More from Mike Mearls

[grimslade]

Knowing Mearls has created a guild in World of Warcraft and plays regularly (as evidenced by the updates on his blog about WoW) I find his talk of 'megadungeons' unsettling.

Especially when coupled with Perkins' 4th Ed. podcast interview where he continually brings up MMO's.

I thought it was David Noonan who was a big WoW fanatic with the guild. I don't think Mearls is a current player of WoW, he tried it but wasn't his thang. Mearls seems to point to board games as being his main hobby distraction from D&D.

Your point is moot.

 

[Fifth Element]

Ruins of Undermountain is soooo MMORPGish.

The origins of D&D are entirely dungeons. OD&D describes the DM's first job as designing the dungeon levels in which the adventure will take place. Then, the PCs start at the entrance.

 

[Fifth Element]

Mearls seems to point to board games as being his main hobby distraction from D&D.

That concerns me. Are we going to have to roll dice to see how far we can move in a round now? D&D is getting too boardgamey.

 

[Brewhammer]

I thought it was David Noonan who was a big WoW fanatic with the guild. I don't think Mearls is a current player of WoW, he tried it but wasn't his thang. Mearls seems to point to board games as being his main hobby distraction from D&D.

Your point is moot.

I had Mearls confused with Noonan. Comes from listening to too many of the D&D podcasts.

 

[Rechan]

That concerns me. Are we going to have to roll dice to see how far we can move in a round now? D&D is getting too boardgamey.

D&D has always been boardgamey. "2d6 feet in a random direction" and all that.

 

[Rechan]

I had Mearls confused with Noonan. Comes from listening to too many podcasts.

I do know that Wyatt plays WoW, at least.

 

[grimslade]

I had Mearls confused with Noonan. Comes from listening to too many of the D&D podcasts.

I completely understand. I think the Gleemax blog approach of naming everyone WotC_obscure does not help with clarity.

 

[Rechan]

My question here - How easy is it for PC's to run away in 4e? In every previous eddition of D&D, running was hard unless the DM expressely made avenues for it. I'm discounting the "teleport away" option, of course, but in general (especially low to mid level), getting away from a monster on foot was usually not an option.

Given the emphasis on mobility and maneuverability on the battlefield, I suspect that parties will be able to run easier.

Also, I think we desperately, DESPERATELY need chase rules in the DMG.

 

[Rechan]

If anything has the potential to sway me 4e-ward, it is this approach -- that PCs have lots of interesting, balanced options, but monsters use simple and (if necessary) different rules to make the DM's life easier.

Yeah. To state, monsters are sort've like one or two trick ponies; their abilities fill a niche, or give a unique experience. However, you can expand on that with the monster classes (Skirmisher, Brute, Soldier), Elite and minion rules, etc.

 

[bmcdaniel]

Wow, Merric, thanks for summarizing this.

4E just won a few more points in its favor for me. I think the game will really be helped if

1) megadungeons are more viable
2) pcs can reasonably engage tougher monsters for a couple of rounds and then run away

I also really like his explanation of the reasons behind treating monsters and PCs differently. He's absolutely right about LA.

I agree with a previous poster, we're all lucky that WoTC hired Mearls.

Ken (not bmcdaniel)