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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MerricB" data-source="post: 4321337" data-attributes="member: 3586">I think I haven't been saying that the 4e DMG is the best DMG ever... (although it's definitely the nicest to new DMs), rather that it is useful to intermediate through experienced DMs as well.That is actually incorrect. Secrets are very important in 4e; it's just that 4e doesn't make as many things mysterious as previous editions did.A few examples:* Tharizdun, "the Chained God", is not described anywhere in the PHB; it's a secret only for the DM's eyes.* Artefacts and their powers are DM eyes only.* Puzzles & traps are DM eyes only.* So are Skill Challenges. Bluffing the Warlord is an automatic fail? Oops. You don't know until you try it.Meanwhile, 4e designers don't think the DM should remember a lot of "mundane" secrets, like the powers of common magic items. Exceptional items? Sure... but what exactly does keeping what a flaming sword secret or a wand of fireballs net you? Not really all that much - and if you have any number of magic items, that's a lot of extra things to remember when combat is busy enough already.With regard to special "DM only" additional rules (such as the 1E AD&D DMG rules on spells), they haven't really been part of the game for a long time. Apart from the fact that they work really poorly when you keep adding new spells, from 2E onwards they haven't been used.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Provide tables and details which a DM can use to turn his own ideas into an adventure or campaign without him/her having to buy anything else. A more experienced DM is much more likely to invent his own... the 4th Ed. DMG would be a poor choice for me to get ideas and building blocks from.</li> </ul></blockquote>I think you sell the 4E DMG short. It has suggested room types, furnishing & features, traps, details for NPC roles, trades, city sites, outdoor terrain and so on and so forth. I think the AD&D 1E DMG has more for purely dungeons, and the 3E DMG is superior again for actual quantity, but the advice and commentary of the 4E DMG on using those features is extremely valuable.Cheers![/QUOTE]

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