what do ya'll think bout it ? I tried it out for the 1st time today playing a warlock. I couldnt help saying fwoosh hafl a dozen times lol

If it's not in videogame form, I don't care. I stopped playing PnP years ago.

Any games that are going to be using 4th edition? I have heard NwN2:SoZ won't be 4th edition.

The first fourth edition video games will be along in three to five years, depending on when somebody starts a new D&D game.

Basically, if production started before fourth edition, it'll still be 3.5.

maybe i'll give it a try when i'm home on leave next. the last time i played DnD was when 2nd first came out.

Not very impressed with 4th edition. 3.5 is still working fine for my group.

What the Tiefling said
Especially since I just got a new group together at uni and I got myself a new asskicking Tiefling

I think the lack of impressiveness is more to do with a lack of familiarity than anything else. I remember hearing the same kinds of grumbles in the 2nd to 3rd transition.

3.5 is certainly workable but it's not without its problems. It's just that people are already used to the limitations and pitfalls there.

My regular group just started trying out 4th Edition a couple of weeks ago. I was initially reluctant, having that "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mindset for 3.5. Well, that and the idea of buying MORE books just because WoTC decided to throw their old system to the wind as it does every so often.. ad making all my hard-bought 3.5's useless.

That being said, now that I have had a chance to play a couple of sessions, my view is changing. It IS a totally different game, no bones about it. There are some things I like about it so far though:

1- It is possible to heal yourself. (Thought it was hokey to begin with, but its nice not to feel like you NEED a cleric, and its not an overpowering ability)
2- How much you heal is based off YOUR character, not the spell. So now there is ONE type of heal spell/potion, etc. It heals for a set amount, based off a number that is 1/4 of your HP. No more going "AW $&%^#& I rolled a ONE for my heal spell!!". (And pretty much everyone starts with a LOT more HP than before, so no dying from tripping over a stick if yer a wizard)
3- 1st lvl magic using classes are no longer useless 2 minutes into the fight. At 1st lvl, every class has 2 spells/abilities it uses at will. No more casting 1 spell and going "Well, that's it for the 4 HP wizard, have fun guys!". You basicly start with 2 "as much as you like" spells, 1 "1 per encounter" spell, and 1 "once a day" spell.
4- The classes and their abilities play off each other MUCH better. Plus, there aren't 400 of them to pick from. You feel like a team when in battle, not X number of seperate classes who do their own thing.
5- These ain't yo momma's kobolds! There are now "boss" type mobs, and minions. Minion kobolds, same ol thing, couple of HP, total pushover.. but, we ran across a "dragon shaman" kobold that damn near killed 4 of us, and was getting ready to use a breath weapon before we seperated him from his head.
6- WAY less skills to mess with. There's about 15 total, and they function like "skill trees" encompassing many possibilities. Also, you have passive spot/listen type skills. So, less dice rolling for every tiny thing. If its below your passive skill, you just saw/heard/spotted it, period.
7- Armor Class/saves/attacks improve with levels. Yes, even casters. The idea is that you're getting smarter or better in combat, depending on what your particular charcter's forte` is. So, your INT or Dex plays into your AC now, instead of being stuck in cloth, and hoping for some uber-leet magic gear to move beyond feeling like your character is swathed in tissue paper forever.

All in all, as much as I hated to admit it, I'm liking it. It has moments of feeling a little "video-game-ish" at times, but so far its really growing on me.
Ok.. post.. long.. shut up now.

I think there coming out with versians too fast. I still play 2nd edition and it seams great.

I applaud a lot of the changes in 4, as I do the 3rd edition changes. I do not miss THAC0 one bit. Ever tried explaining THAC0 to someone who never played the game before? It just comes across as nonsense.

yes, it was strange.

Ah, see? This is what's different about pen and paper games.

Those books still work. It's not like an MMO that had support withdrawn from it, those books will work forever. Every bit as valid as the new stuff and the old stuff.


That's probably because they took inspiration from video games. There's no other source of entertainment that focuses on anything remotely similar to the old style RPG. Video games have got some of it very right.


Yeah, it's still viable. Like I said earlier, it's not undoing the old things, it's simply giving you new things.

yah but trying to swich a charachter from 2nd edition to 4 th might be a challange. I stick to 2nd edition but I will try 3rd or 4th givin the opertunity

You can technically convert them from 2 to 3 to 3.5 to 4. I find that in systems management, multi-version migrations sucks though.

"Technically" converting from one version to another is possible.... but likely a severe pain in the ass. 4th Edition so far has VERY little similarities to 3.5 even. They've really given it a total overhaul. LIke i said, I was reluctant, but now I'm liking it the omre I play it. I think the big thing is, that casters aren't almost useless after 2-3 spells in a day, and that the classes actually work TOGETHER, instead of bieng "I'm a warrior, and I'm gonna go over here and do my thing, and you stand back and do your thing, and those people will do theirs". The abiilties don't necessarily NEED anyone else to work, but with some crative thinking, yo ucan make some of the class abilities you choose work in context to enhance each other. makes it seem more "team-like" instead of being a mish-mash of individuals.

I have never played D&D but I have always wanted to get into it. How do you get into D&D?

I wish I could play DnD. We have a few people interested, but none of us have enough common time lately and to get enough players for it to be fun we'd have to include someone we're extremely reluctant to include (Due to his attitude/personality) That and we're missing a good DM

You can have a good game of D&D with two people. You don't need a big group.

Three is good, four is starting to get to the edge of fun and if you have five you'll want a very good DM if you want it to get anywhere. As for getting into it, find a likeminded friend and mess about. It doesn't have to be a serious thing and if the rules are intimidating, start with a different system.

The Unisystem (found in the Buffy and Angel RPGs, and probably a few other places) is a really good one to begin with because it doesn't focus on the rules so much as the story-telling. The rules in a game like D&D are a lot of fun - Shadowrun shows that - but it's often easier to play a system without so many until you're used to the idea.

Well, if there's a gaming/comic store near you, that's a good place to start. You might end up with a bunch of random freaks, but you might end up with a cool bunch of people just having fun. Usually places that specialize in games/comics have some inside track in a way, they may know of local groups that would be open to new players. My suggestion would be, stop in, ask someone like a manager or owner if they know of any local groups, and try and get in contact with them. Can't say its a guaranteed, but it's a place to start. Or, check the net.. there may be a group near you with some sort of contact info like an e-mail addy you can drop a line to. GG Google!

Maybe it's just around me but the local game store is where you go to get the manuals, not to play. Then again, a few years ago owner ship changed and they became strict about bad closing hours (which is why the magic players never go anymore and the friday night tournament doesn't exist anymore.)

To me DnD is more of a group game than just 2 people, if we were to play we'd want a minimum of 3 players + 1 DM. unfortunately with the numbers of friends here and not seeking out strangers we'd hit that one guy again >.> Then again, I don't know why we haven't considered finding strangers to take part in the area, maybe we'd find a decent DM.

I wasn't saying to go play there... just that they MAY know of people in the area that run games, or are looking for people who do. It never hurts to ask if tey might know of anyone.. worst tey can say is no, but they'd be the best people to know who's buying the books and stuff, since those people are usually regulars. I'd say its yer best bet.. since you don't have a DM, and it sounds like your pool of potential players is tapped out. I know the gaming place where I m actually has a corkboard up so people can put stuff up when they are looking for players, or looking for a group that runs a certain game. Super handy. If nothing else, talk to someone at the game shop about that idea... it encourages people to stop in more often, which is good for them.. in theory.

i kinda think they are coming out with new editions too fast, people can't get used to 1 edition without another on its heels

The majority of my D&D books, and manuals are first edition from 1976-78. Dragons with only 250 hps, lol.

my group is still having some problems with the new changes but we all agree they are for the best

How many years does it take for you to grasp the basics? Really?

Let's say you play for one hour every week. Considering that the majority of the game - however you play - is repetition of the same types of tasks, you learn the majority of the things you need in a few weeks.

And at no point are you forced to actually update. Complaining about them making new editions is like complaining that Hollywood churns out too many movies. It's not like you have to watch/play them.

Too fast? 3.5 has been out for some years now, since 2003. Hopefully this new system will avoid them feeling the need to crank out bazillions of classes and variants and, and, and.. and keep things simplified a bit.

One may only hope

They were responding to what their audience asked for.

And like I've said a dozen times, any and all books they release are optional to each and every playgroup. It's not like the Wizards of the Coast secret police are going to kick down your door and start arresting people if you decide not to use parts of it.

I still play 3.5- i was actually at a tournament wit ha few friends where they gave us a bunch of promotional stuff and a 4.0 figure. Im more for the collecting myself than i am the playing. But its put a serious dent in my wallet, ive been broke ever since my last purchases. SPent nearly 140$ on figures with birthday money. Id like to get back into it, but 4.0 would require buying all the new books, learning the skills. Converting/destroying your favorite charachters. Rebuilding your set ups. Converting the old stuff. Its just way to much work. Collecting suits me well enough, and i play casual if ive got a few friends over.