D&D 4E AICN 4e Review Part 2: DMing 4e

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Except, of course, embedded reporters are in the midst of life-and-death combat situations, getting to know and even bonding with men and women risking their lives. In addition, reporting negative news, weaknesses, etc. from a combat situation can be construed as harmful to unit morale, and providing aid to the enemy. These elements have a lot more to do with this syndrome than merely feeling spiffy by being a part of something special and/or exclusive.

But maybe he is really a very deep into immersive play - they really felt the fireballs exploding around them, the goblin hordes charging them! If he speaks ill of 4E, any of his comrade PCs might die together with the game!

 

[Festivus]

I really like the idea of using alphabetization for the combat chapter...a nice, useful innovation, I think.

Great review!

Beta tested in the Rules Compendium no doubt. I just bought that book and love it for that very same reason, it's alphabetical!

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

This contradicts what we've heard from WotC employees.

No, one of the early playtest reports mentioned that their party had hit level 10 without yet being given a single magic item, and noted that this did not break the game.

 

[PeterWeller]

I've read the review, and it sounds like the writer is suffering from Embedded Reporter Syndrome. Whenever people are granted exclusive access to something, it creates a feeling of comradery and belonging. People feel like they are co-soldiers, or in this case, co-designers. Consequently, they become disinclined to report negatively on anything, beacuse it feels like a betrayal. Its why the military embedded reporters with units during the invasion of Iraq, for example. The Pentagon knew that that if they made the reporters feel like they were part of the units they reported on, there would be no Vietnam War-style negative stories. Smart marketers know that as long a product isn't totally awful, they can create positive buzz by granting a select few people pre-release access. The real reviews will be written by people who have no psychological investment in the quality of 4th Edition. For now, I feel justified by history in not putting too much stock in the reporting of officially-sanctioned insiders.

You know, God forbid you just take him at his word, but instead, you have to apply only the most tenuous of logic to discredit anything he says because 4E just can't be that good.

Also, you have an incorrect understanding of why reporters were embedded with units during Iraq part deux. It wasn't a response to negative reporting during the Vietnam war, it was a response to the lack of on the ground reporting during the first war in Iraq. The only difference between embedded reporters in Iraq and reporters in Vietnam was that the reporters in Vietnam weren't attached to specific units and had a greater freedom to move about the warzone.

 

[fnwc]

My favourite quote: "And there’s no such thing as a magic item shop anymore."

I'm not sure what this really means. It seems to me that the existence of Ye Olde Magick Shoppe (or lack thereof) is a setting/DM decision, rather than a rules mechanic.

Of course, the reviewer mentions that rules for creating magic items are clearer and easier; I would think this would increase the credibility of the existence of a magic item shop/fence.

As a DM I think the ability to stroll into a town and buy any magic item you want is silly, however, I think they have their place. I find it difficult to believe that a world with assets like magic items don't have some kind of market, somewhere --- especially in settings like Forgotten Realms.

 

[Lizard]

Where are these magic item shops in 3x?

I never encountered one in a 3x game, nor had one in mine. PCs either got magic items from their foes, or made them themselves. The sole exceptions were potions and scrolls, which logically were the 'bread and butter' of low level wizards and clerics.

So, saying "There's no more magic shops!" is about as high praise as saying, "No longer do kobolds breathe fire!"

 

[Clavis]

All this goes to prove is that you don't read AICN regularly.

Massawyrm is one of their regular movie reviewers. He's frequently among a select few who get to see a movie early--sometimes months early. He attends insider parties. He talks with filmmakers at all levels, from no-name locals to Quentin Tarantino.

And he still gives as many negative movie reviews as positive ones.

To suggest that he's suddenly feeling any obligation or emotional pressure to give extra-positive weight to D&D of all things--which has no bearing on his career whatsoever--when he's clearly never given in to any such pressure from being part of the "in-group" in his actual job, is just silly.

You're right. I don't read AICN regularly. And just to make myself clear, I did not intend to slight anyone personally. I apologize if the post came off that way. I know from my own life that I am more inclined to like things that are made by people that I personally like. I'm not doubting anyone's sincerity. For all I know, 4th Edition may turn out to be as great as the review suggests.

 

[Wormwood]

Where are these magic item shops in 3x?

In the default game as per published adventures and supplements.

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

Where are these magic item shops in 3x?

I never encountered one in a 3x game, nor had one in mine. PCs either got magic items from their foes, or made them themselves. The sole exceptions were potions and scrolls, which logically were the 'bread and butter' of low level wizards and clerics.

So, saying "There's no more magic shops!" is about as high praise as saying, "No longer do kobolds breathe fire!"

If you weren't already reluctantly using them, then that statement probably isn't going to do much for you. If you like magic shops, or are playing in a setting where they make sense, then that statement isn't going to do much for you.

For me, I got something out of the statement and that something was positive.

 

[MarkAHart]

Beta tested in the Rules Compendium no doubt. I just bought that book and love it for that very same reason, it's alphabetical!

Good point -- I have found the RC an extremely helpful book to have. I hadn't thought of that!