Facing

[BryonD]

You started it with:

"That means square bases and that means no facing."

Exactly.

 

[Stormtower]

I suspect too much is being read into the blog post that mentioned "taking a critical to the back." That's probably just colorful descriptive writing to embellish a crit/sneak attack. Adding facing back into combat calculations seems contrary to the stated design goal of speeding up play.

 

[RodneyThompson]

I could be surprised, but I'm going to assume that there's no "facing," and this was Rodney's or his DM's creative license.

Mine, certainly. Two sailors appeared on the map from the direction I had come from, and I had just attacked some bad guys on the opposite side of me, so it made sense. I was in no way implying the presence of facing in my post.

(Argh, going to have to start picking my own posts apart to make sure there's nothing in there that could be misconstrued)

 

[Darkwolf71]

Mine, certainly. Two sailors appeared on the map from the direction I had come from, and I had just attacked some bad guys on the opposite side of me, so it made sense. I was in no way implying the presence of facing in my post.

(Argh, going to have to start picking my own posts apart to make sure there's nothing in there that could be misconstrued)

Awwww, but we get much more interesting dialogue (ranting) this way.

 

[Spinachcat]

(Argh, going to have to start picking my own posts apart to make sure there's nothing in there that could be misconstrued)

Don't! Without misconstruction there would be no 4e forums!

Also, the flavor is cool and adds to the scene. Facing for flavor effect is extra easy with minis even if there isn't any mechanics.

The whole point of having stealth skills is to sneak BEHIND the enemy even if the ruleset infers that Ogres are constantly twirling about with 360 vision.

 

[Goken100]

Exactly.

OR ELSE!
Or else what?
Exactly.

 

[Felon]

Facing rules are pretty lame, and grievously exploited in any game where they exist. I have not-so-fond memories of Champions characters teleporting or even flying around behind enemies because it would halve their target's defenses.

I never understood how people could think that facing should matter, as if the opposition just faces one direction and then freezes into that position until it's their turn again.

 

[Meeki]

I suspect too much is being read into the blog post that mentioned "taking a critical to the back." That's probably just colorful descriptive writing to embellish a crit/sneak attack. Adding facing back into combat calculations seems contrary to the stated design goal of speeding up play.

Or what if its a creature of all backs! hmmm.. *scratches chin*

 

[Kunimatyu]

Flanking works way better than facing, at least in my opinion, and I'd be disappointed to see 4e going with facing.

 

[Shortman McLeod]

No. I mean the square game area that the black plastic circles are made to fill.

The "square game area that the black plastic circles are made to fill"?

Oh, you mean the squares.