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Speculation about "the feelz" of D&D 4th Edition
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<blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 7023257" data-attributes="member: 6696971"><p>Alright, an actual post.</p><p></p><p>The "feelz" of 4e comes together from the below synthesis.</p><p></p><p>1) Combat is about:</p><p></p><p>a) provoking/rewarding movement</p><p>b) battlefield interaction</p><p>c) team synergy</p><p>d) the heroic rally (especially that of being inspired by a comrade but also that of "getting off the canvas" as a result of one's own steely will).</p><p></p><p>Think Wesley vs Inigo, Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men, the LotR and The Hobbit (the movies to a higher degree than the books).</p><p></p><p>2) Noncombat scenes are about:</p><p></p><p>a) dangerous situations that are </p><p>b) PC-relevant and</p><p>c) conflict-charged where </p><p>d) the situation changes dynamically until</p><p>e) there is no drama left to be had.</p><p>f) Failure is a snowball rolling downhill...not an endpoint.</p><p></p><p>Mechanically cemented endpoints following Freytag's Dramatic Structure (Exposition > Rising Action > Climax > Falling Action > Denouement). Action-adventure tropes from the same fiction as above except include Indiana Jones and Star Wars.</p><p></p><p>4e is a scene-based, action-adventure game that gives players unprecedented PC theme-flags to fly (and expects the GM to observe them throughout the tiers), unprecedented narrative control (a lot of author stance and even director stance features), with and an engine and GMing tools that are high utility yet not burdensome from a cognitive workload perspective (the math works, encounter budgeting works, the recharge mechanics work). If you follow the game's basic principles, rules, and advice (go to the action, engender dynamism in fiction and decision-points, failure is not an endpoint), genre coherent fiction and well-paced play will ensue.</p><p></p><p>That being said, the game isn't given nearly enough credit for its "driftability" (genre/table aesthetic and play-outcome-wise). Most folks that don't like it or didn't give it a legit try just don't understand its toggles and levers. Deft leveraging of (i) the recharge mechanics (particularly Long Rest), (ii) the unique attrition model (the pressure points of Healing Surges, Dailies, Milestones), (iii) "Up-Leveling", and (iv) the Condition/Disease Track can turn the game into a daunting (in-fiction and mechanically) affair that will support darker tropes and more strategic play.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Manbearcat, post: 7023257, member: 6696971"] Alright, an actual post. The "feelz" of 4e comes together from the below synthesis. 1) Combat is about: a) provoking/rewarding movement b) battlefield interaction c) team synergy d) the heroic rally (especially that of being inspired by a comrade but also that of "getting off the canvas" as a result of one's own steely will). Think Wesley vs Inigo, Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men, the LotR and The Hobbit (the movies to a higher degree than the books). 2) Noncombat scenes are about: a) dangerous situations that are b) PC-relevant and c) conflict-charged where d) the situation changes dynamically until e) there is no drama left to be had. f) Failure is a snowball rolling downhill...not an endpoint. Mechanically cemented endpoints following Freytag's Dramatic Structure (Exposition > Rising Action > Climax > Falling Action > Denouement). Action-adventure tropes from the same fiction as above except include Indiana Jones and Star Wars. 4e is a scene-based, action-adventure game that gives players unprecedented PC theme-flags to fly (and expects the GM to observe them throughout the tiers), unprecedented narrative control (a lot of author stance and even director stance features), with and an engine and GMing tools that are high utility yet not burdensome from a cognitive workload perspective (the math works, encounter budgeting works, the recharge mechanics work). If you follow the game's basic principles, rules, and advice (go to the action, engender dynamism in fiction and decision-points, failure is not an endpoint), genre coherent fiction and well-paced play will ensue. That being said, the game isn't given nearly enough credit for its "driftability" (genre/table aesthetic and play-outcome-wise). Most folks that don't like it or didn't give it a legit try just don't understand its toggles and levers. Deft leveraging of (i) the recharge mechanics (particularly Long Rest), (ii) the unique attrition model (the pressure points of Healing Surges, Dailies, Milestones), (iii) "Up-Leveling", and (iv) the Condition/Disease Track can turn the game into a daunting (in-fiction and mechanically) affair that will support darker tropes and more strategic play. [/QUOTE]
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