"Not 4.5" is coming soon. Thoughts?

[Nightson]

If I want to play on the living boards of this website, it starts to become really time consuming referencing everything you choose from the books you bought with the update you downloaded and printed out.

Why would you want to print the updates out to reference them? Having it up on the computer means you can search through the entire thing in an instant. Or you could make any sort of marking in the book next to powers, feats or items that have been updated. And even with neither of those steps taken, the errata is organized well.

So yes, DDI makes it amazingly easy, but I just don't see the difficulty in doing without it. But maybe I'm just not seeing it for some reason.

 

[Jack99]

About not needed: Tried to incorporate the 'damage by level' chart and the accompanying 'monster statistics by role' on the fly when you had to improvise in an adventure?

Well, I guess it will depend on your math skills, but average damage of a monster (normal attack) is 8+level. Add 25% if brute or if "encounter"-power, add 50% if brute and "encounter" power. Remove 25% if its an area of effect.

When you have the number you need (in most cases, we are talking about a calculation which is 8+x or 8+x*1.25 or 8+x*0.75), just convert that to a die expression. If it is a "whole number", use even number of dice + modifier, if uneven, use an odd number of dice + modifier.

I do not know about you, but I find it vastly more easy than having to memorize the old table on page 42.

Cheers

 

[Walking Dad]

I don't think it's easier to apply this to the MM 1 monsters, than to use them straight out of the book... or to get the updated version from DDI if you are online during table play. I like the new rules, but I miss an actual book (or even a pdf) with them. If I could download the books I bought in print as updated pdf after each update, this would be great...

 

[Jack99]

I don't think it's easier to apply this to the MM 1 monsters, than to use them straight out of the book... or to get the updated version from DDI if you are online during table play. I like the new rules, but I miss an actual book (or even a pdf) with them. If I could download the books I bought in print as updated pdf after each update, this would be great...

Fair enough. I do not use crunch books after reading them once - I just use the online resources after that - which is perhaps why it doesn't bother me. Although PDF's would be nice.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

We will most surely get it with the monster compendium...

Also it should not be that difficult to increase damage as appropriate

 

[ExploderWizard]

Not true. You can get all of the updated content free online at wizard.com/dnd. You PH1 and PH2 still work perfectly, and perfectly compatibly with post-Essentials 4E. The only thing you don't get without paying is anything new -- no new build, feats, powers, etc. That shouldn't be surprising.

FWIW, D&DI is dirt cheap compared to buying the books. It's like $75 for a whole year, and you can keep everything you download. If that's still too much for you, pay $15 and subscribe just for the month of December (or any other month) and download all the content available, then repeat again a year later. That's plenty cheaper than buying all the new books that come out.

But does DDI actually replace expansion books? I had some trouble recently looking online for the basic rules that govern familiars and beast companions. Would you know where to quickly look them up?

 

[MrMyth]

While that is technically true, there are those who have already reported that there is a subset of tables- possibly growing- where a DDI account is required. IOW, no pay, no play.

Now, like the OP and others in that thread, I'm not going to let someone hold my lack of a DDI account over me like a Sword of Damocles. I can walk away, no problem- I'm an Army Brat who has attended schools in many cities, so I know I can find another table. I'm also not wedded to 4Ed: its a decent game, but its nowhere near my fave.

But if that trend is growing, it bodes ill for those who love 4Ed and who, for whatever reason, do not have a DDI account.

But let's be fair - there have always been tables of gamers with inane rules or demands. Most reasonable gamers will flock together, and it is only an unfortunate few who might end up without other options than to deal with such tables.

I agree that if it becomes a real trend, it could be a problem, but I'm doubtful it is more than a few isolated cases from groups that likely have other issues, as well.

 

[fanboy2000]

But does DDI actually replace expansion books? I had some trouble recently looking online for the basic rules that govern familiars and beast companions. Would you know where to quickly look them up?

I don't know about him, but I know. It's weird because there isn't AFAIK, one set of basic rules for all such creatures. Familiars are in Arcane Power (where their not really considered animals), beast companions for Rangers are found in Martial Power I, and mounts are found in Adventurer's Vault I. (Though mounted combat is in the DMG 1.) Ugh.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I don't know about him, but I know. It's weird because there isn't AFAIK, one set of basic rules for all such creatures. Familiars are in Arcane Power (where their not really considered animals), beast companions for Rangers are found in Martial Power I, and mounts are found in Adventurer's Vault I. (Though mounted combat is in the DMG 1.) Ugh.

It doesn't have to be one collected entry. The basic question is how to access the rules for these things without buying AP or MP? The DDI is supposed to give you all the crunch so the basic rules for these should be in there somewhere.

 

[doctorhook]

But does DDI actually replace expansion books? I had some trouble recently looking online for the basic rules that govern familiars and beast companions. Would you know where to quickly look them up?

Well, yes and no, because last time I looked for them, they just plain weren't available online, except for where those elements tied into the character options associated with them (eg: the Arcane Familiar feat, or the Beastmaster Ranger build). My opinion is that the exclusion of these rules is a relatively minor bug; I expect it to get fixed in due time (if it hasn't already been -- my own subscription is currently lapsed), but until then I don't consider it a huge loss, because it affects such a small subset of characters, and because I personally also have all the original sourcebooks for these rules.

FWIW, while I concede that the lack of companion/familiar rules is a weakness for D&DI, that wouldn't stop me from recommending it heartily to any player looking to get the most bang for his buck. Overall, a temporary subscription to D&DI remains, by far, the most valuable (per dollar spent) D&D resource ever released.

I don't know about him, but I know. It's weird because there isn't AFAIK, one set of basic rules for all such creatures. Familiars are in Arcane Power (where their not really considered animals), beast companions for Rangers are found in Martial Power I, and mounts are found in Adventurer's Vault I. (Though mounted combat is in the DMG 1.) Ugh.

(Don't forget about the extra familiars in Dragon 374. )

(Come to think of it, weren't there some mounts in the EPG, too?)