D&D 4E DDXP 4E Rules Appendix

[keterys]

Actually, my post breaks it down in a simple comparative manner. I could also have shown the converse with toughness for rangers who die because they lack hp, since hp comes up more often than surprise, too.

First Reaction doesn't gain you any extra actions. It doesn't gain you any passive bonuses at all.

It gives you an ability, that is true. At the cost of a feat that might have given you an ability that helps all the time. But you have to struggle to make it compare even in a surprise combat, and in my experience those are _far_ from the majority of combats.

I would be amazed to ever take that feat, personally.

 

[Campbell]

Some possible uses for First Reaction

• Fighter uses First Reaction to position himself to protect the party's more squishy members.
• Fighter who has been caught in a compromising position uses First Reaction to draw his weapon before uglies can get past the area he threatens.
• Wizard uses First Reaction to catch a bunch of enemies in an area attack before a chaotic melee makes friendly fire an issue.
• Rogue uses First Reaction to snipe, and manages to snipe again on the first normal round.
• Paladin uses First Reaction to issue his divine challenge against a brute that has his eye on the party rogue.

 

[LostSoul]

Actually, my post breaks it down in a simple comparative manner. I could also have shown the converse with toughness for rangers who die because they lack hp, since hp comes up more often than surprise, too.

Right, Toughness is also a good feat.

I think we need to see more actual play before we say it's no good.

 

[keterys]

It's some good. It just looks worse than every other option of the four. Mostly, it's very specialized and breaks the same rule that metamagic feats did... I just paid for this with a feat slot. Now I can _only_ use it if I pay with it with some other resource as well?

The part that really gets me is that the resource is 'take another action' and the effect is 'take another action'. It just lets you take the action earlier. Boo.

 

[LostSoul]

It would look better if you didn't have to spend the AP, I agree.

Then again, maybe the fact that you do have to spend the AP creates all other effects in game play that rock the house.

 

[Li Shenron]

Apparently this wasn't posted - this was given to me by another player, who supposedly scanned it in from a handout his GM gave him and that he scanned in. It appears to be a 5 page rules appendix from the first preview module.

These aren't exactly what I'd call revolutionary rules scoops, but hey, someone will probably care. The most useful is probably the skill list at the end.

If WotC doesn't want this up for any reason (and I have no idea why you'd care), just let me know and it'll be done.

Excellent post!

I admit that this information move me today more in favor of 4e than yesterday. It's not maybe a full move, let's call it a shift

New things I've learned from this:

a) attacks of opportunity are not limited to 1/round anymore, but 1/opponent; a consequence of this is no more tactics to provoke an AoO from an enemy so that an ally can later do something that provokes without really getting the AoO himself

b) no mention of automatic hits with a natural 20, but this may be just missing info...

c) you can clearly flank with ranged weapon, although you must be adjacent to the target

d) you die at -50% of your HP, or if you fail the ST for dying 3 times

e) Charge is completely changed! seems like you don't have to move straight anymore (at least, if you first take a move and then a charge, the first move is clearly unrestricted), the bonus is smaller than before but there is no penalty, on the other hand you always provoke an AoO (from the target too?). I wonder if this will make charging more popular or less popular...

f) milestones are NOT just 2 encounters, this was probably true in DDXP games but the general rule seems to be "a milestone is whatever the DM decides" which is good IMHO because the DM will tie it to the adventure

 

[D.Shaffer]

First Reaction looks to be one of those feats that's entirely dependant on the DM's playstyle and/or campaign. Consider the number of abilities we've seen that depend on Combat Advantage. I think it's rather safe to assume that Ambush style monsters will have plenty of abilities based around surprise round, never mind NPCs with character class abilities like Sneak Attack. If your DM is the type that loves tossing Ambush type monsters at you, or uses Encounter Traps that rely on surprise, you might very well find this feat life saving and thus worthy of inclusion. If the 'Big Bad' for the campaign is a thieves guild, you'd definitely want to consider this one.

Considering the number of feats we seem to be getting in 4th, a 'Just in case' feat may not be the worse choice possible.