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Things wrong with 4e: Dragons
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<blockquote data-quote="I'm A Banana" data-source="post: 5892071" data-attributes="member: 2067"><p>Everything that I value in the 1e mimic's description is something I can functionally use immediately at the table. It's not random trivia, it's valuable gameplay material.</p><p></p><p>And the DMG's list of random room trappings is also valuable gameplay material, for when I don't want to (or don't have the experience to) generate this stuff myself. As in, when I'm at the table, actually playing the game, and I need to determine if there's any corpses in the room for the cleric to cast <em>Speak with Dead</em> on. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>A book is in every way except one an inferior reference to a digital compendium. The one way that it isn't -- in that it is more accessible at the table -- is kind of moot if you have to do prep anyway. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I really think those are steps in the right direction. I'd like them to go further down this road. I don't see these as supplements, I see them as essential to the experience of D&D (They were cast in the Essentials for a reason -- context is valuable to newbie DMs). Better monster manuals than the Monster Manual. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That's weird to me especially because 1e had statblocks that were not the most useful things for reference. Not to mention the preponderance of monsters whose stats didn't matter so much, since they were more traps than critters. A 1e MM used primarily as a book of statblocks seems like using a shovel as a hammer. Sure, you can do it, but... (admittedly, when that book came out, there was no such thing as hammers, so, y'know, you use what you have).</p><p></p><p>It would strike me as especially narmed to sell a book of statblocks in a game like where monster stats are all generic formula, anyway. Assuming 5e has some sort of easy-peasy monster generation system (and I REALLY want it to!), why do you need 300 pages of things you can generate yourself in five minutes? </p><p></p><p>I'd also like to point out that this isn't really about "fluff." The ability of blue dragons to use illusions was rules material -- those spell-like abilities were rules material. It was useful noncombat rules material. I don't really need much in the way of mating and diet information for most critters. But knowing that some mimics are friendly and filled with information about the dungeon? <em>Very useful</em>. In play. Right away.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="I'm A Banana, post: 5892071, member: 2067"] Everything that I value in the 1e mimic's description is something I can functionally use immediately at the table. It's not random trivia, it's valuable gameplay material. And the DMG's list of random room trappings is also valuable gameplay material, for when I don't want to (or don't have the experience to) generate this stuff myself. As in, when I'm at the table, actually playing the game, and I need to determine if there's any corpses in the room for the cleric to cast [I]Speak with Dead[/I] on. A book is in every way except one an inferior reference to a digital compendium. The one way that it isn't -- in that it is more accessible at the table -- is kind of moot if you have to do prep anyway. I really think those are steps in the right direction. I'd like them to go further down this road. I don't see these as supplements, I see them as essential to the experience of D&D (They were cast in the Essentials for a reason -- context is valuable to newbie DMs). Better monster manuals than the Monster Manual. That's weird to me especially because 1e had statblocks that were not the most useful things for reference. Not to mention the preponderance of monsters whose stats didn't matter so much, since they were more traps than critters. A 1e MM used primarily as a book of statblocks seems like using a shovel as a hammer. Sure, you can do it, but... (admittedly, when that book came out, there was no such thing as hammers, so, y'know, you use what you have). It would strike me as especially narmed to sell a book of statblocks in a game like where monster stats are all generic formula, anyway. Assuming 5e has some sort of easy-peasy monster generation system (and I REALLY want it to!), why do you need 300 pages of things you can generate yourself in five minutes? I'd also like to point out that this isn't really about "fluff." The ability of blue dragons to use illusions was rules material -- those spell-like abilities were rules material. It was useful noncombat rules material. I don't really need much in the way of mating and diet information for most critters. But knowing that some mimics are friendly and filled with information about the dungeon? [I]Very useful[/I]. In play. Right away. [/QUOTE]
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