4E Questions and Answers

[stupnick]

OK, so i was lucky enough to get my books early.

i have been reading them cover to cover, got the PHB done today at work. and started the MM and the DMG. But i wanted to come here and answer any questions anyone might have.

I was one of the few that didn't think it would be great, and i would just stick with 3.5, but so far i am REALLY liking the changes to 4E...

[Human Paragon 3]

What are the dragonborn racial feats?

Is it possible to have an evil cleric that does evil things and uses evil power (necrotic damage instead of radiant, for instance)? Does it matter, mechanically, what god your cleric worships? Anything like domains in 3.5?

[Raider]

How easy would you say it is for a 3.5er to explain the new system to a pack of DnD newbies? Are all the rules simple for new players to understand basically.

[Morty]

Thre's already a thread where those lucky enough to have their 4ed books answer the questions of those who aren't. I don't want to be a vigilante mod here of course, but maybe it's better to stick to an existing thread.

[stupnick]

What are the dragonborn racial feats?

Is it possible to have an evil cleric that does evil things and uses evil power (necrotic damage instead of radiant, for instance)? Does it matter, mechanically, what god your cleric worships? Anything like domains in 3.5?

Dragonborn Frenzy +2 damage when bloodied
Dragonborn Senses Low-light vision, +1 to Perception
Enlarged Dragon Breath Dragon breath becomes blast 5

the blast 5 is a 25x25 section adjacent to you that it covers
bloodied means 1/2 hp

as far as that. you would gain feats based on your diety that you could take. as far as the evil, in the PHB they really stay away from that. they don't even go into to much detail about the evil dieties. they only give a 1-2 quick sentence about them, unlike the good/unaligned.

How easy would you say it is for a 3.5er to explain the new system to a pack of DnD newbies? Are all the rules simple for new players to understand basically.

Very easy.. infact them reading the book will get it. while reading, they really take the point as if you never played a roleplaying game before and talk everything out. it does take a little bit to understand there line of thinking. like fighter powers deal damage of 1[W], which means 1*weapon damage, and some do 3[W]. once you figure out the system it's simple

[Rachel Lorelei]

What are the dragonborn racial feats?

Is it possible to have an evil cleric that does evil things and uses evil power (necrotic damage instead of radiant, for instance)? Does it matter, mechanically, what god your cleric worships? Anything like domains in 3.5?

Dragonborn can take a feat that gives them +2 damage when bloodied, and another that makes their breath be Blast 5 not Blast 3. There's a paragon feat which ups the dice on your breath weapon.

How easy would you say it is for a 3.5er to explain the new system to a pack of DnD newbies? Are all the rules simple for new players to understand basically.

It's simpler than 3E. It lacks the really messy stuff (like the ridiculous mess that is Grappling in 3E), and it's much more modular--there's a limited number of things the player of a given character has to know. Given that the DM handles things like XP, treasure, etc, there's not that much new players *need* to know.

[Human Paragon 3]

So the dragonborn's breath weapon effects an area that's a perfect cube and not a line or cone? Weird.

[stupnick]

Blast: A blast fills an area adjacent to you that is a
specified number of squares on a side. For example,
the wizard power thunderwave is a blast 3, which
means the power affects a 3-square-by-3-square area
adjacent to you. The blast must be adjacent to its origin
square, which is a square in your space. The origin
square is not affected by the blast. A blast affects a
target only if the target is in the blast’s area and if there
is line of effect from the origin square to the target.

there is the given definition from the book

yup.. kinda wierd.

[stupnick]

the problem with the other thread is you have to register at another website to get questions answered. the thread here has evolved into a speculation discussion. nothing that people can ask and answer questions in.

[RTGoodman]

So the dragonborn's breath weapon effects an area that's a perfect cube and not a line or cone? Weird.

I guess it makes more sense if you think of the Dragonborn (or whatever) is moving his head about while spewing fire/electricity/etc. Unlike in 3.5, you can't just stand one square in front and one square to the side of the origin and be missed.

Here's a question, since mods will probably merge this with the other thread anyway - as a Dragonborn, do you get to determine what sort of energy damage your breath weapon does? Or do they all have Fire? Or can you change it up or something?

[SamTheCleric]

Burst works like this

Burst 1:

XXX
XTX
XXX

Burst 2:

XXXXX
XXXXX
XXTXX
XXXXX
XXXXX

Burst 3:

XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXTXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX

... Or am I way off?

I'm way off... That's Burst with the Target at the center

[Human Paragon 3]

I guess it makes sense if you picture the dragonborn breating and turning his head to hit everybody in the blast area. Still, that would be a semi-circle. House ruling may or may not be in order.


EDIT: Mega Ninja'd

So blast works out like this....

Blast 1:

XXX
XDX
XXX

Blast 2:

XXXXX
XXXXX
XXDXX
XXXXX
XXXXX

Blast 3:

XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXDXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX

... Or am I way off?

No, Sam, that's a burst, specifically a close burst which centers on the source. A blast would be like this:


Blast 3:
..X X X
DX X X
..X X X

[stupnick]

I guess it makes more sense if you think of the Dragonborn (or whatever) is moving his head about while spewing fire/electricity/etc. Unlike in 3.5, you can't just stand one square in front and one square to the side of the origin and be missed.

Here's a question, since mods will probably merge this with the other thread anyway - as a Dragonborn, do you get to determine what sort of energy your breath weapon does? Or do they all have Fire? Or can you change it up or something?

Dragon Breath Dragonborn Racial Power
As you open your mouth with a roar, the deadly power of your
draconic kin blasts forth to engulf your foes.
Encounter ✦ Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Poison
Minor Action Close blast 3
Targets: All creatures in area
Attack: Strength + 2 vs. Reflex, Constitution + 2 vs. Reflex, or
Dexterity + 2 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Constitution modifier damage.
Increase to +4 bonus and 2d6 + Constitution modifier
damage at 11th level, and to +6 bonus and 3d6 +
Constitution modifier damage at 21st level.
Special: When you create your character, choose Strength,
Constitution, or Dexterity as the ability score you use
when making attack rolls with this power. You also choose
the power’s damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or
poison. These two choices remain throughout your character’s
life and do not change the power’s other effects.




And sam it's like this

Blast 3
XXX
XXX
XXX
_D_

Blast 5
XXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXX
__D__

[SamTheCleric]

Blast 3
. XXX
DXXX
. XXX

Blast 5
. XXXXX
. XXXXX
DXXXXX
. XXXXX
. XXXXX

[KillianHawkeye]

Blast: A blast fills an area adjacent to you that is a specified number of squares on a side. For example, the wizard power thunderwave is a blast 3, which means the power affects a 3-square-by-3-square area adjacent to you. The blast must be adjacent to its origin
square, which is a square in your space. The origin square is not affected by the blast. A blast affects a target only if the target is in the blast’s area and if there is line of effect from the origin square to the target.

there is the given definition from the book

yup.. kinda wierd.

Based on this, I think you can occupy any square adjacent to the blast effect. So...

Blast 3:

DXXX
_XXX
_XXX

or

_XXX
DXXX
_XXX

or

_XXX
_XXX
DXXX

And depending on the definition of "adjacent", you could put it completely diagonal to you as well:

D
_XXX
_XXX
_XXX

[Xefas]

Can we get the rules for multiclassing via Paragon Path? Such as, what do you get at each level? Class Features? At-Will Powers?

[stupnick]

Correct KillianHawkeye

[stupnick]

Can we get the rules for multiclassing via Paragon Path? Such as, what do you get at each level? Class Features? At-Will Powers?

Multiclassing is handled extremely different

once you become a fighter, you are fighter till level 10. then instead of taking a fighter paragon path, you can instead choose to take another classes abilties. Now in order to do so, it takes 3 feats.

wall of text

Spoiler

Show

Power-Swap Feats
The Novice Power, Acolyte Power, and Adept Power
feats give you access to a power from the class for
which you took a class-specific multiclass feat. That
power replaces a power you would normally have
from your primary class. When you take one of these
power-swap feats, you give up a power of your choice
from your primary class and replace it with a power of
the same level or lower from the class you have multiclassed
in.
Any time you gain a level, you can alter that
decision. Effectively, pretend you’re choosing the
power-swap feat for the first time at the new level
you’ve just gained. You gain back the power that you
gave up originally from your primary class, lose the
power that you chose from your second class, and
make the trade again. You give up a different power
from your primary class and replace it with a new
power of the same level from your second class.
You can’t use power-swap feats to replace powers
you gain from your paragon path or epic destiny.
If you use retraining to replace a power-swap feat
with another feat, you lose any power gained from the
power-swap feat and regain a power of the same level
from your primary class.

Novice Power
[Multiclass Encounter]
Prerequisites: Any class-specific multiclass feat,
4th level
Benefit: You can swap one encounter attack power
you know for one encounter attack power of the same
level or lower from the class you multiclassed into.

Acolyte Power
[Multiclass Utility]
Prerequisites: Any class-specific multiclass feat,
8th level
Benefit: You can swap one utility power you know
for one utility power of the same level or lower from
the class you multiclassed into.

Adept Power [Multiclass Daily]
Prerequisites: Any class-specific multiclass feat,
10th level
Benefit: You can swap one daily attack power you
know for one daily attack power of the same level or
lower from the class you multiclassed into.

Paragon Multiclassing
If you have the Novice Power, Acolyte Power, and
Adept Power feats for a class, you can choose to continue
to gain powers from that class rather than
take a paragon path. If you choose this option, you gain
several benefits.
At 11th level, you can choose to replace one of your
at-will powers with an at-will power from your second
class.
In place of the paragon path encounter power
gained at 11th level, you can select any encounter
power of 7th level or lower from your second class.
In place of the paragon path utility power gained
at 12th level, you can select any utility power of 10th
level or lower from your second class.
In place of the paragon path daily power gained at
20th level, you can select any daily power of 19th level
or lower from your second class.

[kamikasei]

Ah - so you don't have a choice of dabbling (via the multi-class and zero or more power-swap feats) or dual-classing, but of just dabbling or going full-out dual-classed as well. Interesting...

[Xefas]

Multiclassing is handled extremely different

Awesome, thanks!

That's the only thing that's really been killing me to know.

[stupnick]

As i said, they made it so you couldn't dip here and there.

there are other ways to gain class benifits, and those are the multiclass feats
Initiate of the Faith Wis 13 Cleric: Religion skill, healing word 1/day
Student of the Sword Str 13 Fighter: skill training, +1 to attack and mark 1/encounter
Soldier of the Faith Str 13, Cha 13 Paladin: skill training, divine challenge 1/encounter
Warrior of the Wild Str 13 or Dex 13 Ranger: skill training, designate prey 1/encounter
Sneak of Shadows Dex 13 Rogue: Thievery skill, Sneak Attack 1/encounter
Pact Initiate Cha 13 Warlock: skill training, eldritch blast 1/encounter
Student of Battle Str 13 Warlord: skill training, inspiring word 1/day
Arcane Initiate Int 13 Wizard: Arcana skill, wizard power 1/encounter

Class-Specific Feats
There are two restrictions on your choice of a
class-specific multiclass feat. First, you can’t take a
multiclass feat for your own class. Second, once you
take a multiclass feat, you can’t take a class-specific
feat for a different class. You can dabble in a second
class but not a third.
A character who has taken a class-specific multiclass
feat counts as a member of that class for the purpose of
meeting prerequisites for taking other feats and qualifying
for paragon paths. For example, a character who
takes Initiate of the Faith counts as a cleric for the purpose
of selecting feats that have cleric as a prerequisite.
These feats can qualify you for other feats; for example,
a warlock who takes Sneak of Shadows can use the
rogue’s Sneak Attack class feature, which means that
he meets the prerequisite for the Backstabber feat.

[Tingel]

Is it possible to have an evil cleric that does evil things and uses evil power (necrotic damage instead of radiant, for instance)? Does it matter, mechanically, what god your cleric worships? Anything like domains in 3.5?

The Dungeon Master's Guide has a small paragraph called "Divine Evil". It says that the cleric and paladin powers described in the PHB are designed with good and lawful good deities in mind. For evil clerics and paladins, the fluff should be changed without changing mechanics. The examples given are to exchange radiant damage (= holy light) with necrotic damage, ongoing holy fire with acidic slime, and being blinded by light with being blinded by clinging darkness.

[stupnick]

TY tingel. i am still reading the DMG...

[Raider]

Are there subraces listed in the MM for each race?

[stupnick]

no duergar, no svirfneblin, drow are listed as there own entry.

so nope... nothing like whisper gnomes, ghostwise halflings, strongheart halflings and the like

[Scintillatus]

Just use the standard race and re-flavour it. Throw together a racial feature if you gotta. These races are NOT difficult to design, there's no LA to worry about any more.

[wodan46]

At-Will Power progression hasn't really been discussed like Encounter/Daily/Utility powers have.

How many At-Will powers are available to a given class at Level 1, at what levels do new sets of At Will powers become available, and how many At-Will powers are generally available total, per class?

Wizards reportedly have Ray of Frost, Scorching Burst, Magic Missile, and 2 other Level 1 At-Wills. What are those other At-Will powers? I'm betting that 1 of them is Shocking Grasp, and the other is Acid based with ongoing damage.

[Reel On, Love]

At-Will Power progression hasn't really been discussed like Encounter/Daily/Utility powers have.

How many At-Will powers are available to a given class at Level 1, at what levels do new sets of At Will powers become available, and how many At-Will powers are generally available total, per class?

Wizards reportedly have Ray of Frost, Scorching Burst, Magic Missile, and 2 other Level 1 At-Wills. What are those other At-Will powers? I'm betting that 1 of them is Shocking Grasp, and the other is Acid based with ongoing damage.

Rachel posted the wizard at-wills in the other thread.

A class gets 2 at-will powers (+1 if human), out of a set of 4 (5 for the wizard). You don't get new at-will powers (although you can change the ones you have), unless you get another class' by replacing your Paragon Path with multiclassing.

[Scubasteve0209]

What are the stat modifications for the PC races?

[SamTheCleric]

Dragonborn: +2 Str, +2 Cha
Dwarf: +2 Con, +2 Wis
Eladrin: +2 Dex, +2 Int
Elf: +2 Dex, +2 Wis
Half-Elf: +2 Con, +2 Cha
Halfling: +2 Dex, +2 Cha
Human: +2 to any one attribute
Tiefling: +2 Int, +2 Cha