Posted 2nd November 2009 at 03:38 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
The discussion in the thread on neutered wizards has wandered round to the issue of the "I win" button, why it was (effectively) removed in 4E, and whether or not it is a good thing.
On my part, I can see why the "I win" button is such an attractive concept. Having just the right spell to overcome any problem is one of the key tropes of the wizard, a class that many role-players identify with closely, and it also underscores the limitless possibilities of mind and knowledge.
However, in the context of a group game, the "I win" button has a couple of drawbacks:
1. Overshadowing Other Characters: While the effects of this can be minimized through player co-ordination (the wizard simply does not select spells which duplicate the capabilities of the other characters), the temptation to have a "backup" or a "safety net" (just in case the other character fails) is always present. And when that happens, it's about the closest that a fellow PC can get to being that DMPC who steps in to save the day when the PCs fail.
2. Circumventing the Game's Challenges: Whether it's a fight that ends suddenly because the BBEG rolled a 1 on his saving throw against a death spell, or a utility spell that cuts short what should have been a multi-stage challenge, the "I win" button can sometimes deliver what seems to be a quick and easy victory to the party. It's great for the players (in fact, some types of players live for moments like these) but some DMs find it annoying, especially if they have put a lot of work into preparing the encounter.
Previous editions worked round the above problems mainly by limiting the frequency of the "I win" button through a variety of means: random allocation of spells so that the wizard might not have all the spells he wants; spell preparation, which requires the wizard the guess what spells he will need; additional costs in terms of gold, XP, ability scores, age, etc.; or simple unreliability (e.g. random effects, saving throws, spell resistance, immunity, etc.) so that the spell does not always work, and so on. The problems still occured from time to time, but hopefully not often enough that anyone got too annoyed.
I wonder whether it would be possible to re-introduce the "I win" button, but in a way that would avoid the two problems mentioned earlier. For example:
1. "We Win": The idea here is that a spell might make the wizard good, but it makes another character better. It is not a new idea - even in 3E, there were some suggestions that knock should give a bonus to Open Lock checks, while invisibility should give a bonus to Hide checks. So, even though a wizard could cast these spells to open locks and sneak around if there was no rogue in the party, he would be better off if there was a rogue, and he used them to improve the rogue's ability instead.
2. The Narrative Win: Here, the "I win" button becomes a plot point, not a challenge. The wizard can, with a single spell, kill the BBEG in one round. However, before he can do that, he need to find the BBEG's true name. And he needs to find a rare component to power the spell. And he needs to fight through the BBEG's minions and henchmen before he can get close enough to kill him. And the party doesn't get any XP for killing the BBEG, except maybe XP for completing a quest. The lower the risk, the lower the reward, and in any case, they should have earned enough XP in the process of fulfilling all the conditions for casting the "I win" spell.
What do you think? Would you want the "I win" button in your game? If so, which approach would you favor?
Posted 2nd October 2009 at 02:08 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
Every once in a while, something I read on ENWorld sparks off a really cool neat idea. But first, a quote from Terry Pratchett which was also running through my mind at the time:
"Obviously, he reasoned, if sticking screws up your nose was madness, then numbering them and keeping them in careful compartments was sanity, which was the opposite-
Ah. No. It wasn't, was it ... ?"
- Terry Pratchett, Thief of Time
I think the re-introduction of modrons could tie in nicely with the implied setting's plotline element of the increasing encroachment of the Far Realm into the material world and the subsequent rise of psionics and the appearance of the wilden (further detailed in PH3).
In a remote corner of the Astral Sea, a strange, metallic ball appears, apparently out of nowhere. It lies motionless for a while, but suddenly, with a soft "snick", a panel slides open, revealing a single, large eye.
For a few moments, the eye stares blankly ahead. Then slowly, it looks around, and sees nothing but emptiness around it. It blinks, once, and with a faint whirring sound, the ball extends arms and legs, feet and hands.
Cautiously at first, but with rapidly growing confidence, the creature moves its limbs, flexes its joints. Then, apparently satisfied, the creature stands still. It holds up its empty left hand and a lump of metallic substance appears on it. It holds up its empty right hand and a strange tool materializes there. With precise, regular movements, it begins building another creature like itself.
Some sages speculate that just as the wilden were the natural world's response to the Far Realm's gradually growing incursion, the modrons were similarly birthed by the Astral Sea.
Although no god has claimed responsibility for their creation, some argue that their apparently mechanical nature suggests that they are creatures of Moradin. Others believe that their highly regimented and ordered society points to Erathis or even Bane. A more chilling line of speculation is that they were birthed not to counter the Far Realm, but because the growing influence of the Far Realm is slowly driving one or more of the gods insane. Those who believe this fear that the single-minded obsession displayed by the modrons in their battles against creatures of chaos and madness is a form of madness in itself...
Dazzling flare is one of the few ranged encounter powers available to a paladin. As an attack roll debuff, it is numerically less effective than the equal-level fearsome smite for a paladin with a 16 or higher Wisdom, but it also affects enemies immune to fear. A paladin who wants to focus on ranged or implement attacks could find it a good choice.
Divine Pursuit (Divine Power)
• Strength attack
• Wisdom secondary
• Weapon power
• Weapon vs. non-AC defense (Fortitude)
• Forced movement (push)
• Mobility (self)
Divine pursuit is nearly always superior to the higher-level staggering smite, unless the target has a Fortitude defense higher than AC. It is also likely to be more accurate since it is a weapon power that targets a non-AC defense, even though Fortitude tends to be the highest of the non-AC defenses. A paladin who values accuracy, mobility, or the ability to control his opponents' position could find it a good choice.
Fearsome Smite (Player's Handbook)
• Charisma attack
• Wisdom secondary
• Weapon power
• Fear effect
• Debuff (attack)
Fearsome smite is a defensive power similar to the equal-level dazzling flare, guardian light and shielding smite in that it reduces the chance that an enemy's attack will hit. It is most effective at defending against a single enemy as it imposes a penalty on all of its attacks, regardless of the defense targeted or the party member attacked, provided the enemy is not immune to fear. A paladin who wants to focus on interfering with a single target or who has a bonus to fear attacks could find it a good choice.
Guardian Light (Divine Power)
• Strength or Charisma attack
• Wisdom secondary
• Weapon power
• Radiant damage
• Defense bonus (non-AC, self)
In a way, guardian light is one of the least selfless paladin powers as it provides a bonus to the non-AC defenses of the paladin instead of his allies. Perhaps because of this thematic dissonance, it deals less damage than other paladin encounter powers of the same level. Although it does not directly defend the paladin's allies, it can be used to good effect in conjunction with a power that marks multiple opponents such as the 2nd-level utility power call of challenge. A paladin who is less concerned about offense and wants to boost his non-AC defenses could find it a good choice.
Heedless Fury (Divine Power)
• Strength attack
• Weapon power
• Sacrifice (all defenses)
Heedless fury can be considered the diametric opposite of the equal-level guardian light as it lowers the paladin's defenses but deals more damage than most other equal-level paladin encounter powers. This contributes to the paladin's ability to act as a defender and draw attacks from enemies by simultaneously causing him to appear as a serious threat and making him a more attractive target. Paladins who use highly damaging weapons get the most benefit from this power and could find it a good choice.
Piercing Smite (Player's Handbook)
• Strength attack
• Wisdom secondary
• Weapon power
• Weapon vs. non-AC defense (Reflex)
• Mark (multi-target, basic)
Piercing smite is one of the most accurate of the equal-level paladin encounter powers as it is a weapon power that targets a non-AC defense. It also enhances the paladin's ability to defend his allies by allowing him to mark multiple adjacent enemies, albeit only with a basic mark. A paladin who values accuracy or the ability to mark multiple opponents could find it a good choice.
Radiant smite deals more damage than most other equal-level paladin encounter powers. Paladins who have a high Wisdom or who use less damaging weapons may find it superior to the equal-level high-damage paladin encounter power, heedless fury. A paladin who wants to focus on radiant damage or who is primarily focused on defense but still wants a damaging attack could find it a good choice.
Shielding smite is the most reliable of the equal-level defensive paladin encounter powers in that it provides a boost to an ally's AC as an effect; the paladin does not need to hit with the power first. A paladin who wants to focus on protecting a single ally could find it a good choice.
Valorous Smite (Divine Power)
• Charisma attack
• Weapon power
• Mark (multi-target, divine sanction)
Valorous smite is another power that allows the paladin to mark multiple enemies. In comparison to the equal-level piercing smite, it is less accurate, but it can potentially affect more enemies and it imposes a better mark. A paladin who is focused on marking multiple opponents could find it a good choice.
Posted 9th August 2009 at 03:50 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
My thoughts on the paladin 1st-level at-will attack powers.
Ardent Strike (Divine Power)
• Strength or Charisma attack
• Weapon power
• Mark (divine sanction)
• Melee basic attack (when charging)
While in theory, the combination of divine challenge and ardent strike will allow a paladin to mark two enemies simultaneously, it may not always be feasible to do so in practice, as he will need to hit one enemy with ardent strike and end his turn adjacent to the target of his divine challenge. Still, a paladin who wants to really focus on his defender role might select this power. The ability to use this power in place of a melee basic attack when charging is a bonus, but a Charisma-focused paladin who takes it for this reason may be better off with virtuous strike instead.
The domains associated with ardent strike are somewhat dark in flavor, perhaps due to the default flavor text of making the target "the focus of your god's anger". The Destruction and Strife domains fit fairly well with this thematically as they grant damage bonuses under certain circumstances (IMO, the Strife domain power may be a little too good when facing large numbers of opponents), as does the Torment domain, which causes the target to grant combat advantage to an ally, presumably from the pain caused by the attack. The Darkness domain seems an odd fit both with the theme and with the mechanical effect of the power as it grants the paladin concealment, which actually offsets part of his marked target's incentive to attack him.
Bolstering Strike (Player's Handbook)
• Charisma attack
• Wisdom secondary
• Weapon power
• Temporary hit points (self)
As a defender, a paladin is likely to get targeted by attacks and take damage fairly often. Hence, the steady stream of temporary hit points provided by bolstering strike can significantly increase his durability. Since temporary hit points don't stack, the power becomes less useful if the paladin has access to another source of temporary hit points, e.g. the 2nd-level utility power vigor.
The Life domain is probably the closest fit with the mechanics and flavor of bolstering strike as it basically extends the benefit of the power to an ally. However, most of the other domains associated with it are compatible with the theme of enhancement. The War and Change domains grant a bonus to attack under certain circumstances, and the Creation domain grants an AC bonus to the paladin or an ally. The Earth domain fits the least well with the theme of the power as it slows the target.
Challenging Strike (PH Heroes: Series 1)
• Strength attack
• Weapon power
• Weapon vs. Non-AC defense (Will, while bloodied)
• Mark (basic)
Challenging strike allows a paladin to mark two creatures at once, but as previously discussed (see ardent strike), it is not always feasible to do so. Its accuracy also increases when the paladin is bloodied, but this can be a risky tactic as the paladin marks the target if he hits. In addition, it provides mechanical support for the concept of a paladin who fights harder after he is seriously injured.
Domains Challenging strike is not associated with any domains. However, the Life and Justice domains (see valiant strike and virtuous strike respectively) can be linked with the theme of turning the tide, and the Destruction, War and Sea domains (see ardent strike, bolstering strike and virtuous strike respectively) have mechanical effects that relate to that idea.
Enfeebling Strike (Player's Handbook)
• Charisma attack
• Weapon power
• Debuff (attack)
Enfeebling strike fits very well with the defender's role as it reduces the target's attack bonus. When combined with the paladin's mark, it can make it difficult for the target to hit the paladin's allies.
Many of the domains associated with enfeebling strike have sinister connotations, in line with the power's weakening effect. Mechanically, most of them either grant damage bonuses or inflict further penalties on the target. The Death domain grants damage bonuses under certain circumstances, and the Poison, Undeath and Winter domains do so in addition to changing the damage type of the power. The Madness and Moon domains inflict a further penalty to attack rolls and a penalty to AC respectively, and the Tyranny domain imposes a penalty on the target's saving throws. The Trickery domain may have the weakest thematic link to enfeebling strike as it allows the paladin or an ally to shift.
Forbidding strike defends an ally by granting him resistance to all damage. This power is suited to a paladin that is focused mostly on defense since the requirement that he use a shield means that he cannot wield the more damaging two-handed weapons, and the power's damage does not increase at the epic tier.
Domains Forbidding strike is not associated with any domains. However, the Life, Protection and Love domains (see bolstering strike, valiant strike and virtuous strike respectively) are in line with the theme of defending an ally, and the Creation and Freedom domains (see bolstering strike and holy strike respectively) have mechanical effects that also grant defensive bonuses.
Holy strike deals the most direct damage of the at-will paladin powers. It also deals radiant damage, so Strength-focused paladins who want to deal more damage or who want to be especially effective against undead might select this power.
The domains associated with holy strike are a mixed bag. The Strength domain probably has the strongest thematic link to the power as it provides an additional damage bonus. Similarly, the Vengeance domain effectively provides a damage bonus since most of the time, an enemy will attack on his turn. However, flavor-wise, it does not seem to relate strongly to the power. The Fate and Luck domains both increase the power's effectiveness in combat, with a situational attack bonus and an increase to the critical range respectively. The Freedom domain seems somewhat out of place both mechanically and thematically, as it grants the paladin or an ally a saving throw bonus.
Valiant Strike (Player's Handbook)
• Strength attack
• Weapon power
• Attack bonus (self)
Valiant strike is more accurate than most of the other at-will paladin powers. It also provides mechanical support for the concept of a paladin who fights harder the more he is outnumbered.
Some of the domains associated with valiant strike evoke the image of the paladin inspiring his allies or himself when he fights multiple opponents, even though he does not need to be outnumbered to enjoy the benefits. The Hope domain and the Protection domain grant an ally a bonus to his attack roll and defenses respectively, while the Civilization domain grants the paladin a damage bonus. The Skill domain, which allows the power to be used as a melee basic attack, is likely associated with it because it grants an attack bonus. The power has less obvious ties with the Storm domain, which changes the damage type of the power and grants damage bonuses, and the Wilderness domain, which allows the paladin and adjacent allies to ignore difficult terrain.
While the saving throw bonus granted by virtuous strike is a nice benefit, the key advantages of this power for Charisma-focused paladins are that it deals radiant damage, which is particularly effective against undead, and that it can be used as a melee basic attack, which can help offset his potential weakness in this area.
Apart from being a radiant power that grants the paladin a bonus to his saving throws, the flavor of virtuous strike is not very well-defined. Hence, it is unsurprising that many of the domains associated with the power seem to have very different themes. The Sun domain, which makes the target vulnerable to radiant damage, ties in with the power's mechanical effect, as does the Sea domain, which allows the paladin to either make a saving throw or impose a penalty to the target's saving throws. The Knowledge domain, which grants the paladin a bonus to defenses, and the Arcana domain, which grants a bonus to his attack rolls with arcane powers, can be broadly linked to the power's default flavor text of filling the paladin with resolve. Similarly, the Love domain, which grants temporary hit points to one or two allies, and the Justice domain, which grants bloodied allies a bonus to attack rolls, can be flavored as doing the same for allies.
Posted 4th July 2009 at 03:32 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
Some more initial thoughts about organizations, subject to change.
Gaining and Losing Rank
Any organization should have definite aims and goals, and the most obvious way for a PC to gain rank with respect to that organization is to further its plans.
An organization may offer the PC missions and quests. If a PC completes them successfully, he may gain rank with the organization in addition to whatever other physical rewards (gold and magic items) it offers.
Even if the PC does not work directly for the organization, his accomplishments may help or hinder it, resulting in a corresponding increase or decrease in rank.
Both of the approaches above require some preparation from the DM - either to devise tasks which the organization wants accomplished, or to determine the organization's reaction to the PC's deeds (assuming it comes to know of them).
Alternatively, and perhaps ideally, the PC may take the initiative and come up with his own plans to increase his standing with the organization. The DM could run this as an impromptu complexity 1 (4 successes before 3 failures) skill challenge of a level equal to his current rank +6. The details of the skill challenge will depend on the organization and how the PC chooses to advance himself. If the PC succeeds on the skill challenge, he earns XP for the skill challenge, a one-point increase in rank, and the organization may reward him further, at the DM's discretion.
Posted 24th June 2009 at 05:39 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
Updated 25th June 2009 at 02:31 AM byFireLance
I've always thought that another good way to give a character more depth is for him to develop meaningful relationships with NPCs and organizations in the game world. However, in order to encourage the players to invest time and effort to do so, the relationship has to be an asset, not a liability.
I've decided to start with organizations first as they are more amorphous and easily fudged. Since organizations are made up of a variety of people, it seems more plausible that they are able to provide various benefits and services.
The following are very initial thoughts on organizations, and are subject to change.
Level
Like almost anything else in 4e, organizations have a level which abstractly measures their power. A village might be no more than 4 or 5. A kingdom would be in the upper teens, possibly even a 20. The worshippers and servitors of a god (not just a specific temple, but every worshipper and servitor, including angels and exarchs, in all the worlds and planes) would probably top the scale at 30.
Rank
Rank is a measure of the character's standing with (or within the organization, if he is a member) and abstractly determines how much of the organization's resources he can tap upon. A character's rank in an organization can be no higher than the organization's level. A character whose rank in an organization equals its level effectively leads the organization and can command all of its resources.
Benefits
Some of the potential benefits that a character can gain from association with an organization are as follows. Generally, a character should not be able to call on assistance from an organization too often - perhaps about once per month. A character's ability to call on assistance from the organization should also be renewed whenever his rank with the organization increases (even if the organization has helped him within the last month), or whenever he performs a service for the organization. An organization may also offer unlimited assistance if the character is acting on its behalf.
1. Skill checks - if the organization is plausibly able to help, it may allow the character to make one skill check as if he was trained in it, and provide an additional +1 bonus to the check. This bonus increases to +2 if the character's rank is 11 or higher, and +3 if his rank is 21 or higher. If the skill is a specialized skill for the organization (e.g. Religion for a church), the character may make the check as if he was trained in the skill and had the Skill Focus feat for the skill, and the bonus is doubled (i.e. +4 if his rank is 11 or higher).
2. Rituals - the organization arranges for the casting of a ritual of half your rank or lower. You still have to pay for the component cost. If the DM thinks it appropriate, the organization may be able to provide access to select higher-level rituals.
3. Trade - the organization procures a magic item of half your rank or lower. If the DM thinks it appropriate, the organization may be able to obtain certain higher-level magic items. You may buy the item or exchange another magic item of the same or higher value for it.
4. Mundane Services - the organization may provide whatever mundane services the DM thinks is appropriate. For example, a village might offer the character a safe place to rest, a merchant house may be able to arrange transportation for the character, or a church may be able to translate a document from Supernal to Common.
Posted 22nd June 2009 at 04:34 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
A symbiotic item is basically an artifact that doesn't move on and hence may stay with the character throughout his career. In addition, the character's connection with the item (and the item's power) increases more slowly. The character must also meet certain prerequisites (generally linked to the theme of the item or the power) in order to use the item's new abilities.
When first found, Solar Radiance appears to be a +1 sunblade longsword (Adventurer's Vault). It gains the following abilities when its wielder meets the stated prerequisites:
Prerequisites: 5th level; you have performed a just or generous act in the presence of the sword.
Benefit: You can use the sword as a holy symbol.
Prerequistes: 7th level; you have used the sword to defeat an evil or chaotic evil creature of at least 6th level.
Benefit: The sword's enhancement bonus increases to +2.
Prerequistes: 9th level; you have used the sword to defeat a shadow or undead creature of at least 8th level.
Benefit: When the sword is used to deal radiant damage, add a +2 item bonus to damage rolls.
Prerequistes: 11th level; (to be determined)
Benefit: The sword gains the following daily power:
Power (Daily): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with the weapon. The target is dazed until the end of your next turn. If the target is evil or chaotic evil, the target is dazed (save ends) instead.
Prerequistes: 13th level; you have used the sword to defeat an evil or chaotic evil creature of at least 12th level.
Benefit: The sword's enhancement bonus increases to +3.
Prerequistes: 15th level; (to be determined)
Benefit: When you use the sword to attack a target currently marked by you, you gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll.
Prerequistes: 17th level; you have used the sword to defeat an evil or chaotic evil creature of at least 16th level.
Benefit: The sword's enhancement bonus increases to +4.
Prerequistes: 19th level; you have used the sword to defeat a shadow or undead creature of at least 18th level.
Benefit: When the sword is used to deal radiant damage, add a +4 item bonus to damage rolls.
Prerequistes: 21th level; (to be determined)
Benefit: The sword gains the following daily power:
Power (Daily): Free Action. Use this power when you hit with the weapon. The target is blinded until the end of your next turn.
Prerequistes: 23th level; you have used the sword to defeat an evil or chaotic evil creature of at least 22nd level.
Benefit: The sword's enhancement bonus increases to +5.
Prerequistes: 25th level; (to be determined)
Benefit: The sword gains the following encounter power:
Power (Encounter * Radiant): Free Action. Use this power when making an attack that targets AC. The attack targets Reflex defense instead. All damage from the attack is radiant damage.
Prerequistes: 27th level; you have used the sword to defeat an evil or chaotic evil creature of at least 26th level.
Benefit: The sword's enhancement bonus increases to +6.
Prerequistes: 29th level; you have used the sword to defeat a shadow or undead creature of at least 28th level.
Benefit: When the sword is used to deal radiant damage, add a +6 item bonus to damage rolls.
When 4e was released, there weren't any hawks, eagles or similar predatory birds in the MM, so I converted the encounter to one with a spiretop drake instead.
Now that blood hawks are in MM2 (and are level 1 skirmishers, the same as the spiretop drake), I've decided to change the encounter to one with a shadowtouched blood hawk instead. This will make it slighly tougher as the blood hawk deals more damage.
As with the shadowtouched spiretop drake, the following example is not a direct application of the shadowtouched alternate advancement. Once again, I made flyby attack synergize better with necrotic smite.
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +2; darkvision HP 35; Bloodied 17; see also bloodied retaliation AC 16; Fortitude 12, Reflex 15, Will 13 Resist 5 necrotic Speed 2 (clumsy), fly 6; see also flyby attack
Claw Rake (standard; at-will)
+6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage, and the target takes ongoing 2 damage, or ongoing 5 damage if the shadowtouched blood hawk is bloodied; see also bloodied retaliation. Flyby Attack (standard; at-will)
The shadowtouched blood hawk flies up to 6 squares and makes a claw rake attack or a necrotic smite attack at any point during that movement. It does not provoke opportunity attacks when moving away from the target of the attack. Necrotic Smite (standard; encounter) * Necrotic
The shadowtouched blood hawk makes a bite attack. If it hits, it deals an additional 6 necrotic damage and the target is weakened (save ends). Bloodied Retaliation
The shadowtouched blood hawk gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against the creature that first bloodies it in an encounter.
Alignment Unaligned Languages – Str 13 (+2) Dex 16 (+4) Wis 13 (+2) Con 11 (+1) Int 2 (-3) Cha 7 (-1)
Posted 12th June 2009 at 03:13 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
I'm in a mellow mood today. It's probably a combination of various factors: it's Friday, the weekend is almost here, and I've got a game to look forward to on Sunday. So, I've decided to write a few words in praise of some things that I think don't get appreciated often enough.
1. The Combat Mini-Game
It might not require as much imagination as the role-playing mini-game or as much creativity as the open-ended problem-solving mini-game, but combat is usually a quick way to increase the level of tension and get all the players involved.
The turn by turn structure of combat means that all the players will get involved, unless they consciously choose not to. The fact that their PCs' lives are typically on the line means that everyone has an interest in the outcome. And when a player's turn comes up, he usually has an interesting choice to make, even it is simply whether or not to move (and if so, where to) and which at-will attack to use.
Interesting things happen in combat: random dice rolls mean that success or failure is never certain, critical hits evoke cheers or groans (depending on who scored the hit), and the PCs often find new ways to work together and pull off some devastatingly effective combination of attacks.
Sometimes, I feel that combat has become so engaging that the players don't want to focus on the other aspects of the game.
2. Simplicity
While I have nothing against PCs with extensive back stories, well-fleshed out personalities, complex motivations and relationships with various organizations and NPCs, or intricately crafted campaign worlds with detailed descriptions of their history, geography, cultures and current political landscape, or carefully-crafted campaigns full of mystery, twists and surprises after every adventure, a straightforward adventure in a vanilla campaign setting with PCs who are typical examples of their races and classes can be fun, too.
More importantly, games like these take very little effort to prepare for. A Dungeon Delve style series of three or four linked fights can be put together at short notice and provide several hours of entertainment for a gaming group.
Casual gamers might even prefer such an approach. If each adventure is more or less self-contained, they will not need to remember the details of previous sessions and can approach each new game afresh. This makes it easier to play periodic games in which weeks or months may pass between sessions.
3. DMs who Give Their Players What They Want
Between the extreme caricatures of the doormat DM who gives in to his players all the time, and the demon DM whose only aim is to frustrate his players, there are (I'm fairly sure) the ordinary everyday DMs who are quite happy to give their players what they want, within reason, provided they work for it.
They might use wealth by level tables as a guideline when giving out treasure, but they don't treat them as player entitlements. They see wish lists as feedback, not orders from the players, and have no qualms about giving them something else if their requests are unreasonable. They see treasure parcels as a way of organizing the rewards to be found by the players, but don't feel obliged to give them out if the players do nothing to earn them.
All in all, they act pretty much like how you would expect a reasonably tough but reasonably fair and reasonably nice person to act. They run games that are challenging, but flexible and fun. I'm glad to say that I play with DMs like these.
4. Players who Respect their DM
Among other things, they make requests, not demands. They appreciate the effort that their DM has put into preparing for the game and work with him instead of against him to get their PCs to the adventure. They take challenges and setbacks in their stride, and work to solve problems instead of sulking and accusing the DM of being unfair. When the DM screws up (it happens from time to time - we're all human) they don't hold a grudge.
In short, they are a joy to DM for. I consider myself pretty lucky that my players are like this.
Initiative +10 Senses Perception +3; darkvision HP 48; Bloodied 24; see also bloodied retaliation AC 19; Fortitude 13, Reflex 17, Will 15; see also trap sense Resist 5 necrotic Speed 6
Short Sword (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+9 vs. AC; 1d6 damage; see also bloodied retaliation Twin Slash (standard; at-will) * Weapon
Requires combat advantage; the Shadowfang kobold slyblade makes 2 short sword attacks. If both attacks hit the same target, the target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends); see also bloodied retaliation Necrotic Smite (standard; encounter) * Necrotic
The Shadowfang kobold slyblade makes a short sword attack or a twin slash attack. If it hits with at least one attack, it deals an additional 7 necrotic damage and the target is weakened (save ends). Bloodied Retaliation
The Shadowfang kobold slyblade gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against the creature that first bloodies it in an encounter. Combat Advantage
The Shadowfang kobold slyblade deals an extra 1d6 damage on melee attacks against any target it has combat advantage against. Sly Dodge (immediate interrupt, when targeted by a melee or a ranged attack, at-will)
The Shadowfang kobold slyblade redirects the attack to an adjacent kobold minion. Shifty (minor; at-will)
The Shadowfang kobold slyblade shifts 1 square. Trap Sense
The Shadowfang kobold slyblade gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic Skills Acrobatics +11, Stealth +13, Thievery +13 Str 9 (+1) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 12 (+3) Con 12 (+3) Int 9 (+1) Cha 14 (+4) Equipment leather armor, 2 short swords
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +2; darkvision HP 44; Bloodied 22; see also bloodied retaliation AC 19; Fortitude 17, Reflex 16, Will 17; see also trap sense Resist 5 necrotic Speed 6
Spear (standard; at-will) * Weapon
+7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 1 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the Shadowfang kobold denwarden's next turn; see also bloodied retaliation and mob attack () Javelin (standard; at-will) * Weapon
Ranged 10/20; +7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 1 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the Shadowfang kobold denwarden's next turn; see also bloodied retaliation and mob attack Necrotic Smite (standard; encounter) * Necrotic
The Shadowfang kobold denwarden makes a spear attack. If it hits, it deals an additional 6 necrotic damage and the target is weakened (save ends). Bloodied Retaliation
The Shadowfang kobold denwarden gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against the creature that first bloodies it in an encounter. Denwarden's Mark (immediate interrupt, when an adjacent enemy marked by the Shadowfang kobold denwarden makes an attack that does not include the denwarden as a target; at-will)
The Shadowfang kobold denwarden makes a melee basic attack against the triggering enemy. If the attack hits, the target grants combat advantage to the Shadowfang kobold denwarden and its allies until the end of the denwarden's next turn. Mob Attack
The Shadowfang kobold denwarden gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls per kobold ally adjacent to the target. Shifty (minor; at-will)
The Shadowfang kobold denwarden shifts 1 square. Trap Sense
The Shadowfang kobold denwarden gains a +2 bonus to all defenses against traps.
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Draconic Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +7, Thievery +7 Str 13 (+2) Dex 13 (+2) Wis 12 (+2) Con 12 (+2) Int 9 (+0) Cha 10 (+1) Equipment chainmail, heavy shield, spear, 3 javelins
Posted 29th May 2009 at 04:10 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
The gaining of experience points and the resulting increase in levels is the usual way to track a character's learning and growth. However, this is generally non-specific learning - the character's new abilities and higher bonuses are the net result of everything that he has gone through, and are not directly attributable to any incident in particular.
However, I believe that being able to tie a bonus to a specific incident in the character's past helps the players to recall key events that happened to character and makes his learning and growth seem more real and tangible.
Hence, I'm thinking of introducing a learning bonus. After any significant event that occurs to the character, the player can describe a lesson that the character has learned, and the DM can award a bonus depending on how significant he feels the lesson to be, and the circumstances under which the bonus can be used. Any time that the circumstances arise, the player can ask the DM after he has made a d20 roll whether his learning bonus will make any difference to the outcome. If the DM says that it will, he may decide to use his learning bonus (this expends the bonus). A character may only have one learning bonus at a time, but he may replace his previous bonus with a new one any time he gains one.
The simplest, most straightforward trigger for a learning bonus would be critical hits in combat. If the PC scores a critical hit in a fight, he may choose to gain a +1 learning bonus with the power he scored the critical hit with. If a critical hit is scored against the PC in a fight, he may choose to gain a +1 learning bonus to the defence targeted by the critical hit. If the DM feels that an incident is significant, but the player does not propose a learning bonus tied to the event, the DM may prompt the player to do so.
As a further house rule, a character could have a maximum number of learning bonuses equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum one).
Posted 27th May 2009 at 03:09 PM byFireLance (FireLance's Scattered Thoughts)
Challenge Summary: The PC fights a zombie and the imp from the previous encounter if it managed to flee from him. This interrupts the necromancer's ritual and causes uncontrolled necrotic energies to ravage him. The PC must choose between helping him and continuing to fight his other enemies. If the necromancer dies, he rises as a deathlock wight (Monster Manual) and attacks the PC.
Introducing The Challenge: After the PC has defeated the skeletons, and the imp has either fled or been defeated as well, the PC may venture deeper into the cave. The cave tunnel eventually opens out into a large natural cavern. If the PC has played through A Touch of Shadow, this is the same room as Challenge #7 of that adventure. At the far side of the cavern, a figure in dark robes chants harsh-sounding words. A zombie stands guard near the entrance. If the imp is present, it is next to the zombie.
Running the Challenge: The cavern covers a 10-square by 10-square area. Unless the PC played through A Touch Of Shadow and managed to close the rift, what appears to be a sphere composed of glowing purplish energy hangs in the air near the centre of the edge of the cavern opposite the entrance. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 squares of the sphere takes 5 points of necrotic damage. The necromancer is adjacent to the sphere. The zombie is in one of the squares adjacent to the entrance. If the imp is present, it is adjacent to the zombie. If the PC took a short rest after Challenge #5, the imp has also spent a healing surge and regained 10 hit points. If the PC does not carry a light source, the area is dimly lit, either from the sphere, or from glowing runes inscribed in a circle around the necromancer.
The necromancer spends a standard action each round to perform the ritual and leaves it to the zombie and imp (if present) to fight the PC. The zombie focuses on keeping the PC away from the necromancer, using its zombie grab to immobilize the PC. If present, the imp repeats its tactics in the previous challenge, using vanish to turn invisible and then attacking the PC with tail sting.
The situation changes once one of the following occurs: the PC deals damage to the necromancer or prevents him from performing the ritual for one round (the necromancer has AC 18, other defenses 16); or (if the PC is fighting both the zombie and the imp) the PC destroys either the zombie or the imp; or (if the PC is only fighting the zombie) the PC deals damage to the zombie. When this happens, the necromancer loses his concentration and purplish necromantic energy engulfs him. The necromancer starts dying and must make death saving throws at the end of his turn.
If the PC decides to try and save the necromancer, this part of the encounter can be run as a skill challenge. In order to earn a success, the PC must spend a standard action and succeed at a DC 18 Heal check. If the PC did not take an extended rest during the interlude, the DC of the Heal check is 17 instead. The PC does not accumulate failures for failed Heal checks. However, the necromancer dies if the PC does not manage to earn four successes before he fails three death saves. In addition, the PC may also make use of the following skills and abilities during this challenge:
Religion: Allow the PC to make a Religion check as a free action when he starts helping the necromancer. This represents his ability to use minor religious rituals to keep the necrotic energy at bay. If he succeeds on a DC 14 Religion check, he gains a +2 bonus to his next Heal check. If he succeeds on a DC 18 Religion check, he also gains a +2 bonus to all subsequent Heal checks, and if he succeeds on a DC 22 Religion check, he also automatically succeeds on his first Heal check to help the necromancer. A failed Religion check does not count as a failure for the challenge. However, the PC may only make one Religion check during this challenge; this represents the extent of his knowledge at the time.
Channel Divinity: Divine Mettle: If the necromancer succeeds on his saving throw, the PC may choose to either earn one success or negate one failed death save. Other abilities that grant additional saving throws have a similar effect.
Lay on Hands: If the PC uses lay on hands on the necromancer, he earns one success. The PC may earn at most one success from using lay on hands.
If the necromancer fails three death saves and dies, he rises on his next turn as a deathlock wight and starts attacking the PC. The deathlock wight prefers to attack from range. If it does not start its turn adjacent to the PC, or if it starts its turn adjacent to the PC, but is able to shift away, it attacks with grave bolt. If it starts its turn adjacent to the PC and is unable to shift away, it attacks with horrific visage (if it is available) or with its claw. It uses reanimate on the zombie after it is destroyed as soon as it can do so without provoking opportunity attacks.
If the PC manages to save the necromancer, he earns XP as if he had defeated the deathlock wight in combat. The necromancer will be very weak after the ordeal and will not put up any resistance if the PC turns him over to the authorities. The PC also earns a quest award of 150 XP if he either defeats the deathlock wight or captures the necromancer. In addition to the promised monetary reward, the PC may also claim the necromancer's skull mask (5th level, Adventurer's Vault).
) click 
Claw Rake (standard; at-will) 
Flyby Attack (standard; at-will) 
) Javelin (standard; at-will) * Weapon
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