Official 4ed Forgotten Realms Thread Spoilers and discussion

kevashna · Post by **kevashna** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:16 am

Here's a scan from the Grand History of the Realms book giving a summary of what happens lore-wise in the years leading up to the spellplague or whatever, if anyone was wondering: http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/93/crapwd5.jpg

coach · Post by **coach** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:24 am

WotC trying to banish canon so the MMO ADHDcrowd that they seek to buy product won't have to actually digest history, just kill the next boss monster

Danubus wrote: I dont appreciate the comparrison of those of us who play MMOs to having ADHD. I think you know me well enough to know I can roleplay with the best of them. I agree that WOTC is dumbing the game down to be more mainstream and also to get people to play the online version of the game. It will be like NWN but be "official" from WoTC.

we all play MMO's Dan, and it sure as heck aint to roleplay, it is to kill somethin, and then somethin else, and then somethin else

if you take a backhanded comment to the overall general dumbing down of DnD and somehow make it personal, i can't help that

the WotC guys themselves have said some of the changes are because the "new generation" is thrown off by the large amount of history they have to learn to play

i.e. they don't want to read, they want to kill and kill now

coach · Post by **coach** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:35 am

amar, i am surprised you haven't said anything about them nuking Halruaa

and i am not exaggerating by using the word nuking

the entire country blew up, probably like 100 nukes, blew Chult off the peninsula and an entire nation of DIVINERS didn't see it coming and were annihilated ... what a stupid story

Kest · Post by **Kest** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:43 am

I don't see where different combat mechanics is a cause of concern for roleplaying. Mechanics are mechanics.

Yeah the Halruaa thing is retarded, as is the Maztica thing. They just didn't want to bother with the advances that could have been made over one hundred years.

Lusipher · Post by **Lusipher** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:45 am

So whats happening to our favorite Goddess? I havent the slightest idea or heard anything about her. I imagine we wont know till the FRCS but I was wondering what you heard. I read that Dragonborn hate true Dragons so thats an interesting angle. Im sure Tiamat wont like that very well, but was curious as to how Bahamut might also deal with it. Ive heard people are making Dragonborn Paladins etc and Im just curious who they will worship.

Lusipher · Post by **Lusipher** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:51 am

we all play MMO's Dan, and it sure as heck aint to roleplay, it is to kill somethin, and then somethin else, and then somethin else

I disagree. Although I dont roleplay in MMOs I know a lot of people who actually do roleplay in MMOs. They have meetings, events, and make back story for why they are going to do something inside a MMO game. My only issue with what you said is you akin MMO players to people who cant hold their attention but only one thing. Its absurd. I know many doctors, lawyers, and other professionals who play MMOs and can distinguish between Killfest and roleplaying. Those type of games are what you make out of them even though they are designed to be a leveling treadmill and conquer monster X fest.

I dont mind that they have made only 4 or so basic classes now. Its more accessible to many gamers without having to spend countless hours going over a lot of material just to get a game started. I dont think thats a bad thing, really.

Amar · Post by **Amar** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:06 am

coach wrote:amar, i am surprised you haven't said anything about them nuking Halruaa

and i am not exaggerating by using the word nuking

the entire country blew up, probably like 100 nukes, blew Chult off the peninsula and an entire nation of DIVINERS didn't see it coming and were annihilated ... what a stupid story

Forgotten Realms is a monster. It is so steeped in mile upon mile of lore and elements that it is encumbering itself.

FR needed to be nuked. (from a marketing and development standpoint).

I understand why they fucked with the world so much. It was to clean it up.

Mikayla · Post by **Mikayla** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:22 am

I just finished running my first combat under the new rules. Its alright. It went slow because I am just learning the rules, but I suppose the new interesting thing is that each PC has a range of options to choose from. No longer does the fighter just hack away with the same attack every time - here, the fighter has a range of "At Will" attacks it can make, an "Encounter" power (usable once per encounter) and a "Daily" power (usable once per approximate day - takes a long rest of 6+ hours to restore).

The combat went as thus:

The kobolds ambushed the party of 5 (dwarf fighter, halfling rogue, tiefling warlock, dragonborn paladin and half-elf cleric). The kobold minions threw javlins, wounding the dwarf. Then the kobold melee fighters jumped in and attacked the dwarf. Various abilities began to pop up (the kobold melee fighters "marked" the dwarf for example). Very quickly things got ugly so the cleric used his one-time-a-day power to harm all the enemies in a burst and heal all allies in a burst.

The dwarf used a special strike, which would have done massive damage, but missed. The rogue moved in and by flanking, got sneak attack damage and used an At-Will power to up the damage more. The warlock laid a curse on one of the kobolds increasing the damage the kobold took from each eldritch blast. The Paladin used a strike which (if I remember it right) not only damaged the enemy, but allowed an ally to heal. Then the dwarf did a sweeping strike and knocked an enemy down. The rogue did a special strike and moved one of the kobolds back 3 squares.

And so on and so on until the kobolds were all dead. In the end, the PCs used about 1/5 of their healing surges (a healing surge is = to 1/4 your normal hit points - you can use it to heal yourself ONE time during an encounter, but can use multiple times between encounters, to your maximum, which generally between 7 and 12 times per day). Two of the PCs also used their Daily power. So, all told, the party used about 1/5 of its expendable powers and was fully ready to move on.

So, I guess in summary, the new combat system does what they say - it allows parties to keep going if they win, preventing the stop-start rhythym of the old version. So thats a plus.

coach · Post by **coach** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:23 am

AmarSldstill wrote:
coach wrote:amar, i am surprised you haven't said anything about them nuking Halruaa

and i am not exaggerating by using the word nuking

the entire country blew up, probably like 100 nukes, blew Chult off the peninsula and an entire nation of DIVINERS didn't see it coming and were annihilated ... what a stupid story
Forgotten Realms is a monster. It is so steeped in mile upon mile of lore and elements that it is encumbering itself.

FR needed to be nuked. (from a marketing and development standpoint).

I understand why they f*cked with the world so much. It was to clean it up.

*whispers* slowly back away, they got amar too

Grand Fromage · Post by **Grand Fromage** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:34 am

I've never cared about the rules much, so whatever--the canon changes are awesome though. FR had gotten stale as all hell; post-apocalyptic Faerun is a much more interesting place.

MShady · Post by **MShady** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:41 am

Having spent a couple hours nosing around the Candlekeep forum compared to what I've read about the system, it makes me a little sad.

It sounds like a much better gaming system, in a sense. You are very hard pressed to find a positive review of the 4E changes to Faerun.

That said, 4E might be well suited to ALFA.

Huh?

The points of lightish concept means fewer developed areas remain so we could get by with fewer servers representing a larger percentage of Faerun.

Could be attractive if what was left didn't feel like a child came through and smashed everything nice in the place...

ElCadaver · Post by **ElCadaver** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:48 am

kevashna wrote:Here's a scan from the Grand History of the Realms book giving a summary of what happens lore-wise in the years leading up to the spellplague or whatever, if anyone was wondering: http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/93/crapwd5.jpg

So if ALFA converts to 4e, all arcane spellcasters mush make a fortitude and will check against insanity, or their brains boil and leak out their ears.... would make ALFA totally post apocalyptic!

ThinkTank · Post by **ThinkTank** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:52 pm

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:06 pm

Danubus wrote:
we all play MMO's Dan, and it sure as heck aint to roleplay, it is to kill somethin, and then somethin else, and then somethin else
I disagree. Although I dont roleplay in MMOs I know a lot of people who actually do roleplay in MMOs.

Or then, there is this guy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-rl3RPC_Mw

Magile · Post by **Magile** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:50 pm

Mayhem wrote:
Danubus wrote:
we all play MMO's Dan, and it sure as heck aint to roleplay, it is to kill somethin, and then somethin else, and then somethin else
I disagree. Although I dont roleplay in MMOs I know a lot of people who actually do roleplay in MMOs.
Or then, there is this guy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-rl3RPC_Mw

I love that, by the way. If only horses were worth it (they will be once their run speed/stamina is buffed next patch). Oh well, more gold to the guild city.