Our First Game -- What some non-RPG fans Learned that they want to share!
- Thread starter Bodhiwolff
- Start date
Great work, but are these legal? You have just given me every feat, power and paragon path in the phb. I can't see how that could be allowed under the GSL.
My first go
Here is my first go at creating a 4e Playmat, obviously inspired by BodhiWolff's work.
Includes a few extras, death savings throw, trained column for skills, keep track if you have used your action point and second wind in this encounter, and your healing surge value.
I still have to add some icons into the little black circles, that will tie the playmat into the look of grandpa's cards. I will upload a pdf once it is complete.
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
Here is my first go at creating a 4e Playmat, obviously inspired by BodhiWolff's work.
Includes a few extras, death savings throw, trained column for skills, keep track if you have used your action point and second wind in this encounter, and your healing surge value.
I still have to add some icons into the little black circles, that will tie the playmat into the look of grandpa's cards. I will upload a pdf once it is complete.
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
Attachments
Nail
First Post
This is good. Perhaps make a version that looks good b/w?
The whole thing confirms an old suspicion of mine.
The attribute scores are practically useless. When creating a character, we can as well simply determine the modifiers, and skip the attribute scores.
So a character doesn't have Dex 16, he has DEX +3 , end of story.
Unfortunately most Feats have prerequisites like DEX 15, which is uneven, so this doesn't really work without a massive change in the feat rules. Also the leveling up rules need to be adjusted, and some more I guess. In any case, D&D would be the same in essence.
Minor comment: The "1/2 Max HP" and "Max HP" labels seem like they should be swapped, since the number of chits in the left box may be "1/2 Max HP" + 1, when using DnD's 1/2-round-down rules. Whereas, the number in the right box will actually be "1/2 Max HP".
A couple of other points that I can live with, but not sure I like:
- The "+" signs, since they result in a few "+ -" when negative modifiers are present.
- I don't think the "trained" boxes are needed. If trained, write in the modifier, which could be "+0". If there is no modifier, consider the skill untrained.
Bodhiwolff
First Post
I absolutely love Porter's update! I can't wait to see the version with the icons put in!
I'm in agreement that the actual attribute stats are vestigial save for calculations and character mapping. That is why, for me, they're best left on the character sheet, and then tucked away while playing. They're important to know when you want to take a new feat, but that's it.
I'm torn between Goblyn's *very* pretty work and Porter's *very* functional and easy-to-use effort. How nice to have options!
Keep up the good work, fellows!
- And a note to the admins ... I'm sorry that this has grown into a home-made products thread, which now by rights is probably in the wrong section of this forum. I didn't actually intend for it to go in this direction, but it rather organically went that way. If you wish to move the thread, I'd understand -- but I still think that this kind of discussion is slightly different fromr your standard home-made products discussion, so I hope you'll bear with us awhile longer
I'm in agreement that the actual attribute stats are vestigial save for calculations and character mapping. That is why, for me, they're best left on the character sheet, and then tucked away while playing. They're important to know when you want to take a new feat, but that's it.
I'm torn between Goblyn's *very* pretty work and Porter's *very* functional and easy-to-use effort. How nice to have options!
Keep up the good work, fellows!
- And a note to the admins ... I'm sorry that this has grown into a home-made products thread, which now by rights is probably in the wrong section of this forum. I didn't actually intend for it to go in this direction, but it rather organically went that way. If you wish to move the thread, I'd understand -- but I still think that this kind of discussion is slightly different fromr your standard home-made products discussion, so I hope you'll bear with us awhile longer
Bodhiwolff
First Post
It is still perfectly possible to have a modifier, even a significant modifier, and yet be untrained in the skill.
Trained is reserved for skills you've trained in under character creation -- spent points in (or a few skills are auto-trained by class, like Arcana for mages). It is a special status reserved only for those skills.
And thus, you wouldn't have access to techniques with that skill which require training (such as Acrobatics - Reduce Falling Damage ; Arcana - Identify conjuration/zone/ ritual/ magical effect, detect magic ; Dungeoneering - Aberrant Monter Knowledge )
One could easily have a significant positive modifier in a skill (racial quirk plus attribute bonus plus half-level) without being trained in the skill (it wasn't one of your skills at character creation) -- and as such shouldn't have access to these techniques.
BUT -- that being said ... since you're only going to be trained in a few skills, and there are only a few techniques which require training, perhaps diminishing the "trained boxes" isn't a bad idea? Just little boxes, or pips, or circles, or something? Something small and unobtrusive?
After all, most (almost all) of your skills are untrained, and destined to remain that way. And it only impacts a very few techniques.
Ah! Got it. I thought things like that would be either on Grandpa-style cards or the "shorthand notes" on the side-sheet you used.
I've not used your mat idea nor Grandpa's cards yet -- but am greatly looking forward to it. With 8 players, 6 of whom are new to DnD, this setup will be invaluable.
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