Anyone know why vulnerabilities are gone?

[keterys]

I think it'd be awesome if you could douse the hellhound's aura for a turn

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

You know, the real interesting stuff might be to have Resistances that don't just reduce damage.

Examples:
"Resist Fire: If the creature takes 10 or more points of fire damage, it can make a basic attack or shift 3 squares"
"Resist Cold: If the creature takes 5 or more points of cold damage, its Icy Blast power recharges."

[/tangent]

 

[Mesh Hong]

You know, the real interesting stuff might be to have Resistances that don't just reduce damage.

Examples:
"Resist Fire: If the creature takes 10 or more points of fire damage, it can make a basic attack or shift 3 squares"
"Resist Cold: If the creature takes 5 or more points of cold damage, its Icy Blast power recharges."

Now that is an interesting idead, and one I might try and incorporate into a few creatures. Its always nice to stumble upon a fresh mechanic.

 

[fba827]

I guess I would try to incorporate these weaknesses into the monster's entries. I would still try to come up with creative vulerablities over a static damage bonus.

You know, the real interesting stuff might be to have Resistances that don't just reduce damage.

In my campaign, I already do this (non damage-related resistances and vulnerabilities) but just for unique/individuals (it gets too hard to track with the hordes of minions and such -- a) it's easier to run the cannon fodder right out of the book and b) if the wizard does an area effect, i wouldn't want to suddenly have to deal with 7 enemies having unusual effects/actions).

But that's all a house-rule tangent so I won't get in to it. Just wanted to add that it works well for unique/individuals rather than for 'stock' monsters.

 

[Mengu]

I'm liking the ideas and tangents here.

I'll be sure to add a creature at some point with something like a fire aura, that gets doused by a cold attack until the end of the attacker's next turn.

In the same veins, different sorts of vulnerabilities could be added to a creature:

Vulnerable Cold (slowed till end of attacker's next turn)
Vulnerable Fire (-1 all defenses till end of attacker's next turn)
Vulnerable Thunder (-2 AC till end of attacker's next turn)

In the same line of thought with Mustrum_Ridcully, you could also add a step beyond immunity, call it empowerment. This would be like the Shambling Mound's interaction with Lightning.

Cold Empowered (+1 all defenses till end of attacker's next turn)
Fire Empowered (+2 damage rolls till the end of attacker's next turn)
Lightning Empowered (+2 speed and may shift 2 squares as a move action till end of attacker's next turn)

I'd toss in such abilities sparingly though.

 

[Nail]

But to the real point: Why would more vulnerabilities be "bad for the game"? Let's posit that a few more monsters gain vulnerabilities, and only if thematicly appropriate. Would that be bad?

For example: Some newbies that I've DMed threw water at Hell Hounds, as the hounds were partially made of fire. They thought (being new to gaming, and having never read thru a Monstrous Manual) that water would hurt the 'Hounds. Wouldn't it be nifty if water did?

I think it'd be awesome if you could douse the hellhound's aura for a turn

The newbie player sure thought so. The grizzled veterans (this was 3.0e) kept saying: "That doesn't work".

So, of course, I made it work.

 

[DracoSuave]

One thing to consider, as well, is the different flavor of elemental monsters in 4e.

In previous editions, a fire elemental monster came from a plane of elemental fire. Vulnerability to cold was very much in keeping with that, as it was as alien to their environment as they were to the player characters'.

In 4e, tho, elemental creatures (including and especially demons) come from a land where the pure elements mix and match in strange and sometimes incomprehensible ways. Fire burning on ice with neither being harmed? I expect that to occur in the Elemental Chaos. Creatures formed from the chaos are no more likely to be especially hurt by other elements than anything else. There's no reason to expect a fire elemental creature to be vulnerable to cold simply because that creature is likely -more- acclimatized to it than most natural creatures. Fire archons led by frost giants? In 4e, it can happen, and it makes sense given the nature of what elemental creatures -are-.

So, no, I don't expect vulnerabilities to be based on resistances.