D&D 4E WotC Greg: 4E Campaign Report Part 2

[keterys]

Hmm... the equivalent fight... a level 9 group against a Planetar... could go that way. But I suspect it's more likely that it's just completely immune to anything they can throw at it and they really do just die. And quick.

 

[Dausuul]

But I'm not sure I like what 4e is producing either. We've seen glimpses of it several times now- high defenses, high hit points, absurdly mediocre offense. A grind seems to be the most likely outcome of most encounters, because we haven't been presented with any other options beyond 'carve straight through the monster's HP'. Even coup d'grace is just max damage.

Well, if you find an encounter is grinding (and I agree that the dragon is a grind), there's always the old standby--halve its hit points and double its damage output. Makes for a much swingier fight, drastically increases the chance of insta-kills, but it will certainly crank the energy level up.

 

[DandD]

They still didn't put away Raise Dead in any form or possibility? Man, what a shame. I really hope that by D&D 5.0, they'll fix this.

 

[hong]

They still didn't put away Raise Dead in any form or possibility? Man, what a shame. I really hope that by D&D 5.0, they'll fix this.

I'll probably be banning death in any campaign I run. This has the handy effect of making raise dead unnecessary.

 

[DandD]

Do so, my friend. Do so. Meanwhile, I will look out for a wishing star to banish the thoughts of Raise Dead in any edition of D&D retro-actively.

By the Power of Greyskull!

 

[FadedC]

But I'm not sure I like what 4e is producing either. We've seen glimpses of it several times now- high defenses, high hit points, absurdly mediocre offense. A grind seems to be the most likely outcome of most encounters, because we haven't been presented with any other options beyond 'carve straight through the monster's HP'. Even coup d'grace is just max damage.

Well yeah that's what happens when you fight a single non solo monster who is 9 levels higher then you. He pointed out that the creature was a poor choice to fight his party. It's pretty silly to generalize that to party level apropriate encounters, many of which from what I've heard can be much faster and deadiler (due to many more opponents making attacks against you, but the ability of the party to actually hit and kill their opponents too).

 

[Cyronax]

Damn. You actually ground down its hit points all the way to zero? Your dice must have been smoking...

I still don't see how that was possible. Our group was slaughtered, though two PCs managed to run back down the passage (I can't remember if they survived).

Anyway .... impressive. I only heard about one group bloodying the dragon, much less defeating it.

c.i.d.

 

[keterys]

My group defeated it, and I saw another do it.

DM screwed up a couple things (hit someone extra with a breath weapon twice that he shouldn't have, but also let the wizard's Light spell dispel the zone of darkness...), but only had one guy unconscious (the fighter).

 

[Cyronax]

My group defeated it, and I saw another do it.

DM screwed up a couple things (hit someone extra with a breath weapon twice that he shouldn't have, but also let the wizard's Light spell dispel the zone of darkness...), but only had one guy unconscious (the fighter).

We got corned in the darkness, and then (as the eladrin) I stupidly teleported past it in order to attack its rear. Of course I was trapped, and was nearly the last to die, but still ... we didn't even bloody it. Had we bloodied it, I bet the bloody-event breath weapon would have killed us out right.

Dying was more fun in 4e ... I'll give it that much.

C.I.D.

 

[small pumpkin man]

My group defeated it, and I saw another do it.

DM screwed up a couple things (hit someone extra with a breath weapon twice that he shouldn't have, but also let the wizard's Light spell dispel the zone of darkness...), but only had one guy unconscious (the fighter).

I thought the Light was supposed to work (somewhat) like that?