Broken NDAs or Elaborate Trolls?

Ranganathan · Feb 16, 2012

trancejeremy said:
Warlords, Wizards with at will powers, having to roll for spell casting...

On these points, there was confirmation in the seminars. Monte described the mechanic of rolling to hit when casting which set the DC to save. And swapping feats for at-will powers (in the case of the magic-user at least) was mentioned a few times.

Bobbum Man · Feb 16, 2012

Gardukk said:
My biggest beef with the 3.x spell format is that they have this nice, easy-to-read stat block above the text that details of the spell's important information except what the spell actually does.

If they have a spell block that has the quick information that you use 90% of the time, followed by the nitty-gritty details of the spell that you use 10% of the time, that would be great.

Bulletpoints would be their friend here.

ggroy · Feb 16, 2012

Mercurius said:
Looks legit, thanks. It also sounds like the opposed rolls is there. I'm mixed on this; on one hand, it doubles the number of rolls, on the other it adds a dynamic quality. I'm thinking it should be option and depend upon the group - either they choose "static defenses" - and it is 10 + modifier or they choose "dynamic defenses" and it is d20 + modifier. For most combats a group might want to use static defenses, whereas for major combats - or against singular, big bad guys - dynamic defenses would be good. Just a thought.

Not sure I like this - it sounds very awkward and another thing to have to keep track of.

Back in the day, several 1E AD&D games I played in used such a houseruled mechanic.

At low levels, it was essentially an attacker rolling a d20 vs the opponent rolling a d20 and adding (10-AC). (Such as a fighter swinging a sword at a badguy). Essentially it was a like a "defense" or "parrying" type roll.

The Shadow · Feb 16, 2012

I've never understood "electrum pieces". I may be wrong, but I don't think any real culture used electrum for coinage after 300 BC or so; it's a naturally-occurring alloy whose purity can't be controlled. But moving to the silver standard (and eliminating platinum pieces?) is so huge that I can forgive them for it.

I'm very disappointed to learn that ability modifiers still exist; I'd gotten my hopes up.

On the other hand, some of the other things in this thread are kind of encouraging. I'll wait and see.

hayek · Feb 16, 2012

NDAnon said:
Ohh, resting. You get 4 rests per day; 2 short 10-minute ones, a 1-hour one, and an 8-hour one. 10-minutes give you back your level in HP, the 1-hour lets you get back 1/2 your hp OR re-prep some spells (one or the other, caster-bitches!), while an 8-hour gives you back both 1/2 HP and all your spells. There were no healing surges in sight.

definitely waaaaaay over-complicated... and if i'm level 1, why in the world would i take a 10 minute rest to regain 1 measely hitpoint... that sounds incredibly pointless.

how about there's one type of short rest you get 3/day - regain 1/4 your HP or get 1 spell back

Herremann the Wise · Feb 16, 2012

hayek said:
definitely waaaaaay over-complicated...

I think this is the type of thing that is easy enough to grok in play with a game or two under the belt. It certainly highlights a return to strict resource management which might not be everyone's cup of tea. I don't mind this.

hayek said:
and if i'm level 1, why in the world would i take a 10 minute rest to regain 1 measely hitpoint... that sounds incredibly pointless.

So it would seem. I suppose additional modules could use a short rest as a trigger for more complicated/useful things.

hayek said:
how about there's one type of short rest you get 3/day - regain 1/4 your HP or get 1 spell back

Fair enough I suppose.

For myself, I like the variety of three types of rests and what they could potentially trigger. It imposes a certain descriptive quality on each type of rest that "three times short rest" does not. I'm certainly more on the "appreciating complexity" end of the spectrum though.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

Gundark · Feb 16, 2012

Given the validity of the other "leak" I am taking this with a massive grain of salt.

Raith5 · Feb 16, 2012

Jeff Carlsen said:
My only objection is the idea that rests are finite. I mean, it's literally modeled after a work day, isn't it? Two ten minute breaks and a lunch.

But I do like the idea that an hour rest lets you recover some hit points or prepare more spells. /QUOTE]

The limited nature of rests is just weird but the ideas of what happens when you rest are interesting. I am not sure it is better 4th's approach - it just seems so restricted - but it would be interesting to see how it works (if true).

If this report is true, it seems like there is just enough of each edition to royally annoy supporters of all editions!

Oni · Feb 16, 2012

Jeff Carlsen said:
I mean, it's literally modeled after a work day, isn't it? Two ten minute breaks and a lunch.

I seem to vaguely recall an offhand comment that hinted at that in one of the many reports from DDXP I read.

hayek · Feb 16, 2012

Herremann the Wise said:
I think this is the type of thing that is easy enough to grok in play with a game or two under the belt. It certainly highlights a return to strict resource management which might not be everyone's cup of tea. I don't mind this.

Yeah, I've got nothing against it for those who want it.

Herremann the Wise said:
So it would seem. I suppose additional modules could use a short rest as a trigger for more complicated/useful things.

Now this would actually be pretty cool. i'd be totally for an optional more complicated module that simulated various features of different rests and their effects throughout the day that added a very interesting layer of resource management to the game. As long as it's optional.

The main knock I would have on the default rule as is: why have 2 types of short rest (plus a 3rd type of extended rest) if at level 1, one of the types of short rests is completely useless (or just about, giving only 1 hitpoint). It's adding complexity to the game and getting nothing in return. I'm thinking in terms of keeping the 'basic' d&d fast, simple, and easy for new players to pick up. It's just the kind of rule that new players would give you a big "Huh?" on:

new player: "I'm kinda hurt let's take a rest, I get back some of my hitpoints, right?"
dm: "well, what kind of rest are you taking, a 10-minute short rest, 1-hour short rest, or an 8-hour extended rest. you have 2 of the short rests per day, but only 1 of the 1-hour, that's the one that gives you back half your hp."
new player: "well what does the other short rest do?"
dm: "a 10-minute short rest will give you back your level in hitpoints"
new player: "so that's 1 hitpoint? or am i missing something?"
dm: "yeah, 1 hitpoint."
new player: "ummm... so why would i ever do that one? i want the 1-hour rest, how many of those do i get again? can i trade in 2 of my 10-minute rests for a 1-hour rest or something? what's the point of the 10-minute short rest if we never use it?"

better to have a nice, easy, simple rule for the basic game that actually adds something to the game