FYI 4E Minature's Rules

[CASTLEMIKE]

Just in case you haven't seen it yet:


http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=979715

[Reinboom]

'Action' = a power that you must 'activate' your character to do on its turn.
'Ability' = a power or type that is always on.


COMBAT

Types of attack

• Melee (= adjacent square)
• Close [Area] (an area within radius 3 or 6 squares) (burst, cone, line)
• Ranged (ray, arrow)
• [Far] Area (an area in range) (radius)

Critical hit: The glossary says that crit does damage x2. This is unavoidable since Miniatures do flat damage on a successful hit and cant be maximized. However, in D&D 4e crit does maximized damage. Not double. Note, attacks against a creature with a Helpless condition become automatic crits.

Types of damage

• Acid
• Cold
• Fire
• Force (not mentioned)
• Lightning
• Necrotic (~ negative energy)
• Psychic
• Radiant (~ positive energy, not mentioned)
• Thunder (~ sonic)
• Wound

Resist damage (type). As far as I can tell, devs removed this from 4e for the same reason they removed damage reduction. DR becomes statistically wonky when used along with AC, and likewise damage resistance becomes wonky with save defenses.

Immunity (type)? I thought 4e was going to get rid of complete immunities. I suppose Immunities are just for obvious racial abilities like White Dragon immune to cold, and Salamander immune to fire. However, I hope immunities are extremely rare. No sentient creature should ever have immunity to psychic damage - even including constructs which are still able to sense and respond to opponents.

Conceal. A target with concealment gains a kind of second layer of AC. Roll d20 twice. First attack must successfully hit the targets AC, but then the second roll must also successfully exceed the Conceal score. However, if first roll is a natural 20 crit automatically hits.

Unfortunately, needing to roll twice against Conceal creates the 'neener neener' situation when you think you hit with the first roll but get cheated out of it with the second roll. Probably, they should get rid of this mechanic, for the same reason they should get rid of the magic resistance mechanic. Its better to just have a flat improvement to the check that the normal roll must exceed.

Invisible. Invisible creature gains Conceal 11, and +2 attack. For opponents, line-of-sight, ranged attack, and attack-of-opportunity are impossible.

Insubstantial (like incorporeal or gaseous?). Creature takes half damage from ALL (?!) attacks except crits.

Standard conditions

• Impaired action: Dazed-Staggered-Stunned-Helpless
• Impaired speed: Slow (speed 2 squares)-Immobilzed (speed 0 squares)
• Impaired damage: Enervation (deals half damage)
• Impaired control: Confused (condition). The definition of confused is fun. Roll d20. 1-5: confused creature still controls own action. 6-15: creature takes no action. 16-20 opponent controls creatures action. Simple and fun.

MOVEMENT MODES

Phasing = pure awesome! For years Iv wanted my characters to have a (balanced) phasing power. Move thru solid objects, but final square must be in a 'legal position'.

Flight: Provokes Opp Attacks when taking off.

Legal position: If a movement ends in an illegal position (such as phased movement that ends inside a wall), return the creature to the square which was is last legal position (such as just before entering the wall).


SPELLCASTING

No mention of Spell Resistance. Hopefully gone from D&D 4e.

Is the important post on that thread.

I hope that fireballs still are 'ball' in 4e and that was just a change for miniatures..

[CASTLEMIKE]

What I find very interesting is the "Why Reboot the Realms?" thread has over 5,000 views after 3 days while a glimpse at some of the prospective mechanics has under 100 after 2 days.

Curious how that bodes for 4E.

[bosssmiley]

MOVEMENT MODES

Phasing = pure awesome! For years Iv wanted my characters to have a (balanced) phasing power. Move thru solid objects, but final square must be in a 'legal position'.

Legal position: If a movement ends in an illegal position (such as phased movement that ends inside a wall), return the creature to the square which was is last legal position (such as just before entering the wall).

So far, so "Warhammer" then.
WFB & WH40K have been using almost exactly the same idea as the basis for their flyer/skimmer/incorporeal movement for almost a decade now. Fair enough to borrow something proven though.

Flight: Provokes Opp Attacks when taking off.

Makes sense. Sound familiar. Couldn't say why.
Looks like my bedtime reading is sorted though...

[tyckspoon]

What I find very interesting is the "Why Reboot the Realms?" thread has over 5,000 views after 3 days while a glimpse at some of the prospective mechanics has under 100 after 2 days.

Curious how that bodes for 4E.

It's a view of the Miniatures game mechanics, which is the D&D Minis tabletop strategy game, not the roleplaying game. Certain things will be the same or very similar between the two systems, so it's worth looking at, but the low view count is quite consistant with the (in)attention the current edition of D&D Minis gets on these forums.