Recent content by Bayonet_Chris

Treasure parcels I'll give you the conclusion I came to after messing with it for months - play it as directed until you're comfortable moving out of it. I started with it, played around with variations, and decided to go back into that structure after getting a better appreciation for how it...

Players In the games I run, everyone has a pretty solid handle on both 4E and their individual characters, through experience and DM coaching (making them aware of what they can and can't do and giving them suggestions until they get the hang of it). :-) I do play in a few games where not...

These three are true in my experience. The other two are more marginal than you think - good players can overcome the other two.

Combat times I've been running twice a week (most weeks) since Keep on the Shadowfell came out last year and my party is going to gain 8th level this upcoming Tuesday. The party on any given day is between 5 and 7 characters and we only have lunch to finish it up. We get our combats done...

No. It is a separate effect that happens regardless of hit or miss.

Dimensional Thunder? If you're talking about Dimensional Thunder, I interpret that as having an effect before the attack and an effect after the attack. Effect: Teleport a number of squares equal to your Constitution modifier. Hit: 2[W] + Intelligence modifier thunder damage. Effect: Each...

Fresh off the farm I think it would be easier to modify your encounter design than to houserule the crap out of everything in sight. I mean, human guards are level 4 and plenty mean. They're not even elite guards, just the normal kind of guys who might be guarding a gate. If you want the PCs...

But it's not just the AC difference. The monster marked by the fighter has a -2 and the fighter gets a free attack. The paladin just does damage in addition to the -2.

Hints and tips I find I need to remind the players to mark off their healing surges and to use their action points too. One other thing is to get them to understand that "Effect" means it happens regardless of hit or miss. I've had many players miss with an effect but tell me that nothing else...

I've run plenty of 4E games, so it's not as if I'm not familiar enough with the RAW, but it just seemed to be an odd request. I was just curious as to what "the community at large" thought about it. Thanks -C

Thanks! This is really, really useful. Good work - I will be using this format in my games.

I'm starting a new game this Saturday and I got the following email from one of my players.. I haven't really thought about it much, but what is the general consensus about this ability? If I'm not mistaken, it was a bit of fluff in 3E and is now a mechanic in 4th.

APL encounters See, I find that encounters set for APL are not a challenge. My players regularly rip through encounters scaled at APL+1 and above, so I have to find ways to push them. For example, I have three encounters planned for the day (modified KOTS) The first was the kobold ambush...

Combat time I just got done with one over lunch (6 players, 700 XP encounter) and it took around an hour and ten minutes. Usually I can get most combats done in an hour, but we had two people who had never done 4E before this afternoon. Big encounters (boss fights, primarily) will sometimes...

That would actually make a great house rule.