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<blockquote data-quote="JeffB" data-source="post: 6062234" data-attributes="member: 518">Absolutely. I myself am not a BTB, love me some rules type of DM. Total opposite. I only skim the surface of rules whatever version of the game we play. My 3.x games were more like C&amp;C in complexity. I would be doing the same thing with 4E. One of the big things is that after experiencing several months of&nbsp; Theater of the Mind style combat in OD&amp;D (the way I have preferred to play/DM since&nbsp; I started with the LBBs in 77), he has absolutely NO, ZERO, ZILCH NADA desire to go back to minis/counters and a grid like we used for PFBB. I tried a 4E game with him a couple months back, and he loved the power cards and different attack options (thus why he mentioned it again recently), but the session crashed and burned. As soon as I pulled out a map, he started rolling his eyes, lol.&nbsp; 30 minutes into the first fight: the &quot;dragon grave dig site&quot; encounter in KOTS (using updated math/monsters, as well as 1/2 hit points for the non-minions) and combat still ongoing, and he was done.&nbsp; Me too. Our long OD&amp;D combats may go 15 minutes. Most are between 5-10.If I decide to go this route, I would be using Essentials (HOTFL), as I can use the Slayer build therein and pick powers that are not terribly dependent on pushing/pulling/sliding/ and other things that necessitate the grid (or at least necessitate it for my aged brain!). I can reskin some powers to cause conditions that are not involved with nitty gritty movement, etc., but use descriptive terminology. Instead of getting crazy with bursts and blast radii, I can just say &quot; affects 2 closest&nbsp; opponents&quot;,&nbsp; or&nbsp; &quot;the Bugbear's mace blow to your breastplate knocks you down to the ground , you will have to get up next round,&nbsp; you won't be able to attack and move&quot; etc. That kind of thing.&nbsp;&nbsp; I can do the same with Monster attacks. The essentials rogue (thief) is where I would have the most difficulty, as many of his powers are move heavy. But if by using the Companion character rules, I could whittle him down to a classic Thief with just some sneaky backstabs , shortbow attacks (current NPC halfling Thief is Blodgett, <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink&nbsp; &nbsp; ;)"&nbsp; data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />&nbsp; ) and be the trapmonkey, which is what he excels at in our OD&amp;D game,&nbsp; I am good. Same with a Mage with a handful of fun spells ( in and out of combat) and a stern Cleric of Tyr with some healing, flashy &quot;Tyr's Justice&quot; types of powers and decent melee skills, and I would be very happy. I am rambling, sorry folks. Lots of good advice from everyone, thanks, I am taking it all in, and any other suggestions are much appreciated.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="JeffB, post: 6062234, member: 518"] Absolutely. I myself am not a BTB, love me some rules type of DM. Total opposite. I only skim the surface of rules whatever version of the game we play. My 3.x games were more like C&C in complexity. I would be doing the same thing with 4E. One of the big things is that after experiencing several months of Theater of the Mind style combat in OD&D (the way I have preferred to play/DM since I started with the LBBs in 77), he has absolutely NO, ZERO, ZILCH NADA desire to go back to minis/counters and a grid like we used for PFBB. I tried a 4E game with him a couple months back, and he loved the power cards and different attack options (thus why he mentioned it again recently), but the session crashed and burned. As soon as I pulled out a map, he started rolling his eyes, lol. 30 minutes into the first fight: the "dragon grave dig site" encounter in KOTS (using updated math/monsters, as well as 1/2 hit points for the non-minions) and combat still ongoing, and he was done. Me too. Our long OD&D combats may go 15 minutes. Most are between 5-10. If I decide to go this route, I would be using Essentials (HOTFL), as I can use the Slayer build therein and pick powers that are not terribly dependent on pushing/pulling/sliding/ and other things that necessitate the grid (or at least necessitate it for my aged brain!). I can reskin some powers to cause conditions that are not involved with nitty gritty movement, etc., but use descriptive terminology. Instead of getting crazy with bursts and blast radii, I can just say " affects 2 closest opponents", or "the Bugbear's mace blow to your breastplate knocks you down to the ground , you will have to get up next round, you won't be able to attack and move" etc. That kind of thing. I can do the same with Monster attacks. The essentials rogue (thief) is where I would have the most difficulty, as many of his powers are move heavy. But if by using the Companion character rules, I could whittle him down to a classic Thief with just some sneaky backstabs , shortbow attacks (current NPC halfling Thief is Blodgett, ;) ) and be the trapmonkey, which is what he excels at in our OD&D game, I am good. Same with a Mage with a handful of fun spells ( in and out of combat) and a stern Cleric of Tyr with some healing, flashy "Tyr's Justice" types of powers and decent melee skills, and I would be very happy. I am rambling, sorry folks. Lots of good advice from everyone, thanks, I am taking it all in, and any other suggestions are much appreciated. [/QUOTE]

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