I'm going to get a better view of this once I have my next D&D session (on Friday), but from the player I most expected to like the new diagonal rule:
"Hallelujah!
"Could it be true? Has Wizards been taken over by a cabal of normal people, determined to undermine the complex set of silly rules that detract from the game?
"IMHO the only thing better than this for movement rules would be to adopt the more sensible HEX based system. Movement is the same in every direction, flanking is BLINDINGLY obvious!"
The player in question is what I'd call an experienced casual player... that is, played a lot of RPGs, but by no means a rules lawyer. Very, very good at roleplaying.
Personally, I'm not a fan of hexes solely because hexes and dungeon walls don't mix so well. Love them for wilderness adventures. If Wizards doesn't do templates for fireballs and we get firecubes... eep. That I'm not so fond of. There's definitely a disconnect between how I feel about diagonal movement being simpler to calculate and how I feel about the way areas are calculated.
I'll use the "1 square" diagonal movement in my games on the weekend and see what my friends make of them - and also especially see what the more Rules-Lawyery of them think. I think the player-type will make a difference to how they'll view the new rules.
How do the other members of your playing group view the possibility that diagonal movement may be "simplified" with 4e? Do any of them have trouble with the existing rules? Are some fine with the current rules and are outraged by the suggestion of a change?
Almost by definition, EN Worlders who have been discussing the 4e changes tend to the non-casual wrt the rules; so feedback from the other players in your group would be something I'd find very interesting.
Cheers!
"Hallelujah!
"Could it be true? Has Wizards been taken over by a cabal of normal people, determined to undermine the complex set of silly rules that detract from the game?
"IMHO the only thing better than this for movement rules would be to adopt the more sensible HEX based system. Movement is the same in every direction, flanking is BLINDINGLY obvious!"
The player in question is what I'd call an experienced casual player... that is, played a lot of RPGs, but by no means a rules lawyer. Very, very good at roleplaying.
Personally, I'm not a fan of hexes solely because hexes and dungeon walls don't mix so well. Love them for wilderness adventures. If Wizards doesn't do templates for fireballs and we get firecubes... eep. That I'm not so fond of. There's definitely a disconnect between how I feel about diagonal movement being simpler to calculate and how I feel about the way areas are calculated.
I'll use the "1 square" diagonal movement in my games on the weekend and see what my friends make of them - and also especially see what the more Rules-Lawyery of them think. I think the player-type will make a difference to how they'll view the new rules.
How do the other members of your playing group view the possibility that diagonal movement may be "simplified" with 4e? Do any of them have trouble with the existing rules? Are some fine with the current rules and are outraged by the suggestion of a change?
Almost by definition, EN Worlders who have been discussing the 4e changes tend to the non-casual wrt the rules; so feedback from the other players in your group would be something I'd find very interesting.
Cheers!
