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

[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'.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

It seems it may end up being an Evil party...

House rules so far:
PCs have to be run past the other players as well as the GM; this is because the PCs have to be at least minimally capable of working together.
On a PC veto vote, tie goes to 'no'.

Chaotic Good and Lawful Evil are back in. This may affect some deity alignments...

Gods, primordials, nature of, war between - Don't make assumptions.

As per recent Dragon article, demigod Maldeen is now in...

Divine characters with an alignment different than their deity must be able to make a convincing argument about why said deity would take them on. This will be much, much easier for a Good character who wants to be a cleric of Bahamut than a CE character who wants the same.

Fallen (Or risen) Divine characters loose their divine powers until they can find and convince a new patron.
Evil characters with divine powers that would do Radiant damage by the rulebook instead do Necrotic damage.

All characters can worship anyone they wish; just be aware that if you start making offerings to, say, Bahamut and Orcus, the best you can expect is to get ignored. They have opinions of you, too...

Elves get another +1 to their speed and +1 to Will defense to make them a viable choice. This does not apply to Eladrin; the bonuses are to make Elves comparable in utility to Eladrin (In my mind).
If this proves to be too much, I will reduce it, possibly back to base.

Since I know of no rules that cover minion criticals and criticals versus minions, minions that critical double their flat-rate damage. If you critical when attacking a minion, you get an extra basic attack, since the minion is dead no matter how little damage you do.

[Astorax]

Hey I'll help out with anything the party needs doing ..as long as it benefits me somehow.

Plus, come on ppl, Narf and I are the only ones up for this so far? We even got the openRPG server working and everything.

BTW, I'll be playing as an Eladrin Wizard, Lawful Evil.

[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.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

The players do have a group veto vote on new characters.