Search results

I respect Forgotten Realms, but it never really held my interest. I assume it's the most popular setting because WotC keeps going back to it, in terms of sourcebooks, video games, and novels. But I am personally not interested in FR as a default setting, at all. Simply put, I think Nerath...

I am also a fan of 4E PoL setting. Generic enough to be a good "base" that anyone can build on top of, yet riddled with evocative and inspiring ideas. Fallcrest and the Nentir Vale (and even Red Hand of Doom's Elsir Vale) have been tremendous sources for me. I vote for a sandbox approach...

??? Themes only give you feats. That's it. Nothing else. You can either choose a theme with prepackaged feats for your character, or you can pick and choose feats yourself. Theme = feats.

That's probably why we've been talking at cross-purposes! WotC has said exactly that. Themes are prepackaged collections of feats. Here is the first source I found. I know there are others. Backgrounds I'm less sure about: I believe they include some type of noncombat roleplay feature plus...

I agree with all of this, exactly my reasoning, too. Yes, calculating advantages vs disadvantages is not "hard," but neither is adding +2 +2 -2. In gameplay, there is a noticeable difference, and we're looking for ways to run the game more smoothly. My thought is that advantage and...

First, admittedly, I have very little experience with 2e kits; I got started with D&D toward the end of the AD&D 2E run. However, I never saw kits as a "design crutch," per se. Kits are an extra option to layer on top of your character. They may have improved some classes, or added an option...

A couple different questions here, which I have different answers to... First, I have an inherent dislike of "bonus feats," "second themes," or "extra backgrounds." To me, this reeks of lazy game design. Because the fighter doesn't have enough features to make a good fighter class, we need to...

I noticed this is Essentials, and it stuck out to me with the leveling up in the Next Playtest Packet: the presentation of class features and other character generation aspects. I always liked the character advancement table with paragraphs explaining the features. Something like: Feats...

It seems to me that the overwhelming majority of people who have actually played the playtest (myself included) do not miss attacks of opportunity. I'm all for AoO/OA being an option as part of a "tactics module," or even a special ability for the fighter class or slayer theme and particular...

Although I know WotC will have their closed playtesting forum for all these questions, and I'm sure I'll be posting over there too, I'd like to discuss as much as I can here for one simple reason. I like you guys better. ;) ENWorld's a more civil, rational, and fun place to be, and I would...

I want to stay as true as I can to the spirit of the playtest and the ENWorld forums... What about derived mechanics? Rules that may not be spelled out but we might be able to figure out? As in, figuring out or hypothesizing that hp or bonuses are calculated with a guessed formula? Or...

Shemeska I would agree that PoL was (possibly) somewhat forced into FR and DS (although I confess I have not looked through those settings and will have to trust you on that). Eberron was "lucky" in that it was a campaign setting that already fit the mold, to some extent. But I'm speaking...

Afraid I disagree. I don't think the choices of classes and races make or break the game. I would actually prefer the Next PHB is not inclusive. There will be "nerdrage" no matter what, so why not just aim to displease everyone?! 4 classes: fighter, wizard, rogue, cleric. 4 races: human...

I have to say, I'm definitely still in the "implied setting" camp. And I think PoL of 4E got it pretty much exactly right. I never considered it obtrusive, I felt there was plenty of text throughout the PHB and DMG about making the world your own, and it spurred my own imagination. I think...

I really liked 4E's Points of Light setting, and I feel it made a great default setting that was at both times unintrusive and sparked the imagination. I know that I do not want Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk as the "default." And I do think there needs to be a generic Core Setting that everyone...

I would like to see a (possibly slimmer) PHB with only a few modular options. I think multiple "modules" can be introduced per splatbook. An Arcane Book that includes additional feats, Backgrounds, themes, classes, etc that are a part of the Core as well as modules for casting variants or...

In short, no. It's a game. We don't need D&D5E like we need sustainable energy or cures for cancer. Obviously, people who play D&D in some form now will continue to play, with or without a new edition, and will continue to teach their kids and their friends, with or without a new edition...

I believe "challenge difficulty" can easily be incorporated, too. If you have a game where you "ignore backgrounds, feats, and such" and all you have is race+class, you have a choice: A more difficult and challenging, but still definitely possible, game, or... Subtract one monster of the...

Yes, house-ruling restrictions are pretty easy to do. Adding the restriction "paladins must be LG" for generic paladins is probably just as easy as removing the restriction "paladins must be LG" to generic paladins. Including such restrictions reinforces the flavor of D&D, I think. D&D does...

This thread has grown to encompass many concepts, all of which I find interesting! :) First, I do not think Mike's throwaway comment means that rituals are core, or even in the game at all, at this point. Not only are they working on ideas for future modules to be released after Core, but...