Re: Game Geeks 92

My response to gamer geeks negative review of 4th Edition

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• Dungeons and dragons
• 4th edition
• gaming
• art
• roleplaying
• reviews

[kellystone84]

The gaining the same hit points every level was so dumb. The characters are too balanced and dont feel any different from one another. The skill system and the spells are dumb down in the new edition. 3.5 was and still is the clearly the superior system.

[stilanas]

Gaining the same number of hit points every level is a great idea and was a house rule of mine before 4th edition. Getting screwed over on luck based character creation isn't fun. When you botch a roll during the game, you have a bad 15 minutes or so. When you botch a roll during character creation, you have a bad 10 months or however long the campaign lasts.

[ashole1976]

i agree

[FPietros]

Good review.

[Markleberry]

@ADnDsDM I whole heartedly agree. Every edition since 1st has gotten some kind of injustice complaint about it, no reason edition 4 needs to be any different.

[Markleberry]

@JohnnyFiveAces I kinda agree with you on this matter, but to help things role more smoothly, I've implemented a +2 to all skill challenges and checks for good role playing. Works out well so far.

[Markleberry]

I've played all the editions since I was a kid, and every time a new edition comes out, questions and complaints are created due to obscure rules. 4th edition, to me so far, has been best at nipping any complaints about past editions and has cut down DM prep time by hours, sometimes days. I love the system, but if anyone could come up with a great way to skill challenge for blacksmithing, I'd sure appreciate it. That's my only real complaint, but maybe I just missed the article.

[ADnDsDM]

The best way to describe the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons vs the 4th edition DnD is the following.

1st Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons is like making a Lasagne from scratch where you choose the best recipe and fine ingredients to make a wonderful dish.

4th Edition DnD is like getting a Lasagne (Banquet) from the Frozen Food section of your local Grocer. Everything aready made for you from who knows what and taking it home to enjoy the freezer burn and cardboard box taste.

[JohnnyFiveAces]

I think you do skill challenges a disservice in this video. Skill challenges as presented are an example of how to create game-like mechanics to define out-of-combat encounters. While as-written they are not especially exciting (unless you, heaven forbid, actually take the time to roleplay their actions out), they do go to show how the core D20/skill systems can be arranged to make things interesting. An example might be a flow chart, with skill checks allowing players to move along it.

[JKDLuke]

I totally agree. I want to say more but you said it in the very best of terms. And my players LOVE it. Thank you for this review.

[KestF]

there's some not quite right with your mic, might be too close

[kellystone84]

Lots of house rules, like rerolling your first hit point roll but only being allowed to do so once

[soonmot]

3.5 and how many house rules, Kellystone?

[kellystone84]

I hear what you are saying but whenever i rolled bad for hit points my character would generally change tactics to compensate for bad luck.