D&D NEXT: Infinite Posts of the Abyss

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homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Congrats on winning Tiamat. Now this thread has MonsterEnvy monster envy.

# ¿ Dec 18, 2014 15:17

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# ¿ May 14, 2024 12:26

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

copy posted:

Pretty sure that amnesia dust would refer you to fireball, the true amnesia spell.

Because it's "fire and forget"?

# ¿ Jan 7, 2015 01:21

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

ImpactVector posted:

No, and now that Morningstar got cut loose they've been pretty tight lipped about their plans for one.

But outside of printing up spell/ability cards, I'd personally say it's not really necessary. Most characters have fewer and simpler abilities than in something like 4e, with fewer interactions. Creating a character by hand is pretty quick this time around.

There's this character generator at least.

# ¿ Jan 8, 2015 16:57

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Has anyone heard of anything like 4e's Drama Cards for 5e? I think they would spice up the game quite a bit.

# ¿ Jan 16, 2015 03:36

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

PeterWeller posted:

Counting squares is no easier than holding and reading a tape measure or ruler.

Squares are a ruler you never have to take out or adjust or argue about whether you nudged a little plastic man -- they are always there. So...I disagree. Using a ruler or tape measure is easy, but it's not identical to using a grid.

# ¿ Jan 16, 2015 04:22

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Next's own alignment is clearly Chaotic Neutral.

# ¿ Jan 22, 2015 21:39

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

gradenko_2000 posted:

Alignment worked much better when it was just you're either Lawful and Chaos; whoever's on the opposite alignment will fight you and whoever's on the same alignment will talk to you.

It was proto-keywording in B/X, so that certain spells and items could work off them. Undead were evil dudes, so protection from evil worked on them and other evil things.

# ¿ Jan 22, 2015 21:56

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Night10194 posted:

Are you goddamn serious.

You can always have one writer cover another writer's stuff. If you lost your layout person for a month, though, that could really mess things up.

# ¿ Jan 23, 2015 21:30

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Mendrian posted:

I got all the way to the end of the survey but it said I was a Chaotic Evil Warlock and went on to describe my personality in three or four sentences. Anybody else getting this?

Mine said I was an intellect devourer inhabiting the body of a kender. I don't think their survey is statistically valid.

# ¿ Jan 27, 2015 22:59

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Lightning Lord posted:

As has been said already 900 times, the money Paizo makes is a rounding error on the ledgers of the accounting department for MtG so WotC doesn't care. D&D exists to retain the IP.

If it were just "produce product to retain IP" they wouldn't have bothered to court Pathfondlers with 5e's proximity to 3.x

# ¿ Jan 28, 2015 22:28

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

ProfessorCirno posted:

Secondly you're assuming a much bigger grasp of control for marketing to have over D&D then I think exists. I think what was far more likely was that Mearls was given mostly free reign to make his own edition because nobody else in WotC even knows what D&D is.

If this were true, why bother with all the varying playtesting packets and feedback that they ignored anyway? Why bother making a version less regressive than the one we have now? "Mike Mearls' own edition" of D&D was the early playtest stuff, if anything. If you are truly just trying to keep your IP, you spend a little money on marketing while the small, inexpensive team develops one version of the game behind closed doors. You release the game and let third-party people worry about extending its shelf-life. I think WotC is clearly less invested in this version of D&D, but it was definitely not the cheapest, minimum-level effort required to keep the IP.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2015 00:48

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

FMguru posted:

Ouch. I guess 5E sales are undershooting even the most conservative expectations.

You don't need many editors when you're not producing many of your own supplements. FFG uses freelance editors and proofreaders for its RPGs; I wonder why WotC bothers to continually hire & fire when they could just go on a contract basis.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2015 15:16

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Failboattootoot posted:

in 4th ed my fairly unoptimized party could consistently handle challenges 8 levels above us by throwing enough poo poo at it.

Wait, what? I think you're either wrong about "unoptimized" or "8 levels above us." At level 10 you're looking at, what, +15 to hit AC? And MM3 monster AC is level +14, so a monster 8 levels above you is AC 32. Your fairly unoptimized party is consistently handling encounters where you need to roll a 17+ to hit AC?

# ¿ Feb 5, 2015 01:28

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Tunicate posted:

Just put two human skeletons in a horse costume.

If liches were horses, beggars would . . . probably be the first to die.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2015 17:02

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

gradenko_2000 posted:

I mean, I guess you could say that the AEDU model came out of left field, but only if you never bought into the idea that caster supremacy was a problem that needed fixing in the first place.

It's pretty evident from this edition that the latter is the prevailing belief. It's not D&D if there isn't caster supremacy.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2015 18:40

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

moths posted:

RAW, the "within range" clause only applies to a corpse. So any pile of bones, anywhere may be targeted.

I know it would be really fun if this were true, but prepositional phrases can in fact modify the entire preceding clause, even when they're at the end.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2015 19:29

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Glorified Scrivener posted:

Disclaimer: I guess you could try having a discussion about what everyone in the group wants the game experience to be and try to reach a consensus with compromises and mutual understanding between all parties.

Yeah, but that's not D&D. "DM's call" is not code for use these clear rules or handle this as adults would.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2015 22:59

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

ritorix posted:

The pathguy character-builder website got a C&D. All D&D edition generators are gone.

Except for...

"My generator for Pathfinder will of course remain online. Click here for more information about this role-playing game."

Dammit. His generators were slow and unwieldy, but they were free; had there been an official one for 5e, I'd have been paying for it. Definitely a good idea, WotC, to make it harder for people to get into your product!

homullus fucked around with this message at 04:47 on Feb 6, 2015

# ¿ Feb 6, 2015 04:39

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

IT BEGINS posted:

Of 5e? I agree.

I will start having "I'm too 6e for these rules" t-shirts printed up.

# ¿ Feb 6, 2015 22:36

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

So now that I've actually played it some more, I feel 5e does a good job of capturing what it felt like to play AD&D when the DM didn't let you break it with trivial access to magic items: healing is scarcer, combat (martial and magical) is boring, and the rest of the game is about building up as much advantage as possible in advance of a fight, or avoiding fights entirely. Not only are spells the game's list of mechanical effects, they are the list of the optimal ways of circumventing all of the game's challenges.

I know this is nothing new to this thread.

On the one hand, it's nice that they did recapture the feeling of the old games with some modern design. On the other hand, I think there's still the expectation that adventures are a series of fights, so for the most part, the game is about a series of things that you want to rush through or avoid entirely.

The default of rolling for hit points and healing is shockingly terrible, though, where healing is already scarce. If I wanted to play Wounded Party Campsite Simulator 5000, ... well, I can see how that could actually be more fun than 5e at times, if it were played like Dread.

# ¿ Feb 9, 2015 17:38

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

IT BEGINS posted:

My play experience seems to parallel your own - this definitely evokes feelings of playing 3.0 back in early high school. On the other hand, I don't really see much modern design here. Just a whole lot of stuff that wasn't even particularly novel in 2002 being reshipped for $150 in 2015.

One subtle thing that may not have been intended is a Valor Bard can only give his Bardic Inspiration to increase player d20 rolls, so a wizard's AoE that's just enemy saving throws can't be modified. Not valorous enough, perhaps? I think the lair actions are modern, too.

# ¿ Feb 9, 2015 21:23

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Popete posted:

Moved to Chicago and really wanting to get into D&D. I've played 4e a little bit previously but never for more than a few sessions. I'm having a hard time finding a group accepting players online. Any suggestions on websites for group finding or how you've found a group? I don't know many people in town and none that really play tabletop games but I'm badly wanting to get into some kind of campaign.

Your luck will increase if you are willing to DM. I recruited one group from here, even.

# ¿ Feb 11, 2015 19:28

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Really Pants posted:

Manticore NPC who really wants to be a sphinx.

The manticore is smug and not very bright, and all his riddles are like "How many big rocks in river?" and "Where sheep go?"

# ¿ Feb 21, 2015 16:25

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Really Pants posted:

WHAT AM WALK ON FOUR LEGS IN MORNING, AND WALK ON THREE LEGS IN DAY, AND WALK ON TWO LEGS IN NIGHT

A COW

BECAUSE I EAT LEGS

OR ALSO A HORSE

ALIVE WITH NO BREATHING
COLD AS DEATH...ING
AND
IT IN WATER
AND LOOK LIKE FISH

# ¿ Feb 22, 2015 02:58

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

mastershakeman posted:

Without going to a ton of detail, houserule 1 is no bards. Figuring do everything possible with martial skills then play the dm may I have game.

why do you hate freedom

# ¿ Feb 23, 2015 21:15

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

isndl posted:

The players enter the ruined temple to find the elf noble Holly Mont, who has gone insane from centuries of isolation. 'There are three secret doors in this room!' he proclaims, sweeping his arms around as if indicating their location (if there are elves in the party, they may automatically discover them without a roll). 'Behind one of these doors is an incredible treasure, while the other two doors hold an epic struggle for life and death! Which door do you select?'

Upon selecting a door, Holly will nod approvingly. 'A wise choice! But would you make the same decision, if you knew what this door held?' as he throws open a different door. The DM rolls a d6 to reveal cages filled with creatures according to the following table: 1-2: fourteen skeletons, 3-4: seven orcs, 5-6: one manticore. Holly will continue to speak, saying 'Do you wish to continue with your original choice? Or would you be willing to risk it all on both of the other doors at the same time?'

Once the party has chosen either one door or two, roll on the above table until the appropriate enemies have been selected, rerolling if a duplicate would be chosen. If any players attempt to leave without selecting a door, or flee after having selected a door but without having defeated their opponents, they fall in a spike trap and die (no save). If they would assault Holly Mont, he opens all three doors, simultaneously releasing all creatures. The creatures have been driven insane by their treatment at Holly Mont's hands, and cannot be reasoned with. They will attempt to devour any person present with the exception of Holly Mont himself. Once the players have defeated their chosen opponents they are allowed to leave peacefully, and Holly Mont will refuse to open any further doors, even if assaulted.

This would be better once they release the Vos Savant subclass of wizard.

# ¿ Feb 24, 2015 22:49

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Kai Tave posted:

Because it turns out the afterlife doesn't want elves either.

Elves don't have an afterlife, they have an apr�s-troisi�me-�ge.

# ¿ Feb 25, 2015 15:32

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

dwarf74 posted:

Minsc was hilarious, but otherwise I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Fell's Five. And were these the only four issues?

I really wish there were more Fell's Five.

# ¿ Feb 25, 2015 16:01

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Kurieg posted:

They're apparently adding Minsc and Boo as NPCs in the Neverwinter MMO, so, there's that I guess?

D&D: "There's no ideas like old ideas!"

# ¿ Feb 25, 2015 17:22

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

thespaceinvader posted:

Read Rat Queens, it's basically this only better.

Hell, the whole thread should read Rat Queens it's amazing.

Thank you very much for this recommendation, this is totally what I needed today.

# ¿ Feb 25, 2015 21:04

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

P.d0t posted:

So does anyone else notice that Barbarians have a serious MAD problem? I noticed this before, but I sort of just now came to the full realization of how bad it is.

I would expect the class with a "rage" mechanic to have a MAD problem.

# ¿ Feb 26, 2015 18:33

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

I was thinking about D&D yesterday and wondered if the game would be better if characters stopped having to roll to hit with weapon attacks (checking only for crits) at levels inversely proportional to the amount of spellcasting in their classes. So, like, at level 4, fighters no longer need to roll to hit ANYTHING with a weapon. Even wizards would eventually be able to reliably bonk somebody with their staves. Would that make it more fun to be a martial character, I wondered?

Not much, I think. I might just need to stop playing D&D 5hit, because it's really just not very good, and it's kinda bumming me out.

# ¿ Mar 2, 2015 19:23

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Jimbozig posted:

When my kids were babies, I changed their diapers. My wife thanked me and sometimes gave me praise or a hug. I did the same for her. That is because changing diapers is crap and getting a bit of appreciation makes it easier to bear. With all this DM appreciation poo poo, they just make their game sound about as fun as changing diapers.

It is easier to post DM Appreciation articles than it is to make a fun game.

# ¿ Mar 3, 2015 20:05

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

I dunno, man. It's not a burden to be nobly shouldered, but I think the GM (especially in D&D) has more work to do than all the players combined. Most (but not all, thankfully) of my GMing experience has featured players not even coming with updated character sheets when they level, not doing their item wishlists or backstories, and in general not doing anything outside of the game session.

This is different from "player entitlement" ("how dare they presume that their character will grow and develop along any lines at all, let alone the ones they envisioned when they created the character?"), in my opinion.

# ¿ Mar 3, 2015 22:03

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

It is as simple as "don't even bother with fail forward when it comes to whether they find a critical clue." Feel free to use fail forward everywhere else.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2015 22:55

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

ocrumsprug posted:

* The DM was one of the designers of 3E, so I will give you three guesses.

You're supposed to give us the information we need to advance the story. We just went over this.

# ¿ Mar 6, 2015 00:27

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

unseenlibrarian posted:

IF you -really- don't want to try the GUMSHOE method, there's the Deadlands: Noir option. This is basically just like the GUMSHOE rule except there's a dice roll attached and if you fail you take damage and/or it costs extra resources to dig up the necessary clue, because presumably you didn't find it but in the very next scene you get roughed up by crooks who assume you found it and provide necessary clue exposition.

That's not the same thing. That's "failing forward," which really is good advice in general but "costs more/does damage" is STILL putting something between players and a small, vital part of the game. What if the damage they take kills a character? What if they don't have the extra resources? Why is it so hard to let them have just this one thing -- a clue they still have to correctly interpret, by the way, so it's not a total gimme -- and do the fail-forwardy stuff everywhere else? Do they have to roll to see whether their characters successfully eat lunch, and if they fail, they take damage from food poisoning and vomit but it's ok because the restaurant owner feels bad and gives them a new meal so it's ok because they got fed, or do you just let the PCs get lunch so you can move on? The mystery game is not about finding clues, it is about interpreting them, and die rolls should not be involved with clues needed to solve the mystery.

# ¿ Mar 6, 2015 02:22

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

goatface posted:

Can hold its breath while it's not incapacitated.

Was "doesn't need to breathe" deemed too powerful?

Warforged don't need to, so . ..

# ¿ Mar 10, 2015 18:00

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Selachian posted:

So hey, I hope you weren't holding your breath waiting for the conversion documents for other editions of D&D to Next. Mearls sez on Twitter that the guy who was supposed to approve said documents is on jury duty for the next four months.

Why can't Mike Mearls approve the final docs himself? Isn't he, like, in charge of D&D 5e (CR 1/2)?

# ¿ Mar 18, 2015 14:37

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# ¿ May 14, 2024 12:26

homullus: Mar 27, 2009

Bongo Bill posted:

A tabletop gamer was asking for advice from the writer of a new game he had been playing. "Lately, the game has been less fun; thinking that the rules are unclear and unfair, and finding themselves prone to arguing about them, my friends have been less and less interested in playing. Starting a new campaign seems pointless, and I fear only misery will come of it," he said to the writer. "How can I bring fun back to the table?"

To this, the writer said, "The veteran DM Pagliacci has been looking for players for his weekly game. Join that game, and he'll surely show you how the answers you've been seeking."

"But sir," he replied, "I am Pagliacci."

Quis dominabitur ipsos dominos alearum?

# ¿ Mar 25, 2015 14:25

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