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I think this is a perfectly acceptable option. It doesn't seem un-balanced at all. I'd recommend playtesting it and posting your findings!

Basketball (and other sports) have been played almost the same way from 100+ years and no game is the same than other. Rules have not changed for this "games" and still crowds go to the stadiums to watch them.

Basketball was invented in 1891 and they used a soccer ball and a peach basket on top of a post. In 1893 they replaced the peach basket with metal hoops but the net had a sealed bottom that had to be released by the ref each time a basket was made. A backboard was added in 1894. The bottomless net was added in 1913 as well as the larger ball we now know. In 1932 the 10 second rule was adopted. Until 1937, a center jump was held after every field goal. Beginning in 1937, the defensive team received the ball out-of-bounds after a field goal.

In 1935, a rule was adopted that stopped any offensive player from standing in the free throw lane for more than three seconds. In 1955, the foul lane was widened to 12 feet from the previous 6 feet.

The version of basketball that we know today an evolution of the one that was played over 100 years ago and it continues to evolve just like almost every other sport in the world.

Games do not ever get perfect. They do however, continue to be perfected.

At GenCon UK, Bruce Cordell confirmed that 4e will have an OGL. Other WotC officials have confirmed the same. What 4e will NOT have is a d20 license like what we had with 3.x. Which means that WotC won't be proofreading any material and putting their stamp of approval. The main reason for that is it was just too much work on their part to continue to do so with all the 3rd party producers out there.

What we don't know is what form if any a new SRD will take. That hasn't been announced other than vague comments that there will be some sort of SRD.

I edited my post like 3 times. My first attempt likened the Wizard's RPG Team to Oppenheimer and Einstein... the next attempt was an analogy to fishing the same hole, which was later refined to my above post about 3.5 having life yet...

I apologize if that makes the above post make no sense. Or possibly that THIS post makes no sense if Heathy also edited HIS post...

Gah I suck at this...

Just because the order for 4.0 comes down from "the man" doesn't mean that the designers are not doing exciting work. I'm sure there nerdy just like the rest of us and love their jobs. You there, peon, make a new RPG and make us money! Umm okay... sounds good.

I never felt that Races of the Wild depicted Elves as being idle during their formative years. Quite the opposite I took a lot from it and it helped me come up with many back stories for my Elven characters. I had one who was a scout who before he'd ever even adventured had crafted his own armor, bow, arrows, built a home, etc. Which took a lot of time with no ranks in Craft yet, let me tell you. With help from Races of the Wild I learned that most elves must learn to do things for themselves or at the very least are shown something by their elders and then expected to master it, and this is done several times throughout their formative years. See that 200' tall tree? Climb it and survey the land. But master, I have never climbed so high! Well then you had best take your time... Youngling returns several weeks later... master I have done as you asked. Good child, now did you see the Shining Lake that makes up the western boarder of our lands? Yes, master. Good, and what landmark lies beyond. I do not know master. Then you had better look again... (and so on)

Well I disagree with the group bonus being forgotten thing. I'm paraphrasing here but this is an example of play in my games right now.

"I fire my bow at the leader of the the orcs!"

Player Rolls: 18 with my bonuses that's AC 25.

DM: Okay that's going to miss.

Another Player: Did you add my +1 from Bless?

Player: No, crap! AC 26?

DM: HITS!

The wording in my opinion feels like it's aimed at the young or novice gamer. Experienced gamers know that we can ignore the information. I mean how many of us use the "starting packages" out of our PHBs? You know, if you're a dwarf fighter you get this feat, and this feat, and this equipment, and this much gold left over. PSHAW. None that I know. But when we introduce a new gamer to the game we open the book and say, okay see these packages? Pick one and just start playing.

I'm thankful for the way its worded because it feels very beginner friendly but with enough options to appease the senses of the gamer who's used to more complexity. As a community we need to attract new blood because we are losing them. We're not getting any younger folks and unlike me not everyone's trying to breed a master-race of DnD players (I keed!) They got to try to attract new players and please the old, that's a tough thing to accomplish so I suggest that all us old-school gamers put on our thick-skins and not take some of the more sophomoric worded parts so seriously.

I know that forum posters are not always an accurate cross section of the total gamer population but I feel like I'm in the minority here. All but one the players in my game is really excited about 4e and we've been discussing starting anew or trying to convert for the last couple of months. Only one players is just kinda "whatever" about it all. He's not really following the 4e news or overly concerned. He's the only guy in the group who only has the 3.5 PHB and nothing else though and only plays out of the PHB. He'll probably buy the 4e PHB and nothing else too.

Wicht wrote:

Heh.

Q. How do you confuse a 4e character?

A. Put him in a room paved with round tiles.

Nice!

But of course there never will be any rooms paved with round tiles in Dungeon Tiles (tm) and we all know everyone uses only Dungeon Tiles (tm) right?!

I keed, I keed! :D

In my homebrew campaign Dwarves, Gnomes, & Halflings are all just different cultures of the same race. So really if I really WANT gnomes in my game, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Not really hard to put them back in. Sure, I totally understand that it irks some people and for them I feel for them I really do. But I know (and WoTC does too) that just like me, anyone who wants them in their game is going to add them back in. I'm betting (and hoping) that their packing a lot of info in those new books and some fat had to be trimmed. We can debate on what needed to be cut all day long and it all comes down to personal opinion. In the end the designers liked Tieflings better and put them in.

In my own experience of RPG design I've learned something that's helped me. Design for yourself, like-minded people will like your stuff. If you design counter to that goal, your product will seem fake and flawed (unless you've got lots of ranks in Bluff). RPG writing doesn't pay very well and it's actually a pretty grueling job, so at least have fun with it and write what you like. You never can tell if the public will agree with you, so that's why you need PR. Then you've got to of course pray that your PR is good...

I'm totally excited about 4e and I like what I've seen but I must agree I don't like the PR. The veiled insult that gamers have been stupid for 30 years and that grapple is hard (it's not) and that we need to be told all this by a French version of FES from "That 70s Show" doesn't help. :)

I've pre-ordered the core books and all modules. The preview books I could care less for. If someone bought them for me as a gift, that'd be cool.

In the words of Peter Griffin: Friggin' Sweet.

Bad joke.

** spoiler omitted **

Cthughua

When Paizo goes 4e I'll buy their stuff, but I doubt I'll play it...maybe 5e will be better?

Good news! You'll only need to wait 5 years. :O

Personally I want my phone and my RPG "fully loaded." :)

Actually I must admit that statement is not 100% true. In reality, I like my cell phone to be pretty simple in function and basic in use. Likewise, I want my RPG to be elegant and powerful. This is not the same as simple though, far from it I enjoy a complex set of rules but one that "makes sense" and can fade seemingly into the background when needed. This is part science of RPG design and part art of the DM (which is a skill that takes years to master). I realize that this vision of a system is like some fabled Xanadu that can realistically never be attained, but like the Taoist ideal of the one true "Way" we are on a journey to obtain this thing and in journeying we "find" it.

What I mean is that an RPG is not a static thing (or in my opinion it should not be) it is a constantly evolving process. When the old system's holes have been poked through and a DM has a binder full of house rules to handle situations that weren't covered in the books (as I do) and a list of things that he/she would change, then it's time to make a revision OR start almost completely from scratch building upon previous works in a natural fashion. Everything is derivative as we know and few things can be truly revolutionary. But it is that search, that lofty goal for the "perfect system" that drives me (us?) ever-onward. Will we ever grasp it? No. Will we ever stop looking? Also, no.

When is the right time to make a new edition? Answer: When it is.

I'm not saying you should support 10 year old cell phones, but my big pet peeve with cell phones is being forced to pay for features I don't want. I don't want a cell that accepts text messages, since I don't like them, and I don't like having to pay for them when I do get them. But, there's no phones that simply won't accept them in the first place.

There are federal regulations requiring all phones to be SMS & MMS compliant. The feature of your phone being able to receive those messages is free, being able to send messages of your own is something you have to pay for.

But I understand your point that you don't like paying for things that you neither want or need. But eventually your cell phone breaks and you have to by a new one and your books wear out and have to buy new ones. Some folks buckle at having to buy new things, others relish in it.

Personally I want my phone and my RPG "fully loaded." :)

I agree with the general sentiment that "it sucks"TM when something you own becomes outdated and is no longer supported. However, I have to accept that as the "nature of the beast" when it comes to companies who are in business. I have to face the reality that despite the fact that there are people in this world making money doing what they love they are still in the business of making money.

A company cannot realistically stay in business long (or successfully) if they continue to support old product. (I'm sure someone can cite some examples of companies that have done that, but those are exceptions, not the norm.)

The company I work for is a cell phone company and we rotate product every 6 months. We continually get complaints that we no longer support models X,Y, & Z. Sadly though if we did, our warehouse would be chocked full of product that would move very very slowly for a small cross-section of our customer base and we simply don't have the room or the manpower to support that kind of effort. Hopefully that is a good analogy too.

First let me preface by say that my opinions are just that, and are my own.

Now then, the quote about change is the most poignant and I feel most accurate statement indicating the "why" behind the vehemence of posters who dislike 4e (despite having so little information to go off of at this time). At the root of almost every complaint is some change in one way or another, and as we all know the majority dislikes change.

Poster realizes that using the word "smurf" DID in fact change his avatar to which he cries "haxxors!"

Post berating previous posters using words like "noob" and chastising him for not noting that other uses of the word "smurf" did not change a person's avatar. This indicates that the poster has been reading more closely than he previously let on, thus ruining his attempts to appear aloof and cool. Poster however remains in ignorant bliss of this fact and continues to act in such a manner.

Adds reply which includes several points already made by previous posters, showing that this poster hasn't bothered to read all 8 previous pages of posts.

Finishes off with another comment which shows detachment in an effort to appear aloof and cool.

Thanks for your post M.Y. I will be taking your suggestions into account when I finally run Hook Mountain.

As for the wooden scaffolding, in my game, it wasn't there. I had the sinspawn just hide to the side of of the passage in and jump out behind the group. Or at least that's what they would have done had the party not made a complete B-line for the cathedral and gotten themselves all killed.

Color me interested. I love dark sci-fi. I'm always looking for non-fantasy stuff to convert to True20. :)

The group that I run made it to the Caverns of Wrath and followed the "always keep right" method of dungeon exploration. This lead a group of level 1 PCs straight to Erylium, they had run out of spells, rages, and smites but still tried to take her on. She created a sinspawn and summoned a pair of wolves. The battle went pretty much as expected with the scout dying (botched tumble past a wolf and sinspawn) and the rest fleeing. After resting a day and recruiting a rogue (to replace the scout) they headed back into the caverns... deciding to head straight back to her. This time she was able to create another sinspawn (having fueled the runewell with the scout) and kill the entire party who this time refused to retreat.

That's 6 PCs to add to the Burnt Offerings dead pool.

Now they're staring with a new party of 1st levels, I'm going to run D1 and once they complete it have the new cleric of Iomedae get sent to retrieve the remains of the last cleric of Iomedae.

Well, if you want to use Erylium to beat the party, here are some thoughts...

I just wanted to point out that such sophisticated tactics might be outside of the range of a 12 Int Quasit who's been trapped for eons and is consumed by seething wrath. Just my 2cp.

There was also "A Moniker" which is an anagram of "Erik Mona"

Folks who want to chip in for the pizza may do so via my paypal jc_madden(at)yahoo.com, if you would like.

Glad you guys enjoyed the pizza, special thanks to Cosmo for without him I would have sent them to the old address.

OHHH! Now I know what the change of avatar is about!

But do you understand the spirit of Erik Mona day?

Let us add some ale, wine, and turkey legs to make this party a bit more 'D&D-ish'.

*Starts up the grill*

Okay you twisted my arm, I'll gets some mead out.

Erik Mona Day? Now what sort of holiday is this? Is there cake? Or perhaps cookies?

I demand this holiday have both cake and cookies.

And perhaps muffins.

I'll make some muffins and I'll get my wife to make punch.

Yes.

Woo! Party!

You forgot the most important Cosmos of all, the Customer Service Cosmos!

Gary, I'm sorry I _just_ submitted mine with the Item Name in the Subject AND in the Body. Then I just saw this. If there's any way you could delete the subject and make the item name in the body the new subject for me, I would be eternally grateful.

Love the blog, long live the blog. Yep I check it daily too. Also, who let Nicolas out of his cage?!

Thirded!

I sure hope it's soon!

This module is tops.

After perusing other adventures that looked promising I have to say this is by far my favorite. It really feels like a lot of work went into breathing life into the adventure and making it part of a campaign. All the little blurbs about what happens to certain NPCs after the who thing is a really nice tough.

Kudos to Nick indeed.

Yes, I got the second email just now. Glee!

I thought as much but just wanted to be sure.

Thanks for the speedy reply.

I can't wait for this module!

Good Morning,

I got an email message June 18 notifying me that my Game Mastery subscription order had been placed, order number 753053.

Tuesday, June 26 I received another email letting me know that my ongoing subscription created an order for D1: Crown of the Kobold King.

On the "Store Orders" portion of my account it lists these two orders separately. The first at $12.99 and the second at $16.08 (cost plus shipping).

It looks to me as if I am being charged twice but I am unsure. Can someone please clarify this for me? I realize I am probably not being charged twice but this subscription order style is new to me (the Dragon and Dungeon subscriptions don't generate new orders like that every month).

Many thanks as always!

More awesomeness.

D'oh! You know, in all of our blogs and posts supporting Free RPG Day, we forgot to encourage folks to *buy* some stuff when they get their free item. If retailers see that today's sales are over the top, they're more likely to sign up next year!

I got a gift cert for father's day and I intentionally held out on buying Expedition to Undermountain (and a new box of AT-43 figs) so that I could support Free RPG day. Hopefully my contribution helps.

For what it is worth my FLGS was going the extra mile and putting up some of their own stock for free as well, a lot of great OGL content out there for free as well as a few packs of CCG and CMG stuff.

Hello the link to "Underdark Singles" is broken.

The link points to:
http://paizo.com/store/%E2%80%9D/store/games/miniatures/tradableMiniaturesG ames/dnd/singles/underdark%E2%80%9D

But should point to:
http://paizo.com/store/games/miniatures/tradableMiniaturesGames/dnd/singles /underdark

I got it too! My FLGS was only allowing 2 modules per customer so D0 was one of my picks (the free WFRP adventure was my other FYI).

All I can say is: Absolutely amazing! High weight, high gloss paper and fabulous art and a simple yet engaging plot! Everything you could want from a first level adventure. If this is any indication of what future Game Mastery modules will be (and I think that is the point) then I am very pleased to have subscribe to them and know they will not disappoint.

A HUGE thanks to Paizo for fulfilling this request. No other company I have seen in the industry is so willing to deliver what the customer requests (which seems odd does it not?). So my hat is off, thanks again for making wonderful products and making it very easy for us to fork over our bucks for them.

Cheers!

Talked to wife, wife said no.

But then someone mentioned North Bend and I know she's a Twin Peaks fanatic (I just picked up season 2 for her at Best Buy last week). So I'll run that by her now. I guy can hope.

Sometimes life just give you a sign. I'm an Inventory Clerk with 5+ years experience and my wife and I were kicking around the idea of moving to the Seattle area. I will have to bring this up with her.

Will this version be different than the version that's available at Free RPG day? I'd like to snag it when I go but if this one will be different/ have more goodies I'll pick it up too!