The Essentials articles are atrocious.

[GMforPowergamers]

Sorry, I'm going to have to agree that the MtG player archtypes don't apply to D&D. MtG is, at it's heart, a competitive game. D&D is not.

As for how useful it is to file people away into blank catagories...

All <ethnicity> does <stereotype>

I'm just trying to be useful, guys!

the problem is that stereotypes start somewhere...(by the way there are good and bad sterotypes) It is why we can use profileing to find out about criminals. The trick is to truely profile you need ALOT of information...

the myers-briggs test is a great example of how you can work it to find out LOTS about yourself...

The trick is noone IS spike, noone IS Malvin, but then again this type of arguement goes back way father in D&D history... Noone IS lawful good, you just lean that way...


I bet if half the math experts here on enworld could get 1 or 2 psycologist/mental experts of soem type, and work on it for a year or two we could have a great test just like the myers-Briggs

on a scale from x-y I am a A
on a scale from B-C I am a Z... ect ect

If we found atleast 5 axeises we could very easily identify who wants what...




Now the problem is the classic profiles...(mostly bad stereotypes) witch lead to discrimnation and Prejudice (witch is PRE judgeing...if you get to know soemone and still don't like there style/personality/ect that is Judgeing not prejudice)

 

[kilpatds]

That doesn't make sense. Are you hypothesizing that enemies that stay next to the Avenger will accidentally attack him even though they didn't want to, triggering the Retributive feature, and that its therefore "safer" for them if the Avenger has a higher armor class, so that when they involuntarily attack him, they'll miss, which is what they would have wanted?

I'm suggesting that them missing more will prevent the extra damage feature from being noticed by the DM, and thus reduce the chances of it affecting the monsters tactical decisions.

 

[Cadfan]

But the AC bonus does the same thing as the Retributive feature in terms of influencing monster tactics- influence the DM to have the monster attack someone else.

Your argument is like saying that its a waste for a poisonous animals to be good at hiding from enemies, because if it hides then there's less of a chance that a predator will be deterred by the poison. Maybe there's a diminishing return, but they both lead to the same end result of the animal not getting eaten.

 

[kilpatds]

Your argument is like saying that its a waste for a poisonous animals to be good at hiding from enemies, because if it hides then there's less of a chance that a predator will be deterred by the poison. Maybe there's a diminishing return, but they both lead to the same end result of the animal not getting eaten.

I'll note that many poisonous animals are horrible at hiding from enemies, and have bright flash colors to advertise their poisonous nature.

(A +1 to defenses is much less apparently in play than "Hey, DM. Because that guy hit me, I just did 5 more damage." unless you're really good at talking it up. So yes, I feel that you're reducing the flashy deterrent that the DM can see for a hidden one that won't be noticed.)

 

[Cadfan]

But you're reducing it by an amount which, BY YOUR OWN ARGUMENT, is so trivially small that no one will notice it.

But an amount that does actually cause some hits to become misses.

 

[Nifft]

I'll note that many poisonous animals are horrible at hiding from enemies, and have bright flash colors to advertise their poisonous nature.

You won't see all the spiders who disagree with you... until it is far too late.

"Mua-ha-ha!", -- N

 

[Wayside]

As for how useful it is to file people away into blank catagories...

All <ethnicity> does <stereotype>

All <vegans> do <not eat animal products>.

Do you see where you went wrong?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

All <vegans> do <not eat animal products>.

Do you see where you went wrong?

oww this can be fun...

All <cops> do <carry guns>.
All <fighters> do <specialize in melee>
All <dogs> do <go to heaven>
All <jedi> do <use the force>

 

[Garthanos]

oww this can be fun...

All <cops> do <carry guns>.

shields... not guns

All <fighters> do <specialize in melee>

unless they are archers.

All <dogs> do <go to heaven>

my neighbors dog that barked every morning
for about an hour would have gone the other place

All <jedi> do <use the force>

or are used by it

 

[GMforPowergamers]

shields... not guns
unless they are archers.
my neighbors dog that barked every morning
for about an hour would have gone the other place
or are used by it

I hope you know I just was jokeing with that post...