Kholdstare's Scales of War 4E Campaign [Discussion] (FULL)

[drothgery]

Question: Are any of you subscribers to D&D Insider?

Yes. I am, anyway. Though I mostly don't look at Dungeon adventures because I don't DM 4e right now. Renewed over the summer.

Thoughts on races and classes you'd be interested in playing?

I'm toying around with a halfling paladin right now ... which would also work in an Essentials-only game after Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms comes out, come to think of it. Though I'm not that strongly attached to the idea.

 

[hafrogman]

Thoughts on races and classes you'd be interested in playing?

The answer to this does depend on your answer to Insight's question, but assuming for now the full range of sources is open ...

I've been interested in playing a greatsword wielding ranger now that there are enough powers to support it. He'd be human (or possibly goliath, reskinned as a sort of hulking Norseman type, if you're amenable) from the far north.

Alternatively I always have a few new character ideas floating around in my head, shifter paladin, human warlord ... possibly even an invoker if we need a controller. I'm flexible.

Question: Are any of you subscribers to D&D Insider?

I am, mine is a year long subscription, so I don't get to wait out the Dark Sun/Essentials release.

 

[Theroc]

I have no Essentials Access, save the playtest assassin? So I'd have to drop if we're not using standard stuff. Outside that I can be flexible...

 

[Kholdstare]

I was mainly asking about everyone's DDI access because I wondered how much rules support it would grant me as DM. I'm considering signing up myself. For example, does it support both the original rules and the new Essentials line material? Can they be mixed and matched?

Another related question...how compatible are the two rules sets? If we go with the Essentials materials (which I would support) will it automatically exclude someone like Theroc who is only able to use the older rules?

 

[Kholdstare]

My thoughts on the playgroup:

As I've been thinking it over, it seems to me that more experienced players would be a real boon for this game. For that reason alone, I'm going to give Insight the nod for the fifth spot over Someone (nothing personal, Someone!).

Now, if Theroc has to bow out, due to any rules incompatibilities, Someone will have dibs on that spot. Otherwise, Someone is first alternate if anyone else has to leave. I really do want to limit the number of players to five.

Sound good?

 

[Insight]

I was mainly asking about everyone's DDI access because I wondered how much rules support it would grant me as DM. I'm considering signing up myself. For example, does it support both the original rules and the new Essentials line material? Can they be mixed and matched?

Another related question...how compatible are the two rules sets? If we go with the Essentials materials (which I would support) will it automatically exclude someone like Theroc who is only able to use the older rules?

The RULES are the same, essentially (no pun intended). Apart from a few clarifications and updates, the mechanics of D&D 4th ed are little different from what was presented in the Core Rules. The main differences with Essentials are the character classes themselves. You CAN play Essentials and Core characters together, if you want. As far as I can tell, there's no mechanical reasons you couldn't do it. Now, I can see reasons you wouldn't want to do it (for example, I'm not sure you'd want both an Essentials Fighter and a Core Fighter in the same game), but that's entirely up to the DM.

Another thing to consider, in terms of what characters you want to allow, if you intend to ONLY go with Essentials, is that only a few classes and races have been released. Even if you only go with what will be in Essentials (another book is coming out next month), that's still only about half of the classes and races that were ever presented in the Core Rules. So, here are the options as I see them:

1. Everything is fair game, both Core and Essentials. You may want to disallow people playing Essentials and Core versions of the same class in the same group (as above).
2. Only Essentials. That currently limits classes to Fighter (Knight and Slayer), Cleric (Warpriest), Rogue (Thief), and Wizard (Mage) and races to Human, Halfling, Dwarf, Elf, and Eladrin. When Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms comes out, we will add, as classes, Druid (Sentinel), Paladin (Cavalier), Ranger (Hunter and Scout), and Warlock (Hexblade) and as races, Dragonborn, Drow, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, and Tiefling. If you allow Dragon magazine materials, the Assassin and Revenant are also added to the above.
2A. Only Essentials, but allow people to play Core versions of classes and races announced but not yet released. This is only an issue for the next month or so. When Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms comes out, I believe that is it in terms of class and race release (correct me if I'm wrong here).
3. Essentials and Core that has not been "replaced": The above, plus any other class and race not announced for Essentials. This would allow classes such as Avenger, Barbarian, Bard, Invoker, Psion, and Swordmage and races such as Deva, Gnome, Goliath, and Minotaur. In this scenario, someone who wanted to play a Fighter would need to play a Knight or Slayer from Essentials, but you would also have the options of Ardents, Swordmages, and Wardens available as Core defenders.

 

[Insight]

I was mainly asking about everyone's DDI access because I wondered how much rules support it would grant me as DM. I'm considering signing up myself. For example, does it support both the original rules and the new Essentials line material?

The Character Builder (and DDI in general) does not currently have the Essentials characters and minor rules updates. It's supposed to be updated this month. I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Someone]

My thoughts on the playgroup:

As I've been thinking it over, it seems to me that more experienced players would be a real boon for this game. For that reason alone, I'm going to give Insight the nod for the fifth spot over Someone (nothing personal, Someone!). Sound good?

Your game, your call. I'd recommend however that if you're new to the edition and are looking for experienced players to keep character options simple; the amount of crunch avaiable at this point is very large and you may get lost when someone appears with a genasi swordmage with powers from Arcane Power X and feats from some obscure Dragon magazine. Though the rules are simple enough, combat may be complex to track and learning and remembering five diferent rulesets on exotic characters may complicate that.

 

[Kholdstare]

Someone, your advice is well taken. It's not difficult for me to envision a scenario where the sheer number of options causes me to become somewhat overwhelmed. However, subscribing to DDI would certainly help with the rules, and the slower pace of pbp will allow me to consider things carefully. I think for right now, I'll reverse course and lean more towards the Core end of things (primarily just because the Essentials line is so new, and not fully developed yet...including the all important DDI support). This allows Theroc to remain in the game. And you know what, with such great help alread from both Someone and Insight, I can't see excluding either one of you. So, we'll make this a party of six. I'll let you guys go with pretty much whatever you want to play, but I would ask that you keep in mind my relative lack of familiarity with the rules. So maybe nothing too terribly way out there, hmm?

So, with this being a Core game, and most all options on the table (so long as it's supported by a subscription to DDI), let's put together a balanced party. What do you guys want to play?

 

[rb780nm]

I was thinking something like Human Bard, but I could change that if the group needs to balance differently.