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I like the tatoos but love the orbs of sequestered conflict. Nice map drawings.
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I feel that the Orbs of Sequestered Conflict might be too much of a hassle for a lot of groups, even if they provided free to-scale printouts of those areas.
Tattoos on the other hand, I really liked those. At least they bring a new dynamic to the resource management of healing surges.
I'm pretty intrigued by the Orbs of Sequestered Conflict as well.
It reminds me of a similar idea introduced in OneBadEgg's Shroudborn Class, which introduces 'arena powers,' dailies that teleport a few combatants to a second battlefield.
They look like they'll be a perfect implement to help make a controller wizard; being able to shunt someone into an inescapable domain of ice is about as controlling as you can get.
I wonder if we'll see something similar to arena powers or the orb powers in Arcane Power, as additional Wizard utilities.
And as usual, orbs get the most love. I wonder if wands are ever going to stop being the redheaded stepchild of the implements. AV had some alright ones, but nothing that could unseat the awesomeness of orbs.
EDIT: That is to say, those Orbs of Sequestered Conflict are ridiculously cool. Or perhaps just ridiculous, I'm still deciding. :-)
The only thing that I think is a problem is the demonskin tatoo. I can have resist 5 and alter it every other fight if I need it...that's way too good for a 3rd level item.
The orbs are very intriguing... I like the idea, and I don't think it would be too hard for the group to keep a separate tile handy with the specific arena for the orb.
My main concern, though, is the fact that the wizard gets trapped in a 5x5 box with enemies... Where's he going to run?
That does bring up an interesting side-effect, too. Battle not going so hot? Pop off to your orb-realm, let everyone else take a short rest while the wizard sustains the orb for 50 rounds, and then return to the fight with renewed vigor!
The orbs are very intriguing... I like the idea, and I don't think it would be too hard for the group to keep a separate tile handy with the specific arena for the orb.
My main concern, though, is the fact that the wizard gets trapped in a 5x5 box with enemies... Where's he going to run?
That does bring up an interesting side-effect, too. Battle not going so hot? Pop off to your orb-realm, let everyone else take a short rest while the wizard sustains the orb for 50 rounds, and then return to the fight with renewed vigor!
Interesting idea, I wonder if it should work. Spending Minor Actions to sustain the Orb doesn't sound like "rest" to me, but that would only apply to the Wizard.
I am not sure the area is large enough. It feels a little constrained. And of course no Wizard would go in there without some of his allies. Probably best to call them all in (Warlords with "Knight Move" come in handy now) and jump away with half the opposition. The look on the face of Artilleries should be fun when all their targets disappear along with their melee focused allies. Or the look of Skirmishers and Lurkers, suddenly trapped into a small area and losing lots of mobility. Of course, this might be what makes the effect to strong, too.
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Likewise, I think the Tatoos are an interesting idea, but I am not sure if basing stuff on (multiples) of Healing Surges expended is too strong.
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I really like the idea of the new orb's but they are very problematic. They allow you to split the monsters into two groups which should make the fights suddenly MUCH easier since they cannot help each other...
Ironheart Tattoo is listed as both a level 18 and 28 item and a level 16 and 26 level item, same thing with the strongheart tattoo, the tattoo of vengeance (similar problem), and the tattoo of the wolverine (similar problem).
The items are out of order. Either they should be in alphabetical order or ordered by level or something, but they appear to be ordered by what they do. It helps read through them, but it isn't good for looking them up. Hopefully this is just for the playtest (as I assume the drawings are).
Demonskin Tattoo looks way too good! Level 3 for variable resist 5 when I spend an AP? Yes please! Way too good, IMO.
Fleet Hero Tattoo looks too weak. Level 8 for +1 to speed for one round when you use an AP? A lot of the time it will be useless as you will want to move before spending the action point. And even if that weren't the case, it still looks weak.
What's with the "non-minion" clause in the when critically hit powers? Is it really too powerful to allow these things on minion criticals? I know that minions do static damage, so there's no real effect on a minion crit, but it seems strange. I dunno, I'm kind of indifferent to it (seeing as how when I DM, I just ignore minion crits because of the damage thing), but it looks weird to read.
I've been working on some magic items that have effects on first bloodied in an encounter, and I'm convinced that it is far better to have Power (Encounter): Immediate reaction, when bloodied than as a Property activated when first bloodied. The Encounter power just seems cleaner and more prone to thinking about it. Properties, I think, should be reserved for more "always on" abilities. Treat it for what it is: a power activated once an encounter on a condition, not a property!
I hate the orbs. Bad idea, as far as I'm concerned. It looks clunky and difficult to manage in play, too complicated with the close burst 2 size, effectively making the DM run two combats simultaneously, splitting the designed encounter to who knows what, and bypassing any hindrances of the terrain they are fighting on. As a glorified Cone of Silence, with a long "casting time," and only taking willing creatures, I would like it. Of course, that's a totally differnt purpose item.
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Perfect timing! The rangers in my world mark themselves by what organization they belong to. This week, the ranger in the party will be accepted into the ranks. I wasn't going to do anything special with the tattoo's, but this is just too cool not to try out!
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I've been working on some magic items that have effects on first bloodied in an encounter, and I'm convinced that it is far better to have Power (Encounter): Immediate reaction, when bloodied than as a Property activated when first bloodied. The Encounter power just seems cleaner and more prone to thinking about it. Properties, I think, should be reserved for more "always on" abilities. Treat it for what it is: a power activated once an encounter on a condition, not a property!
If you want to maintain the 'it's a freebie' thing that the property allows, you can always make it a free action as well, so it doesn't take up your immediate action. In general, I agree with you here.
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I am curios though, if the wizard uses the orb does he not get transported as well into the orb?
From the Power description:
Quote:
Standard Action. Area burst 2 within 2; you and each creature in the burst; the target disappears from the map and reappears in the area described until the end of your next turn.
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Read the last sentence of the first paragraph about the orbs. It clarifies what happens. You don't literally enter the orb. The Wizard and the orb "enter" the special plane that is represented within the orb.
I'm already itching to put these in play.
4E has rituals, use them, they're magic;
Want to see the greatest thing you will ever see? then 
You can use “Earth” as a D&D 
The Rouse 
One can appreciate both old and new D&D.
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