Questions from our sessions (updated for 9/7 session)

[jadrax]

How is this any different than taking a hammer to the door for 100d8+400 damage? Do hammers break exploration play too? At will spells don't break exploration any more than crowbars, pitons, lock picks and ropes. It's just another tool in the tool belt.

Must admit, I did wonder about that but felt it was safer not to ask.

 

[howandwhy99]

How is this any different than taking a hammer to the door for 100d8+400 damage? Do hammers break exploration play too? At will spells don't break exploration any more than crowbars, pitons, lock picks and ropes. It's just another tool in the tool belt.

With 1 minute rounds and both short and long term fatigue rules it takes well over a day's work for 1 person to dish out 850 damage with a hammer and pitons to the reinforced double oaken doors in question. And that's while adjacent, something that could be defended against by those behind these doors. (Arrow fire would take a lot longer)

Ultimately, I'm looking at trying to balance and rate adventure design challenges by level, even stone walls and wooden doors.

On a brighter note, I have a storyhour up now detailing the playtest results.

 

[Mengu]

With 1 minute rounds and both short and long term fatigue rules it takes well over a day's work for 1 person to dish out 850 damage with a hammer and pitons to the reinforced double oaken doors in question.

There is no reason to think casting 100 radiant lances wouldn't be just as fatiguing as swinging a hammer for the same amount of time. And if you rule arrows would do less damage to a door because they are ranged, you could rule the exact same way for a radiant lance.

If rule X is balanced, then you can reskin rule X however you want, and it will still be balanced. This is the main premise behind at-will spells. In combat, the wizard could be throwing "darts" all day long, or he could be throwing "dart spells". What's the difference? The latter feels more like a wizard than the former.

 

[underfoot007ct]

With 1 minute rounds and both short and long term fatigue rules it takes well over a day's work for 1 person to dish out 850 damage with a hammer and pitons to the reinforced double oaken doors in question. And that's while adjacent, something that could be defended against by those behind these doors. (Arrow fire would take a lot longer)

Ultimately, I'm looking at trying to balance and rate adventure design challenges by level, even stone walls and wooden doors.

On a brighter note, I have a storyhour up now detailing the playtest results.

I didn't notice any fatigue rules ?

 

[howandwhy99]

There is no reason to think casting 100 radiant lances wouldn't be just as fatiguing as swinging a hammer for the same amount of time. And if you rule arrows would do less damage to a door because they are ranged, you could rule the exact same way for a radiant lance.

If rule X is balanced, then you can reskin rule X however you want, and it will still be balanced. This is the main premise behind at-will spells. In combat, the wizard could be throwing "darts" all day long, or he could be throwing "dart spells". What's the difference? The latter feels more like a wizard than the former.

It's tough, because radiant damage isn't defined as anything but light. Light can be incredibly damaging, but at the amount it is delivering against flesh, it's probably about the same against wood too.

Wizards cannot throw darts all day long. Generally speaking, they have a limited supply they can afford and carry. Plus, they can be destroyed.

Spells OTOH are a mental resource. Given the PCs don't have infinite mental capacity, these would be limited too. Infinite magic is a racial power akin to being a magical creature and doesn't feel like spell casting at all to me. Rather it can be used without thinking by supernatural beast. It has nothing to do with the class or its training.

There are no mortals in my game with infinite anything, at best they have simply life long abilities, and even those decline in later age categories. Plus, all of that can be harmed, lost, and regained like blindness, paralysis, and losing one's limbs.

I didn't notice any fatigue rules ?

There aren't any at the moment. I use the ones from OD&D in my normal game.

 

[underfoot007ct]

It's tough, because radiant damage isn't defined as anything but light. Light can be incredibly damaging, but at the amount it is delivering against flesh, it's probably about the same against wood too.

There aren't any at the moment. I use the ones from OD&D in my normal game.

So since the are NO fatigue rules in D&D Next, I can Radiant Lance or Hammer a door for hours, to splinters.

 

[Gryph]

The cover rules give a -2 penalty on ranged attacks that pass through an allies square.

The definition for 1/2 cover uses an opponent or ally as an example.

 

[Mengu]

Wizards cannot throw darts all day long. Generally speaking, they have a limited supply they can afford and carry. Plus, they can be destroyed.

In my games, archers get infinite arrows, rogues get infinite daggers, etc. This stuff doesn't bother me. I hate characters tracking ammo, rations, pennies, etc. I don't have time for that. Obviously, to each their own.

 

[howandwhy99]

In my games, archers get infinite arrows, rogues get infinite daggers, etc. This stuff doesn't bother me. I hate characters tracking ammo, rations, pennies, etc. I don't have time for that. Obviously, to each their own.

That's cool. As DM I track all of the PCs and every other character's items and scores. I find it improves the game for me both playing and running and isn't that hard. I don't give infinite arrows or other items in the same way I wouldn't give infinite gold or other powers. My preference is for a resource game, one where both memory and creativity matter. But my players know that, so it's okay.

For the exploration side of things, I like prepping with challenge rating in mind. Prepping for creatures with an infinite amount of some limited, defined ability is possible, it's just something I would change for my game. As I it stands, I think I'll house rule how at-will spells work when the playtest is over. (That'll be sometime, but that's okay)

 

[VannATLC]

I though I had replied to this before.

For Question 22, I've ruled in 4e, and likely will in 5e, that poison, radiant, necrotic and (in 5e) magic missile, can only affect things with an Animus.