Rule-of-Three: 02/28/2011

[Knightfall]

Rule-of-Three: 02/28/2011

1. Is there any plan to "essentialize" the races that were not included in Heroes of the Fallen Lands/Forgotten Kingdoms? The gnome, goliath, genasi, warforged, and deva don't currently have the option to choose stats, which is a shame because they are great races that deserve this treatment.

2. Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms added new expertise feats (axe, bow, crossbow, heavy blade, light blade, orb, rod, sling, spear, staff, and wand) which have clear advantages over those that were introduced in Player's Handbook 2 (Weapon and Implement Expertise) and Player's Handbook 3 (Versatile Expertise). Are the previous feats going to be removed from the rules; and if not, why would they continue to be included?

3. Will we see more support for classes that use the standard at-will, encounter, daily, and utility power progression from Player’s Handbook?

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

1. Excellent news. I'd prefer to see most of it hit Dragon, but that's because I've already paid for that. I'm not sold on all the books yet, but since they'll eventually make their way to the Compendium, I guess it doesn't matter how it gets released, so long as it does.

2.

That’s why the human and half-elf racial abilities are presented as an option that can be taken in place of, rather than a replacement for, the prior versions. If someone already had one of those older feats, we didn’t want to force them to buy the new books to update their characters.

Yeah, ok, except the problem here is that the new racial options they refer to here are not always better than the ones they replace, but in the case of the feats, the same can't be said.

As for their reference about what may be coming in HoS or other future books, I take this to mean that we will eventually see Expertise feats for the Weapliment users, Totems, and other such things. The sooner, the better.

3. Good news again. I like the Essentials format, but I don't want to see old classes twisting in the breeze. Runepriest, Artificer, etc.

The Rule of Three has so far done more for their PR than an entire YEAR of Ampersand has ever done.

 

[samursus]

The Rule of Three has so far done more for their PR than an entire YEAR of Ampersand has ever done.

Its funny but I was thinking a very similar thought just before I read this line.

I am quite pleased at the questions being answered (whether or not I am happy with the answers). Like you said, it seems they are finally addressing the non-trivial questions we have been asking and wondering about on the boards for years.

Used to be, you couldn't get a straight answer out of WotC.

It's a small thing, but I hope, a sign of things to come.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

The Devil's in the details; Ampersand has become more of a podium for issuing press releases rather than hard answers. It's full of marketing talk for the most part, and corporate weasel words for the rest. It implies much but tells little.

At last we have some answers. Direct questions and exact answers whose meanings you don't have to pick apart like a legal document, and free of having to read between lines to suss out meaning.

All this with more visibility than any of their FAQs ever had.

We can only hope they maintain this transparency and directness.

 

[ppaladin123]

The first question is mine. They used the exact wording of my question:

"Is there any plan to "essentialize" the races that were not
included in Heroes of the Fallen Lands/Forgotten Kingdoms? The gnome,
goliath, genasi, warforged, and deva don't currently have the option
to choose stats, which is a shame because they are great races that
deserve this treatment. I think this would be a great thing to do in a
series of "Winning Races" articles."

I am glad I managed to elicit some useful information. I missed the shadar-kai and revenant in my original question though. Hope they remember them!

 

[JPL]

I wish they'd get on with Essentializing the other races. It's an easy yet fundamental fix. C'mon, guys.

 

[Nikosandros]

I wish they'd get on with Essentializing the other races. It's an easy yet fundamental fix. C'mon, guys.

Indeed. I also would like to get updated expertise feats for the implements not covered in Essentials. Classes that use them are unfairly penalized.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

Indeed. I also would like to get updated expertise feats for the implements not covered in Essentials. Classes that use them are unfairly penalized.

I don't think they're "unfairly penalized" so much as "inadequately bonused." Still, I agree in that the issue needs to be addressed, sooner or later. Preferably sooner.

 

[Dedekind]

I am totally digging Rule of Three. I may not get the answers I like, but I like that I get answers.

 

[mneme]

To be fair, Versitile Expertise (for classes that use a separate implement and weapon) is actually more or less reasonable. My Avenger who uses an Executioner's Axe, for instance, has no reason to look at any other Expertise feat--the Axe feat is pointless for two handed axes anyway (what's up with that? Why do they keep giving axes the same features over and over again, such that most axe buffs aren't useful for most axe users? Sure, ok, with the right feats, your waraxe is almost as good as my EAxe (at paragon level)--but how is that anything but a slap in the face to axe using non-ranger strikers?), and getting a +1/tier on the rare Implement attack I make is worthwhile.

OTOH, there's plenty of room for a choice of (because it's much better if it's customization, rather than a free gift for specific classes without any customizing properties) Holy Symbol + Choice of Weapon Expertise feats -- particularly as there are three classes that use that combo (Paladins, PH Clerics, Avengers) by default.

Ok, so the not-just-a-weapon expertise feats categories that are interesting are:
Light blades, used as weapon and implement (sorcerers, warlocks, swordmages, monks)
Heavy Blades, used as weapon and implement (swordmages, monks)
Any weapon used as weapon and implement (assassin, monk)
Ki Focus (as implement) and chosen Weapon (as weapon) (assassin and monk).
Ki Focus (as implement) and Any weapon (as weapon) (assassin and monk, weaponmaster)
Holy Symbol and choice of weapon
Breath Weapon (or other racial attack) and choice of weapon/implement (this rapidly gets too complicated, so while it's interesting as an option, it's probably better to make expertise for specific racials worthwhile as a separate feat with its own secondary benefit)
Totem and Choice of weapon
Tome Expertise
Something to cover Bards and Artificers (who might very well want a weapon, an implement, and a ranged weapon, and will often want to maintain 2/3).