D&D 4E In terms of theme, tone, and spirit, I hope 4e . . .

[Emirikol]

I hope raise dead and about 500 spells and magic items go away focusing more on character and role-play instead of magic and magic items

jh

 

[Asmor]

I hope raise dead and about 500 spells and magic items go away focusing more on character and role-play instead of magic and magic items

jh

Wasn't raise dead in older editions?

Anyways, shouldn't you be off shooting rays of fire from your fingertips?

 

[darkseraphim]

There are the Innovators, and there are the Imitators.

The Innovators originated, by grace of being born first. They may not have been the best, but they were there.

The Imitators follow in the footsteps of the Innovators. They can surpass them in technique, but if you ask them, you'll often find that they're well aware that they can only go where they go because the Innovators went there first.

Now, a question. If, by some remote miracle of scientific aberration, Steve Jobs was able to meet Babbage - do you think he'd shake his hand? Or punch him in the face?

I think it's rather pedantic to argue about taste and style, if you can't summon up the grace to acknowledge the contributions of the past.

 

[Numion]

EDIT: wrong thread.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Now, a question. If, by some remote miracle of scientific aberration, Steve Jobs was able to meet Babbage - do you think he'd shake his hand? Or punch him in the face?

Punch. Definitely. Then kick him in his 19th century nads.

 

[Razz]

I guess I'll offer my comments here.

The artwork in 3E/3.5E is what drew a lot of my players to want to play D&D. Sorry, but, when they compared the artwork to many of the 2E illustrations...they laughed...and laughed...and laughed.

Almost all of my players, current and former, have said if they saw the same artwork for 3E as they have with 2E, they'd have never bothered. "Too old fashioned" or "cartoony" some say. "Too bland" was another critique. "Too corny" or "That looks so whack!" were others. Yes, they have poured through my 2E books...especially when comparing the artwork from 2E Monstrous Manual and 3E Monster Manual I.

I've actually gained three players one time (two at once) when they glanced at the artwork presented in just the Player's Handbook alone.

The artwork in D&D today is spectacular. It really drives home the word "fantasy" and "imagination". Sure, who the hell can really wield a sword thrice their size? But IMAGINE if you could...how awesome would that be?

Seriously...I will hit home with a lot more gamers currently with this picture:

(Ok, it's a lot smaller than it should be. It's like WotC doesn't want to put up the REALLY good art on their site or something cause I can't seem to find a bigger image of this on Google or anything)

Than I would with this picture:

 

[Victim]

That's what the mob rules are for. I just wish they'd made those rules OGL instead of putting them into a locked-down product.

Err, what? The mob rules are anti-mook rules - they make the swarms of weak guys into dangerous foes, instead of easily killed wimps.

 

[Nifft]

Err, what? The mob rules are anti-mook rules - they make the swarms of weak guys into dangerous foes, instead of easily killed wimps.

But also a finite number of attack rolls, which makes them manageable opponents from a dice perspective.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Victim]

But also a finite number of attack rolls, which makes them manageable opponents from a dice perspective.

Cheers, -- N

If everyone in the group has the same attack bonus, it's easy enough to roll just look for twenties, everything 17 or above, etc.

Moreover, mobs have lots of special case rules and exceptions like special targeting restrictions and negative levels. These special rules also weaken AoE and Cleave effects, preventing easy resolution of the threat. I don't think mobs really do you any favors in terms of overall simplicity.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Wayne Reynolds popularized this style. Its technically fine for what its worth, but the characters are often hideous abominations. Every warrior or predatory monster has biceps as large as its head at least. The swords alone would weigh 25lbs and the non-warriors are freakishly gaunt. Impossible poses reminscent of superhero comics moreso than any classic and believable fantasy work. This work evokes something other than fantasy IMO and I do not like it.

Yeah, really:

Wow, I totally see what you're talking about there. I'm swearing off Reynolds forever!