OT: D&D 4e or: Wanna slaughter some minions?

[Randallw]

Didn't we have a D&D thread for this. I mention it only because I did bring it up several weeks ago

I want to give it a try, we can use that Openrpg thing again if you don't want the online D&D thing, but i'd have to install it again, plus there's the whole time difference problem.

I'm interested but now I come to mention it unfortunately I might not have the time. I start an online refresher course next month and I don't know how that'll take up my time.

Edit: Fyron will probably pop up and point out that as far as he knows it's turned into a tabletop mmporpg. I can see where he's going, but I do think it's a quicker system. The most frustrating thing when we played before was the time it took for each battle. I've got no sense of nostalgia so anything new is interesting to me.

The argument for 3rd edition is the books aren't being destroyed. You can keep playing that. Well you could if you didn't hock your 3rd edition books. Like me .

[narf poit chez BOOM]

...I completely forgot about that thread. I'd act suprised, but with my memory, I'm not. It's a good thing I can write things down and that my head is firmly attached.

If nothing else, with the books out, people can form an informed opinion.

If you mean D&D Insider, the features other than the magazines have been delayed to vagueness in their delivery date. On the bright side, so has the fee.

Also, This addresses most 4e concerns, from someone who bought all the negative hype.

Combat has quicker rounds, but more of them. The rules are also streamlined, so overall combat is faster. And in my solo dungeon crawl I ran a combat with two PCs against eight minions and it went fast - About the time it takes to roll five-seven groups of d20s, starting with 10. But then, minions drop in one hit and you don't roll damage. On the other hand, most of the other combats took an hour and that's with me playing both sides and flipping through three books to make sure I've got everybody's abilities down - And including prep time beforehand.

[Randallw]

When I first got the books I was shocked at what looked to me like the nerfing of wizards. I knew vancian spells were out but it worried me to see that mages only got something like a choice of 4 spells per encounter, not counting the 2 or 3 at will spells you have, and always the same 3 at will spells, but as I studied the new encounter system it occurred to me it's ok. Sure you have less spells at first glance, but you can reuse them every encounter. Just pray the DM isn't the sort to throw in new enemies every round, that way the "encounter" never ends. You need to have a break, even if only for a few minutes so you can reset when it starts again. The really powerful spell stuff, the stuff which I think seperates the wizards form other classes with just as many powers, are rituals. Sure a fighter might be as powerful in a fight, but he can't spend an hour summoning something big. I thought from a story viewpoint the fact that failing stuff like wilderness travel rolls takes away healing surges, so if you mess up and spend all day walking around the middle of nowhere you'll tire yourself out, is a good touch.

If you haven't already I suggest listening to the Penny arcade session. It does give a good idea of how it works, just be careful if you don't like harsh language.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080530
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080606
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080613

which reminds me, I've only gotten a third of the way through part 3

[narf poit chez BOOM]

The language is over the edge of what I would want to listen to. Other than that, the first session is informative and fun, though.

He can - He can either buy a one-use scroll or spend a couple feats and money equal to the scroll cost for each ritual in a ritual book, then some time to master them. But the Wizard still gets mastered rituals and can record them in his spellbook automagically - And for free.

[Randallw]

I wouldn't use such vulgar language (from the Latin, Vulgus: common), preferring instead to express myself in a more eloquent fashion, but I don't let it get to me. I occasionally watch stuff like South Park, but I turn it off if it's like the one where they want to say the S-bomb 170 times.

Vulgarity just means you don't have the intelligence to say something meaningful.

That said I do occasionally utter something shocking. If it was the 50's.

oh, finally. I WILL tell you to stop if you blaspheme in my presence.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

That's pretty near my opinion - Except I tend to swear if I, say, stub my toe.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Astorax and I had a successful OpenRPG server test to make sure that functionality works.

Also, the latest OpenRPG (Nessasary if we do indeed use OpenRPG) is here: http://www.assembla.com/spaces/files...er3lzlabIlDkbG - 'OpenRPG_Installer.exe'.

[douglas]

Not quite true. I can read leet, I just don't usually think it's worth the bother because there's too much overlap between the kind of people who use leet and the kind of people I don't want to play with.

I am interested in playing, but I have a full time job now so it would have to be on the weekend.

[Astorax]

I don't like the idea of an all CE party. They wouldn't work together well and there would likely be a slaughter between all party members during or right after the adventure for all the loot. Evil can be worked with but CE is way over the top.