Release Date for S4 Player's Guide?

kalani · Mar 1, 2016

It is. You cannot choose a background feature that is not part of your story origin. Only ToD characters can take the background features from Hoard of the Dragon Queen, as only those characters have access to the book as a rules source.

Same holds true in respect to the Haunted One background (and feature). Only characters who have access to that rules source can choose that background feature (even when creating a custom background).

The rules in the PHB in respect to customizing backgrounds are overruled by the Story Origin mechanic (specific trumps general).... As such, all character options (including background features) must be chosen from an allowed rules source for your story origin.

ToD Characters: Only characters who can use the Dragon Scholar and Cult Infiltrator backgrounds (and features)
EE Characters: Only characters who can use the Mulmaster Backgrounds (and variant background features).
RoD Characters: Only characters who can use the Hillsfar Backgrounds (and variant background features).
CoS Characters: Only characters who can use Haunted One background (and Feature)*

SCAG: Only ToD, RoD, CoS, and EE characters who did not use the EEPC can choose backgrounds (and features) from this book.

*This may not be true, but likely is based on the assumption that Haunted One is found in CoS hardcover as an appendix.

kalani · Mar 1, 2016

The reason you can use traits/ideals/bonds/flaws from any source is due to the fact that you are allowed to create your own custom traits/ideals/bonds/flaws. Since you can make new traits (that aren't listed in any rules source), there is no reason why you couldn't recreate one from a different rules source.

Pauper · Mar 1, 2016

That does make the Story Origin a more relevant choice for RP purposes as well as mechanical purposes. Still, only the background feature is restricted by Story Origin, as the skill/tool proficiency choices all come from the PH (which is enabled for all Story Origins).

Edit: There might also be some Story Origin-specific languages, such as Patterna (the native tongue of the Vistani) for Season 4. (this is mere speculation, as there's no indication Patterna will be a language available to PCs)

--
Pauper

kalani · Mar 1, 2016

Again not completely true. The Skill/Language/Tool choices can be anything from the PHB, but in respect to equipment packages - you are still limited to equipment packages from a background in your story origin.

I recommend looking at the stickied thread on Backgrounds at the top of this forum for more information (I put in a lot of work on that one).

Scorpienne · Mar 1, 2016

Z. H. Darkstar said:
Except you can't change Story Origin, which means that your character can't use the CoS Story Origin.

kalani said:
Actually it does. Only characters with the CoS story origin would be able to use the new "Haunted" background, or any other season-4 specific rules option, for the same reason that only ToD characters can use the Background options in Hoard of the Dragon Queen (Cult Infiltrator, Dragon Scholar), and EE / RoD characters are the only ones who can use the Mulmaster and Hillsfar backgrounds respectively.

Unless it is retroactively added to all story origins - expect something like the following for season 4:

Curse of Strahd (Story Origin)
- Players Handbook (except rolled stats/equipment)
- D&D Basic Rules (except rolled stats/equipment)
- Curse of Strahd Appendix ?? (where I assume the Haunted Background will be listed)
- ?? Other rules source (if any).

Then let me say this. As a DM for D&DAL, my life is way too short to police people's rebuild choices down to this level of specificity.

I don't care what people's PCs look like just before and just after the Season 4 guide comes out. No intention exercising that level of authoritarian specificity.

You may do things differently, naturally, and that's entirely cool. *thumbsup*

kalani · Mar 1, 2016

Prior to a characters first session, I don't really care what their story origin is

... Obviously, nobody can play a CoS character until after the S4 PG comes out, but if they want to tinker with concepts for their S4 character, all the power to them.

I myself am tinkering with ideas for S4. Right now, I am thinking about a Devotion Paladin with the Haunted Background, who will use a Steeder Mount for their find s spell. I would justify this in-character by saying that while the paladin called a "holy steed", s/he was gifted with a steeder by the Dark Powers for reasons of their own. The other one I am toying with is a LG Bladesinger necromancer-type character.

Inconnunom · Mar 1, 2016

kalani said:
Prior to a characters first session, I don't really care what their story origin is ... Obviously, nobody can play a CoS character until after the S4 PG comes out, but if they want to tinker with concepts for their S4 character, all the power to them.

I myself am tinkering with ideas for S4. Right now, I am thinking about a Devotion Paladin with the Haunted Background, who will use a Steeder Mount for their find s spell. I would justify this in-character by saying that while the paladin called a "holy steed", s/he was gifted with a steeder by the Dark Powers for reasons of their own. The other one I am toying with is a LG Bladesinger necromancer-type character.

Hey Kalani, that reminds me. Bill Benham made a impromptu change on the Steeder Mount certs at Winter Fantasy. If you can always start a session with a new steeder mount if yours dies. This happened to a guy who saved up his cert just for the occasion. Bill killed it in the first 10 minutes and realized it needed fixing. Since you have one, I thought you should know.

kalani · Mar 1, 2016

When did that change happen? I was under the understanding (direct from Robert Adducci) that if your steeder animal companion or mount died you would need to ressurect it via raise dead (or similar). Only those steeders which by their nature are reusable (wildshape, find steed, etc) could be reused.

Inconnunom · Mar 1, 2016

kalani said:
When did that change happen? I was under the understanding (direct from Robert Adducci) that if your steeder animal companion or mount died you would need to ressurect it via raise dead (or similar). Only those steeders which by their nature are reusable (wildshape, find steed, etc) could be reused.

This was February 3rd at 8:45am-ish at Winter Fantasy during an Author Only adventure with Bill Benham. He was pretty funny about it too. "I wrote the damn thing, I can fix it if I want."

Rils · Mar 1, 2016

On a related topic, is AL04-01 "Suits" still coming out today? On the AL website, the "blurb" says it released on 3/1, but under the product description is says 3/15. We were hoping to run it this Saturday, but I'm wondering if I should prep Death House instead. (short notice, I know...)

Release Date for S4 Player's Guide?

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Inconnunom

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