Recent content by Dreadite

1. What tier are these encounters? My group quite handily got through 3-4 at heroic tier, but now that we're at high paragon tier we're lucky to get two, and usually get one. (Big group too, 8+ people, that slows it down a lot). If your group is smaller it might be faster, but if they're new...

There's a cloak that allows you to roll your stealth checks twice and take the higher of the two results as a passive property. I'd say that's really the standout item, if you like sneaking around.

I just ran an Arena combat centered game (2v2 and 1v1 teams), and the runaway winners ended out being a Hybrid Avenger/Cleric and a Cleric. The Avenger/Cleric in particular was extremely difficult to take down. Accurate, strong, high defenses, and the ability to continue to fight long after...

Your allies are flammable for a reason! Light 'em up! Honestly, if the Defender at least isn't willing to take a hit when he properly clumps up some enemies, you need to find a new defender who isn't a silly wimp. I suggest a Dwarf, they're tough. ;) I'd be a little more wary about throwing...

All I have experience with is foam weapons and arrows with tennis balls on them (in regards to melee). I can tell you for sure, run away! The sword man will turn you into paste. Even IF you hit him well enough to kill him (no misses, dodges, or glancing blows off the helmet), you might still...

If you're using him as a monster, I'd just scale him up as you go along. Choose a level 3 template (so his HP are high, but his damage is only moderately competitive) and just scale him up a level when the party levels until you want them to "catch up" as it were. Then throw in an extra...

Fullblade still has what I consider to be THE best weapon property pre-Vorpal though: "of Summer". Property 1d8 fire damage on hit? Hurrah!

My game's party has been finding that a heavy blade opportunist fighter, a daggermaster rogue, and a Bravura Warlord = fun times with Brash Assault. There's quite a bit of decision making one can make regarding the state of your group that will influence what appears optimal at any given time...

The reason Crossbow's damage expression is somewhat lower is that you can (as far as I am aware) use it with a Light Shield (Crossbow being one handed, and a Light Shield allows you to use the hand for other tasks like reloading). A very fun crossbow build for Paragon is Hospitaler Paladin...

I think it's important to realize that conditions take away one of the main reasons D&D is "fun" for players: Their ability to do whatever they want. It's an effect that limits the sandbox in which they play, so many players express frustration with this. It's important to take that...

I really like the new solo design, I ran a Young Adamantine Dragon against my group (who had recently faced down a Young Black Dragon a level ago) and the experience was very positive. Admittedly Black Dragons are grindy, but the group enjoyed the faster paced fight a lot more. It's prompted...

Our group plays it that magical thrown weapons return "instantly" unless you want to look cool (with boomerang returns). So a blast would just be a series of really quick toss and return motions. It works for us, your group's mileage may vary. Admittedly, this is a bit of a houserule patch...

I don't know if you have DDI, but the monster creation tool there is great for creating additional themed monsters. If not, the possibility exists of quickly re-skinning appropriate monsters. Names have been, of course, changed to protect the innocent. ;) Look for role, re-theme powers and...

I don't know so much about #2 (I'd be inclined to say yes), but for all of the above: No, no, no, and no. When a weapon is an implement, it's not a weapon. (Sorta stupid, but that's how it works. It's acting as an implement and ceases to be a weapon, and loses the Weapon property for that...

They do just that in the Penny Arcade podcasts (it seems to save time and is quite convenient for the DM to track as well...)