My take.

[The Little Raven]

For any attempt at verisimilitude, D&D just isn't the game to be playing.

Quoted for truth.

Verisimilitude is the "quality or state of being verisimilar."

Verisimilar is "having the appearance of truth; depicting realism."

D&D has never depicted realism, and if that was it's intent, then it has failed utterly for over 30 years.

 

[Lizard]

To be precise, D&D is now a game designed by buttkickers, as opposed to tacticians.

Then why does it seem to have more tactical options than any previous version? Feng Shui, this ain't.

 

[hong]

Then why does it seem to have more tactical options than any previous version? Feng Shui, this ain't.

To be precise, tactical options that enable you to kick more butt. Tactical options that preclude the kicking of butt are right out.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Then why does it seem to have more tactical options than any previous version? Feng Shui, this ain't.

Feng Shui does have loads of butt kicking options.


And the badger example doesn't work too well as a counter argument since being able to unload a horde of magically conjured angry Badgers into any Barracks in any era of DnD or RL would be a horrificly effective tactic.

Though for my money blood sucking weasels are still the most effective counter.

 

[Lizard]

Feng Shui does have loads of butt kicking options.


And the badger example doesn't work too well as a counter argument since being able to unload a horde of magically conjured angry Badgers into any Barracks in any era of DnD or RL would be a horrificly effective tactic.

As it turns out, a single summoned badger helped us defeat a bone devil way, way, back when...

Though for my money blood sucking weasels are still the most effective counter.

Badger vs Weasel! TO THE DEATH!

(Feng Shui has lots of butt kicking, but little detail; IIRC, gun damage is purely a function of narrative role. It's been a while since I read it, but I seem to recall it all comes down to 'describe a cool action, the cooler it is, the more butt you kick'. This is very different from 4e's plethora of detailed, crunchy, rules. Mmm....crunch....)

 

[Campbell]

And the badger example doesn't work too well as a counter argument since being able to unload a horde of magically conjured angry Badgers into any Barracks in any era of DnD or RL would be a horrificly effective tactic.

Gnomes might come after you. They take the treatment of their minions very seriously.

 

[Zelc]

I think the point of minions not having HP is why waste space printing an HP value that probably won't be needed? When it is needed, just put in something reasonable. If it's a minion vs. a PC/important NPC, the minion is going to die. If it's something like the bag of cats thing, either ad-hoc it or you can suddenly give the minions a reasonable amount of HP and roll it out (the latter sounds awfully complicated to me). Honestly, what would you do if they released a bunch of housecats on a group of commoners in 3.5? Ad hoc it, or say the commoners all die?

 

[Kordeth]

I think the point of minions not having HP is why waste space printing an HP value that probably won't be needed?

Interesting theory, but it requires more space to print "The minion dies when it takes any hit point damage" than "HP: 2."

 

[Zelc]

Interesting theory, but it requires more space to print "The minion dies when it takes any hit point damage" than "HP: 2."

Well, if they print that line for every minion, then I suppose not. But with the former, you don't have to keep track of their HPs. It's simpler to use for a DM, and when it doesn't make sense, it's easily fixed.

I guess it's not just paper space, but "mind space".

 

[Kordeth]

Well, if they print that line for every minion, then I suppose not. But with the former, you don't have to keep track of their HPs. It's simpler to use for a DM, and when it doesn't make sense, it's easily fixed.

I guess it's not just paper space, but "mind space".

I know, I was just being a smart alec. The minion rule is probably one of my favorite 4E additions so far--I've used it in other games, and it always adds a ton of fun to combats.