Reasons why I hate 4th ed

The design team. As near as I can tell, it's made up of a bunch of arrogant pricks. Take this for example, an excerpt from today's preview article on archons (a new sub-set of elementals) (underline added for emphasis):

"But the Elemental Chaos is vast, and fire and ice are only two of the many forms it takes. Now that we’ve (thankfully!) separated the word “elemental” in the D&D sense from the classical Greek elements of earth, fire, air, and water, there’s plenty of room for archons of your own design."

Yes, "thankfully!" Yeah, because, I know I'm thankful that you're taking a shit on the classics. As I said, arrogant prick. Also, a quick look at editions previous shows us a wide variety of "quasi" and "para" elementals to fulfill any little hole you might need. Now, if they wanted to impress me, that would have been a chlorine elemental...

4th ed D&D

The Source has advance copies of the PHB, DMG, and MM. I had time to do a page through of the PHB and MM. My thoughts are as follows...

Character class section is freaking huge. Most of the book is devoted to it in fact. Makes sense since everyone’s basically a spellcaster. I didn't give to through a look at any one class, but I didn't really see any I wanted to play. Since I'm a ranger geek though, I paid a bit more attention to them. Still shoehorning you into either dual weapons or bow. 3/3.5 did the same thing, but they eventually branched into different places with it, 4th would have been served well to do the same.

I was pleased to see that the fighter (I looked at all his "utility" typed powers) had nothing to replace a wizards flight and teleport. Not that he can’t do that though by using rituals.

Evasion and mettle are now feats. Plenty of feats all around from the looks of things. You total out at 18 feats at level 30 (more from certain races like human). Far fewer skills. Each class looks like it locks you into certain skills when you take it. Less up front customizations on the player part in that regard. But it's not about what you know, it's about your host of combat abilities.

Wizards are now a sorcerer with a spell book. What do I mean? Well, you get those nifty abilities like everyone else, but as near as I can tell, wizards are the only one that puts them all down in their spell book. Oh, and I didn't see any rule for just adding more to your spell book accept for when you gain levels. And if you retrain a spell, it simply vanishes from your spell book. So in other words, you're a sorcerer, with a spell book. I think rituals can be put in there though, which is an edge for them, since it looked like you need to burn a scroll otherwise. Which, unless clerics have something similar, means wizards are better at bring people back to life... CRAZY!!

Also, on the subject of Wizards, no Wish. Not there. Not anywhere as near as I can tell. Not a Wizard spell (and I looked through them all, nada). Not a ritual. And Efreeti don't get it either. Now, it might be tucked away in the DMG, but I didn't look through that one.

Rituals, or “the spells that everyone gets.” Like, Raise Dead. And Scry. And at least one teleport if I'm not mistaken. Mass fly might have been in there too. So, yeah, why do we need the wizard and his spell book? Seriously, the hell??
There’s only one big chart for character advancement, which threw me when I looked under the fighter class for their progress chart. It has everything from how many powers a character gets, to XP to level, to number of feats. Ability gains go two +1 (to separate scores) and a few +1 to all scores. I didn't notice any stat bump tomes or manuals in the PHB, but I wasn't looking. I also just realized that I never noticed a chart for defense progression or BAB progression. I probably just missed it. *shrug*

Healing potions kinda blow, in my most humble of opinions, but I think the whole healing mechanic needs work all around. For example, the basic healing potion is a level 5 item. When you use it, it triggers one of your healing surges and instead of the normal number of hp restored, it restores 10. Period. A Healing surge normally restores 1/4 of your max. So as soon as you hit 40 hp, the low level potion is useless. Sure, it’s only 50gp, but still, nothing? The next potion is at level 15, and it gives back 25 (so if you have 100 or more hp, not going to do to much). At level 20 treasure you'll start to see potions that give you back 50 (and since HP is static, and you only get your con to it at first level, this might actually be a decent number). At level 25, you have the big one that can bring you back to life within one round (which is pretty cool, don't get me wrong), or if you're not dead give you back 50hp and allow you to make another save against all effects on you. So in other words, force feed a high level adventurer low level potions until he just can't heal anymore for the day.

Since I’ve already mentioned it, Raise dead. The ritual has a variable cost for material, however it only works on someone who’s been dead for no more then 30 days, regardless (I didn’t read what the gentle repose ritual does, but that might suspend that or something). It costs 500 gp to bring back 1-10th level characters. 5000 for 11-20. 50,000 for 21-30. When you're brought back to life, you have a -1 to all the relevant rolling and static stuff until you've passed three benchmarks (a benchmark being 2 fights in a row without using the camp command the rest action (long or short). Which means that you better get out there and beat the hell out of some stuff after you're back on your feet, or those long social encounters could really screw you over.

Alignments are as follows: Lawful good, good, unaligned, evil, and chaotic evil. *Sigh* The hell? I mean, really now, the hell? Cause chaos is always evil, and law is always good? It's nice that they didn't throw them away entirely though. I guess?

On the book itself. Art is nice, a little cartoony, but nice. I don't think I saw an iconic characters though. I saw some of 3rd eds iconic (I think I recall a Redgin getting raised at one point), but no new ones. Which is too damn bad, as that was just really cool. I liked seeing where they'd pop up in various books and modules. Racial blocks were okay. A little hard to navigate the character classes, as each could have easily been made its own chapter worth of material. An insane amount of page flipping or flash card making for every character is what it feels like players will need. Neither is an inherently bad thing, but it can slow down game play.

The index was a page. A page. Not helpful at all for things like, oh I don't know, the massive amount of special abilities each class now has. I mean, seriously, White Wolf does more of an appendix then that (sure, they don't do great appendix’s, but at least it's got some meat on its bones, as it were). 3/3.5 PHB had a far superior layout as far as that's concerned.

I forgot to take a look at the special actions in the combat chapter to see if they made any of that more playable. Wish I could comment on it, but alas I can not.
In general, it's going to be very hard to master the system. The guy playing the fighter is going to need to bring his PHB, and probably then some, to game. And isn't the whole point of playing a fighter not having to do that? (Okay, it's just one reason, but still...)

On to the Monster Manual.
Something I noticed when I was done with it was that there where no good aligned creatures in it. Hell, the Unicorn is now unaligned (which is total bullshit!). While there were plenty of unaligned creatures, and some with any as well, not one creature in there was any flavor of good. Wow. I guess all the good aligned critters out there are on a coffee break? Or are just keeping their heads down?

No earth, air, water, or fire elementals. The elementals under the Elemental heading are composite elementals of two different types. And there were few that were made from quasi/para elementals and a true. I have no idea if they're going to stick with the classic four western elements though. Ice and fire archons were both presented. And here I thought that sort of duality was lazy... Can I call shenanigans on that?

Quite a bit of recycled art from 3/3.5. Not just a little recycled, but cut and paste, exact images. The fuck? While I expect that from Palladium books, I don’t expect that from a new edition of D&D. All in all, the art was a mixed bag in the MM. I for one didn't like the picture of the war troll, which looked rather dumpy and uninspiring. As commented earlier, the art in general has a much more, cartoonish feel to it then previous editions. I’m not really down on it, but at the same time I'm not that happy with that aspect. It’s the colors I think, they were just a little too pronounced in some ways. And the outlines. Cartoonish.

Didn't really see anything presented as a template either. This is a big failing if you ask me. Templates were a wonderful way of customizing monsters. Just an awesome way to go about it, hands down.

In general, I don't know how well the monster customization thing is going to go. Unless a big chunk of the DMG is devoted to the non-PC classes, then there's not going to be a lot of variety to the monsters as you advance them, just some more HP and better attacks. At least, not anywhere near as much as PC's are going to get. Of course, they might just draw from the same lists as the PC classes, but then why call them something else? It was implied that the DMG had more info on these. Now, I am aware that the same can be said about advancing monsters in 3.x. However, when compared against the variety and potency of PC powers, it'd be a shame if the monsters cann't reflect a little bit of that, especially since they all have different classes they're based off of, so who knows if they can get the PC goodies at all. If not, or the equivalent, I'm gonna call "lame" on that.

Dragons. As I already said, there where no good creatures in the MM, so the metallic’s were absent. Each of the five chromatic had four stat blocks given: young, adult, old, ancient. No age category charts like editions previous. While this might end up in the Chromatic Draconomicon, it was still fail not to have it in the core. Especially for the 3rd party companies, depending on what books Wizards adds to the new game license. Dracolich was also core. Good to see.
Shifters were in the MM, and that was cool. I like shifters. I'm sure they're playable, but since I don't really understand the new format for the block, I couldn't tell you what they look like as a base race.

Fewer things like vermin and animals. No block of just dire animals either, or dinosaurs. Dire versions are in with the normal versions of the animals, if applicable. *shrug* I liked the way that 3.x did it personally, but to each their own. For example, no stats for just a wolf. I guess all the bigger, meaner creatures ate the normal wolves?

Tarrasque weights in at level 30. Only thing bigger was Orcus from the looks of things, at level 33. While it's nice to see Orcus back in core, it would have been nice to see another few heavy hitters at that 30+ level of power (like a level 31 and 32 threat as well). That’s not really a critique, just a “wow, that would have been cool!” Anyway, Big T can not be killed. At all. You can only beat the hell out of him so bad that he goes back to sleep. There are theories that one could destroy the Big T by dragging him to another world, where he wouldn’t have the same potency anymore. But, yeah, no killing the Tarrasque! EVAR!!!!

As said previously, Efreeti no longer grant wishes. And now I'm going to ask: "what the mother fuck is up with that?" That's the whole thing they do. They grant wishes. That's the myths about them. It's what Genie do! That’s not just D&D either, that's the legends that the creature was based off of. The hell? They took away wish. Again, maybe it's tucked away in the DMG, but I'm not holding my breath.

Skeletons and zombies both had interesting entries, but didn't seem to be templates. If they were, it looks like a bit more work to apply them. Again, didn't give a hard look to those entries, so I'm not 100% sure. Just my impression.

So, that's what my impressions where.


For those who said, TL;DR, allow me to sum up: Over all, I'm not impressed. While some things looked neat, it doesn't look like D&D. Just some other game dressed up like it. I'm going to take another look at the MM and page through the DMG on Monday, when I'm at my FLGS for my bi-weekly Star Wars mini's game.

I'll probably post some more here when I've paged through the MM again and the DMG.

I like to be a well informed complainer.

d20 Modern: The Incursion

While I'm still resolute in my desire to not run anything for my Sunday night group (*grumble, grumble* rules lawyering *grumble, grumble*), the friend running Scion on Wednesday night is getting a lot of burnout from life in general, and might have to call a break sooner then expected. Luckily for all involved at that merry table, inspiration has struck me for a campaign to run. Now, I don't really feel a strait sword and sorcery at the moment. While I'd like to do an Urban Fantasy game, I don't really want to run Shadowrun right now. I've also wanted to run the Incursion Scenario from Dragon 309, and Dungeon 100 for a bit. Hence, I'm going to squish the two together and see what happens.

Here's the basic rule ideas for it. I'm going to include Urban Arcana. I'm not going to make it a double whammy of weird new race and magic. I'm also going to move the PL a little bit forward on a few types of tech. Mecha and Cybernetics will be at PL 6, but not readily available. Those are the armed force's newest toys, thankyouverymuch. They're there for parts of mid game and late game. Magic is out there, and I have to decide how well it's going to mix with tech. Not sure which way I'm going to go with that one yet.

Campaign scenario would be, roughly, as follows:
Start players at level 3 (cause level one for modern, in my most humble of opinions, blows).
Low Level (about 3-9): Weird Tidings. Over arching story elements will include the new race on the block (the Githyanki). Recruitment of locals to aid them/ally with them. Reports of odd happenings world wide, thefts of old art, and raids on archaeological dig sites. More weird in general. Spikes in violence and border scuffles are becoming more intense, fueled by terrorists and political dissidents. This part of campaign ends in the realization, that the world is at war with a Power from Beyond the Shadows.

Mid Level (10-14 or so): The Shadow War. The Githyanki have begun a serious campaign of aggression world wide. Several smaller nations have more or less folded in the Middle East and South America, now occupied by the Githyanki and their allies/minions. A marked increase in terrorist activities world wide, and border scuffles are now employee mecha on a regular basis. All of this can be, and will eventually, be traced back to Githyanki agents. Elite troops of the Githyanki encountered, as well as Githyanki mecha. More and more normal people are seeing Shadow all the time. This part ends with Githyanki air ships arriving over several major cities, and the real war begining and all the worlds sages and prophets having one last vision, and either going comatose, dying, or going mad.

High Level (15+) Ascent of the Lich Queen. Open war is on. From their strong holds all over the world, the Githyanki send forth their armies. Dragons fly the skies. Githyanki spell-mecha and bio-magic augmented warriors do battle against the nest the armies of the world have to offer. The world governments are having a hard time pulling it all together after the careful work of Vlaakith's minions in dissolving the shaky trust they might have once had in each other. More weird stuff is happening, and those seer's not struck dead by their vision, babble things madly in their sleep, or weep quietly in the corners of their padded cells, the horror of a new Dark God on the rise burning in their minds, and they can see nothing else beyond that potentially apocalyptic point. Secret peace accords try desperately to bring unite into one solid defense, even as the general public has to deal with the realization that humans have not been alone on earth for some time. A major assault on one of the Fortress States of the Incursion results in something like a Mournland (from Eberron) forming. Eventually, the elite agents of the Lich Queen must be stopped, before they bring their Queen what she needs to ascend to divinity.



Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas? Any avenues of abuse I should look out for. I have some time to plan, so I want to start ASAP.

A thought on THAC0...

"And low, the fighter did roll his attack, and ask the DM: 'So, does my 16 hit?' And thus did the DM answear: 'No, you needed a 17.' So, in confusion, did the player respond: 'No way, are you sure?' For this, did the DM consult his many charts and tables to determine the interplay between the Fighters THAC0 and the fell beasts AC. After a time, the DM looked upon his player and said unto him, 'My bad, you only needed a 3.' And thus was THAC0 thrown the hell out for 3rd edition, for it had beget a to-hit system that was not ass-backwards, and it was good. So Say We All."

The end of the Age of Worms

So, yeah. No big epic fight. No chance to almost fail, but snatching victory from the edge of defeat. The Age of Worms campaign ended with Kyuss, the Worm God, being killed before his first action when he took 20,591 (yes, twenty thousand, five hundred and ninety one) damage in the first round of combat.

That was the shittiest fight I've ever been in. It just wasn't any fun for me. It didn't make a good end to a story. It just sucked. I'm really thinking about saying "to hell" with running anything.

More Random Geek Labber

I'm really bored at work. I'm donw with the project at this point, so all that's left is to go over some of it, and double check on it. For an hour and a half today, and all day tomorrow. Zug-zug.

Anyway, this is more D&D speak, fell free to pass it by.

I've been contimplating in the last few days, that 3rd ed is only a few months away from closing up in favor of 4th Ed. Neither good nor bad really, it just is what it is. Hopefully the new mechanics won't be so... ahh, Magic the Gathering-like open to abuse by skilled mathmaticians? That'd be nice.

Anyway, I spend some much time running the game, I rarely get a chance to play these days. As such, there are a few characters that I'm just not going to get a chance to play.

Nixel Tyrons - Seeker of Knowledge
Now, I'll admit I'd need a DM fiat to play this guy the way I want, but that's only because I don't like the Illumian's as a race (they just don't do anything for me really), but I love one of their prestige classes (I'd need the fiat to play it as a human...). The idea is a Begulier (from PHBII) with the investigator feat (from Eberron), and eventually one of the Illumian prc's (in Races of Destiny, it gives bardic knowledge, and a few other goodies along with cater progression, and is all about finding lost knowledge!). Main weapons: hand crossbow and rapier, with more attention to the hand xbow. Eventually that little guy would have the quickloading enchantment, and a wand sheath. Plug in offensive spells and a whole bunch of specialy bolts. Such a really neat character in the right campaign.

Zirin Kerdex - Jade Phoenix Mage
Right from the Book of Nine swords. War blade and Wizard into JPM. Sure, it's not the most bad ass comboing for melee and magic, but the flavor is ssooo awesome. You're a constantly reincarnated soul, one of 13, who are a part of an ancient order. In times lost to the sands of history, an abomination called the Soul Drake descended upon the kingdom from whence the JPM came. It had already ravished most of the rest of the region, and now it came for them. Nearly the whole order died to defeat it, but n the end, 13 were able to create the prison. They became a part of it, and thus are reborn again and again, a living part of the Soul Drake's prison. So cool!! Zirin would just be this guy. A hero come again, who aims to do the same as he's done for countless cycles of reincarnations, what's right. No weird gear, just what comes up. Maybe at some point a reduckulessly oversized greatsword or bastard sword, but probably not.

Ken, Servent of the Flame - Champion of the Downtroden
Again, would neat a fiat to bring Argent Fist out of Eberron if necessary. Argent fist is a combo prestige class that brings paladin and monk together. And boy does it! Again, a chance to just play a strait up hero type. Two levels of monk, four paladin, and you're in. Add to that some of the throw energy feats from PHBII, and I'm a happy Ogre. Playing in Eberron? Done and done! Only thing they don't get is a progression add on to the lay on hands ability. Which is too bad, as I really like that ability.

There are others too of course. The Kalshtar soul knife with vow of poverty. A Ranger that goes into just a bit of warlock that sports Aberrant Dragonmarks (and power-up feats for the Dragonmarks) for almost every level based feat.

I know that I'd like to do a 3.75 game when 4th comes out (take what I like from 4th, and run it in 3rd), but I don't know how doable that would be without a LOT of work on my side of things.*sigh* I like DMing and all, and I'm told I'm pretty damn good at it, but it'd be nice to play a bit more often.

Random Geek Jabber

Well, I've been running the Age of Worms for the last several months. It's been an OK campaign. Some of the structure is really bad. Some of the lay out's have been lacking. Monster and encounter design, ugg in too many places. However, the story has been pretty good, and the group has just got to end game.

Last Sunday, Dragotha, the mighty Draco-Lich, one time Consort of Tiamat, right hand of the Worm God Kyuss, total bad ass, was brought low by the party. In a round. No, drawn out epic battle. No desperate struggle to bring overcome this fearsome obsticle. No chance for mighty being to exchange blows that would rock the very pillars of heaven!! Nope, the party walked in, Dragotha breathed (they all made their saves and had evasion, wasted breath weapon in other words), let lose a mighty spell (they all made their saves, and took a relativly small amount of damage from the Horrid Wilting), and then they stomped him. A combination of highly specialized cohorts, plumbing the depths of the entirety of my D&D library (which is impressive), and power gamed characters took the FIRST DRACO-LICH EVER in less then 10 seconds game time. About 10 minutes table time I think. Yeah...

I powered up Dragotha, I had to. I gave him max HP and then some. I gave him a giant Kybar Dragonshard floating in his chest that filled him with necromantic powers (we're playing in Eberon). His bones were studded with Eberon Dragonshards as well, giving more boni. I swapped out feats to favor party trick beating Epic Feats. I used the old versions of spells that have since been revised, and I used them wrong (on purpose!!!!!!!!!). But it didn't matter. They walked in and pumped more then 2000 points of damage into him in a single melee round. It was late, so I decided to say, the hell with it. Except for going through the ol' dragon melee routine, there wasn't a whole lot left to do for him.

The fight, basically, was a huge let-down for me. I wanted it to last 5-6 rounds. Have a feel that this was something that was trully fearsome. An incredible threat. Nope. And that is the absolutly worse feeling for me as a DM, when that just kinda falls apart on me. When I have what should be a really cool encounter, what should be a desperate fight that will be memorable for the party. Well, I guess it's still memorable. They get to say "Hahaha, we totally poned Dragotha! I don't know why people think he's so tuff, what a pussy!" Yeah, makes me feel like I'm missing a rule somewhere.

It really, really sucked. I guess my idea of what makes a climactic scene is different from my players. *sigh*