D&D 4E Running player commentary on PCat's 4E Campaign - Heroic tier (finished)

[Piratecat]

You get the same problem with any power that references "adjacent enemies" (eg Force Orb). I think the most reasonable interpretation is the one Rel put forth; all powers/effects that say "adjacent enemies" are actually Burst 1, with the caveat that they don't affect the target square.

I'm happy to adopt this ruling. Merry Christmas, KC! Time to unwrap your acid arrow of kickassedness!

 

[Aravis]

Oh, and there’s a new wildcard as well. On the body of Sarothic, we found an amulet that shares a marking with the sealed door behind which lurks the “War God.” Can we use it to control whatever lurks at the bottom of the tower? We may have to, if it turns out the 200 HP monstrosity we just fought was only a sub-boss...

My attitude on this is that even if we can't control it, it is still an asset for us. Assuming we can figure out a way to let it out without it immediately seeing us, I figure that it has just as much chance of attacking one of them as one of us (the guy we interrogated was scared to death of us releasing it without Sarothic there to control it) AND there are a lot more of them for it to go after than us.

Aravis

 

[Rel]

My attitude on this is that even if we can't control it, it is still an asset for us. Assuming we can figure out a way to let it out without it immediately seeing us, I figure that it has just as much chance of attacking one of them as one of us (the guy we interrogated was scared to death of us releasing it without Sarothic there to control it) AND there are a lot more of them for it to go after than us.

Aravis

I dig your style, dude.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Not so sure I agree. Extra randomness does not favor the PCs -- predictability favors them.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

My attitude on this is that even if we can't control it, it is still an asset for us. Assuming we can figure out a way to let it out without it immediately seeing us, I figure that it has just as much chance of attacking one of them as one of us (the guy we interrogated was scared to death of us releasing it without Sarothic there to control it) AND there are a lot more of them for it to go after than us.

Extra bonus points if it keeps going towards town afterwards...

 

[Piratecat]

Extra bonus points if it keeps going towards town afterwards...

Now, see? This is a rat bastard. Bravo, sir.

Joshua, I think Aravis is aware that they've just forced a confrontation with a bad guy who they might not otherwise have met today (or, err, this level.) He's probably looking for anything they can use to tip the scales in their favor. I can't entirely blame him.

Ought to be exciting!

 

[Joshua Randall]

Joshua, I think Aravis is aware that they've just forced a confrontation with a bad guy who they might not otherwise have met today (or, err, this level.) He's probably looking for anything they can use to tip the scales in their favor.

Ah, well, here's an interesting correlary to my statement about randomness not favoring the PCs:

The more PC-like a bad guy is, the more he would also like to avoid randomness.

Note that I am talking strictly about "favor" or "like" in a mathematical sense, not what would make for an exciting game or appeal to the players' (or DM's!) sense of adventure and derring-do.

A bad guy (or PC) who is much higher level than the PCs (or monsters) would prefer to fight in a completely nonrandom fashion, because he outclasses the PCs (monsters) and will always win a war of attrition. (He has more hit points, better defenses --> gets hit less often, a better attack bonus --> hits more often, and deals more damage on a hit.)

Put it this way: imagine every roll in the fight being average +0.5 (so, all d20 rolls are 11; all longsword [W] rolls are 5; etc.). Now, who would this favor? In some cases, it may be impossible for one side to hit the other side with 11s as their attack rolls. It is only the randomness of the d20 that turns the fight from a sure thing into a risky endeavor, for one side or the other (or both!).

 

[Aravis]

Ah, well, here's an interesting correlary to my statement about randomness not favoring the PCs:

The more PC-like a bad guy is, the more he would also like to avoid randomness.

I would argue that it has nothing to do with PC-likeness and more to do with the nature of combat. A more powerful force wants as little randomness as possible. A less powerful force wants as much randomness as possible. This is asymmetric warfare. The power equation can be tipped one way or the other through a combination of factors, including force positioning, tactics, condition of forces...

In this case, I am making the assumption that we are not the more powerful force. The other side has numbers, an unknown quantity of individual fighters of or greater than our capabilities, the ability to wait us out if we let them, and probably some other advantages I am not thinking of at the moment.

As we have yet to come up with a brilliant plan that tips the scales in our favor, I am looking for all of the randomness, smoke, and confusion I can find.

 

[WizarDru]

Now, see? This is a rat bastard. Bravo, sir.

Joshua, I think Aravis is aware that they've just forced a confrontation with a bad guy who they might not otherwise have met today (or, err, this level.) He's probably looking for anything they can use to tip the scales in their favor. I can't entirely blame him.

Ought to be exciting!

Oh, right...Mr. "I didn't make them destroy the town, I just put a wand of fireballs in the pyromaniac's hands is all". You're totally innocent.

 

[Aravis]

Extra bonus points if it keeps going towards town afterwards...

Since we know that PCat is not a Rat Bastard, but a good and gentle soul from whom the very milk of human kindness constantly drips I was not worried about that...

Okay, so I can't actually say that and keep a straight face...

I am counting on us being far enough from town that we will be able to figure out how to bring this beastie under control before that becomes an issue. Of course, should that not be the case, I hear the Merchant Prince needs more body guards...

(The Merchant Prince is the name of the ship that is the namesake for PCat's other 4E run.)