Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms

[WalterKovacs]

Just a quick clarification about the knacks...

Does "Additional Ranger Knacks" mean that both rangers and druids can choose from the ones under "druid" or are those druid only and there are some more ranger-only knack to choose from?

Carl

The first 5 are knacks for both Druids and Rangers, and Ambush Expertise is only for rangers.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Essentials contains redundant information which makes it easier on people that want to buy only a few things.

Each players book contains enough classes for a party of 5 to each be running a different class (counting the "same class/different role" builds as seperate classes) and the racial choices give good (if not perfect) options for the various stat/class combinations in the book. The books also contain feats, items, rules for a player to be able to use that book exclusively and be able to play.

For people that want both books, it does suck, but if you were to get just one, you would have gotten most of the feats usable for older classes without having to buy both. If you weren't interested in either, you could just go for the Rules Compendium to get all the "rules updates" information.

The redundancy sucks for people that pick up everything (especially since many pre-Essential players are used to picking up everything) but the idea was to avoid having a relatively new player pick up a book only to find out that you can't actually play with just this (and a group/DM) but you need other stuff too. The "idea", presumably, is that the DM would get his stuff, and each player would get the things they need for their own character, and in sharing stuff as a group they'd be able to do things like find feats from other books they might use, etc ...

 

[AntlerDruid]

It's a pseudo-ritual similar to the ones other classes get (like the resurection rituals essential leaders get, etc)

Basically, you summon a tiny invisible spirit to do some scouting for you. Either it will help to locate a specific person or object within 5 miles [you have to have seen or touched the object/person in the past] OR it can explore a 20x20 square and give you basic information of terrain features [it can't open doors so it has to be somewhere a tiny creature can get into, and it can't see anything that needs a Perception check to see]

In both cases, it has up to an hour to complete the task, and it relays the information back to you telepathically when it completes the task.

Thanks WalterKovacs!

Hmm can the spirit also climb or fly?

 

[DracoSuave]

Hmm can the spirit also climb or fly?

If it's a creature, than that information is contained in its stat block. If it's not, it's just an effect, and therefore 'climbing' and 'flying' is as meaningless for it as it is for a flaming sphere.

 

[Max1mus]

Still no Int/Con race.

<-- holds out for Warforged

Noticed that for a while now. Thought we were going to get it with Minotaurs and phb3

 

[WalterKovacs]

Noticed that for a while now. Thought we were going to get it with Minotaurs and phb3

According to the books, Revenants will be getting the Essentials treatment. They could go Con/Dex or Int using some kind of "retained memories" fluff to justify the other stat choice (regardless, Con makes sense as their fixed stat).

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Is there a mounted combat feat?

 

[Saint Ajora]

The +1 shield bonus to AC and Reflex from Rod Expertise scales by level?

For example, +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21th level.

 

[Imaro]

You know, one of the things that is totally baffling to me right now, and I admit it may be my own pre-conceived notions, is thet the Drow make better Fey Pact Hexblades than the Eladrin, Elf or Half-Elf (they actually make better Infernal pact...Huh again??) races... Just huh? I wish they had hewed more firmly with archetypes where this is concerned.

 

[Klaus]

See it this way: they're perfect for reconnecting with the fey aspect of their heritage (they *are* fey humanoids), forsaking Lolth for a chance at redemption.