Immortals Handbook - Godsend

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

Wow, my goodness. It appears as though I really trod on a landmine here... Although the discussion was a lot of fun to read, I was just wondering how the change affected the people at the designer end of the whole process. I'll say that it is strange how two systems can be respectively easier and harder than their counterparts at the same time, and leave it at that. I must also admit that I haven't yet taken the time to learn the intricacies of the whole 4e system. From what I've read and seen - which is mostly the PHb - I would liken it to 3.5's Tome of Battle regarding the mechanics of maneuvers and powers, which is kind of cool. As for me, who likes to occasionally design creatures, ranging from ye olde faustian nightmares, to H.R. Giger styled grotesqueries, to Lovecraftian silliness, whether for tabletop or forum based games, 3.5E is still a more attractive ruleset because I have yet to actually understand what's going on in the 4e MM.

As a designer (especially as an epic level plus D20 designer), the difference to me is night and day.

Instead of having to bother about picking out feats, instead of having to bother about monster skill points, instead of having to bother about spell-like abilities or spell lists, and lets be honest, 90% of those were always irrelevant anyway, 4th Edition basically does away with all that.

Which means when creating a monster, all you really need to do is decide upon its Name, its Type, its Level, its power role (Elite, Minion etc.), its Role (Artillery, Brute etc.) and then add a few cool abilities/attacks that make this monster unique. The DMG already has all the design (math) parameters for you covered in about 2 pages.

 

[dante58701]

3.5 vs. 4.0, this debate will rage long after 4.0 goes the way of precambrian mold. Some love one, some love the other, some love both, some just don't care. But I'll always be in the category that firmly sticks with 3.5 until I'm given a system that incorporates digitalized rules, A.I., and the ability to create characters upon voice command.

Personally I think 4.0 neuters monsters by robbing them of options and depth. It does the same for PCs, it neuters them by robbing them of options and depth. Having someone who loves 3.5 try to play 4.0 is a bit like taking away the legos and giving them clunky wooden blocks.

 

[Alzrius]

So U_K, given that this week was devoted to Godsend, how have things been going over the last few days?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Alzrius mate!

So U_K, given that this week was devoted to Godsend, how have things been going over the last few days?

Terrible is the short answer. So I am going to give it another week before sending you the pdf.

In fact in all honesty my time off has been far less productive (in terms of finished product) than I thought, however, there have been mitigating circumstances, the problems of which have now all been solved.

Basically I should have had all these problems solved by the time I got my free time, unfortunately the best laid plans often go astray and I did have to book this time off months in advance.

So finally getting InDesign on my new computer took almost two weeks, then getting to grips with the program and setting up my new layouts took the best part of a week, then factor in the annoyance of trying to work with a laptop 'touch-pad' for a few days before relenting and buying a USB mouse for the laptop.

However, while I don't have as much typed up as I wanted, I should point out that I wasn't idle, even when the computer side of things wasn't going to plan. I must have filled dozens of pages with ideas, tables and so forth (especially for the 4E Gods & Monsters). The new Angelic Hierarchy is a thing of beauty and I now have a much richer backstory to the creation of the kosmos. The new army rules are quick and simple, the new size rules are starting to take shape and I even have new Conditions and Damage Types.

Also when I return to work I only have a month to wait before my holidays reset, so I'll probably take four more weeks off in the month of May.

 

[dante58701]

=^.^= At least progress is being made, albeit a bit delayed. =^.^=

 

[Belzamus]

Hey U_K, I have a question.

It's probably a no, but is there any chance we might see more revised base classes from you in either Godsend or on the site?

If not, maybe some kind of community effort could get started? Because, only have 3 makes it a little difficult to balance the others for use in IH games, which is why my group hasn't adopted them yet.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey U_K, I have a question.

Fire away amigo!

It's probably a no, but is there any chance we might see more revised base classes from you in either Godsend or on the site?

If not, maybe some kind of community effort could get started? Because, only have 3 makes it a little difficult to balance the others for use in IH games, which is why my group hasn't adopted them yet.

The revised classes were simply for the non-spellcaster classes. That was the idea of the rebalance. So only the Rogue, Ranger and Paladin needed sorting out.

If I could find my notes I might put the revised Rogue class in Godsend. Finding them is the tricky part. I know I was close to finishing that one. Paladin might also be easy-ish.

Good idea. I'll put the existing revised-classes in Godsend too.

 

[Alzrius]

Terrible is the short answer. So I am going to give it another week before sending you the pdf.

I'll be expecting good news tomorrow, then.

 

[Upper_Krust]

I'll be expecting good news tomorrow, then.

Sadly no. However, regardless of what state its in (and its in a bit of a state), I'll send it to you before the end of the week.

 

[Kerrick]

A bit off-topic, but a question (or three):

UK, what do you recommend for an insight bonus to AC? I was thinking either Wis score or Wis bonus.

And, for anyone who has the ELH... I'm revising the monsters, but I don't know how big a xixecal is. And... what does a phaethon look like? From the stats, I'm guessing it's a big flaming ooze-like thing, so I made it an ooze instead of an outsider. I just wanted to make sure.