Recent content by David Sid

The saving throw method gives minion a 55% chance to survive attacks that would otherwise have a 100% chance of killing them. An idea to consider: standard monsters have no bonus to saving throws, elites a +2, and solos get a +5. What if minions suffered a -2 penalty to saving throws? This...

This is a really problematic question. I like the idea and wouldn't mind using it for a major character, but it really runs contrary to the game's design. Issue #1: Too many magic items. Put five level 30 PCs against one level 30 NPC-PC with the same amount of treasure, and the PCs will...

The solution I'm going to be testing with my players is to replace careful attack's attack line with "Strength + 2 vs. AC (melee) or Dexterity + 2 vs. AC (ranged). Make two attack rolls and use whichever roll is higher." I calculated a Level 1 and Level 30 case (bow ranger with good Dexterity...

I'll voice my support for making sure strike a melee basic attack. It generally is weaker than a vanilla basic attack in terms of damage, but it has extra utility with the fighter: he can use it with Combat Superiority to make certain he stops an enemy who tries to get away. On the other hand...

Probably the "no resurrection" bit would go better. "Save or die" effects are extremely rare and usually result in bad stuff, but not death. To die from a beholder's death ray, you have to get hit by it, be already bloodied (i.e. at half your hit points or below), then fail two saving throws...

A few things I'd like to see changed in the next errata: 1. The half-elf. Playing a RAW half-elf as it stands now would feel masochistic. 2. Tieflings need horn reduction surgery. 3. Light sources. As they stand, most parties can afford to use sunrods 24/7, and sunrods are better than any...

I would just revise Quick Draw as follows: Quick Draw Prerequisite: Dex 13 Benefit: On your turn, you can draw a weapon, retrieve an object, sheathe a weapon, or stow an object as a free action.

This sounds balanced and excellent. If it doesn't grant an unfair advantage (which it doesn't), and it allows the player to fulfill some creative part of his character idea, I'd say it's a great idea.

The only change that needs to be made is to give the quarterstaff the "Small" keyword. [Realized after posting this that Andur had already made the same suggestion. Oops.] This doesn't make the quarterstaff an unbalanced weapon because it's a weapon that only wizards will use. Non-wizard Small...

Looking at this from a balance perspective: It's no problem to make the off-hand damage 1d8 for everyone. Non-rangers won't use the off-hand damage because Two-Weapon Fighting gives a flat +1 to damage. For rangers, whether the quarterstaff competes with their other options depends on whether...

DMG Chapter 4, in the "Encounter Settings" section. Generally it's 5 to 20 squares, depending on visibility, with the possibility of even greater distances in open terrain. Considering the longest-range attack is a maximum-range longbow attack with Far Shot—45 squares—I generally wouldn't use...

It's true that it loses in comparison to multiclass feats in terms of future options. Then again, it doesn't have any ability prerequisite (I'm assuming anyone who would take Class Focus has a 13+ in their primary abilities), so it wins in comparison to multiclass feats in that regard. With this...

There are only two types of feats that allow you to gain more powers: multiclass feats, which sometimes give you an encounter use of an at-will power or class feature, and divinity feats, which give you alternate uses for a class feature, but not additional uses. This is probably intentional...

The sidebar on p. 225 says in normal text it's "silvery," while the flavor text on p. 304 for Disenchant Magic Item says it's "gold." So obviously it's gold for the duration of Disenchant Magic Item (instantaneous), then silver after that. When you disenchant a magic item, the item "crumbles to...

I'd rather keep XP correlated with Complexity, but require twice as many successes and failures—2N successes before 2N failures for a Complexity N skill challenge. That way, XP still relates to how much effort is required to complete the challenge, just as it does for minor and major quests. I...