Wizards: We want Class Power decks

[boolean]

There's no need for cards for your basic attacks. I'll be putting them all on one sheet of paper, maybe the character sheet if it fits. I make my own character sheets anyways. I don't see a reason to use cards per se if the ability doesn't get used up, and if its always available (if you can know 10 at will abilities, but only use 3 per day, then they need cards, but not otherwise).

I'd still use cards for "At Will" abilities. Sure, you've got them on your character sheet, but having them available as cards as well means you have all your abilities in one place. You're not looking in two different places to see what you can do.

I'd also use different coloured borders for each card based on the type of ability: Green for "At Will", orange for "Per Encounter" (my first instinct was yellow, but orange would probably look better), and red for "Per Day".

 

[Xyl]

Don't forget to make it easy to distinguish standard, move, and minor actions.

 

[breschau]

Of course---and I agree with you.

But since this scheme only exists in the fertile imaginations of forum posters, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Psst. You forget that the poster that brought this idea up on the forum has the same type of mind as Those That Shall Not Be Named (i.e. a gamer mentality).

I'm all over 4th when it ships. Buying a PHB set of power cards would be cool. I sure as hell don't want "rarity" in play though. And I have to agree that if it becomes another collectible, I'm out.

 

[Kzach]

What would be really nice is if the PDF's available on DDI are formatted in a way that makes it easy to print out on cardstock and cut out for use in the game.

 

[CinnamonPixie]

The idea of class power decks (for wizards and other classes) seems a perfect fit for how WotC is developing the future of D&D. I can easily see how limited or rare powers might become even "collectable". Great marketing possibilities.

This doesn't equate to a good thing for the gamers though. Imagine if your wizard has attained one of these rare powers, do you (as a player) want to have to buy dozens upon dozens (or more) randomly assorted $8 "booster packs" of powers cards until you get the ONE CARD you really want/need - or often just as expensive and just as bad, but generally a lot faster; do you want to have to be forced to pay much higher than the price of the card from a booster or card set to get the "rare" card b/c some price guide marks it as more valuable just because its collectible?!

I think that's a large part of why D&D Miniatures aren't doing quite so well for the average gamer (not counting the minis gamer, naturally). To get a horde of skeletons (how else do you ever really see skeletons - and various other "en masse" monsters- anyway?) you have to buy them at more than $1.00 a piece (b/c they're in an older, no longer produced, set) or buy several "boosters" of the set(s) they were released in - often at much higher than originally marked prices b/c they're no longer made - and they're tagged as "collectibles" so they limit the numbers of them made and jack the price up. This HURTS gamers that just want to use them for their D&D games - as they don't give a hoot about collecting them as collectibles. A nice tagged "unlimited release" of all the most common things (and even some of the less common ones - if anything miniatures companies have proven that the more variety in figures you have for players and GM's to choose from to represent characters, monsters, NPC',s etc the better!- then D&D minis players and collectors would have their limited series and be happy and RPG table-top gamers could get what they want cheaply and still line the ridiculously wealthy pockets of the folks at WotC and Hasbro and everyone would be happy.

But to suggest that you'd WANT a limited or "rare" card to represent your character's powers is silly... It'd take the strongest (and IMO the ONLY real) tangible advantage/benefit of the cards in the first place - the convenience of them. If they are hard or overly expensive to get due to some "rare collectible" status they're no longer convenient and no longer just a simple add-on for the player -they're in investment into a collectible aside from their game that's pseudo-related at best.

 

[HP Dreadnought]

I think that's a large part of why D&D Miniatures aren't doing quite so well for the average gamer (not counting the minis gamer, naturally). To get a horde of skeletons (how else do you ever really see skeletons - and various other "en masse" monsters- anyway?) you have to buy them at more than $1.00 a piece (b/c they're in an older, no longer produced, set) or buy several "boosters" of the set(s) they were released in - often at much higher than originally marked prices b/c they're no longer made -

I don't disagree that Wizards would help out gamers by releasing non-random sets of miniatures for roleplaying use. I do want to point out that even under the current distribution method, they are a wonderful opportunity for many gamers.

Most unpainted, metal miniatures will run you $4 - $5. Big ones can go up to $30.00, some even as high as $50 or so for the really big dragons (although even these aren't as big as the colossal red). You have to assemble and paint them yourself, which many people don't like to do.

In comparison, the ability to buy pre-painted D&D miniatures for a couple dollars each is a steal of a deal.

Reaper Miniatures has realized there is a market for roleplaying oriented plastics, and has started releasing their own line to meet that need. The releases are fairly slow, but the miniature quality is decent, they are non-random, you get exactly what you want. So there is another option out there, especially as Reaper begins to expand the line.

Personally, my group uses metal and always has. My wife is an amazing painter and really enjoys doing it.

 

[eleran]

Don't worry. They're so busy simultaneously turning it into an anime, a videogame, a wargame, an action movie, Exalted, Rifts and making it all about the rollplaying instead of the roleplaying that they have very little time left.

Oh good God, if they go Rifts on us, I am outty!! LOL

worst.game mechanics.ever.

 

[D.Shaffer]

I've always been a fan of UFS's card designs, actually. It makes it very easy to read the cards and their costs/stats with just a simple fanning of your hand, either to the left or right.
(Sample card HERE )

Has anyone tried making a card design more along those aspects?
My 'perfect' powers card would have a symbol for 'At Will/Encounter/Per Day' in the upper left, the name of the power on the left edge oriented vertically, the TYPE of power below that on the left. (Ranged, Melee, Utility, whatever may apply) Deck COLOR would tell you what class it belonged to (In case multiple decks get mixed together, it's easier to sort them out) with an additional class symbol in the upper right just in case you needed the reminder. Keywords would be listed above the actual text.

 

[Ambush]

Portrait format might be easier to distinguish when a power is used (turned sideways), I think, but it's true that they're easier to read.
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Probably not, but I wanted to see how they'd look.

How are you creating these? Is this with the Magic Set Editor program or something else? Regardless, what are the chances that you can release your format such that I can use it? By Tuesday night. For my first 4e session. Please?

Edit: Nevermind. Went back to the sourceforge page and found the templates. Love. Lovelovelovelove. Thank you from the bottom of my black, cold heart.

 

[Lurker37]

It looks like WoTC are waaaay ahead of us.

The D&D Character Builder allows you to fill out a character record sheet as well as select and create power reference cards for your D&D character. You can print them out for home game use and update them online. The character sheet and power cards make it easy to keep track of all of your character"s vital game statistics and abilities.

Or rather, they would have been if they'd met the release date. *Sigh*

I don't see them spending money on developing a product they eventually intend to offer for free to DDI subscribers. Subscribers wouldn't buy it and it would give non-subscribers less reason to subscribe.