November 2009 Rules Updates

[Scott Betts]

Huge package of rules updates located here. New updates are listed, followed by old updates, including explanations for why the rules were changed.

Pretty much everything that needed fixing was fixed - everything from double weapons to Swordmage Warding to Armor of Faith to Hurricane of Blades and about fifty other potentially problematic rules bits.

The best part? All of these updates also went live today in the Character Builder and Compendium.

Enjoy!

[jcarleski]

They changed Swordmage warding? I can't get to WoTC from work - any chance you could please summarize for me?

[Scott Betts]

jcarleski wrote:

They changed Swordmage warding? I can't get to WoTC from work - any chance you could please summarize for me?

Swordmage Warding is now active whenever you are conscious - it disappears while you are unconscious, but it comes back as soon as you are revived. You no longer have to take a short rest to restore it.

[Matthew Koelbl]

Yeah, I am incredibly pleased with these updates. Many major balance issues fixed, both overpowered and underpowered elements. And they've clearly been working on this for a while, and from what they've said, it sounds like we might see similar errata every month.

It would always been ideal, of course, if everything was perfect from the start. But that's an impossible task, and I'm more than happy to see them simply being willing to fix things once the flaws are revealed.

[Jeremy Mac Donald]

Matthew Koelbl wrote:

Yeah, I am incredibly pleased with these updates. Many major balance issues fixed, both overpowered and underpowered elements. And they've clearly been working on this for a while, and from what they've said, it sounds like we might see similar errata every month.

It would always been ideal, of course, if everything was perfect from the start. But that's an impossible task, and I'm more than happy to see them simply being willing to fix things once the flaws are revealed.

I really agree. No one likes errata but pretending things are not unbalanced when they really are is the absolute worst possible solution. In the end it simply damages the game. Lots of errata keeps me satisfied that they are responding to feedback and insuring that the game continues to deliver even as time goes on without us eventually getting to the point where the DM has to reskin every single encounter in a desperate attempt to keep up with the players endlessly ramping power.

I want to spend my prep time thinking up ways to enhance the encounters or adding back story to the villains - not rechoosing feats and spells for the monsters in order to make them halfway competitive with the players.

I also really appreciate that they give us some idea on why something is receiving erratta. It makes it much easier to swallow if you understand where the designers are coming from.

[Xabulba]

I wish WotC would release the errata in a size and format you could print it on a decal like a mailing label so you can stick them in place them over the text to be corrected.

[Matthew Koelbl]

Xabulba wrote:

I wish WotC would release the errata in a size and format you could print it on a decal like a mailing label so you can stick them in place them over the text to be corrected.

Well, the new method of releasing errata sorta does that - the updates includes both the change itself, the reason for the change, and a complete version of the new power/feat/etc in the proper format. So you could take that last part and make it into a decal, potentially. Not as easily as if they put them all on one page designed for such printing, but the info is there if needed.

[Stefan Hill]

Xabulba wrote:

I wish WotC would release the errata in a size and format you could print it on a decal like a mailing label so you can stick them in place them over the text to be corrected.

Yep Matt is right, a colour printer and glue stick and your books are all up to date in one handy place (i.e. the book).

S.