Mearls Blog: PHB2 is his best ever

[mach1.9pants]

I must say I am looking forward to it.

In 3E my fave (From an enjoyable reading perspective, that is) splats were new classes and it seems it is going to be the same in 4E -compared to MORE spells, feats, items, info on creatures, more creatures, etc etc

 

[JoeGKushner]

I must say I am looking forward to it.

In 3E my fave (From an enjoyable reading perspective, that is) splats were new classes and it seems it is going to be the same in 4E -compared to MORE spells, feats, items, info on creatures, more creatures, etc etc

Agreed.

One of the things that 4e was able to lock on, for both good and bad, is that in making every class a "spellcaster" they are able to take whole class abilities to a new level with new supplements.

In making classes more rigid, they're able to make whole new vistas open up to fill those missing fields.

In some ways, it's fresh and exciting again.

 

[Mouseferatu]

But how many times would you post that it WASN'T your best? I mean, were ads for the Advanced Player's book followed by quotes from you going, "Yeah, it's solid but m'eh."

I wouldn't bring it up at all, under those circumstances. I certainly wouldn't say "I think this is my best" if I didn't mean it, and if I didn't think it was my best, I wouldn't mention "best" unless someone else asked.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I wouldn't bring it up at all, under those circumstances. I certainly wouldn't say "I think this is my best" if I didn't mean it, and if I didn't think it was my best, I wouldn't mention "best" unless someone else asked.

Exactly.

I'm glad he's happy with it but it'd be kinda surpring if he wasn't pleased with it and was blogging about it.

 

[Dedekind]

The format of the PHB2 must help. I think the podcast said that it would be just like the PHB, barring the combat chapter. If that is the case, there is a lot of design room in there. Races, classes, equipment, skills, feats, and rituals probably allow him to pick stuff off the cutting room floor, polish it, and implement it. In the meantime, he can cherry pick from the 3e material and put in the stuff he wanted to do (or couldn't do in 3e but wasn't core enough for 4e core).

Did he have majority control of PHB2? 4e was definitely collabarative and they talk a lot about inter-office disagreements over implementation (healthy, constructive disagreements, I'm sure). However, he didn't have total freedom. If PHB2 has him in more control, then it may be more of "his" product. And cognitive psychology shows that owners place higher values on their possessions more than non-owners (e.g., the housing market).

All in all, I'm am more excited by PHBII then any non-core release in WotC's history.

 

[Rechan]

I, too, am clamoring for the PHB2. Not just because 'oo, more crunch', but the classes excite me. And also, the races excite me. I'd prefer to have an 'All PHB2 (with a few PHB1) campaign'.

All we need now is Psionics, and I'm pleased as pie.

As a writer, I do not think that my newest stuff is my "best". In fact, I would say that the "best" thing that I have written in a fiction sense, I wrote last year. Everything I have made from then is interesting, but I have not put as much effort, heart and soul, and depth into it.

 

[evilgenius8000]

The looming prospect of the PHB2 has me excited as well, yet a little disappointed about the wizard. When the main designer -- the same one who's extolling the PHB2 -- comes out and says that a class is underpowered, it makes you really hope there's gonna be some errata coming soon.

 

[mach1.9pants]

^^Well at least he has admitted it! At least they haven't just tried to brush it under the carpet..hopefully there will be some Wiz loving coming one way or the other.

 

[Jack99]

The looming prospect of the PHB2 has me excited as well, yet a little disappointed about the wizard. When the main designer -- the same one who's extolling the PHB2 -- comes out and says that a class is underpowered, it makes you really hope there's gonna be some errata coming soon.

Notice that mearls merely agrees that the wizard's at-wills lack a bit (see quotes below), not that the class is underpowered. In fact, he flat out states that the wizard's encounter and dailies are just fine.

When comparing at-wills for controllers, the wizard has some issues. His at-wills focus more on damage than control. The consensus is that controllers need a little more, well, control in their at-wills than we've handed out so far.

The interesting thing is that this issue really only rests in the at-wills. Encounter and daily powers are fine for the wizard.

Anyway, if you claim that Scorching Burst is the best wizard at-will power, then sure, they have a big problem with their at-wills. But it's not. So while some of them might not be up to par with the new at-wills coming out for the new controllers, they hardly make a underpowered class, or necessitate an official errata.

Cheers

 

[Felon]

The looming prospect of the PHB2 has me excited as well, yet a little disappointed about the wizard. When the main designer -- the same one who's extolling the PHB2 -- comes out and says that a class is underpowered, it makes you really hope there's gonna be some errata coming soon.

Honestly, it doesn't make me fret. I've played a wizard, seen them in fights, and I wouldn't have thought them them an underperforming class. I'd probably reserve that distinction for warlocks, whose damage output seems rivaled or overshadowed by many of these previewed classes, and certainly lags behind that of other strikers. Should a designer come out and say "the warlock's fine", that wouldn't blunt the report of my own experiences.

As to this thread as a whole....

Man writes book.
Man likes book.
News at eleven.