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DNDNext Commentary on Arstechnica
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<blockquote data-quote="Obryn" data-source="post: 6022319" data-attributes="member: 11821"><p>Yep. And I'll just come out and say it - the 4e MM1 is basically playtest-quality. With art and some fluff (mostly in the Monster Knowledge section).</p><p></p><p>I'll go back to my (least) favorite monsters - sword wraiths. I mostly know about them because WotC used them in two adventures. These annoying undead... (1) Are insubstantial, so they take half damage; (2) Weaken enemies with a basic attack, which means damage is effectively quartered; and (3) Regenerate 10 every round - which can be equivalent to as much as 40 HP. What's more, they're "phasing" so once they hit Bloodied they retreat through a wall and get back to full. It <em>sounds</em> neat. Maybe. But it's really just a slog and a grind.</p><p></p><p>The problem is that the original designers were such math-heads that they thought "monster who does low damage every round but takes longer to kill" and "monster who does high damage but is quickly killed" were equivalent in play. Same with "high damage, but inaccurate" and "low damage, but accurate". <em>Mathematically</em>, sure - each theoretically deals out similar damage. But in play? Not really equivalent at all. Hence, grind.</p><p></p><p>-O</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Obryn, post: 6022319, member: 11821"] Yep. And I'll just come out and say it - the 4e MM1 is basically playtest-quality. With art and some fluff (mostly in the Monster Knowledge section). I'll go back to my (least) favorite monsters - sword wraiths. I mostly know about them because WotC used them in two adventures. These annoying undead... (1) Are insubstantial, so they take half damage; (2) Weaken enemies with a basic attack, which means damage is effectively quartered; and (3) Regenerate 10 every round - which can be equivalent to as much as 40 HP. What's more, they're "phasing" so once they hit Bloodied they retreat through a wall and get back to full. It [I]sounds[/I] neat. Maybe. But it's really just a slog and a grind. The problem is that the original designers were such math-heads that they thought "monster who does low damage every round but takes longer to kill" and "monster who does high damage but is quickly killed" were equivalent in play. Same with "high damage, but inaccurate" and "low damage, but accurate". [I]Mathematically[/I], sure - each theoretically deals out similar damage. But in play? Not really equivalent at all. Hence, grind. -O [/QUOTE]
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