[4e] Unearthed Arcana Articles

[Gralamin]

So, Wizards has recently announced they are releasing articles in Dragon that act as a sort of 4e Unearthed Arcana. They contain content that supposedly "doesn't fit" into the normal 4e structure. I'm very interested in seeing where this goes. There is one caveat, however:

All of this comes with one big caveat: none of what you'll read in Unearthed Arcana has been through our normal development cycle. It's all experimental, optional, and unofficial. You won't find it in the D&D Compendium or Character Builder. Customer Service won't provide official answers to questions about unofficial rules.

The first article is released tomorrow, and is going to be on Curses.

[Loren]

excellent, I've been looking forward to some Arcana. In my opinion Unearthed Arcana was one of the unsung heros of the earlier editions. It would be good if it all could be compiled into a book yet too as not everyone uses DDI.

I'd really like to see a way of replacing the 1/2 level rule. I'd sorely love to see a way of advancing defences and skills in a way that reflects the differences between characters

It would also be nice to have an armour as DR system

and maybe something to do with sanity

[Kurald Galain]

...why on earth should it bother us that it's expirimental, optional, and not answered by customer service?

[BobTheDog]

...why on earth should it bother us that it's expirimental, optional, and not answered by customer service?

It's experimental, so it hasn't seen a lot of testing. Like a lot of what WotC produces.

It's optional, so most DMs will not accept it. Like a lot of what WotC produces.

It's not answered by CS, so there will be endless RAW vs. RAI arguments. Like... okay, you get the idea.

Anyway, it's clear that this is something very different from everything else.

[Reverent-One]

Humorous pokes at WoTC aside, I'm looking forward to this. Unique mechanics for things 4e hasn't or won't do? Sounds like fun, even if the DM has to take a look over these first before allowing them.

[kyoryu]

...why on earth should it bother us that it's expirimental, optional, and not answered by customer service?

It shouldn't, unless you're in LFR.

If you ever wonder why WotC makes a weird call with 4e, remind yourself "Living Forgotten Realms." Then all will be clear.

[Reverent-One]

It shouldn't, unless you're in LFR.

If you ever wonder why WotC makes a weird call with 4e, remind yourself "Living Forgotten Realms." Then all will be clear.

It matters to homegame DM's too, it means that unlike most of 4e material, they're really going to want to look over it before allowing it.

[kyoryu]

It matters to homegame DM's too, it means that unlike most of 4e material, they're really going to want to look over it before allowing it.

You mean there's DMs that allow material from splats/etc. without seriously looking at it, first?

I must have GMed GURPS too many times.

[Reverent-One]

You mean there's DMs that allow material from splats/etc. without seriously looking at it, first?

I must have GMed GURPS too many times.

4e's been a lot better than for example 3.5 in keeping things relatively balanced and then there's the "Everything is Core" idea WoTC has pushed too. As such (and with the easy access to all the material in the character builder), 4e DMs seem to be more open than they would otherwise in terms of allowing splats.

[Kurald Galain]

You mean there's DMs that allow material from splats/etc. without seriously looking at it, first?

Probably, but they appear to be in the minority. Usually when we see build requests or feedback requests on these boards, they are accompanied by some qualifier like "PHB only", or "No Dragon magazine", or "no *Power books".

It seems that neither Dragon Magazine nor CustServ have much of a reputation for quality or reliability; whether that is accurate or deserved is another matter.

[Erom]

4e DMs seem to be more open than they would otherwise in terms of allowing splats.

Indeed, every group I have played with since 4e dropped (3 of them, plus some con play) has used the "If it's in the character builder, it's legal" rule.

[NMBLNG]

About Dragon Magazine, I think it has more to do with having access to it rather than the stuff being balanced (that another topic).

For instance, with pretty much all of the campaigns I've been in, as long as you can show the DM a given feat/power/item in a book, it's legal. Until you abuse it.

[Reverent-One]

Probably, but they appear to be in the minority. Usually when we see build requests or feedback requests on these boards, they are accompanied by some qualifier like "PHB only", or "No Dragon magazine", or "no *Power books".

Usually? Not from what I've seen. Sure sometimes someone asking for build advice limits the sources, but that's also because of their own limits on owning the material, not the balance/unbalance of it.

[TheEmerged]

All I've excluded are certain elements that don't fit well into the world -- a couple of races (warforged, tiefling), a couple of classes (artificer, warlock), and several feats/backgrounds/paragon paths that are closely tied to Eberron & the Forgotten Realms. Dark Sun stuff is currently under a "not until I can afford the books" injunction

But then, I'm from the "I'm the DM" school. As in, "I'm the DM. If I find it unbalanced, I don't care about RAW, RAI, any board post, or any other sources says. I am not subject to debate during precious time at the table. Reasonable debate can be made later."

[Balain]

I have read Dragon from about issue 10 to about 240 and picked 1 - 9 somewhere in between. I always thought about 90% of Dragon articles were optional. If you liked it at thought it would work for you than use it.

Kind of like all RPGs if some optional rule sounds good use it. The one rule for all RPGs has always been change the rules how ever you want.

[dsmiles]

...why on earth should it bother us that it's expirimental, optional, and not answered by customer service?

Yeah, it never bothered a lot of 3.5 players that they didn't even bother to proof-read their stuff first. Is taint from UA, HoH or OA? (It's rhetorical, don't actually answer that.) Same name, three different mechanics.

Indeed, every group I have played with since 4e dropped (3 of them, plus some con play) has used the "If it's in the character builder, it's legal" rule.

Come play in my group, I have a specific set of races and classes allowed in my campaign world, and anything else is disallowed (until I completely read every single class permutation, and the hybrid rules). A lot of the WotC classes don't thematically fit my campaign world.

[Mando Knight]

and anything else is disallowed (until I completely read every single class permutation, and the hybrid rules).

So until forever. I could understand reading through all of the feats and powers that the players want to take before they grab them, but it's mathematically impossible for you to conceptualize every single build permutation, let alone write them down on a stack of paper that exists on this planet.

[Meta]

So until forever. I could understand reading through all of the feats and powers that the players want to take before they grab them, but it's mathematically impossible for you to conceptualize every single build permutation, let alone write them down on a stack of paper that exists on this planet.

I agree with this, it'd be easier to just ask your players to build
characters of similar levels of optimization and have a nice game that doesn't weed out options people might wanna use.

[Gralamin]

So, on topic: Curses!

I liked the article. All of the curses fit within the general theme of 4e, but I have to wonder about the DCs - they seem to low.
10 or lower Arcana at level 6? If you are trained, you will pretty much always make that. If you are untrained, you still have a huge chance of it, because the minimum modifier you can have is +2.

Granted, having the DC so high its impossible to succeed would also be bad, but I'd like to move the DC about 6 up. So 16 at level 6. the maximum bonus is 3 (level) + 5 (training) + 5 (Stat) + 2 (Race) +2 (Background) + 3 (Skill focus) = 20 (before items). A more reasonable trained score is about 13 to 17. So trained people still have little chance of failure, but untrained people can still succeed (Difficult to though).

[Mando Knight]

The DCs are low, but on the flip side, unlike a disease, you can't cure it by yourself. So it'll be a minor detriment that will make you work towards getting the curse removed without effectively removing you from the game. Unless your team is absolutely horrible at the stabilization checks, making you drop to Stage 3...