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Old 30th April 2008, 03:17 PM   #2 (permalink)
Fyrestryke
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Fyrestryke Goblin Sharpshooter (Lvl 2)
Quote:
Originally Posted by thormagni
So, recognizing that some of my gaming buddies have backed away from rpgs, I'm interested in the group's overall feelings about the 4th edition of D&D.

Personally, I am fairly ambivalent. On the one hand, I am intrigued by some of the changes, like making it possible for 1st level characters to have an exciting fight, and for spell casters to continue to be useful after an hour of adventuring. The idea of giving every player something interesting to do throughout the night's game is certainly encouraging. And hard-coding the idea of role-playing by setting up systems for social, ah, combat also sounds pretty interesting (and is certainly something I have railed about before, at length.)
I'm really looking forward to all of the new things. I wish I was more versed in what's coming "down the pipe" but I haven't read all of the articles and whatnot to be honest.

Quote:
Originally Posted by thormagni
On the other hand, I am less than enthralled with the complete switch to a "map and figures" game. And what I have heard about the fairly rigidly set "roles" is discouraging (What would be the purpose of a role-playing heavy but combat light character in a game which seems to define everyone by their combat specialty?)
I disagree on both accounts.

I have played in numerous groups (for years in the online group where the players weren't even in the room together and communicated via IRC (text chat) and we had some of the most awesome adventures ever!) without the slightest hint of a map or miniatures or anything of the sort. You don't need them to play DND and I highly doubt 4E will change that no matter how much WotC might focus on such. Everyone knows they're only doing it to sell more minis, nothing more. I will say that having a grid and minis helps to strategize, but IMHO it also slows the game down. As long as the group can decide on common ideas of what the room is like, etc. It's all good.

They've put the roles in there to help you determine what kind of things the characters excel at. There's no reason you can't play a battle hungry mage or a lightly armoured/swift fighter. At least I hope not. The rulebooks are like the pirate code "more of a guideline".

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thormagni
And a big negative for me is the sheer amount of 3.5 material I have accumulated. I guess on a book-by-book basis I probably had as many 2nd edition books, but those were flimsy, black-and-white softbound books. Not the well-illustrated, full-color hardbacks that are my 3.5 collection. That is a lot of money and shelfspace invested just to see them go obsolete.
Yeah, that is a downside, but your 3.5 stuff is hardly obsolete. We proved that with the DND Basic set or whatever we played that time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thormagni
I guess the big deciding factor for me is the group. If anyone is interested in playing 4th edition, I will play it. But if no one shows any interest, I'm not sure I will even pick it up (yeah, I know. I don't believe myself when I say this either.)

Does anyone want to try the new edition or have thoughts one way or another?
I'm definitely interested in having a group to play 4E with and I'm definitely getting the books.
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