4th edition problems

[Rowan Intheback]

I've been trying to follow all the news about 4th but obviously some information slips through my fingers.

I'm currently playing in a setting where Werebears play an important role in the world. We are planning on taking this setting into fourth edition. However, the master DM of this setting keeps saying Werebears won't be in fourth. Being the person playing the leader of the Werebears this obviously concerned me. I've looked every where for news on playable Werebears being kicked out of fourth but I can't find anything. Did I miss something? Am I crazy? Does Mr. Bear have to die? Or is my DM jumping to conclusions?

[Mojo_Rat]

The only thing you likely need to worry about is wether All the were creatures come in the Initial Monster manual. Theres no reason they are likely to not include werebears in the game however.

I have not read anything adressing them specifically though.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Yes your character will have to die. Not because of a lack of werebears, but because WoTC has stated there will be no way to update your characters for the new mechanics and have heir abilities be even remotely similar. Sorry.

[Corlis]

As Mojo said, they'll likely have were-bears in a later supplement at least. Even if they don't, the first Monster Manual will have plain old werewolves at least, given how they're so darned iconic, and you can just fiddle with that a bit to make it into a were-bear.

[Eikre]

Yes your character will have to die. Not because of a lack of werebears, but because WoTC has stated there will be no way to update your characters for the new mechanics and have heir abilities be even remotely similar. Sorry.

Well, thought that's a disappointing revelation, it's not an insurmountable obstacle.

Look: the overwhelming majority of my characters have been, "A naturally shifty fellow who found mind****ery much easier than any other sort of magic, but had a true passion for those schools that challenged him to the extent that he required tutelage."

What I'm talking about, of course, is a Beguiler1/Conjurer4/UltimateMagusX, but it doesn't have to be. He could be a Telepath/Precocious Transmuter/Cerebremancer. Shadow-weave Evoker. Maybe he unwittingly learned started stealing from gods, took a level in Ur-Priest, left his band, and let his Bard abilities fall behind. He could also be whatever we get out of 4th.

[Rutee]

Where did he hear about a lack of were-s? Not that I'd mind if they were.. compressed somewhat, but I've heard literally nothing.

[Rowan Intheback]

This reassures me. The world we're campaigning in is messed up enough the last thing it needs is the only creatures who make it easy to turn the evil cultists into lawful good shock troopers to suddenly disappear.

[JaxGaret]

Are your Were-bears PCs or NPCs?

In 4e, there is a significant difference between how PCs and NPCs are designed; unless a monster has a "How to play this as a PC" section, it will be completely unplayable as a PC.

It is not like 3e, where you can take any monster and play it as a PC.

[Artanis]

Although Were-bears are pretty f***ing likely to have rules for use as a PC.

They've specifically mentioned Minotaurs and Gnolls as having PC stats, so I think it's a pretty good bet that something that's literally just a furry human would have the same stats as well.

[JaxGaret]

Although Were-bears are pretty f***ing likely to have rules for use as a PC.

They've specifically mentioned Minotaurs and Gnolls as having PC stats, so I think it's a pretty good bet that something that's literally just a furry human would have the same stats as well.

Maybe, maybe not. Only time will tell.

[Eikre]

3e, where you can take any monster and play it as a PC.

BWAHAHHAHHAHHAHHAH.

This is the best joke ever and I am still laughing.

[JaxGaret]

BWAHAHHAHHAHHAHHAH.

This is the best joke ever and I am still laughing.

I didn't say that it wouldn't be horribly underpowered :smallsmile:

I was talking in absolute terms.

And yes, there are some monsters in 3e that are unplayable, but the majority of them have an LA and are thus usable as PCs. In 4e it seems as if a small minority of monsters will be playable as PCs.

[Rutee]

They're underpowered, arguably, to the point of unplayability. LA tends to be hideously overvalued.

[JaxGaret]

They're underpowered, arguably, to the point of unplayability. LA tends to be hideously overvalued.

I agree.

In my campaigns, I work with players to adjust the LA/racial HD to a reasonable amount, taking into account the optimization level of the rest of the party.