D&D 4E WHat should be random in 4E?

[drothgery]

Wow, I'm totally inline with everyone else except on Monster HP. I don't like the player's counting down an opponent's HP so I prefer random HP for monsters.

You fight things that are tough enough that they're not one-hit, one-kill often enough that your players find it worthwhile to remember monster hit points?

 

[Nifft]

You fight things that are tough enough that they're not one-hit, one-kill often enough that your players find it worthwhile to remember monster hit points?

One of my players often counts monster HP, because he's smart and has spare time during other people's turns. (He can be wrong due to DR, but when he's not, it's a nice check to make sure I'm tracking things correctly.)

If the players knew that monster had fixed HP, they might be tempted to abuse this information. As it is, they simply track the monster's "wounded" status for themselves, so I don't have to tell them which ones they've already hit.

Cheers, -- N

 

[The Human Target]

I voted...

To Hit Rolls
Saving Throws
Skill/Ability Checks

I would rather have the saving throws themselves be static and characters have to roll above that number to effect them with powers.

To me, spell and weapon damage isn't important enough to be random in game. You already usually roll to make the attack- the extra roll just isn't worth it IMO.

 

[Mercule]

I leave 'saving throws' off because I'd much prefer to see those as target numbers against which active characters would make rolls. To be fair, though, this would leave the results just as random.

I agree with rolling those into a defense/attack combo. I check it, though, with the idea that whatever resolution mechanic it used should have some randomness to it. I generally believe that all "task resolution" mechanics should have a die roll involved unless it's absurdly easy or difficult.

I much prefer point buy for stats, but I think some random roll mechanic should be in place for NPCs. NPCs always have the potential to be hand-crafted by the GM, but I like a framework for bit parts that end up needing stats. I also tend to randomize potential henchmen/hirelings.

I don't want the range on hps that currently exists, but I do want some unpredictability/variance to it. Iron Heroes "d4 + base" works very, very well, IMO.

 

[blargney the second]

Character/NPC generation non-random. Gameplay at the table random with very few exceptions (like *maybe* taking 10).

 

[Nikosandros]

I'm curios about those who voted for non-random to hit rolls? Was that a joke or is there some kind of serious idea behind this?

Diceless combat can work (Amber, Nobilis) but it requires quite a different framework from the one in D&D.

 

[breschau]

No option for NOTHING.

 

[reanjr]

You fight things that are tough enough that they're not one-hit, one-kill often enough that your players find it worthwhile to remember monster hit points?

Yeah, I'd say so. I guess it depends on the players. My group crunches the numbers on everything. ACs, Saves, HP, etc. I don't memorize players' HP and Saves and I don't expect them to calculate those for my mooks.

ACs I'll usually give them after the first couple of rounds for convenience, but I like to keep them on their toes until their characters have sort of figured out how tough the enemy is.

If a fighter downs something after inflicting 24 damage and the Barbarian is still fighting something he damaged by 20, it would give the wizard a big hint as to what spell to cast if HP was static.

 

[reanjr]

One of my players often counts monster HP, because he's smart and has spare time during other people's turns. (He can be wrong due to DR, but when he's not, it's a nice check to make sure I'm tracking things correctly.)

If the players knew that monster had fixed HP, they might be tempted to abuse this information. As it is, they simply track the monster's "wounded" status for themselves, so I don't have to tell them which ones they've already hit.

Cheers, -- N

You bring up an excellent point regarding DR. That's one of my favorite features of DR is that I feel comfortable giving my players the AC of their opponents (which speeds things up) and I don't worry about random HP. I just keep the DR hidden and the players can never peg a monster (except one-hitters which I'm not too worried about).

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

No option for NOTHING.

With good reason. Without any random factors, it's not a game. It's an algorithm.