Grenartia
3000+
Colonial
Rogue Elephant Centaur
Posts: 3,823
|
Post by Grenartia on Mar 7, 2014 3:34:01 GMT
<abbr>I'm on the fence about joining. I mean, part of me is really curious about D&D, as I've never played before, but the other part of me is worried I'll be shit at it, and also about various obligations I have (I'm going to be moving in a few days, and I've got things to do in P2TM, etc.). </abbr>
|
|
SCIENCE
5000+
Baaaad to the bone!
Heaven is other people.
Posts: 5,744
|
Post by SCIENCE on Mar 8, 2014 12:49:41 GMT
How long does a session usually last?
|
|
|
Post by Poli on Mar 8, 2014 16:10:37 GMT
How long does a session usually last? 2.5 - 3 hours or so.
|
|
Wikkiwallana
6250+
Resident Troll
What the hell is going on?
Posts: 6,835
|
Post by Wikkiwallana on Mar 10, 2014 2:32:58 GMT
So, can I fail rolling for stats, or can I fail rolling for stats?
|
|
TSM
5000+
Ableist Kinkshamer
Posts: 5,195
|
Post by TSM on Mar 10, 2014 2:39:15 GMT
also seriously make some more neutral/evil characters! I'm feeling so lonely in this group full of heathens and heretics and goody two shoes
|
|
Wikkiwallana
6250+
Resident Troll
What the hell is going on?
Posts: 6,835
|
Post by Wikkiwallana on Mar 10, 2014 2:49:15 GMT
also seriously make some more neutral/evil characters! I'm feeling so lonely in this group full of heathens and heretics and goody two shoes I'm neutral! And if this guy dies at some point, I certainly have a few evil character ideas that should be interesting without being party destroyers. I also have a few special, special snowflake characters that I doubt I'll get to play anywhere…
|
|
panicberry
7500+
Phantom of the Opera
God save the Berry!
Posts: 8,150
|
Post by panicberry on Mar 10, 2014 4:07:30 GMT
also seriously make some more neutral/evil characters! I'm feeling so lonely in this group full of heathens and heretics and goody two shoes But we made nefarious plans, so worth?
|
|
Wikkiwallana
6250+
Resident Troll
What the hell is going on?
Posts: 6,835
|
Post by Wikkiwallana on Mar 10, 2014 4:52:14 GMT
Also, for what it's worth, my character is going to hopefully end up being one scary mofo.
|
|
TSM
5000+
Ableist Kinkshamer
Posts: 5,195
|
Post by TSM on Mar 10, 2014 5:49:30 GMT
also seriously make some more neutral/evil characters! I'm feeling so lonely in this group full of heathens and heretics and goody two shoes I'm neutral! And if this guy dies at some point, I certainly have a few evil character ideas that should be interesting without being party destroyers. I also have a few special, special snowflake characters that I doubt I'll get to play anywhere… Hey man, I'm playing a blackguard from an obscure sourcebook that can do up to 1d10+29 + 10 ongoing per round per encounter. Does ten even on a miss. At level 2. At level three I get to do that twice an encounter. Special snowflakness seems to be the name of the game here! Admittedly that's rare usually it's more like +20 to + 22 at most.
|
|
Wikkiwallana
6250+
Resident Troll
What the hell is going on?
Posts: 6,835
|
Post by Wikkiwallana on Mar 10, 2014 6:18:53 GMT
I'm neutral! And if this guy dies at some point, I certainly have a few evil character ideas that should be interesting without being party destroyers. I also have a few special, special snowflake characters that I doubt I'll get to play anywhere… Hey man, I'm playing a blackguard from an obscure sourcebook that can do up to 1d10+29 + 10 ongoing per round per encounter. Does ten even on a miss. At level 2. At level three I get to do that twice an encounter. Special snowflakness seems to be the name of the game here! Admittedly that's rare usually it's more like +20 to + 22 at most. No, by special snowflake I mean things that achieve excellent mechanics by horribly abusing the fluff, stuff that is self-contradictory, or is so freaking "unique" that by rights it should be too unlikely for even a PC. The best example I could give, and one of the most out there, is the Intimidatotron (not it's real name), a Revenant Deva Bard. Or, on the RP-side of things, it's pretty easy to make a character that is clearly some god's great-grandkid from level 1.
|
|
TSM
5000+
Ableist Kinkshamer
Posts: 5,195
|
Post by TSM on Mar 10, 2014 8:55:04 GMT
Ahhh, so a Pun Pun the Kobold sorta thing
|
|
|
Post by Len Hyet on Mar 11, 2014 17:47:02 GMT
Hey guys, I'm down for this. Sounds like fun. Haven't played much 4e (mostly Pathfinder) but I know sorta what I'm doing. What's the current party classes/alignment/general status?
|
|
|
Post by daistallia on Mar 17, 2014 5:49:22 GMT
So, can I fail rolling for stats, or can I fail rolling for stats? It's D&D, not Traveller. (For those unfamiliar, Traveller was a Space Opera RPG from the late 70s and 80s. It was possible to actually *die* during the course of the character creation system, at least as written. )
|
|
|
Post by Poli on Mar 17, 2014 5:59:34 GMT
For people who haven't already officially joined: at the moment, NA feels we've probably maxed out the size of the party (at a certain point, combat with too many people turns into "right, I did my attack, I'll be back in half an hour when it's actually my turn again" ). Blaat, Ovi, Gren, Len, and anyone else who was thinking of joining, you could totally set up your own session at the same time, though! (Heck, you'd even be welcome to use the world and backstory NA and I created. We could have crossovers! That would actually be kinda awesome!)
|
|
|
Post by The Beautiful Darkness on Mar 17, 2014 7:31:17 GMT
Yes~ If anyone wants to do this in a suitable time for me, I'm so in.
|
|
Wikkiwallana
6250+
Resident Troll
What the hell is going on?
Posts: 6,835
|
Post by Wikkiwallana on Mar 17, 2014 7:49:12 GMT
So, can I fail rolling for stats, or can I fail rolling for stats? It's D&D, not Traveller. (For those unfamiliar, Traveller was a Space Opera RPG from the late 70s and 80s. It was possible to actually *die* during the course of the character creation system, at least as written. ) As I understand it though, character generation in Traveller was something of a minigame unto itself. Meanwhile, I rolled up some kinda hideous stats that I would have had to stick with if not for the generosity of NA.
|
|
|
Post by daistallia on Mar 17, 2014 14:50:19 GMT
It's D&D, not Traveller. (For those unfamiliar, Traveller was a Space Opera RPG from the late 70s and 80s. It was possible to actually *die* during the course of the character creation system, at least as written. ) As I understand it though, character generation in Traveller was something of a minigame unto itself. Meanwhile, I rolled up some kinda hideous stats that I would have had to stick with if not for the generosity of NA. Indeed it was, especially with some of the expansions. The original system took you through your career by 4 year terms, while the expansions did it by year.
|
|
|
Post by Len Hyet on Mar 17, 2014 15:15:07 GMT
For people who haven't already officially joined: at the moment, NA feels we've probably maxed out the size of the party (at a certain point, combat with too many people turns into "right, I did my attack, I'll be back in half an hour when it's actually my turn again" ). Blaat, Ovi, Gren, Len, and anyone else who was thinking of joining, you could totally set up your own session at the same time, though! (Heck, you'd even be welcome to use the world and backstory NA and I created. We could have crossovers! That would actually be kinda awesome!) That sounds awesome, but I can't DM to save my life
|
|
|
Post by Serrland on Mar 27, 2014 15:06:36 GMT
I've never played 4e, but I've played 3.5, 3, and AD&D. It can't be that much different, right? If that other group forms, or if you need an alternate or something, I'm always able to roll a char.
|
|
Wikkiwallana
6250+
Resident Troll
What the hell is going on?
Posts: 6,835
|
Post by Wikkiwallana on Mar 27, 2014 17:03:59 GMT
I've never played 4e, but I've played 3.5, 3, and AD&D. It can't be that much different, right? If that other group forms, or if you need an alternate or something, I'm always able to roll a char. Actually, it's pretty significantly different. Not to say you wouldn't be able to quickly get the hang of it, but there are some rather major changes.
|
|
|
Post by Serrland on Mar 27, 2014 18:02:41 GMT
I've never played 4e, but I've played 3.5, 3, and AD&D. It can't be that much different, right? If that other group forms, or if you need an alternate or something, I'm always able to roll a char. Actually, it's pretty significantly different. Not to say you wouldn't be able to quickly get the hang of it, but there are some rather major changes. I hear it's more hack-and-slash now, better suited for dungeon crawls than urban adventures or social campaigns?
|
|
Wikkiwallana
6250+
Resident Troll
What the hell is going on?
Posts: 6,835
|
Post by Wikkiwallana on Mar 27, 2014 20:03:52 GMT
Actually, it's pretty significantly different. Not to say you wouldn't be able to quickly get the hang of it, but there are some rather major changes. I hear it's more hack-and-slash now, better suited for dungeon crawls than urban adventures or social campaigns? Significantly. A few classes can take a small number of social powers, and there are a small number of feats that affect social interactions, but almost all the powers are about combat, and most of the feats are about combat or exploration. Likewise, combat makes up most of the rules, exploration fills most of what isn't taken up by combat, and social interaction is "here's the skills, here's a few suggestions on how to use them in skill challenges". It doesn't really have a middle ground for social interaction between near-total freeform and "Ok, you have to diplomacize the guy three times and catch him in 2 lie, in any order, before fucking up three times." Beyond that, most of the mechanics other than "roll d20 add relevant modifier" to attempt anything and "damage is XdY+Z" have been totally revamped. Classes are now near totally equal in power, there is no more "the caster can do everything you can do, but better". Instead they all get the same things at the same levels: a new attack at every odd numbered level, a new feat at every even one, and "utility" powers at 2, 6, 10, 16, and 22. Utility powers run the gamut from non-attack combat actions, such as healing damage or status, buffing, or interfering with an enemy's actions, to more exploration focused things such as climbing without risk of falling or safely moving through dangerous or slowing terrain, to the few social powers. Further, powers are all classified as "at-will", "encounter", or "daily". "At-will" is pretty self explanatory, "encounter" powers require five minutes non-combat breather time before they are ready to be used again, and "daily" powers need a good night's sleep. You also don't get to keep attacks forever once you learn them, once you have three of encounters or three dailies, you have to trade one of them in to learn a new one. (Psionic classes are an exception, but there are only 3 of them) Caster and non-caster classes get the same number of each and at the same levels, so the fighter's fancy new sword trick can only be used once a day, because reasons. Instead, classes are grouped by how they function in combat: strikers, defenders, controllers, and leaders. Strikers deal damage, defenders tank, controllers inflict status problems and rearrange the battlefield, and leaders heal and buff. Classes have a primary function that all members share, and then one or two secondary functions that depend on the build. For example, a paladin is a defender: no matter what, he's gonna be a tank; but depending on power and feat choices he might also be a healer, laying on hands and blessing his allies, or he might be a striker, smiting the shit out of anyone who gets in his way. Stats have also been drastically altered. Hit dice are gone, you get a fixed amount each level based on your class: 4 for the really squishy classes, 5 for most, and 6 for the heavyweights. Likewise, monster HP is based on it's level and role, rather than what it is, so the wolf has about as much hp as the pc race bandit and both have about as much as the skeleton. Fortitude, Reflex, and Will are now static numbers that are targeted the same was as AC, rather than roll modifiers you use to resist a fixed strength attack. Meanwhile "saving throw" now refers to a simple d20 roll at the end of a turn to end an ongoing effect, 10 or higher and the effect ends. With stronger enemies having large bonuses to this roll ("elite" monsters have double HP and a +2 bonus, while "solo" monsters have quintuple HP and a +5 bonus) accuracy and damage are now far more important than "save or suck" effects, at least during boss fights. That said, certain classes can impose high enough penalties to these throws that they can lock a boss down for at least a turn or two, which can be invaluable to winning the fight. But it is definitely a race to 0 HP now, rather than rocket tag. Also new is the concept of a "healing surge", a fixed value of healing (equal to 1/4 of your maximum hp unless race or a feat modifies it) that represents a baseline amount of HP recovery per time you are healed, and a limit on the number you have. When you run out of the day, only a very few powers are going to heal you, and some are only going give you a paltry amount of HP. On the other hand, a good night's sleep and you get all of them and all of your HP back. Lastly, skills are either "trained" or "untrained". You pick a few skills to train at first level, which gives you a +5 bonus in those skills and allows you to meet training prerequisites for feats, powers, and 4e's version of prestige classes, and that's the end of it. From then on skills are ability modifier+1/2 character level+assorted bonuses. All characters get better at all skills at the exact same rate, unless they take feats or prestige classes that improve them, in which case there is a one time fixed increase in the skill. Thus if a rogue is 2 points better at picking locks than sneaking at first level, he will almost certainly be exactly two points better at it at 30th level. From an in character perspective he may have gone from opening the shitty latch on the peasant's murder-shed to the magically reinforced adamantine pin tumbler on the celestial treasury, but from an out of character perspective it's still "roll a d20, get a 12 or better" the whole time. If you decide you haven't really been creeping around that much, but that locks have been kicking your butt, either spend a feat to increase your lockpicking, or just suck it up and deal with it, because you can no longer let one skill slide to train up another. I do want to make it clear that these are not complaints, the game is still very fun, but it's much more akin to a pen and paper MMORPG now than to older editions, and the majority of the game, and thus the majority of the potential fun, ties back in to killing things, unless you have a good group for acting out the largely ruleless social portions with.
|
|