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Working with 4th edition.

Discussion in 'Dungeons & Dragons + Other RPGs' started by Gnarfflinger, Jul 2, 2008.

  1. Gnarfflinger

    Gnarfflinger Wiseguy in Training

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    I felt a new topic was needed for those of us that did move forward into the new system. The idea is to discuss the workings of 4th edition. This would range from building adventures to getting just the right feel to the game you want.

    Recently I've been looking at chapter 10 of the DMG, and finding a multitude of customization tools. It lets me build level 1 humans for urban villains, make the creatures in the Monster Manual tougher (elite) for a more unique monster to throw at the party.

    I tested that this morning with the Goblin Skullcleaver. It starts as a level 3 brute. It has 53 hit points and does additional damage when bloodied. I added the Savage Berserker template and man what a difference! It now has 96 hitpoints, making it last longer in combat and prolonging the time it spends bloodied. It also gains regeneration, giving it even more staying power. This makes it dangerous at the beginning, and downright scary when you knock it around some. Further, it gets an at will reaction where it makes a melee basic attack when it is hit in Melee! This looks like a walking whirlwind!

    The only thing I really have misgivings about is the concept of minions. Do the numbers really pose enough of a danger to be anything more than free experience that they seem to be? Sure if they were deployed right, they could make a battle tougher but a swarm of these things is just fodder for a controller...

    I'll open the floor for comments on these observations or observations from others here that have had a chance to play the new edition.
     
    Gnarfflinger, Jul 2, 2008
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  2. Aikanaro Gems: 31/31
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    How much experience does killing a minion give you? I was under the impression they were just there to give the players something to hack through easily and heroically, without providing challenge. The challenge would be any non-minion creatures.

    However, if you get rewarded for killing minions, that sounds dodgier. The game is, as I understand, about the players/characters rising up to challenges and overcoming them - rewarded via xp. If they get rewarded for freebies, doesn't work...
     
    Aikanaro, Jul 2, 2008
    #2
  3. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I've been listening to the podcasts from Dragon with the Penny Arcade and PvP guys playing a game. You don't necessarily know that the monsters are minions until you damage them. Seems to me they could be used pretty strategically.

    And it's not that the minions aren't dangerous; they're just easy to get rid of.
     
    Blackthorne TA, Jul 2, 2008
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  4. Gnarfflinger

    Gnarfflinger Wiseguy in Training

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    Minions give about 1/4 of the experience that a regular monster of the level in question. Suppose a Kobols Skirmisher, a level 1 Skirmisher, is worth 100 exp. A Kobold Minion would be worth 25 experience. BTA is right in that until the fight starts you wouldn't that the minions are any less dangerous than the regular monsters. The only difference would be noticing differences in arms and armour...
     
    Gnarfflinger, Jul 3, 2008
    #4
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