Iron Lore: Malhavoc's Surprise?

[Andor]

Me too. In fact, I think everyone who has ever posted on this thread would like to know the answer to that question.

Which is why it is utterly baffling to me that in the play tester comments, we've seen them so far running a dungeon for 3rd level characters, and hyping how wonderful it is for running murder mysteries for a 7th level party.

Don't you think it likely they are saving the high level playtest comments to draw an attention spike right before release? Granted I don't work for Monte or anything, but I'm betting they had the ability to interest more that two playtest groups. Perhaps it's not that they didn't test it at high levels so much as that they understand the concept of a slow build-up, and that they maintain our interest with the questions they haven't answered.

 

[Particle_Man]

re: Conan

It was sarcasm, duder. Try it, you might like it.

No fair! You didn't use a smilie in your original post.

Coke on its way....no, I drank it, sorry.

 

[Particle_Man]

I wonder if the "feat tree obsolescence" problem will be dealt with, and how.

the problem, as I see it, is that a character might take Feat A (level 1) (base), then later Feat A (level 4), and then much later Feat A (level 7) which makes Feat A (level 4) obsolete. (Assume the abilities of the level 7 feat totally overlap and make obsolete the abilities of hte level 4 feat in the same group).

Meanwhile, character 2 could take Feat A (level 1) (base), Feat B (level 1) (base), then feat A (level 7) and have all the abilities of the first character, plus one feat. Also, the character that "Specialized" in the feat A chain seems to be behind the character that "Generalized' between the feat A and feat B chains.

One way to get over this is the "sorceror" method of one being able to "Swap out" the lower level 4 feat for a different feat, once one a) gains a higher level of the same feat, or b) gains a feat that makes the first feat obsolete.

Note, I have not playtested, so the problem may not even exist in the game, or it may be solved in some suitably clever way. If it is not solved, I think that swapping out obsolete feats for useful ones makes for a good house rule.

 

[Andor]

Interesting point. I don't think we know enough to guess how big a problem this is. The Vorpal Hurricane tree does obsolete itself, but good. If a lot of the feat chains are like that, then perhaps your solution is needed. But if it's an exception, then maybe it's not as bad as all that.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I think now we can say about Iron Heros, at the very least, that it has taught us that low magic doesn't imply gritty.

Well, I guess in my case, it's simply taught me that a lot of folks think "low magic" means "magic not present in an item that can be taken away, bought or sold."

How did people expect you were going to be able to fight a MM Balor in a gritty game anyway?

Why, with grit, of course.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Why, with grit, of course.

And brevity.

 

[Celebrim]

Don't you think it likely they are saving the high level playtest comments to draw an attention spike right before release? Granted I don't work for Monte or anything, but I'm betting they had the ability to interest more that two playtest groups. Perhaps it's not that they didn't test it at high levels so much as that they understand the concept of a slow build-up, and that they maintain our interest with the questions they haven't answered.

What I think is likely is irrelevent. I'm a cynic, and so prefer to take the dimmest view of things possible. That way, I'm usually right, and when I'm wrong I'm pleasantly surprised.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

And brevity.

Brevity is the soul of grit.

(Thanks for the assist.)

 

[Irda Ranger]

(Thanks for the assist.)

Just doing my part to restore the (apparently) damaged reputation of pithy replies.

(Plus, I lost a year's post-count to the Mac Callum fiasco, so I need to make up for that)

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Brevity is the soul of grit.

I always thought of it as more along the lines of the spleen.