New FR Dragon Article: The Wailing Dwarf. Reveals some new crunch.

[IanB]

Not 3E stuff, no, that's true, but in 2E it sure wasn't the case, certainly outside of the more ludicrous sections of whatever that dungeon in Waterdeep was called. Every NPC "party" I can think of in 2E was either really wierd, had multiple melees and often no clerics, or had about seven or eight people in it.

IanB - You're missing the point. It's the NPC adventurers having a perfect little adventuring party that breaks suspension of disbelief for me. I guess I should thank god that they don't have an obvious "tank".

Apparently I am missing the point, because I don't really see what is disbelief-breaking about that. In a world where things work like they do in D&D, why *wouldn't* people form groups that way?

I mean, you never see a baseball team try to make a team out of all slick fielding middle infielders with no power, right, or a rock band with 4 guitars and no drums. Why would adventuring parties work any differently?

 

[kennew142]

That's precisely what breaks the suspension of disbelief. It's a perfect little adventuring party. I don't agree that in the FR "adventuring is a profession and people know which classes to bring". It's too much. Also, in my experience, real parties are rarely that neat, so it makes the versimilitude even less.

Agree or disagree, it doesn't change the fact that in FR adventuring is a profession.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

You won't be able to talk your way past the nagas.

Though the guardian nagas in the Wailing Dwarf devote themselves fiercely to their appointed task, they also thirst for new knowledge and are not quick to attack intruders. In fact, they may offer to spare intruders' lives if the intruders can teach them a new ritual or spell, or if they give up a magic item. A naga is compelled by its very nature to guard its appointed secret or object with its life, and thus it never negotiates away access to the windy heart of the abandoned dwarven city. Still, one might be willing to allow intruders to turn back with their lives -- especially if they can offer something worthwhile for its mercy.​

Emphasis mine.

But they might be convinced that is okay exploring the surrounding, or that the foolish son of the city's major should not be killed on sight, but instead just be brought back - even if he doesn't have any valuable to offer to them. It could be about negotiating giving back an item that was given to the Nagas.

 

[The Little Raven]

Apparently I am missing the point, because I don't really see what is disbelief-breaking about that. In a world where things work like they do in D&D, why *wouldn't* people form groups that way?

I mean, you never see a baseball team try to make a team out of all slick fielding middle infielders with no power, right, or a rock band with 4 guitars and no drums. Why would adventuring parties work any differently?

Exactly. And the party is composed of a fighter, ranger, rogue, wizard, and cleric, so it seems really strange to me that a totally iconic D&D party would break anyone's suspension of disbelief more than a misfit party composed of spiked-chain wielding tripmasters or thri-kreen monks and all the other manner of "kewl" class builds that were prevalent in 3e.

 

[Gloombunny]

Am I the only one who really likes the mention of high-level adventurers having significant items with names and stories? I mean, maybe that's just this writing and it won't be borne out in the rules... but I would be so pleased to never again see a hero walking around with his +3 sword, +4 gauntlets, +2 cloak, +3 amulet, etc etc etc. Magic items are a part of D&D, but there's no reason they can't be interesting!

 

[shilsen]

IanB - You're missing the point. It's the NPC adventurers having a perfect little adventuring party that breaks suspension of disbelief for me. I guess I should thank god that they don't have an obvious "tank".

So the fact that a group of adventurers form a pretty good adventuring party actually breaks suspension of disbelief for you?

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Heck, adventurers existed in OUR world....


By example, the samurai who became a feudal lord in Siam.

 

[frankthedm]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080114&pf=true the lazy link...

 

[frankthedm]

Unless it turns out that the statue is actually a giant magical mecha, and the control crystal is what the nagas are eternally guarding.

It damn well better! Its description is basically a promise it will one day animate.

The graven image grips a fantastically large double-bladed axe in both hands, as if ready to break from the mountain, shake the residual rubble from its shoulders and beard, and give battle to another being as titanic as itself.

If it does not animate before 6th Edition is out I will be very disappointed with wotc. If it takes "anime influence" to get Mountain sized statues moving so be it. And now i am really glad wotc has Dragonlance back since it is about time a certain landmark got off its lazy ass...

 

[Incenjucar]

It could at least shoot lasers out of its eyes.