Living 4th Edition Discussion Thread

Phoenix8008 · Aug 5, 2008

Now that we have a forum specifically for Living 4th Edition, I thought it would be a good idea to bring the discussion thread over here instead of the 'Talking the Talk' forum where it's been. Here is a link to the original LEW 4th Edition Discussion thread.

I've linked to this new thread from there as well so anybody that reads that one will end up here if they make it to the end of the thread. Unless there is some way to transport that whole thread over and merge it with this one??? That would be beyond my knowledge or ability though.

Anyway, let the L4E discussion recommence!!

renau1g · Aug 5, 2008

Wunderbar! Thanks for the work Phoenix, et all.

I look forward to helping make Living 4th an excellent and developed setting.

Atanatotatos · Aug 5, 2008

So... a question to ask the facilitators-to-be (i think): do we allow genasi and swordmage (with relative feats and stuff),which will be available in a little while, from the start?

covaithe · Aug 5, 2008

My personal preference is to get things rolling with as simple a ruleset as possible, and allow more content in a bit down the road. This is at least partly due to the fact that I'm still struggling to grasp the contents of the PHB, though. Someone (Velmont? Stonegod? not sure...) mentioned in the old discussion thread the idea of a moratorium on newly released content until it had been out for six months, to allow for balance issues and errata to be addressed. That seems sensible to me.

Atanatotatos · Aug 5, 2008

If it took six months we shouldn't be playing 4e though

. Well, I guess we'll have time to talk about this. I see a lot of people eager to play swordmages, though.

Erekose13 · Aug 5, 2008

Six months is the period of time we use at LEB to allow DMs and Judges enough time to purchase proposed source books at possibly less than cover price. That way when something like Dragonmarked first came out we could wait 6 months for it to start showing up on Ebay or Amazon Marketplace. In general it served as a great rule to allow Judges to look at the material before it was proposed and decide what they would and would not want in the game.

Given that 4e is so new, I'd suggest handling even the free D&DI material the same way as it will give those who must judge balance time to integrate the core ruleset and understand the way that it works.

Halford · Aug 5, 2008

Indeed six months seems sensible, giving the character optimization boards on wizards plenty of time to find every last exploitable loophole - and giving us the chance to plug said holes.

Atanatotatos · Aug 5, 2008

What concerns me is the present lack of options. 42 is not as modular as 3e. I can understand the problem of affording new books, but when material is for free... I really don't see any reason not to let a player make an illusionist with the material from dragon if that's the character he wants (even if some of those powers are a bit above average for their level). Six months is a long time, and back then there was a huge quantity of material already, not just a phb...
Also, if you want to rely on the optimization boards, believe me, they don't need so much time.
Anyway, it does seem that the majority of people thinks that way. If that is so, I propose to at least integrate the phb with free material.

garyh · Aug 5, 2008

I'd love to play warforged, genasi, and/or swordmages, but I agree that the simplest way to get this started is to start core only, and add stuff later.

I do think we might be able to do a two-tiered wait time - 3 months for free stuff, 6 months for pay stuff, for example.

Erekose13 · Aug 5, 2008

Either way I'd suggest sticking with a proposal system for all material entering the game. I would not encourage the automatic approval of material after that time. The illusionist spells, the new FR/EB race stuff, and new classes (swordmage and artificer) should all be proposed and have discussion from the community before judges vote.