D&D 4E A 4E Combat Encounter - Round by Round Descritpion

D'karr · Apr 16, 2008

DarkAngel1979 said:
Ah yes. Makes sense. I feel it's a tad counterintuitive though. It also seems to me that her ability on OA would rarely actually be used, and would only serve as a deterrent, as only a pretty desperate monster would attempt a non-shift move that threatens an OA.

Shifting NEVER provokes an OA.

The combat challenge the fighter can use when an enemy shifts is an immediate action but not an OA. Combat Superiority (the power that stops the enemy) can only be used when someone provokes an OA.

These two powers seem very similar but they are not.

Delgar · Apr 16, 2008

Oops meant to delete the names at the top to protect the innocent.

cdrcjsn said:
Thanks for posting this btw. It was very amusing. I enjoyed the little side comments.

I've met Tim and Mike before when they visited up north a few years ago for an RPGA convention. I had a mental image of them saying the things you've written as I was reading. =)

Cedric

Delgar · Apr 16, 2008

This example I ran all by myself to demonstrate most of the aspects of 4E combat as we know it. However, in an actual playtest that I've run I've used different color poker chips to represent bloodied condition, and players that can mark have their own colors. Plus you can write right on the battle mat who has what condition if necessary. As I was running this in my head without using a mat, I just kept track of things in my head. I did write down hit points on a scratch pad.

So, as you run it more and more it flows really quickly. In real time I can't imagine this combat taking more than 10 minutes.

Transit said:
Delgar, great write up!

I'm curious if you were using any sort of markers or cards to keep track of conditions, ongoing damage, powers having been used up, etc. or were you keeping track of it all in your head as you ran this?

Delgar · Apr 16, 2008

Others have already mentioned it, but the fighters ability to attack a foe that shifts is not an opportunity attack, so his ability to stop the movement doesn't trigger. However, those two abilities combined make the fighter able to stop foes or make them think twice about moving.

DarkAngel1979 said:
I also believe that the Dwarf Fighter has an ability that cancels movement if she hits during an OA, so for instance when the Kobold tried to shift away and got hit, it should have stuck to the Dwarf instead of moving about. But I could be wrong, as I don't have the character sheet besides me (but I feel confident, seeing as that's one of the perks I was trying to explain to my gf when we looked at different characters she could play in my upcoming demo).

Stalker0 · Apr 16, 2008

Delgar, let me compliment you on the level of detail you put in your post. You clearly described each move and how all the numbers were obtained, which I'm sure will be a big help to those reading who haven't gotten to try the game yet.

Spinachcat · Apr 16, 2008

Great thread. Thank you.

Extra kudos for the kid's torso!

The_Gneech said:
Historically, some of my players have had a hard enough time remembering that they can move 6 squares, roll 1d20 to hit, and 1d8 to do damage ... I have visions of lots of blank stares as I try to get them to follow the various cascading effects that going on around them.

This is a very valid comment.

I run OD&D at cons and I get lots of people who feel 3e is too complicated for them to remember and play. 4e appears somewhat less complicated, but I am quite sure its is too much for them. 4e is a very tactically exciting board focussed game that is going to require a level of focus and attention that demands too much from the beers and pretzels set.

But hey, that's why Troll Lords is kicking butt with C&C sales! There is certainly a game out there for every audience to enjoy.

Warbringer · Apr 17, 2008

Great write-up.

I must say that while I will buy 4e (I have every other edition) I don't think I'm going to run it. There's something about the way it seems to play that is just too, well, "much".

I understand the doing somrthing cool every round, but I'm struggling with whether its for me. But, I will give it a good ole british try

But again, excellent write up that realu seemed to capture the flavor of the encounter and the mechanics

srn · Apr 17, 2008

Can the warlock recurse at will? For some reason I had the idea that they could only recurse when the original target was dead (or the encounter over).

Stalker0 · Apr 17, 2008

srn said:
Can the warlock recurse at will? For some reason I had the idea that they could only recurse when the original target was dead (or the encounter over).

The warlock curses as a minor action, and there is no indication on it so far that it only can be done to one creature, though it can only ever be cast on the closest creature.

So a warlock could curse a guy as a minor action, move to another guy, and then curse him as another minor action.

This is different from the ranger, who specifically can have only one hunter's quarry up at a time.

srn · Apr 17, 2008

Stalker0 said:
The warlock curses as a minor action, and there is no indication on it so far that it only can be done to one creature, though it can only ever be cast on the closest creature.

So a warlock could curse a guy as a minor action, move to another guy, and then curse him as another minor action.

This is different from the ranger, who specifically can have only one hunter's quarry up at a time.

Good point, I just reread the description. I'd been assuming it was a one-target-at-a-time deal.

It seems odd that a mobile warlock could have most of the monsters on the battlefield cursed after a few rounds, though.