Canonfire!

Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:28 pm Post D&D XP Wrap Up?

Well D&D XP has come and gone. The gaming public has had its first taste of 4e.

Besides Samwise, who else was there and did you dip your toe into the 4e pool? Sam if you want to post its cool, you are just the only one I know that was there.

If you did, what what were your impressions good or bad.

There has been a lot written out there over the 4 days of the convention, here are a few links:

Massawyrm: DM Playtester @ Ain't It Cool News:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Note: The response section is NOT for the faint of heart. Read the review but I cannot be held responsible if you go below it and read responses. I did it once and had to use bleach on my eyes and brain.

Enworld Stuff:
4e News Links

Critical-Hits.com
Various DDXP play logs, photos, interviews
This is a good site for a broad selection of impressions. The seminar link is the best I have seen so far.

Keith Baker's Blog:
Eberron and 4e
This is interesting because it gives a clue on how well PC playable races in the 4e MM work in relation to the full write-ups in the PH.

If you have good links, or want to specifically link an ENWorld article, go right ahead. There is no way I could read or keep track of all the info out there.

In Service,

Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus

Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:15 pm I Was There

I was at D&DXP over the weekend. I played one Living Forgotten Realms preview adventure and five Dungeon Delves (which used 4E rules).

My impressions are that 4th Edition is certainly the best version of the game so far. It is indeed faster, more intuitive and a lot more fun as At Will, Encounter, and Daily powers work during game play. I was astonished at how much faster encounters can be resolved. And it seems so much easier for the DM to manage.

I don't wanna bore anyone with details. The above are just my "impressions" as asked by the original poster. I now intend to fully jump into 4th Edition the moment it comes out. I was gonna buy the books upon release and slowly make my way into them. I changed my mind at D&DXP. I'll use the new rules in all my games as fast as I can - including Greyhawk. I am even gonna try to convert Age of Worms to 4th Edition for a group. I was gonna run it a third time in 3.5. But, I honestly believe it will take half the time if run under the 4th Edition rules set.

Don (Greyson)
Nyrond Triad

Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:02 pm

Greyson,

Was the preview all combat or was there any attempt to show off the social interaction rules? I am curious about these the most because it represents a serious change in focus for adventure writing in organized play...

One thing that was lacking Living Greyhawk was coherent guidelines for adjudicating social interactions and rewards for them... it was all about the combat.

Thanks,

Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus

Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:57 am 4th Edition at D&DXP

Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:12 pm

Despite being turned off by many of the fluff changes in 4e I found myself excited about the prospect of a game that is easier to run and play in. You two are going a long way toward me feeling positive about 4e. I'm less tied to the mechanics of previous editions than many people, so as long as it is still fun to play AND it makes it easier to do so, it's a winner in my book. Thanks.

Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:45 pm

Smillan_31,

I am glad I have helped you see the positives in 4e. I am still on the fence about it. I want better mechanics (not that 3e bad at them, I just see room for improvement) and I have concerns about the fluff (which has been a mixed bag for me, love the planar changes... not so in love some of the monster design choices, the Ettercap for 4e looks like a big termite to me).

I am trying to keep an open mind, but the true test is when the books are in my hot not-so-little hands...

Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Saracenus

Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:34 am Further D&DXP Review

Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:35 am

hey all never posted here been lurking for years though. I don't know about 4e, but it sound like what me my gang have been doin' for years with 1e and 2e.You know rolling against Abilities and such for maneuvers.My group just started 3e a year ago and it just takes way too much time.we all have jobs,families and other hobbies and only play once a month. Let's hope that they cut the prices on these new books(Yeah right, that will never happen). What are they gonna cost $45-50 dolars probably. Sounds to me in those articles like gamers haven't already come up with their own house rules they don't need to be playin'.IMO. Thats another reason to not play 3e,to rules ristrictive. Oh yeah, almost forgot did that guy massawhat get paid for that article or what? :rolls eyes:

Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:18 am

The only thing I can say in the defense of 4E here, is that you may have solved this with House Rules, but it includes all of that without House Rules.

That said - I will be slow switching to 4E, assuming I do actually switch. 3.5 works just fine for me, with very little house ruling. YMMV

Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:32 pm

Game mechanics is secondary in my concern of 4e. My primary concern is the change of classes and races. If there is a Greyhawk version of 4e it will need to rewrite (from what it appears to me at this time) quite a bit of the race and class information.

I also cannot see a Greyhawk without monks, so this class will need to be reintroduced in a Greyhawk supplement if they do not reintroduce sooner. Many on this site may remember 2e when TSR decided to remove monks and it completely uprooted the background and structure of the Scarlet Brotherhood.

--Telemachus

Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:20 am

MikelAmroni. You just made my point. If you can't be creative on your own. Then why play a creative game. I think we all can do more than sit back and let others think for us. In 3e All they did was gives a psychological ego boosts in numbers ie +15 to hit or AC22 istead of +5 to hit or AC-4. Now If this $e is going to ravamp classes and races they are n't in this for the old vets of Greyhawk. WotC is definetly in the business of mass market crap( HHMMM kinda sounds like china or google). I want to here from the WotC posters in here. Iknow your here maybe I already have? I am sick of greed!!!!!! I haven't made more 20 g's in one year. Don't cry to me about hthe economy try living on that for one year then you can talk to me about who is greedy and who isn't.!
Sorry folks I need my morning coffee. Just venting. Sick of the edition changes.

Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:08 am

Well I'm scheduled to play in an "Introduction to 4E" event at a local convention this weekend (Ubercon in NJ). I'll report back once I have a first-hand report.

Bearing in mind, of course, that I've never played 3.x. I'll be coming at this from a purely AD&D perspective. Some of the "complaints" I've read elsewhere were that it was too much of a step backwards to the old-style gaming, so it should be an interesting time.

Joe

Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:01 am