DMG II -- In my hands . . .

[Psion]

If D&D ever ditches levels and/or classes, I'm heading for Fantasy Hero.

Undo the damage they did to package deals in 5e, and I'm there.

 

[~Johnny~]

Quick question!

The official gallery includes images of character types: a bounty hunter, a cultist, a martial artist. If these aren't PrCs, what are they? Sample NPCs?

I'm particularly curious about the bounty hunter.

 

[Psion]

The official gallery includes images of character types: a bounty hunter, a cultist, a martial artist. If these aren't PrCs, what are they? Sample NPCs?

Ayup.

The bounty hunter is simply a ranger/rogue/assassin with a level total 12 or so.

 

[Felon]

Undo the damage they did to package deals in 5e, and I'm there.

Still gotta have a magic system that's economical, pointwise.

 

[LordVyreth]

Actually, one poster said above that there are some special rules for area attacks and the like.

Yes, but I was working on the assumption that it was just the typical "takes 50% more damage" rule, as I believe this is how it worked in the Dungeon article the template originally came from. The 50% rule doesn't seem to reflect the scope of damage a bunch of 1 HD creatures take when bathing in lava or falling hundreds of feet. The imagery in my head is closer to an unpleasant performance in that old Lemmings game. Hopefully someone who already has the book can clarify exactly what the weakness is soon.

 

[Simplicity]

Why, I wonder why...who is walking around thinking "if only the party could campaign with a helpfull spirit". What demand could this possibly fill (though it sounds like the supply will create its own demand)?

I don't think there was a demand for it, which is why it seems like an odd power creep. That said, if it's a DM supplied thing... As in your party spends time with the barbarian tribe and they commune with nature... Then maybe it's kind of a cool option that makes a party unique as a whole.

 

[Simplicity]

As in, they spend some XP up front to get the thing, or it takes a share of the party's XP going forward. If it's the former, insert rant on using XP for anything other than leveling. If it's the latter, I'm intrigued.

They spend XP up front to get the weaker bonuses of the spirit (300XP per party member for Tier 1 powers). They spend more XP each time they want to upgrade the spirit's power.

Tier 5 healing spirit (the highest level), for example gives 15 hp per party member "pool" of curative hitpoints that can be used by anyone in the party as a swift action. This is pretty darned expensive in terms of XP, however.

 

[The_Fan]

Err....re: The sherman tank comment, sure they might not be able to disable it by punching it, but 50 people working in concert could easily dismantle one.

 

[Psion]

Still gotta have a magic system that's economical, pointwise.

I take it you haven't seen FH for 5e, then?

(The term "dirt cheap" comes to mind. At least for HERO.)

 

[Plane Sailing]

Err....re: The sherman tank comment, sure they might not be able to disable it by punching it, but 50 people working in concert could easily dismantle one.

Gosh, that must be why tanks turned out to be so ineffective in WW2. Or not.

More on topic, I hadn't noticed the DMG2 art gallery until Johnny pointed it out - I love some of the artwork there, I think the standard (particularly of scenery) is getting better and better.

Cheers