(no subject)
Got a new computer. Exciting to be running Windows 7.
Gaming. Wednesday was Phil's campaign, which is a D&D 4th edition Eberron. Everyone's playing human.
Me: Invoker (magician, but divine magic)
Amy: Ranger
Bill: Shaman
Kevin: Fighter
Brian: Paladin
I'm the diplomat/scholar of the group; I found a magic item and Phil had me make an Arcane skill roll. I asked the group, "hey, can anyone help?" and got nothing. INT was a dump stat for a few characters. This is the third time I've played diplomat of the group (once because I had a high charisma and an insane Bluff skill, and once because I was the only one who could speak the language).
Anyway, Wednesday's game was one of the most unsatisfying games I've played. We had just finished battle with these lizard-like bugs (or bug-like lizards, take your pick) and were searching the room. Bill found a journal with some coins, and in character, he pocketed everything. It made sense; we're not really a party, just a bunch of people whose goals dovetailed to the same place. I found a magical banner, which was a nice touch.
We entered the next room, and it was a puzzle room; four-by-four grid filled with words ("Open", "Hell", "Raise", etc.). The tiles could be depressed. We could just walk to the next room, but both me and my character would be suckers for puzzles, so I tried to solve the puzzle. Amy's stubborn that way too, so she started making guesses based on what was in the room. I was thinking a more SAT-style "what words don't fit". We tripped the trap, and lots of fire elementals / devils came out and started attacking.
Went to the next room, and it was a two-by-two grid with more words, with hinges on the floors, holes in the ceiling, and the two stairs leading from the room on hinges. We tried the trap, and accidentally triggered it. Turns out the only way to not trigger the trap was to bypass the words altogether and have someone with Dungeoneering rig the door. Kevin's character failed an Athletics roll and fell in the trap; my character actually succeeded the roll. By then, it was time to leave.
What made it unsatisfying? It felt like we were reacting to everything, not doing stuff. The traps felt like "you have to read the module designer's mind." And the red herrings of the text felt like the module was mocking us. And the way D&D works with skills just sucks. OK, lets say my character is reasonably intelligent (+3) and is trained in History (+5) and is 2nd level (+1). That means I have a History Skill of 9. I add that to a d20 to make a DC check. But, another character is not as smart (+1), also second level (+1) and is not trained. Skill of 2. I'm much better at History than the other character. Yet, we're adding d20 to both rolls. If I roll a 5, and he rolls a 12, we both got a DC check of 14. Yes, it allows me to shine more often, but the 7 point difference is not that significant. We end up with everyone rolling and letting the dice determine who is the star. I'm thinking of the Incredibles -- when everyone has a chance to succeed, no one is special.
Sigh. The Atlantis game is going well. I have a list of artifacts to give to Amy, and have started working on the map.
Gaming. Wednesday was Phil's campaign, which is a D&D 4th edition Eberron. Everyone's playing human.
Me: Invoker (magician, but divine magic)
Amy: Ranger
Bill: Shaman
Kevin: Fighter
Brian: Paladin
I'm the diplomat/scholar of the group; I found a magic item and Phil had me make an Arcane skill roll. I asked the group, "hey, can anyone help?" and got nothing. INT was a dump stat for a few characters. This is the third time I've played diplomat of the group (once because I had a high charisma and an insane Bluff skill, and once because I was the only one who could speak the language).
Anyway, Wednesday's game was one of the most unsatisfying games I've played. We had just finished battle with these lizard-like bugs (or bug-like lizards, take your pick) and were searching the room. Bill found a journal with some coins, and in character, he pocketed everything. It made sense; we're not really a party, just a bunch of people whose goals dovetailed to the same place. I found a magical banner, which was a nice touch.
We entered the next room, and it was a puzzle room; four-by-four grid filled with words ("Open", "Hell", "Raise", etc.). The tiles could be depressed. We could just walk to the next room, but both me and my character would be suckers for puzzles, so I tried to solve the puzzle. Amy's stubborn that way too, so she started making guesses based on what was in the room. I was thinking a more SAT-style "what words don't fit". We tripped the trap, and lots of fire elementals / devils came out and started attacking.
Went to the next room, and it was a two-by-two grid with more words, with hinges on the floors, holes in the ceiling, and the two stairs leading from the room on hinges. We tried the trap, and accidentally triggered it. Turns out the only way to not trigger the trap was to bypass the words altogether and have someone with Dungeoneering rig the door. Kevin's character failed an Athletics roll and fell in the trap; my character actually succeeded the roll. By then, it was time to leave.
What made it unsatisfying? It felt like we were reacting to everything, not doing stuff. The traps felt like "you have to read the module designer's mind." And the red herrings of the text felt like the module was mocking us. And the way D&D works with skills just sucks. OK, lets say my character is reasonably intelligent (+3) and is trained in History (+5) and is 2nd level (+1). That means I have a History Skill of 9. I add that to a d20 to make a DC check. But, another character is not as smart (+1), also second level (+1) and is not trained. Skill of 2. I'm much better at History than the other character. Yet, we're adding d20 to both rolls. If I roll a 5, and he rolls a 12, we both got a DC check of 14. Yes, it allows me to shine more often, but the 7 point difference is not that significant. We end up with everyone rolling and letting the dice determine who is the star. I'm thinking of the Incredibles -- when everyone has a chance to succeed, no one is special.
Sigh. The Atlantis game is going well. I have a list of artifacts to give to Amy, and have started working on the map.