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When I'm DMing 4e, I insist that people use the CB to create their character, just because it's an easy way to make sure everyone is following the rules and calculating their numbers correctly. But most of my players don't have a DDI account and I'm happy to either share my CB access to create...

In my experience, the problem that arises with problems based on backstory is that there isn't a lot of room left for player choice or skill to affect the situation. Adventurers have lives full of problems, but they are generally problems of the player's choosing (i.e. - we chose as a group to...

As a player, I only provide a background if asked (although I usually have some sort of personality/motivation in mind when creating the character). Any backgrounds are limited to the bare minimum that the DM requires. I think I'd choose not to play in any game where more than 1 paragraph was a...

I've never found a good player who was ruined by previous bad DMs. I have, however, found plenty of socially dysfunctional people that use previous poor DMing as a justification for their bad behavior.

Based on my previous experience, some players will be OK with surrendering. At least one other player will declare that he will never surrender. That player will attack the enemies on his turn, deciding the issue for everyone. That player will then blame the TPK on the DM for creating an...

Companions who are slower and more gullible than you are.

All the time. My work gets busy in cycles, so it's not unusual for me to play for a few months, drop out for half a year, then jump back in for another half dozen games. Fortunately, my gaming buddies are a very tolerant and laid-back group. I would feel guilty about being so inconsistent if...

Would never answer a player's question with "Because I say so, and I'm the DM" but would have the acceptance and respect of all the players if he did.

I was going to suggest Sanctuary too. It's a good fit for the LE/LN criteria. However, if you're just interested in fluff you don't need all 4 books in the Thieves' World line. I would recommend just getting Shadowspawn's Guide to Sanctuary, which is a great book and all you really need to port...

RPGs can be any of those things while, at the same time, still being RPGs.

I put 1 death every 5-10 sessions, although I've noticed a big change in frequency as the PCs move up in tier. It was more like every 3-5 sessions in Heroic tier and it's been more like every 10-15 sessions in mid-Paragon. I think that probably averages out to 5-10.

If the player wants to keep playing the character, I am happy to let them be raised. It's really up to the player. As DM, I will find a way to make it happen in-game even if the PCs don't necessarily have the resources to do it BTB. I don't think a game needs permanent character death to make...

We never used them. The game assumes a default world where humans are the dominant race and demi-humans are less central. That wasn't really the kind of campaign world we wanted, so we ditched level limits and some of the class restrictions to "reshape" the assumed racial landscape to our liking.

Well, the poll only goes out to 2020, which I think is several decades too short. I think 4e will continue with occasional rules revisions as a continually supported game through the DDI, with book sales eventually becoming irrelevant to the business model. With a subscription model, continuity...

I like the take 10 mechanic, but the OP didn't include that as an option. I can only work with what I'm given. :)

I find this kind of poll a little puzzling, because I don't really care how many fights occur in the 4-5 hour window of time that I'm playing. I care whether I'm having fun. If that includes combat (which I find fun), great! If it includes problem solving, roleplaying and exploration (all of...

I think using the 3d6 for skill checks might be a good idea. I'm just not sure it's going to work out well for to-hit rolls.

I wouldn't use 3d6 in my 4e game. Although it might make equal level opponents (particularly Brutes) easier to hit, it would make higher level opponents (particularly Soldiers and Skirmishers) much more difficult to hit. Since I tend to use a mix of higher and lower level creatures in each...

I know for certain that PHB2 had a second run. The first one sold through rather quickly and I actually had to wait on mine from Amazon until the second printing arrived. I seem to recall Scott Rouse giving a list of titles that had been reprinted a while ago that included several more...

We only consult sages occasionally, but it's become kind of a flavor "rule" in my games that PCs always consult an oracle of some kind (wise woman, gypsy fortune teller, blind seer, sage, etc.) before setting out on a quest. Without any mechanical rule to back it up, we've decided that it's...