D&D 4E SRM Marking Marked and Other 4Eisms

[Lizard]

Make it up! Are you a computer, that you lack all creativity? Must you be force-fed everything?

If I'm going to make it up, what am I paying for? I think you said that...

 

[hong]

If I'm going to make it up, what am I paying for? I think you said that...

You're paying for a toolbox, of course. The chance to exercise your creativity.

Yeesh, the laziness of some people.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Yeah, there is no smoke without fire!

The lady doth protest too much?

 

[Lizard]

It would appear that at least a few people were happy with 3E's philosophy of taking the DM out of the picture. 3E is so videogamey.

So the noob DMs 4e is aimed at are going to be expected to solve problems the 4e developers could not?

(I never felt 'out of the picture' in 3e. I felt I had all the tools I needed, and I could use the tools given or make my own, as I saw fit. 4e seems to be relying an awful lot on pure subjectivity and arbitrary restrictions. "Because I'm the Mommy, that's why!" is really a poor argument.)

 

[coyote6]

Well, maybe the "marked" creature gets to choose which one to heed and which to ignore.

Paladin: I cast keep my eye on the goblin, intent upon blasting him with radiant energy as soon as he turns his back.

Goblin: Bedeviling zealot! I shall keep my gaze firmly fixed upon you!

Fighter: I, too, shall watch for an opening, the better to put my sword in the goblin's tuchus!

Goblin: Hmm, better the sword to the tuchus than a blast of radiant energy. I shall watch the Paladin's movements at the risk of revealing my heiny to the Fighter.

The real problem might come when you have two paladins. Now, no matter who you attack, you get blasted with radiant energy (or if you are a 27th level wizard-type foe, all of a sudden you have line of effect to no one, and can't use at least most of your powers).

Then consider having three paladins -- now you take damage at least twice, no matter what you do.

 

[Campbell]

But WHY not?

Never mind "game balance". What's the in-game-world reason?

Hell, what's the in-game-world reason marks trump each other?

That would depend upon which mark is trumping which existing mark.

 

[Doug McCrae]

But WHY not?

Never mind "game balance". What's the in-game-world reason?

How come my 10th level fighter can survive falling 100ft but my 1st level fighter dies? Am I expected to believe his body is somehow tougher?

This game is stoopid.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

So the noob DMs 4e is aimed at are going to be expected to solve problems the 4e developers could not?

(I never felt 'out of the picture' in 3e. I felt I had all the tools I needed, and I could use the tools given or make my own, as I saw fit. 4e seems to be relying an awful lot on pure subjectivity and arbitrary restrictions. "Because I'm the Mommy, that's why!" is really a poor argument.)

Ehh, this may be me. But I have always viewed all PnP not just D&D as essentially a collection of rules that you compile together as you wish to best fit the experience you and your players choose to do. If that entitles some DM control over certain powers to run the game you wish, so be it, or cutting out rules, putting some in, etc. so be it.

 

[hong]

So the noob DMs 4e is aimed at are going to be expected to solve problems the 4e developers could not?

No, the noob players 4E is aimed at are going to be expected to hit the monsters and protect the party, and take directives like "don't self-nuke" at face value. As noobs are wont to do.

(I never felt 'out of the picture' in 3e. I felt I had all the tools I needed, and I could use the tools given or make my own, as I saw fit. 4e seems to be relying an awful lot on pure subjectivity and arbitrary restrictions. "Because I'm the Mommy, that's why!" is really a poor argument.)

Oh well.

 

[Lizard]

You're paying for a toolbox, of course. The chance to exercise your creativity.

Yeesh, the laziness of some people.

Yeah, I figured most of my creativity would be spent building a world, plotting a story, making interesting NPCs...not justifying the rules.

But, hey, I guess that's why they spent so much time/effort on the "implied world" -- they knew DMs would be too busy house-ruling to do any world building...