http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ If it's 4th edition D&D, it's here. en Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:51:38 +0000 http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=98#post-593 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:53:03 +0000 QuickerMcWild 593@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I use the miniatures from Descent, and will generally use the colors to differentiate the beasties. Red minis are usually the stronger guys, bosses, dudes in charge, so this trips the players up because they often assume white mini means minion. I think they have the idea now, however, and will just be able to spot rank. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=21&page=3#post-592 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:57:32 +0000 questinggm 592@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Ever since my group started, we've all lazily decided that we should just use the default method presented in the character builder.</p> <p>I guess that's going to be the status quo for a while. Man, I really miss rolling dice for stats. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=98#post-591 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:52:54 +0000 questinggm 591@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>After running a couple of sessions, I seem to have naturally adopted the 'don't tell but show' approach. </p> <p>I don't directly tell them that they are fighting against minions but from the visual cues that I use (a flat paper counter vs. miniatures and the description of what they are wearing/carrying) seem to give them a fair idea what they are up against. There was only one instance when the paper counters weren't actually minions and it did shake them a bit.</p> <p>I think it puts a little metagaming suspense in combat but we'll see if that brings more harm than fun for the game. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=99#post-590 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:23:03 +0000 Wyatt 590@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I began a series of cultural tidbits in my campaign setting on my blog:</p> <p><a href="http://is.gd/2eexJ" rel="nofollow">http://is.gd/2eexJ</a></p> <p>My problem is that it's hard for me to come up with more of these on the fly. When I envision the world I see a lot of things, but I can't come up with them unless probed. So I was wondering if more people could ask me cultural questions that I can answer to try to jog my mind about stuff. Just hit me with topics or curiosities you might have. </p> <p>I'm shooting for having a list of 100 things like the ones up in that link that I can use for DMing (and share with other DMs of course). </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=98#post-589 Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:10:32 +0000 Wyatt 589@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I reveal them, because if the players know some metagame concerns to spend their resources wisely, such as whether or not their bonus from Implement Mastery Staff of Defense is enough to block an attack so they can't "waste it", I don't deny them this one either. It sucks wasting daily a power on a bunch of cripples.</p> <p>But then again I don't use minions as a serious, pre-established threat right from the beginning of a fight, they're just dudes that show up halfway through the encounter to annoy everybody involved. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=98#post-588 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:48:31 +0000 Drohem 588@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Do you reveal minions to your players up front? Do you let them try to figure it out on their own? </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=21&page=2#post-587 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:44:04 +0000 Legendary pUMA 587@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>4d6 drop the lowest. Roll all attributes three times, resulting in 3 different "columns" if you will. Player then chooses any column he/she wishes. If all three totals are below 65 they may continue making columns until one scores above, at which point they must use that column. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=97#post-586 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:15:26 +0000 benlambert 586@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Thank you for passing this along. It's good to get an idea for the absolute distance a player might be able to see.</p> <p>I'm really more concerned with encounter distance however. In other words, how far off (assuming no impediment to his vision) would a player be able to spot another medium-size creature. </p> <p>Mostly, I'm trying to determine how should distances affect the DC for Spot checks. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=97#post-585 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:42:25 +0000 Bartoneus 585@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Definitely an interesting topic, I first really became interested in it by reading things like The Art of War and others discussing tactics based on line of sight. Wikipedia is a great resource for what you're asking: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon</a></p> <p>I'll expand so you don't have to spend the time going to wikipedia though. :D</p> <p>Distance (to visible horizon) = d (miles)<br /> h = height of observer/height of eyes off the ground (in feet)</p> <p>d = square root (1.5 * h)</p> <p>So:</p> <p>"For observers on the ground with eye-level at h = 5 ft 7 in (5.583 ft), the horizon is at a distance of 2.89 miles.</p> <p>For observers standing on a hill or tower 100 ft in height, the horizon is at a distance of 12.25 miles." </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=97#post-584 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:13:20 +0000 benlambert 584@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I apologize if this gets a little long-winded, but I've run into this problem a few times and though I feel like I've scoured both the PH 1 &#38; 2 as well as the DM Guide I cannot find rules covering these situations and thought I'd reach out for some ideas:</p> <p>I cannot seem to find any rules for spotting things on the horizon when characters might be traveling overland or when nothing immediately impedes their vision. </p> <p>One sort of fantastic example of this would be if a character is flying. What kind of range should eyesight have? Is there a maximum distance? </p> <p>So far I've decided to break this up into close range, medium range, and long range. I still have yet to come up with actual distances and I'm hoping someone might have already come up with something reasonable? </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=95#post-583 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:26:33 +0000 mikeloop86 583@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Superior Weapon: Gunpowder Pistol<br /> One Handed Ranged Weapon<br /> Prof. Damage Range Price Weight Group Properties<br /> +2 1d8 10/20 35gp 4lbs Gun Load Minor, Brutal 1</p> <p>Superior Weapon: Gunpowder Rifle<br /> Two Handed Ranged Weapon<br /> Prof. Damage Range Price Weight Group Properties<br /> +2 1d12 20/40 35gp 8lbs Gun Load Minor, High Crit </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=96#post-582 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:07:06 +0000 Wyatt 582@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I run an RPG Blog and have been sort of starved for reader participation lately, so I made this Q/A blog post dealy-o:</p> <p><a href="http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/simple-qa-with-wyatt/" rel="nofollow">http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/simple-qa-with-wyatt/</a></p> <p>I can take questions from 4etopia as well, though it'd be nice if you could comment on the blog itself, it's okay if you don't want to, it's also okay if you don't know who I am. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=95#post-581 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:21:04 +0000 Ktulu 581@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I'm hoping so. It'll be a while before the game begins, as one of the other players is running a game right now.</p> <p>The biggest challenge is adapting the 4e core to this world. With all the classes and races, it's hard to decide what stays, what goes, what could exist..</p> <p>This is especially hard since the campaign setting utilizes guns/cannons. I'll need to adapt some homebrew rules to add them (I don't want to simply re-skin bows/crossbows, because I think the guns should have a different feel/flavor/mechanic).</p> <p>Since I use the Epic Words campaign blog, I've got most of the raw player data listed out already; this makes it much, much easier to have the players create their characters. They can log in and look at what options are available and get the necessary backstory before we ever start. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=95#post-580 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:29:40 +0000 Wyatt 580@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Sounds interesting. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=95#post-579 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:14:02 +0000 mikeloop86 579@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>*intrigued* </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=95#post-578 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:55:41 +0000 Ktulu 578@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>With the death of my Rankan Empire game, I've begun working on my next 4e game.</p> <p>This time, however, I will be using the Sundered Skies campaign setting from Savage Worlds. The premise is the world was destroyed in a cataclysm leaving floating islands the only habitable places for the various races.</p> <p>Travel is through flying ships, and there are a number of dangers in doing so. Firstly, with the severe lack of everything (supplies, iron, agriculture, weapons, etc..) pirates are always a danger. Plus, the world was destroyed, that means no Sun, no stars, i.e. nothing to easily guide one by. Instead, players must make use of wayspheres to find islands.</p> <p>The world is blanketed in a perpetual glow that causes madness, as well.</p> <p>Over-all, I'll be running the game by drawing heavy inspiration from Firefly &#38; Serenity. It's a harsh world and most people are just trying to keep on living. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=18#post-577 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:33:12 +0000 Grimlock64 577@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>You're saying someone might confuse me for a Transformer?</p> <p>... well alright then. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=21&page=2#post-576 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:21:55 +0000 Grimlock64 576@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>My group does it any of the three ways in the PHB. Myself, I prefer rolling my stats (roll 4d6, add the highest 3 numbers, repeat 5 times) and going from there. Yes, I have a chance of getting a negative score, but that's where the idea for a character quirk or fault comes in. Makes it abit more interesting IMO. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=37#post-575 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:14:51 +0000 Grimlock64 575@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>hi, just joined forum.</p> <p>Anyway, I admit as a player, I too would take some time to pick my powers or figure out how much I add. Now I've gotten into the habit of picking my powers early AND I decided to add up all my attack and damage modifiers and write them down on my index cards I use for my powers so I won't spend so much valuable time adding it up every time I attack. Oh, and any added effects too (Critical on 19 or 20 as an example). </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=94#post-574 Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:11:45 +0000 Wyatt 574@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>There's a part in the post where I said to pick higher damage expressions or PC-equivalent damages. It's small but you can go look at it.</p> <p>The DMG-provided attack and damage expressions work perfectly fine. You can pick the high expressions and deal plenty high damage.</p> <p>Play experience will differ, and I must admit that I'm not a math genius as I don't want to devote (I would call it "waste") time to doing more than mild comparisons. But the high damage expressions for each level in my experience have been more than dangerous enough without tipping things in ways I don't want them to be tipped. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=94#post-573 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:39:05 +0000 JackOfHearts 573@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>So you're reducing the length of time the enemies survive, but you're not also increasing the damage output? </p> <p>It doesn't seem like this would pose a lot of challenge for the PCs. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=94#post-572 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:50:15 +0000 Wyatt 572@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>There is more contention and variance as far as damages are concerned, and the method I outlined already does reduce monster health (as I pointed out). Hence why I left damage up to the individual except for tips. There's no need for me to quantify it when, right now, I disagree with you that all that tabulation is really necessary. Picking from the damage expressions and attack bonsues provided by the DMG has, in my experience, been more than good enough. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=94#post-571 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:34:31 +0000 JackOfHearts 571@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I think that's a good start, but you could get more specific with the damage output. First of all, you know how much hp your average party is going to have and you know their defenses. You could figure out how often you want your role-players in the fight to hit which of the pcs and make sure they have appropriate attack bonuses. </p> <p>You could then figure out based on frequency of hits and the hp of the target, how much damage an average hit should do to keep the fight dangerous within a certain timeframe (number of rounds). </p> <p>There will have to be some estimations, but I think in order to shorten combats you have to decrease health / defenses of the enemies. In order to also keep the fight dangerous, you have to allow them to do the same amount of damage they could do before in a shorter time frame. Preferably that means they hit slightly more often with an increased attack bonus AND do slightly more damage with an increased damage bonus, rather than sticking all the bonus on one. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=94#post-570 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:25:45 +0000 Wyatt 570@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Before, I looked at NPCs as making suitable enemies in encounters. Today, I look at a simple way of making monsters less "padded sumo wrestler":</p> <p><a href="http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/alternatives-to-monster-math/" rel="nofollow">http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/alternatives-to-monster-math/</a></p> <p>It's actually quite simple. Monster HPs are designed to be different from and generally much higher overtime than PC HPs. So if your combats take too long, you could swap in appropriate PC hit points. If you're playing paragon tier, the difference should be pretty noticeable and if you play epic tier...definitely even more noticeable.</p> <p>If you want to keep everything dangerous, you can also use PC-level damages or higher than normal monster damage expressions. Your PCs can heal more than your monsters can anyway, so they should be able to take it. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=92#post-569 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:26:03 +0000 Drohem 569@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Also, the Character Builder is a great DM tool for checking out if players are incorrectly stacking bonuses, (either intentionally or unintentionally). Now, I just input their character into the builder and check the character sheet output to verify their attack and damage calculations. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=92#post-568 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:03:36 +0000 gamefiend 568@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I'll third that, just to lock in the rules-y goodness!</p> <p>Be careful with the CB...it's horrendously addictive. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=93#post-567 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:18:20 +0000 Wyatt 567@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>That option would be pretty fair. I just made them thematic in order to make them just a bit more interesting. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=93#post-566 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:08:53 +0000 JackOfHearts 566@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I've read them and I like them. It's interesting that you've opted to make them specific to a certain class in order to qualify. Do you need to have them as specific combinations or do you think you could just say that the powers you acquire use your primary and secondary stats in place of the powers primary and secondary stats and then leave it open to any class? </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=92#post-565 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:07:01 +0000 seanabrady 565@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Thanks! That's what I figured, but I wanted to check for sure. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=92#post-564 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:10:59 +0000 Wyatt 564@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Yes, you can use your features while wild shaped as far as I know. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=93#post-563 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:08:48 +0000 Wyatt 563@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>I did a post today on some alternative multiclass feats. Basically, they're for players (like myself) who only "dabble" when multiclassing and who care more about having a few of another class' powers than anything else. It's also very conceptually linked.</p> <p><a href="http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/alternative-multiclass-feats/" rel="nofollow">http://spiritsofeden.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/alternative-multiclass-feats/</a> </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=91#post-562 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:05:29 +0000 Zansumkai 562@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Cool, thank you. That sounds about right. It's those kinds of things my players tend to pick up on when I try expanding the rules, which is usually my reason for expanding them in the first place, haha </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=90&page=2#post-561 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:26:22 +0000 monkofmirth 561@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>If the concern is overuse of a single power over and over, then why not apply a penalty? Say if you use the same amplified power in the same encouter the power point cost increases by 1. I would like to hear more about the folks that were playtesting the Psion before tweaking the system though. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=91#post-560 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:00:10 +0000 Wyatt 560@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>•Disarming Attack</p> <p>Add a clause that PCs can't pick up weapons inside an enemy square. That should keep it fair. </p> http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/topic.php?id=92#post-559 Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:45:50 +0000 Drohem 559@http://at-will.omnivangelist.net/forums/ <p>Yes, IMHO you can use Hunter's Quarry while using Wild Shape. </p>