But March the fourth made me whimper
When the news it was delivered
Sad news from the Troll Lord
And then on every message board

I can’t remember which of my dice
I chose to roll that very night
For the man who got it right
The day the DM died

So, bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

Have you read the PHB
And have you looked through the DMG
And what the heck is a drow (drough)
This is going to be so f’n cool
My dwarf barbarian will make you drool
And I really think you pronounce it drow (cow)

Well I know that things are looking grim
The dragon’s looking right at him
Made a percentile roll
I’m now hiding in shadows

I was a lucky halfling, that’s a fact
Stole lots of things and put ‘em in my pack
But I knew I could never go back
The day the DM died

I started rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

Now, for over ten years we’ve been rollin’ well
I even took my paladin to hell
But, boy, the rules have really changed
I was really sad to see half-orcs go
And what the hell is THACO
But, man, I really dig the weapon speed

Oh, and while the king was in L.A.
The jesters took his game away
The boardroom was adjourned
When the DM did return
And with pirates that would block the way
The king was told he couldn’t stay
But all that madness went away
The day the DM died

We were rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

Holy moley I’m checkin’ out the ranger
Two-weapon fighting makes him a danger
DM’s think he’s a pain in the ass
Player’s monk ran out of gas
Every flurry just seemed to pass
Leaving the bad guy without a scratch

Now I really like these brand new feats
My half-orc fighter’s really neat
I tried to run a game
Oh, but it just wasn’t the same

‘Cause the players have kids of their own
And no one remembers what to roll
And we were shocked down to our soul
The day the DM died

We started rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

Oh, and there we were just running the race
A generation losing pace
With no time left to game again
But come on let’s look through this brand new book
Man these powers really cook
You mean I get to play a dragon

And as I watched the gamers laugh
The memories came flooding back
Time it can go so fast
No living in the past

And as the dice rolled on into the night
I realized it just felt right
And I held back tears with all my might
The day the DM died

He was rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

I knew that when I read the news
I had just bid my childhood adieu
And I just sighed and turned away
I went down to the local store
Where I had gamed some years before
But the man there said that gamers couldn’t stay

And on the web the players mourned
About the game that he had born
Not a bad word was posted
The game master was toasted

And many folks admired the guy
Who’s rollin’ dice up in the sky
We told ourselves that we could cry
The day the DM died

And they were rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

They were rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy

The application period for being a peer reviewers closes December 31st, 2009. These individuals will be responsible for reading the entries (not all of them mind you, I will spread the word count around) and interacting with me during the final decision making process. If chosen, your names will be witheld until publication of the book. If you are interested, please click here for more information and to submit your information: http://rpganthology.wufoo.com/forms/open-game-table-volume-2-peer-review-application/

The submission deadline for nominations of blog posts closes January 15th, 2010. I’ve streamlined the submission process so that all you need to is submit a valid URL. Up to 5 per submission form can be accomodated; but there’s no limit to how many you can send in. The nomination form, and more information, can be found here: http://rpganthology.wufoo.com/forms/open-game-table-vol-2-blog-post-nomination-form/

ROADIE

“The hum of the mandolin.
The crash of the tambourine.
The bard needs a coffee.”

CLASS TRAITS

Role: Defender. You are used and abused but have the uncanny ability of stopping foes in their tracks.
Power Source: Martial. Your three hours of karate class make you a formidable opponent.
Key Abilities: Strength, Constitution, Charisma
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, chainmail
Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger, club, improvised melee weapons, unarmed attack
Implements: Alcohol, musical instruments
Bonus to Defense: +1 Fortitude, +1 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 15 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 8
Healing Surges per Day: 12 + Constitution modifier

Trained Skills: Endurance. From the class skills list below, choose two more trained skills at 1st level. Class Skills: Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Streetwise (Cha)

Class Features: Armor of Funk, I’m with the band, Oh no you don’t, Rage of Denial

Roadies. What would the bards do without roadies? Nothing! That’s what they’d do. While the bard may be the frontman, the roadie works behind the scenes to make sure all bard performances go off without a hitch.

When the bard pulls out a lute to mock her opponent by quickly creating a bawdy limerick, who do you think makes sure the lute is tuned?

When the bard plays his harp in such a manner that women throw their undergarments at him, who do you think gathers them up?

When a crazed fan rushes the bard to either get an autograph or stab him, who do you think takes the nutjob down?

When a groupie wants to meet the bard, who do you think sacrifices themselves by making the groupie “go through me first?”

The roadie, that’s who. From tuning instruments to fetching refreshments, roadies do it all. Literally.

ROADIE CLASS FEATURES

Roadies have the following class features.

Armor of Funk

With all the preparation necessary to support the bard, the roadie rarely has time to bathe. For every one week that passes since the roadie’s last bath, you gain a +2 bonus to AC since no one really wants to be around you.

I’m With the Band

Roadies are adept at dealing with bard groupies. You gain the I’m with the band power.

Lone Bodyguard

Roadies can stop even the craziest of fans from reaching the bard. You gain the lone bodyguard power.

Rage of Denial

While roadie is a respectable job, there are those who don’t fully understand what it is you do. Any time someone refers to you as either a “lackey” or a “henchman,” you fly into a salivating rage. You gain a +2 to Strength, a +2 to Constitution, and a -2 to Charisma for a number of rounds equal to your Roadie class levels plus your new Charisma modifier.

Roadie Talent

Bards need, and deserve, to be pampered. Instruments need to be prepped, voices need to be cared for, ego need to be soothed, etc. Choose one of the following options.

• Brewing Talent: Once per round, if the bard fails to damage an enemy, you can, as a free action, slide a number of squares necessary to stand next to the bard and sooth his fragile ego with a nice cup of tea.

• Tuning Talent: Once per round, if the bard fails to damage an enemy when using an instrument, you can, as a free action, slide a number of squares necessary to stand next to the bard. You immediately start tuning the instrument while being verbally abused by the humiliated bard.

IMPLEMENTS

You are adept at using all musical instruments. In a matter of seconds, you can make even the most out-of-tune mandolin sing like a Deva. You are also a master of using alcohol to your advantage. Roadies who eventually becomes bards themselves, unlikely but not unheard of, continue to use the musical instruments they so willingly tuned and cared for.

CREATING A ROADIE

When creating a roadie, you must keep in mind the roadies age. Young roadies are typically wide-eyed and naïve, ready to tackle any obstacle the bard puts in their way. Jaded  veterans, however, are typically just going through the motions as their spirit was broken a long time ago.

Naïve Roadie

Your heroes are bards. They have hundreds of adoring fans, live wild lifestyles, and you want to be one of them. Your highest ability should be Constitution, as you’ll be expected to take a lot of damage in the name of the bard. You’ll also need Strength to tote around all of the bard’s equipment. Charisma will help when dealing with fans.
Suggested Class Feature: Tuning Talent
Suggested Feat: Defensive Mobility
Suggested Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Intimidate

Jaded Veteran

Your heroes used to be bards. Once a naïve roadie, you have come to accept your fate in life. Charisma should be your highest ability, since you’re good at spotting any BS that comes your way. Your Constitution should be high because it will take every ounce of inner strength to continue through your existence. A high Strength will help but every day reminds you that you’re not as strong as you used to be.
Suggested Class Feature: Brewing Talent
Suggested Feat: Durable
Suggested Skills: Bluff, Endurance, Streetwise

ROADIE POWERS

Your powers are typically supportive in nature. Your entire worth is usually dependent upon the effectiveness of the bard.

Class Features

Each roadie has the powers I’m with the band and lone bodyguard.

I’m With the Band – Roadie Feature
You are adept at talking to fans of the bard in order to separate the “good ones” from the “bad ones”
Encounter • Implement
Minor Action
Close burst 1
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. Will
Effect: You gain a +5 bonus to the next Intimidate or Bluff check you make before the end of your next turn.

Lone Bodyguard – Roadie Feature
You are willing to sacrifice your body for the good of the bard
Encounter • Implement (Alcohol)
Minor Action
Melee implement
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. Will
Effect: You can slide a number of squares equal to your Charisma modifier and force the enemy to attack you instead of the bard.

So why the reaction to change? There are typically two reasons; 1) A fear of the unknown and 2) An expectation of loss. For example, people who played D&D had been playing 3rd edition for many years before 4th edition hit the shelves. They had time to digest the ruleset, play with it, and make it their own. But 4th edition had new features and updates of which they were completely unaware. And, because of that, they expected to lose features of their game that they hade come to know and love. And even when the new edition did hit the shelves, the people who resisted change would read with a critical eye, looking for anything that would support their theories. By the way, replace “3rd edition” and “4th edition” with “2nd edition” and “3rd edition,” respectively, and you have the same reaction.

What about the edition wars? Should you try to assuage people’s fears or argue with them? In short, no. The longer answer is, “it depends.” If you read something on the internet and a person/people are grousing about the changes to “their beloved game,” then you’re not going to be able to change their minds and you’re just going to get frustrated at their “inability to see things my way.” And why is that? Because you have no personal stake in them. In a personal setting, you interact with people directly. You are there to help them along the way, holding their hand when necessary, and present a friendly face to let them know that the change is not going to hurt them. In the anonymous environment of the internet, these posters don’t know you from Adam and so you’re rebuttals to their arguments will fall upon deaf ears.

In real life, however, that’s where it goes from “no” to “it depends.” If you have a friend or acquaintance who is complaining about changes, then you might be able to calm their fears and, perhaps, get them to at least reasonably examine the changes before forming a negative opinion. Even then, it may not be worth your time, but your relationship with them will give you a better idea on how to proceed. You may even be able to convince them to take the rules out for a test drive to see how they run and then see if their opinion still holds water.

So, in the end, it all boils down to the fact that people are people and human nature regarding change has not changed much (read: at all) in the centuries we’ve been on this planet. In gaming, edition wars will come and go. The best that you can do is to try things out for yourself and then form your own opinions. And if you come across someone with a negative opinion of something they’ve never really taken the time to get to know, you only have one option: Kill them and take their stuff.

First this:

WIZARDS OF THE COAST SUES EIGHT FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Tolena Thorburn
Wizards of the Coast LLC
425-204-8011
tolena.thorburn@Wizards.com.

April 6, 2009 ‹ Wizards of the Coast LLC today filed three lawsuits in US
District Court for the Western District of Washington against eight
individuals, including named defendants located in the United States, Poland
and the Philippines, for copyright infringement of its recently-released
Dungeons & Dragons® Player¹s Handbook® 2. The lawsuits allege that the
defendants illegally distributed the Player¹s Handbook 2 via free
file-sharing websites and that these illicit uploads resulted in a
substantial number of lost sales and lost revenue to Wizards of the Coast.

³Violations of our copyrights and piracy of our products hurt not only
Wizards of the Coast¹s financial health but also the health of whole gaming
community including retailers and players,² said Greg Leeds, President of
Wizards of the Coast. ³We have brought these suits to stop the illegal
activities of these defendants, and to deter future unauthorized and
unlawful file-sharing.²

The complaint alleges, among other things, that one or more of the
defendants purchased digital copies of Player¹s Handbook 2 and then
illegally posted the copies onto popular file-sharing sites for free access
and download by the general public.

Then this on RPGNow:

Wizards of the Coast has instructed us to suspend all sales and downloads of Wizards of the Coast titles. Unfortunately, this includes offering download access to previously purchased Wizards of the Coast titles. We are in discussions with Wizards about their decision to change their approach to digital sales of their titles and will post more information as we have it

And finally this from WOTC_Trevor on ENWorld:

Hey all. I wanted to step in and shine a mote of light on the subject. First off, this cesation of PDF sales has absolutely nothing to do with the Internet Sales Policy. I know it’s the 6th of April and I can definitely see how the two would appear linked, but the truth is, this is a completely seperate matter.

Unfortunately, due to recent findings of illegal copying and online distribution (piracy) of our products, Wizards of the Coast has decided to cease the sales of online PDFs. We are exploring other options for digitial distribution of our content and as soon as we have any more information I’ll get it to you.

It’s times like these I just want to slap whomever makes these decisions upside the head and tell them to face reality: Pirating happens! That’s right; it happens!

It’s an unfortunate side effect of the business. If you release something that people want, then there will always be people willing to steal and give it to them for free. And this is not a new phenomenon. Before Wizards was releasing their material in PDF format, people used to scan in the books and make them available for download. They’ve always been out there and they always will be. All this does is drive yet another wedge between Wizards of the Coast and what is slowly but surely becoming a less loyal fanbase.

Oh and this can’t really be about money. Seriously. Because if Wizards thinks they’re actually losing a lot of money in “lost sales” because of this, then they must expect it to have been number one on the Wall Street Journal‘s list of top non-fiction books last week instead of number four, right? It’s number 14 this week. Now, I’m not naive enough to think that this pirating doesn’t cost Wizards any money, but there’s no way it costs them enough money to warrant pulling all of their electronic material and going home.

More than anything, I’m mad because of this. It’s infuriating to think that a company could have had such a great relationship with its customers for so many years (I’m refering to 2000 – 2008 with the release of 3rd edition and the generous availabilty of the material to other companies to help enrich the genre) to pulling everything away and basically saying, “Don’t f*** with us or we’ll take it away from you.” Maybe the last eight years were just a setup…

Image via Wikipedia

In my years playing RPGs, I’ve always been envious of those who are able to put together models of locations for the players. I’ve tried it myself but I’ve found that a) I don’t have enough time to make everything I want, b) it’s really, really expensive, and c) the stuff you make isn’t very recyclable and is usually only used for a session or two. So I was wondering, are there any products out there that 1) aren’t terribly expensive and 2) are easily reusable? And then it hit me; Lego. While Lego may be a bit pricey, the reusability of them makes them pretty cheap in the long run. And if you have kids, you probably already have some lying around the house!

There are a lot of websites out there for inspiration to create Lego scenes. Below are a list of some of the better sites I’ve found.

LEGO.com – The official website allows you to search for building instructions by keyword.

LEGOAT.COM – The main aim of the website is publishing numerous building instructions for LEGO® sets. Here you can find step by step instructions for many LEGO® models. All of them are available for free download (jpg, ldr, mpd, dat).

Classic-Castle – Committed to providing you with all the resources for building not only castles, but all sorts of creations ranging from farms and livestock, to magical towers and beasts.

Brick Town Talk – A showcase of creations and designs build in the same style, creating its own small town.

Classic-Space Lego – The place on the web for all things LEGO space.

MOCPages – The community includes children, teens, adult hobbyists, LEGO company employees, LEGOLAND employees, artists that use LEGO as a medium, engineers that use LEGO as a robotics platform, and more!

I’m sure there are many more, but these should work for a while. Lots of good creation in there.

What about you? Have you ever used Lego in your game? Got pictures?

But March the fourth made me whimper
When the news it was delivered
Sad news from the Troll Lord
And then on every message board

I can’t remember which of my dice
I chose to roll that very night
For the man who got it right
The day the DM died

So, bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

Have you read the PHB
And have you looked through the DMG
And what the heck is a drow (drough)
This is going to be so f’n cool
My dwarf barbarian will make you drool
And I really think you pronounce it drow (cow)

Well I know that things are looking grim
The dragon’s looking right at him
Made a percentile roll
I’m now hiding in shadows

I was a lucky halfling, that’s a fact
Stole lots of things and put ‘em in my pack
But I knew I could never go back
The day the DM died

I started rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

Now, for over ten years we’ve been rollin’ well
I even took my paladin to hell
But, boy, the rules have really changed
I was really sad to see half-orcs go
And what the hell is THACO
But, man, I really dig the weapon speed

Oh, and while the king was in L.A.
The jesters took his game away
The boardroom was adjourned
When the DM did return
And with pirates that would block the way
The king was told he couldn’t stay
But all that madness went away
The day the DM died

We were rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

Holy moley I’m checkin’ out the ranger
Two-weapon fighting makes him a danger
DM’s think he’s a pain in the ass
Player’s monk ran out of gas
Every flurry just seemed to pass
Leaving the bad guy without a scratch

Now I really like these brand new feats
My half-orc fighter’s really neat
I tried to run a game
Oh, but it just wasn’t the same

‘Cause the players have kids of their own
And no one remembers what to roll
And we were shocked down to our soul
The day the DM died

We started rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

Oh, and there we were just running the race
A generation losing pace
With no time left to game again
But come on let’s look through this brand new book
Man these powers really cook
You mean I get to play a dragon

And as I watched the gamers laugh
The memories came flooding back
Time it can go so fast
No living in the past

And as the dice rolled on into the night
I realized it just felt right
And I held back tears with all my might
The day the DM died

He was rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

I knew that when I read the news
I had just bid my childhood adieu
And I just sighed and turned away
I went down to the local store
Where I had gamed some years before
But the man there said that gamers couldn’t stay

And on the web the players mourned
About the game that he had born
Not a bad word was posted
The game master was toasted

And many folks admired the guy
Who’s rollin’ dice up in the sky
We told ourselves that we could cry
The day the DM died

And they were rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy
Thank you Mr. d20 Guy

They were rollin’
Bye, bye Mr. d20 Guy
Failed the final saving throw and then didn’t survive
And all around the world, the gamers did cry
Sayin’ thank you Mr. d20 Guy

MIME

Once again, Wizards has failed to make good on its electronic product. No, they didn’t promise anything with Tiny Adventures but it’s indicative of their plans regarding electronic products. I don’t know if they set unrealistic goals internally or just don’t understand their own popularity but, either way, they really need to get their act together. As it stands, they look nothing more than incompetent and like a company that is having problems catching up to the electronic age.

Yesterday, Wizards released the final version of the D&D Character Builder. I happily downloaded it on a computer that did not have the beta version installed on it. I then loaded it and it told me that there were updates. I input my D&DI user name and password. I then clicked the Update button. It told me that the “files did not verify correctly.” I was miffed but I decided to try it on a different computer, just in case. This one did have the beta version installed on it. So I uninstalled it, deleted the directory, and installed the new version. Once again, “files did not verify correctly.”

And, apparently, I’m not the only one to have this problem. You can check out this thread at WotC if you are also having problems. I recommend putting in a Customer Service ticket with WotC. The more problems they’re aware of, the better. However, and this is not unexpected unfortunately, some people are having problems with the Help System!

BTW, don’t expect a helpful response from WotC on this. It’s good to let them know for their records, but the answer they gave me doesn’t give me faith that it will be fixed soon.

Thank you for reporting this bug. It is already a known issue.

Occasionally we already have a fix or a workaround for a known issue. To view these and other known issues, click the following link: Known Issues.

Ryath
Online Response Crew
Wizards of the Coast

Yeah. No warm fuzzies here. And the Known Issues “link” didn’t work. It was just blue text not an actual link.

I was willing to give Wizards a break on D&DI. I even wrote, early on, that the price was right. I signed up for a year when they first went live. I’m not regretting my decision, yet, but I’m pretty much 100% certain that I will not be renewing when the year is up. I’ve already stopped the auto-renewal of my account.

At this point, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to take Wizards seriously on any online initiative they announce in the future. It’s sad, really, but I have no faith in them to get it right. I really hope they do, but I doubt they ever will.

Holy ***. That’s right; holy ****.

I’m a big fan of capitalism. I’m also a big fan of Wizards of the Coast. But, holy ****, they are milking the hell out of 4E. The 4E PHB was released on June 6, 2008. The PHB2 has a street date of March 17, 2009. Nine months. And in that time frame, players will have 16 core classes to choose from (Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock, Warlord, and Wizard from PHB1 and Avenger, Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Invoker, Shaman, Sorcerer, and Warden from PHB2)with each class having multiple powers to choose from. Martial characters have Martial Powers (the book) from which to choose more powers. There will be 13 core races to choose from (Dragongborn, Dwarf, Eladrin, Elf, Half-Elf, Halfling, Human, and Tiefling from PHB 1 and Deva (new name for Aasimar), Gnome, Half-Orc,  Goliath, and Shifter from PHB2). We also have 1491 magic items (602 in PHB1 and 889 in Adventurer’s Vault). Who knows how many will be in the PHB2 and Adventurer’s Vault 2!

And this is all just core! There are races and classes in the Forgotten Realms books (Drow and Genasi for races and the Swordmage as a class). Manual of the Planes has a new race (Bladelings). Eberron will certainly have a new class in the Artificer, at least, and the Warforged as a new race. That brings the total to 18 classes and 17 races.

I’m all about options. I can spend, and have spent, hours, if not days, to pore through supplements to pick just the right options for my character. But one thing I loved about 4E, and one thing touted by Wizards, was the simplicity of it and the streamlined nature of the new beast. Sadly, I don’t think it’s there anymore. As I said, I understand completely the want of a company to make money but, with 4E, I think it’s too much and it’s definitely too soon (nine months!).

With all the information available, the poll today is: Which new 4E class are you most looking forward to and why? Feel free to answer the poll and then post your “why” in the comments.

• Are druids still tree hugging hippies?

Oh. No. Druids are no longer relegated to being the Aquaman of an adventuring group. Druids are all about channeling their primal nature into their actions. When it comes to using powers, the descriptions let you know that the druid is not to be messed with.

You draw forth the savagery that dwells in every creature, compelling your enemies to fight without forethought or plan.

---

A howling gust of wind savages your enemies, scattering them.

The 4E Druid is definitely a force of nature.

• Can they still shape change?

Of course. All druids begin with the ability to wild shape as a minor action.

• What kind of creature can you change in to?

You can change in to any beast you wish as long as the beast is your size and resembles a natural beast or a fey beast. Your game statistics don’t normally change.

• What about equipment and powers when they wild shape?

Druids who wild shape can only use powers with the “beast form” keyword. Almost all equipment you’re carrying becomes part of you. If you’re holding anything, it drops unless it’s an implement you can use. You continue to gain all benefits from worn equipment. You can use the properties and powers of implements and magic items you wear unless it’s a wondorous item. You do not have access to anything carried since it becomes part of you.

• Do I have to wild shape?

I’ve known people who played druids and never wild shaped because it was too much to keep track of. Since wild shaping no longer affects your stats in most cases, it’s a lot easier to use. However, if you still don’t want to wild shape, you’re not going to be disappointed. Druids begin with a total of three at-will powers with one of them, but no more than two, required to have the “beast form” keyword. So a player who doesn’t want to wild shape still gets two regular at-will powers, just like other classes.

• What are some other cool features of the 4E Druid?

1. They can choose to either use their Constitution modifier in place of Dexterity or Intelligence when determing AC or they can gain a +1 bonus to their speed.
2. They get as many healing surges as the cleric.
3. You automatically know Animal Messenger.
4. They are no longer “all about balance.” That’s one thing I could never stand about previous versions of the D&D druid. I see the 4E druid more like a true Shaman or even a Samurai; one who knows one’s place in the world and relies upon the guidance of their brethren (in this case, the winds, trees, beasts, etc.) but doesn’t feel obligated to “keep the peace.”

Conclusion

The 4E Druid is a much more savage character than in the past. They are in tune with their Beast Spirit and makes use of it accordingly. They can channel it into a lot of their powers, not just the one that allows them to change shape. All in all, a pretty impressive upgrade from the previous versions.

Now that you’ve read this, tell me which class you’re looking forward to most with this poll!

Powers

Look at all the powers available to the players. All of them are specifically designed to make the PC better in combat. And 4E revolves around powers. Most powers either deal with how to hit a creature with a weapon or to use a blast, burst, or area effect of some sort. These effects all state how many squares are affected, necessitating minis and either Dungeon Tiles or grids of some sort.

The Kobold

The kobold is a D&D staple. Let’s compare the 3.5 kobold to the 4E kobold.

From the 3.5 Monster Manual

Kobolds are short, reptilian humanoids with cowardly and sadistic tendencies.

A kobold’s scaly skin ranges from dark rusty brown to a rusty black color. It has glowing red eyes. Its tail is nonprehensile. Kobolds wear ragged clothing, favoring red and orange.

Kobolds usually consume plants or animals but are not averse to eating intelligent beings. They spend most of their time fortifying the land around their lairs with traps and warning devices (such as spiked pits, tripwires attached to crossbows, and other mechanical contraptions).

Kobolds hate almost every other sort of humanoid or fey, especially gnomes and sprites.

A kobold is 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and weighs 35 to 45 pounds.

Kobolds speak Draconic with a voice that sounds like that of a yapping dog.

COMBAT
Kobolds like to attack with overwhelming odds—at least two to one—or trickery; should the odds fall below this threshold, they usually flee. However, they attack gnomes on sight if their numbers are equal.

They begin a fight by slinging bullets, closing only when they can see that their foes have been weakened. Whenever they can, kobolds set up ambushes near trapped areas. They aim to drive enemies into the traps, where other kobolds wait to pour flaming oil over them, shoot them, or drop poisonous vermin onto them.

KOBOLD SOCIETY
Kobolds live in dark places, usually underground locations and overgrown forests. They are good miners and often live in the mines they are developing. A kobold tribe sends out warbands that patrol within a 10-mile radius from the lair, attacking any intelligent creatures that enter their territory. Kobolds usually kill prisoners for food but occasionally sell some of them as slaves. Their nasty habits and their distrust of most other beings mean that they have many enemies.

A kobold lair has one noncombatant child and one egg per ten adults.

The patron deity of the kobolds is Kurtulmak, who despises all living creatures except kobolds.

From the 4E Monster Manual

Kobolds revere dragons and tend to dwell in and around places where dragons are known to lair. They skulk in the darkness, hiding from stronger foes and swarming to overwhelm weaker ones. Kobolds are cowardly and usually flee once bloodied unless a strong leader is present.

Kobolds like to set traps and ambushes. If they can’t get their enemies to walk into a trap, they try to sneak up as close as they can and then attack in a sudden rush.

Kobold Minion Tactics
Kobold minions are fierce in packs, but cowardly when separated. They can shift as a minor action each round to achieve flanking positions.

Kobold Skirmisher Tactics
Kobold skirmishers gang up on a single target to gain the benefit of mob attack, shifting as a minor action to gain combat advantage. They retreat when the fight turns against them, leading pursuers through passages and rooms riddled with traps, if possible.

Kobold Slinger Tactics
Kobold slingers avoid melee combat. They prefer to stay behind cover and bombard foes with special shot and sling stones.

Kobold Dragonshield Tactics
Kobold dragonshields are capable frontline combatants, keeping enemies away from their weaker kobold allies with their swords and shields. They like to gang up on single targets.

A kobold dragonshield gains resist 5 against a specific damage type based on the type of dragon it serves or reveres. For example, a kobold dragonshield working for a blue dragon has resist 5 lightning.

Kobold Wyrmpriest Tactics
A wyrmpriest keeps lots of kobold underlings between it and its enemies, using incite faith to embolden them. It prefers to make ranged attacks using energy orb, and enemies that get too close are blasted with dragon breath.

A wyrmpriest’s energy orb deals damage of a specific type based on the type of dragon the wyrmpriest serves or reveres. For example, a kobold wyrmpriest working for a black dragon deals acid damage with its energy orb power.

Kobold Slyblade Tactics
The kobold slyblade stays close to other kobolds, using sly dodge to turn them into living shields while it makes twin slash attacks against foes. Whenever possible, it shifts as a minor action, moves into a flanking position, and gains combat advantage.

Kobold Lore
A character knows the following information with a successful Nature check.

DC 15: Kobolds often dwell near a dragon’s lair, maintaining a safe distance but bringing sacrificial offerings to their “god.” Most dragons ignore kobolds, as a crocodile ignores the birds that pick its teeth clean. Once in a great while, however, a young dragon takes an interest in its kobold cult, which then becomes a real menace to the dragon’s enemies.

DC 20: Kobolds are skilled at making traps, which they use to capture prey and to acquire sacrifices for their dragon lords.

So in 3.5, you get a six paragraph description of the a kobold, a two paragraph description of how they act in combat, and three paragraphs about their society.

In 4E, you get two paragraphs to describe the kobold, eight paragraphs on tactics in combat, and two paragraphs on their society.

In other words, you get more fluff in 3.5 and more crunch in 4E. That’s what I see all throughout 4E.

The Fighter

The fighter is usually the simplest class to play. The fighter in 4E has three paragraphs of fluff describing the fighter, then crunch on the type of fighter you can be, some class features, and 10 pages of their powers.

For the 3.5 fighter, you get a description of the class, why they adventure, the characteristics of the fighter, the type of alignment fighters usually fall under, examples of religions fighters follow, backgrounds on the fighter, how certain races deal with being fighters, how other classes deal with fighters, and what role fighters play in the party. All that is spread over about a full page.

In 3.5, about 50% of the fighter entry deals with “crunch.” In 4E, about 99% of the fighter entry deals with “crunch.”

Conclusion

You don’t need a book to tell you how to roleplay, I know that. But the 4E Player’s Handbook has seemingly stripped out almost all of the fluff associated with creating characters and left in almost pure crunch. It is streamlined to help you figure out how to use the numbers associated with your character with almost nothing to give you ideas of how your character sees themselves in the world they’re in. So, unfortunately, I find that 4E plays more like a video-game than previous editions and, like most RPG video games, it all boils down to how the character does in combat.

The last two sessions really opened my eyes to what was wrong. In the session before last, we had a blast. At the end of the night, people were laughing and were genuinely happy to play. In that session, which lasted around five hours, we had a total of two combat’s, with one occurring while the PCs were searching through a house filled with traps that I made up completely as they went along. The PCs loved the house and the combat was actually fun.

In the last session, the session could, literally could split into two parts; part one and part two. Part one was all roleplaying and everyone really enjoyed it. Part two was all combat and that’s where things really got bad. That really clarified it for me. We weren’t having fun in 4E because of combat.

• Combats are really long.
• Monsters either stick around for at least three or four rounds or they go down in one hit. And there are a lot of monsters in every combat.
• Powers are neat but they don’t allow for much creativity, especially for spellcasters.

Every time we went into combat, I could, literally, hear the silence enveloping the table. And the problem is that 4E is really geared towards combat. So we’ve decided to take a break from 4E for a while and try something else. Right now, we’re looking at Pathfinder. It looks interesting and has a lot of story elements to it, which we enjoy.

Setup: An orc has a pie. You are hungry and want the pie. You need to convince the orc to give you the pie.

Level: Appropriate level for the party.

Complexity: 3 (8 successes before 3 failures).

Primary Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight.

Bluff (moderate DC): You tell the orc that he is no longer required to guard the pie and needs to go help his comrades who seem to have fallen under mysterious circumstances.

Diplomacy (moderate DC): The orc can possibly be convinced to hand over the pie without incident. The first success in this skill opens up the use of the History skill (the orc describes, in detail, the long and sordid history of pie-guarding orcs throughout orcish lore).

Insight (moderate DC): You realize that the orc really doesn’t like his duty because he is allergic to boysenberries, the filling of the pie. The first success with this skill reveals that any offers of a slice of pie to the orc will result in an automatic failure.

History (easy DC): You make an insightful remark about a significant pie-guarding event in orcish history. This is available only after a character has gained a success using the Diplomacy skill, and it can be used only once in this way during the challenge.

Intimidate: Any use of this skill results in an automatic failure unless the pie is somehow physically used during the intimidation, at which point it becomes an automatic success. It can only be used once and grants the successful PC a +2 to further Diplomacy checks with the orc.

Success: The party gets the pie.

Failure: The orc continues a long tradition of valiantly guarding pies, quickly grabbing handfuls of pie and stuffing them down his throat. He immediately goes in to anaphylactic shock and dies, but not before ruining the pie for the PCs.

Note: The 4E Character Builder only allows you create characters for levels one through 3. Of course, the full version will allow you to build them up to level 30.

Installation of the program was relatively straightforward. I downloaded the setup file and ran it. It then downloaded the install file and ran the installation program. Why you can’t just download the installation program directly is weird to me, but there ya go.

• You need Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP 1

This is a must. The program simply will not work without it. If you don’t have it installed, the first part of the Character Builder install program will download it and install it and then install the Character Builder itself.

Once installed, you can run the Character Builder. The first screen gives you the option of loading an existing character, creating a new one, or creating a quick character which will auto-build it based upon things like race, class, etc. Great option for building some quick NPCs. Also, on the main screen, are links to the latest news on D&DI and the Character Builder.

I chose to create a new character and it brought me to a screen that allowed me to choose a Race. However, at the top of the screen are tabs to move between different sections. So, for example, if I choose Elf for a Race and moved on to the next step, I don’t have to start over if I want to change it. Instead, I simply click on the Race tab and make my change.

There are many races available, not just the races from the PHB. Those are all there, of course, but it also includes races from the Monster Manual, Forgotten Realms, and Dragon Magazines. When you click on a race, the right side of the screen will give you all of the related to that race. There will also be a picture of the male and female versions of the races from the PHB at the bottom of the screen. There are no pictures for other races but there is information on the right side of the screen.

I chose a race (Human), clicked on a button labeled “Choose Human,” and then chose a language. The languages were all from the PHB. I clicked on a language (Draconic), clicked a button labeled “Choose Draconic,” and clicked on “Next Step” to move to my class selection. You can change your choice without having to start over. You simply need to go to that section and click on the arrow next to the heading of the column to see the complete list again. Then choose another race and click the “Choose ….” button at the bottom to make the switch.

The class list gives you all the classes from the PHB plus one from Forgotten Realms and one from Dragon Magazine. I chose the Fighter, keeping it simple, chose a Build (Great Weapon Fighter), and chose my Talent (One-Handed). I then moved on to the next step.

Next I am able to pick an optional Background for my character. This really only applies if you are using the backgrounds in Forgotten Realms or ones presented in Dragon Magazine. I didn’t choose a background and moved to the next step.

I moved to Ability Scores next. Here I have a few options. I can allow it to Auto Pick for me, I can Roll Dice, or I can Use an Array. Regardless of the option I choose, it keeps track of how many points I’ve spent. This is great if I’m using a point buy method of ability generation. I can click the Reset Points button at any time to reset my abilities. I also, at this point, choose where to place my racial ability modifiers. I picked an Array to use and put my racial mod in Strength. Time for the next step!

Skills are next. As a human fighter, I see four “Train a skill” options at the bottom of the screen. I click on a bold skill name (these are the skills available to my class) and click the “Train …” button to train in that particular skill. I noticed that when I clicked on a skill, it gave me the complete PHB entry on the right side of the screen. Very convenient. I did this four times and then move to the next step.

Up came Feats. Lots and lots of options. I really liked the Search feature which allowed me to search for specific text in feat names or descriptions. I typed in “proficiency” and it went to the first Weapon Proficiency feat. I hit Enter and it went to the next one and so on. Very nice. At the bottom of the screen, just like with skills, it listed two “Choose a Feat” options; one for being a Human and another for Fighter. I clicked a Feat, clicked “Choose…” and did it again before I moved on to the next step.

Powers were next and the process was essentially the same as before. I have options at the bottom to choose a specific type of power (at-will, encounter, or daily). I click on one and see the powers to choose from. I click on a Power, click “Choose Power,” and it adds it. I also have the Search option on this screen as well.

Equipment is next and the list is huge! I’m glad there’s a Search option here. It automatically gave me 100gp to spend. I also have the option of “Shopping Mode” which allows me to buy stuff at 100% and sell at 20%, just as you would in-game. Nice little option for tracking your equipment through here. You can also click Auto Pick. When I did that, it purchased armor for me, a weapon, and the Adventurer’s Kit.

The next, and final, step is where you enter your character’s details. Name, gender, alignment, deity, height, weight, etc. You can also enter your name and your RPGA number. You also Level Up from here, Retrain, enter a Character Portrait, create Journal Entries, and other things like that on this tab.

I filled out the info and then clicked the Save button in the bottom left-hand corner to save it in a format usable in the Character Builder. I then clicked the Character Sheet button to view it and print it. Here’s a shot of the first page and the last page.

Conclusions

All in all, this is a very, very nice product and it definitely makes my subscription worthwhile. It is very easy to use and beats the tar out of the 3E Character Generator. I highly recommend you get this when it becomes a stable product or you can get it now if you want to create characters level one to three.

In 1E (AD&D), here’s how the PHB defines what a cleric should be.

The cleric is dedicated to a deity, or deities, and at the same time a skilled combatant at arms. (AD&D PHB, page 20, para 3, line 4)

Clerical spells, including the druidic, are bestowed by the gods, so that the cleric need but pray for a few hours and the desired verbal and somatic spell components will be placed properly in his or her mind. (AD&D PHB, page 40, para 4, line 1)

So in 1E, you had to pick a god lest you be without spells. And no one wanted that. 2E continued this line of thinking when it came to clerics.

The cleric receives his spells as insight directly from his deity (the deity does not need to make a personal appearance to grant the spells the cleric prays for) as a sign of and reward or his faith, so he must take care not to abuse his power lest it be taken away as punishment. (2E PHB, page 33, para 3)

So, again, clerics must choose a god to worship. But a funny thing happened in 3E.

Choose a deity for your cleric. …You may also choose for your cleric to have no deity. (3/3.5E PHB, page 32, para 6)

Instead, they meditate or pray for their spells, receiving them through their own strength of faith or as divine inspiration. (3/3.5E PHB, page 32, para 5, line 2)

So in 3E, it was decided that clerics no longer had to choose a god but, instead, could just rely on their inner strength and devotion to their cause. This trend continued in 4E.

All clerics choose a specific faith to which they devote themselves. Usually this faith is the worship of a specific patron deity—for example, Moradin, Pelor, or Erathis. Sometimes clerics are devoted to churches that venerate groups of deities or even philosophies. (4E PHB, page 61, para 5)

So if you look at the progression of D&D throughout the years, from edition to edition, clerics have moved away from having to rely on gods to being able to rely on themselves alone. The question is why? I have a couple of theories on the matter.

• Theory 1: Hasbro, or just the designers of 3E, didn’t want to embroil themselves in another “Christian Controversy.”

Throughout the 1980′s D&D was put through the wringer with everyone and their brother making claims that D&D was satanic and contained “real spells.” So, to either appease these people or to simply leave themselves an out, it was decided that the option to not choose a god be put in. This would, hopefully, lessen the impact on people who were extremely faithful and felt off-put in being forced to “worship” a god other than their own, even in a fantasy setting.

• Theory 2: Religion has become less important to society at large so it was decided to make it less important in the game as well.

Our society has shifted away from traditional religious teachings lately. This is not a judgment at all, just an observation. Because of this, the designers possibly wanted to reflect this in-game, thereby allowing someone who was uncomfortable with being forced to choose a god play the cleric they wanted without having to do so.

• Theory 3: For purely metagame purposes.

It makes cleric character creation, initial and long-term, faster and less limiting to not have to choose a god. You simply have more choices available to you.

Honestly, I don’t know which one, if any, of the theories are correct. If I had to guess, given the nature of 3E and 4E, I’d probably go with theory number three.

What I do know is that the gods are less important to clerics in newer editions than they were in older editions and, truthfully, that saddens me. I’ve always seen, and played, the cleric as a champion of their faith; one who was willing to stand up for their beliefs in the face of inevitable turmoil. A strong character, inside and out, who was eternally devoted to the god they believed in. But that’s just me.

So what do you think? Why do you think that choosing a god is no longer important to clerics in D&D?

Is it much different than the 3E Bard?

The answer is, definitively, yes. The bard’s role has been set so that he/she is no longer set to just hover in the back, granting allies bonuses while not doing much else but fill the role of a minor healer. Instead, they are put into more of a leadership role, telling allies where to move on the field of battle and giving them the confidence they need in combat.

Then is the bard still an inspiring musician?

Again, the answer is yes. Their musical abilities allow their allies to perform tasks better as well as being a morale booster. The bard’s musical genres have been narrowed down to singing and  playing instruments, unlike 3.5 where you had to put ranks into performing on multiple instruments.

Speaking of Perform checks….

They are no more. Instead, the bard’s performing meshes with their spells. You no longer make a check; you simply perform as part of a spell.

Can the bard still heal people?

Absolutely.

Is the bard still a “jack-of-all-trades”?

Oh my, yes. They have an ability available to them now that can make them a more well-rounded class than any other in the PHB.

Is the bard still relegated to being the back?

I like the bard but, in my opinion, the 3.5 bard was not meant to be an up-front fighter. In 4e, the bard gets more hit points and can wear heavier armor, such as chainmail. They can also use more weapons than previously allowed.

Would you play a bard in 4e?

Again, yes. It’s definitely made into a more viable class than in 3.5 and I would be very happy to play one.

I’ve seen multiple complaints posted across multiple boards on the lack of choices for character creation in 4E. I’ve heard, from my own players, how frustrating it is to be so limited on the choices available to them.

Granted, I understand where the frustration is coming from. By the time 4E hit the shelves, we had a plethora of sourcebooks for 3E.

1. Players Handook
2. Players Handbook 2
3. Book of Exalted Deeds
4. Cityscape
5. Complete Adventurer
6. Complete Arcane
7. Complete Champion
8. Complete Divine
9. Complete Mage
10. Complete Psionic
11. Complete Scoundrel
12. Complete Warrior
13. Dragon Magic
14. Expanded Psionics Handbook
15. Heroes of Battle
16. Heroes of Horror
17. Magic of Incarnum
18. Races of Destiny
19. Races of Stone
20. Races of the Dragon
21. Races of the Wild
22. Sandstorm
23. Tome of Battle – Book of Nine Swords
24. Tome of Magic
25. Unearthed Arcana
26. Weapons of Legacy

And those are only some of the official supplements published by Wizards for D&D 3.5 since 2003.

So now all the players who were used to spending hours poring over supplement after supplement trying to create “the perfect character” spend less time figuring out how to develop their PC.

Personally, I like the limited scope of character creation from both a DM and a player perspective. As a DM, it makes it easier to manage the characters without having to look at infinity plus one source books. As a player, I find it forces me to be creative with the choices I’m given, even if I can’t make the exact kind of character I want to make.

And therein lies my question; is there a happy medium? How many supplements are too many? Would you be happy with just the PHB or do you want to run the gamut of options using, for example, the Advanced Players Guide or Fang, Fist, and Song that are available now?