My Campaign Primer is still valid for Fourth Edition. There is still some notes on conversions with Race and Class to be made.
COMMON RACES
Dwarf: The Dwarves are three clans. The third clan are made up of Deurgar. Aside from cosmetic differences, there is no difference between Dwarves and Deurgar that I can see. Use regular Dwarf Stats in the PHB for all of them.
Eladrin: Although there are five tribes of Elves; only two of them -- the Eladrin and the Desert Elves; affect Phoenicia. However, the Eladrin are split into two groups -- the Pelasgiri Eladrin or High Eladrin, and the Massalian Eladrin.
The Massalian Eladrin (pictured on the Left) hate the Pelasgiri Eladrin (pictured in your Player's Handbook) for invading ancestral lands and enslaving their people. Based in the colony of Massalia, the Eladrin (then called the Fair Eladrin) have been fighting the Pelasgiri Eladrin ever since; mostly in naval battles.
Recently, an invasion of trolls into Massalia have killed a majority of the Massalian Eladrin population and destroyed their fount of magic. This was absolutely the last straw. Looking for more magic, the Massalian Eladrin made a pact with Fiends, and now have returned seemingly stronger.
If you are playing a Pelasgiri Eladrin, use the stats in the PHB. If you are playing a Massalian Eladrin, then here are your stats:
RACIAL TRAITS Average Height: 5' 5" - 6' 1" Average Weight: 130 - 180 lbs (59 - 82 kg)
Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence Size: Medium Speed: Six squares Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Massalian (its a Conceit that all elves know the same language, duh!) Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 Insight Massalian Education: You gain training in one additional skill selected from the skill list in Chapter 5 of the PHB. Massalian Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the Double Scimitar (see Eberron Player's Guide, page 95) Eladrin Will: Same as Eladrin Will in the PHB. Fey Origin: Same as fey origin in the PHB. Trance: Same as trance in the PHB. Arcane Torrent: you can use Arcane Torrent as a daily power.
Arcane Torrent Massalian Eladrin Racial Power A Massalian Elf can release a torrent of powerful arcane energy, effectively stunning those around him.
Daily * Arcane, Force, Implement Free Action Close burst 3 Target: Each creature in blast Attack: Intelligence vs. AC Hit: 1 [W] + Intelligence modifier damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Gnomes: See your Monstrous Manual or the Player's Handbook 2. No changes.
Half Elves and Half-Orcs: No Change.
Halflings: See the PHB, no changes from the Campaign Primer.
Humans: No changes from the Primer, see the PHB if you want to play a human.
MINOR RACES
Elan and Maenads: The Elans and Maenads don't exist in the Printed Word of Fourth Edition (though they are probably on the DDI). Therefore, if you want to play an Elan, you play a Kalashtar. Kalashtars may have +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma or +2 Intelligence for stats. See the Eberron Player's Guide pg. 30 on how to create a Kalashtar. Desert Elves: The Desert Elves use Elf Stats in the PHB except for one major change. Wild Step racial trait is replaced with the Desert Hardiness trait. As discussed below: Desert Hardiness: the Desert Elves gain a +4 racial bonus on fortitude saving throws made to resist the effects of hot weather.
Half-Giants: Half-Giants are replaced by the Goliaths found in Player's Handbook 2.
NPC RACES:
Aasimar: As far as I know, these aren't detailed in any 4e book according to the printed word. Tieflings: As the PHB. Tieflings of Massalian Eladrin origin are Fey'ri. Orcs: Per the Monstrous Manual. Type Orc and do a search on orcs in this blog, and you find a great many words devoted to their culture in respect to Phoenicia. Elves, Dark: As the Monstrous Manual. The Unwanted: Goblins are the only things statted up for Race use.
CLASSES
The Following Classes are allowed -- Player's Handbook
Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock, Warlord, and Wizard.
Player's Handbook 3
Ardent, Battlemind, Athlete (monk), Psion, Runepriest, and Seeker.
In your campaign, you can allow other classes from the other Player's Handbooks and the DDI. In my campaign, I only have the Player's Handbook, PHB3, and the Eberron Player's Guide. I don't have a DDI subscription. So there are no exceptions! There you go.
A new mother goddess for your Drow without the Insanity of being counted as Wizards of the Coast's intellectual property. This is Nott, the Lady of the Night, and the Mother of the Drow. Appearing in a series of Campaign Adventures I'm writing for Pathfinder, Nott can be used for your Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition games as well as your Pathfinder games.
Nott is from Norse Mythology, brought to life by Tony Puryear. She is the goddess of the Night, and in Tony's Stories, she tempts Tyr -- the God of War. In Adventures of Terre, to the Drow she is the Mother Goddess. The Mother of their kind, much like Lolth is in the Dungeons and Dragons world.
D&D 4th Edition Statistics: Unaligned Area of Influence: Night, Civilization, Beauty, Arcane Magic (drow)
OGL Section 15:
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based onmaterial by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams. The Book of Experimental Might. Copyright 2008, Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved. Tome of Horrors. Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: Scott Greene, with Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and Bill Webb; Advanced Player's Guide. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn. Paizo Blog. Copyright 2011, Paizo Publishing, LCC; Author: James Jacobs. Nott: An Adventures in Terre Preview. ♡2011 by Elton Robb; Author: Elton Robb. Copying Art is an act of love. Love is not subject to law.
Based on original content from TSR.
I figured I should produce stats for Handsome and Sampson. Using these two characters in your game, you have to remember their idiosyncrasies when used in a 4e campaign. And against other characters. They are typically "henchmen" for your boss and will work well in an Eberron campaign or any other steampunk campaign were the Queen is Queen of the British Empire.
Handsome Eberron:Handsome d'Cannith
Handsome is Handsome not because he is handsome but because he works with his hands. He builds gadgets, machines, and contraptions. All of his fighting ability is tied to his gadgets, machines, and contraptions. He doesn't use his powers unless absolutely necessary. When he does use his powers, they come to him in a Flash -- like Chuck Bartowski in "Chuck." There is a 20% chance he'll flash and use a power when he is in a desperate situation. Healing surges also come in a Flash like in "Chuck." But he usually surges off camera.
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 210 lbs.
Hair Color: Dark Brown, short
Eyes: Brown
Steampunk Style: Fedora, dark glasses, yellow bow tie, black dress shirt, white dress coat, white pants, white dress shoes, gadgets.
Eberron Style: White robe, dark glasses, black shirt, khaki pants, gadgets, white sandals.
Personality: Helpful, inventive, and loyal to his boss.
Alignment: (Neutral) Good.
4th Ed. Stats
Level 3 Artificer(Eberron Player's Guide) Role: Follower (Leader) Stats: St 9, Dex 14, Con 11, Int. 16, Wis 14, Cha 12 Hp: 28, Healing Surges: 1 (flashes off camera) AC: 12 (+2 dex) Defenses: Reflex +3 Weapon Proficiency: Gadgets, Vehicles Armor Proficiency: Cloth Trained Skills: Arcana, Insight, Inventing, Knowledge (House Cannith) (note: in a Steampunk game, replace two skills with skills acceptable for a steampunk campaign). Powers: All at-will, encounter, and daily powers are the result of a Chuck styled flash. They have a 20% chance of occuring during any encounter with him (roll 1d20, on a result of 1 to 5, he flashes and uses an Artificer power). Utility Powers are a part of his character and he doesn't need to flash to use them. at Will: Aggravating Force Encounter Power: Lightning Sphere Daily Power: Obedient Servant Utility Power: Use Magic Item
Notable Weapons: Color Spray Bazooka (low level): This gadget fires a color spray of brilliance 3 times/encounter. Flame-thrower(mid-level): This gadget throws a gout of flame comparable to fire burst 3 times/encounter. Plasma Cannon (High level): This gadget releases an electrical discharge comparable to a lightning sigil 3 times/encounter.
Steam Tank
Built by Handsome, the steam tank has a top speed of 45 miles per hour and has 230 hit points. Its hull is reinforced steel (steel plating, AC 15). The Steam Tank is capable of shooting shells that can penetrate Mithril armor plating on other vehicles, but not Adamantine/Adamantium. The tank is a prototype so it's barrel only offers +0 to hit. In Eberron, the Engine is powered by a bound Air Elemental. The shells explode as a Wizard's fireball and the tank carries 5 of them per encounter.
Sampson Eberron:Sampson
Sampson is impossibly strong, but he hides his muscles under his clothes. He fights barehanded and doesn't use weapons. Like Handsome, his powers come to him in a Chuck-styled flash -- usually when his life is in danger. Also like Handsome, he flashes 20% of the time. He has healing surges, but he surges subsconsciously. He also surges off camera.
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 240 lbs (3% body fat)
Hair: Light brown, short.
Eyes: Baby blue
Steampunk Style: Fedora, dark glasses, pink bow tie, black dress shirt, white dress coat, white pants, white dress shoes.
Eberron Style: Chain shirt, Chain Helmet, white sandals, white cape.
Personality: Vain, Helpful, loyal to his boss, has a Teutonic accent.
Alignment: Lawful Good
4th Ed. Stats:
Level 3 Fighter Role: Follower (Defender) Abilities: Str 30, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 13 Hp: 30 Defenses: Fort +15 Weapon Proficiency: Boxing (Unarmed Strike +15) Armor Proficiency: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, scale; light shield, heavy shield Trained Skills: Athletics, Endurance
Powers:All utility, encounter, and daily exploits are activated by a Chuck like "flash" which has a 20% chance of occurring. Sampson may use his at-will exploits at any time. At-Will Powers: Sure Strike Encounter Power: Crushing Blow Daily Power: Comeback Strike Utility Power: Unstoppable
The game is different, yes DIFFERENT, from regular D&D. Uhm, what I did was ignore the rules considering miniatures. But everything about the has changed in the playtest, and the best way to learn the game is to actually JUMP in and DM it. Strangely, a rules lawyer is nice to have with a DM whose willing to try out the system.
Okay, I don't like 4th Edition. That's all I've got to say on the matter. I ~don't~ like it. Maybe it was my lack of preparation, but I quickly made up some stock characters to throw at the PCs. The way I run things, I tend to run with a lot of improvisation, and you can't do improv on this game and look successful to your peers.
The thing is, the stock characters came out of Nadia: the Secret of Blue Water. One of my players made the rival to her character, and all I can see is Grandis Granva from Nadia. So I gave her two henchmen.
Grandis Granva as Kyli
Handsome and Sampson. Handsome is an Artificer and his true combat ability lies in his ability to construct Steampunk machines, gadgets (like his Color Spray Bazooka), and other things. Sampson is -- well -- STRONG! Impossibly strong, about as strong as Hercules (see my notes on how Hercules and Sampson might be the same). Sampson relies on his strength, while Handsome relies on his inventiveness.
It kinda sucked.
Number one: the game doesn't have a way to explain how inventions are invented, how they are constructed, and how they work.
Number two: A STRONG guy doesn't have a chance against the PCs. At level 1, the PCs are over powered, so I need to stat these people out so I know what their exploits are (yep, their underpowered). Handsome still relies on machines, so if he has to deal with someone without his machines or gadgets, he generally and rudely tells them to leave.
I.e. the players had fun, I didn't. The game kind of flies in the face of improv. I can't improv without making an NPC stat so that the NPC will be up to par to the PCs. It's kind of a let down, really. You basically had to do the same with 3.x and Pathfinder, but at least you can get away with the improv.
The Best parts of the game were:
Handsome's Color Spray Bazooka. I thought of a fire ball throwing bazooka but changed it to throw a spray of dazzling colors. Color Spray isn't a Wizard or Artificer power.
Handsome's tank, the Kyli, driving at the same speed as an Orien Lightning Rail and blowing a hole in the side of one of the Lightning Rail coaches. Oh, and the fact that it's steam engine can generate AC electric power to power the tank.
First things first, there is something I don't like about 4th Edition that makes creating characters extremely limited. Apparently, the dearth listing of skills. We ran into this when we created characters using Paul Jaquay's "Heroes of Legend" book to create some very detailed characters. The players started rolling some really unusual skills in 4th Edition.
One of these happened to be Gourmet Cooking. How would gourmet cooking fit in 4th Edition D&D? Well, it doesn't. There's no skill for it. So, we invented all sorts of skills to cover the unusual skill set. Skills such as inventing. D&D 4e is extremely limited, apparently when you create characters with "Heroes of Legend" for 4th Edition, you run into something that sucks.
Lack of skills
Class specific powers
Lack of customizability
Being limited by the books, one of my players complained about me not allowing the assassin. I had a big beef with that. Because in Rolemaster (Fantasy Roleplaying and the Standard System) an Assassin is represented by choosing skills -- usually for a Magent, Rogue, or Thief. When you try to create interesting characters, 4th Edition creates some walls with its design philosophy. As a GM, I had to make some house rules on the spot. Right now, it's expanding the skill set to accommodate usual skill choices. And this is the first time I'm getting ready to play 4th Edition as the DM.
Dungeon Master: Fear Not. Ranger, Barbarian, Magician, Thief, Cavalier, and Acrobat!
Shelia: Who was that?
Dungeon Master: Venger, the force of Evil. I am Dungeon Master, your guide through the Realm of Dungeons and Dragons!
WANTED!:
One Creative person who is willing to spend countless hours designing a campaign, preparing player guides, and showing one to five other people a good time. Must be social, must be enthusiastic, must be willing to be able to give such a group some free nights of Entertainment. Storytelling talents are a must!
So, are you ready to take on a thankless job or a rewarding role of play? Are you ready to spend countless hours running possibly one to five people through dungeons and realms of adventure? Are you ready to teach people effective teamwork in an activity of creative, co-operative storytelling? Can you adjudicate rules? Can you yell at and stand up to Rules Lawyers? Are you enthusiastic about creating a moving setting to move your players through?
Are you ready to be the Dungeon Master(tm)?
If so, you might want to take a look at Gamemaster Law, Gamemastery, Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering, or the various Dungeon Master's Guides, which this review focuses on one -- the 4th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide. With this book, James Wyatt hopes to stand with the writers and other sages of Game Mastering. Well, lets take a look at this guide.
CHAPTER 1. HOW TO BE A DM.
Here, James Wyatt explains what the Dungeons and Dragons game (any edition, or really any roleplaying game) really is: a fundamentally cooperative game between two or more players. He also explains the job, or joy, of what a Dungeon Master is. He goes into what you need to play, although the DM really needs is
* His imagination and the players' imaginations.
* Dice.
* Paper and Pencils.
The rest are all useful additions to the craft and truly superfluous. Oh yeah, you need fun. But then, all of you supply that.
So, the next section is on the Players.
James Wyatt goes into a zodiac of players. He explains that players tend to fall into certain types: Actors, Explorers, Instigators, Power Gamers (which the 4th Edition PHB is written for), Slayers, Storytellers, Thinkers, and the people who just sit on the sidelines watching and getting entertained by the active players and you.
Each player type is discussed in detail, and what their habits are according to James Wyatt's experience at Dungeon Mastering. Now each player type represents a stereotype, and it's my experience that each player has a little bit of every type inside them. But certain personality types can heavily gravitate to one type one day, and be another type another day. So, I stress that these are just based on observations and no one player is exclusively one type consistently.
He then goes into party building. He does tell you what happens if a certain type is missing. But that is for your information only, and as a DM, it is your job to be flexible. If the party doesn't cover all the roles, then change the adventure to accommodate the party. Either alter your adventure, or use a different adventure, or change the story.
The chapter also goes into party background and campaign details, when to use character backgrounds (and if they are extremely detailed, you have a lot of material to use), and what kind of style you are looking for.
My current campaign, For Queen and Country! is set in the Forgotten Realms in the United Kingdom of the Moonshaes and borrows it's tone and feel from King Arthur and Ivanhoe. Which means, I'm running Medieval Fantasy with some Anachronisms. I am also using Rolemaster Fantasy Roleplaying. But the whole game is run like a T.V. Show. So you could say that my campaign is a gritty, Anachronistic, Medieval fantasy that is quite serious.
He then goes into several types of games. He then lays down some rules he uses at the table. That doesn't mean you have to adopt them all, or throw them all out, or you don't have your own rules. This last part of this chapter is necessarily subjective.
CHAPTER 2. Running the Game
In Chapter 2, James Wyatt explains what it takes to run the game. Specifically Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition, generally the rules apply to any game. The advice on Preparing and Getting Started is definitely from James Wyatt's experience. These two sections apply to any game. So does the discussion of the modes of the game. There are points on narration and storytelling: including leading by example, brevity, atmosphere, and style. Even pacing and props are given consideration. In fact, the whole chapter is useful for GMs of any game, or any edition of Dungeons and Dragons. It's all general advice and very good advice.
Chapter 3. Combat Encounters
The real mechanics of the game, save the PHB only, is in chapter 3, combat encounters. Still, some of the advice here can be used by GMs of all games. Strangely enough, you could almost call this chapter "CHARTMONSTER" since this chapter has all the charts needed to adjudicate the game and combat encounters and special situations. Everything from listening to a door to flying to disease has a chart that accompanies it. I don't know about you, but Rolemaster might have a run for it's money as to which game has the most charts.
Chapter 4. Building Encounters.
Okay, this chapter is 4th Edition specific, but also useful for other games. It has advice on monster roles, artillery, how controlers work, brutes, minions and most everything else. Stuff that is 4e specific are XP rewards, how they work, and several encounter templates. Although the information in the encounter templates can be used by any GM for any game, the game mechanics aspect are all 4th Edition.
James also gives you a lot of encounter settings. From the most interesting areas to terrain features, to the most difficult terrain. Also, something called an encounter script is included. This chapter shows the Dungeon Master how to build an encounter and it does it brilliantly.
Chapter 5. Non Combat Encounters
These rules deal with 4th Edition as far as skill challenges go and gives general advice about puzzles and and traps. Chapter 5 isn't particularly useful to GMs of other games, however the advice is still sound. The chapter teaches the DM how to deal with Skill Challenges, Puzzles, and Traps and Hazards. In fact, examples how skill challenges work and how the DM works with them is provided. There is even an example of play (although the players participating in it aren't actors. *smiles* )
James draws on his experience with using puzzles in his games. Although not all adventures should have them. A puzzle is a device that isn't as important as the skill change. Or should I say that overuse of puzzles in your adventures -- unless you are playing an espionage game -- will lead to them losing their savor.
Traps and Hazards are important in gaming, and James talks about this at length. They break up the action and provide danger of a different kind instead of the monstrous or the villainous. Traps may be natural, the result of deteriorating architecture, or deliberately set by your villain to catch your PCs. However, in the case of Benedict and Beatrice, the women and menfolk lay a different kind of trap than what you would design for the PCs.
Several traps exist: blasters, lurkers, obstacles, warders, and elite and solo traps. Then James goes into length about how to use them.
Chapter 6. Adventures
This is the chapter that teaches you how to build and modify your adventures. There are several books that go indepth on this very subject. Some are esoteric, some are straight forward. But this chapter provides the Dungeon Master with indepth information about them, especially if you are starting out. With this chapter, unless you are looking into storycrafting or going into the subject indepth; it's pretty much contains everything you need.
James goes into published adventures, fixing certain problems, and building them. He even talks about quests, encounter mixes, and world building. All of this is great information for the DM and the GM of a Non-D&D RPG.
Chapter 7. Rewards.
This chapter is all about awarding experience points. This is 4th Edition specific so if you use another system, your mileage may vary.
Chapter 8. Campaigns
One word. WORLD BUILDING. This one chapter is all about world building. Published Campaigns, Campaign themes, Super-Adventures (or Adventure Paths), campaign stories, beginning a campaign, running one, and ending one. Very good advice is in this book, but again, to really get into the craft of building and running campaigns there are many books on world building and you can ask the advice of other Gamemasters on how to run campaigns. This chapter is useful to the novice and can point you in the right direction on honing your craft.
Chapter 9. The World.
This chapter deals with a default world. Like the Known Realm of the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon as an example. The default world makes certain assumptions. However, you don't have to use the Default world at all. Chapter 8, Campaigns; is written before this one for a reason. Chapter 9 only gives you an example of such a world for use in D&D or any Fantasy RPG. This part of the book also talks about artifacts specific to that world.
Chapter 10. The DM's Toolbox
This is your chapter about using everything you know to customize your adventure. Customizing monsters, creating monsters, creating NPCs, Creating House Rules, Random Dungeons, and Random Encounters. This chapter is about customizing D&D 4e within its framework. Of course, remember rule 0, the DM trumps all rules. You can take away framework, change the scaffolding, and make additions. This chapter shows you how.
Chapter 11. Fallcrest.
This chapter offers a sample adventure to get you started. I've never run it, although don't trust me to run it with 4e. The DM's guide ends, thankfully, with an index, something for your miniatures, some other things you may find useful, and the obligatory advert for D&D Insider.
I never used D&D Insider myself and I don't feel it's worth my time as a DM to use.
MY JUDGEMENT
The DM's Guide, 4th edition, is the strongest of the 3 core books for 4th Edition roleplaying. I wholly recommend that you add it to your library as a good reference for the craft. There is a lot for you to use, even if you play GURPS, Rolemaster, King Arthur Pendragon, or countless other games. James Wyatt has done a good job sharing his experience.
The substance is excellent, since this is one book I would buy for my private collection. The book I am reviewing is my cousin's copy. Secondly, the style is only average. I'd dare say that Wizards of the Coast could have used a multiplicity of art styles to dress their book in. Photographs from the D&D movie, Computer Generated 3D illustrations, Paintings from DMG 2nd Edition, and the like along with the current cartoony illustrations would have made for an excellent styled book.
It's a book on Gamemastery as a whole, I say, make it look like such.
THIS REVIEW is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 U.S. License, except for the Videos and two photos, which are used under the doctrine of Fair Use and for the purpose of Review.
Videos used for the purposes of this review, and thus under the doctrine of Fair Use:
1. [i]Dungeons and Dragons: The Last Illusion, pt. 1. Marvel Productions, overseen by E. Gary Gygax.
2. Kenneth Branagh's Henry V ; The Battle of Agincourt, part 1.
3. Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing; Beatrice and Benedict entrapped.
Photos used are for the purposes of this review, and thus under the doctrine of Fair Use:
1. The Dungeon Master (Source: Dungeons and Dragons cartoon).
2. The Chinese Zodiac (source: Wikipedia)
3. Charles, the Duke of Orleans (Source: Henry V).
The pull of Atlantis is again, undeniable. I'm mulling ideas in my head on what to do. Anyway, here is Homo Marinus.
When Atlantis drank the seas, the Atlanteans were forced to convert three cities from terrestial cities to underwater colonies. Using powerful magic, powerful psionics, and high technology; the cities of Atlantis, Tritonis, and Cleitos were converted into a small underwater kingdom. Located in a shallow sea, the Atlanteans converted some of their number into beings capable of breathing underwater using genetic engineering rather than magic. They are known as Aquatic Humans (h. Marinus). They are known colloquially as squid (Systemic Osmoform) and as divers (Cetacean diving reflex).
Racial Traits
Average Hieght: 5'10"-6'2"
Average Weight: Male -- 180 lbs - 200 lbs.
Female -- 160 lbs -- 190 lbs.
Ability Scores: +2 to one ability score of your choice. Size: Medium Speed: 6 squares on land, Swim 6 (30 ft. without miniatures) Vision: Low Light vision
Languages: Atlantean, Aquan, Low Common Bonus At Will power: You know one extra at-will power from your class. Bonus Feat: Aquatic Humans, both divers and squid, gain a bonus feat at 1st level. Bonus Skill: You gain training in one additional skill from your class skill list.
Aquatic Human Builds: Squid --Squid are bio-engineered with salt water tolerance, gills, and have a vulnerability to desiccant. Squid gain a +2 to Fortitude saves to save against localized pressure up to 50 fathoms. Desiccants dry out the gills and the skin. Treat desiccants as Dark Toxin [Chapter 3, Combat Encounters, Dungeon Master's Guide [4th edition]). Divers -- Divers are bio-engineered for oxygen retention, and the capacity to collapse their lungs. They also have high salt water tolerance. Divers gain a +2 to Fortitude Saves to save against localized pressure up to 50 fathoms.
Play an aquatic human if you want . . .
* to be a decisive, resourceful hero who's home is under the sea.
* To have versatility.
* To be able to excel at the fighter, rogue, and warlord classes.
Physical Qualities
Aquatic humans are fully capable of living under the sea. They are sturdier of build than their human cousins, having a subcutaneous layer of fat under their skin. Their muscles are also a little more robust and tend towards swimmer's builds. Aquatic humans are fully capable of mating with terrestrial humans, the mother's ova chooses which kind of Aquatic Human the child will be. A mother who is a squid will always have squid children. Conversely, a mother who is a diver will always have diver children; doesn't matter if the father is a diver, squid, or human. divers and squid fathers mating with terrestrial mothers will have terrestrial children.
Aquatic humans are mammalian in form, but do not grow facial hair. All aquatic humans are hairless except for the hair on their bodies. Aquatic humans have lifespans comparable to humans. Aquatic humans living on the surface tend towards Polynesian style. Most are perfectly topless or shirtless squid gills are located on the back. Aquatic human fighters and warlords tend to wear armor made from special dense lightweight ceramics that has been hydrodynamically designed. Only warlord leaders wear armor made from bronze or orichalcum. Some Aquatic Humanoids wear armor fashioned from Aluminum Oxynitride (transparent aluminium) because of its lightweight and indestructible properties. Rogues typically wear no armor at all, as armor slows them down. If aquatic human rogues must wear armor, it's typically made from transparent aluminium. In Atlantis, Aquatic Humans tend to wear the styles of Atlantis. This can range any where from a speedo for males and bikini for females to the chiton and himaton.
Aquatic humans fashion their weapons from bronze, steel, or transparent aluminum.
Playing an Aquatic Human
An aquatic human's psychology is still the same as a human. See the Player's Handbook One for more information.
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GAH! Okay, I'm a geek. I just did my first race statblock for 4th Edition!!
Although this should follow the GSL and SRD, I do believe that the Creative Commons License on this site trumps the GSL.
This isn't my review, but these are the thought that ran through my head while scanning the PHB.
The writing insults my intelligence. I'm not a sixth grader, but the first page of the book talks down to me as if I am.
I like the dragonborn. Yep, it's true, I like the dragonborn.
I'm pidgon holed!! Painfully obvious, but true. I am pigeonholed. There is just so much Wizards could have done with Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition.
Ah, the Paladin. Captain Moroni fighting for the freedom of his people. Leading the troops. Or a Christian Knight fighting for a clan of goblins, or saving them from a fate worse than death . . . AH . . . WHAT?! THAT DEFIES ALL LOGIC AND PHYSICS!! The Divine Challenge ability. Your reason, and apparently mine, for playing a paladin. Oh the idiocy of it all, I'm reduced to playing a sterotypical paladin that prays at church, is good to other people, is turned into a meat shield, and if he isn't attacked by his enemy his enemy is divinely smited. When I play the paladin, I want to play some romantic paladin in polished, shiny armor that would save damsels in distress and quest for holy grails and be the paragon of virtue. I can't even play a Miles Gloriosus!
Wizards, with powers so fair and so powerful . . . I want to play . . . hey, how come I have only two roles?!? The wizard, born with the ability to use 100% of his brain. Reduced to making war or controlling the battlefield. What happened to the wonder, the romance, the appeal?
Warlords . . . what the paladin could have been.
Powers. Good Idea. I like.
Skill Challenges. Good idea, I like them.
Miniature use. Okay, where are my sissors? I am not going to spend $1,000 on miniatures just for these rules. I'm going to use a different battle mechanic.
Rituals. Finally, some real spells. But why are they in the back?
My Cousin's summary of the game. "4th Edition is exactly like WoW, I'm sorry, but there is no other way to describe the game. You have to play these four roles and there is no way in or out or around it. I'm sorry."
After skimming the book, I have to agree with him. Give me a few days to read the PHB in depth and in detail. But, after reading the PHB, I feel cheated!
I have just seen Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and let meu . . .
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS potential!!! This movie just SCREAMS Olympian Campaign (high powered = 4th Edition, if you want a low powered Olympian Campaign, you do OD&D or Swords and Wizardry; Mid-powered = D&D 3rd Edition). Who would NOT want to play a Divine byblow? So, how would you do it? Well, in Fourth tell your players that you are all Demi-gods and start them at level 1. Why level 1? Because at level 1, which is the Divine Byblow level in 4th Edition, you would get cewl POWERZ based on your Olympian parent.
Just remember, each god represents an Olympian ideal.
ZEUS -- God of Thunder and King of the Gods (played by Sean Bean in the movie, good part for him). Throws lightning bolts. Zeus sires the greatest of heroes -- Perseus and Hercules comes to mind. Zeus sired the greatest fighters in Greek Mythology -- all except for Achilles. Zeus's divine byblows would have a physical advantage (+2 strength, +2 constitution). They'd also be head strong.
POSEIDON -- God of the Sea. Takes care of the ocean while Oceanus is away. Notable connections include Theseus. Poseidon can impart control of the water, and his sons and daughters would breathe water. He may even impart the ability to speak to aquatic animals. Also a physical advantage (+2 Strength, +2 constitution).
HADES -- God of the Underworld. Earth god, Hades has a reputation of being Satanic in the movies (everyone's afraid of Death . . . ) But actually Hades helped Perseus on more than one occasion. His byblows would never be in need of money. Charisma bonus (+2).
HERA -- Well, if the Queen were unfaithful, her byblows would be intrigue specialists. Rogues, but of the diplomatic kind. They always know the perfect gift, the perfect lie, and how to use their information. A gather information bonus (+2).
DEMETER -- Goddess of fertility. She would grant her byblows power over plants and plant growth. Think Phoebe in SkyHigh. Constitution Bonus (+2)
HESTIA -- Goddess of the Hearth. A Divine scion of Hestia means that she or he will always have a happy home, provide hospitality, and always knows how to serve his or her guests. Prescience would be her gift. Wisdom Bonus (+2)
APHRODITE -- Goddess of Love. All of her byblows are extremely beautiful. Aphrodite's sons would be Bishounen, and Aphrodite's daughters would be Bishoujo. +3 Charisma bonus and +5 bonus to Bluff for seduction purposes.
APOLLO -- God of Light, Knowledge, and Athletics. Apollo's byblows would be good archers, good fighters, and good wizards. The power he would bestow to his children would be good archery skills, a great physique, or magic. Apollo's archers would be able to fire the arrows of light, while his fighters are physically attractive to dumb women (guys, we are talking GIRL or GUY magnet!), and his Wizards and Sorcerers would be able to pick 2 extra powers from the Wizard or Sorcerer list (If PC is a Wizardly son of Apollo, two Sorcerer powers; if PC is a Sorcerer son of Apollo, 2 Wizard powers). Intelligence and Strength bonuses all around (+2 Strength and +2 Intelligence).
ARES -- THE GOD OF WAR! All of his children have the potential to be great WARLORDS of the brutish persuasion. +3 to Charisma and a free Leadership feat (or something like Leadership) at level 1.
ATHENA -- Goddess of Wisdom. All of her Children are either Warlords or clerics. The Warlord children are especially strategic. They always win. +3 to Wisdom.
DIONYSUS -- God of Revelry and Wine. Powers -- Children tend to be rogues of the especially persuasive type. Dionysus is a party animal and his children are party animals too. All of Dionysus' children gain the power to influence someone to drink booze once a week at level 1 (hey, it worked on Thor). +2 to Charisma and Constitution.
HEPHAESTUS -- God of Fire and Crafting. His children have an inventor's knack. They can craft anything under pressure. +2 Intelligence bonus.
HERMES -- Messenger god, also the god of ROGUES of the sneaky type. His children tend to be sneaky rogues or thieves. They might start the game with flying shoes . . . who wouldn't? The shoes act as flying at will. But they will have to give up one of their powers. +2 to Dexterity.
HECATE -- Persephone in an angry state of mind. Her children tend to be Warlocks. Enough said.
What is it about D&D and WotC's dropping of the Open Game License? Well, Greywulf looked at it pretty hard as to why it was dropped. But there are a few disenting opinions. My answer is that the reason why 4th Edition sales have dropped off is that:
I. WotC treats its customer base like children (or is that Hasbro?). It must be one of the two. A. Changing the STL back when the Book of Erotic Fantasy was announced. B. WotC not sharing all their toys after an appropriate time has passed. C. Dropping the OGL and using the GSL. Only to make the GSL so restrictive that its legal language scares away people who could be providing good 3rd party support. D. The revoking of all their PDFs, leaving the only way you can get a Wizards' PDF is through filesharing.
Really, most of WotC's customers now are my age. Some of us smoke, some of us drink, some of us have kids of our own who we are sharing the hobby with, and some of us still think of ways to change the World like the Hippy and Flower Child generations before us. We are adults now, and we are still treated like children. By companies run by people our age who grew up with us and the times we've experienced.
Another reason why WotC's 4th edition is dropping off in sales is that some people who played 4th Edition have decided that the edition doesn't work for them. Case in point, my cousin Eric and his group all made the decision that 4th Edition does not work for them and so they stopped playing it and took up Pathfinder instead. So, why is that WotC's 4th Edition of D&D doesn't work for a lot of people who played D&D for years?
I can't personally answer that question. All I can say is that Hasbro/WotC has not treated me or my peers as adults. But we are in our thirties now, we are an age group that can really affect change. We are an age group bringing up our own children, and we are an age group that has come into our own. Some of us are representatives in Congress. Some of us are Senators, and some of us could be Governors of our states in the not to distant future. So, why the missed love? Why the missed appreciation? Why doesn't Hasbro/WotC just treat us like adults and have the good faith to produce 3rd party support for 4th Edition or to buy PDFs?
Well, besides we Libertarians and our case against Copyright, there is a Pirate Party that has been organized. Apparently, the Copyright Laws give private companies to police their IP, and they don't really care whether IP is a myth or not. This includes WotC.
I really think people in the World are getting fed up with Copyright. The U.S. Pirate Party, the Swedish Pirate Party, and other Pirate Parties all have platforms that fight abuse of copyright and to reform copyright to make it more liberal and just for all, and not only gives a few the power. I support my fellow Americans in the reformation of the Copyright Acts, and the revocation of the DMCA. While I can't answer any personal feelings about 4th Edition, I do have personal feelings about Copyright abuse.
Magic in the Known Lands is different than your standard Vancian or 4e power system. While the Vancian system is dated, and the 4e Magic Power system is what is hot these days, Wizards in the Known Lands use the Dynamic Spellcasting System presented in both Sovereign Stone d20 and Advanced d20 Magic published by Guardians of Order (defunct).
The system works like this:
Casting any spell is a standard action that requires no special words or gestures and no other ingredients. A character that knows a spell may cast it as often as he or she desires, with no preparation time or additional study required. Spellcasting is draining, however, and most people will get worn out after a prolonged session of working magic.
In game terms, casting a spell requires a Fortitude Save against the spell’s Drain. The result of the Save determines the amount of Drain suffered by the caster. If the Fortitude Save is failed by 10 or more, a Control check will also be required to determine if the spellcaster can maintain control over the flow of energy coursing through him or her.
The casting DC of a spell is given in the spell description. This is the DC for the Fortitude Save to resist Drain. If the spellcaster is using the Metamagic Feats, the modifier for the Metamagic effect adjusts this DC. When determining the Drain, use the spell’s total DC, including any modifiers for Metamagic. The character makes their Fortitude Save and consults the Spellcasting Fortitude Saves and Spell Drain tables to determine the actual Drain suffered. This Drain is normally deducted from the character’s Energy Point total, or in the case of the system we are using, it inflicts non-lethal damage.
This allows wizards to bust some heads with the fighters, but provides its own terrible balancing cost. Too much drain (non-lethal damage) can cause fatigue, exhaustion, or outright unconsciousness.
Drawbacks: record keeping and mathematics, but that is about it. A calculator maybe required to quickly add and subtract any modifiers to a spell's DC.
What's wrong with 4E's Powers? Uhm, you can only do some powers once a day. The Dynamic Spellcasting system lets you cast any particular power or ritual as many times as you want as long as your character has the stomach for it. This includes the Wish spell (which has a DC of 101, good luck casting that ten times a day and not having your wizard go unconscious).
I hate math, I want to use another system! Okay. Go ahead, I'm not making you. But the Dynamic Spellcasting system is the official system. Any one spellcasting NPC will have Dynamic Spellcasting statistics.
Okay, Why the Dynamic Spellcasting System? I like the system. And I'm the one writing the game, so I'm using what I like. You can use any system you desire that is easier for you, but like I said, the Dynamic Spellcasting system is the official magic system of the campaign.
Dungeons and Dragons 4e is a good game. however, its too cinematic in its emphasis for my tastes; but its a good game. However, in the experience of the eye-witnesses who play it is that the power gamers are completely all over it. I find that I have a hard time playing with them because they put more emphasis on the game mechanics and less emphasis on character.
I would love to play a 4e game where people put more emphasis on roleplay. I don't want to be asked whether I'm playing a striker, a controller, a leader, or a defender. Those are predetermined roles for a style of gaming I don't want to play right now. I want to be asked what kind of character I'm playing, and where the question: "What is your character's name?" is given importance. That is the group I want to play with.
In the unlikely event that I will purchase a Player's Handbook for 4th Edition, I wonder if it would be smart to break the binding of the book and to reorganize it into a logical fashion. Although I don't agree with the current Player Paranoia that grips WotC at this time (just look at the GSL); Uncle Bear has some good reasons to try it. And Greywulf tried 4e old style.
Here are the reasons why I don't have 4e yet: a). my priorities have changed. I am unmarried, 34 year old virgin and it's about time I take care of that in my life. b). Wizards of the Coast changed from a happy, fun loving company to one that fears it's customers (points to the GSL). c). My gaming group isn't fond of it.
Largely, if I do get it I will have to break the binding on the pages and reorganize them so that it will be easily organized. It would be easier to get the PDF and probably redo the book that way. But I don't want to spend $40 twice.
