D&D 4E Great idea for 4E!

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Not that the mods will do anything since you're pro 4E, but... *shrug*.

They've come down pretty hard on people on both sides of the issue. Disruption is what they're worried about, not their personal opinions. (In fact, from what I've seen, they seem somewhat skeptical of 4E, more than anything else.)

 

[Odhanan]

See, you had me right until the final sentence.

Because in my experience, the only thing that people say at the gaming table is "I move and attack" or "I cast x spell".

But having a note card for each one of your abilities, telling what it does, and how often you can use it, is useful. That way you don't have to look up what the damage of your Bloogalmoga ability is. This goes doubly true for spells.

It just hit me reading this: this is a "lowest common denominator" logic, and that's what annoys me in the recent articles we've seen about 4E.

Because your players don't make descriptions of their actions, the game should take it into consideration for everybody on a rules level instead of you, the DM, asking to your players to describe a little bit more what their characters do?

 

[Rechan]

Because your players don't make descriptions of their actions, the game should take it into consideration for everybody on a rules level instead of you, the DM, asking to your players to describe a little bit more what their characters do?

Eh? Where is the rules part of this?

When initiative's been rolled and the minis are on the table and your turn comes up, what are you supposed to do except say 'I move here, and take my action'?

Or are minis and things like standard, move, swift and free actions also incorporations of something at a rules level because people can't decide what all they can do in a round?

 

[Lackhand]

I'd love to respond to this idea, but... well... Pale, can I borrow your shoes?

 

[KoshPWNZYou]

Any device that makes it easier for me to keep track of what my resources are, I'm all for it. Especially if they contain rules run-downs so I don't have to flip through the PHB. How about a stack that indicates which actions are free, move, and standard, so I don't have to keep looking up that damned table every five minutes?

But I guess this would make the game too much like Monopoly? Nix it, then. If only because we don't need a New England Patriots Collectors Edition of D&D.

 

[FireLance]

OK, here's what I've going to do: I'm going to take every ability for every class in the game and make a visual card representation that players can put in front of them. Whenever my players want to perform an action in combat they touch the picture card instead of describing what they're attempting to do!

What do you guys think?

Seriously, I think it's a great idea. When I was introducing my wife to D&D, I would have loved to have something like this, plus additional cards for feats, skills and spells. You could even sort them into free, immediate, swift, move, standard and full-round action piles so that the player can see more easily what combinations of actions are possible.

Of course, it's not an entirely new idea. 2e had spell cards, and WotC came up with maneuver cards for the Book of Nine Swords.

 

[Tquirky]

The original post is a straw man, and presented as such by taking away talking as part of gameplay. Straw...man.

Not much else to be said, except that abilities on cards are a good reminder for players.

 

[Cadfan]

Make sure you start with spells. Then, instead of stupid sarcasm, you'll have a useful item that used to be published back in the days of first edition.

 

[Piratecat]

Not that the mods will do anything since you're pro 4E, but... *shrug*.

I'll reiterate, folks: we don't care if you're pro-4e or against it. It makes absolutely no difference to Morrus, Henry or myself. But we certainly expect both sides to be polite and civil about it. If you can't do that, don't post.

This applies just as much to pro-4e people as it does anti-4e people. You have no basis for coming into a thread for the purpose of insulting the poster - and believe me, this thread is loaded with such examples. That's not any more okay than if someone who dislikes the new rules showed up to post inanities in a serious 4e thread. You don't like it, so don't do it to others.

This example is slightly different, since Pale was using sarcasm, but you get the point. If the thread doesn't apply to you or if your post is going to drag down the conversation instead of advancing it, then please just move on to a different thread.

 

[Nate Jones]

Actually, to be a bit serious, I myself wouldn't mind a handy stack of "combat action" cards. My girlfriend is a very visual learner, and sometimes struggles to remember all her available actions in combat. (Heck, I sometimes get flustered DMing in the middle of an NPC-rich combat. Having something visual to reference in the heat of things definitely could improve my game.) My girlfriend would certainly benefit from the visual reminder, and it would help her feel way more involved in the game. And best of all, these cards could help improve role-playing all around. I mean, is there anything more mood breaking than, "I rush forward toward the orc with a bloodthirsty look in my eye. My mace drips with the blood of his fallen comrades...oh, and I'll take a five-foot step, activate my rage ability, and power-attack for full." Having these cards could be an easy and effective way to communicate out-of-game combat information without spoiling the mood or allowing for gross misinterpretation in intent ("Oh, how was I supposed to know that you were raging when you said you swung down with a mighty blow. I thought you were power-attacking.")

This, actually, is such a good idea for my table that I'm going to go design a set now. Call me the fool of this thread or whatever, but I actually think this is a good idea.