So, What Does CE Stand For Again?

[ecliptic]

Combat Evolved

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

It sounds like you have a person new to the game here. And full of enthusiasm.
If I were DMing, I'd just let him run with the football, sit back and drink my 7-Up, and enjoy the show.
That is my advice to your unspoken question. Just let him have his fun, and vicariously share in his enjoyment.

What does CE stand for?
Christmas Elves, of course! Silly!

 

[Arnwyn]

If they can't flip through the MM, how will they be able to use spells like polymorph and summon monster?

Through research, knowledge checks, what they have previously encountered, and trial-and-error.

That's how we do it, at least.

 

[Brain]

One time I played with someone who had their character's alignment written as "KG". When asked what alignment his character was, he said "Chaotic Neutral".

I guess "Kayotic Gnootral" or something. I have no idea what CE would stand for in this guy's world.

 

[Crothian]

One time I played with someone who had their character's alignment written as "KG". When asked what alignment his character was, he said "Chaotic Neutral".

I guess "Kayotic Gnootral" or something. I have no idea what CE would stand for in this guy's world.

was he playing a gnome?

 

[ThirdWizard]

Through research, knowledge checks, what they have previously encountered, and trial-and-error.

That's how we do it, at least.

I was more referring to how will they know how to adjust their stats after casting the spell.

 

[diaglo]

I was more referring to how will they know how to adjust their stats after casting the spell.

knowledge checks are like the new armor vs weapon type.

written in the rules but hardly ever used.

lazy DMs would rather just hand the book over to the player to use at will. and then complain on message boards about how the new rules take power away from DMs and create more ruleslawyers.

 

[Crothian]

I was more referring to how will they know how to adjust their stats after casting the spell.

Allow them to know the stats of the creatures they know about it but only after they change into it. No need for them to know everything about everything in everybook.

 

[sniffles]

Allow them to know the stats of the creatures they know about it but only after they change into it. No need for them to know everything about everything in everybook.

I wonder a little at the assumption that just because they've looked at the book means they will know everything. Do all your players have eidetic memories?

I read the MM and other books from time to time, but I don't memorize everything that's in them. If the GM says my PC doesn't know what that monster is, then I can keep character knowledge separate from player knowledge. I don't have any interest in memorizing the whole Monster Manual. Even if I accidentally read a module before the GM ran it (which I did once, by mistake), I'd do my darnedest not to let that influence my roleplaying. To do otherwise would just ruin the game for me and everyone else.

 

[diaglo]

I wonder a little at the assumption that just because they've looked at the book means they will know everything. Do all your players have eidetic memories?

i don't think you are following the quoted discussion very closely. ThirdWizard's players have the book in front of them or have the stats printed out in front of them.

they don't need to memorize the material. they have the material.