|
Post by Keikan300 on May 15, 2008 12:36:54 GMT -5
eeeeerrr.... <drools> me likes dumber things.
|
|
|
Post by Matt Droz on May 15, 2008 14:22:29 GMT -5
Actually, they brought out the Item Level idea with the Magic Item Compendium, it's a way for DM's to determine if an item may be too powerful for a character. There wasn't any restriction to who could use it in the current edition, though.
Basically, they are doing what the school systems have been forced to do for the last decade or so: dumb down the curriculum so the people that don't want to learn can still pay ... I mean PLAY the the game.
|
|
vchan
Thespian
Making gravy without the lumps!
Posts: 176
|
Post by vchan on May 15, 2008 16:34:56 GMT -5
I was feeling more insulted by how they handled loot than the item levels to be honest.
Yes, occasionally the party gets shafted for loot. But occasionally the party makes out like bandits too. I find the guaranteed number of loot payouts per level... sucks a lot of the fun out of the game for me.
To put it succinctly, if the characters wanted a regular paycheck, they should have taken that job as the town clerk.
|
|
|
Post by Matt Droz on May 15, 2008 17:10:13 GMT -5
I agree. And I DISAGREE with his assertation that 9 times out of ten, the party gets shafted on treasure! The tables are set up so that big payoffs are irregular, but they still give out a lot on a normal roll.
Sounds more like they are shooting for the "go after this monster/boss to get the special +10 bow that anyone that defeats him gets" that WoW is known for. And since everyone has it, how special is it?
|
|
|
Post by Matt Droz on May 16, 2008 10:27:09 GMT -5
Also, did you happen to notice that the selling price of magic items dropped from 1/2 value to 1/5 value? So, if that sword costs you 20,000 and you find a better one on an adventure, you'll only get 4,000 when you sell it.
I wonder if this will also apply to upgrading items...
|
|
|
Post by Keikan300 on May 16, 2008 11:25:53 GMT -5
I was never up on all of the pricing and such for equipment, however, from my lay opinion, it did not seem all that broken. I could be wrong.... A lot of the changes that are being implemented seem to follow this also. I realize, from other people's conversations, that there were rules that needed to be fixed, but the vast bulk seems to me, is being changed for no real reason. Just my opinion...
|
|
|
Post by Matt Droz on May 17, 2008 8:44:01 GMT -5
Ironically, I think the main reason that 3.x was broken was that they kept introducing new prestige classes and new feats. I realize that's how the sell the books, but the glut of choices meant that characters became overpowered and broken way too easily.
The latest on 4th edition is that they are releasing a new PHB, DMG and MM every year, and will have new classes, races, etc. to add with each release. So, 4th will quickly be as broken as 3rd.
|
|
|
Post by Keikan300 on May 17, 2008 10:16:27 GMT -5
The latest on 4th edition is that they are releasing a new PHB, DMG and MM every year, and will have new classes, races, etc. to add with each release. So, 4th will quickly be as broken as 3rd. WOW.... that is a blatent attempt to just gouge money from the players. I will fall back on my original comments that I think that this will be a death knoll for D&D...
|
|
vchan
Thespian
Making gravy without the lumps!
Posts: 176
|
Post by vchan on May 22, 2008 9:28:27 GMT -5
Well, at the convention last weekend, J and I attended a panel on 4th ed given by one of the editors, and he attended a playtest of the system.
Some impressions from the discussion. They're adding new sources of magic to the game. Arcane and Divine, and they were refering to Martial as though it were a seperate power source like the previous two, except obviously geared for fighters and such. In the future, they'll be releasing other sources, such as Primal which will influence druids.
Magic missle is no longer an automatic hit, and spells no longer scale with levels. Instead you replace spells as you go on with higher level versions of the spells which do more damage or have wider ranging effects. Attacks and defenses, both physical and magical seem to work on the following mechanics. Your attack bonus, whether swinging spells or metal would be half your level + the appropriate bonus from your attribute (Int for a Wiz throwing a spell, Str for a fighter swinging a sword) + whatever extra bonus' you get from feats, magic weapons etc. Their AC is determined by 1/2 their level + dex(?) bonus + magic/other bonus
The prestige classes are no longer called prestige classes. Instead there's a set number of 'paths' your character can take depending on their class. At 10th level, you have the option to specialize your character into a path, which offers you extras. You can specialize further at 20th level, and the book has levelling information as high as 30th level.
You now get three actions per round. a fast action, a move action and a standard action. Each character has a number of powers/abilities they can use. Some every round, some once per day etc. Using the warlock class she offered this example. You start your round with your fast action and cast a curse. Move action to get further away from the person and standard action lets you cast your spell, that may interact with the curse to give you extra damage.
There was a fair amount of moaning and groaning at the panel as they've switched up what the starting character classes are at this point. The sorcerer, bard, barbarian and druid have been removed, and the warlock and warlord have been added. The warlord was described as a 'tactical fighter' and many of his special abilities grant his party members extras such as a free move action etc.
The last item of note from the panel that comes to mind is they've done away with multiclassing. You can buy certain abilities from other character classes when you level, but you cannot take a whole level in a new class when the time comes.
Sorry this is a bit disjointed, just wanted to bring up the items that stuck in my mind from the panel. Food for thought.
|
|
|
Post by Keikan300 on May 22, 2008 9:46:28 GMT -5
As the day gets closer and closer for the 4th Ed. launch, I seem to be hearing a bell sounding louder and louder....
|
|