OMG Fireball, Noooooooooooo!

[heirodule]

It could totally backfire.

You had a 50% chance to hit the monster at level 1, 10 and level 20.

You have a 60% chance to disarm the trap at each level.

Um, didn't you get better? Yes, its a tougher monster, but then you won't feel like you improved. 4 orcs, 4 ogres, 4 giants, 4 dragons. The combats all "feel" about the same. Its just the fluff. You could keep the same crunch at each level, and call it by different fluff.

Wyatt should read the arguments about "The DC = APL+15" in RPGA mod design. Means the high level guys have as tough a time doing things as the low level guys.

 

[Numion]

Um, didn't you get better? Yes, its a tougher monster, but then you won't feel like you improved. 4 orcs, 4 ogres, 4 giants, 4 dragons. The combats all "feel" about the same. Its just the fluff. You could keep the same crunch at each level, and call it by different fluff.

Well, there should still be variations in the EL from -5 APL to +5 APL, at least. That should keep things varied.

And I'm sure he was speaking in averages.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

But I'm sure I've fallen victim to my 3E rose colored glasses..

Whoa, they come in 3E shape already? Damn, that rose-colored glasses industry works damn fast...now I just hope they fit on top of my Basic D&D rose-colored glasses, my AD&D rose-colored glasses, and all those Shadowrun 1E and L5R 1E rose-colored glasses.

Uhm...could I get them as contacts, please? Or cyberimplants? Generic RPG rose-colored glasses with a slot to insert the currently discussed game.

 

[Aloïsius]

They just wanted to avoid clunky 30d6 rolls every round or so. I'm auguring the fireball will be dealing something like 3d6+2/level.

The average of 1d6 is 3.5. So, 3d6 +2/level means that fireball are even less a threat than with 3e.
I do think a big ball of burning fire should be a dangerous thing. Something that you fear ! If "fireball" is something that can be cas "at will", then I can understand it to be "3d6+1/level" (with a maximum of 10). But if it's your only 5th level spell, the one you kept for THE right moment, then it should cause something like 5d6+5/level, with a maximum of 50. Oh, and it should be midly dangerous to cast, too, 2e-like.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Hrm, that sort of falls into something about Spycraft 2.0 design that I had questions about.

At 1st level, some Spycraft characters get special abilities that basically state they will always pass skill checks that are thematic focuses for them. I.E. that the 1st level character is The Best Of The Best Of The Best, SIR! from the starting gate and the characters don't "get better", the adventures get "more blockbuster".

You have the same chance of success fighting the orc at 2nd level as you do fighting the dragon at 15th ... just that at 15th you can fight the dragon, because that is "More Cool".

I don't know. This, more than most of the tidbits, makes me interested in seeing a playtest document. The MATH is interesting to me. I want to see how their scaling math works.

Who do I have to armwrestle over there to get a look at this thing?

--fje

 

[frankthedm]

<cool animation changed to a link by admin because it's too big>

Could this mean humanoids can march in formation in 4E without it being suicidal? YAY!

 

[WhatGravitas]

Don't worry I'm sure it will still scale. They just wanted to avoid clunky 30d6 rolls every round or so. I'm auguring the fireball will be dealing something like 3d6+2/level.

Which sounds very reasonable - using too large chocks of dice can be... annoying.

And another problem it may fix: Dice per level slows up too slowly, because critters scale by dice + increason Con-Mod. per level... they could make direct damage viable (as in: useful option) again, that way!

Cheers, LT.

 

[The_Gneech]

It probably does something like 4d6 + 1/2 level, as in SWSE. My one real gripe about that system -- level is king.

-TG

 

[Numion]

Whoa, they come in 3E shape already? Damn, that rose-colored glasses industry works damn fast...now I just hope they fit on top of my Basic D&D rose-colored glasses, my AD&D rose-colored glasses, and all those Shadowrun 1E and L5R 1E rose-colored glasses.

Daaamn you have a lot of good memories!

Well, the 3E rose colored glasses are next years model, got em bootlegged from China. Apparently 3E was written by Monte Zook and featured "Firebulls" .. weird, but good, memories

 

[Wormwood]

As long as it makes the game more fun. I'm for it.

My sole criterion for 4e is simply this: "is the game more fun?"

Nothing should be off limits in pursuit of that goal.