Thema: 4E - Playtest Reports (War Kampf mit einem Drachen)

[AlexH]

Nun, es ist zumindest unter dem Bereich Dragon, Columns einsortiert. Wobei die eigentlichen Artikel sich wohl dann im Bereich "Features" finden werden und nicht bei den Kolumnen. Aber wenn das wirklich die DI ist, für die ich Geld bezahlen soll... na ja

[Zechi]

Und noch was neues aus dem Bereich Playtests:

Well, each session running this newfangled game gets a little easier. This last session, I was reminded how much of a social activity D&D can be. I mean, each group I've been in has spawned its own collection of inside jokes. These are never things that, when they happen, make you think "We're gonna be talking about this for years." So they're pretty impossible to actually predict until months later, when someone brings up the joke again and you realize that you've all been saying it every week since the first time. I think we might have had our first one, and if that's not a sign of bonding, I don't know what is. I'll have to see if "Uh-huhh equals four" catches on. Only time will tell.

I got to run a dragon this session. Pretty cool. It's the most complex monster to run so far, but hey, it's a dragon. And it's still soooo much easier than running a 3.5 dragon. I had all sorts of fun goodies to play with, including a surprising use of a breath weapon that almost killed the rogue. He keeps running out in front of his defenders and almost getting gakked. Although this time, the rogue's player had to leave the room, and his companions maneuvered him right into the breath weapon area. Good times. One crit later, and he was laid out bleeding to death.

Lucky for him the ranger (again!) rolled some clutch attacks along with some timely spells from the cleric and good defender play from the paladin, and they killed the dragon before it could get any more of them. Oh, and there was some wizard there too.  All this was after the rogue had scampered across the room and skewered the kobold priest hiding in the safety of cover (or so he and I thought). So no PC deaths again. If this weren't a playtest, I might think I need to make the death rules a little less forgiving. Nah, who am I kidding. I'd just have dropped a second dragon in their laps!

What else: Oh yeah, bears beat ass. Eat it, paladin! And I still need to lay the hurt down on the ranger. He's getting cocky. I can tell. I'm just waiting for an encounter with a flying monster that deals +20 damage against rangers. I'll have to mention that idea to the design team.

In Dungeon news, Chapter 1 of Iggwilv's Legacy goes up tomorrow for Dungeon. It will detail the outdoor portion of the adventure, leading up to the sprawling dungeon in the mountain. The next installment I'm hoping to get up next Friday. We'll also have a new installment of Save My Game tomorrow, and the issue #151 editorial. That will follow the rest of the month with the final chapter of "Iggwilv's Legacy" and then "Hell's Heart," and the new Dungeoncraft.

For Dragon, next week brings a follow-up article for Dragons of Eberron, a new Realmslore, and more Design & Development articles. The Demonomicon is also incoming soon, along with an article detailing some new dukes of Hell and one more new column. I just saw the art finals about 3 minutes ago, and they're awesome.

Mr. Perkins has yet to start his new 4th Edition campaign, and if I don't get to play soon, I'm really going to start getting grumpy. Good thing I have a willing group of players to take out my frustrations!

Der Ranger hat eine "Clutch Attack", was darunter wohl zu verstehen ist?

Was das Dragon und Dungeon Magazine angeht bzw. den D&D Insider insgesamt stimme ich Berandor zu. Das bisherige Material ist ziemlich mau. Der einzige wirklich beeindruckend Artikel war der über den Death Knight, dieser kann durchaus mit "richtigen" Dragon Magazine Artikeln mithalten bzw. den richtig guten Artikeln der Website.

Der Rest, insbesondere die Preview-Artikel auf die 4E, sind nur Kleinkram den man so oder so auf der Website erwartet, die immer noch nicht 100% optimal funktioniert. Ich hoffe daher das sich das Material vom Content noch erheblich steigert, die technischen Probleme kann man ja verzeichen und das ganze als so eine Art BEta-Test betrachten, aber der Content sollte da sein und vor allem sehr gut sein, damit es zu einem Abonnement führt.

Gruß Zechi

[Berandor]

Clutch attacks würde ich nur als Angriffe übersetzen, die zum rechten Zeit
punkt kamen. Wenn ich schreibe, ”Boras hat die Gruppe gerettet", hat er ja keine Gruppen-Rettungs-Fähigkeit. So würde ich das hier auch interpretieren.

Aber diese Playtest Reports sind wirklich von mal zu mal uninformativer. Kaum Einblick in Regeln irgendwelcher Art (Drachen haben eine Odemwaffe? Wow), keine Rückschlüsse auf Dinge, die vielleicht nicht so gut funktionieren oder anders sind. Es sind wohl doch eher Marketingtexte, die davon überzeugen sollen, wie toll das Spiel funktioniert, dass alles einfacher und besser ist, und das spielgetestet wird.

Denn wirklich: Der Satz, ohne Playtest hätte er die Sterberegeln angepasst, ist doch total sinnlos. Denn wenn sie wirklich stören, ist der Playtest doch genau der richtige Ort, um das zu sagen und sie anzupassen. Oder die Herausforderungsgrade.

[Zechi]

Fairerweise sollte ich noch anmerken, dass der letzte "playtest report" aus einem Blog der Designer ist und nicht auf der Website als Artikel erschienen ist, also mehr so eine Art Gedankenäußerung statt knallharter Fakten darstellen soll.

[Hedian]

Sammy is a senior customer service representative at Wizards and is playing a tiefling warlord named Malazreal, or simply, “Mal.” He believes that a destiny lies in store for him and that if he is to meet it, he must travel and seize fate—as it were—by the horns. He has a commanding presence, yet demonstrates a clear value and concern for his allies.

Firefly lässt grüßen.

[Zechi]

Und ein neuer Playtest Report und hier im Wortlaut:

October 9, Tuesday Night, Wizards Conference Room (Graceland)
Campaign Arc: Prophecy of the Priestess
DM: Greg Bilsland
Players: Logan Bonner, Sammy, Peter Schaefer, Chris Tulach, Michelle Carter

This playtest session introduced more NPCs and included mostly social encounters. It also introduced Michele Carter’s character, Valenae Alstaer, an elf from the Aryllien Woods. Valenae and her people have recently been displaced and she, unlike most of her people, is curious about the world. She has joined an order of paladins known as the Shield, who had helped defend her homeland from Shadar-kai and the unknown evil that drove them to invade the forest. With the Shield, she has traveled eastward, where she is soon to meet the other PCs.

The battle with skeletons, zombies, and goblins concluded with the PCs intact, finishing the last of their adversaries just as unidentified nobles arrived to offer aid. The magic-touched city square is disfigured from chaotic energies. A gaping chasm spans across the southern side. The ground in some areas has adopted a suspicious red tinge. Buildings phase in and out of existence. Terrible brambles block passage down the roads. Whatever power has warped the landscape and townsfolk is certainly powerful—now the PCs must learn more of this woman who was slated for execution, this Witch Queen. And they must find out more of this “Hellstone” if they are to uncover the terrible source of the chaos.

Introductions come swift, with Mal and Kriv offering names and respect to the nobleman who, in turn, offer the same back. One of the crowned men is hard-faced and middle-aged, and he introduces himself as Clauden Teluvis. The other young man, a bright-eyed youth whose eyes seem to reach in and search one’s soul, is his nephew, Thander Teluvis. Clauden is the regent of Teluvia while his nephew, still sixteen, waits to come of age. While Mal and Kriv listen attentively and respond in turn, Wilbur is ignored, having quickly earned the disrespect of Clauden by cleaning his blade on the shirt of one of the corpses.

Gerhart receives the attention of a fellow accompanying the rulers, a merchant named Aban Aldoria who hails from Littoria, far to the south. He immediately identifies Gerhart as a magi and explains that he is a dealer in magical items and well-acquainted with the arcane arts.

Clauden recognizes that the PCs have selflessly offered their aid to his countryman and so extends an invitation for them to accompany him to the keep where they might further discuss the events that transpired. The course of their conversation on the way reveals that the woman being executed was a queen and priestess of the barbarian nation of Karthia, which lies several provinces to the east. Her people were recently responsible for the death of Thander’s parents, and the people of Teluvia demanded justice be done.

Nothing is known of the chaotic magical energies that ravaged the square, beyond what Gerhart can deduce—clearly the magic was a chaotic effect that combined various composite forces. None of them know anything of the so-called “Hellstone” that the priestess mentioned, but Clauden thinks that it bodes ill for his countrymen if it even remotely compares in power to the force she unleashed. He explains that war has been mounting between the Karthian barbarians and the civilized nations of the middlelands. He believes that the escape of the priestess may be enough to push them over the precipice.

The PCs arrive in Telder’s Keep and are introduced to several other important personages. Clauden’s other nephew (and Thander’s cousin), Gaelen d’Cygniette, arrived earlier that morning from the far off city of Eleusis. He is alarmed by the reports of what happened in the city square, and he questions the PCs about what happened. He also introduces several knights of the Shield, who are part of his retinue. These include ranking officer, Gavin Arnoldt, and junior members Kira Usil and Valenae Alstaer, Michele’s character.

The flow of this playtest session demonstrated the need for a social encounter system. Dave Noonan mentions something of the design of this system in his blog, but I don’t know whether this encounter format has been fully developed yet. I saw one example of a social encounter in my daily editing work—whether this type of challenge becomes part of canon remains to be seen.

Over the course of several conversations, characters managed to put together several key plot points. They discovered that war with Karthia is imminent and that efforts are being made by Thander Teluvis to unite the fragmented human lands. Wilbur eagerly rose to the possibility of going into Karthia to learn more of the Witch Queen and the “Hellstone.” Mal supported the idea. Valenae preferred diplomacy over espionage. Clauden Teluvis reserved the decision for upcoming days, though, for despite the aid the PCs offered to the town, he was hesitant to trust the PCs with such an important mission.

The PCs also met with a diplomat of Delos, a city in the province to the east. The man’s name is Garen Vindal, and though he expresses an interest in the PCs, particularly the elf, Valenae, he offers little of himself and his feelings on the events that transpired. He expresses concern that this Hellstone could endanger his people. Mal tries to coax more forward, honest words out of him, but meets with little success. Kriv, who comes from a family of merchants, quips that diplomats are like traders without goods, for they have only words to offer.

During the discussion after the diplomat’s departure, a stabbing headache strikes Kriv. He has a vision, of sorts, in which he sees another place that appears to be a den or study. There, he sees hands holding a sheet of glass, and within the glass he sees a view of himself and his companions, as though from a bird’s eye view. The vision is brief and when it ceases, the headache stops and the strange muddled sensation that had plagued him and the other companions since the encounter with the chaotic magic ends. He tells his companions of this, and they are alarmed to learn that someone may be watching them; they wonder if perhaps it is the Witch Queen.

Kriv, however, is not the only one to experience a strange vision. Each of the characters appears to have some sort of strange quality or effect that resulted from their exposure to the chaotic magic. As a DM, I chose to add these extraneous qualities (whether one considers them a gift or a curse) because as of yet, that sort of material isn’t in the 4E core books. Materials from books like Heroes of Horror, Unearthed Arcana, DMG2, and PH2 will doubtlessly appear to some extent in the core books, but until subsequent supplements appear, I am borrowing ideas from 3E material to add a little flair to the campaign. I believe there is a variety of 3E material unrelated to mechanics, which will still be pertinent as 4E campaigns begin; the older books won’t become entirely obsolete. Indeed, I find myself often referring to 3E books as I work on my 4E campaign.

The next character to have an extraordinary experience was Mal, who has a vision of two spectral forms standing over Thander Teluvis during dinner. No one else can see these spirits, and he describes these forms to the NPCs, who were mostly alarmed, especially given that their descriptions matched Thander’s deceased parents. Mal, like Kriv, feels better after his vision, as if his head and body were cleared of the crawling sensation that had plagued them.

The PCs and NPCs retire for the evening, awaiting further discussion the next day with regards to the Karthia situation. The night is not to be peaceful, however, and Gerhart is the next to have something strange happen. In his dreams, he sees a disturbing vision of his younger sister, covered in blood that is not hers. Then he becomes her, only covered in his own blood from a wound above his heart. A figure stands over him, wearing a featureless alien face unlike anything he’s seen before. In the midst of this dream, he awakes with a start, calling out and waking several of the other PCs. Looking around, he sees a dark figure poised to strike him a fatal blow.

Battle begins with a surprise round that includes all who awaken at Gerhart’s call. I tried to incorporate some of the rules for character condition following waking up, but I found that they delayed the drama and action and instead moved the PCs directly into battle.

The battle itself is swift, only a few rounds, and the PCs dispatch the adversaries with relative ease, especially given that none of the PCs were armored. This alarmed me a bit because I had intended the encounter to be more threatening and instead, the foes hardly scratched the PCs (despite Wilbur’s complaints of the grievous wound he suffered).

Once victorious, the PCs discover that the men, who were dressed darkly and bore the crest of the Teluvian house, were not humans at all but doppelgangers which Gerhart identifies with a skill check. The PCs consider that the Karthians might have been responsible, but it seems to soon to have arranged assassins. They do not come to any consensus, but during their discussion, Wilbur is affected by the strange headache that has struck the other three magic-exposed PCs. Within himself, he senses strange disembodied feelings, as though from some other source. He feels an inexplicable suspicion toward the Littorian merchant, Aban Aldorian. He also feels a sense of fear. He cannot discern the sources of the feelings. Aban had warned him earlier that the PCs were in danger, but they did not heed the warning and during the discussion in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, the Littorian merchant gives Wilbur a significant look.

Clauden promises to have trusted guards posted outside the PCs quarters and invites them on a hunt the next day, promising to discuss matters of Karthia and the assassination further….

[AlexH]

Mal wieder ein Playtest-Report mit zahlreichen Beispielen für die crunchy bits der 4E. Mal sehen, was können wir aus dem Artikel herauslesen.

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Aah! Man kann doppleganger mit einem Skill-Check erkennen! Und es gibt wohl Regeln für's "Benommensein" nach dem Aufstehen. Liebe Mit-Gateler, eine Sensation!

[Darastin]

NDAs! Man muß sie einfach lieben! Die Leute dürfen eben nix relevantes verraten; versuchen aber trotzdem sich irgendwie mitzuteilen.

Bis bald;
Darastin

[Jilocasin]

NDAs! Man muß sie einfach lieben! Die Leute dürfen eben nix relevantes verraten; versuchen aber trotzdem sich irgendwie mitzuteilen.

Bis bald;
Darastin

Wie wahr *seufz*

[Darastin]

Ah, daher weißt Du das mit den "zu einfachen" Grapple-Regeln?

Bis bald;
Darastin

[Jilocasin]

Richtig

[Zechi]

Noch mal ein weiterer Playtest-Report aus einem Blog mit einigen scoops zu den Klassen:

WotC_Miko, 11/6/2007 4:03:05 PM


Sorry about the posting delay. I was waiting for a playtest report that I submitted to Chris Thomasson to go up, but it hasn't yet. Thomasson, that slacker. (Joke. JOKE. He's working insanely hard, like all of us.)
 
A roundup of the last week or so: Days are for editing. Nights are for GAMING.
 
Monday night: Iomandra, Game 1 (10/29)
 
We had our first game in Chris Perkins's new campaign on Monday night. I played alongside Chris in Monte Cook's Ptolus campaign(s), and I've been looking forward to having him as a DM for a long time; his campaigns are legendary around here.
 
me: Andraste, eladrin warlord
Bruce Cordell: Melech, tiefling warlock (not infernal, naturally *snicker*)
Jeremy Crawford: Alex, human wizard
Matt Sernett: Bartho, human fighter
Shawn Blakeney: Balasar, --hey! look over there! shiny thing!-- ...where was I? oh, right-- cleric
 
The geography of Chris's campaign world is broken into hundreds of small islands, with a slightly despotic (to some of the characters' minds, anyway) empire holding sway over them all. Our characters all meet up on the small isle of Kheth; Melech, Alex, and Bartho are natives, while Andraste and Balasar arrived just at the start of the campaign.
 
Most of the first session was spent with the characters pursuing their own concerns and interacting with each other and the other town inhabitants as necessitated by their own storylines. I found it a lot more organic than "hi! let's form a party and go adventuring!", anyway. The three natives already have ties of friendship, and Andraste and Alex were becoming acquainted over some shared commonalities, when Balasar arrived on a warship with his people. That's the empire's people, by the way.
 
But it quickly became clear that Balasar had an agenda that might be more in line with the other PCs', and we won't necessarily need to hold his race against him. (Heh.) (Do I need to add here that it's entirely the nature of Chris's campaign setup suggesting our attitudes, and not official material? I suppose so.) The session ended on an alarming note after Alex, Bartho, and Andraste were drawn into a battle with the ship's first mate and his sailors--well, they were attempting to kidnap and imprison an NPC without proof of wrongdoing and we couldn't let THAT happen, could we? (We were in the right...technically . Barely. It a thin line and I'm clinging to it.) Andraste hadn't particularly intended to kill the first mate, but she did manage some impressive damage with a daily power and was about to try to get him to stand down when Bartho came up behind and skewered him. Oops.
 
So we ended our first session in a *bit* more trouble than we'd expected. Maybe the fast-talking warlock can get us out of this....
 
Technical details? Hm. Andraste hit hard and fast with a powerful daily ability that gave allies a bonus to hit the target. She also used a very, very effective positioning strike to move an ally into flanking position for better attack odds. Ordinarily she wouldn't have used the wizard to do so, but he was standing right there....
 
 Tuesday night: Tergania, Game 3 (10/30)

Tuesday night is for Greg Bilsland's game and my elf paladin, Valanae. We fought off some bandits and as before, I'm finding her to be a very effective defender. Creatures want to attack her in preference to the squishy wizard, and there's just been a slight revision to the paladin's healing ability that plays well with the nature of the class.

 
 
Wednesday night: Intended to collapse on the couch and stare blindly at the teevee, ended up playing WoW for a couple of hours instead. Quit early enough to catch up on Heroes, though. Priorities!
 
 
Thursday night (11/1)
Bill Slavicsek's game and my half-elf rogue, Zanne. (I haven't played this many elf-types in years--mostly stuck to humans for the extra feat. Now the race choices are all so tempting I'm making the rounds.) Last night our group hit 8th level, and Bill put us to the test with a couple of tough encounters. We proved tougher. First up was a werewolf lord and a bunch of normal werewolves; we all look one look at the towering hairy beast and piled big attacks on it to take it down first, then mopped up the rest relatively straightforwardly. Key fun moment for Zanne: using a warlock power as a completely untraditional (for a rogue) attack option.
 
The second encounter, against a couple of eladrin and a bulette and an owlbear, lasted a lot longer. Eladrin have a movement ability that's hella fun to use when you're a PC and annoying/amusing to deal with as an opponent. I know how to short-cut it next time, though. *cue evil laughter* That actually points to one of the most interesting things about this edition: discovering all the new ways that powers work with and against each other, creating different synergies in every battle. I got to show off nearly all my capabilities during this fight, from tumbling past enemies without provoking opportunity attacks, to the extremely useful enhanced ability to escape a grab (so sorry, giant owlbear, you don't get to chew on my head like a tootsie pop), to the power that lets me switch places with the target. Good times.
 
 
Editors' Playtest, lunchtime 11/5
We jumped up to 14th level to give paragon play a workout. Peter talked about it here and I can confirm that Roger was very effective. My halfling warlock went in intending to save most of her big attacks for the eventual dragon, but I got in a few good hits and splurged on a daily power to make one of the giants play whack-a-mole with an ally. That's wicked fun. Emphasis on both wicked and fun.
 
 
Monday night: Iomandra, Game 2 (11/5)
It turned out that the local magistrate also believed in upholding the letter of the law, so the ship captain stormed off, promising later vengeance. Goodie, our first campaign villain! We'll be seeing him again, for sure.
 
Most of the session was taken with further roleplaying and character bonding, as our different concerns started aligning. Balasar's quest led him to Andraste, and he had something she was looking for, so she put aside (most of) her natural suspicion to work with him. Just in time, because two of Alex's friends from the town went missing. Like good adventurers, the five of us put aside personal concerns to go after them.
 
Well, we found one of them mauled and dead a couple miles down the coast, but no sign of the other. I got to throw around a little of my warlord's imperious nature (not a power, just personality) by getting the others to stop their wailing and get moving on the search. (Andraste favors practicality over compassion and her character sheet reads "neither fuzzy nor cute" on the Personality line.) We spent the rest of the day traipsing through the rain forest, finding and losing and finding a dubious trail again. We stumbled into a grotto of Chris-homebrew monsters: if I say "bat-winged apes" you'll laugh, but trust me, these guys were scary...especially since with their wings folded around them, they were invisible until they swooped in for the attack. Seriously effective lurkers. We triumphed, though not without injury. I felt particularly warlord-y in that fight, using the eladrin movement ability to position myself for a flank and a nifty strike that allowed the cleric to get in a solid hit on an opponent when I missed. I set 'em up, my allies take 'em down. I like it.
 
By the time we left the grotto and made our way to the top of a hill it was approaching nightfall. We were all pretty worn down by that point, certain that we'd lost the trail...and then a scream rang out.
 
To be continued! Next week.

[Zechi]

Michelle liefer einen weiteren Report mit vielen scoops:

I mentioned a playtest report that hadn't gone up yet on D&DI...so here it is. Imagine that you read it before the previous report. It's probably a little stilted since I was trying to be clever...or something...but anyway:

***

(originally written 10/19)

As one of the editors on the Player’s Handbook, I consider it my responsibility to be as hands-on familiar with all of the classes as possible. That means playing each one of them and putting them through their paces. It’s a tough job, I know, but somehow I endure.

Heh.

At the moment I’ve got three games in various stages and will soon be adding a fourth. I has characters! My characters, let me tell you them:

* Zanne, the half-elf rogue for Bill Slavicsek’s Thursday night game. Our group is leveling at a rate of a level per week, so we can put the classes through their paces at all tiers. During last night’s (10/18) 6th-level playtest, Zanne smashed a harpy out of the sky and into a chasm by using a power that knocks the target prone; when the harpy tried to fly out of the pit, the aftereffects of the power knocked her down again and she fell to her death. This made me laugh r down again and she fell to her death. This made me laugh like a hyena for the rest of the evening, and also made me jot down a note to clarify the effects of "knocking prone" on flying creatures. This is why we playtest. But for one combat, it was glorious.

I’m happy with the rogue. She’s got a nice variety of ranged and melee abilities, some clever ways of gaining combat advantage by herself (and therefore sneak attack), interesting noncombat tricks that tie into skills, and the occasional ability to do truly massive damage in a single round. Just like a striker should.

* Valenae, the elf paladin for Greg Bilsland’s Tuesday night game. We’ll be 2nd level next session, but Greg has hinted that he might also do faster advancement for playtest purposes. I’ve only played her twice so I’m still feeling out the class, but I’ve already noted some nifty synergies between elf abilities and paladin abilities, like the additional movement that lets me get away with heavy armor and not lag behind the rest of the party. (Slower movement is a primary reason that I don’t play dwarves much, although I’m really hoping for an opportunity to try out a dwarf wizard sometime soon. They’re going to work really, really well.) Pulling out a daily power to take out the nasty undead thing? Very satisfying.

I’m happy with the paladin, even on short acquaintance. She’s sufficiently "tanklike" without feeling like an over-armored turtle, and she’s got enough healing ability to keep the party fighting without overshadowing the cleric or warlord. Her divine challenge "come hit me, not the squishy wizard" ability makes her look like the most attractive target for attacks. Just like a defender should.

* Kithri, the halfling warlock for Chris Sims’s "editor’s playtest" on Monday at lunchtime. (Chris used to be an editor, so that’s all right, and we allow new developer Peter Schaefer to play too because we’re friendly that way.) After the happy-go-lucky Zanne and the so-good-my-teeth-ac he Valenae, it was sort of fun to sink into the persona of a scrubby, vicious little thing. I should point out here that no, not all warlocks are malevolent or nasty . . . they draw on dangerous, untamable sources of power, but that doesn’t make them innately evil. In fact, I’d initially planned on playing her as the cheerful, bouncy kind of warlock before I started playing the other two and realized I wanted a change of pace. Anyway, she’s got some very interesting "riders" on her damage powers, things that grant temporary hit points or slide creatures across the battlefield. The warlock just might be the most unpredictable character in the game, since you never quite know what her powers will do. I’ve also been watching Jeff Grubb play a warlock in Bill’s game, and he’s similarly having a lot of fun with it.

I’m happy with the warlock. The class is dark, yes, but there’s room in their concept for other styles of play, and the distinctiveness of their pacts sets each one apart from another. Like the rogue she can do massive damage, with extremely distinctive flair. She’s hard to hit, hard to get ahold of, and has the ability to move away from enemies (or move them away from her) before they reach her. Just like a striker should.

I’ll soon be starting Chris Perkins’s game, where I’m hoping to play an aloof eladrin warlord. But even so, there are too many character concepts and not enough time: the intellectual dwarf wizard, the fierce *mumble* ranger, the anomalous tiefling cleric, the brash human fighter. But I’ve been seeing these (in every combination) being played at each of the gaming tables, and it’s extremely gratifying to see them all fulfilling their design purposes in individual ways. Just like they should.

***

Hey, it was a revelation when I wrote it: the warlock is a striker.

But wait! you say. Reports have warlocks doing controller things!, you say. Right here, live and in print, a first look at an actual sentence out of the 4th Edition Player's Handbook*:

"Some warlocks manage a lot of control."

Sure, my warlock can push opponents around the battlefield as an occasional effect, but she's still "built" to do striker damage on a regular basis.

If a controller uses a power that does a lot of damage to a single target, that doesn't make him a striker. If a defender uses a power to heal an ally, that doesn't make her a leader. Roles aren't straightjackets; they're general guidelines for how a class functions. Specifics are determined by what the class should do. Meanwhile, a controller can affect not only multiple opponents on the battlefield, but the battlefield itself. Fogs and walls? Controller. Reshaping the terrain? Controller.

But you all figured that out already!

 

* (unedited, subject to change without warning, some restrictions may apply)

***

FYI: That's Michele with one "l", y'all.

 ***

Tuesday night: Tergania, Game 4 (11/6)

We spent a good part of the evening on a largely frustrating encounter with a black dragon: hard to hit what you can't see. In the end it chose to fly away rather than kill us all, but it's still a victory for our side if no one died. Right? I say yes.

A later encounter against some scavenging wolves proved more satisfying and everyone had the chance to show their stuff, including Logan's rogue...who showed his guts (literally and figuratively) when he charged into the middle of them and almost got eaten before the rest of us had the chance to act. Fortunately, we were able to get to him with healing, including a strike from Valenae that heals bloodied allies.

A little bit of a discombobulated night. The hazard of playtesting with professional gamers, you want to stop and discuss every rule...more "shut up and play!" needed, I think.

Hier kurz und knapp die auf EN-World zusammengefassten Crunchy Bits des Reports:

The half-elf rogue "smashed a harpy out of the sky and into a chasm by using a power that knocks the target prone; when the harpy tried to fly out of the pit, the aftereffects of the power knocked her down again and she fell to her death."
"...nifty synergies between elf abilities and paladin abilities, like the additional movement that lets me get away with heavy armor and not lag behind the rest of the party. "
The paladin also has a power called "divine challenge" which makes monsters attack the paladin rather than someone else.
A reference to the warlock: "interesting "riders" on her damage powers, things that grant temporary hit points or slide creatures across the battlefield."
There's a section on how the warlock is a striker, despite being able to do controller-like things. "a controller can affect not only multiple opponents on the battlefield, but the battlefield itself. Fogs and walls? Controller. Reshaping the terrain? Controller. " Whereas the warlock, a striker, "can push opponents around the battlefield as an occasional effect, but she's still "built" to do striker damage".
The paladin has "a strike...that heals bloodied allies." (Bloodied, at our best guess so far, means half hit points).

Gruß Zechi

[Voice]

hmm wäre cool wenn ihr eine Zusammenfassung aller wichtigen parts als Post reinsetzt und diesen aktualisiert, ist jetzt echt schon 10 Tage nix neues rumgekommen?

Schade das die nicht wirklich viele Infos rumkommen lassen, da frag ich mich fast warum die diese Game Sessions überhaupt veröffentlich -.-

Aber naja ein paar coole Sachen waren ja scho dabei...