Ravingdork
Explorer
I am writing this post to inform you of a fun little trick that our group has been using to increase the fun in our games.
CHANGING THE FLAVOR TO PRE-EXISTING WEAPONS AND ITEMS.
So many people get caught up on what the book says. This is a habit that stems primarily from v3.0/v3.5's endless line of splat books where you had rules for anything and everything. People got so used to being able to find rule X in book Y on page Z that they eventually fell into the mindset of "if there wasn't a rule for it, it didn't exist in D&D" instead of just being creative and reflavoring a few things to suit their needs. This is a trend I am sorry to say many people have carried over to 4E D&D. Just take a look around at all the threads where people try and neuter Exploit classes because their powers "just aren't realistic."
Anyway, back on topic: The weapons in the 4E PH can cover so many ideas with a little reflavoring. For example, I am currently playing this guy...
...he is an old priestly fellow (ranged cleric) who has no weapons of his own and must rely on his metal walking cane in combat (for opportunity attacks). His simple metal cane, however, has the stats of a fierce greatclub. FEAR THE OLD MAN CLERIC!
The other day, one of my players became upset after looking at the weapons in the Player's Handbook. "THEY DON'T HAVE A SPEAR YOU CAN THROW ANYMORE!" she said to me. I calmly reasured her that they did, and I pointed her to the Javelin entry. After all, what is a javelin but a spear you can throw? Heck, you can even use it in melee! I even allowed her to write it on her character sheet as THROWING SPEAR since the name fit better in her mind. And you know what? We continued to game happily without any problems whatsoever.
My brother plays a pirate captain (TWF Ranger) who wields a pair of heavy cutlasses. He used the stats for scimitars.
An old friend of mine converted his v3.0 Dwarven battle cleric to 4E rules. Instead of a Dwarven Warpike, he wields a +1 vicious halberd--which he describes as an especially dangerous looking Dwarven warpike. Some of the mechanics of his character changed between editions (from Cleric/Warpriest to Paladin) but his concept remains precisely the same. As far as his character is concerned, he never stopped adventuring in the same old fantasy world he has always lived in.
I am currently planning on a forest-themed Goblin rogue character who uses a poisoned blowgun and needles (shuriken stats) to devastate his enemies.
What fun ideas can you and your players come up with to enrich your games? Give it a try. It can be loads of fun. You don't have to limit it to weapons either! Reflavoring class abilities, feats, and racial traits can grant you a number of new races and abilitities limited only by your imagination!
CHANGING THE FLAVOR TO PRE-EXISTING WEAPONS AND ITEMS.
So many people get caught up on what the book says. This is a habit that stems primarily from v3.0/v3.5's endless line of splat books where you had rules for anything and everything. People got so used to being able to find rule X in book Y on page Z that they eventually fell into the mindset of "if there wasn't a rule for it, it didn't exist in D&D" instead of just being creative and reflavoring a few things to suit their needs. This is a trend I am sorry to say many people have carried over to 4E D&D. Just take a look around at all the threads where people try and neuter Exploit classes because their powers "just aren't realistic."
Anyway, back on topic: The weapons in the 4E PH can cover so many ideas with a little reflavoring. For example, I am currently playing this guy...
...he is an old priestly fellow (ranged cleric) who has no weapons of his own and must rely on his metal walking cane in combat (for opportunity attacks). His simple metal cane, however, has the stats of a fierce greatclub. FEAR THE OLD MAN CLERIC!
The other day, one of my players became upset after looking at the weapons in the Player's Handbook. "THEY DON'T HAVE A SPEAR YOU CAN THROW ANYMORE!" she said to me. I calmly reasured her that they did, and I pointed her to the Javelin entry. After all, what is a javelin but a spear you can throw? Heck, you can even use it in melee! I even allowed her to write it on her character sheet as THROWING SPEAR since the name fit better in her mind. And you know what? We continued to game happily without any problems whatsoever.
My brother plays a pirate captain (TWF Ranger) who wields a pair of heavy cutlasses. He used the stats for scimitars.
An old friend of mine converted his v3.0 Dwarven battle cleric to 4E rules. Instead of a Dwarven Warpike, he wields a +1 vicious halberd--which he describes as an especially dangerous looking Dwarven warpike. Some of the mechanics of his character changed between editions (from Cleric/Warpriest to Paladin) but his concept remains precisely the same. As far as his character is concerned, he never stopped adventuring in the same old fantasy world he has always lived in.
I am currently planning on a forest-themed Goblin rogue character who uses a poisoned blowgun and needles (shuriken stats) to devastate his enemies.
What fun ideas can you and your players come up with to enrich your games? Give it a try. It can be loads of fun. You don't have to limit it to weapons either! Reflavoring class abilities, feats, and racial traits can grant you a number of new races and abilitities limited only by your imagination!
