Search Posts
Hi all, I hope that I've not put this in the wrong part of the forum, if I have, feel free to light up the flamers and burn. I have a mate in Sydney who frequents the messageboards and the chat here, and, in response to my bemoaning the lack of a gaming group, mentioned that he'd seen a couple of people on here from the Newcastle area who were interested in getting together to game. If so, please reply! Blake.
Let me introduce myself for the first time to these boards, I am Blakeus, and I have been roleplaying for 5 years (there abouts). In that time, I have collected an obscene amount of RPG books, and my bookshelves groan cantankerously under the strain (as does my wallet on occasion...). So having said that, I preodered 4th edition D&D a fortnight ago, and it had the decency to arrive at my doorstep 2 days before release. Here it goes: Having read a fair chunk of 4th ed, and having had a brief look at all the bits (and a more detailed look at others), I have come to the following conclusions: 1. It is not a bad game. In fact, the rules take away a whole load of stuff that I really did not like in previous editions. 2. It is a different game than previous editions. 4th ed is streamlined. This makes it easy to play, and easy to run, the set out of the books (especially with powers) makes it easy for characters in combat to find what they need. 3. It is encouraging new players in. By its similarity in mechanics to streamlined computer games, 4th ed means that this demography is more inclined to try it out. This is a good thing, as more gamers = more gaming stuff = hurrah! 4. It is easier for a DM now. To DM 4th edition is a much easier job than previous editions. The DMG gives you a whole host of charts making it easy to calculate damages and DCs at a very rapid rate. The new MM and way encounters are built (not using Challenge Rating - which NEVER worked EVER) by 'purchasing' monsters is inspired. 5. It is pretty. 4th ed looks nice, and is easy to read. I have no qualms in the looks department. 6. I like what they have done with spells. Making wizards and warlocks roll attacks is better than the gribblies rolling saves. It makes all players more PROactive, which is a great way to keep them coming back for more. 7. People rant on about the lack of roleplay stuff, but I personally see little difference between the 3.5 PH and the 4.0 PH. Honestly, there was never massive amounts of background material in the PH, it was, and IS a rules guide, that deals primarily with the RESOLUTION of ENCOUNTERS. This is always what is needed - roleplay comes from the group and their ability to bring the tale to life. 8. Alignment is nothing to whinge about. People are up in arms because a chart of 9 choices went to 5. Dear me. And you know what the beef is? Apparently - get this - 5 choices are not enough to adequately show the nuances of morality. Oh, right, so... 9 is? Get real folks. It's an abstracted system. 9. On the whole, it fixes more issues than it creates. People are mostly crying over something that by and large they have not read properly, or haven't seen in action on the table. There are a few issues, sure, but at the end of the day, you have to admit that the system is a more streamlined system for resolving what happens. 10. Is 4th ed. Is good. So after all this defense of 4th ed, you might ask, why are you here, looking at Pathfinder? Well, to be honest, I am excited about both. I just fell across this all today, and I am really very excited. See, here's why. I am a nostalgic person by nature, and I quite like 3.0 and 3.5. I played my first and best D&D there. I am looking fowards to playing and running 4th ed, and giving it a work out, which I believe it will hold up under. I am still a lover of 3.5 and 3.0 mainly because I like some of that useless complexity, to be honest. A lot of the stuff was pointless, and did not add anything (stripped away in 4.0) and yet it was endearing. Hence, I am here, finding myself maybe a little TOO excited for August this year, and moreso for August NEXT year. Face it, I'm an RPG whore. I own about 30 settings, representing roughly 18 systems (I classify all 3.0 and 3.5 and their derivatives as 1 system). I like RPGs, I buy them, read them, and dream of one day someone adding all the best bits together... C'mon Paizo, be the one! PS - I will be poring over the Alpha 3 release in the next few days, looking for inconsistencies. Hoping I find stuff to make right, Yours Truly, Blakeus. |
