Design & Development: Warlord Article UP!

[vagabundo]

I like the warlord, I was unsure how it would work for my games.

I sympathise with the crew who feel 4e breaks their game reality, but D&D has always had this kind of stuff and I believe the extra player participation in the battle narrative will make up for it.

Interactive fiction all the way!!...

 

[GoLu]

I think I really begin to like the "metagame narrative" since it seems to give a lot more leeway for abilities. Previously, you had to limit "special moves" by making them very difficult to use. This unfortunately meant that maneuvers like trip or disarm where harder to pull off, and thus were rarely used succesful - until you got the right feats, leading to an "special move spamming" that wasn't really satisfying, either. The "metagame narrative" approach allows you to get the effect of an ability that is rarely used, but when it is used, it has a good chance of success. Without ever running into the "spamming" problem. Maybe 4E will allow you to use the same nencounter powers each encounter, but at least each individual power will be different.

I know what you mean. I basically understand the encounter powers as a totally unrealistic rule that produces fun, interesting, and entirely reasonable end results. Special move spamming is, in my opinion, neither fun nor verisimilitudinous, and the rule forces people to mix it up a bit more.

 

[Wormwood]

edit: apologies to bryond. That was needlessly snarky.

 

[Wormwood]

Interactive fiction all the way!!...

For the win, baby.

For the win.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Yeah I think one major difference between 3.5 and 4e is this.

3.5 mechanics/rules has its leanings more towards world-building/simulation. Where the rules and mechanics are the strict and true laws of that world.

4e mechanics/rules has its leanings more towards narrative/story-building. Where the rules and mechanics are there to allow players to influence and engage in a narrative storyline through a world not as heavily dependent on strict rules to govern the way it works.

 

[Remathilis]

And why can the warlord use this command only once a day?

New house rule: everyone can use there encounter/dailies more than once, but every time you use it beyond its "safe" limit, you take a penalty. This could include penalties to d20 rolls, penalties to defenses, automatic fatigue/exhaustion/another status ailment, % chance of failure, temporary ability score penalties, or even temporary negative levels.

You want to try the same tactic over and over? Ok, but its going to fail you eventually. You want to over-rely on one spell? Well, it might sap your body and mind.

Ta.

 

[Wormwood]

4e mechanics/rules has its leanings more towards narrative/story-building. Where the rules and mechanics are there to allow players to influence and engage in a narrative storyline through a world not as heavily dependent on strict rules to govern the way it works.

And for those of us whose play-styles already lend themselves to shared narrative control, 4e is an early Xmas gift.

But I agree that this shift in focus can be disconcerting to those with other styles.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

And for those of us whose play-styles already lend themselves to shared narrative control, 4e is an early Xmas gift.

Oh definitely, it makes me quite excited and envious of my players (I am DMing).

 

[StarFyre]

yes

To the person whoasked (sorry, forgot whom)...

Yes, the warriors did get to fight instead of just doing support roles. The one who got grabbed actually power attacked the dragon...but didn't do near enough to slice right through the arm, etc and thus got grabbed a couple rounds later. As well, one warrior who uses bows more all the while (even whne the dragon charged out of the cave) was unleashes volley after volley at it.

Our fights though, like real life, do have a component where some people or enemies won't always be useful and the tactics of it is, my players tend to find ways to make themselves useful.

Ie. i can't hurt the enemy for some reason, so I'll start knocking over stuff so we can use it as cover from their archers, or I will start causing a distraction by causing a smoke screen, etc.

It's more about survival overall, instead of "I have touse my cool power or this game sucks"

Maybe it's a bit more simulationist in that way? my players don't mind

Also, we do all sorts of stuff, regardless of rules..heh if it takes more than 30 seconds or so to find a rule, then it's just a basic d20 roll or action point to do it.
Can't be bothered with rules

Sanjay

 

[Kaodi]

I do not know if it has been said yet, but I hope the Warlord gets some powers that do not require melee attacks.