D&D 4E OMG! 4E PHB to Have RP advice!

[Charwoman Gene]

I've got a friend who playtests. Lucky him, I have to work the day that group meets.

The latest wave of tests involved creating characters. The packet actually included the draft PHB chapter one, although only 4 races and 6 classes. Step one really puzzled me. It was Step 1: Create a concept.

THIS IS REDICULOUS!

How can I create a concept without rolling stats, and choosing a race and class to match?

I am clearly not the target audience for 4E.

Fixed spelling on rediculous. V. sorry.

 

[Monkey Boy]

Is this the first thread that even hints about someone knowing something about play testing?

WOW.

See if they will spill the beans on the mystery race?

 

[Rechan]

Well, picking a concept isn't very videogamey. After all, usually the first thing you do when you make a character is do the stats, race and class first. But usually in a CRPG, you don't really have a "concept". There's no inherent story between your guy and the next guy; it doesn't effect the game. (Outside of Mass Effect, where you can select your background from one of three options).

What you're describing is Anime. In Anime, the Concept of a character comes up before his stats or powers or anything ever comes into being. The artist makes the Character, as a Concept, and maybe his race. But then his powers and his stats come into play.

So, not only is D&D becoming a video game, but it's becoming An Anime Videogame.

 

[Wepwawet]

THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

How can I create a concept without rolling stats, and choosing a race and class to match?

What is ridiculous is to create a concept based on a bunch of random numbers!

Like, rolling stats is it still used?
That is the single most stupid thing D&D created. I've used that only one time and.. it's just stupid.

EDIT:
Damn.
Sorry, I failed to notice it's an Humor thread ...
Soooo, what's so funny? I'm not getting it

 

[rounser]

THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

You say that like it's a bad thing.

D&D has had ridiculous aspects for a long time. Unarmed combat rules. Flumphs. eTools.

Take the ridiculous out of D&D and it wouldn't be D&D any more. It will have the name, sure, but it won't be the real thing. Not here. Not in my heart.

One thing is for certain: there is no stopping it; 4E will soon be here. And I for one welcome our new WOTC overlords. I'd like to remind them that I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their Digital Initiative.

 

[Robert Ranting]

*pulls out his copy of Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved and opens it to the section on creating a character*

"Step One: Come up with a concept."

Yeah, I thought I had seen this approach to 3.x RPGs before.

Robert "AE Guru" Ranting

 

[Mortellan]

Concepts are part of character creation for WoD games. IIRC you take two words from a pool of traits. Example: Brooding Loner

 

[Derren]

When I remember the quality of previous advises WotC gave in its books I am not exactly euphoric about this.

 

[Arkham Angel]

I've got a friend who playtests. Lucky him, I have to work the day that group meets.

The latest wave of tests involved creating characters. The packet actually included the draft PHB chapter one, although only 4 races and 6 classes. Step one really puzzled me. It was Step 1: Create a concept.

THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

How can I create a concept without rolling stats, and choosing a race and class to match?

I am clearly not the target audience for 4E.

Create a concept. This is the first thing I've seen about 4E that I like. The characters and the story are by far more important than the "rules".

 

[Derren]

Create a concept. This is the first thing I've seen about 4E that I like. The characters and the story are by far more important than the "rules".

Create a concept could also mean something like:
"The first step to create a D&D character is to create a concept. Then look at the available roles, races and classes to see which fits that concept best. For example when you want to play an archer who kills his enemies from afar take a class with the martial striker role as those classes tend to do the most damage with weapons.
As you want to play an archer it would be advisable to play an elf as they got several archer enhancing racial talents and a bonus to dexterity. It is also a good idea to put your highest stat into dexterity as this stat governs your attack role with ranged weapons.
As archer you don't get much benefit from charisma and intelligence so don't put any points into those abilities. You might want to consider to spend some points into wisdom to detect your enemies better at range."