WarpZone said:
I can see why people keep saying 4E kills the RP aspect, or that it's too much like a video game now. It's tempting to fall into that mindset, but I really do like some of the simplicity and features of 4E.
I think once we all get used to the new tactical system, the roleplaying and dynamism we love so much will re-emerge. It'll just take some grinding to get there.
A major obstacle to our usual style of play is the fact that 4E seems to want to treat everything the players are capable of doing other than attacks as a single +2 combat advantage. So if you know the lay of the land, you research the creature's weaknesses in advance, you drug their drinking water, you gas the area, you turn invisible, you throw sand in their eyes, you lure them into a spider-web and THEN you flank them, the net effect is STILL just a +2 modifier.
I guess for us, the main draw of D&D has always been that, unlike a video game, you can think outside the box. You can attempt to do ANYTHING that's physically possible. But 4E so limits the potential reward for any such experimentation that it hardly seems worthwhile when you have all those awesome attacks up your sleaves.
So. This is the question. How can we preserve that spur-of-the-moment in-combat roleplaying, without adding so many house rules that we lose that 4E simplicity?
One idea I had was to simply allow multiple Combat Advantages to stack, in certian cases, when they are the result of careful planning or role-playing on the part of the characters. (I.E. not built into the mechanics.)
I think this would tip the penulum from pure tactical engagements punctuated by NPC conversations back towards true interactive storytelling. I don't know if that would unbalance gameplay too much, though. I haven't really played 4E enough yet to grasp what the rammifications of this change would be.
Any thoughts?
I'm not sure why players say there is any dificulty mixing the roleplaying with the system.
I helped run 60+ players at Game Day at a local game store, more than 70% of the players actively roleplayed. More memorable note was one player that ran the human warrior being like MacGuyver and used every item he could in his Adventurers kit. Including using his bed roll to bypass the sarcophogus trap and then using said bed roll as an improvised weapon when on fire. The dwarf player had made up a history that himself and some fellow dwarves had been attacked by orcs from a rear ambush, and stayed in the rear of the group at all times through the dungeon. This subsequently saved the groups lives as he held back both statues that were activated in the last scene.
I also bought the game on release, allong with H1. I have ran 3 sessions, and all the players roleplay.
The Dwarf Fighter classically loves ale and is a 5th generation brewer from Hammerfast, his Great Axe is named Keg Opener, he has already started negotiations with the local merchants of Winterhaeven to trade for his secret family recipe (a spiced ale made from six rare ingredients, one of which was hinted from comming from dragons). I may have to run this idea as it's own adventure.
The Dragonborn Warlord (Bronze Scaled) finds rats to be a delicacy, to the point of makign them his primary choice of targets in combat. He vows to show the Cleric and Paladin that strength of character and will is all that is needed to be a powerful healer and leader (IP warlord).
The Dragonborn Cleric (Gold scaled) is being lead by the revelations and dreams of his god Bahamut. He went so far as to buy the dragon relic from the dig site from the rest of the party (and still owes them some gold). Striving to be the perfect vessel for his gods powers, he has become the moral compass in the group. He frequently talks to Bahamut, which appears like he is talking to himself to everyone else, and many of his allies think he may be a little insane.
The Dragonborn Paladin (Silver Scaled) loves all things Dwarven and reveres Moradin. Raised by dwarves, and instilled with there culture he searches for clues to his past hoping to unlock his heritage. He recently freed Splug the goblin and allowed him to be his cohort (See the Elf).
The Elf Ranger remains enigmatic, but he is good natured and sometimes a prankster. He has hinted at something terrible befalling his woodland home, but reveals little. He currently has been giving Splug a share of his treasure, and Splug has secretly switched his loyalty to the Elf. Splug now has 60 gold pieces and 72 silver from the bidding war (the Paladin got cohort envy), which I intend to use to set up a shop or a tribe that the players can utilize in the future.
The halfling rogue is on the run (like most rogues) but has yet to let anyone (including me) know what from, he loves traps, and goes into tirade when he encounters an ingenious trap, and takes time out to study there innner workings.
All of that was introduced and roleplayed by the characters, I did minimal work to help with there backgrounds and character personalities. This summary is over the course of a few sessions, and I'd like to stress this is just the key points, I have spent hours each night just in roleplaying.
This system actually is better, why you ask????
Simple, because of the rules. They are simpler and greatly defined. There is little ambiguity to the system. The combats are easier and quicker to run yet more involved than ever. The monsters and atmosphere are more inviting. My players have more time to roleplay, and they have numerous props to roleplay about.
This is just one DMs opinion, but I could never go back to 3rd edition after running 4th. I'm simply having way to much fun.
