GOD RULES: Player's Guide (5e) Previews/Discussion

[Upper_Krust]

Design choices can require trade-offs. If the priority is consistency, you would make the choice one way, whereas if the priority is clarity, another.

My view is that clarity trumps consistency when explaining how a thing works. Consistency trumps clarity for a stat block but would rely on clarity in the underlying definitions or explanations.

On that basis I would recommend that you preference clarity in your detailed descriptions, meaning that you might use fractions or decimals depending on the specific circumstance.

Hey amigo - thanks for the feedback (just back from the eye clinic - all good but likely taking a good month to fully heal).

Yes I just think I will go with clarity and ease of use rather than consistency in this case.

Using 1/2 and even 1/10th is easier than decimals. But for everything else decimals seem much simpler to follow.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

My view is that clarity trumps consistency when explaining how a thing works. Consistency trumps clarity for a stat block but would rely on clarity in the underlying definitions or explanations.

On that basis I would recommend that you preference clarity in your detailed descriptions, meaning that you might use fractions or decimals depending on the specific circumstance.

I definitely agree. So 1/2 as a fraction, but x2.5 as a decimal...

 

[Upper_Krust]

Super Energy Types Preview

Following are the new Super-Energy types which along with the even more powerful Ultra Energy types are backbones of divine damage. Hope you like them.

As ever, let me know what you think guys?

 

[ApollyonFall]

A couple of things about the damage types. First there's a typo with Pranic energy saying it's super poison instead of lightning in the effect section.

A few questions about how they work: Gravitic, with it's wording I imagine it working like this. "You deal 10 Gravitic damage to a creature with 20d8 hit dice, it will deal 10d8 damage." That is just my interpretation of how it would work, Let me know if this is not accurate.

Tachyon, How is the save determined? As some attacks may not have one attached. By this I mean what kind of save?

Does the Gibbering Growths Mutagenic damage create more instances or does it grow its hp?

Lastly I just want to say that these all look awesome especially Thelemic damage, I am looking forward to seeing what the ultra versions look like. Great work.

 

[therealselah]

Twenty years ago, I did some extended analysis and playtesting for epic play after we (Dicefreaks) had released Gates of Hell. I remember the feeling of frustration I felt as I recognized the utter reliance at epic levels that players had on the "Christmas Tree" effect - a surfeit of magic items designed to negate via immunities and buffs generally what they would face as epic level threats. It was also annoying to note that once the Christmas Tree was in effect, combat became very bland.

As a result, when I dipped my toes back into Epic gaming with a simplified, relative power system, I worked with a system similar to what you have previewed above. I didn't use new energy types, per se; I just specified that some of the existing energy types from epic sources would not necessarily be rendered harmless by lesser types of resistance and immunity. By and large, the players were ok with this. (I extended this also to the idea that there were also some abilities that would be able to ignore some of their epic capabilities - I had a very frustrated player that hated the Truth Taster I introduced in Sigil that he wasn't able to deceive despite his epically powerful deception capabilities.)

Similarly, in the Magnamund campaign I'm about to run in real life, psychic powers and resistances scale even across the first twenty levels in ways that mirror what you have previewed above - something that I felt made sense for the world of Lone Wolf. This gives more depth to matters of psychic combat.

All of that to say this: As far as I can tell, epic level play needs a system like this. Immunity that is available pre epic and works forever is a terrible and stultifying mechanic. I love the use of super and ultra energy types as a way to get around mere "your fire immunity isn't strong enough for this level of fire damage" encounters.