Wotc_Huscarl on the Biggie Smalls playtest, part 6.

[Voss]

Ditto. It will mean two martial strikers in the PHB, though.

One interesting thing about the party makeup in this playtest is that four out of seven characters are strikers. WotC must like strikers.

That can be coming from one of three places, or a combination of them. First, its looking like the PH1 is a little striker heavy, with only one controller and 3 strikers. Second, the striker concept (deal boat loads of damage) appeals to players. Third, in D&D, killing something quickly is the best way to win. The faster it dies, the less damage you take, (which is one of the factors the makes combat healing suboptimal, at least in 3e).

Anyway, some interesting read. Some of the dumbing it down for the character could go, but at least there was some informative stuff in between the (intentional) stupid.

 

[A'koss]

I love the PT reports, but I'd like to see some of the higher level playtests for a change. It'd be nice to get a taste of what Epic Level combat is like in 4e.

 

[Scholar & Brutalman]

I love the PT reports, but I'd like to see some of the higher level playtests for a change. It'd be nice to get a taste of what Epic Level combat is like in 4e.

Yeah, I'd like to see that as well. Given their apparent lack of resources right now (see DDI updates, lack of) I hope they are dedicating enough to this.

 

[Khuxan]

I love the PT reports, but I'd like to see some of the higher level playtests for a change. It'd be nice to get a taste of what Epic Level combat is like in 4e.

It would be very interesting to witness a fight with the pit fiend, since we now have it as a reference.

 

[Peter LaCara]

This is the second report we have of fighting a dragon at 2nd level. Cool.

 

[Sitara]

Crunch:

-Dragons have a stunning breath weapon (white dragon maybe, since we now know cold damage can also stun/freeze/slow/paralyze)

-Rangers get 'twin strike', a one encounter power that lets them attack twice in one round and adds their WIS bonus to damage.

-Biggie does not have a + WIS modifier, so that COULD be a reason he doesn't cast ranger spells. I hope th real reason though, is that rangers are no longer casters.

 

[KrazyHades]

I thought crits were auto-max damage? Why roll?

Maybe it doesn't max out all of the dice. Sneak attack damage might not be aided by a crit, for example. We just don't know yet.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

Maybe it doesn't max out all of the dice. Sneak attack damage might not be aided by a crit, for example. We just don't know yet.

Plus, even in the critical article, it said that certain things(magic weapons, some class abilities and such) add extra dice to critical hits. So, it likely does max damage plus 1d8 or something because of an ability.
edit: nevermind, I actually read through it, he was just rolling damage at the same time as attacking.

 

[Derren]

This is the second playtest report where a 2nd level party easily takes down a dragon and is still in good enough shape for further combats (or is after a big combat still strong enough to take down a dragon when being unprepared).

I am likely alone with this opinion but I am very disappointed when in 4E such low level PCs can take down iconic creatures so easily.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I am likely alone with this opinion but I am very disappointed when in 4E such low level PCs can take down iconic creatures so easily.

This isn't a actually change from 3e, though. But, you can always use relatively more powerful dragons against the PCs.