D&D 4E 4E updates/errata posted today 1/20/2009

[keterys]

I'm ditching my Veteran's armor ASAP. Now it's at the bottom of the heap. That sucks.

I can convert mine into another level 2 armor... so, my choices are Dwarven, Razor, Resistance, Immunizing, Martyr's, or Screaming.

Razor seems less useful.
Dwarven's pretty good, though I never run out of surges so it'd be more for the free action side of things.
Resistance is... okay. I suspect it'd be less useful... I'd be most tempted by fire, so that I could let the party wizard hit me more, but at that point I think I'd be better off saving up for Black Iron to pick up next level.
Immunizing is extraordinary for its niche, but I'm a dwarf and it really hasn't come up much.
Martyr's isn't bad, though I tend to use up a lot of my minor actions.
Screaming is pretty good. Maybe I'll go that route, since at least I'd use the power and have Intimidate trained (with a lousy Cha)

So Veteran's is pretty midpack among the other level 2s... I'll consider taking Screaming or Dwarven's over it, but I think it's better than the other 4 for my character. I might not bother, though, since I think the real answer is that I'm going to upgrade to a higher level armor when I get the chance (like Black Iron or Meliorating or...)

 

[Dracorat]

Sorry, I don't know how I missed the section at the end of the file, but I had.

Thanks for pointing it out. (whoops!)

 

[Nail]

ISo Veteran's is pretty midpack among the other level 2s..

Good analysis....

...but remember you should also be judging other armors you PC could also find (or purchase).

In adventure design, there are few treasure parcel slots for a level 2 item. So it's better to give your DM a "mid-range" armor, rather than low-balling it. So for a level 2 PC, level 2 armors are probably not on the wish list --> go for level 3 - 6 instead.

Given what an action point can do, it feels like stripping the Veteran's Armor power was over-kill. Perhaps regain an Encounter Power as a Move Action? Etc.

 

[keterys]

...but remember you should also be judging other armors you PC could also find (or purchase).

Except, it's level 2. I can't compare it to level 3-6 except to note "Boy, I hope they're better". As it was, I've considered going from level 5 armor to level 2 armor cause of Veteran's... now, well, I obviously won't.

It's disappointing in that I'd rather more of the level 2 armors were a little more competitive - I mean, Vicious gets some real longevity as a weapon choice, for instance... but apparently balance has been restored. Painfully.

In adventure design, there are few treasure parcel slots for a level 2 item. So it's better to give your DM a "mid-range" armor, rather than low-balling it. So for a level 2 PC, level 2 armors are probably not on the wish list

Well - depends on if it's gotten via Enchant Item or not I was also planning on acquiring one at 7th for a different character. Two, to be honest, but the 4th level guy was a fair ways off still.

Given what an action point can do, it feels like stripping the Veteran's Armor power was over-kill. Perhaps regain an Encounter Power as a Move Action? Etc.

Yeah, I am a little surprised they didn't just change it to be an encounter power instead.

 

[DrSpunj]

I'm ditching my Veteran's armor ASAP. Now it's at the bottom of the heap. That sucks.

Yeah, "Remove the item's power" is, umm, harsh!

So, you going to be sending me a new wish list soon?

 

[Nail]

Yeah, "Remove the item's power" is, umm, harsh!

So, you going to be sending me a new wish list soon?

You bet!

BTW, has Veteran's Armor been roundly decried as overpowered? This one (veteran's Armor) was a strange one to be caught in the "over-powered" net. It seems like the "errata elves" don't read ENWorld much. Ah well.

 

[Festivus]

Err, it's the lowest level it can be pretty much.

That said, check with your LFR DM - if he didn't report results yet, you could swap to taking gold.

Heh, you are right. I was thinking it was level 7 armor (at least from reading that powers on it). I managed to get ahold of him before reporting and swapped for +2 Amulet of Protection.

 

[ravenheart]

A casual glance was enough for me to realize there was a duration accidentally left out. While it's nice to have official confirmation which exact duration was intended, suggesting no duration at all is to me clearly preposterous and something I'd instantly ignore.

Well, I whipped up the encounter in a rush and only noticed the lacking duration after we had rolled initiative. It wasn't my interpretation that it lacked an duration entirely, I just got stuck wondering when exactly the effect expired. Was it after it made an attack, after it was hit by an attack or possibly until the start/end of it's turn/next turn? Unsure of the designers intent, I eventually just ruled that it was invisible until the end of it's turn so we could get a move on.

You need to get better at simply saying "no", and stop letting the rules get in the way of your common sense.

But I thought a DM was supposed to say "Yes"? Or are you discriminating against monsters? Shame on you! [/sarcasm]

 

[Mistwell]

You bet!

BTW, has Veteran's Armor been roundly decried as overpowered? This one (veteran's Armor) was a strange one to be caught in the "over-powered" net. It seems like the "errata elves" don't read ENWorld much. Ah well.

It stood out to me right away as a good item. I do not think it was game breaking or anything, but I did think it should have been a higher level.

I also think they could have reduced the effectiveness of the daily power without removing it entirely. For example, allowing it to revive a daily power of a level less than or equal to the level of the armor. Or heck, even reviving an encounter power of a level less than or equal to the armor would probably work OK. But removing the daily power entirely seems like overkill to me.

 

[keterys]

Based on Veteran's Armor and Pact Hammer, I'd say they're excising problematic material rather than worrying about fixing it and possible refixing it. Not sure what to think there - the Pact Hammer actually disappoints me more, because it's even less useful afterwards than the Veteran's.