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<blockquote data-quote="Fenris-77" data-source="post: 7998287" data-attributes="member: 6993955"><p>The word I'm going to pick out there is monotonous. I completely agree. Played right out of the box there's not a lot to recommend it, and I think a lot of groups play just like you do. That's a perfectly acceptable way to play. You can see, however, the negative impact that has on a class that specializes in that same phase of the game though? If wilderness travel is already treated as you describe, the Ranger loses a lot of hero moments (that not a critique of your play style at all, just a sad truth). In order for the Ranger to really shine, the phase itself would have to be not monotonous, and have at least enough mechanics in it that the Ranger could have some legitimate impact.</p><p></p><p></p><p>This may very well be true. However, if all you've done is treat it narratively, and maybe roll some wandering monster rolls, you haven't really seen what the phase can contain if it's worked harder. Anyway, it's entirely ;possible that even with cool mechanics and a host of super-cool encounters and whatnot, that your table would still be disinterested. That's also quite ok. Each table has its own tastes. Can you feel the however coming? However... lots of tables would make great use of better exploration mechanics, so tying a revamped ranger in still makes sense. But what also makes sense is to make those rules more modular, so that your table doesn't need to use them if the don't want to.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I actually just finished reading a 3PP book that's specifically about making the exploration phase more interesting, more tense, and just generally more of an adventure. It's not doing any of the things you describe though, which all amount to just adding rolls and boring narration to common everyday events. That's goofy, no one wants that. If you want any part of the game to be more engaging, there need to be clear decision points with consequences for failure and mechanics that support that in an interesting way. To that should be added a generous dose of creative encounter design, and a certain flair for description, but those last two things aren't nearly enough by themselves to make a whole phase of the game interesting.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, my main point stands - better exploration mechanics would make it easier to re-do the Ranger in a really interesting way.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Fenris-77, post: 7998287, member: 6993955"] The word I'm going to pick out there is monotonous. I completely agree. Played right out of the box there's not a lot to recommend it, and I think a lot of groups play just like you do. That's a perfectly acceptable way to play. You can see, however, the negative impact that has on a class that specializes in that same phase of the game though? If wilderness travel is already treated as you describe, the Ranger loses a lot of hero moments (that not a critique of your play style at all, just a sad truth). In order for the Ranger to really shine, the phase itself would have to be not monotonous, and have at least enough mechanics in it that the Ranger could have some legitimate impact. This may very well be true. However, if all you've done is treat it narratively, and maybe roll some wandering monster rolls, you haven't really seen what the phase can contain if it's worked harder. Anyway, it's entirely ;possible that even with cool mechanics and a host of super-cool encounters and whatnot, that your table would still be disinterested. That's also quite ok. Each table has its own tastes. Can you feel the however coming? However... lots of tables would make great use of better exploration mechanics, so tying a revamped ranger in still makes sense. But what also makes sense is to make those rules more modular, so that your table doesn't need to use them if the don't want to. I actually just finished reading a 3PP book that's specifically about making the exploration phase more interesting, more tense, and just generally more of an adventure. It's not doing any of the things you describe though, which all amount to just adding rolls and boring narration to common everyday events. That's goofy, no one wants that. If you want any part of the game to be more engaging, there need to be clear decision points with consequences for failure and mechanics that support that in an interesting way. To that should be added a generous dose of creative encounter design, and a certain flair for description, but those last two things aren't nearly enough by themselves to make a whole phase of the game interesting. Anyway, my main point stands - better exploration mechanics would make it easier to re-do the Ranger in a really interesting way. [/QUOTE]
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