May previews

[FriendlyFiend]

Hmm ... the crunch in the article seemed nice but I have to say I wasn't overly enamoured of the quality of the writing in H1. Look at the description of the keep ...

Ahead, the narrow track widens into a clearing. Great piles of shattered stone blocks and scorched timbers dominate the clearing, sprawling out from its center to the edge of the woods. No plants grow among the ruins or within the clearing. The ground is bare dirt, and although the forest has begun to reclaim the path leading here, it has not intruded into the ruins of Shadowfell Keep. Yet clearly someone has tampered with the ruins. In the center of the debris, stone blocks and timbers have been gathered into a pile. Someone has cleared a path through the rubble and pulled aside the wreckage to reveal a stone staircase. The staircase descends into darkness.

(My emphasis)

One short paragraph and yet clearing, cleared and clearly pop up 5 times. That's the kind of thing that would get hammered in any creative writing class. This may seem petty (actually, let's face it, it is petty) but when the writing quality drops off, my desire to purchase the module falls too.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Well, it has been hinted at by Charwoman Gene, but it has not been officially confirmed yet.

Yeah, those alignments are confirmed by Mike Mearls. There has been no mentions of LN, LE, CG, CN.

 

[Knightlord]

D&D 4e just keeps looking better and better. I can't wait to get my hands on those books so that I can start decapitating some Orc Bloodragers...assuming, of course, they don't decapitate me first!

 

[D.Shaffer]

Its like, the group looks across the room with Perception but don't spot it being unusual. However, while it is harder to know exactly it is a Soul Gem the Wizard makes a Arcana check and does identify it as one, thus recognizes it that way as a trap.

Let's not forget that the artwork probably doesnt completely match anyways. It's possible the pedestal is easy to see, but it's the actual gem on top that might escape immediate notice. Something as obvious as the artwork, I'd probably give a lower DC to actually notice. The DC was probably chosen for the level more then anything else.

 

[Stormtalon]

Man, for some reason now I want to play in an evil campaign as a snivelly little warlord, totally useless on his own, screaming "ATTACK THAT ONE OVER THERE, FOOL!" to the dragonborn tank.

And his name would be, I presume, "Vizzini?"

 

[LostInTheMists]

I love the traps. LOVE them. The format makes for a lot of potential variety for new and interesting ways to skewer PC's.

mmMMmmMMmm... 4th Edition Grimtooth's...

 

[TerraDave]

FINALLY, a real preview.

That is all.

 

[Stormtalon]

I love the traps. LOVE them. The format makes for a lot of potential variety for new and interesting ways to skewer PC's.

mmMMmmMMmm... 4th Edition Grimtooth's...

Yes, yes, a thousand times YES!!!

 

[Kaodi]

Gah... I looked at Commander's Strike and said to myself, " Finally, the perfect power for my Eladrin Wizard/Warlord! " And then I realized that said Eladrin Wizard/Warlord can't get At-Will Warlord powers, unless perhaps at much higher levels... Hopefully though there will be some Encounter and Daily powers like this, though. The ol' " Feathe Ye Yon Oaf " would probably be a perfect Encounter power (unless it is daily) for a character I envision as a Mage Commander, assuming spellcasters get to use their ranged attacks with it.

 

[Michele Carter]

Have I got it right with the Warlord powerDoes this mean that the warlord is in melee range or (I guess) there is no range on this power? Just line of effect? and the damage (e.g.) 1d8(wep) +3(allies STR) +4 (warlords INT)? or just 1d8+4?

Read it right the first time--the "Melee weapon" line describes where you need to be. "An ally of your choice makes a melee basic attack against the target" means your ally also needs to be in range to make a melee attack. Damage is the ally's melee basic attack + warlord's Int mod. The warlord is not a stand-back kind of guy, he's right up in the enemy's grill during combat.

(This works *great* with my eladrin warlord and her rogue and fighter allies. Especially the rogue, who when set up right gets his Sneak Attack damage if he hasn't already used it for the round.)