D&D 4E New Podcast: New DDM rules and their 4E origins

[HeinorNY]

As for diagonal movement, if you want to keep things simple with every square counting as 1, why not just say no diagonal movement allowed? That way diagonals count as 2 squares, which isn't as accurate as 1.5, but at least preserves that they are longer than non-diagonal movement?

That's how Star Wars Saga handles it. Diagonal movement is 2-2-2-2

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Personally, I prefer to just stick to the 1-2-1-2 convention. It's easy enough once you do it once or twice.

 

[Wolfspider]

So why would you consider this "dumbing down" rather than "simplifying"? It's certainly simpler this way. Why is it dumber?

Many things in D&D combat are abstract. Why couldn't diagonal movement be one, without it being dumb?

Would you be more comfortable with the term "oversimplification"?

 

[HeinorNY]

Robert Shubert says: "I can't even explain it in a quick sentence."

What about: "Each 2nd, 4th, 6th... diagonal square in your current movement costs 1 extra square."

 

[Wolfspider]

If they are going to oversimplify movement in this way, they might as well just switch to hexes and get rid of the problem altogether.

 

[xnrdcorex]

They should just remove diagonals altogether!

People can only move in cardinal directions.

That a was joke btw. :\


In my opinion counting 2 every odd number was annoying and time consuming when you count each square at a time and would force players, especially NEW players to have to recount their squares like 6 or 7 times and it made combat take about 5 times longer than it ever should have so this is one of the best improvements yet announced.
You could argue that if I hated counting double every odd diagonal I never had to use it, but I am a strict "by the book" player and DM.

 

[glass]

What worries me is the square fireballs.


glass.

 

[HeinorNY]

If they are going to oversimplify movement in this way, they might as well just switch to hexes and get rid of the problem altogether.

Agreed.
They are fixing a "problem" by creating another problem. A bigger one IMO.

OBS: I really don't care about DDM. I'm worried about that dumbed down oversimplified rule to be used in 4E.

 

[Stogoe]

Please, no hexes. Even if they are more accurate (which I dispute), they exude an oily arrogance, a film of willful obscurantism. It seems to me that the only reason to use hexes is if you want to erect yet another barrier to entry into an already prohibitive hobby.

Anyways, is there anything else interesting in the podcast?

 

[Steely Dan]

I'm fine with this, as they are trying to add more movement in combat; I also love the new charge rules in 2.0 DDM.

P.S. My group and I never had a problem with diagonal movement in 3.5, but neither will we miss it.