PDA

View Full Version : Help out an old DM?



Clever Pun
2008-09-16, 01:15 PM
Yeah, I finally made an account. Or a new one. I can't recall ever posting before, anyway, though I've been a longtime lurker around the ErfWorld and OotS boards.

So anyway. I've been a GM/DM for many a year, but I haven't run a 3.X D&D game since "Defenders of the Faith" was a hot new product. I've played in a 3.5 game, but not run one recently. Yet now I find myself in the position to run a game. And although I have most of the books, I haven't... really read them all very thoroughly. I stocked up when 4e was released, and haven't managed to go through all the new material.

So, I have a setting and a group of players who are mostly unfamiliar with D&D mechanically, but who are all good RPers I know from other venues. I don't think I need to worry about them trying to super-optimize broken builds or any of that. But I'd still like to know what classes/features/books all of you more experienced D&D players consider problematic or especially useful. For example, the Druid Wild Shape class feature is often said to be overpowered(along with polymorph, etc), and I already have a house rule or two to address that. What are your experiences with other things?

tribble
2008-09-16, 01:21 PM
If someone refuses to play their alignment, "Circumstance penalties" are a good way to enforce alignments without Rocks fall everyone dies. dont know how helpful this is, I dont actually play D&D. (i fail so hard)

AKA_Bait
2008-09-16, 01:21 PM
Diplomacy (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/jFppYwv7OUkegKhONNF.html)and the Polymorph (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/dC21fDHZ4tK8n5OjUm9.html)line need fixing among the issues that jump out at me in CORE. Well, that and Natural Spell (which I'd make a metamagic adjustment of +1 or +2).

Are you planning on using a lot of stuff outside core? If so... the list grows larger.

Also, what level are you starting at? Balance issues morph over the level scale.

Tormsskull
2008-09-16, 01:24 PM
What are your experiences with other things?

My experience is probably a lot different than most, but most of my games have been in the low to mid levels. In the low levels especially, a raging barbarian with a 2-handed weapon can hit enemies incredibly easily and deal enough damage to drop them quickly.

Truthfully I wouldn't worry about broken combos or super optimizers or anything like that unless you notice a problem in your actual gameplay. I've never seen what I would call a broken combo or super optimized gameplay since I started playing D&D.

Clever Pun
2008-09-16, 01:25 PM
Diplomacy (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/jFppYwv7OUkegKhONNF.html)and the Polymorph (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/dC21fDHZ4tK8n5OjUm9.html)line need fixing among the issues that jump out at me in CORE. Well, that and Natural Spell (which I'd make a metamagic adjustment of +1 or +2).

Are you planning on using a lot of stuff outside core? If so... the list grows larger.

Also, what level are you starting at? Balance issues morph over the level scale.

The last character I played was Diplomacy-based, so I'm prepared for those headaches I think :smallsmile: I'm wanting to use some stuff outside of core, yes. Most notably I'm looking at the Tome of Battle, of course. I'm planning to start low-level, between 1st and 5th. Probably 1st if nobody wants to play some odd race with ECL. I'm going to discourage that, though.

Tsotha-lanti
2008-09-16, 01:59 PM
If someone refuses to play their alignment, "Circumstance penalties" are a good way to enforce alignments without Rocks fall everyone dies. dont know how helpful this is, I dont actually play D&D. (i fail so hard)

Buh?

Alignment isn't restrictive, it's descriptive. If someone doesn't "act their alignment", their alignment is changed by the DM. (Of course, the player should have the option to argue the rationalization of the actions as following the stated alignment.)

Clever Pun
2008-09-16, 02:13 PM
If someone refuses to play their alignment, "Circumstance penalties" are a good way to enforce alignments without Rocks fall everyone dies. dont know how helpful this is, I dont actually play D&D. (i fail so hard)

I can handle alignment. I haven't played much 3.X DnD, but I was gaming for the launch of 2nd Edition, and played both 1st and 2nd quite a bit. It's specific mechanics of 3.5 that have me baffled, simply because I haven't had time to absorb them all yet.

Curmudgeon
2008-09-16, 02:21 PM
Generally the issues that arise are because class abilities and feats give significant advantages in particular circumstances. The most straightforward way to counteract that is to have many of the enemies also have class levels.

valadil
2008-09-16, 02:22 PM
If your players aren't familiar with D&D you can safely ignore all the non-core books. Teach them the game with the PHB, DMG, and MM. After that campaign open up new options if your players are interested.

Neon Knight
2008-09-16, 02:25 PM
My personal experience in these matters is that others' personal experience is usually of little help. Ultimately you and your group will develop something that will fit its taste regardless of the recommendations of outsiders, so I would take most advice regarding anything and everything with a pinch of salt and the perspective of "this person isn't me, and his players aren't my group."