Forked Thread: Death in 4e Poll

[defendi]

I agree. Also, I found that I kill a lot more characters below 10th level in 3.5 than after.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Voted less lethal, but that's assuming that you, as a DM, don't want PCs to die randomly.

I.e. a standard encounter is dangerous but not lethal (as long as you employ some tactics). If the encounters are made harder, then it gets very lethal (I'm looking at you, Irontooth) and then ONLY good tactics (this may include retreat) can help you.

So, in general, 4E combat is less ruled by chance and more by tactics.

Cheers, LT.

 

[FireLance]

So, in general, 4E combat is less ruled by chance and more by tactics.

I think this is true not just of combat, but of most elements of 4e.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

Unfortunately I don't think it's as simple as that, It causes less deaths through random chance and more deaths by punishing bad tactics.

Another vote for this

 

[EATherrian]

Unfortunately I don't think it's as simple as that, It causes less deaths through random chance and more deaths by punishing bad tactics.

All the deaths in my current campaign had to do with on-going damage and bad rolls. But I think you're mostly correct, we're just an anamoly.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

If I ignore all those random death in 3.5 that happened due to save or die effects, I think 4E is just as deadly as in 3.5. Maybe more so, since there are not many situations where characters died without save or die or at least ability damage in the mix (but they certainly existed).

But with them taken into account, 4E is less lethal. Not less challenging for a players mind, but less lethal.

 

[defendi]

I think I agree with that.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Less lethal, for sure.

I don't think that '4e with bad tactics' is any more lethal than '3e with bad tactics' either. Player stupidity/arrogance/incompetence will get you killed no matter what game you're playing. Playing 4e other than the way it was designed might be (almost certainly is) sub-optimal, and maybe more deadly than a similar set of circumstances would be with optimized/efficient 3e characters, but I'm not convinced.

My experiences so far (and admittedly I've logged nowhere near the same amount of time with 4e as 3e) indicated that it's certainly possible to get away with stupid stuff and not suffer for it.

 

[VictorC]

Seems about the same to me.

 

[Wycen]

I agree with Blargey the second. I can't tell the difference, though I have played FAR more 3E, so until I play an equal amount of 4E, I don't know.