Comments on: Class(ic) D&D http://rpgdigest.com/2007/05/31/classic-dd/ Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:42:12 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: shekaka67 http://rpgdigest.com/2007/05/31/classic-dd/comment-page-1/#comment-35 shekaka67 Sun, 03 Jun 2007 19:11:36 +0000 http://dndreviews.com/?p=56#comment-35 No, I think game designers need to be proficient with math ,but not mathematicians. Just check out some of Sean Reynold's justifications for using 3.0 keen and improved critical stacking suggestions for his mathematical abilities. But they have to be able to "feel" things as well...the CR system is a but a guideline...good gut feeling...not evenly remotely mathematically sound and formulaic...some CR 7's are way too tough for your 6th level party ,but some CR9 creature may be a push over...due to varying feats and powers and abilities that certain party compositions may or may not be able to handle...however, it is a pretty good gauge. NOw, the big 4 ( cleric-fighter-wizrad-rogue) are not al mathematically equivalent...but they do all have a nice niche to fill and role to play...in that as a team they cover all the bases: tank - healer-spell lobber-sneaky dude....just 4 iconice roles that are nicely filled by these classes. With the glut of feats and alternate classes, I think these iconic classes can all be replaced .....say with a half-minotaur monk, soulborn fighter, nomad psion, and goliath psychic warrior....you have a lot of varied abilities in that group same as per the big 4....but Let's say, a 4 fighter party can get easily wiped out in a standard dungeon if they run into let's say, a single spectre and no one has a ghost touch weapon...level drains and slow ,but almost sure annihilation....or at the least severe weakening of the 4 tanks who are then disposed of quickly by the 4 ogres in the next room...or heaven forbid, some wizard who is invisible summons some monsters and then decides to charm or dominate half the dim-witted bashers.....you don't need all 4 of the classes ,but standard "dungeons" are built assuming you have access to those 4 iconic types of abilities(tank - healer-spell lobber-sneaky dude).....essentially you can't really afford to put all your eggs in one basket....now could you roll with everything but a rogue...maybe...standard dungeon with only 3 pcs is tougher(easier to overwhelm...slightly less options...have to compensate for the missing rogue/thus weakening your pcs ability to apply his iconic(using that word a lot a I know)ability to optimal effect...again...some potential snags.... The big 4 are still the ideal ,but not always the best....heck, I will not even pretend to know what the best 4 class combinations would be ,but basically you need some variety...and I think 4 is a magic number. No, I think game designers need to be proficient with math ,but not mathematicians. Just check out some of Sean Reynold’s justifications for using 3.0 keen and improved critical stacking suggestions for his mathematical abilities. But they have to be able to “feel” things as well…the CR system is a but a guideline…good gut feeling…not evenly remotely mathematically sound and formulaic…some CR 7’s are way too tough for your 6th level party ,but some CR9 creature may be a push over…due to varying feats and powers and abilities that certain party compositions may or may not be able to handle…however, it is a pretty good gauge.

NOw, the big 4 ( cleric-fighter-wizrad-rogue) are not al mathematically equivalent…but they do all have a nice niche to fill and role to play…in that as a team they cover all the bases: tank – healer-spell lobber-sneaky dude….just 4 iconice roles that are nicely filled by these classes. With the glut of feats and alternate classes, I think these iconic classes can all be replaced …..say with a half-minotaur monk, soulborn fighter, nomad psion, and goliath psychic warrior….you have a lot of varied abilities in that group same as per the big 4….but

Let’s say, a 4 fighter party can get easily wiped out in a standard dungeon if they run into let’s say, a single spectre and no one has a ghost touch weapon…level drains and slow ,but almost sure annihilation….or at the least severe weakening of the 4 tanks who are then disposed of quickly by the 4 ogres in the next room…or heaven forbid, some wizard who is invisible summons some monsters and then decides to charm or dominate half the dim-witted bashers…..you don’t need all 4 of the classes ,but standard “dungeons” are built assuming you have access to those 4 iconic types of abilities(tank – healer-spell lobber-sneaky dude)…..essentially you can’t really afford to put all your eggs in one basket….now could you roll with everything but a rogue…maybe…standard dungeon with only 3 pcs is tougher(easier to overwhelm…slightly less options…have to compensate for the missing rogue/thus weakening your pcs ability to apply his iconic(using that word a lot a I know)ability to optimal effect…again…some potential snags….
The big 4 are still the ideal ,but not always the best….heck, I will not even pretend to know what the best 4 class combinations would be ,but basically you need some variety…and I think 4 is a magic number.

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