New Podcast Posted!

[BryonD]

The whole frost giant thing makes it sound to me like they really want to turn it into a collectible RPG of sorts, which doesn't make me happy at all. From AD&D to 3.5, Frost Giants have been in the MM (or MC).

Makes me wonder what other iconic monsters are not making the cut.

Well, I think they very clearly made the point that there is no "the MM". The first MM is just that, the first part. I think "not making the cut" is a misnomer in the context explained.

Now, if you have to wait a full year, that may be a problem.

 

[DaveMage]

How's this for one of the truth bombs:

"What are these Hit Dice you speak of?" - James

3E kind of did away with the idea of rolling for monster hit points anyway, so an evolution into just provding the hp total makes sense. I'm sure they'll have suggestions of appropriately altering the hit point amount depending on how you want the encounter to go.

 

[Wormwood]

How's this for one of the truth bombs:

"What are these Hit Dice you speak of?" - James

Another move only a couple of decades overdue.

 

[Korgoth]

Another move only a couple of decades overdue.

Man do you sound like a broken record! But I'll bite: what should HD be replaced with? Fixed HP?

 

[Wormwood]

Man do you sound like a broken record! But I'll bite: what should HD be replaced with? Fixed HP?

Derived by level and role would be my choice.

And you're correct, the kettle is quite black indeed.

 

[BryonD]

3E kind of did away with the idea of rolling for monster hit points anyway, so an evolution into just provding the hp total makes sense. I'm sure they'll have suggestions of appropriately altering the hit point amount depending on how you want the encounter to go.

Maybe, But I'd guess that it means a bit more than that.
I mean replacing 8d8 with 8 times 4 isn't really a meaningful functional change.
I'm guessing, but I bet there is something a bit more to this.

 

[Paraxis]

I would say that going away from spells only effecting X HD is a good thing, Sleep for example. Or the whole Turning effecting lower HD first, HD used as part of playable races that just made the EL Higher, if all those things go away I would be happy.

Make sleep just a saving thrown like any other spell.
Turning should be a spell (IMHO) and just do HP damage and make a will save or run away.
Races that are usable as player characters should be playable as 1st level ones.

I can see alot of nice changes without using HD as a crutch to balance other game things.

 

[Szatany]

3E kind of did away with the idea of rolling for monster hit points anyway, so an evolution into just provding the hp total makes sense. I'm sure they'll have suggestions of appropriately altering the hit point amount depending on how you want the encounter to go.

Not only that. No HD might as well mean "players don't roll for HP".

 

[Wormwood]

My statement that removing Hit Dice was " . . . a couple of decades overdue" may have been ill advised.

Upon further reflection, I'd say 15 years overdue, max.

 

[Wormwood]

Not only that. No HD might as well mean "players don't roll for HP".

<-- hasn't rolled for HP since 2000.