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Abyss doesn't do a good job explaining to the DM how much additional prep will be required for play. I think you're right that a substantial amount of XP needed to level up isn't presented in the published set pieces found in Chapters 2 through 6. Chapter 7 states that the characters should be...

Combine the terrain and encounter tables in Chapters 2 and 3. This option can occur 15% of the time using the table provided by the book, but it should happen 100% of the time if an encounter is rolled. The terrain encounters are mostly skill checks and that's boring. The creature encounters...

Regarding the anti-magic ward on the prison cell, I agree it's heavy-handed. But the PCs seem to be routinely manacled when they're in the cell, which could make it hard or impossible to use somatic components for spells. Beyond that, they've got no material components or spellcasting foci, so...

Painted_klown, The kind of practical, how-to advice you need to be a D&D DM can be found at Angry DM's website: http://angrydm.com/ In the top right corner, you'll see a small section of links titled, "How to Run a Game." Angry DM's writing style takes a little getting used to, but the advice...

I agree. I know that there are some folks, the OP included, who don't want to put in any effort in adapting monsters for their game. In some cases, people might not have the time or don't feel confident doing it. Some folks, though, don't really see or understand "reskinning" when they hear...

I quote myself from another thread on another board. I have the solution to your problem. The problem frankly isn't with the MM, but with you. Every monster you want to convert from 3.5 is in the 4e MM, if you know how to look at the 4e MM. I've cleaned up the context of my prior quotes a...

This is one of the best ways to go. Respectfully, many of the other suggestions in this thread are a bit mundane. They're "low level", in that they're fairly mundane problems that could occur in a non-fantasy world and are geared for 1st level D&D characters. Escape from a slave ship, members...

It's only retaliatory (and therefore quasi-punitive) if the goal of the particular game is to succeed only in the most mechanically optimal way. That's a fair standard to hold some games to, but not roleplaying games. The cooperative storytelling aspect of a roleplaying game cannot be so...

This standard sets the bar far too low and doesn't properly come to grips with my criticism. In the strictest standard, and by extension the lowest standard, players who embrace the 15-minute adventuring day are playing the game. There's no rule that explicitly forbids the 15-minute...

This isn't true of any game which determines effectiveness in part on non-mechanical terms. It might be mechanically advantageous to wait 12-18 hours to fully recharge your powers for maximum effectiveness, but not if the cost of your delay is the destruction of the village you were supposed to...

I understand what you're getting at here, but it's a trivial point that doesn't do much for your position. It boils down to "No rule in the game will help if the players decide that they're going to stop playing the game." This is a failing of any game, whether it's D&D 4e or backgammon...

It does seem very sloppy. What really made me cringe, however, is this flavor text: Putting aside the idea of a jumble of fallen trees "giving" a creak, I can't shake the image if a disembodied human head floating into view and its headless body appearing a moment later. I imagine the head...

Note that the new Dragon article on Dragonborn has a racial feat that allows the use of the breath weapon in basically the same way. I think it turns the breath weapon into a Range 10 burst 1 attack? From this, I'd suggest: 1) Don't let the player get away with the acid flask thing. It's a...

Don't forget that your players share the burden of survival. They need to play smart to some extent. Rangers are strikers, but if you see the Ranger always rushing into battle to tie up a monster or two (i.e. acting like a defender), I'd have little mercy for him. Your PCs will have to...

Talk to the DM and see if he or she is willing to kick the problem player out of the group. Otherwise, force the issue. Next time you play, have your character attack the problem player's character. Not a duel or anything so genteel. During a quiet, non-combat moment in the game, tell the DM...

You're still stuck in blinkered 3.x/computer gaming ways of thinking. In 4e, there's no need to give a monster a +5 Longsword of Doom. Monsters and PCs don't use the same rules. You don't need to give a monster, even a monster that's an NPC, a +5 Longsword of Doom in order for the monster to...

Well, if you're a hard-working, creative, and bright GM, then you shouldn't be irked by the DMG's treasure guidelines in the first place. Creative and bright GMs, who aren't hindered by gamist concerns over close adherence to the rules, will throw whatever treasure they want into their games...

Don't forget that 4e is much more finely balanced than 3e was. Once you throw in things like Elven Accuracy (and the Feat which boosts the re-roll), a Wizard's Wand, or Action Surge (is that the name of the Human Feat which gives a hit bonus for action points?), you drift closer to "guaranteed...

I only offer a bit of stat advice. I understand that being suboptimal is not a crime in your world, but if the paladin's going to be purely defensive, then why the high Strength? Swap the Wisdom and Strength. Paladins have a few iconic things going for them and Lay on Hands is one of them. I...

A thousand times, yes. :)