Where's the oppressive fluff?

[Plane Sailing]

For so many months, I was told on these boards that the 4e fluff was going to ruin homebrewing. That it was hardwired to the rules and made serious headaches for those that didn't play in "The Default World".

The one thing that I've heard of that could be considered "homebrew-annoying" is the whole business about primordials/giants/elementals/gods/angels.

In particular the primodials, war against gods in the past, elemental archons and angels as footsoldiers in wars between gods and primordials etc etc.

There is a huge chunk of backing fluff which then finds its way into mechanics for a number of things too (e.g. the remoulding of giants into elemental creatures), and unweaving that might end up a complete pain in the neck.

Regards,

 

[Fifth Element]

And since we're using hyperbole

We are?

 

[Rechan]

e.g. the remoulding of giants into elemental creatures

Indeed. These new things like Storm, Fire, and Hill giants do seem remoulded into being associated with elements! Why, if I didn't know better, I'd have thought there would be some sort of Frost giant associated with the element of cold!

 

[Shadeydm]

Indeed. These new things like Storm, Fire, and Hill giants do seem remoulded into being associated with elements! Why, if I didn't know better, I'd have thought there would be some sort of Frost giant associated with the element of cold!

Apparently we also have snark giants on these boards.

 

[Nellisir]

This could be used as an argument for including minimal flavour text. Since most DMs are going to tailor the monsters as they see fit, does it matter that they don't tell us what the standard diet of the monster is supposed to be?

Only if they want to establish a common language among 4e gamers. There's a middle ground between too much description (the Monstrous Compendiums were pushing this line) and the "utterly free" approach the 4e MM seems to take.

I think the font size and layout is very important. The 3E MM is cluttered with words in small type, and as a reference work that hurts.

Layout, yes; font size less so. My dictionary and encyclopedia both have pretty small type, and they work OK.

 

[Lizard]

For so many months, I was told on these boards that the 4e fluff was going to ruin homebrewing. That it was hardwired to the rules and made serious headaches for those that didn't play in "The Default World".

So, I'm looking at the core rules and... where is all that restraining fluff?

I killed it and took its stuff.

 

[Lizard]

Well, I'm not trying to gloat so much as saying "That was a lot of unnecessary arguing and gnashing of teeth."

I disagree; it was necessary. Without it, we probably would have "Midnight Sunstone Adoration" or something instead of "Cleave".

Damn White Raven escaped the axe, though. Get that one in 4.5.

 

[Fifth Element]

Layout, yes; font size less so. My dictionary and encyclopedia both have pretty small type, and they work OK.

I don't know about you, but the setting in which I need to refer to a D&D book and the setting in which I need to refer to a dictionary are very different.

 

[Campbell]

I disagree; it was necessary. Without it, we probably would have "Midnight Sunstone Adoration" or something instead of "Cleave".

Damn White Raven escaped the axe, though. Get that one in 4.5.

I agree with Lizard, especially when you look at feats like Burning Blizzard that are pretty obviously artifacts of the no longer existent fluff.

 

[Lizard]

I don't know about you, but the setting in which I need to refer to a D&D book and the setting in which I need to refer to a dictionary are very different.

When EGG was writing books (R.I.P. Gary...), this was NOT the case!

"Antithesis of weal"...how we miss thee.