Jason Bulmahn Speaks about DDXP(His take on the system)

[Arnwyn]

I appreciate the level of detail in Jason's post. But I have to shake my head at the default pessimistic mentality. What I mean by that is that in the whole review, Jason seems to start out auto-disliking any given rule or feature.

I saw no evidence of that whatsoever. (And his reply confirms it. No surprise there.)

I mean, come on. Can we get a little optimism here? If you really dislike new games so much--if you view a new game arms folded, pouting, with a grouchy "you need to impress me" attitude--then please give yourself a break and just stop playing them.

Pffft. What a ridiculous statement.

Given your rather hyperbolic post, I have to wonder what your current "attitude" towards 4e is? (I can guess.)

 

[Zaruthustran]

• Clerics and Radiant energy
Clerics in 3E channel either positive or negative energy from their gods depending on alignment. I would suspect we'll see a similar mechanic in 4E. Evil clerics won't use glowy holy light stuff, but rather scary dark shadowy stuff.

In 4e's new cosmology, don't all gods reside somewhere in the astral sea? This is pure speculation, but maybe the "radiant" descriptor encompasses all energy originating from that plane. So instead of glowy holy light or dark unholy light, we just have a more generic divine light. This radiance--like the light from the sun--can be warm and pleasant, stark and blisteringly hot, or even cold and scary (reflected off the moon, or the light from the outdoor shots of "the Ring"'s videotape, for instance).

Think of Gozer the Gozerian (from Ghostbusters). He was definitely a Bad god, but his realm was full of radiant light.

 

[Incenjucar]

I was under the impression that Radiant energy came from the Feywild, due to it being where all the shiny stuff went in the cosmology.

 

[The Little Raven]

I was under the impression that Radiant energy came from the Feywild, due to it being where all the shiny stuff went in the cosmology.

Radiant seems to be the new Holy/Positive energy.

 

[RodneyThompson]

Why have everyone have the same chance to shrug off the effects? if a wizard is less likely than the fighter to be charmed in the first place, why are they equally likely to break free? Its hardly a deal breaker, just a design decision I dont understand compared to, say... ongoing attacks vs. the target's defense, which is a more unified system and no more rolling than the alternative.

Yeah, but that's like saying it doesn't make sense that ray of enfeeblement takes the same amount of Strength away from a wizard and a fighter in 3E. I mean, sure, the wizard is more likely to be affected, but shouldn't that mean he takes more Strength damage?

Obviously, I'm asking those questions rhetorically. The point that saves are just duration rolls spread out over several rounds is a very good one. Does it skew things in favor of the target? A bit. But you've also not seen every way that saving throws can be affected by the classes and their abilities, so you'll see eventually that things shake out a bit differently.

In the end, I think that it works out just fine in gameplay, and shifts the responsibility of duration tracking onto the player's combat round instead of on the DM side of things.

 

[Wolfspider]

In the end, I think that it works out just fine in gameplay, and shifts the responsibility of duration tracking onto the player's combat round instead of on the DM side of things.

How so? Does the player roll a d20 to see whether the enemy his wizard has put to sleep recovers?

 

[Plane Sailing]

I appreciate the level of detail in Jason's post. But I have to shake my head at the default pessimistic mentality. What I mean by that is that in the whole review, Jason seems to start out auto-disliking any given rule or feature.

You seem to forget - he isn't attempting to give an impartial review, he is talking about his experiences and his take on the system.

Please DON'T try to second-guess his reasons for saying what he does. The same goes for anyone who feels like saying "Oh, he's a Paizo designer so of course...".

We don't ask you to agree with peoples opinion, but we do ask you to respect it.

Thanks

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Everyone was already differentiated based on defenses

So you're agreeing it makes sense to have people who are more resistant to effects shrug them off easier?

- in 3rd ed, if both got hit by Fort effect that lasted level rounds, did the fighter somehow have his last half as long cause he had a better Fort, even though he failed his save?

Because of one wonky system we need another? COnsider hold person, which DID allow a save every round. It wasnt static... it was based off your save... the same mechanic you used to resist in the first place.

 

[RodneyThompson]

How so? Does the player roll a d20 to see whether the enemy his wizard has put to sleep recovers?

No, but rather than the DM tracking all durations, he only tracks the ones currently affecting living foes. It also eliminates the need for the DM to keep durations a secret because the dice determine the duration from round to round.

Additionally, even those durations being tracked by the DM (those on monsters/NPCs) are easier to manage since you don't count rounds, you just roll the save, which is just now part of the normal turn.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Several points:
• Static saves vs. ongoing effects
It does seem odd that the roll needed to overcome the effect is the same for everyone. George Fighter may not have the best Will, so won't it be tougher for him to break out of the charm than Martha Wizard?

But in 3e once someone has failed the save, they are affected for the same duration whether a tough fighter or a wimpy wizard (with the exception of the very few spells they turned into 'save each round' like hold person).

So in 4e the 'saving throw' isn't a saving throw, it is the 'has the duration ended yet' check. Not as snappy saying it that way, but it would focus the mind on why at this point the toughness or will of the character doesn't come into it.

Now, this notwithstanding we know of some racial abilities to throw off effects more quickly (Eladrin throw off charms quickly. Dwarfs throw off poison quickly. Dragons throw off everything quickly). There may be powers that do similar things that we haven't seen yet.

Cheers