma?" Fighter: "What?" NPC: "I don't know what it means either." Fighter: "Oh. Umm, ok I do." NPC: "In the name of all that is metagamey and broken, accept these better game enhancing mechanics." Fighter: "These what?" NPC: "Just get out there and try to fulfill a million different people's notion of good while not violating and part of any of them."
So the system is designed such that every single hit needs to be described to avoid confusion? Here's a scenario. The players are nudists, everybody in the world are nudists, it's not weird, it's totally normal in this land. They are naked and they fight drakes taking damage throughout, but healing up with surges. Later they meet the guy who raised the drakes.
Part 1: I didn't describe any of the hits. What does he see?
Part 2: Lets say I described the drakes as biting the players, yet they healed up. What does he see?
I, personally, think that if they go the route they are talking on L&L this week, with having the wizard prepare their spells for each level, and then have them be able cast spells of that level in any combination a set number of times, that there might not be a huge need for alternate systems. However, I do think there will still be a desire to have them.
All in all, this week's L&L really assuaged a great deal of my concerns regarding the wizard. Of course, so did a lot of the L&L that preceeded the last playtest (which was a new low for the playtests).
The changes to the wizard are an improvement IMO, but they don't really do the right thing (because it leaves out the traditional vancian option for those who want it, despite the fact that I personally loathe it). The right thing is for all of us to be able to choose our "spells per day" mechanic (wizard slots, sorcerer slots, points, etc) and not have it forced on us depending on the class we choose.
Oh, I absolutely agree with this. I think the ideal is to have multiple systems like what you describe. I just think the system he describes would be a good middle point for a baseline, and have true Vancian, spell points, and AEDU-ish be options to deviate from there. The ideal system is one that evokes ALL of the system, not just one. The proposed system evokes Vancian and Spell Slot, but with At-Wills to evoke something similar to AEDU (with scaling at-wills). Additionally, if someone wants to spam one of their dailys to achieve somewhat of an encounter power, they can.
I want to see the system first before I pass judgment.
I, personally, think that if they go the route they are talking on L&L this week, with having the wizard prepare their spells for each level, and then have them be able cast spells of that level in any combination a set number of times, that there might not be a huge need for alternate systems. However, I do think there will still be a desire to have them.
All in all, this week's L&L really assuaged a great deal of my concerns regarding the wizard. Of course, so did a lot of the L&L that preceeded the last playtest (which was a new low for the playtests).
The changes to the wizard are an improvement IMO, but they don't really do the right thing (because it leaves out the traditional vancian option for those who want it, despite the fact that I personally loathe it). The right thing is for all of us to be able to choose our "spells per day" mechanic (wizard slots, sorcerer slots, points, etc) and not have it forced on us depending on the class we choose.
Oh, I absolutely agree with this. I think the ideal is to have multiple systems like what you describe. I just think the system he describes would be a good middle point for a baseline, and have true Vancian, spell points, and AEDU-ish be options to deviate from there. The ideal system is one that evokes ALL of the system, not just one. The proposed system evokes Vancian and Spell Slot, but with At-Wills to evoke something similar to AEDU (with scaling at-wills). Additionally, if someone wants to spam one of their dailys to achieve somewhat of an encounter power, they can.
I want to see the system first before I pass judgment.
Agreed. I'm just a little over-skeptical since they've scaled back on a lot of their modularity promises (or, at least, on the modularity hype they put out).
so why even play a fighter if you can play the paladin the exact same way behaviorally and get added power to boot. "Paladin" is about accepting better game-enhancing mechanics at the price of more rigid in game behavior.
Really? So it goes something like this?
Fighter: "I want to be a paladin." NPC: "Really?" Fighter: "Yes." NPC: "Very well." Starts reading from a holy book while still in-character "Do you accept having to choose and stick to the lawful good alignment, eventhough neither of us actually knows that it exists or what it is?" Fighter: "I do." NPC: "Do you reject good game balance because you accidentally rolled a high Charisma?" Fighter: "What?" NPC: "I don't know what it means either." Fighter: "Oh. Umm, ok I do." NPC: "In the name of all that is metagamey and broken, accept these better game enhancing mechanics." Fighter: "These what?" NPC: "Just get out there and try to fulfill a million different people's notion of good while not violating and part of any of them."
So the system is designed such that every single hit needs to be described to avoid confusion? Here's a scenario. The players are nudists, everybody in the world are nudists, it's not weird, it's totally normal in this land. They are naked and they fight drakes taking damage throughout, but healing up with surges. Later they meet the guy who raised the drakes.
Part 1: I didn't describe any of the hits. What does he see?
Part 2: Lets say I described the drakes as biting the players, yet they healed up. What does he see?
I, personally, think that if they go the route they are talking on L&L this week, with having the wizard prepare their spells for each level, and then have them be able cast spells of that level in any combination a set number of times, that there might not be a huge need for alternate systems. However, I do think there will still be a desire to have them.
All in all, this week's L&L really assuaged a great deal of my concerns regarding the wizard. Of course, so did a lot of the L&L that preceeded the last playtest (which was a new low for the playtests).
The changes to the wizard are an improvement IMO, but they don't really do the right thing (because it leaves out the traditional vancian option for those who want it, despite the fact that I personally loathe it). The right thing is for all of us to be able to choose our "spells per day" mechanic (wizard slots, sorcerer slots, points, etc) and not have it forced on us depending on the class we choose.
Oh, I absolutely agree with this. I think the ideal is to have multiple systems like what you describe. I just think the system he describes would be a good middle point for a baseline, and have true Vancian, spell points, and AEDU-ish be options to deviate from there. The ideal system is one that evokes ALL of the system, not just one. The proposed system evokes Vancian and Spell Slot, but with At-Wills to evoke something similar to AEDU (with scaling at-wills). Additionally, if someone wants to spam one of their dailys to achieve somewhat of an encounter power, they can.
I want to see the system first before I pass judgment.
Agreed. I'm just a little over-skeptical since they've scaled back on a lot of their modularity promises (or, at least, on the modularity hype they put out).
Scaled back? More like ran from them like Godzilla was attacking. They seem to be cautiously walking back to those promises again. I really think casting systems being modular and balanced with each other is the only way to please the masses. We will just have to see. I have had my violent ups and downs with DDN, but the one thing that has stayed constant for me is EVERYONE's opinions and playstyles are relevant unless they say another group should not be allowed to have fun.
The attitude that it's only DMs that should be empowered to make decisions about the campaign world. Do we really need to have another debate about DM "empowerment"? Because that's why I said "DM empowerment B.S. aside..."
Speaking 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!
1) If they're easy to create, then I don't think that they can possibly be up to the quality standards that would make them good. If they are up to quality standards, then I don't believe that they can possibly be easy to create. I would love to be proven wrong, but until such time, I will continue to place quaity over simplicity.
2) Not what I was talking about.
1) I vehemently disagree (simplicity and quality are not mutually exclusive, in fact, often the opposite, ask designers/artists), and wonder how you came to that idea.
2) Well I was, and it is totally relevant to this thread.
I vehemently disagree, and wonder how you came to that idea.
Experience. I have a lot of experiencing examining, creating, and critiquing racial design, at this point I'm certain more than the actual developers do (see my sig). As at least a couple of people on the forums may tell you, home-brewing races is what I do. Anybody who thinks it's simple is somebody who just doesn't know better. There are many more considerations to be made than are obvious. This should be evident by the fact that nine out of ten homebrew races ever posted miss at least some basic ideas if not being outright awful. And these aren't even completely edition-dependant ideas either. Just simple things like avoiding pigeon-holing or avoiding mandatory cultural features are things that most people including the developers tend to let slip through the cracks.
2) Well I was, and it is totally relevant to this thread.
Speaking 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!
